by Leah Leonard
Pulling her bag behind her, Sarah broke into a jog. Fortunately the distance to the bottom of the hill wasn’t quite as bad as she thought. Just beyond the private driveway leading up to the Deniz home, there was a small neighborhood with a few houses and beyond that, was the road leading back toward Troy.
She stepped out to the two lane highway, glanced in both directions, then back up at the hills. What if nobody passed by?
She rehearsed what she would say if Ghazi happened to show up.
Then again, who cared? He should have thought about that before his bimbo showed up this morning wanting her clothes back!
Across the highway and down the hill, a small sign hung over a quaint tile roofed building that looked like a business of some kind. She approached and noticed the sign said Market. To her relief, a small queue of taxicabs lined the sidewalks.
A cabbie rolled down his window, smiling at her in a flirtatious way. “Taxi?”
“Yes.” Glancing back to make sure Ghazi hadn’t followed her, Sarah slid her bag and herself across the back seat.
“Where to?”
“Just up the coast a ways, please. And hurry.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Relishing in his erotic thoughts, Ghazi proceeded to take a longer than usual shower, all the while waiting for his lover to join him in the steamy heat. He called out to her a few times, "Sarah? I'm waiting for you."
When she never appeared, he concluded she may truly be more innocent than he’d originally imagined. Despite the immense physical pleasure he derived from her supple body, she seemed frightened of the idea of joining him and continuing where they left off. This disappointed him tremendously because although he truly cared for her, without proper physical intimacy, he knew himself well enough to realize the relationship would never work. Then again, last night proved to be a good start.
Their reunion was still new. He was more than willing to give her a chance to open up to him, particularly since he could still taste her in his mouth and knew he wanted more. Perhaps she didn't like showers. A bath may be better. Yes, he would suggest that next time. The fact he even considered a next time caused him to shake his head. The woman was intoxicating for reasons he couldn't understand. "Sarah!" He turned off the water, wrapped a towel around his muscular waist and stepped into the bedroom.
A cold emptiness filled the air.
“Sarah?”
A quick glance around told him all he needed to know. The white bikini lay folded on the foot of the bed and Sarah's clothes disappeared into thin air. Perhaps she'd gone to get something to drink, he told himself. "Sarah? I missed you in the shower."
No answer.
His pulse quickened. He searched every corner of the house, the kitchen, living areas, even peeking behind the tightly drawn curtains.
No sign of her.
He walked out to the beach, all the way down to the edge of the sea, scanning the shoreline in both directions, checked his front yard, searched the courtyard. A sick feeling settled in his gut. Sarah was gone, nowhere to be found!
His concern faded when he went inside the house and realized her purse was gone. For a moment he feared the sea may have claimed her, but now, he knew otherwise. Rage filled his being. How dare her! No one ever deserted him before – not ever.
He went back to the bedroom, his gaze fell on the empty bed.
Recalling the passionate exchange that took place in the crinkled sheets, his towel dropped to the floor from his new erection. Fury at her betrayal mixed with heated desire flooded his brain. Her scent still lingered in the air.
In the stark center of the mattress, something caught his eye. He stepped closer to have a look. A single red spot graced the sheets. He panicked, fearing his initial instinct had been correct after all. He hurt her. Could that be why she left? She was in pain and too ashamed to tell him? He would go to her, wherever she'd run off to and make sure she was all right. Perhaps to a doctor, if needed.
But if she was indeed injured, how had she escaped so quickly? And how had she continued to please him several times through the night? There was no sign of her on the beach or in the street out front. Suddenly a more compelling and plausible explanation filled his mind. Was she? Could she possibly be? No. No way. Impossible. The probability of a virgin in modern society was like finding water in the middle of the Sahara. So rare, so priceless.
Sarah couldn't possibly be an innocent. What would be the likelihood? And if by the off chance she was virginal when he bedded her, why would she keep such a secret? It made no sense.
He traced the red stain with his fingers and examined it more carefully. It was blood, no doubt. The thought of her virginal status would not leave his mind. If true, that would definitely explain much about what happened between them last night - her lack of exploration of his body, her hesitation, her innocence. The idea of claiming Sarah’s virginity stiffened him.
Filled with a powerful urge, Ghazi realized there and then that he would find Sarah and make her his own, no matter what. She belonged to him now. Forever. He crossed to the window, pulled open the draperies and stared out at the ocean. She was nowhere in sight.
He dressed quickly, packed his car and decided he would search Bodrum first, then the area around the hotel near Troy. If that didn’t work, he would ready the family jet and head home.
Istanbul was not such a big city, especially for someone with his contacts. He would succeed. Yes. Sarah would be his and he vowed to search to the ends of the earth to return her to his arms where she belonged. Ghazi would make sure he remained the only man who ever took possession of Sarah Taylor. Now and forever.
****
Tears streamed down Sarah's cheeks as she zoomed away in the cab. She hated leaving Ghazi like this, but what else could she do? If she stayed, he was sure to crush her heart with his bare hands. As it was, her heart was already broken by leaving him. How could she run from the best thing that ever happened to her?
Ghazi had been closer to her in the past few hours than any man ever before. She tried to tell herself earlier the connection would be purely physical and would leave her with a lasting memory of her trip here, but after their intense lovemaking, the tenderness he showed her while caressing her cheek, kissing her lips, she realized her body was not the only part of her affected by him. She couldn't bear the thought of waiting while the feelings she imagined Ghazi had for her turned to apathy. It was bound to happen.
Worse, that woman showed up. That married woman, no less. Not to mention she was so much older than him, so hardened and crass. It sickened her to think he was with someone like that. She could hardly stand the thought of sharing him, and yet she’d been a fool to think he was capable of anything more. She was one of many. She had a bad feeling about that, but now her suspicions had been confirmed.
Ghazi Deniz was a fantasy. And their romance and true love? Ha! His kind words and loving embraces were exclusive to the bedroom, but would not extend out into daily life. He did not love her. True, he acted caring and concerned, but he would stop once he found someone else more to his liking. She had to remind herself that Ghazi was an experienced player who likely wouldn't even miss her at all. He hadn’t even bothered to get rid of his other girlfriend’s clothing, and made her wear it too!
The fact he didn’t want that other woman out in such skimpy clothing only made things worse. He obviously said that to everyone he met.
Somehow she had to get over this, find a way to look back on this experience as just that - an experience, one that filled her with immense physical pleasure and nothing more. The thought proved impossible to live by in reality. She allowed Ghazi to come too close and now she did what she promised herself she wouldn't do - she fell in love with him.
"Where are you headed to, lovely lady?" asked her taxi driver, gazing at her through his rearview mirror.
Sarah initially considered finding the local airport and paying whatever it cost to get to Istanbul just to put as much space in between her and Ghaz
i as quickly as possible, but suddenly realized, "I need to go to my hotel. I’m sorry but I don’t even remember the name. It’s that gorgeous one, high on the hills on the coast near Troy.”
“Ah yes, the Royal Princess.”
Princess. What irony. She thought she was Ghazi’s princess. He certainly made her feel that way, but like plenty of other fairy tale romances, this one wasn’t real.
****
Forty minutes later, she arrived at the hotel. She hoped Ghazi hadn’t followed her. When her taxi pulled into the circular drive out front, Sarah scanned the area. No sign of him anywhere. She hopped out, ran to the lobby to make sure her group was still there, which thankfully they were, and dismissed her cab.
She waited with the others and climbed aboard the bus to Istanbul. She hoped to reestablish a connection with Maureen.
Ghazi had done his best to alienate her from the group. She needed Maureen and the others now more than ever, if for no other reason than to get her mind off of the Deniz family.
Maybe in time she could put some space between herself and her feelings. All she could do was try at this point. It wouldn’t be easy, but she had to move forward and never, ever, look back.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Ghazi never stopped trying to find Sarah. He didn't see any signs of her in his neighborhood, so he drove back up the coast and stopped by her hotel.
The front desk staff informed him that she already checked out and was headed to Istanbul on the bus with the other scholars.
He replayed the night before over and over in his mind, convinced she might have been the only virgin he ever had the pleasure of bedding. His growing feelings for her were only deepened by his knowledge of her prior innocence. Whether or not she was a virgin had nothing to do with anything other than the fact that, had she bothered to entrust him with her secret, he would have been more careful with her.
For the most part, Istanbul was a safe enough city, and certainly the scholarship committee would take wonderful care of all of their guests, yet Ghazi felt responsible for Sarah and needed to find her to make sure she was okay. Poor girl! He took her most prized possession and now she was likely traumatized. He still blamed himself and vowed to make it up to her once they were together again.
He needed to go to Istanbul anyway for business purposes, only now he would need to hurry. He raced back to his home in Bodrum, planning to pack quickly and head to Istanbul to find her. He knew the location of the dormitories where the group would be staying and he could sneak in and catch her off guard if need be.
He maneuvered the Lamborghini expertly through the twists and turns of the cliffs surrounding his home, climbed the steep inclines and pulled in front of the family home.
To his dismay, the Sultan’s limo was already parked in the circular drive. Oh how things had changed in only a few hours! He missed Sarah! Now he would need to explain things.
Perhaps he could use the situation as an excuse to keep the Sultan at bay. He would tell his grandfather he was going after Sarah. No, with Sarah. Yes, that sounded better. That way, the Sultan would likely assume Ghazi planned to court and ultimately wed her. The story would hopefully keep the Sultan off of his case. For now. Perfect.
Ghazi mentally rehearsed what he would tell the Sultan as he parked and walked toward the front door. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he might actually be interested in courting and marrying her. Where else would he find a virgin? Especially one who aroused such strong emotions within him? She was as rare as a diamond on a sandy beach. A valued treasure he did not want to take for granted.
He would discuss Sarah with his grandfather first, tell him about the wonderful evening they had together, see what he thought of her, and then tell him about his plans.
When he opened the front door, to his dismay, a heavy energy hung in the air. “Grandpapa? Are you here?”
There was no reply. Ghazi moved through the house quickly and found the Sultan sitting quietly in his study.
The stern expression on his face said he was in little mood for conversation. He lifted his gaze from his desk. "Where have you been?"
"Out," was Ghazi's only reply. He didn't want to say where, out of respect to Sarah and his plans. Until he checked the Sultan’s mood, he wasn’t sure if now was the right time to tell him. If his grandfather only knew all that happened between him and Sarah the past few hours!
"More of this?" He lifted the tabloid from his desk.
Ghazi sighed. He thought they were finished with that topic. Apparently not. "No."
“You disappeared last night. We had guests. What were you thinking?”
“I apologize, grandfather. I was with Sarah. You were right about her. She is an incredible woman. I want to pursue her,” Ghazi began, not sure exactly how much he would say.
The Sultan grumbled under his breath, finally saying, "I do not mean to burden you, Ghazi. I have had much on my mind these past few months."
Reading between the lines wasn't too much of a stretch in this case. He was speaking of Ghazi's father, another topic Ghazi wished they would be finished discussing. "I'm sure."
"You must realize, my son, that I am getting old. Your father is gone, your mother, your grandmother…" his voice cracked with emotion.
"I promise to make you proud. You have to believe I want what's best for our family. I am the right leader to take our company into the future."
The Sultan chuckled, "I have always known that."
"Good, then it's settled. I want things to be back to normal between us. Forget this." Ghazi picked up the tabloid, tore it in two and crumpled it in the wastebasket. "I will do my best to keep out of the paper, but as I said, now that father's gone, I have little doubt that will be a problem. I will be more available to our customers than ever. In fact, I am going to go to Istanbul now and begin working on my plans and the growth I have forecasted for our future. You'll see, grandpapa. Deniz Holdings will be stronger than ever under my leadership."
“And courting a young lady scholar while you’re there, I presume?” the Sultan asked.
“Exactly.”
“Courting is one thing, marriage is another,” his grandfather observed.
Ghazi couldn’t help sighing. Why did the Sultan always have to push him so?
Seeming to whither in his chair, the Sultan shook his head. "Can you not see that your marriage would be best for everyone? The time I spent with your grandmother was the happiest of my life. Is it too much to hope you can find that same kind of peace? I want to see you settled and happy while I'm still here."
“While you’re still here?” Ghazi went to the tea pot, poured himself a drink. "What kind of talk is that? You are still a vital man, a leader in our industry, admired by some, feared by others. I will aspire to be like you, but I must do things on my own terms. Things are not as they were in the old world. Times have changed. These days, some people never marry."
When his grandfather failed to reply, Ghazi turned around, holding the tea pot up. “Want some?”
The Sultan broke into a full sweat. His face flushed red. He clutched his chest, gasped and fell forward.
Ghazi rushed to his side, leaning him back in his seat, loosening his tie. “No!”
****
On the bus to Istanbul, Sarah was happy to be seated next to Maureen, who fortunately didn’t hold a grudge against her at all. Sadly, she couldn’t say the same about the others. They basically made no eye contact with her at all and gave her the cold shoulder. Not a big deal, Sarah told herself. She would do her best to mend the rift between them over the course of the next couple months, but all she could do was try. Right now, she wasn’t in the mood.
She glanced out the bus window and stared out at the coastline and the many shades of blue coloring the water below. She was lucky to have been given the opportunity to spend a few days here, even luckier to have had the time with Ghazi. Despite the disastrous circumstances, she didn’t regret what happened between them.
<
br /> She pressed her eyes shut, leaned her head back and tried to clear her mind, a task that was easier said than done. She couldn't stop replaying the events of last night over in her mind.
Leaving him was a mistake. She was sure of it now. She should have stayed. She should have faced her fears and at least confronted him about that woman and what kind of nerve he had using her like that. Maybe she would feel better right now if she’d had a chance to give him a piece of her mind. Maybe, maybe not. At least she could have gotten her anger out and seen the look on his face. She still wanted to know if he was remorseful or not, or what kind of ridiculous excuse he had for his behavior. Was he even sorry? Did he ever care about her at all? Even a little bit? Now she would never know.
She felt homesick for the first time since coming here. Two days into her trip of a lifetime, she wondered how she could pass the next two months.
"Hey. You awake? Ya gotta look at this.” Maureen handed her a crumpled newspaper.
She took the paper, glanced at the headline and photo and gasped. Billionaire Playboy Strikes Again. Typical for tabloids, she thought, even in the States. She tried handing it back. “What about it?”
Maureen pointed at the photo. “Isn’t that your friend?”
Sarah glanced at the lewd photo of a bevy of scantily clad women and the gorgeous hunk they groped with reckless abandon. Ghazi! He was the man who the tabloids called 'the most notorious bachelor in Turkey.’
Tears filled Sarah's eyes. She sucked in her breath, unable to believe this. She'd been right all along. Ghazi was exactly as she thought. How much more evidence did she need?
Worse, she studied the paper further, opening to the full story on the inside. There were several photos taken in Ghazi's beach house. He and a blonde walked together on the beach. He caressed the woman's face and she wore a white bikini which appeared nearly identical to the one he had Sarah wear that the married woman came to collect. Dear God! Really? Had he actually been so crass? Did he keep a drawer of bathing suits around so he could get the ladies out of their clothes quicker? The moment she asked the question, she knew the answer. She didn't want to face the truth, but here it was, staring her in the face. How could she be so naïve?
