The Sheikh's Virgin Bride(4)
“I’m sorry, it’s been a rough night. Having no cellphone for the past fourteen hours has been akin to torture.”
I smiled back at him. “Oh, I don’t know. Sometimes I think cellphones are more trouble than they’re worth. It’s just this addicting little lit-up screen that makes you waste time while you think you’re being productive.”
Silence followed, wherein I realized that I was being the biggest idiot in the world. I held up another model and plastered on my most convincing smile.
“So, anyway, you should really buy this one.” I pressed a button on the most expensive model we stocked, showcasing an array of colorful icons. “You’ll love this. It’s the fastest we have in store and has more storage space than any model currently on the market.”
Now, I had his attention. Taking it in his hands, the man tapped a few icons while I continued my spiel.
“I can personally recommend that one. I own one, actually.”
“Oh, yeah?”
Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I handed it to him.
“Why don’t you try it out, if you like? There’s no video on our store model, but mine has a few you could see for qualit—”
“AND HERE YOU HAVE IT, LADIES: LACIE WRIGHT, NEW YORK CITY’S OLDEST VIRGIN!”
Stricken, I snatched my phone out of the man’s hands, the store now filled with the laughter of Nadia and the other bridesmaids as a video from last night played. Realizing the video must have auto-downloaded from our group chat, thanks to whichever one of them had decided to upload it, I silenced the phone.
But it was too late—far too late. My face was bright red, while the man was, thankfully, chuckling.
“Its volume capabilities are certainly impressive.”
My faked smile evidently did the trick. A few seconds later he was striding to the front counter.
“I’ll take it.”
After I’d rung him through, he slipped the phone into his suit pocket and grinned.
“Thank you…” he glanced at my name tag, “Lacie. I hope you have a good day.”
Well, after what just happened, that’s pretty unlikely, I thought.
“Thanks. You too,” I mumbled awkwardly.
Then, with one final sexy smile, he left.
As soon as he was out of sight, I slumped into my seat at the counter and put my head in my hands. A man more gorgeous than I thought possible had just been the latest person to learn that I, Lacie Wright, was a virgin. Could today get any worse?
Chapter Five
Rashid
I called my father as I walked outside the terminal to hail a taxi.
“Hello, I just wanted to let you know I landed at JFK and I’m on my way to the meeting.”
It took a minute for him to reply, and when he did his voice was weak.
“Rashid. It’s good to hear your voice. I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I’ve just been so…tired. I trust you’ll make the right decision.”
“I will, Father. I can promise you that.”
We paused for a minute, as if waiting for the other to say something, before saying our goodbyes briefly. Hailing a taxi only took a minute; it seemed like half the streets were filled with taxis. I wove through a crowd of pedestrians, told the flat-faced taxi driver the address of my meeting, and we were off, crawling through the car-clogged streets of New York.
I didn’t much mind. Watching the streets teeming with busy life—boisterous food cart workers, stoic businesspeople, and dopey tourists, all jostling each other about—gave me time to think.
What had I said about the United States—about it not exactly being known for having a good supply of virgins? And yet, who had I just met? That adorable cellphone store clerk. Lacie. If that video had been true, if she really was a virgin, was it worth trying to pursue something?
Stopped at a stoplight, I saw street vendors hawking their wares. That girl might have been cute, but it would be beyond strange for me to approach her and explain my need to find a virgin. How could I possibly go about it without sounding like a creep?
My taxi rolled on, then, to a view of a couple looking blissfully happy and in love as they shared an ice cream cone. Genuinely bonding and falling in love with Lacie in two weeks was out of the question and yet… She didn’t exactly seem passionate about her job. Maybe, just maybe, she would jump at the offer of a huge sum of money in exchange for marrying a prince.
In my hands, I turned my new phone round and round. At any rate, I didn’t have to decide now. I could go to my meeting, take the girl out for a date, and then decide.
Talking couldn’t hurt, could it?
Chapter Six
Lacie
Closing up went the same as usual. I put away all the accessories customers had carelessly strewn across the shop, locked everything up, and then walked out to catch the bus. Just outside the store, however, he was there.
The handsome Middle Eastern man from earlier, passing by.
“You again.”
My face changed into something between a smile and a gape.
“Me?”
He held up his phone.
“I wanted to thank you. This baby worked like a charm, the meeting was a great success.”