Sheik's Accidental Pregnancy: The Botros Brothers Series, #1

By Leslie North

Sometimes opposites attract…

 

When Sarah starts work at the Botros Oil Company, she doesn't expect the tall and stunningly sexy CEO to be so rude, arrogant, and argumentative. He obviously doesn't approve of his brother hiring her.

 

Sheikh Tariq Botros has never met anyone like Sarah. She has no respect for tradition. She's clumsy, stubborn, unladylike, and talks far too much. She also isn't intimidated by him. In fact, she openly challenges him. Just talking to her is an exercise in frustration.

 

After a heated argument leads to an unforgettable night of passion, they both agree it can never happen again. But there are consequences to their unprotected encounter, and they're forced to come to terms with their feelings and the explosive attraction between them.

 

Previously published as Sheikh's Accidental Pregnancy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leslie North
• Release date: Apr 6, 2014
• ISBN: 9781498920124

Book preview

1

Sara arrived for her interview at the Botros Oil Company a few minutes early. When she applied for the job as assistant to one of the executives, she never thought she’d get called in for an interview. She was fresh out of university with not much work experience, and the Botros Oil Company was one of the best in the Middle East.

Sara twisted her fingers together as she waited outside Sheikh Amir Botros’s office. The space was clean and classy. The sofa she sat on was black leather, and the receptionist’s desk was gleaming black wood and glass. She ran through her answers to common interview questions in her head. Tell me about a time when… and, Where do you see yourself in five years… and the one that should be the easiest but was really the hardest, Tell me a little bit about yourself. Ugh. She hated job interviews.

The receptionist’s phone rang, and a moment later, she looked over to Sara. Miss Matthews? Sara looked up. Sheikh Amir will see you now.

Sara stood up, straightened her skirt, and walked into the office. Sheikh Amir was sitting at his desk, and she stretched out her hand for him to shake as she approached.

Please have a seat, Miss Matthews, he said after he shook her hand. His voice was calm and soft. She knew he was young—only twenty-eight—but his quick smile made him look even younger, perhaps her own age. I’m Amir Botros. Delighted to meet you.

Sara took the chair on the right. It was black leather, like the couch in the reception area. She tried not to look around too much. She knew she’d just be intimidated by the size and luxury of his office.

She was still a little stunned to be here. She’d originally applied for a junior engineer position, then on a whim, she’d thrown her hat in the ring for this one, too, never expecting to be called for an interview. Surely a company of such high status would hire someone more qualified to be assistant to the vice president, someone with two degrees and tons of experience. Up until a couple weeks ago, she’d never left the United Kingdom.

Great that you could join us today, Amir said.

Thanks for the invitation. Sara sat upright, fighting her natural inclination to slouch. Her mother’s voice sounded in her head, reminding her to keep her knees together.

They exchanged a few more pleasantries—what did she think of the country, where her accent was from—but before they could get down to the real interview, the sheikh’s phone rang.

Excuse me for one minute. I have to take this. He picked up the receiver and exchanged a few words with whoever was on the other end of the line. When he hung up again, his gaze had changed. He looked at her speculatively, rather than with the friendliness of a moment before.

Not bad news, I hope, Sara said, hoping to get their interview back on track.

Not at all. But I’m going to have to have my new assistant in place much sooner than expected. We’re very careful about who we interview, so your background check is already done. Can you start next week?

What? Was this a trick? She stared at him blankly for a long minute, too stunned to speak. And honestly, she was a little annoyed that all her interview prep had been for nothing.

Sheikh Amir’s smile was almost a smirk. I am too impulsive, according to my brother.

But I have no experience…yet, Sara ventured.

You have the academic credentials, and you’re here. The rest will come with experience. I need someone in place before my brother returns from his business trip, and he’s coming home early. So you’re my only option at the moment.

Sara narrowed her eyes. So I’m hired?

Precisely, Amir said and rose from his desk. I’ll see you Sunday morning at eight a.m. sharp, he added as he buttoned his suit jacket.

Sunday?

This is a Muslim-majority country. Our week runs Sunday through Thursday. Friday is our holy day.

Right. Eight o’clock on Sunday. Sara couldn’t function before ten on a good day, but if she was going to take a position in a corporate environment, she was going to have to adapt. Thank you, sir. I’ll be here.

Excellent. Amir handed her two thick files. Some light reading for the weekend. He grinned and then walked out.

Thank you, she called out after him. She looked down at the thick files and shuddered. Light reading? Must be his way of being funny, Sara thought, even though she didn’t see the humor in it. The receptionist reappeared at the door.

Excuse me, Sara said to her.

You are confused about the files? the woman asked, smiling sympathetically.

Sara nodded, unsure what to say.

Sheikh Amir wants you to read about the company and familiarize yourself with our current projects and five-year plan.

Okay, but how did he hire me so easily?

He already knows everything he needs to know about you. And Sheikh Tariq is returning today. Sheikh Amir promised his brother he’d have his own assistant by the time he got home from his business trip. I suspect Sheikh Amir would have hired whoever was closest when he got the news, even if it was a spice vendor in the market.

Sheikh Tariq must be…formidable.

The receptionist smiled. That’s one way of putting it. Welcome to Botros Oil, Miss Matthews.

Thank you. Is there anything about the job I need to be aware of?

Dress modestly, of course. No skirts above your knees, and no sheer blouses. Always be on time. Sara frowned. Make sure you read those files cover to cover. He will probably ask you about them. Let me show you to human resources, so you can get your paperwork done now.

Sara stepped onto the sidewalk an hour later, shaking her head. The whole experience had been a whirlwind. And she was not looking forward to meeting Sheikh Tariq, Amir’s brother. He must be quite something to intimidate even his brother so much that he’d hired her before her interview had even really started. But she was grateful for the job. Her three months’ grace on her student loans ended soon.

As Sara reached her new apartment, she had a bounce in her step, despite the heavy files she carried. She fumbled in her handbag for the key. She preferred backpacks, but she was smart enough to know a backpack wouldn’t have been appropriate for a job interview.

She crossed her small living room and went into her bedroom to change. She frowned at her luggage. She’d been putting off unpacking for some reason, maybe afraid it would jinx her attempt at living abroad. She should really either unpack or read those ridiculously thick files. She sat on the bed and chose to do neither.

She flipped open her laptop and decided to dig deeper into her new boss. And his mysterious, looming brother. It seemed that his family was more powerful than she had imagined. Sheikh Amir’s grandfather was a cousin to the royal family. And Sheikh Tariq—well, finding his picture both inspired thirst and made her seriously consider resigning her new position immediately. He glared out at her with fierce, dark eyes, his face square-jawed under a neatly trimmed beard, like some kind of ancient hero of the desert. He looked like he could squash her like a bug.

2

Sunday morning came sooner than Sara had hoped. She dragged herself out of bed—and out from under the contents of Sheikh Amir’s files, which she’d fallen asleep reading—and headed for the shower. She’d been shopping before she left the UK, with her best friend as fashion consultant since she knew nothing about business attire. Engineering students were a slouchy bunch, generally. She picked her favorite outfit they’d chosen: a sapphire-blue shirt, black high-waisted skirt, and black high heels.

Sara wrestled with her long, curly hair. She loved how it looked loose, but she fantasized about hacking it all off at least three times a week, more when she had to put it up.

Men have it easy, she muttered. She managed to fasten it in a loose bun.

Her phone played a superhero theme song, her signal that it was time to be out the door. She reassembled her boss’s files, shoved them into her backpack—they wouldn’t fit in her handbag, and she didn’t want to risk dropping them on her way—and hurried out the door.

Good morning, Miss Matthews, the receptionist said when Sara stepped into the office.

Good morning, and please call me Sara.

And I’m Adiva. You may go straight through. Sheikh Amir is waiting for you.

Sara smiled and headed toward Amir’s office. She stopped halfway and walked back to Adiva. Where can I put my bag? she asked while digging for a notebook and pen.

I’ll put it in your office for you. Adiva took the bag from her and grimaced, clearly less than impressed by the backpack. Sara pretended not to notice but made a note to herself to find an out-of-the-way place to stash it during the day. Clearly, she’d need to invest in something more suitable for meetings and work trips. She hated shopping.

Sara walked into the office and greeted Amir, her new boss, Good morning, Sheikh Amir.

Good morning, Sara. Have a seat. Your day is going to be a little bit of a trial by fire, I’m afraid. Tariq returned with quite an agenda for the company. But we have time to go over the basics. First, call me Amir.

Amir talked so quickly that Sara wished she’d learned shorthand in school. Everything from expected work hours, her duties—pretty much anything he asked her to do and then some—and the business priorities he wanted her to focus on. Through it all, his charm rose to the top. He was young, rich, and handsome, and she was glad he and not his brother would be her direct boss.

I think that’s everything for now, he finally said. Adiva can show you to your office. I’ll give you a few minutes to get settled and process all that. Then we’ll get to work.

Sara thought her brain might explode if Amir went on any longer, so she was grateful for the break. She flipped her notebook closed and stood to leave. "Thank you, sir.

Reviews for Sheik's Accidental Pregnancy

[Dorothy Alloway · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful story line. No one person is the boss. How much they both try hard to be. They eventually work out how to be together while still maintaining there own persona. They recognize eventually how each other has their roles and responsibilities.