by Holly Rayner
Was that a blush on his cheeks?
“Yes, well, some things are worth taking the time for.”
At that comment, Sarah blushed as well, and they spent the rest of the car ride in comfortable silence, contemplating feelings that were coming quite quickly to a head.
When they reached the palace, Ali showed Sarah back to her room, and he lingered in the doorway.
“Want to meet for dinner in an hour?” he asked.
“Of course I do. I can’t resist your country’s cuisine. You know that,” she said, leaning against the door as she faced him.
His eyes took her in, absorbing her. She found she liked when he looked at her that way. Then she realized she had no reason to like it, and she stepped back, trying desperately to cling to her sanity.
“I’ll see you soon,” she said.
Ali stepped back, his expression casual.
“Think you can find your way back to the dining room without an escort?”
“I bet you twenty bucks I can,” she said, her eyes narrowing.
He grinned at her, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked away.
“You’re on,” he said.
SIXTEEN
Sarah wandered the hallways for at least twenty minutes before a staff member found her and brought her to the dining room. When she got there, Ali’s grin was catlike.
“I’ll take that twenty dollars whenever you’re ready,” he said, and Sarah crossed her arms.
“Like you need it. Besides, I wasn’t lost. I was taking the scenic route.”
“That was quite scenic, seeing as you’re twenty minutes late.”
“Well there’s plenty around here that I haven’t seen yet. I just felt like I should,” she said, the corner of her lips twitching.
They stood, both of them almost smiling at each other, until they realized they were staring. Sarah cleared her throat and approached the bar.
“I’ll have a white wine, please,” she said, gratefully accepting the glass the bartender handed her a moment later.
Ali asked for a scotch, and then they sat at the table and enjoyed some light hors d'oeuvres. The whole room was lit with white candles, which were muted only by the soft glow of a chandelier. Sarah felt completely swept away.
“In all my imaginings, I could have never foreseen our meeting going like this,” Sarah said, staring at Ali across the table.
His eyes were glowing in the soft light, his false beard removed, his casual clothes replaced with something a little more regal. Sarah missed the laid-back Ali she had spent the day with, but she couldn’t deny how outstandingly handsome he was when he cleaned up.
“What did you think would happen?” he asked, taking a sip of his drink.
Sarah thought for a moment, pondering the question. She had thought about a hundred different scenarios, but none of them really came to mind as she stared at the man in the flesh across from her.
“I don’t know. I suppose after you picked me up I assumed Ali had become some kind of criminal on the run. That would have been a sad reality were it the case.”
“And what do you think of the Ali you know now?” he asked.
His eyes revealed a striking vulnerability, like her answer mattered very much to him. Sarah considered her words carefully.
“I think he is a great leader, with a good heart, who wants the best for his country and his people.”
Ali’s face fell and he sighed.
“He sounds like a very good sheikh.”
Sarah held her breath. Then her guilt at his disappointment caused the words to fall out of her mouth before she could stop them.
“I also see a man who is fun, patient, and kind; who doesn’t get frustrated easily; and who was willing to give up a whole day of running a country just to make up for being a jerk.”
Ali glanced up at Sarah, and his smile was ever so slight.
“I don’t think I was being a jerk, exactly. I just needed to keep my secret safe. You would have done the exact same thing. In fact, you did when I asked you what lengths you would go to in order to protect me.”
“Well, I didn’t know it was you I was protecting at the time. Perhaps if I had, I wouldn’t have been so fierce about it.”
Ali smiled, knowing she was lying through her teeth. The truth was she would have done anything for Ali, the boy she’d come to find, no matter who he was. Now that she knew him better, she could see him more as the man he was than the boy he used to be, though that version of him still held a place in her heart.
Their meal arrived, and they ate heartily after the full day of skiing. Ali told her more about the culture and customs of Al Jayah, and Sarah listened with rapt attention, making mental notes on how to act the next time she was out in public. When she thought about that, something felt off, but she batted the thought away, not wanting to ruin such a perfect moment.
They finished their meal, and they were sipping at their drinks while Sarah tried not to think about how chiseled Ali’s jawline was. He stood suddenly and walked over to the bar, where he grabbed the speaker they had used just the night before. Setting it down, he turned on some music before approaching her with an invitation.
“What say you to another dance?” he asked with a challenge in his gaze.
Sarah looked from his outstretched hand to his face, debating the wisdom of making such a move. Finally, a voice in her head told her to just do it, and she placed her hand in his, relishing in the sensation that always came with that contact. Ali pulled her close, his body pressing gently against hers as a slow song came on that Sarah once again didn’t recognize.
“What is this?” she asked, slightly breathless even though they moved slowly.
“This is a traditional song of Al Jayah. They played it at my parents wedding, so I’m told.”
“It’s beautiful,” she said.
Ali bent his head, pressing his lips against her ear.
“So are you,” he whispered.
She tilted her head toward him, her eyes locking with his. The distance between their lips was slight enough that she couldn’t resist any longer. Tipping her head up, she captured his lips in a gentle kiss. Straightening, he cradled the back of her head with his hands and deepened the exchange, passionately reaching for her lips with his own, claiming them again and again until Sarah could hardly think straight, let alone stand.
Her body melted into his, her arms wrapping around his neck as her heart ached for more of him, to get closer, to kiss deeper. He was kissing her into oblivion, and she fell headfirst into his spell. When he finally broke the kiss, his gaze was hungry as he reached for her hand, pulling her toward the doorway. They were winding down the hallways, and Sarah actually recognized the path to Ali’s room. Her body froze, and she dug her heels into the floor. Ali turned with a confused expression.
“What is it?” he asked, stepping back to cradle her face in his hands.
Sarah stared up into his chocolate-brown eyes, wishing she could give in to this. She wanted nothing more than to follow him to his room, where they could make love and spend eternity together. There was something wrong, though, and she couldn’t pinpoint what it was. Whatever it was, it was enough to keep her from following through on an act she could never take back.
“I…I can’t. I’m sorry,” she said.
Pulling away from him, she gave him one last apologetic glance before she turned and nearly ran from his side, down the winding hallways until she miraculously ended up at her door. Perhaps, subconsciously, she had known where she’d needed to go. Sarah made quick work of shutting herself behind the door, her fingertips brushing against her lips, which were still tingling from his touch.
What was wrong with her?
The handsomest, kindest, richest man in the world wanted her, and she had run away. Why? What was holding her back?
Releasing a frustrated sigh, Sarah fell into her bed, shifting to stare up at the ceiling. Her mind raced as she went over all her thoughts, over everything th
at had transpired up to that point. There was always one thing that kept her from giving in and trusting Ali, and it was fairly simple.
He was living a lie.
He was lying to his people, to his country, to the world. He had even lied to her. Yes, he was a good man, and he had done good things, but deep down Sarah knew she could never be with a man who wasn’t honest about who he was.
That being the case, she could never be with Ali.
SEVENTEEN
The next morning, Sarah took a bracing breath as her escort led her down the hallway. Ali had asked if she would join him for breakfast, and, knowing she wouldn’t be able to avoid him forever, she had agreed. She approached the door to a small dining room, and her stomach clenched with nerves as the door was pulled open.
Ali was seated at a table inside, and when she walked in, he stood, though his expression was guarded.
Sarah nodded to him, deciding not to speak until the young woman had left them, closing the door behind her. They sat in stilted silence for some time, Sarah not bothering to load her plate as she stared at the ground. She took a breath and released it with a gusty sigh.
“I feel like I owe you an explanation,” she said.
When she braved a look at Ali, his eyes were cold. She realized then that she had hurt him. She had rejected a man who let few people into his life, and a pang of guilt shot through her even as she held on to her justified reason.
“That would be nice,” he said, his tone cool.
“I took some time to think about why I ran, and I realized that I couldn’t be with a man who isn’t honest about who he is. I think you should reveal your true self to your people.”
Ali sat back in his chair, stunned. Whatever answer he had been expecting, that had clearly not been it.
“You realize how unwise that would be, right?” he said finally.
Sarah stared at him, waiting for him to go on. When she didn’t respond, he continued.
“Sarah, I am not the rightful heir to the throne of Al Jayah. Beyond my people just feeling hurt or betrayed, this is a state secret. Not only could I risk starting a riot, but I could risk starting a revolution. There are people who would rise up against me simply because of the lie, disregarding any good I’ve done for my country.”
“How do you know? You’re living with your own made-up fears when the man who was a threat to you isn’t even alive to harm you anymore. Ali, you are still that same lonely boy who wrote me a letter. You live completely alone in this palace, blocking the world out lest they learn the truth. Can’t you see that’s no way to live?”
Ali sat back, agitated.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about. This isn’t America, Sarah. You don’t know the mentality, the heart, of my people. They are not the type who would accept a poor orphan as a monarch. I would never be accepted for who I am.”
“But—”
“Besides, who are you to talk about living a lie? You come over here with some savior complex, like you’re going to protect the Ali of the past, but let’s be a little honest with ourselves, if that’s the name of the game. Would you seriously have kissed me last night if you hadn’t found me living in a palace with a full staff?”
Sarah stared at him with wide, angry eyes, her heart beating a mile a minute.
“How dare you say such a thing? It’s obvious that the only one who cares about title and status is you! You’re so scared that the people won’t accept you for who you really are that you won’t even give them a chance to show you they’re better than that. Clearly that applies to me, too.”
Sarah stood, her chair screeching across the floor. She tossed her napkin onto the table.
“Lucky for you, that’s something you’ll never have to worry about again. I’m going home. Good luck running your false pretense for the rest of your life.”
Without giving him a chance to reply, Sarah stormed out of the room, flagging a staff member and asking as nicely as she could, given her rage, to be guided back to her room. When she got there, she picked up her phone and placed a call.
“This is Fariq. Where can I find you?”
“Fariq, it’s Sarah Chamberlain.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line.
“Sarah? I thought you went home.”
“Things changed. I need you to pick me up. Can you do that?”
“Of course I can. Where are you?”
“The palace.”
“Sorry, what? I must have misheard you.”
“I’m at the palace. Please don’t ask questions. I need you here as soon as possible.”
“Meet me out front in fifteen minutes,” Fariq said before ending the call.
Sarah brushed away errant tears as she hastily packed her bag, tossing her clothes in haphazardly before shoving it closed and zipping it tight. She stepped out of her room and didn’t look back as she wound her way down the hallways, hoping against hope not to run into Ali. To her relief, and annoying disappointment, he was nowhere to be found.
A staff member found her down a hallway and gracefully escorted her to the front steps of the palace. Fariq’s cab was just pulling up, and she heaved her suitcase down, placing it in his trunk before glancing back up at the silver and gold palace of the Sheikh.
There, staring down at her from an upstairs window, was Ali, his face stony. Turning away, she slid into the cab and closed the door.
“Please just drive, Fariq,” she whispered, choking back a sob as she wiped another tear away.
“Where are we going?” he asked, his voice gentle.
“The airport. I never want to see Al Jayah again.”
“Well, that is certainly a loss for us,” Fariq said, his tone mournful as he sped away, leaving the palace in his wake.
The cab ride was long and silent, Sarah sniffling as quietly as possible as Fariq drove on, not daring to ask the obvious million questions he had.
“Did you at least find your friend?” he asked as the airport approached.
Sarah shook her head.
“No. I found the man he had become.”
“Ah,” Fariq said.
After he pulled up to the curb, he stepped out this time and grabbed her suitcase for her, setting it on the sidewalk as he faced her for one final good-bye.
“Take care of yourself, Sarah,” he said, and to his surprise, she wrapped him in a fierce hug.
“I’ll never forget you, Fariq. Thank you, for everything.”
“Any time,” he said.
Reaching into her purse, she pulled out the last of her Al Jayah currency and handed it to him.
“Here. I won’t be needing this anymore.”
“Nonsense. You can convert it back.”
“At lesser value. Please just take it. It’s my gift to you, as a thank you.”
Fariq stared at the cash for a moment, realizing he would offend her if he didn’t take it. He pulled the bills from her grasp before waving farewell. Sarah turned toward the airport, determined never to return.
This time, no one was there to stop her when she boarded her plane. As she sat in her narrow, cramped seat, she told herself over and over again that she had made the right decision. Ali had shown his true colors. He was a cad and a liar, and in the end they were too different to ever make it together.
By the twentieth time, she almost believed it all.
EIGHTEEN
Sarah sat at her kitchen table, preparing for another day of job hunting. She had been home for a week, and while her body had almost adapted to the time change, her heart seemed far more reluctant to move on. She often dreamed of Ali and would wake up with her pillows soaked through by her tears. Her phone rang, and she glanced at the name before picking it up.
“Hey, Jen,” she said.
“You sound cheerful as always,” her friend said.
“You know me, little miss sunshine,” Sarah joked.
Her lame attempt at humor fell flat, and her friend ignored the comment entirely.
/> “Just get some good hunting in this morning and then let me know about tonight.”
“I think I’m busy.”
Jen huffed into the phone.
“Sarah, you can’t sit around in your apartment all day feeling sorry for yourself. Get out! Meet people! Heck, people find employment just by networking at a club. You never know; you could find a job if you go out with me tonight.”
