by Holly Rayner
Mehdi was a dream, and nothing more. Still, Steph was happy to dream of him for the rest of her life if she had to, though her brain reminded her that she might end up married to another man at some point, once she rejoined reality. That was not a thought she wanted to dwell on.
Turning back to her room, Steph felt the weight of exhaustion pressing into her, weighing down her eyelids. Still, she wanted to wash off the day’s events, so she headed to the armoire and found a comfortable set of pajamas before heading to the bathroom.
A large shower was raised on a platform, and there were three large showerheads protruding directly from the ceiling. Steph turned on all three, watching as the shower basically turned into a gentle, warm rainstorm that was contained in the middle of the room. She laughed in delight as she removed her dress and cardigan and stepped under the steaming water, relishing in the sensation of the water pouring all around her.
She found some expensive-looking soap and shampoo and took her time cleaning every inch of her body, washing away the anxiety and the stress. She thought about all the things she had done with Mehdi, and how much she enjoyed staying in the palace, even if it wasn’t his favorite.
After a while, her exhaustion won out, and she turned off the showerheads, finding a large, fluffy towel to dry herself with. She braided her hair before tossing on her pajamas and crashing into the enormous bed, sinking deeply into the mattress and pillows.
She pulled a pillow to her chest and held it tightly, thinking about Mehdi and what her true wish would really be, if wishes actually came true, as she drifted off into a deep, comfortable sleep.
Somehow her wedding day had turned out much better than she could have anticipated.
TEN
Steph
Steph stretched languorously, her limbs easily fitting on the massive bed even as she extended them as far as they could go. She smiled into her pillow, which was comfort itself, before opening her blue eyes and welcoming the day. From her terrace, the sun was rising just over the horizon, peeking out as it prepared to greet the desert with more glaring heat.
Remembering Mehdi’s promise of a new adventure for the day, Steph shot out of bed, heading straight for the armoire. It really was a fashion lover’s paradise, and she spent a chunk of the morning picking out clothes she would wear in any given situation, unsure what to put on. When there was a knock at her door, she ran over and answered, hoping it would be Mehdi.
A young serving boy was there. Steph squashed her disappointment with a smile as he told her the Sheikh would be ready for her at any time for breakfast. She thanked the boy and told him she would be just a moment, changing quickly into a long, flowing skirt and white blouse with a blue headpiece to cap it all off.
She was out of her room in a flash, following the boy with a hop in her step. He led her down one of the corridors she had taken with Mehdi the night before, though she could hardly remember which one was which—she had been far too focused on her companion to remember directions.
They entered a large foyer, and Steph saw Mehdi sitting at a table on another wide, sweeping veranda. When he saw her, his face lit up.
“Steph! I hope I didn’t wake you. It’s much nicer to take breakfast on the veranda early, before the heat really settles in.”
Steph smiled broadly. “I slept beautifully, and was awake long before your messenger arrived. Nothing to worry about there.”
“Good,” Mehdi said with a nod, gesturing for her to sit down.
There was another vast spread on the table for her to peruse, and Steph looked up at Mehdi with a sparkle in her eye.
“Let me guess, another series of El Farahn delicacies?”
Mehdi nodded, not looking away from her as he described everything that was on the table. If Steph were the hopeful sort, she might have thought he was looking at her that way because he couldn’t take his eyes off her in her perfectly chosen outfit, but she reminded herself that she was a realist and tucked that hope away.
“We have a very large amount of cinnamon produced in our northern region, beyond the desert. Because of this, many of our morning food options tend to have that spice included. Try this one,” he said, holding out a flaky pastry that was clearly cinnamon dusted.
Steph took it delicately from his fingers and tried a bite. An explosion of flavor erupted on her tongue, and she grinned.
“Now that is sensational,” she gushed.
“Does it taste different to you?”
Steph savored the flavor a little longer, realizing that it did taste different to the cinnamon she was used to.
“It’s not quite the same, though it is definitely better.”
Mehdi nodded. “That is because most of the cinnamon you have in the West is really what we call cassia. It’s a related plant, but it’s not true cinnamon. What you are tasting now is the real thing.”
“So you’re telling me I’ve been eating the wrong spice my whole life and never knew it?”
“Probably. Still, you’re eating it now, and that’s what counts! Try this one next.”
Mehdi had her sample every dish on the table, each one better than the next, before he was satisfied that she had had enough to eat. As the sun continued its rise into the sky, Steph felt herself getting warmer.
“It might be too warm to stay out here for much longer,” she said.
“I agree,” Mehdi said. “You’re still on board for a small excursion today? I think I’ve got just the thing for us to do.”
Steph’s eyes glittered at the possibilities. “Of course. Where are we going?”
“That is for me to know and you to find out. You will get one hint, however. Bring what you would need for a day at the beach.”
“The beach!” Steph squealed, elated.
Growing up in landlocked Vermont, it wasn’t often that Steph got to go to the beach, and when she did, it was a frosty New England one at best. She loved the ocean, and she had hoped for the chance to enjoy it in El Farah. It was as if Mehdi were a mind reader!
He laughed, dabbing the corner of his lips as he stood. “Well then, let’s not wait another moment. Can you meet me at the front of the palace in a few minutes?”
“Heck yeah I can!” she said. Feeling impulsive, she rose and dashed around the table, throwing her arms around his neck and giving him a big hug.
Mehdi hugged her back before releasing her with a smile. “What was that for?”
“You must know, my rescuer!” she said, blushing as she turned tail and scurried back to her room, closing the door behind her.
He had felt so good in her arms for that brief moment. It had taken everything in her to let him go. If it hadn’t been for the promise of a new adventure, she probably wouldn’t have. As it was, she found herself back at the armoire, where she picked out a tasteful one-piece swimsuit and some beach clothes to wear over it. Grabbing a towel, she finished her packing within minutes and was out the door, navigating her way back to the main foyer, where Mehdi was already waiting.
He was dressed in swimming trunks and a bright blue shirt, and he looked like he could have been any surfer at a California beach somewhere, not the ruling sheikh of a whole country. Steph liked Mehdi’s beach look. Of course, she tended to like him in anything he wore.
When she approached him, his gaze was filled with challenge.
“Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be,” she said, her stomach exploding with butterflies.
How was this man able to make her whole body react with one word, one twitch of his lip? He was amazing in every possible way, and Steph walked a little closer to him than normal as she fell into step by his side. They walked down a hallway until they reached a door to the outside, where Steph saw a helicopter waiting for them.
“What?” she asked, incredulous.
Mehdi slid on a pair of sunglasses, turning into sexiness personified. His rugged smile had her heart doing somersaults.
“When I promise an adventure, I don’t go small.”
&
nbsp; “I see that,” she breathed as he placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her toward the helicopter.
Steph slid inside and buckled herself in, taking the proffered headset Mehdi handed her so they could communicate on the way. Once they were strapped in, the helicopter whisked into the air, and Steph grabbed on to Mehdi’s arm as they soared over El Farah, the country exposed in its entirety as they lifted higher and higher into the sky.
Mehdi pointed out the cinnamon forests to the north, as well as some other distinguishable landmarks that Steph had a hard time caring about as she clung to his bicep. They left land behind, flying over smooth, blue waters for a short time.
Mehdi looked down and pointed, and Steph turned her head in that direction. They were flying toward a small exotic island that was shaped exactly like a leaf. It was unlike anything Steph had ever seen.
As the helicopter began its descent, Steph watched with wide eyes as they approached turquoise-blue water surrounded by silky white sand. They landed on a small helicopter pad, gently touching the ground before the blades ceased turning and they were able to step out onto solid ground.
Steph gazed all around her at the secluded island, and then she turned and grinned at Mehdi.
“Okay, this is seriously cool.”
The Sheikh’s grin was wide as he took her hand in his and thanked the pilot before escorting her off the helicopter pad. Steph’s heart soared at the gesture, and she laced her fingers with his as they walked toward a small, boutique resort.
Inside the main building, there was a small concierge desk with a woman standing behind it. When she glanced up, her eyes widened.
“Your—” she began, but at the look on Mehdi’s face, she stopped herself.
“Hello, sir. It’s a pleasure to see you here today! What can we do to accommodate you?”
“Hello,” Mehdi said, greeting her warmly. “My friend and I would like a private cabana, some sunscreen, and a picnic basket with your finest offerings for the day, please.”
“It will be ready in just one moment. You can enjoy the beachfront while you wait, if you’d like.”
“Thank you,” Mehdi said, steering Steph in that direction.
As they stood waiting for their provisions to be ready, Steph glanced up at Mehdi with a curious stare.
“Why don’t you like people addressing you by your title?” she asked. “And how do they know not to do so?”
Mehdi glanced down at her before he gazed out at the shimmering, crystal-blue waters.
“I would rather not be singled out in that way. People still tend to treat me better than they would others—it kind of comes with the territory—but I have made it known that I prefer not to be addressed as anything other than sir, if one must be so formal.”
“You are quite a man of the people for a royal,” Steph said, and Mehdi’s thoughtful look turned jovial once again.
“Yes, I am quite unusual, I’m afraid. Do you think I’m strange?”
He gazed searchingly into her eyes, and she held his gaze.
“Not one bit. I think you are the perfect monarch, and I am grateful that I can call you mine.”
Hearing the implication of her words, Steph blushed and began to backtrack. “I mean my sheikh, or ruler, or whatever. Obviously…”
Mehdi’s gaze was warm as he looked at her, and he leaned down, about to say something, when the concierge approached them from behind.
“Here you are, sir! Enjoy your time on the island.”
With the spell effectively broken, Mehdi forced a smile for the woman before taking a large picnic basket and holding out his arm for Steph to take.
“Shall we?” he asked.
She placed her hand on his arm without hesitation and looked ahead at the beautiful scenery. “Absolutely,” she said, enjoying the feel of the sand beneath her sandaled feet as they walked over to a private cabana.
Inside, there was a misting fan and a refrigerator, as well as a couple of comfortable lounging chairs. Mehdi made quick work of filling the fridge with a series of foodstuffs Steph didn’t recognize before tossing her the sunscreen.
“You’ll want to put this on. The sun is much stronger here than in the northern climes you’re used to,” he said.
Steph caught the sunscreen and opened it, applying it liberally to her arms and legs. When it came time to get her back, she hesitated, but Mehdi was right there.
“Allow me,” he said, squirting some of the lotion onto his hand and rubbing it along the back of her shoulders.
If Steph could purr, she probably would have in that moment. Mehdi even massaged her shoulders a little as he applied the sunscreen, and when he was done Steph fought back sharp disappointment at losing his warm touch.
“Can you get mine?” he asked, turning around.
Steph turned, taking the sunscreen from a side table and filling her hand with plenty. She ran her fingers all along his shoulders and back, savoring the feel of him as she tried to think about anything other than doing this in a bed somewhere.
“I’m surprised you need sunscreen, since you’ve lived here all your life,” she said, trying to bring up anything that would distract her from how good it felt to run her hands along his muscular back.
When he turned, she caught her first glimpse of his perfectly sculpted abdomen, and she averted her eyes lest he catch her staring.
“It’s important to care for one’s skin, no matter how adept it may be at absorbing the sun’s rays,” he said, taking the lotion she dangled from her fingers.
“Now, your next lesson in El Farah geography is this: How warm are the waters of our ocean?”
Steph grinned. “I don’t know, but I bet I’ll find out before you do.”
With that, she dashed out of the cabana and straight toward the water, not looking back. She laughed as a cool breeze danced along her face, the sun not nearly as intense on the island as it had been back toward the desert. She heard Mehdi laughing before she cried out, her legs swept up from under her.
Mehdi carried her all the way into the water, and they both laughed as he dove in, taking her underwater with him.
As they went beneath the waves, Steph opened her eyes and was surprised that it didn’t sting her eyes to do so. Around her she saw a few of the colorful fish she had seen in the aquarium on her first day in El Farah, and she laughed underwater, a bubble of air popping out of her mouth and floating to the surface.
Swimming upward, she crashed back to the surface, where she saw Mehdi floating along, his body perfectly flat along the water.
“This has got to be the cleanest water I’ve ever seen,” Steph said, running her hands along her wet hair to keep it out of her face.
“I think we do a pretty good job of maintaining it,” Mehdi said. “Now look behind you.”
Steph turned in the water, feeling it flow between her fingers as fine silt encased her toes. Across from them, a small, rocky island protruded sharply from the water. When she looked back at Mehdi, she saw the gleam of competition in his eyes.
“You want a real race?” he challenged.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
“Ready, set, go!” Mehdi called before striking the water with his arms as he swam fast as a shark toward the island.
Steph dove in after him, quickly catching up. Mehdi caught her eye, realizing she was right alongside him, and even as they swam she saw the surprise and delight on his face as they made stroke after stroke toward the other island. As they approached, Steph picked up her speed, running to the shore and collapsing on the sand just before Mehdi, who landed right beside her.
They breathed hard as they laughed.
“You never told me you were an Olympic swimmer!” Mehdi said between deep breaths and laughter.
“I guess it just slipped my mind,” Steph said. “You know, with that pesky arranged marriage and all.”
They took a moment to catch their breath as they lay on the sand staring up at the clear blue sky. When they fin
ally recovered, Mehdi sat up, holding out a hand to help Steph do the same. She took it gratefully.
“There is a reason I wanted to bring you here,” he said, glancing behind them.
Steph followed suit and saw several stone archways that led to a series of caves. Something was glowing inside them. Something she couldn’t wait to explore.
When she looked back at Mehdi, he was grinning from ear to ear.
“Well,” she said, “what are we waiting for?”
