by Leah Leonard
Kelley glanced over Khalil’s shoulders and noticed a few staff members standing at the farthest end of the pool deck, their eyes averted toward the mountains, as if they were trying to pretend not to notice the sexy activities going on in the hot tub.
She knew she should care what they thought of her, but at the moment, she didn’t. She wanted Khalil and he wanted her, and their time together was so precious, even if they watched vicariously from the sidelines, she could not temper her passion.
Under the water, her hands found their way to Khalil’s swim trunks. She loosened the ties, slipping them down to his ankles where he kicked them off.
She wrapped one hand around his stiff member, while the other hand clung to his muscular shoulders. She straddled him, kissing his neck, his chest, his shoulders.
With ease and seemingly undetected, he pulled her suit aside and slid inside her for the most glorious experience she had ever had in a hot tub. The two kept their eyes locked on each other, each quietly expressing the thunderous fits of passion both were eager to shout to the rooftops, however because they did not want anyone to hear, they kept quiet until each released in mutual satisfaction.
“I have never enjoyed this pool so much as today,” Khalil said.
“I’m glad,” Kelley nibbled his earlobe. “Should we continue this conversation inside?”
“Indeed.” Khalil slipped his trunks on and got out of the pool, retrieved two towels and helped Kelley out, wiping off every drop of water from her body. He leaned in to kiss her again.
“Haven’t we put on enough of a show?” she teased, glancing toward the staff.
“I assure you my people are trained to be discreet.”
“I see…” Kelley took his hand. “Still, I prefer to have a more private conversation.”
“As you wish.” Khalil led her around the back of the pool area into his private quarters.
The staff had apparently been there moments earlier, placing vases of fresh flowers all around Khalil’s suite, along with replenishing the drinks and providing additional fruit.
Once the door was closed, Khalil pressed Kelley against the wall, removing her suit, lifting her into his arms and placing her carefully on the bed.
While she watched him undress, he carried the fruit over to the bed, reclining on his side, and proceeded to offer her grapes. “For you, my love.”
Kelley eagerly ate them, putting her mouth up to his, and allowing him to bite off half. “These are tasty.”
“You are delectable, my love,” Khalil purred.
“You still never acknowledged what I was saying earlier.”
“And what might that be?” Khalil kissed his way down her stomach.
“About the dinner. You’ve fed me so much fruit, I really don’t need to go eat tonight. I can stay here and rest after all the activities of the day.” She nibbled his earlobes.
“Never,” he rolled her to her back, clasping her hands in his and gazed down at her.
Pinned to the sheets, she smiled. “Is that an order?”
“Yes,” he kissed every inch of her face.
“Am I being held against my will?”
“I did not think you protested this, did you?” He lay on top of her, pressing the full weight of his body against hers.
“Well, no…as long as you don’t lock me in here tonight, I think we’ll be okay.”
“Never. That will never happen again,” he gazed into her eyes with all sincerity.
“I know. Just go on then.”
He shook his head. “I must have you by my side. I do not wish to conduct any further business dealings without you.”
Chills ran down Kelley’s body. The truth was she didn’t want to ever be without him either. The love they shared was rare. She would never find this again in her life, and she knew she would have to put away her fearful feelings at some point and move forward. Although she tried to tell herself that refraining from the business dinner was about him, the reality is, she was afraid to go. She loved Khalil and he deserved to understand where her true concerns were coming from. “I guess I’ll go.”
“Really?” He propped his head in his hand, lay on his side, gazing down at her.
“Uh huh.” She sighed. “I’m afraid, that’s all. I guess that’s why it would be easier for me not to go.”
“What are you afraid of, kitten?” he ran his fingers over her face, lovingly brushing her hair back with his fingers.
“Everything. What if your family hates me?”
“Never.”
“What if they won’t speak to me?”
“I shall not allow that.”
“You can be upset with them, but you have no control over how they react to me, any more than you did the other day. I just…” her voice trailed off and a tear streamed down her face.
“Why the tears? Please tell me, my love.”
“I love you and I want your family to accept me. I’m nothing like Oma. She would never have put on such a show in the pool with you. She was a true lady, and I am an American…”
“Beauty,” Khalil finished her sentence. “And there is nothing to compare here. Oma and I became great friends, but my life was empty without you. I had no love, no passion.”
“Oma loved you.”
“As a sister, yes, but nothing like this.” Khalil moved closer to her, pressing his body against hers. “You are what I have dreamed of my whole life, the one thing I never believed possible is now here with me. Passion and love, and the intellectual stimulation I crave. You are everything I ever desired. I do not care what my family says. If they respect me, they shall respect you. I demand it.”
“That’s just it, I don’t want you to have to demand anything. I want them to like me because of who I am and accept me, but you know as well as I do, that’s not likely to happen.”
“Please, love,” Khalil cupped his hands around her waist, gazed into her eyes. “Come and see. You are correct, I cannot control their reactions to our love, but I must allow them to witness our mutual happiness and see that you have made me a changed man, a better man than either he or my brother have ever known before. With you, I am invincible.”
“I already said I would go.”
“You have no idea how this pleases me.”
“I would do anything for you, Khalil, I just wanted you to know how I feel and what’s going on in my mind.” Kelley rolled to her side and propped herself up so she could look directly at him. “I know I’ve never felt like this about anyone either. What we have is exceptional.”
“Indeed.”
“I have to face the family at some point if we’re going to move forward, so even though I’m scared, we might as well start tonight.”
“With me by your side, darling, there is nothing to fear.”
“I hope you’re right.” She kissed him. “I love you.”
“And I cherish you and love you more than any gift God could give me.”
Fifty-Two
The couple laughed, rolled around the bed, and luxuriated in each other’s arms for the remainder of the day until the sun began to set.
Khalil was relieved to hear Kelley finally open up about her feelings and fears.
He understood her completely and while he would never ever allow any person, especially his own family, to dishonor her, she had yet again, made some excellent points regarding how they may choose to perceive her.
None of this mattered to him though. He would have her by his side tonight, and this made him the happiest man alive.
He lay quietly on his back and watched Kelley sleep while twilight crept into the room.
A groggy Kelley rolled over and cracked her eyes open. “Hello there.” She reached her hand out for his.
Khalil brushed her cheek and put a tender arm around her. “I trust you rested well?”
“Never better. You?”
He chuckled slightly. Oh how she made him the happiest man alive! “Indeed I did knowing you are by my side.”
&
nbsp; This loving exchange evolved into yet another brief but powerful lovemaking session.
When they were finished, spent and exhausted, lying in each other’s arms, Khalil took her hand and they rose, crossed the room and stood naked on his private balcony where no person around the palace could see them, and watched the very last sliver of sun disappear.
“This is gorgeous,” Kelley said.
“Not half as much as you.”
“I love it here with you.”
“I am so pleased to know this.”
That evening, the couple remained inside Khalil’s private quarters. Kelley leaned into his shoulders, relishing in the warmth of his touch. “This has been the end to another perfect day.”
Khalil gazed lovingly into her eyes. “My life is easy when I have the perfect woman by my side.”
Fifty-Three
The following morning, the sun was fully up when Kelley finally opened her eyes. She recalled the tender lovemaking from the night before and felt satiated and content, like no other time in her life. She rolled to her side, reaching her hand out for Khalil, and panicked when she felt the empty bed beside her.
She shot straight up. What time was it? Had she overslept? She leapt out of bed, covering herself with a nearby robe. A small tray stood near the table near the window where she and Khalil shared the sunset last night, and a beautiful intimate dinner for two. Today, a fresh pot of tea, a handmade pastry and a small vase with a single red rose and a hand written note sat on an antique silver tray.
Kelley read the note:
Darling,
You looked so peaceful and gorgeous this morning, I could not disturb you. I am out tending to a few trivial business matters. Please enjoy your morning and meet me in my private dining room for lunch at noon.
Kelley rummaged through her pile of clothes, found her watch and realized she still had some time before lunch. She sipped her coffee, thought about the amazing adventure she had here so far and proceeded to enjoy another warm bath with hot oil treatment. She emerged an hour later feeling completely refreshed and rejuvenated, and could not wait to see Khalil.
While she bathed, another gown was left on the bed for her. This time, the color was bright emerald green, and again made of the finest silk she had ever seen. She slipped it on, twisted her hair into a simple braid that fell down her shoulders, donned her hood, and emerged into the outer area of Khalil’s quarters.
Perhaps it was love, or the extra rest, or the ambiance of the surroundings, but today, each mosaic tile, each flower, each bird and every piece of furniture she encountered seemed brighter than before. Love did wonderful things to a person. Khalil was nothing short of a dream come true.
Kelley was busy admiring the art and architecture of Khalil’s home, slowly making her way down to the private dining area. Quietly contemplating her life, she was interrupted by a loud shouting from the far end of the hall.
“Kelley!” Khalil rushed up to her and she had not ever seen him quite so excited or animated before.
“What’s wrong?”
“The lab! They have your results!”
Kelley couldn’t believe they worked so quickly. She had been so caught up in Khalil the past twenty-four hours, she barely even recalled why she had come to Turkey in the first place.
It wasn’t quite noon, and to her amazement, she would soon know the outcome of her study. “Our results…” she corrected, fully crediting Khalil’s persistence with any discovery they made together.
“I give all credit to you, love.” He kissed her, running his eyes appreciatively over her outfit. “You are stunning.”
“Thank you for this. I love it.”
“And I love you,” Khalil took her hands. “Come. We will enjoy a brief lunch and then I shall have my driver take us to town.”
Kelley’s heart raced, both from gazing at his gorgeous smile and from finally knowing the results of the project she took so long to work on. “I can’t wait!”
Fifty-Four
All through the lunch, Khalil couldn’t take his eyes off of his prize, Miss Kelley. Oh how stunning she looked today! The emerald gown she wore highlighted her pale blonde locks.
He’d never felt prouder of anything in his life. And yet, despite all the excitement, she was quieter than he liked. He hoped she hadn’t had a change of heart about the dinner this evening. “Is everything all right, my love?”
“Yes.” She seemed distant, and hardly ate a bite of her food.
“Your meal is to your liking?”
“Oh yes, definitely,” she smiled. “Thank you.”
“I have told you before, thanks are never necessary. I do all for you because you bring me great joy.”
“I know,” she smiled, not verbally acknowledging him in the way he hoped.
He put his fork and knife down, reached for her hand. “Tell me then, what troubles you, my dove? Please help me so I may make everything perfect.”
“That’s just it, Khalil,” Kelley said. “You already have. I’m so happy here with you. It’s just all going so well, I don’t know what to think.”
“I think it is a sign of our collective destiny.”
“Yes, and at the moment, I guess I’m a little on edge about what the lab will say.”
“As you should be,” he kissed her fingertips. “This is your life’s work.”
She sighed. “Plus I’m still nervous about your family. It’s just all so much to take in. I owe you everything for having the vision to help me follow through with this project. I would have been on the first plane home by now if not for you. I would have given up completely, and I’m so grateful, I just hope the results are what we want.”
“I agree.” Khalil wasn’t quite sure how to take her comments. He didn’t want anything to ruin the evening he had planned tonight or to dampen her mood before meeting his family. “Is it too much? Shall we wait until tomorrow to find out? We have our dinner tonight, so if you prefer, we can rest here today, enjoy the pool, perhaps take my camels out to the hills for a ride. Whatever pleases you.”
“That sounds wonderful, thank you, but I can’t possibly wait to find out. Can you?”
“No.”
“Oh good, because I would go crazy waiting now that we know for sure the results are back. Can you imagine me at dinner tonight? I want to be fully present when I meet your father again and I definitely don’t want to feel distracted by worry about what the lab is going to say. Like it or not, whatever the result, I want to go now and put this to rest once and for all.”
“Then it shall be as you wish.” Khalil felt better now. The sooner they got to the lab the better. “I shall have the car readied immediately so you shall not wait another moment for your answer.”
Fifty-Five
After another scrumptious meal, Kelley and Khalil were headed off in the limo to go to the laboratory in Istanbul. From what she could tell from the brief meeting they had the other day, the technicians were some of the finest in the world, and she felt good knowing Khalil seemed familiar with their work.
She should expect no less of a group situated in one of the most profoundly spiritual areas in the world.
The team was given a specific set of criteria:
1) To test the actual date of the object to ensure it was created during the timeframe associated with the approximated lifetime of the Virgin Mary
2) To test the artifact for DNA evidence
3) To offer any other clues they could use to help discover the origin of the piece, construction materials and other relevant data
But what would they discover? After obsessing about this situation for longer than she cared to admit, Kelley had been relatively calm, but as she grew closer to finding her answer, her nerves threatened to get the best of her.
Prior to coming to Turkey, her only interest was her work. Perhaps Khalil had succeeded in replacing archeology as her only obsession. He was certainly good at distracting her, while simultaneously inspiring her to want to do more wit
h not only her work, but her life.
Holding her hand and offering her an occasional smile, Khalil said very little to her on the ride to town. This was one thing she loved most about him - his quiet support of her, their ability to be in the same place for an extended period of time without having to talk. His presence comforted her, and for now, that was exactly what she needed.
Maybe he was as anxious as she was to uncover the truth. He certainly had been instrumental in discovering the object. He was her lucky charm. Without him, she wondered if she ever would have found the vessel. The thought made her feel emotional, and she had to fight back tears of joy. She clutched his hand, holding it tighter as they raced through the city to the outcome she longed to hear. Thanks to Khalil she was already a winner, either way. He was the reason she didn’t quit and could face her peers with pride. She could go back to the foundation and let them know she at least finished. For that, she would be forever grateful.
The limo pulled up to the skyscraper in the middle of the business district. She and Khalil stepped out and entered the building, taking a private elevator to the top floor.
A receptionist sat behind a desk and instantly recognized them when they arrived. “Sheikh, the team will be with you in a moment.”
Khalil bowed, and he and Kelley took a seat, waiting like nervous relatives in a hospital for the birth of a baby or the results of a life threatening surgery.
The office was quiet, too quiet, as they were the only people there. Kelley was glad Khalil didn’t say anything. She felt speechless.
He glanced at her occasionally, offering support in his smile.
She held his hand, waiting as patiently as she could. She picked up a magazine, flipped nervously through the pages and realized she couldn’t read a word, as it was all in Arabic. That didn’t matter, she just needed something to do!
After what seemed like forever, a technician in a white lab coat came to meet them. “Come, please.” He led them inside to the same offices where they met briefly the other day. Kelley had been so excited and exhausted last time she was here, she didn’t bother to notice anything about this place, but today, she felt different. The anticipation made her keenly aware of each step, each person she encountered. If things went well here, her life would never be the same again.
