by Alice Raine
He looked decidedly like he wanted to take charge and undress me, but was refraining because we had company. If Aliya wasn’t just a few feet away, then I might well have let him. As it was, I glanced around and saw that the bathroom had handrails on two walls, and so I nodded at him. I began to close the door when he blocked it by putting a hand on the wood.
My eyes jumped to his in surprise, and I found his intense green gaze fixed on mine. ‘Don’t lock it, in case you fall. I’ll wait right here.’
The sparks leaped between us again, and I nodded jerkily and closed the door. As instructed, I didn’t lock it. I began to peel off my clothes. It was usually such a simple task, but today every time I bent down I felt faint, so it was a bit of a struggle. Eventually, I managed to give myself a cursory dry with the towel and step into the clothes Aliya had left for me – pale blue cotton trousers and a matching Somoran tunic-style top.
As I opened the bathroom door I found Khalil waiting, looking like a caged tiger as he prowled back and forth. He glanced down my new outfit and back up again before he smiled. ‘It suits you,’ he murmured, before once again wrapping an arm around my waist and helping me back into the main stable.
Outside the open doors, my ambulance was waiting, although it wasn’t quite the same as the ones in England. This was more like a small mini-van, emblazoned with red stripes and complete with blue lights on the top.
Beside me, Khalil tensed and frowned, before shooting me a wary look. He turned to Aliya, saying something to her in the local dialect, none of which I understood. Whatever it was seemed to surprise her, because her eyebrows briefly popped up, then she gave me another long glance before bowing her head to Khalil and me, and walking out to the ambulance.
What was with all the bowing here? I’d read up on local cultural traditions before arriving, but I couldn’t remember any mentions of bowing, and yet everyone seemed to be doing it.
Khalil closed the gap between us and gazed down at me again. ‘Looks like you’re all set to go. Don’t throw yourself in any rock pools along the way, will you?’ His joke got lost in our sudden close proximity, because instead of laughing at his humour, I sucked in a surprised breath as the jangling, fizzing awareness from earlier started up again.
I felt an excited tremble run through my body. He was so close that I could smell the salty seawater on his damp clothes, and it dragged me from my lusty thoughts and reminded me again of how he’d dragged me from the water after I’d hit my head and passed out.
He was quite literally my handsome saviour.
‘Thank you so much for everything, Khalil … for saving me, and sorting my medical treatment … Thank you.’ I’d probably be dead now if it weren’t for him, so nothing I could say really seemed adequate.
‘No thanks necessary. I’m just glad I was there to help.’ Khalil shifted his stance, widening his legs and moving ever so slightly so that our bodies were once again becoming dangerously close. We stood like that for a second, both seeming to enjoy the feelings that our proximity gave, before he let out a low chuckle and stepped back.
He guided me outside to the ambulance. We stood just out of earshot of the driver and Aliya. He handed me my bag and smiled. ‘Despite the circumstances, it was a pleasure to meet you, Sara.’
‘You, too, and thanks again. Maybe I’ll see you around sometime,’ I mumbled, suddenly awkward.
‘Maybe you will,’ he agreed with a deepening smile. Taking hold of my hand, he raised it to his lips and pressed a warm kiss to the back of my knuckles that seemed to last for far longer than was socially acceptable. Heat shot through me from the contact, but then, much to my disappointment, his lips were gone as he stepped back. Lowering into a half bow, Khalil flashed me a wink, then turned to stride away.
Wow. My skin was still tingling from his kiss, and I couldn’t drag my eyes away from his retreating figure until he disappeared into a doorway and was gone.
Turning to the van, I found Aliya watching me with an openly shocked expression, and my cheeks flushed as I realised that she must have seen me gazing after him like a lovesick teen. Talk about being caught in the act.
Blinking away her shock, she smiled shyly and held a hand out to help me into the van. Thankfully, she didn’t comment on my behaviour.
As I settled back in the seat I let out a long, low breath. What an afternoon, and what a man.
Chapter Three
It was such a relief to have Aliya with me at the hospital, because the staff didn’t speak anywhere near as much English as Khalil had, and it made me painfully aware just how basic my grasp of the local language was.
One brain scan, several sets of stiches, and three blood tests later, I was released on the condition that I rested up for at least a week. Apparently, as well as the visible cuts to my face and head, and some bruising on my arms and legs, I had a concussion, and should ideally be watched for the next week or so. But I was feeling much steadier now, so I brushed that off with a smile and solemn promise that I would be careful.
Sinking back into the seat of the small van, I gave Aliya the address of my apartment block, but my companion shook her head and blushed. ‘Mr Khalil asked for you be taken directly back to him, Miss Sara.’
I shook my head in rejection of the idea, but immediately regretted it as a thumping pain burned within my skull again and a wave of sickness rushed over me.
Groaning, I rubbed at my temple and squinted at Aliya as she spoke again. ‘See? You are in no state to be on your own.’
‘Mr Khalil … I mean, Khalil won’t want me hanging around. Honestly, Aliya, take me home. I just want to sleep and rest. I’ll take it easy, I promise.’
‘Mr Khalil does want you there. Before we left the estate, he told me that I was to bring you straight back to him after your tests. He said you are on the island alone with no one to watch you, and that I must make you accept his invitation, no arguments.’
So, when he’d bid me farewell and said he “might see me around”, he’d known full well that he would definitely see me again because he’d ordered Aliya to take me to him. Cheeky bugger.
‘Aliya, I’ll be fine, honestly.’ As kind as it was of him to offer, all I wanted was to curl up in bed and feel sorry for myself.
Aliya clipped her seatbelt in and smiled at me with a wicked twinkle in her eyes. ‘I know you’ll be fine, because you’ll be at the estate where Mr Khalil can keep an eye on you.’
She was obviously intent on sticking rigidly to her orders, so I accepted my defeat and gave a reluctant nod before resting my head back on the soft leather headrest. I couldn’t deny that the prospect of spending more time with Khalil was a tantalising one, but I already felt like I’d been enough of a burden on him.
Back at the estate it had certainly seemed like he was more senior than Aliya, so perhaps he was the best person to speak to about going home. I settled in for the journey, determined to make Khalil see sense when we got back, and persuade him to take me back to my apartment.
As the ambulance entered the guarded gates of the estate and wound its way through the lush gardens I peered through the trees and saw Khalil waiting for us on the front steps of the huge house.
He’d changed out of his wet shirt and riding trousers, and was now wearing dark blue jeans and a tight white polo shirt. It might be a casual choice, but he made it look stunning. The light cotton of the T-shirt accentuated his tan, and with his outfit rounded off with a pair of aviator sunglasses he really did look like the lord of this place.
As we moved closer, and I got a look at his face, my hopes of going home tonight faded. His jaw was set, and although I couldn’t see his eyes behind the sunglasses, I’d bet that his vivid green irises were also determined and unmovable.
Damn it. It looked like my battle was going to be harder to win than I’d anticipated.
As soon as the van stopped, Khalil jogged down the steps and shushed Aliya away, insisting that he helped me from the ambulance himself. Aliya was fidgeting on the spo
t, looking uncomfortable that Khalil was now doing the job she had been tasked with, but after he murmured a few words of Somoran at her she nodded her head and swiftly disappeared.
‘Khalil, I can’t thank you enough for all the help you’ve given me today, but really, I’m fine to go home. I just need some sleep.’
After I’d made a plea for my freedom, I straightened my shoulders in my most defiant stance and risked a look up at him. Khalil stood tall and confident, but I couldn’t tell what he was thinking because of the reflective glasses. As if reading my mind, he raised a hand and slowly removed the glasses, and I was met with such a resolute expression that I sucked in a shocked breath.
‘I point-blank refuse to let you leave the estate, Sara.’ His tone was firm, and even though I already knew it was pointless fighting him, I decided to give it one more try.
‘But …’
‘No buts. There is plenty of space here, and you told me yourself that you don’t know anyone here on Somora, meaning there is no one to watch you. You’re staying, end of discussion.’
We stared at each other for a few seconds, neither of us willing to back down, then he leaned closer, his lips almost, but not quite brushing my ear lobe. ‘I’ll tie you to a bed, if I have to.’ His words whispered past my ear and made my eyes widen in surprise, but what was even more shocking was the heat I detected in his tone. I couldn’t be sure, but I think he actually meant it, and liked the idea of it. Stepping back a fraction, I gawked up at him and my breath froze at the lust swimming in his eyes.
And why had he picked a bed, specifically? He could have said, “I’ll tie you to a chair,” or, “I’ll lock the gates so you can’t leave.” But no, he’d said he’d tie me to a bed, and now I couldn’t get visions of him grabbing a rope and having me strung out across a four-poster in a matter of minutes out of my mind. Even though I’d never experimented with bondage, I couldn’t deny that the idea sent a shiver of lust through me.
With me effectively silenced by shock, Khalil smirked down at me. He placed a hand on my lower back and gently guided me toward the front door of the gigantic house. He ducked in front of me when we reached it, so he could open it with a flourish and perform a little bow towards me. I smiled at his gentlemanly gesture, but as soon as I got a look at the opulent luxury behind him I stopped dead.
‘But this isn’t your house, is it? What about the owners, won’t they mind?’
Khalil took my bag from my arm and ushered me towards a huge marble staircase. ‘Not at all. They’re away for the summer, and know that I’m staying here in their absence. It won’t be a problem.’
It seemed like a problem to me! What if they came home early and found Khalil and I camped out in their house? My eyes skimmed the upstairs hallway we were now walking along, and widened; thick cream carpet, marble walls, paintings galore. Along the ceiling were miniature crystal chandeliers instead of lightshades. I had never been somewhere so extravagantly decorated.
‘I would have taken you to my house, but it's up in the mountains, quite a drive from here,’ Khalil commented, before pushing open a large wooden door and standing back. ‘Your room.’
Good grief. I edged over the boundary and my jaw dropped open in awe as I gazed around. It was so big I could fit my entire beachside apartment into one half of it.
And talk about lavish! The floor was a pale pink marble, but mostly covered in thick cream rugs, the walls were hung with silk paper, and the bed was a gigantic four-poster made up with rich golden bedding.
One thing was for sure, I’d feel like a princess sleeping in here tonight.
Seeing the four-poster, I thought back to Khalil's words about tying me to a bed, and my cheeks heated. My gaze flicked across at him. Judging from the wicked smile playing at the corners of his mouth, he was recalling it, too. I dragged my eyes away, but it was too late. He’d already seen my blush.
Tipping his head back, he laughed and winked at me. ‘Enough of those thoughts, little one, you need to rest.’
The bed looked so soft and appealing that I didn’t even bother to try to deny where my mind had wandered to. I kicked off my shoes and climbed in fully dressed. My eyes grew heavy almost as soon as my head hit the plump pillow.
Chapter Four
Water.
Everywhere around me was water.
It was rushing up my nose, filling my mouth, and clogging my airways.
I couldn’t breathe.
Every attempt at a breath just brought more of the salty sea water gushing into my mouth, burning my throat and filling my lungs.
I needed to breathe.
Opening my eyes, I could see nothing. Everything was black. Was I underwater? Was I dying? Panic surged at me again, and I screamed, my hands flailing in front of me as I tried to work out what was happening.
A huge, retching gasp ripped its way up my throat, accompanied by another scream, then I found myself sitting upright, clawing at whatever it was that was wrapped around my neck. Finally, I was free, and I desperately sucked in a precious lungful of air, followed by another, and another, until I felt dizzy from the oxygen flooding my system.
There was a loud bang and light flooded into my space from somewhere to my left, adding to my confusion and disorientation.
‘Sara?’ Somewhere nearby a deep voice was calling my name. It expelled what sounded like a heated curse word and a second light came on, this time right beside me.
The light caused my head to pound, so I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to process what the hell was going on. I felt groggy, and my thoughts were leaden and sluggish, so it took me several seconds to realise where I was, and what was happening.
I opened my eyes and blinked several times until I could tolerate the light. Then I saw Khalil. He was here, crouched at my bedside, and his handsome face was filled with a concerned expression. It was seeing his vibrant green eyes that brought all the events of yesterday flooding back to me, and suddenly I remembered my fall, subsequent injuries, and the fact that I was now staying with him while I recovered.
‘Are you unwell?’
Letting out a heavy breath, I closed my eyes and was swamped by visions of water and bubbles and panic swirling in my mind. I think the sheet had become tangled around my neck during my sleep, which had added to the sensation of breathlessness. Maybe sharing it would help clear everything from my head.
‘No. I had a nightmare. I dreamed I was drowning. I … I couldn’t breathe.’
Khalil let out a low growl and shook his head. ‘Are you OK?’ he asked softly, looking like he wanted to reach out for me, but wouldn’t allow himself, or perhaps didn’t think it was appropriate in my distressed state.
‘I think so.’ My reply was croaky from the tightness in my throat, and that seemed to be enough to push Khalil into breaking his control, because he dipped down onto the side of the mattress and reached out to gently stroke my cheek.
‘It's OK. You’re safe, Sara.’
I was safe because he had saved me, which was something I still couldn’t quite get my head around. If it weren’t for him, I could be dead now. Mind you, if I hadn’t been ogling him on the beach on the first place I probably wouldn’t have fallen, so I supposed it was a bit of a vicious circle.
Or maybe it was just fate.
I had been saved by the very man who had fascinated me since the first day I’d laid eyes on him, and it turned out that we had some crazy kind of chemical connection between us, too.
I went to lay back, but a furious pain in my head stopped me, and I cupped the stitches on the base of my skull with a grimace. ‘My head's pounding.’ I ran my fingers gingerly around to rub at my temples. Ugh. My brain felt like it was too big for my skull.
Khalil stood, and I could hear him moving around beside me, rustling various things, before the mattress dipped again as he sat back down. ‘Here, take these.’
I peeled my eyes open and saw him holding out some of the painkillers I’d been given by the hospital, along with a glass of w
ater.
‘It's been six hours since your last dose, so you’re fine to have another lot.’
Accepting the pills gratefully, I took them and let out a sigh.
‘Perhaps we should take you back to the hospital?’ Khalil suggested, his tone thick with concern, but my eyes flew open wide.
‘No. It's just the side effects of the concussion. I already had a scan, there's nothing else they can do.’ I’d never spent a night in hospital in my life, and I wasn’t keen to have one now that I was thousands of miles away from home.
‘So stubborn,’ Khalil muttered, before standing from the bed. ‘Try and sleep then,’ he suggested, reaching for the bedside light to turn it off.
The idea of darkness brought cloying memories of my nightmare rushing to my mind. It was still too fresh, and my throat tightened in panic. ‘No! Wait, please.’
Khalil turned back to me with a frown, and I felt guilty for making him worry so much. ‘Would you stay with me for a while? My nightmare is still on my mind, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep just yet.’
The worry fell from his face as his lips curved into a smile so gorgeous that it made something in my stomach tighten and completely distracted me from my discomfort. ‘Of course.’
Khalil looked at me with hooded eyes, then glanced at an armchair in the far corner of the room, before his eyes fell to the empty space beside me in the bed as if trying to choose where to sit. The air between us seemed to thicken, just like it had earlier, and a rush of awareness filled my body.
Summoning up a wave of courage that I hadn’t known I possessed, I stared him directly in the eye and patted the empty space beside me in invitation.
The expression on his face was almost wolfish as he stalked around the bed and climbed up to sit beside me. Now he was closer, I could see that his neatly trimmed stubble from earlier had thickened in the hours that had passed, making his looks darker and more wicked somehow. I noticed that he had one or two grey hairs at his temples, too, giving him an air of distinction, and seeming to support my earlier assessment that he was quite a bit older than me.
