by Leslie North
“What does that word mean?” Erin asked him, finally relaxing her legs and allowing him to wipe the evidence of their passion from her body.
‘Habibiti? It is a form of endearment used by my countrymen.”
“Like ‘sweetheart’ or ‘sugar’?”
Shaking his head, Kam tossed the towel towards the bathroom and climbed back into the bed. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her back against his chest, spooning her into his body before he replied, “Not quite. I’m not sure there is an American version of the word.”
When he drew silent, Erin realized that there were probably many words that didn’t translate between his language and hers. Closing her eyes, she smiled as the thought that actions were a better means of communicating anyway. She and Kam had definitely proven that.
They proved that several more times throughout the night. Kam awakened her with kisses and caresses designed to fuel her desire and make her crazy for him. Erin slept after each interlude, snuggling into his arms and wishing for the night to never end.
When Kam heard the knock upon her front door, he grimaced and slowly moved her from his arms, hoping not to wake her. Grabbing his pants from the front room, he donned them before opening the door to greet his driver and the phone he was holding out.
Giving the driver a rueful glance, Kamal placed the phone to his ear. Hearing the words of the caller quickly changed his feelings from contentment and relaxation to anger and deep concern. After a terse goodbye, he instructed his driver to call the airport and make sure his jet was fueled and ready to leave within the hour. His brother was to be found and brought to the airport as well.
Heading back inside the home, he quickly finished dressing before returning to her bedroom. He hated leaving her like this, but it couldn’t be helped. Jawhara was a peaceful nation for the most part, but it seemed that a neighboring country had erupted overnight into civil war. Refugees were streaming across the borders into Jawhara, and his military leaders were afraid that country borders would be ineffective in stopping the fighting from following them into his country.
He and his brother’s presence were required in Jawhara immediately. Bending down, he placed a gentle kiss upon her temple, letting his lips travel to her own as she roused slightly. “Habibti, I must go. Continue to sleep. I will contact you when I am able.”
Erin heard his murmured words, but was too tired to think much of them. She heard him tell her goodbye, and snuggled back down under the covers hoping he would return soon.
Kamal took one more look at the woman who had rocked his world and captured his heart. He wanted nothing more than to carry her off and take her with him, but Jawhara was in jeopardy and he needed to ensure that it was a safe place before bringing her there. Her safety and well-being were his responsibility.
After instructing one of his bodyguards that he would be remaining in the states to watch over his woman, he allowed his driver to deliver him to the airport. Spying his brother, he realized that he was not the only one cursing their need to return now. Khalil looked fighting mad and ready to take on whoever had caused this disruption to his time in the states.
Kamal assured him that all would be made right. Priorities dictated that their country be set to rights, and then they could both return to claim the women they intended to make their wives.
Chapter 7
Erin awoke the next morning, immediately sensing that she was alone in her bed. Sitting up, she looked around for any signs that Kam had been there, but found nothing – not even a note. As she was beginning to think poorly of him, she remembered him having woken her up sometime in the early hours of the morning and telling her, he was needed at home.
He had promised to contact her soon and kissed her tenderly before leaving her. Erin smiled to herself and hurried from the bed. Kam had promised to call her and she had no reason to doubt his word.
Exiting her room more than an hour later, she found Shira sitting at the kitchen table working on her laptop. “Good morning,” she called, helping herself to a cup of the coffee already made.
“Hey! So….how did last night go?” Shira asked with a twinkle in her eyes.
Erin managed not to blush, wanting to keep Kam a secret just a while longer. “I think you should be answering that question. How was dancing with Kale?”
“It was so awesome! Kale’s an amazing dancer. Who would have guessed?”
“I don’t remember hearing you come in so you must have done more than dancing.”
Shira blushed and nodded, “Yeah! He invited me back to his hotel room. Erin, these guys must be loaded. They had the entire floor to themselves. And everywhere he goes, there are at least two bodyguards that go with him. It’s kinda of creepy, but cool at the same time.”
Erin nodded, “Yeah. I noticed that Kam had his own entourage of guards with him last night as well. They seem to know to stay out of sight though. I only saw them once or twice.”
“So, did you and Kam have a good time? What did you guys do after I left?”
Erin turned, on the pretense of refilling her coffee cup, “Well, we talked for the longest time. I’m not sure what he does in Jawhara, but….”
“Wait! He didn’t tell you!” Shira exclaimed.
“Tell me what?” Erin asked, turning to face her cousin.
Shira had the good sense to gesture towards an open chair, “Come sit with me.”
Erin watched her cousin for a moment before walking over and sitting down. “What don’t I know?”
“I can’t believe he didn’t tell you,” Shira murmured, almost as if she was talking to herself. Sensing Erin’s attention focused on her, she looked up and replied, “Kam is short for Kamal.”
Erin scrunched her eyebrows together, “That’s it? The big secret is his name?”
Shira shook her head, “His name is Kamal Mehalel El-Jawhara.”
Erin let the words sink into her foggy brain, but they still didn’t register. Shaking her head, she informed her cousin, “Is that name supposed to mean something to me?”
Shira grimaced, “Erin – Kam is the Sheik of Jawhara. He runs the entire country.”
Erin opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Kam was in charge of a country? She had slept with a world leader? Why hadn’t he said anything?
Shira watched Erin, wondering when the explosion was going to arrive. Erin was normally even-tempered, but she took exception to being deceived – even if it was unintentional. Trying to give her some excuse to give Kam the benefit of the doubt, “Maybe he wasn’t aware that you didn’t know who he was?”
“Maybe. But, we talked about so many things.” Erin looked at her cousin before asking, “Did you know who he was?”
Shira shook her head, “Not until we were already back at their hotel. Something occurred and Kale got a phone call. Shortly after that he said he had to return to Jawhara immediately, but was looking forward to seeing me in a few weeks.”
“A few weeks? Are they coming back then?” Erin asked, feeling hopeful that maybe Kam would return with him like he promised.
Shira shook her head, bouncing in her chair with excitement, “No! I’m going to Jawhara. Rick and Damon are taking a group of us over there to see everything firsthand. Kam thinks it will help our firm with the advertising campaign.”
Erin tried to hide her disappointment. Did that mean that Kam wasn’t coming back to the states anytime soon? But he had said he would see her soon. “When do you leave?”
“Two weeks. I’m so excited. Kale promised to teach me to ride a camel.”
Erin smiled, “A camel, huh? Have you ever been on a horse?”
Shira laughed, “Well, no. But, Kale said that he would make sure I didn’t fall off.”
“I just bet he did. So, I guess you really like Kale?”
Shira nodded, a dreamy look in her eyes, “Erin, I don’t know what it is about him, but he’s not like any other guy I’ve ever dated.”
“I’m happy for you.”
“S
o, about you and Kam…”
“There is no me and Kam. Goodness, I just met him last night,” Erin informed her, trying to sound offended.
“I know, but didn’t you think he was gorgeous.”
“I will admit that he isn’t hard on the eyes. And he’s very smart.”
“You liked him.”
I more than like him. I’ve never become so emotionally involved with someone so fast. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t mind seeing him again.”
“I knew it!” Shira said, jumping up and giving Erin a big hug. “Hey! I’ve gotta run. I promised to meet some of the gals from the office. We’re going shopping for clothes to wear in the middle of the desert.”
“Go.” Erin shooed her. Laughing as she watched her little cousin scamper towards her room. Her thoughts briefly turned to the night before, the unspeakable passion and connection she had shared with Kam. A Sheik? She couldn’t wait to hear from him again.
Chapter 8
“Uh, Erin. You should probably come look at this,” called Shira the next morning.
“What? If I don’t hurry up I’m going to be so late for work.”
Shira watched Erin as she exited her room and made her way towards the front door. “What is it?”
Erin was greeted by one of Kam’s bodyguards, standing in front of her door, facing the street. “Excuse me?”
The bodyguard turned his head before turning to address her, “Yes. Are you ready for work?”
“What does my being ready for work have to do with you standing outside my home?”
“His Majesty has commanded it. When you are ready, I will accompany you to your work. The driver is ready whenever you are.”
“Driver?” Erin asked, peering around him to see the black town car sitting in front of her condo. “What is that?”
“A gift?”
“Gift? Maybe we aren’t communicating here, but a gift is a new shirt, or a maybe a new toaster. Gifts do not include town cars.” Erin was sure there was some mistake. “You do know that Kam already left?”
“Of course. He ordered your protection and comfort. His Majesty has deemed the subway too dangerous. You will use the driver from now on.”
Erin was outraged. Who did this guy think he was? And how dare Kam order this man to follow her around. She didn’t need protection, but he might when she saw him the next time. Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Please tell Kam that I appreciate the gesture, but I am perfectly fine using the Metro, and your services are not needed. You may return to Jawhara immediately.”
When the guard just glared at her, she placed her hands upon her hips, “Did you hear me?”
“You will address him as His Majesty. You will not take the subway and I am not going anywhere.”
Erin opened her mouth, astonished that this man was going to argue with her. “Get him on the phone. Now!”
The guard pulled a cell phone from his pocket. After speaking quickly in Arabic into the phone, he handed it to her with a smirk upon his face, “His Majesty would like a word.”
“I just bet he would,” Erin announced, taking the phone and placing it to her ear. “Kam?”
“Habibti, I understand you do not like the car which has been provided for you. Do you wish a different color?”
“Kam, I don’t want the car at all. The Metro is perfectly safe. And why is this man saying that he is to follow me around?”
“Habibti, your safety is my priority. Talib is there to ensure that nothing happens to you.”
“This is ridiculous! Talib needs to go home and I’m not using the car.”
Kam was frustrated and wanted to demand she obey him, but from thousands of miles away he was dependent upon her complying of her own will. “Erin, please use the car. It would make me happy to know that you did not have to utilize the public transportation.”
Erin heard the plea and felt herself give in, “Fine. But call your watchdog off.”
“That I will not do. Talib is there at my request. If it will make you happy, I will ask him to make himself invisible while he performs his job.”
“I don’t want to see him,” Erin stated. If she didn’t have to see him, she would be able to pretend he wasn’t there.
“Fine. How have you been?”
“Great.”
“I am missing you.”
“Missing me? It’s only been two days.”
“If I had my way we would never be apart again,” Kamal informed her.
“Kam, I don’t understand any of this. We’ve only just met.”
“Tell me you don’t feel the same way,” Kamal challenged her.
Erin was silent, knowing that she couldn’t. “Are you planning to come back to the states?”
“I am. Things here are difficult right now…”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Erin asked, hating the vulnerability in her voice.
“Tell you what, habibti?”
“I know Kam. Or should I say Your Majesty.”
Kamal sighed, “I wasn’t deliberately trying to conceal my identity from you, Erin. It was so nice to spend time with someone who wasn’t trying to tell me what they thought I wanted to hear, or bowing to my opinion in all things. It was refreshing. I planned on telling you in the morning, but was called back to Jawhara.”
Erin tried to put herself in his position, “It must be hard never knowing if people are being honest with you.”
“Very. Do you forgive me?”
“Yes,” Erin said with a smile in her voice for the first time since their call had been connected.
“Good. Now hand the phone back to Talib and finish getting ready for work. I will sleep better tonight knowing that you are being chauffeured around.”
“Kam, thank you. Goodbye.” She handed the phone back and then turned shutting the door. Shira stood just inside the foyer, staring at her. “Don’t say a word.”
“It seems that you might have forgotten a few things about your night with Kam.”
“Not going to happen. I’m probably going to be late as it is.”
Shira watched her head back towards her bedroom, “Tonight then. After work.”
“We’ll see. Don’t you have someplace you need to be as well?”
Shira made a face and entered her own room. Erin finished dressing for work and then exited the condo, thankful that Talib was nowhere to be seen. The driver spoke perfect English and soon she was headed to work, without having to traverse the escalators and platforms of the Metro. The driver had been a nice gesture and for the time being, she would enjoy the luxury and think of Kam.
Chapter 9
“Shira, have a great time,” Erin told her cousin, outside the baggage drop off at Reagan National.
“I’m so excited. I can’t wait to see Kale.” Shira had spoken to Kale at least once a day since his sudden departure for Jawhara.
“I’m sure he’s excited to see you as well.” Erin tried to keep the note of jealousy from seeping through in her voice. She envied her cousin and the relationship she was building with Kale. Unfortunately, she and Kam’s relationship didn’t seem to be one. Outside of speaking to him the morning the driver had arrived, she hadn’t heard from him since and it had been two weeks.
She had resisted the urge to have Shira ask Kale about Kam, wanting him to contact her on his own. She kept telling herself that he was busy running a country and that his silence wasn’t intentional. Her mind was only just barely buying it two weeks later.
“I wish you were coming with me,” Shira told her, hugging her one final time.
“I have so much going on here, you know that isn’t possible.”
Shira nodded, “I know. But wouldn’t it be fun?”
Erin nodded, “Probably. Send me an email letting me know you arrived, okay?”
“I will. Oh, that’s my flight, gotta go.”
“Be careful.”
“I will. Love you,” Shira called, walking backwards several steps, before turning and heading towards security.
“Bye,” Erin whispered, suddenly feeling very lonely. Turning back towards the town car, she allowed the driver to open the door. Sitting in the back of the sleek car, she tried not to let depression grab ahold of her. Shira had worked hard and deserved every good thing that came her way.
“Take me to the office, please.” She didn’t need to go back to the Charity Foundation, but also didn’t want to go home and be by herself. There were several new cases that had arrived at the shelter and she planned to immerse herself in work until these unwanted feelings of loneliness fled.
Arriving at the foundation’s office an hour later, she noticed that everyone seemed to have gone home for the day. The driver let her out right in front of the main doors, and she used her keys to unlock the doors and headed towards her office. She was so lost in her thoughts she didn’t remember to re-lock the front doors.
Erin prepared the restraining orders for the new mother who had arrived at the shelter the night before. It seemed that her husband had lost his job and decided to take his frustration out on his wife and six-year old daughter. Both had needed medical treatment and were currently being sheltered in a safe house located across the river in Virginia.
Erin had just finished electronically filing the necessary paperwork when she heard a noise in the hallway. Deciding that one of her co-workers must have forgotten something, she rose from behind her desk and headed towards the foyer.
Rounding the corner, she was alarmed to see a strange man, looking very similar to the description the newest recipient of the foundation’s hospitality had provided of her abusive husband. “Excuse me? We’re already closed. The office will be open again tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock.”
“Where is my wife?” the strange man growled, menace evident in both his voice and body language.
Erin took a step back, hoping to put the front counter between her and the man. If she could get to the phone, she could depress the panic button and the local police department would be notified by the silent alarm system.
Seeing her retreat, the man quickly cut her off, preventing her from reaching the counter. “I’m going to ask one more time – where is my wife?”
