“Well, good morning Hannah,” he said, smiling from ear to ear.
Hannah looked at him from across the room, amazed at how he just got better looking every time she saw him. She self-consciously ran her fingers through her hair and smiled back as she walked over to him.
He reached out his hands and took hers in his and then bent in to kiss her on the cheek. Hannah wasn’t expecting that. But it certainly was a great way to start her morning. She breathed in his scent and her stomach flipped over.
It’s just hunger, she thought to herself. I have nothing in my stomach, no coffee, no food. But as she took the cup of coffee Fatima poured for her, she knew it wasn’t hunger. She was reacting to Sadiq and his… His good looks? His power? His kindness? His irresistible, musky yet fresh smell?
“Oh, thank you,” she said as she took the cup and sat down in the large leather chair across from Sadiq.
He sat back down and took a sip of coffee, his gaze returning to her the second he put the cup down.
Hannah eyed him suspiciously over the china as she let the hot liquid warm her throat. “What?” she asked, feeling a little uncomfortable under the heat of his glare.
Sadiq grinned slowly, as if he were trying to tease her with his amazing smile.
Her stomach flipped again and Hannah cursed herself as she gulped down more coffee, hoping to wrestle her insides into compliance. “What?!” she asked again as she put her coffee down.
“How did you sleep?” Sadiq asked, paying no mind to her discomfort. Or maybe he’s just enjoying it. Hannah reminded herself that this was probably all part of his game. But she wasn’t going to be one of playthings.
She sat up straighter, ran her fingers over her skirt and looked him in the eye. “I slept like a queen,” she said, realizing the inappropriateness of the words no sooner had they left her mouth. Darn it, she thought. Here comes the nervous jibber jabber again. But Sadiq rescued her before she could do any more damage.
“Good,” he said, smiling again as he reached for his tablet. “I hope so. Because that’s how I want you to be treated.”
Hannah felt the flip-flop again. Did he mean that he wanted to spoil her? Was he implying that she was going to be his queen someday? The crazy train started to rev its engine, but Sadiq stopped it before it could even pull out of the station.
“I make sure all my guests are treated like royalty when they stay here.”
Hannah felt her hopes dashed; he was thinking about her the same way he would any other guest. She smiled at him and turned away to look out the window. She hadn’t even noticed the pool and incredible gardens when they had arrived at the palace last night. Or was it this morning?
“What time is it?” Hannah asked, realizing she had no idea what time of day or night it might be. She suddenly started feeling a little out of her element.
Sadiq looked down at his tablet and opened his mouth to speak, but Naasir answered for him.
“It’s 11:45 in the morning, miss.”
Hannah looked at Naasir and then at Sadiq. Eleven forty-five? She hadn’t slept that late since, well, she couldn’t remember when.
Sadiq noticed the look on her face and smiled again. “Don’t worry. It’s totally fine. I had plenty of business to catch up on. Besides, your performances don’t begin until next week.”
“Next week?” Hannah asked, surprised by this new information.
“Yes, next week.”
“So why am I here now?” she asked, remembering to keep her thoughts to business and business only.
“Well,” Sadiq said, as he stood up and stretched. “I thought it would be nice if you got to see some of the country first.” He saw Hannah’s stunned expression and then quickly added. “I mean, if that’s okay with you.”
“Um, yeah, of course. Yes,” she stammered. “That’s fine. It’s just that I could have arrived later. I mean, you don’t have to take the time to show me around, to…” She fought to get control of her words. “It’s just that I could have worked an extra week at the club, is all.”
She realized how pathetic she sounded. Here was a man, a sheikh, getting ready to pay her half a million dollars, and she was worried about taking a week off of her lousy-paying job back home.
“Well,” Sadiq took her hand as he lifted her up from the chair, “correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you just quit your job?”
Hannah felt the heat rising in her cheeks. He was right. She had just quit her job at the Blue Moon. But she had a catering job, and it paid the bills, more or less. Sadiq didn’t know about that yet, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to tell him.
She flashed a smile at him. “Well, I guess you’re right about that,” she said, unwilling to concede that he was absolutely spot on. “So, anyhow, I’m here now. What is it that you want to show me?”
Sadiq’s face lit up. “Well, there’s so much to see. I mean, I could show you the ruins at Balaar, the City of Katnuk, also known as the Brilliant City, Shimab, the Holy Dome…”
“Okay, okay,” Hannah said as she raised her hands and laughed. “I get it. There’s a lot to see here.”
“An awful lot,” Sadiq said, failing to curb his enthusiasm. “Where would you like to start?”
Hannah thought about it as her stomach rumbled again. “How about we start with you showing me the kitchen. I’m starved!”
“Of course, I’m sorry,” said Sadiq. “We’ll start with breakfast. And then, when you’re good and full, I’ll take you on a tour of the palace. How does that sound?”
“Perfect.”
***
After spending a while meandering through cavernous rooms and hallways, Hannah and Sadiq finally reached the palace kitchen, where a short, very round woman who looked to be in her sixties was preparing food.
“Maala,” Sadiq said. “This is my friend, Hannah.” The cook looked up from the dough she was rolling out as Sadiq turned to Hannah. “Hannah, I’d like you to meet Maala. The best cook this side of the Dead Sea.”
“This side of every sea,” Maala quipped. She walked around the counter and looked Hannah up and down. Then she placed her chubby hands on Hannah’s cheeks and kissed each one. Hannah smelled flour and spices on her hands and smiled as she pulled away.
“Sadiq, I’m glad you brought this one here. She looks like she needs to eat!” Maala said sweetly as she scooted back around the counter. “You two sit down. I’ll have her fattened up in no time.”
Sadiq shrugged at Hannah and she smiled back. She felt so comfortable around him and his staff—even if they certainly didn’t act like staff. Hannah wondered why Sadiq lived alone in such a large palace. She wondered where his parents were, if he had any siblings, and how come he had such a close relationship with the people that worked for him. She had so many questions, and she hoped that during the next six weeks, she would get some answers.
After Maala had filled them up with some of her favorite breakfast dishes, Sadiq and Hannah walked out of the kitchen and through the west wing of the palace, where his ancestors had lived for centuries before.
“The palace was built in 1732,” Sadiq said, as they entered a room filled with portraits. “These are some of the people who lived here before me; some of them were royalty, some dignitaries, some criminals.”
Hannah raised her eyebrows. “Criminals, huh?”
“Yes, every family has them, even ours.” Sadiq walked over to the portraits and started naming the people in them. Hannah watched his face fill with emotion as he recounted a brief history of each of his ancestors.
She followed him along the wall and noticed that when he got to the newest of the portraits, he passed right by them without stopping.
“What about these?” Hannah asked, pointing to the faces looking down at her.
Sadiq looked at the wall and his face hardened. “Another time,” he said impassively. “Let me show you the temple.”
Hannah followed Sadiq out of the hall, adding yet another question to her list. He led her throu
gh wide passageways with glittering walls and down a long hall to a set of rounded doors.
“Here it is,” he said, with a smile on his face. “I’m assuming you’re not religious?” he asked.
Hannah looked at him thoughtfully. “Well, you should never assume. But you’re right; I’m not.”
“Well, ordinarily, non-believers aren’t permitted inside temples in our country. But that’s just a custom, not law. If you want to enter, though, you must take off your shoes and keep your voice low.”
“But I thought you lived here alone?” Hannah said.
“I do,” Sadiq said as he slipped off his shoes and laid them on the mat outside the door. “But my staff members worship here,” he said, pointing to the other shoes on the mat.
Hannah nodded in understanding and slipped off her heels as Sadiq slowly opened the door.
Hannah had never been inside a temple before and was totally unprepared for what she saw. Even though this one was rather small, the architecture and design of the exterior was breathtaking.
The doors swung open and Sadiq stepped inside. Hannah’s breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight in front of her. The room was as large as a basketball court and the walls were made of orange concrete, embellished with finely detailed cutouts and columns. Thick, red velvet mats formed rows across the marble floor. Archways and railings lined the perimeter and the ceiling was rounded and trimmed in gold and blue.
The most stunning part of the room was the light; stained glass windows ran from floor to ceiling along the two long walls. The back of the room was adorned with an even larger panel of stained glass that formed an arch underneath the rounded dome ceiling. The late morning sunlight pierced through the windows and cast brilliant cascades of light across the walls and floor, flooding the room with an atmosphere that was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
“Wow,” Hannah whispered as she stood at the door.
Sadiq watched as her eyes roamed the room, soaking in every detail. He wondered what was going through her mind. Was she thinking about the acoustics? Was she wondering what her voice would sound like echoing off the high walls of this glorious place. He certainly was.
“Come,” he said quietly as he grabbed her hand and walked along the back wall of the room.
Hannah slid her fingers into his, once again feeling the heat of his grip and sensing the same flutter inside her stomach. Sadiq led her to the front of the temple where she could look back on the room. There she saw how the light, and the reflection of the windows, the chandeliers and the gold and ivory appointments made patterns on the doors. It was truly a sight to behold.
Hannah looked around again from her new vantage point, trying to take mental snapshots of how beautiful it was. She couldn’t wait to share her experience with Chloe, with her parents, and others who might never get the chance to see something like this.
She leaned over to whisper something in Sadiq’s ear, but was stopped when he put his finger up and pointed to the floor, a few yards away from them.
There, in the middle of the room, were a few of Sadiq’s bodyguards, kneeling and praying. They were chanting in hushed tones as they sat up and then put their heads to the ground. Hannah watched them, fascinated, and wondered exactly what they were praying for. After a few moments, Sadiq squeezed Hannah’s hand and led her along the wall to the back of the room and out through the door.
When the doors were closed tightly behind him, he turned to her and asked, “So, what did you think?”
“I, that was, I can’t,” Hannah was too overwhelmed to speak.
Sadiq smiled widely, excited at her reaction. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Beautiful is definitely one word to describe it,” she said as she slipped her shoes back on.
Sadiq slid into his shoes and then placed his hand on her elbow, leading her away from the temple and down another hall.
As they walked, Hannah thought about the men and their practice. “Sadiq,” she said as he led her through a set of chambers she hadn’t yet seen. “What do you think they were praying for?”
Sadiq looked at her and laughed. “Probably for me,” he said. He looked over at her and saw that she wasn’t laughing. “Oh, you’re being serious?” he said, hoping he hadn’t offended her.
Hannah nodded, and Sadiq thought about it for a moment as they walked. “I would guess that they were praying for the same thing all of us pray for. Health, happiness, safety for the ones we love. That kind of thing”
“Is that what you pray for?” asked Hannah.
Sadiq dropped his hand from her elbow and his tone turned cold. “I don’t pray.”
“But you have a temple in your home.”
Sadiq’s responded in clipped tones. “It’s not my temple. It was built centuries ago. And just because it is here does not mean that I have to use it.”
Hannah sensed a distance grow between then and felt bad that she had asked. “I’m sorry,” she said.
Sadiq stopped walking and let out a long breath. He turned to face her. “No, I’m sorry, Hannah. I know you have a lot of questions, I guess, I’m just not used to answering them. I’m the boss of my home. I’m the boss at work. Even when I date, women expect me to be cool and aloof. I guess I’ve gotten used to that.”
“I get it,” Hannah said. “You don’t have to explain anything to me.”
Sadiq reached out and took her hands in his. “That’s just it. I know I don’t have to. But I want to.”
He didn’t know why he had said that. He didn’t know why he was saying any of what he was saying. But it felt right. He had kept to himself for so long, kept his feelings, his fears, his everything bottled up inside, not allowing anyone in or anything out for so long that sometimes he felt like he could just burst. And when he was with Hannah, he felt at ease. There was something about being in her presence that made him feel like he could share some of what had held in for so long; something about her kindness, her authenticity, that made him want to share them with her.
Sadiq looked into her eyes and for a moment wanted to tell her everything. But as quickly as that feeling came, it left again.
Hannah saw it. She sensed the fear in his eyes. Not wanting to ruin the moment or push him further away, she squeezed his hands and smiled, trying to make light of a tense situation.
“Listen, I appreciate that. But my mind is on overload already,” she said, releasing his hands and letting her arms fall to her sides. “I mean, I’m just a country girl from Georgia. I’ve never been in a temple before, let alone a palace. So I think it’s good if we keep things simple.”
Hannah stood still as she waited for Sadiq’s response. “Agreed,” he said and smiled back, still wanting to tell her everything, but knowing she was right.
“Agreed,” she said, hoping she hadn’t implied that she wasn’t interested in hearing about his problems—she just wasn’t sure she wanted to hear them now. Besides, was that really part of her job description? Or was he leaning on her because he felt something for her? She shook her head and tried to rattle the thoughts away. Easy, girl. Just focus on enjoying the next few weeks. Whatever happens, will happen.
“You okay?” Sadiq asked as he watched her shake her head.
“Oh, yeah,” she said nervously, feeling like an idiot. “Just trying to take it all in. Now, what’s next on the tour?”
***
Sadiq and Hannah spent a full day touring the palace and the grounds. They headed back inside just as the sun was beginning to set.
“Perfect timing,” said Sadiq as they walked up the marble steps to the large sitting area on the back patio.
“Perfect timing? For what?” asked Hannah.
“For dinner on the roof!” Sadiq said with a smile. “Wait here!”
He disappeared through the hall that led to the kitchen as Hannah flopped onto one of the plush chairs. She had been on her feet all day, walking the miles of palace and grounds. Note to self, she thought. Next time, wear sneakers.
Sadiq returned a few minutes later and saw Hannah sprawled out on the chair, rubbing her feet. “Are you okay?” he asked, concerned he had worn her out.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she lied, but it was clear that he wasn’t buying it. “It’s just that I wore the wrong shoes, that’s all. My feet are a little sore from all the walking. I’m used to standing still on stage in these things, but I never realized how uncomfortable they would be to walk in.”
Sadiq laughed and sat down across from her. “I bet. They look like instruments of torture to me. I’ve never understood why women would cram their feet into those things anyway.”
The Sheikh's Irresistible Proposal Page 5