She froze for a moment. Fear—real, genuine fear—crossed her face, making her skin go pale and her freckles stand out even more. “Melinda? What’s going on?”
She blinked, and then she put her bag down and took a small box from it—it was a velvet jeweler’s box. “It took me forever to find this,” she said. “That’s why I’m late. I’m sorry I lied about your brothers and sisters coming.”
“Why would you do that?” he demanded, irritated now. Bad enough that he’d been in a panic about her being missing. Now he had to find out that she’d lied to get him to come home. What was going on here? Was this the start of the lies and deceit that people were always talking about?
“Because,” she said, “I wanted to give you this,” she said, holding out the box.
Anger went to surprise as he took the box. It wasn’t like her to get something expensive for him, and a piece of jewelry, no less. He didn’t wear jewelry as a general rule, but perhaps it was something ceremonious—though there was nothing special about his twenty-ninth birthday that was in a few days.
The box was heavy, the kind meant for a watch, and Bashir couldn’t help but wonder why she’d bought him a new one at such great expense (it was covered in velvet, with a silver omega stamped on one side, one of the fancier watch brands) when the one he’d had for nearly a decade was still working. Surely she didn’t sacrifice getting a better van for a watch?
He opened it. Inside the box, much to his surprise, was a flat white stick with a purple cap on one end It looked like a pen, but then he realized that there were two little depressions in it, one with a cross and one with a line on it. He frowned, wondering what the hell this was, and then just as he realized what it was she jumped and said, “Yes!”
He was going to be a father. The idea seemed too big to hold—it was bursting out of him, in the tears that he was somehow crying. “Is this real?” he asked, finally. She nodded, her hand splayed on her belly. Suddenly she was no longer the woman he loved, but the mother of his child. They were going to be one in a way that he’d never realized was possible, and the flood of delight and love he felt for her made him go weak and he sat down on the floor, his heart breaking from the joy.
He hugged her—never until that moment had he realized that he could love someone so much, that it was possible for joy to hurt with the intensity of it all. “I have something for you, too,” he murmured, as he let her go.
He knelt and kissed her belly, whispering, “Hello, Ariel.” He felt almost certain that it was a girl. “I can’t wait to meet you.”
Above him, Melinda laughed, wiping away tears as she did so. “You know we still have nine months to go, right?” she said.
“Then it will be plenty of time for you to consider this,” he said, pulling his ring box out of his pocket. If there was ever a right moment to do this, it was now. “Melinda Doyle, will you do me the honor of marrying—”
“Oh Bashir, yes!” she cried.
It was strange, how everything had changed in five minutes—suddenly they were no longer man and woman, but husband and wife (to be), a father and a mother—and yet, as he stared into her eyes, he saw that nothing had changed. She was still the woman he loved.
THE END
Sheikh's Escape
Chapter One
Bethany Davis was a girl who knew what she wanted. She always had been, from the time she was a little girl. Because she so clearly knew her own mind, she usually got what she wanted, too. That had also been true since the time she was small. She was stubborn and highly persuasive, not to mention uncommonly beautiful.
Bethany’s mother liked to tell her that she had been beautiful from the moment she first popped out into the world with a strong cry for a greeting, so beautiful that all of the nurses and doctors had been in awe. It wasn’t every day that a Montana hospital saw what was sure to be a future movie star, or so her mother said. The older Bethany got the prettier she became, soon the object of desire to many a lovesick high school boy and a few college aged ones as well. She was petite, standing only a few inches over five feet, with impressive curves and long, thick blonde curls. She had eyes the color of sapphires and a smile that forced people to smile right along with her. So yes, she was quite pretty, and she couldn’t have cared less. She had no interest in dating, only in her aspirations, which did not include any part of the entertainment industry. She just wanted to get away, to be in a place where people shared like minds and academics were everything. When she landed in Harvard, it felt like she had finally found her home. It was difficult for her to believe that she only had four months left until she would graduate. It didn’t feel like enough time.
“Beth! Um, earth to Beth? Where did you go just now?”
With some considerable effort Beth pulled herself out of her own head and back to Caroline, the best friend she had met in her freshman year. Although the two looked like sisters, they couldn’t have been more different if they had made it their life’s mission. Where Bethany was studious, stubborn and sometimes just a little bit too independent for her own good, Caroline was easygoing and friendly to a fault, always getting herself into trouble because she didn’t plan things out well enough. Very occasionally Beth allowed herself to get caught up in one of Caroline’s schemes, and this happened to be one of those nights. Studious or not, Caroline had insisted that Beth come out with her for a much needed night on the town. As it turned out, Caroline could be stubborn, too. She just required the proper motivation to bring the quality out of her. Beth gave her look that was equal parts annoyance and love and smiled in spite of herself.
“Sorry, just thinking about school. Can you believe it’s almost over? I mean, isn’t that sad?”
“I wouldn’t exactly use the word sad. It’s a good thing, Beth! We’ve almost made it! That’s what this night is all about! It’s time to go out and be twenty-two, for once. God knows you hardly ever act your age. And besides, look how well you clean up? You really do look like a supermodel. If you weren’t my best friend I might even have to be jealous.”
Bethany rolled her eyes and gave Caroline a playful shove before taking a deep breath and straightening her ridiculously gaudy and low cut sequined top. It was true, she didn’t spend a lot of time in bars and although she would never admit it, she was a little bit nervous. She just hoped it didn’t show.
“Ready?” Caroline asked her with a wide, expectant grin?
“Sure, why not? What’s the worst thing that could happen?”
“What’s your problem, anyway? Why do you have to act like such a bitch? You think you’re better than us, is that it? I bet that’s it.”
Bethany took a hesitant step backwards, wishing to the high heavens that she hadn’t let Caroline talk her into wearing heels. She couldn’t believe she had actually said the words “what’s the worst that could happen.” She had jinxed herself with that for sure because, as she was rapidly discovering, there were many highly unpleasant things that could happen in a place like this dark bar. Take these assholes in front of her, for example. They looked like well bred college men, probably students at Harvard just like herself. But apparently Harvard wasn’t in the habit of teaching chivalry these days because when Bethany had politely turned down their advances they had become agitated, threatening almost. Bethany had expected that a soft but firm refusal would be enough to send them on their way, but the more she stood her ground the angrier they got. She looked around her desperately for Caroline, who she felt certain would be much better equipped to handle this situation. She found her, too, but with how far away she was she might as well have been on a different planet. No, Bethany was on her own, and from the looks of it she wasn’t handling it very well. She tried to take another step away from the menacing men in front of her but the bar was too crowded. There was hardly any room for her to move, something the angriest of her would be suitors took full advantage of. He reached out and took her upper arm in his meaty fist, his fingers digging in so roughly that she let out an involunta
ry cry of pain. Now she felt dangerously close to the edge of panic. If things came down to a physical fight, Bethany knew that she would surely lose.
“There you are. I’ve been looking for you everywhere, darling. You know I hate it when you go wandering off like that. I’ve brought you a drink.”
Beth’s eyes rolled in confusing, looking for the source of this new rich, accented voice. Was it another one of them, one of those men just toying with her now? No, to her left she saw another man, but one who couldn’t possibly be related to the ones accosting her. This new man was looking at the others with a withering, cold contempt that would be difficult to stand up to. But if he wasn’t taunting her, what exactly was he doing? He didn’t honestly think he knew her, did he? Because she was one hundred percent sure she had never laid eyes on him before. She would have remembered.
This man was unlike any she had ever seen before. He was at least a foot taller than her with broad shoulders and long, lean muscles giving his body a level of definition that was usually only found in athletes. His hair was thick and jet black, falling almost below his ears, and his skin was the color of spices. His eyes were a rich amber brown and they twinkled when he caught her looking at him. No, she didn’t know this man. Not even a little bit.
“What’s the matter love? Are you having some trouble? What’s going on here?”
There was that accent again, a melodious sound that made her feel a sense of calm in the midst of her chaos. She opened her mouth to speak, determined to play along with his show, but before she could get a word out the man who had only moments before had her arm in a death grip interrupted.
“I call bullshit. You don’t know her. Why don’t you get out of here, man?”
“And what makes you think I don’t know her?”
“Look at her! She doesn’t know who the fuck you are! You’re trying to scam her. But you know what? We got here first and we were doing just fine before you stuck your big nose in where it didn’t belong. So how’s about you shove off? You got it?”
The strikingly exotic stranger gave the bullies a smile full of mischief and then slung one arm casually around her shoulders. Bethany felt a flutter of excitement in her stomach, despite the less than ideal circumstances. She didn’t usually get her head turned by men, but this one seemed to be getting to her. She didn’t know if it was because of gratitude or the low hum of electricity she felt in her body when he touched her, but she did know that she kind of liked it.
“Oh no? I’m sorry, but you’re mistaken. We are very much together. If not, do you think she would permit me to do this?”
Before Bethany knew what was coming the stranger turned to her and took her up into his strong arms. She could feel the heat of his skin melting into her own and she found that her breath was coming in shallow gasps. As he moved his face in towards her, he gave her a little wink, that playful mischief still lighting up his warm eyes. Then his soft lips were pressed firmly against hers, first a little hesitant but quickly becoming more sure. For a moment, Bethany forgot that the whole thing was an act and she relinquished her control to him, something she couldn’t remember ever having done with a man. She was like putty in his hands, her mouth filling with the sweet taste of him as his tongue gently slipped between her lips. There was that little flutter again, only bigger this time. She had been kissed before, but never anything close to this. This was in a whole new league.
“Alright asshole, we get it, she’s with you.”
Just like that the kiss was over and Bethany was left flushed and dazed, still leaning into her knight in shining armour for support because his kiss had made her weak in the knees. It was such a cliche, but it also happened to be true.
“Good, I’m glad that’s cleared up. Perhaps it’s best you be on your way, don’t you think?”
“Whatever.”
The men, looking thoroughly pissed off at this point, began to saunter off in the opposite direction. Beth held her breath, hoping against hope that it was really the end of it and there wouldn’t be any kind of actual fight. She kept expecting them to turn around and pick a drunken fight, but they never did. The kiss, along with this stranger’s somehow authoritative demeanor, must have convinced them that moving on was in their best interest.
“Well that was interesting” he said, turning to her with a gentle smile, “are you quite alright?”
“Yes,” she said, still slightly out of breath, “thanks to you. I can’t believe you did that! You didn’t have to, you know. They might have hurt you.”
“Them?” he said with a chuckle, “them I wasn’t worried about. I was a bit more concerned about what you might do when I kissed you. You look like you could pack a punch.”
“I’m small but fierce, what can I say?”
They both laughed and then it began to dawn on Bethany that she didn’t know this man at all. They had absolutely nothing to talk about, and it was probably time for her to make an exit, as well.
“Well thank again, really, those guys were awful. I hope it doesn’t spoil the rest of your night. I think I’m going to get going, maybe that way you can salvage what’s left of it.”
Bethany pushed past him, desperate to reach the front door before anything else happened. As far as she was concerned, she had experienced enough excitement to last her a long, long time.
“But wait, miss!”
Reluctantly, she turned. She couldn’t just ignore him after what he had done for her. It would be beyond rude.
“Yes?”
“Your name. At least tell me your name!”
“Bethany!”
Then she turned again, knowing that if he tried hard enough he could make her stay, especially when the taste of him still lingered teasingly on her lips.
“And I’m Aasif. I will see you again, Bethany. Mark my words.”
She couldn’t help but shake her head and laugh as she finally reached the door and burst out into the cold, fresh air. That was the kind of thing that only happened in fairy tales. She was no Cinderella, she had no glass slipper to leave behind as her mysterious calling card.
Chapter Two
“Well, well, the prodigal friend returns. I was wondering if you were still alive.”
“Ugh, I know, I’m sorry. I thought about just pretending I had slipped into a coma or something, but I figured you might see through that. You’ve always been better at being tricky than me.”
Caroline let out a delighted, tinkling laugh and Beth joined in gratefully. She knew her friend was mostly joking with her, but truthfully she was a little bit worried about what kind of reception she would get. She had never considered herself one of those girls who dropped everything and everyone for some guy, but somehow that was exactly who she had become. It still made her head spin to think about it. Aasif Bey. When he had told her he would see her again, she had thought it was beyond silly, just the kind of bravado and romanticism that men occasionally succumbed to. It would have been, for most men, but as she was quickly learning Aasif was in no way regular. It extended well beyond his looks, too. He was romantic and mysterious and impossible to resist. If anyone should know that it was her. She had tried to resist and, apparently, failed. She had spent almost every day of the last several months with him and any time they were apart all she thought about was him.
“Oh my god, Beth, I’m only joking. I’m so excited about all of this! I can’t believe you’re having a genuine love affair. I would kill to be in your position.”
“Now let’s not get carried away” Beth said, feeling slightly uncomfortable with Caroline’s choice of words.
“No, how about we do get carried away? This is exactly what you need! Some badass guy to sweep you off your feet and give you some real excitement for a change. And you’re like, totally into him, right?”
“I didn’t say that.”
Caroline rolled her eyes and Bethany looked down intently at the cuticles of her nails, willing the blush to stop spreading across her face.
“No
, but you are! Fantastic! He really is dreamy, isn’t he? I bet the sex is unbelievable.”
“Caroline!”
“Ok, ok, I know you don’t like getting into the details of things. Let’s just say you’re looking pretty content these days and leave it at that.”
Just as Bethany was about to answer with a firm thank you, the little bell on her phone went off to let her know that she had received a new message. Caroline raised one eyebrow and sat back to watch the show. She could tell by the look on Beth’s face that the text was from Aasif.
“So? What’s the knight want now?”
Caroline had taken to calling Aasif “the knight” after the dramatic way he and Beth had met, and no amount of pleading could convince her to stop. At least she hadn’t said it in front of him. Not yet, anyway.
“Nothing. He’s just wondering if I’m free.”
“Well tell him yes! What are you waiting for?”
“I’m hanging out with you” she said simply, wanting Caroline to know she hadn’t completely lost her head.
“Right, but there’s only like, a week of school left. Have you guys even talked about what you’re going to do after graduation?”
“Not exactly” she said with hesitation.
“Ok. What exactly does the text say?”
“He wants me to have dinner with him. He says he has something important he wants to talk to me about.”
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