by Donna Hill
“Thankfully, I have some shots of the tulips from the last time I visited,” Miranda said as they walked along the stone pathways.
“How much international traveling do you do for your job?”
“Pretty much all of it, at this point,” she answered. “If I get the job with the travel company I met with last night, I’ll have more work in the States, but it doesn’t really matter where I work, as long as the work continues to come in.” She looked up at him and grimaced. “I used to work for a small newspaper, but print papers have pretty much gone the way of the dinosaur. These days, reporters are snapping pictures on their iPhones. It’s okay,” she said with a shrug. “I’ve gotten pretty steady work from several high-profile travel magazines. If you flew any of the large U.S. carriers, there’s a good chance some of my shots were in the magazines in the seatback pockets.”
“So you’re in the major leagues when it comes to this stuff?”
“I like to think so,” Miranda said with a laugh.
“Have you always wanted to do photography?”
“Yes.” She smiled, remembering happier times. “Ever since I got my first camera at twelve years old. At first I wanted to own my own studio. You know, taking cute baby pictures or graduation photos. But I love what I do, and wouldn’t give it up for anything. I’ve been a bit of a nomad since college, so it fits.”
“It’s strange that you would choose to work during the Christmas holiday.”
Several moments stretched between them before Miranda said, “I can say the same thing about you.”
“Touché,” he answered.
Miranda prayed he wouldn’t press further. It had been such a great morning; she didn’t want to ruin it by thinking about her reason for always working during the holidays. Kyle seemed okay with her question dodging. He changed the subject, asking instead about some of the other places she’d visited in her travels.
Once they left Topkapi Palace, it took less than five minutes on foot to reach the Hagia Sophia. Miranda pointed out its Byzantine architecture from the outside, but the lines to enter the famed holy place were too long.
“I guess you’ll just have to make your way back to Istanbul,” she told Kyle.
Five minutes later, as they came upon one of Turkey’s most famous structures, Miranda explained that an interior tour of the Blue Mosque was a must-do, no matter how long the lines were. She wrapped the scarf she’d tucked into her bag around her head, and slipped off her shoes before entering the mosque. The iconic building, with its stunning mosaic tile work, was as breathtaking as it had been the first time Miranda visited.
Kyle took the plastic bag the attendant had given Miranda for her shoes, and held both of theirs in his hand.
“Such a gentleman,” Miranda whispered. “I like that.”
His eyes sparkled with amusement as he glanced over at her, but as they continued into the building, those eyes filled with wonder. Miranda studied his profile as he looked around the mosque.
“This is amazing,” Kyle whispered. “The detail is remarkable. How many tiles do you think it took to cover these walls?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll bet Google will tell us,” Miranda whispered. “We’ll have to look it up when we leave.”
They slipped out of the mosque just as the midday call for prayer began and Miranda guided him to a street vendor so they could grab a quick lunch. Kyle eyed the cart’s vertical meat-laden spit with wariness.
“I don’t know about this,” he said. “I’m not a huge fan of street food. I had a bad experience with a gyro in New York.”
“You’re in another country. Be adventurous,” she teased, holding out the sandwich for him to try. “This is called doner. It’s fabulous.”
His brow arched. “Okay, but I’m not responsible if this day suddenly takes a very bad turn.”
“I promise, if anything doesn’t sit well with you I will take full responsibility.”
“Will you also sit by my side when I lose my lunch?”
“I’ll even rub your back.”
He slapped a hand to his chest. “A woman after my own heart.”
Miranda’s head snapped back with her laugh. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed this much around Christmastime. Especially on this day of all days. She waited for a feeling of guilt to seize her, but it never came.
All she felt was . . . joy? Is that what this was?
After lunch, in which Kyle managed to eat two doner kebabs, Miranda talked him into helping her with work.
“You look the part of the inquisitive traveler,” she said. “Why don’t you stand just a few inches to the right. I want to get the roof of the Hagia Sophia in this shot.”
“Do I get paid for this?” Kyle asked as he slipped his hands in his pockets as Miranda instructed.
“Consider it payment for being your tour guide today,” she answered, snapping shots in rapid succession.
“I didn’t know there was a cost.” He started walking toward her, his stroll slow and steady.
Miranda lowered the camera. “Do you have a problem with my price?”
He shook his head. “Not at all.” He stopped just a few inches in front of her and brushed the back of his finger across her cheek. “I’m willing to do anything you want me to do. Name it and it’s done.”
The air around them sizzled, charged with a heady mixture of exhilaration and need. Miranda silenced the part of her conscience that tried to point out that she’d known him for less than a day. What did time matter when they were both leaving tomorrow? She had him now. And now was enough for her.
“So,” Kyle asked, his voice plunging an octave, “what is it you want me to do, Miranda?”
His thumb made its way across her lips, triggering a burst of intoxicating tingles in its wake. Her entire body trembled with the excited rush of anticipation as he lowered his head.
Ambulance sirens bellowed from just a few yards away, knocking both her and Kyle out of the spell that had come over them.
Miranda stumbled back a step.
“We . . . uh.” She cleared her throat. “We should probably get going if we’re going to see the cistern before it closes for the day.”
She turned to leave, but Kyle caught her hand and pulled her back to him. He caught her by the waist, and tilted his chin down so that his eyes met hers.
“You call the shots here, Miranda. You know that, right?”
She nodded. She knew the decision was up to her; she just had to figure out how far she was willing to take this. They had only one day together. Was she willing to throw caution to the wind and live out every fantasy with him? Or should she heed the voice in her head trying to remind her that, when it came to men, going from zero to sixty in a matter of minutes was not the way she operated? She liked to take things slow.
You don’t have time for slow.
Well, now. There was no mistaking which path the little devil on her shoulder wanted her to take.
Kyle brought a hand up to her face, his fingers caressing her jaw. “Have I thanked you for today?”
“There’s no need to thank me,” she said.
“Yes, there is. You didn’t have to invite me along. You could have said good-bye yesterday and that would have been the end of it.”
She bit her bottom lip, the effort to suppress her smile was futile. “I’m happy I didn’t,” Miranda answered.
Kyle’s answering grin sent a ripple of sensation along her skin and Miranda had a feeling the little devil would win this round.
His arm remained around her waist as they strolled back north toward Sultan Ahmet Park. Just to the west of it stood the inconspicuous entrance to the Basilica Cistern. Having visited a number of times before, Miranda knew that the innocuous entrance was misleading. What awaited them in the hollow cavern beneath the city streets was a sight so magnificent that it took her breath away every time she saw it.
They were greeted by hauntingly soothing classical music being piped in from hidde
n speakers. Kyle followed closely behind her as they walked down the stone steps into the bowels of the cistern. Miranda chuckled at his reaction once they reached the platform where visitors stood to admire that stunning architectural marvel.
“Are you serious?” Kyle said. He turned to her. “What is this again?”
“The Basilica Cistern,” she answered. “It’s an ancient aqueduct system that dates back to the Byzantine Empire.”
“The Byzantine were pretty badass, weren’t they?”
“Yes, they were,” Miranda said with a laugh. “This particular cistern used to supply water to the city, including the Topkapi Palace, which we visited earlier this morning.”
The vast space was dark and damp, but dim lighting revealed rows of thick columns that created passageways for the water that flowed underneath the city. There were hundreds of them, all lined up in neat succession.
Miranda and Kyle walked along the wooden walkways that snaked throughout the underground cistern. She showed him the Peacock Column, with elaborate peacock feathers etched into its centuries-old sides. They walked several yards farther and came upon the famed Medusa pillars.
“This is amazing,” Kyle said. “To think that these structures have stood for centuries.”
“It makes you realize just how young everything in the States is, doesn’t it?” Miranda said. “It’s one of the reasons I love to travel. There’s so much to see—so much world history that remains standing, even to this day. I want to bring it all to life for those who will never get the opportunity to see it with their own eyes.”
Kyle cupped her jaw in his hands, his thumbs rubbing soothingly along her neck. “I love your passion,” he said. “I’ll bet it comes through with every picture you take.”
“I hope it does,” she answered.
Her eyes settled on his lips as darkened shadows played across his face. Their tenebrous surroundings created a sense of intimacy that Miranda couldn’t deny. It was as if they were alone in the quiet underground chamber.
“What are some of your other passions, Miranda?” Kyle whispered, his lips within inches of hers. Despite the dimness, she could see the way his chest heaved in and out with his labored breaths.
She was the first to make a move. Leaning into him, Miranda pressed her palm against his chest and tipped her head up for his kiss.
The moment his lips connected with hers, everything around them ceased to exist. It had been regrettably long since she’d felt this way about anyone, but there was no denying the combustible attraction between them. He lit a fire in her that had been extinguished a long time ago. The excitement she felt when she was with him was intoxicating, but it was nothing compared to what she now felt, having his pliant mouth upon hers.
Miranda melded her lips against his, learning the feel of them, relishing in their soft strength. He kissed like a man straight out of her dreams, not rushing her, letting her set the pace. When his arm circled her waist and his hand rested at the base of her spine, she wanted to push it a few inches lower, so that he cupped her bottom. Instead, she closed the distance between them, until her body was flush against his.
His tongue trailed along the seam of her lips, licking at the edges, urging her to open her mouth. Once she complied, the kiss went from slow and sweet to a fervid, fiery joining of lips, teeth, and tongues.
He tasted like heaven itself.
He was a gift from above. He had to be. What other reason could there be for this tempting stranger to be placed in her life on this very day that had caused her so much heartache in the past. Surely, God had given her the gift of Kyle Daniels.
And she wanted to enjoy her gift for however long she had him.
His touch was almost more than she could bear. If not for the fact that they were in public—however secluded they may be in the bowels of the darkened cistern—Miranda wasn’t sure she would have stopped herself from taking this kiss several steps further. She wanted to take him all the way to her bed.
And she would.
The decision was hers to make, and she’d just made it. They had less than twenty-four hours before they would part ways. If Kyle truly was a gift, she needed to take advantage of their short time together.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, but wasn’t nearly long enough, Miranda ended the kiss.
The soft lights reflecting off the quiet pool cast a gentle glow over Kyle’s face, making him even more devastatingly handsome. He didn’t let go of her. Instead, he dropped his head to her forehead, his eyes closing shut as he inhaled a deep breath.
“If I’d known you would taste like that, I would have kissed you the moment you walked out of the Spice Market yesterday,” Kyle said.
“I wouldn’t have let you,” Miranda said. “Baby steps, remember?”
“I leave tomorrow. I don’t have time for baby steps.”
“Patience,” she said with a throaty laugh. “We still have too much of Istanbul to see.”
Taking him by the hand, she guided him out of the cistern. Now that she knew exactly how her night would end, Miranda didn’t feel the need to rush. Kyle didn’t know it yet, but it was going to be a very merry Christmas for both of them.
* * *
“Why aren’t you taking any pictures?” Kyle asked as they strolled down the street that looked like something in the heart of a typical American metropolis. Brand-name stores like Gucci and Cartier lined each side of the wide avenue, their windows dressed up for the holidays.
“Because that’s not the reason we’re here,” Miranda said. “This is a slight detour that we’re taking for your sake.”
He looked over at her. “My sake?”
“You mentioned that you were missing the usual Christmas sights. This is the closest you’ll get to it here in Istanbul. Being a Muslim country, the holiday isn’t widely celebrated, but some places still decorate for the New Year. The ornaments and lights are very close to what you’ll see in the States.”
He stopped walking and turned to her. “Are you for real?” Kyle asked.
Her face lit up with her smile. She looked at her arms and down the front of her body. “I was pretty real the last time I checked,” she said with a laugh.
“You know what I mean,” Kyle said. “To do something like this for me? I didn’t know anyone could be this kind anymore.”
She tipped her head back, her warm brown eyes swimming with compassion. “I understand what it’s like to miss something that’s dear to your heart,” she said. “If giving you a little taste of Christmas helps, then that’s what I’ll do.”
Kyle dipped his head and captured her lips in a swift, sweet kiss. “A little taste of this helps even more.”
Her throaty laugh drizzled down his spine like warm honey. Kyle still couldn’t believe that he’d had to travel halfway across the world to find someone like her.
They strolled for several more blocks, past store windows lined with heavy green garland, twinkling lights, and colorful ornaments. Miranda demanded that they stop at a gourmet chocolate shop with a brilliant window display of various candies made into a Christmas tree. They treated themselves to some of the most decadent chocolate Kyle had ever sampled. While he bought a couple more pieces to go, he noticed Miranda on her cell phone, slowly pacing in front of a table of half-dipped dried fruits.
“Is everything okay?” Kyle asked as he approached, handing her another chocolate.
She nodded. “My best friend, Erin, she’s a new mother, and for some reason, she’s always calling me for advice, as if I somehow know better than she does.”
“Is this the one you’re spending Christmas with?”
She nodded, taking the chocolate he held out to her and popping it into her mouth. She released a deep moan, her eyelids drifting closed as a look of complete bliss came over her face.
Kyle was completely mesmerized. He wanted to be the one to put that look on her face.
“This is going to spoil my dinner, but I can’t bring myself to care,” Miran
da said. “And speaking of dinner,” she said, an alluring smile lifting the corner of her sinfully sweet lips, “I’ve got a surprise for you. Are you ready for the one thing I just have to do before leaving Istanbul?”
“I’ve been anticipating it all year.”
She rolled her eyes and caught the sleeve of his leather jacket. “Come on.”
Forty-five minutes later, they were back in the heart of the city, near the Galata Bridge, where they’d shared tea yesterday.
“Haven’t we seen this already?” Kyle asked.
“I’m going to need you to just trust me on this one,” Miranda said. “I haven’t steered you wrong yet, have I?”
She had him there. He’d seen more of Istanbul in this one day with her than he could have ever imagined.
They boarded one of the numerous ferryboats that lined the waterway.
“Welcome to your Bosphorus dinner tour,” a woman dressed in a flowing gown greeted them.
“Before you ask, yes, this is a part of the job,” Miranda said. “Dinner by candlelight while drifting along the Bosphorus Strait is, by far, the most romantic thing one can do while in Istanbul.”
“So you would still do this tonight, even if I wasn’t here with you?” Kyle asked as he took the seat next to her.
“Yes,” she answered, “but it wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable.”
The greeter guided them to a table on the left side of the ship. Both chairs were on the same side, with the far edge of the table butted up against the ship’s railing. It afforded them both an amazing view of the remarkable landscape.
They were served drinks and an assortment of traditional Turkish meze, which Miranda explained was basic appetizers. She pointed out various sights as the sun set over the water.
“Did you get the chance to visit the Asia side of Istanbul, or have you spent the entire time on the European side?” Miranda asked.
“Never got to Asia.” Kyle shook his head. “Pretty pathetic to come to the only city in the world that is located on two separate continents and not visit both sides. Though, to be honest, I didn’t know much about Istanbul when I booked this trip. I looked online for good places to travel where I could find different flavors, and Turkey was one of them. The Spice Market in particular.”
