by Leslie North
“Why are you doing this? Helping this woman you barely know?”
“Because I can and I want to. She is an amazing woman and doesn’t deserve this.”
Ahmed shook his head, “You can’t even be honest with yourself about your reasons! Listen, helping Carolyn won’t bring Lyla back!”
“I am aware of that fact!” Mahil answered back, his voice rising to a near yell. “Nothing I can do will ever erase the fact that she died on my watch.”
Ahmed looked at his friend and boss and softened his voice, “Do you care for this American woman?”
Mahil took a deep breath and then nodded his head, “Yes. I find her…intriguing.”
“That’s not what I meant and you know it. You’re falling for her.”
Mahil shook his head, “That’s ridiculous. We get along together well enough and there is a certain chemistry between us, but that is all.”
“Sir, we’ve known each other quite a while, and I’m here to tell you that you’re wrong. You’re falling in love with her and if you don’t find a way to forgive yourself for what happened with Lyla first, you’ll lose Carolyn.”
Falling in love with her? No! “I don’t know what you think you have seen, but in a few days this problem of hers will be resolved and she will fly home. That will be the end of it.”
Ahmed looked at him and then patted him on the shoulder, “I feel sorry for you. Carolyn could be the woman you need to start living in the present, but you would rather hold onto the past, and the heartaches there.”
“I thought you didn’t like her.” Shaking his head, “What I didn’t like was your methods, which for a man not in love, is a bit extreme, don’t you think?”
“I did what was necessary for her own good.”
“What happened with Lyla wasn’t your fault!”
“That is where you will always be wrong, my friend,” Mahil told him sadly. “What happened with Lyla was only my fault. I’m the one who let her down. Who left her alone to… die. No one else. I did that and I will forever have to live with the knowledge that while I am here on this planet, she is not.”
“Sir, she died. I know you think you could have saved her, but you couldn’t have and it’s time you faced those facts. You were only a boy when your sister became sick and you were both living on the streets. How could you be expected to help her when chances were medicine couldn’t?”
Mahil shook his head and turned to leave the garage, “I will need the helicopter serviceable by this evening. I am taking Carolyn to the southern oasis for dinner.”
Ahmed watched his retreating back and then called out, “Think about what I’ve said. Please. It’s time to let the past be in the past.”
Chapter 13
Carolyn exited the luxurious shower in her bedroom suite, wrapping a towel around herself and wondering what she was going to do about clothing. She’d still to find Mahil, but surely he was very aware that she only had what he provided for her.
She needn’t have spent so much time worrying about the issue. As she exited the bathroom, Jessenia was just finishing laying out another American dress and the sandals she’d worn earlier.
“Thank you,” she told the maid with a smile.
Jessenia smiled back and then bowed her way out of the room. Carolyn quickly dressed, brushing her hair until it shone and decided to leave it down. She had no idea where Mahil was taking her, but since she’d yet to see anything outside of his palace and the sanctuary, she was excited for the adventure.
She skipped down the stairway, exiting the front doors to see Mahil waiting for her on the front steps. He was dressed casually again in dark jeans and a button shirt that matched the color of his eyes. She smiled as she thought about what he looked like under those clothes. Felt like as his muscles rippled under her light touch.
“There you are. Ready to go?” he asked, holding out a hand to her.
Carolyn took his hand and stepped down to the ground level, “I am. Where are we going?”
“I thought that I would show you some of my country from the air before dinner.”
“The air? I don’t…”
“You’re not afraid of flying, are you?” Mahil asked, hoping that was not the case.
“No…at least I don’t think so. If you’ll remember I wasn’t awake during our flight over here.”
“You’ve never been on a plane prior to this trip?” Mahil asked, amazed that at the age of twenty-six she had seen so little of the world.
“No need. And no opportunity.”
“Come with me and let me show you how beautiful the desert can be.”
*****
Ahmed was an excellent pilot and Carolyn found herself thoroughly enjoying their flight. For the last ten minutes however, all she’d seen below them was sand. Miles and miles of sand in every direction.
“I can’t imagine getting lost out here,” she told Mahil.
“It is very unwise to venture into the desert unless one has an excellent grasp of direction and a good GPS. The desert can be very unforgiving.” He glanced out the window and then pointed, “Look there. That is where we are headed.”
Carolyn leaned forward and saw a stand of trees and a pool of water in the distance. “What is that?”
“That is one of the many oases located throughout the desert. We shall have a picnic dinner under the stars this night.”
A few minutes later Ahmed landed the helicopter and Mahil helped her from the aircraft. He took a large basket from Ahmed and then escorted her a short distance away so that the helicopter could take off again.
“Where’s he going?” Carolyn asked, trying not to panic at being left in the middle of the desert.
“Do not fret. Ahmed will bring the helicopter back in a few hours. For now though, we should find a good place to have our meal.”
Carolyn looked towards the helicopter once more and then followed Mahil across the sand, entering the shade of the palm trees and smiling at the beautiful array of flowering plants that miraculously grew in this barren wasteland.
“It’s amazing!”
“I’m glad you like it.” Mahil set the basket down, pulled a blanket from the basket and spread it out on the sand. “Please have a seat.”
Carolyn did as requested, taking the containers he pulled from the basket and setting them out on the blanket. She stared at the array of colors as he opened the different containers.
“This all looks so good,” she told him, unsure what any of it was.
Pointing to the different dishes. “I thought we would keep it simple. That’s lamb kabob, which you will want to try with the yogurt dressing with cucumber and dill. This is beet root couscous, which I think you will like with the na’an,” he told her as he pointed to the bread. “This is pilaf.” As he talked, he continued to point out the different items, “Marinated vegetables, chicken kabob, stuffed grape leaves, and for dessert, we have grilled figs, watermelon, and my personal favorite, Bsemah, which is a type of coconut cake.”
The foods were simple, and yet the flavors were not. They both ate their fill, and for the first time since arriving in his country, Carolyn was able to enjoy the local cuisine.
After the food had been put away and they finished the wine, Mahil sat back and patted the spot in front of him. “Lean back against me and take a rest.”
Carolyn found herself easily following his lead, leaning back against his chest as she looked up at the sky. “It’s amazing out here. I’ve never seen so many stars in my life,” she told him as she looked up.
“The city lights can mask the true intensity of the night sky,” he told her as he began to massage her shoulders and her neck.
“You smell divine,” he whispered in her ear, sending a shiver down her back. His hands continued their descent down her arms, before skimming back up her front. When he reached the peaks of her breasts, he used his thumb and fingers to pluck at them through the thin cotton of the dress.
When Carolyn couldn’t stand any more tor
ment, she moaned and pushed herself away from him, spinning around to sit between his bent knees. She looked him in the eye and began a sensual exploration of his body. She started at his shoulders, using her palms to press against the muscles hidden beneath his button down shirt.
She let her fingers find the buttons, slowly unbuttoning them one by one, and then pushing the fabric aside to reveal his tanned chest underneath. She smoothed her hands lower, urging him to lean back so that she could undo his belt and the button of his jeans.
She leaned forward and put her lips to his chest, and when he would have taken the reins back from her, she shook her head and murmured, “I want to explore your body.”
Mahil inhaled and then nodded once, “Explore away.”
Carolyn grinned before returning to his chest. When she found his nipples, she circled them with her tongue, understanding that if it felt good to her, it must feel good to him. She sucked lightly on the hard tips, and when he moaned, she smiled against his chest and continued downward.
Her hands had been busy, unzipping him and pushing at the fabric of his jeans to no avail. When she made a frustrated sound, Mahil lifted his hips and then shoved his jeans and his briefs down in one sharp move before pulling them off entirely.
Carolyn let her hands learn his feel, moving past his hipbones, and wrapping around the hard length of him. She lifted her head and looked down, watching her hand pump him up and down, loving the moans of pleasure coming from his throat.
When a bead of pre-cum appeared, she leaned forward and used her tongue to taste him. He was salty and she found herself taking more of him into her mouth. She remembered how big he felt when they had made love at the pleasure pool, and as she tried to take more of him into her mouth, she realized there was no way she could ever take him all.
Her experience with blowjobs was minimal at best, and in the past, she’d always felt inept. When Mahil tangled a hand in the hair along the back of her neck, she was prepared for him to take control but instead, he only murmured, “Wrap your hands around the base and don’t let go.”
Carolyn did as he suggested and suddenly she was able to surround all of him, and still breathe comfortably. She moved down on him, loving the feel of him against her tongue and the comforting hand at her neck. She pulled back and repeated the process, feeling more of his pre-cum leak into her mouth, as she greedily swiped her tongue around it.
She squeezed him and was just getting into a nice rhythm when he tugged at her hair stopping her. “Cara, I want to be inside you when I come.”
He reached for the hem of her dress, as she lifted her knees off it. Pulling it quickly over her head, he tossed it impatiently aside and then stared at her.
“You’re…you’re naked,” he finally managed to say as she smiled at him.
Before she could reply, he groaned loudly and grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her astride him and fitting their bodies together. He kept her poised just above his now throbbing length as he kissed her. When he felt her lose herself in their kiss, he lifted her legs and brought her down on his length, swallowing her moan of pleasure.
“God…”
“No, just Mahil,” he teased her. He pulled her knees up higher on his sides and thrust up into her. “You are so beautiful when your body is flushed with passion, Cara.”
With another moan, Carolyn tilted her head as he kissed his way down her neck to her collarbone. He had wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly to him, as he thrust into her. Pressing her heels into the blanket, she would bring herself down more forcefully as they both groaned with lust.
Turning her head, she reached blindly for Mahil kissing him as her body began to shake uncontrollably. Sensing what she needed and reaching between them to slide his long fingers between her legs. He found the hard pearl at the juncture of her thighs and pressed down lightly even as he thrust up into her. With a cry, pleasure overtook her as she dug her fingers into his shoulders clutching wildly at him as her body shook with the intensity of her orgasm.
He held her against him while she came, suddenly growling as his own orgasm seized him and he thrust rapidly against her. Leaning his forehead against hers, he took in long, slow breaths and waited for them both to calm down before he withdrew from her and reached for one of the towels in the basket. They had been intended for their fingers, but he quickly used one of them to clean them both up.
“How about a swim?” he asked, kissing her on the side of the neck.
“That sounds good,” Carolyn told him, still reeling from the feelings he’d evoked in her body.
They entered the small pool and Carolyn was pleasantly surprised to find that she could lean on the edge and just let herself float in the water. Her body was sexually satisfied, and regardless of what she’d told Kerri, she was afraid her heart was becoming attached to the gorgeous man next to her.
She hated to disturb their easy peace, but in light of how their relationship was developing, she needed him to understand and respect what she needed. “Mahil, I need to go home.”
Carolyn swallowed hard before she continued. “My family is…difficult. My dad has never been a strong individual. After my mom got sick, he seemed to lose even more control. Drinking every night. But at the time, I didn’t know that he was also gambling. Heavily at times.”
She glanced at Mahil, expecting to see judgment, but instead she just saw him watching her and listening without any emotion on his face. “Anyway, I found out after my mom died that my dad owed more than a hundred thousand dollars to a man named Salvatore Gomez. He’s a loan shark and a criminal of the worst kind.”
She sighed and then looked at him, “I went to see him and told him that I would repay my father’s debt, but I needed some time. I explained how weak my father was to him, and got him to agree to stop charging interest on the debt provided I made regular payments. The last twenty-thousand dollars is due at the end of this month and I’m so close to finally getting rid of him once and for all.”
“Cara, let me pay this man for you. You should never have to deal with men like him.”
Carolyn shook her head, “No! I need to do this for myself. It’s my problem, not yours.”
“Why won’t you let me help you?” he exclaimed.
“I appreciate that you want to support me, but I need to do this on my own. I need to prove to myself that I can finish what I started.”
“What about your father?”
“He hasn’t been gambling as much and I’ve already told him I won’t help him out again.”
“How do you know this criminal will go away once he has his money?” Mahil wanted to know.
Carolyn looked at him and then shrugged, “I don’t. I’m hoping that his word will be good.”
“I still think you should let me deal with this individual…”
“Promise me you won’t. Please, Mahil. This is important to me. I only have to make my payment at the end of the month and I’ll be free of him.” And my dad. One more payment and I can finally get my dad out of my life for good!
Chapter 14
After lunch the next day, Carolyn found herself alone in the palace with nothing to do with her time. When she had confronted Mahil about having her cell phone, she had been prepared to argue with him over it, but he had simply walked into his room, retrieved it and handed it to her. While he didn’t apologize for not giving it to her sooner, his actions had let the wind out of her sail and she didn’t know what to say to him, other than thank you. Unfortunately, the battery had completely died and Mahil was unable to find a charger that fit her old phone so he had promised that he would send someone into town to find one that fit, but not until later that afternoon.
The maids were all busy with their normal duties, and even Ahmed seemed to be missing in action. After they had returned to the palace the night before, Mahil had mentioned taking her home in the next few days, after he completed his current business contracts. It seemed that there was a problem with the delivery of the oil f
rom the Al-Sarid oil fields, and it had fallen to Mahil to negotiate the new contracts.
“Why can’t I take a commercial flight home?” Carolyn had asked.
“Because you, my dear, do not have the appropriate paperwork to do so.”
“A passport? Oh, I hadn’t even thought of that!”
“Don’t worry about it. We’ll be taking my private jet home and it shouldn’t be any problem.”
“Maybe…how would I go about getting one here? I mean, I don’t have one.”
Mahil smiled at her, “There is an American Embassy in the capital city. If it should become necessary for you to have a passport, we will leave the matter in their very capable hands.”
She said nothing, and as she wandered through the palace, just knowing that there were other Americans close by was comforting. She made herself a snack and then strolled through the downstairs rooms. When she wandered into Mahil’s private office, she smiled at the walls of books that were neatly stacked against every wall.
She surveyed the titles, wondering if he merely collected them, or if he had read all of them. She ended up at his desk, an ornate structure with intricately carved corners and a leather high back chair.
She climbed into the chair, loving the way the soft leather molded around her body and then she perused the items on his desk. She was about to go searching for another room to explore, when an email caught her attention. The phone number was most assuredly from the United States, and before she could think twice about it, she used a finger to slide the folder it was in open.
A picture of Salvatore Gomez stared back at her along with an email message from Ahmed –
Find target and arrange to drop off final payment. Make sure target knows that any
further contact between himself and Miss Michaels will bring the full power and
wrath of Sheik Sharqi down upon his shoulders.
Carolyn was stunned, but that quickly turned to blinding fury. She had specifically asked him not to interfere not even twenty-four hours ago. How dare he! This is not his fight!
