Pyramids and Promises (The Omega Alpha Mu Brothers Book 2)

by Kierra Quinn

  Her palms were sweaty. It was just nerves. She hadn’t been single since her second year in college. She’d met Rick at a foreign language department party. He was a Mandarin major; she was Russian. They got married as soon as they graduated. They both went to grad school. She got her degree in family counseling while he got an MBA. She regretted her choice of degree when Rick proclaimed he was going to apply for a job in the State Department. If he’d have shared his plans earlier, she’d have gotten something more appropriate like International Relations or something. But little did she know, there was a demand for therapists at the embassies. She shouldn’t have been surprised. Living overseas was hard on families, and she’d saved more than her share of marriages over the last several years. Just not her own.

  And now here she was divorced, alone in a foreign land, and going on a trip with a stranger. Maybe she was being too reckless.

  Definitely too reckless. Dysentery it was.

  A black SUV pulled up, and Conner got out before she put her hand on the door to go hide in her apartment. He was striking. His dark blonde fell into the greenest eyes she’d ever seen. Rick had been dark, much like his personality. But Conner was more like a golden god, Grecian, not Egyptian. She had a death grip on her bag when he took it from her.

  “Everything okay?” he asked, with an arched eyebrow.

  She nodded and smiled, hoping that she looked cool and calm, and that he couldn’t see the thousands of butterflies flying circles in her stomach.

  She climbed into the backseat, and he followed her.

  Conner pointed up front. “Jessica, this my driver.”

  “Hello. Welcome to Egypt.” He spoke with a thick Arab accent. He turned around and gave her a yellow-toothed grin. “You are much prettier than the other girls he normally brings around.” Conner paled and Ahmed laughed.

  Jessica ignored the comment. “You have a driver?”

  He shrugged. “They are very common here.”

  “Right. I forgot you were oil.”

  He shifted so he was facing her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “I knew a few of the oil families in Moscow. Filthy rich.”

  Conner cocked his head. Oh, he knew he was a Greek god. Jessica paused to consider just how many hearts that head tilt had broken. Or at least panties it had dropped. “Is that a bad thing?” he asked.

  “Not necessarily. But don’t act like it’s normal to have a private driver.” She folded her arms across her chest, wishing it was colder so that she could have worn a coat instead of a short sleeve linen top. Her skin burned where his eyes touched. This was definitely a bad idea.

  “But it is actually very common here.” He laughed. “Chances are you’ll have one too once you get settled. Probably not full-time, but you’ll have a driver on call. I can almost guarantee it.”

  In Moscow she had a housekeeper, but the woman only came once a week. When she was talking to Melinda yesterday, she made it sound like her housekeeper came every day. Jessica would get fat and lazy if there were people here who did everything for her.

  Jessica looked at the familiar scenery around her. The terminal. The planes. The insane parking lot. She wondered briefly where her first friend, the guide who got her through customs and baggage claim, was today. Then it registered exactly where they were.

  “Why are we at the airport?” she demanded.

  “Because if we drove to the Valley of the Kings, it would take us about ten hours. Ahmed is good at what he does, but I wouldn’t make him drive that far.”

  “Thank you for your kind-de-ness, ya mister. But we would make it, Inshallah,” said Ahmed.

  “Where’s Inshallah? Is that that where the Valley of the Kings is located?”

  Ahmed turned around. “No, miss. Inshallah means ‘if it be God’s will.’ Not a place.”

  “You mean it’s not in Cairo?”

  Conner shook his head with that same wicked grin he’d worn last night.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Jessica cheeks burned with embarrassment. She didn’t mean for him to take her out of town.

  “Because you were so excited. I didn’t want to dash your dreams. It’s not a big deal. I have a private jet too.”

  She gaped at him. This was not what she was expecting. She snapped her mouth shut. Then opened it to say something, but words failed her, so she closed it again, like a fish out of water.

  Finally she found her words. “You have a private jet?”

  His eyes danced with laughter as he nodded. “But I know that’s not normal. It’s not really mine. It’s a perk. I use it if it is available. Thankfully for us, no one else was using it this weekend.”

  “Yes, how lucky.” She hated how breathless she sounded. Impressing her was a boost his ego didn’t really need.

  They bypassed the terminal altogether. Ahmed dropped them off at a gated hangar and promised to be waiting when they returned. The smooth, sleek jet sat waiting on the tarmac. This was like something out of a movie. Conner took her elbow, and she was too stunned to argue. A concierge, or usher, or whatever they were called, carried their bags.

  Jessica tried to hide her awe as they climbed into the plane. The inside was immaculate and decorated in soft beiges and creams. The seats were leather and more comfortable than any plane she’d ever set foot on.

  “Let me verify our flight plan.” Conner disappeared into the cockpit. Jessica couldn’t help but giggle. He sounded so official.

  She wasn’t quite sure what to do, so she sat gingerly in the first seat she came to. The cream-colored leather was the softest thing she’d ever touched. The carpet was thick and lush. Curtains covered the windows, instead of those flimsy push up thingamajigs they had on commercial airlines. Jessica swallowed back a nervous laugh. What had she gotten herself into? She hadn’t been prepared for anything on this scale.

  Conner came back a few minutes later and flopped down into the seat directly across from her.

  “What do you think?” he asked.

  “About the plane? It’s gorgeous. Lucky you for being able to score such awesome perks.”

  “It is nice, but I do work hard for it.” He shrugged indifferently as if used to people being awed by his luxury.

  Jessica made a mental note to tone down her reactions. Show him that his things wouldn’t impress her. Maybe that would level the playing field, and she wouldn’t feel so off-kilter with him. Truthfully she was quite impressed.

  She smiled coolly.

  “So what do you do?” he asked, sitting up a little straighter. “Let me guess. I know lots of people who work at the embassy. Diplomat?”

  She shook her head.

  “U.S. Aid?”

  “Nope. You’ll never guess.”

  “Wait.” He clapped once, loud and sharp. ”You aren’t a regional security officer, are you? I thought you had to be buff to have that job.”

  Jessica grinned. “No, I’m not in security. I’m a therapist.”

  He creased his eyebrows. “I didn’t realize they had those. But I suppose it makes sense. How’d you land at the embassy? It’s not like most people go into therapy and think ‘Hey, I want to go overseas and help expats adjust.’”

  “My ex-husband is a diplomat.”

  “Ah. Do you enjoy living overseas?”

  “I loved Russia. I’m not so sure about here.” She glanced out the window at the sand and the same brown color of everything. Russia had been colorful, at the very least, a feast for the eyes.

  “Give it time. Cairo gets in your blood, and home will never be the same again.” He peered out the window as well, and from the softening around his eyes, Jessica thought maybe they were looking at two completely different places.

  “Where is home for you?” she asked.

  “New York.”

  “City or upstate?”

  “Upstate.”

  He signaled to a stewardess in a tight little dress, and she appeared from the galley with a couple of bottles of water.

&n
bsp; “And I take it you don’t miss it.”

  “Not really. I go home a few times a year and get my bacon fix, and then I come back and enjoy the weather here. Would you like something stronger? We have a full bar.” He passed her one of the waters.

  “This will do fine. The weather is nice. I don’t think I’ll have to break out my winter gear this year.”

  He winked at the stewardess, and she disappeared as quickly and silently as she’d shown up.

  The whole situation was incredibly awkward. Jessica hadn’t really thought this through at all. She just met this man, and yet here she was on airplane with him. Sure he said their destination was Luxor, but this wasn’t like a commercial flight where they announced overhead. She might end up sold as a sex slave somewhere in Saudi Arabia. Weirder things had happened. Rick told her horror stories sometimes. Nobody ever heard from those girls again, but their parents would come searching for them anyway.

  “You’re nervous,” said Conner.

  “I am. I was just thinking about how bizarre it is that I am on a private plane with you and we’ve just met. You have to admit that it is a little strange.”

  Conner smiled. “I’ve been in weirder situations. Things move fast in Egypt. Well, most things. Somehow when you need a plumber, it takes three days for them to show up. But relationships form fast and strong. I promise, though, I am only a tour guide. I love this country, and I enjoy watching other people fall in love with it too.”

  Jessica shifted in her seat. “I’m not really looking for more than someone to show me around. With any luck I’ll be on my way to a new post in September.”

  Conner let out a laugh. “You do realize that most men love a challenge, right? One year from now, we’re going to make this exact same flight and hot air balloon ride and talk about how much things have changed.”

  “What makes you think I’d agree to this again? Especially a year from now. I told you I’m not looking for anything.” Jessica had to find a way to slow him down. He could proclaim his tour guideness all he wanted. But he was trying to move as fast as he claimed Egypt did. Maybe it had gotten too much in his blood. He’d been here too long.

  “I expect if we were to take this trip a year from now, this plane would be full to bursting with your friends, and we’d take a balloon ride with a massive basket instead of one just for two. You may even bring your boyfriend, but I doubt he’ll be me. Just don’t date an Egyptian.”

  Jessica blinked for a second. He’d thrown her for a loop. That response she hadn’t expected. Had she been misreading him completely?

  “I don’t understand.” She frowned.

  “I just want to be your friend, Princess. I’m not looking for anything either. Honestly, I’d like to be the person who shows you all the cool stuff this amazing, ancient land has to offer, but that’s it.”

  “Don’t you have other friends?” A terrible thought hit her, something that she should have already thought of. “Or a girlfriend?”

  He laughed again. “A girlfriend. No. I do have friends though. They can attest that I’m normal, safe, and sane. Well, relatively. My friends have already seen all the Egyptian sights and won’t go on these excursions with me anymore. My tour guide ways are well known.”

  Jessica narrowed her eyes. She still wasn’t sure, but she supposed she should give him a chance. Not that she had much of a choice in the matter, since she was stuck on an airplane with him. An airplane she could only hope was truly going to the Valley of the Kings.

  The next hour passed pleasantly enough. Conner truly was in love with Egypt and kept her laughing with tales of history, culture, and even modern traffic. She hardly realized that an hour had passed as she watched the sunset and listened to Connor’s tales. As the plane began to descend, Conner reached over and pulled the curtains closed.

  “Hey, I wanted to see that.” She huffed.

  “I know.” He chuckled. “You’ll want to save that view for the morning. Trust me.”

  He gave her a slow wink, and Jessica knew he was right about one thing. He was never going to be her boyfriend. As friendly as he seemed, Conner scared the hell out of her.

  Conner had to get his head on straight. Jessica was not Nour. Every time he looked at her, his heart skipped a beat. But their personalities were so different. Nour was reserved and quietly smoldering. One look from her melted him.

  But Jessica. Everything about her was light. Even when she was frowning and pouting, he wanted to smile. In fact, he liked pissing her off just to see the corners of her eyes crinkle.

  He knocked on her hotel room door at three-thirty. She yawned as she opened the door. Her pink t-shirt was tight in all the right places and complemented her black capris perfectly. He knew from her swimsuit that she had great legs, and he was surprised to be disappointed that she hadn’t worn shorts. She’d regret that later too. It was hotter down here than in Cairo.

  “Come on in, I’m almost ready. Do we really have to leave this early?” Barefoot, she kicked the door open for him. Her hair hung around her shoulders still damp from her shower. Mornings were obviously not her thing.

  “If you want to catch the sunrise.” He grinned. She looked adorably tired.

  “Next time we stay in a hotel right next door. Then I can sleep later.”

  “It’s only fifteen minutes. I brought you coffee.” He handed her the Starbucks cup.

  “Starbucks?”

  “They’re everywhere. I know a guy, so he went and got this for us.”

  She choked on her coffee.

  “Hot?” He raised an eyebrow.

  “You sent someone out for coffee? It’s three in the morning.” Setting her cup down, she turned to the mirror and pulled her long hair up into a knot on the top of her head.

  He shrugged. If she was this flustered by his extras, wait till she saw the inside of his apartment. A sliver of excitement slid down his spine. He wanted to see the look on her face when he showed her true luxury.

  “You definitely do have your perks.” She slipped her shoes on. “I think I have everything. Let’s go.”

  “Need that?” He waved his cup at her phone sitting by the old TV.

  She sighed and grabbed it, tossing it into her purse.

  “Now, I’m ready.”

  “Come on, let me introduce you to the Kings.” He held the door open for her, ready to get this going. The balloon ride was bound to be the best part of the day. The valley itself was rather a disappointment.

  Jessica nursed her coffee as they drove through the bland desert. Neither of them said much, and Conner was once again surprised to find himself more than a little intrigued by her. What was running through her head? Nour would be calculating their schedule and correcting what she didn’t like about the itinerary that Conner had set up. But Jessica, he had no idea.

  Jessica still had most of her coffee when they reached the balloon site. Holding tight to her cup, she jumped out of the van. She took one look around and scowled at him.

  “Damn. No hotel.”

  He grinned. “No hotel. Nothing really but old tombs and a few run down houses.”

  “We’ll just sleep with Nefertiti.” She brightened like she’d just solved all the world’s problems.

  “I think you might get deported for that.”

  Her eyes lit up. “Really? Sign me up.”

  He laughed. “Why do you want to leave so bad? Give us a chance first.”

  “Us?”

  “Egypt and I. I’m betting between the two of us, we can make you fall in love with this old desert.”

  She blinked her blue eyes at him, and the urge to kiss her nearly knocked him off his feet. She turned to look out at the desert and her perfume wafted over him. He had to step back before he ruined all his pretty speech about her boyfriend being somebody else. He hadn’t meant a word, but he wasn’t ready for her to know that.

  “It’s not that I want to leave so much. It’s just that I loved Russia, and I want to go back.”

  “
So why did you leave?”

  She scowled. “Long story. I speak Russian fluently, and want be in a place where I can communicate with the people.”

  “So why did you leave?” he repeated gently, yet expectantly. He kept her trapped between him and the van. She wasn’t wiggling away from his questions.

  “My ex. It was too weird for us to be there together.” She sighed.

  “An ex, huh. Want me to get rid of him? I know a guy.” He grinned, but her eyes went wide. “I’m teasing. Is that why you aren’t looking for another relationship right now?”

  “Yeah, the divorce was just finalized. I had to get out of Russia. Hey, why’d you tell me not to date Egyptians?”

  There was more she wasn’t telling him. It must have been a nasty divorce. For now though, he’d let it slide.

  “A nice, pretty American girl like you, raised by a mom who probably burned her bra in the 60s. Trust me. It’s cultural.” He didn’t know how it was in Russia, but she was bound to get a shock when she walked down the street by herself. Men here tended to be vocal and sometimes handsy. In fact, he’d offer her his car service, but she probably wouldn’t like that. Yet.

  “That’s not much of an answer.” She cocked her head at him. Irritation sparked in her eyes. “But it’s too early for an argument. I’ll ask you later.”

  He laughed. If she was going to argue, then he would be sure to give her the same answer. She must be magnificent when she was angry, her eyes spitting blue fire.

  Jessica was sweet and spunky too. Even if she didn’t look like Nour, he suspected he’d genuinely like her.

  Balloons stretched out across the sand. Several workers attached and cabled the baskets. Jessica watched in silence, bouncing on the balls of her feet as the balloons were filled with hot air.

  That look of pure anticipation was one of his favorite things in the world. He loved seeing the excitement in someone’s eyes when they experienced something for the first time. He immediately began planning their next trip. The desert probably. Plus there were the pyramids.

  The sky was just beginning to lighten when they climbed into the basket.

  “Ready?” he whispered, and she nodded. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes shone bright. He wondered if he would get lost in them and miss the sunrise all together. Nour’s eyes.