by Holly Rayner
Nicole slid into one of the large, comfortable seats, gazing out the window at the distant city, glistening in the rising sun. Bahir took the seat across from her, pouring himself a glass of vodka and orange juice.
She grinned at him. “It’s a little early to start the festivities, isn’t it?” she asked, and Bahir gave her a shy smile.
“Maybe just a little liquid courage,” he replied, holding out a mini bottle of vodka for her to take.
Looking at it, she realized it might not hurt to take the edge off a little, and accepted the bottle from him.
Their fingers brushed lightly during the exchange, sending waves of awareness through Nicole’s body. It took everything in her not to gasp at the sensation. She busied herself pouring the rest of her drink, not noticing Bahir’s burning stare as she worked to ignore the masculine presence sitting so close, yet so far.
The pilot’s voice came over the speaker, letting them know they’d been cleared to take off.
The jet rushed forward, the force of the motion pushing them back in their seats. Nicole swallowed as her ears popped, the plane rising higher and higher into the air until it leveled off.
With the noise of the plane, it was impossible to hold a conversation, so Nicole slipped on a pair of headphones and listened to a podcast she’d downloaded for the flight back to Seattle.
Zoning out, she stared out at the bright blue sky, dotted with fluffy white clouds. She took a delicate sip of her drink and shivered as the heat of the alcohol burned down toward her stomach. She should have eaten something that morning, but she was still too nervous to even think of it. As she tilted her head back she glanced at Bahir, who had already fallen asleep, and she couldn’t help but feel jealous.
Nicole lost track of time as the plane flew over the water, the waves sparkling under the light of the sun. Finally, she felt her ears begin to pop again as the plane started its descent.
Suddenly the plane jerked wildly, tossing her out of her seat and onto Bahir’s lap, jarring him awake.
“What’s going on…?” he asked, his eyes wide as he steadied Nicole and wrapped his arm around her as another jolt rocked the plane.
Nicole’s eyes were wide and fearful as they continued to descend towards a small island, which she could see through the window on their right. The captain’s voice came onto the speaker.
“Apologies for the turbulence. The wind is much stronger than anticipated. Don’t panic; we should be landing shortly.”
The cabin jerked again, veering to the side as Nicole clung to Bahir, who still had his seatbelt on. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, their faces only inches apart, but Nicole could hardly think of that as her life flashed before her eyes.
What if they died there, on that plane, in the middle of nowhere? There was so much she had wanted to do with her life. So many people she had wanted to help.
Bahir ran a hand up and down her back, soothing her. “It’s all right, Nicole. It’s just a little turbulence. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Nicole stared into his eyes. How could he be so calm at a time like this? Her heart was racing, the alcohol in her belly threatening to come right back up and all over the plane. Gently, Bahir guided her head to his chest, holding her close. The plane shifted again, a little less violently, but Nicole’s heart was still crashing against her ribcage.
“It’s all right, Nicole. Nothing bad is going to happen to us today. Jamil is the best pilot in the region. He won’t let us down.”
Nicole worked to slow her breathing, unable to speak. She allowed Bahir’s steady heartbeat to soothe her. She hated flying. She hated planes. She swore she would never get on another plane after this trip, if she had any choice in the matter. Bahir could deal with that as he liked, but she was done. He gently stroked her hair, and suddenly all thoughts of flying were gone.
It had been so long since she had been held by a man. Even positioned as she was, seated and leaning into him, she could feel his strong muscles beneath his shirt. She felt a sudden urge to run her hands along his chest. Then the plane landed with a jolt, causing her to yelp and lean closer into his arms. He held her tight.
“It’s all right, see? We’ve landed. There’s nothing to fear,” he said, his voice like melted butter.
As the plane taxied to a stop, Nicole got her wits about her again and slid from Bahir’s lap, blushing to the roots of her hair. She couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled. She heard his easy chuckle.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Nicole. That was…a rough ride,” he said, searching for the right words.
When she finally worked up the nerve to look back at him, she lost her breath. His muscles were rigid, his expression one of fierce protectiveness. For a moment it looked like he would pick her up and carry her off the plane, if for no other reason than to ease her nerves after such a rocky landing. She wanted to kiss him then, but instead cleared her throat and tried to pick up the pieces of her frayed nerves.
“Well…thanks, anyway. Hopefully the flight back this afternoon won’t be so jarring.”
“It won’t be, I assure you,” he said.
Nicole almost rolled her eyes at that. Leave it to Bahir Al-Jabbar to claim he can control the weather.
Jamil opened the cabin door, his expression apologetic. “I’m so sorry, sir. The winds were so violent coming in, all other aircraft have been grounded for the time being. I am sure by the time you are ready to depart all will be well once again.”
Bahir’s stare was hard. “Thank you, Jamil. It was most disconcerting.”
Jamil’s eyes widened at Bahir’s tone, and he bowed, stumbling over his words. “It certainly won’t happen again. I’m very sorry, sir.”
Bahir’s expression lightened somewhat. “I understand, Jamil, there’s nothing you could have done. If you could please get our bags, we’ll be on our way.”
“Of course, sir.”
Bahir stepped off the plane, turning back to hold out a hand for Nicole. It was obvious she didn’t need one—there was a railing to hold onto and everything. Still, she gratefully placed her hand in his and allowed him to be her lifeline as they exited the death trap, which Nicole had admired just a short time before.
Jamil brought their bags over, and, after a wave of more apologies, they walked off the runway and into another small office, where Bahir ordered a car. He didn’t let go of Nicole’s hand, even as they held their bags on their opposite shoulders. Nicole tried not to relish in the sensation too much.
A sleek black car pulled up a few moments later, another driver taking their bags and opening the door for them to slip inside. To her delight, Bahir maintained his grip on her hand, encasing it with the other one as they sat side by side on their way to the hotel rooms he’d reserved.
She realized then, as her heart finally slowed, that he might have been just as afraid as she was. Maybe he wasn’t doing all the comforting, but seeking comfort as well. It was a wild thought. Bahir the billionaire CEO needing his hand held? Well, if there was anyone more willing than her, Nicole didn’t know it. She gripped his hand, tight, and he squeezed hers back in reassurance. They glanced at one another shyly as the island landscape passed them by.
The hotel was a beautiful series of bungalows, with a center building for checking in and dining. Each bungalow had its own private beachfront space, and it was surprisingly secluded. Bahir finally released Nicole’s hand as he exited the car, and she stamped down her disappointment at the loss of contact. As she stepped out of the car, she took a deep breath of sea air, shielding her eyes from the sun as she gazed out at turquoise waters. Bahir led the way inside, checking them in and handing her a key for her own bungalow.
“I thought you might like some time to unwind and get ready before the…ceremony,” he said, hesitating on the word.
Nicole was struck by how the situation felt so wrong and so right at the same time—she hadn’t even been expecting to stay in sepa
rate rooms.
She took the key from him and stared at it before looking back up at him. “What’s the plan?” she asked softly.
Bahir’s eyes were warm, but there was a touch of trepidation there. Was he worried she wouldn’t go through with it? Part of her wondered the same thing.
“We can meet at the back of the hotel. They have a small gazebo out there designed for this kind of thing, overlooking the sea. If you could meet me there in two hours, we can have the ceremony.”
“All right,” she said, unable to keep her voice from shaking a little.
Bahir took her hands again then, and she held onto them, tight. “Nicole, have I asked too much of you?”
She gazed up into his eyes, seeing fear and worry and nervousness there. She wanted to comfort him, even as she needed assurance herself.
“No. I understand your situation, and besides, it’s not like I’m doing it for nothing in return,” she said, and he frowned slightly.
“Of course, the money,” he said, his voice laced with disappointment.
Nicole frowned back at him. “I don’t care about the money. I’m looking out for my brother…and you,” she said.
His frown lifted then, but his eyebrows remained lowered. “You’re looking out for me?”
Nicole swatted him playfully on the shoulder then, releasing their connection. “Of course I am. We’re friends, right? I mean, in an employer and employee kind of way, but friends nonetheless. I can help you, so why shouldn’t I? After all, this will all be over in a few years anyway, right?” she said, watching is expression carefully.
“Right,” he said, his voice almost a whisper. He stood a little straighter and smiled at her.
“You’re a good woman, Nicole. I’m very grateful to have met you.”
Nicole smiled back at him, even as her stomach continued to do flips.
“Likewise,” she said, ignoring the voice in her head that reminded her she’d said very much the opposite of that many times over the past six months. Somehow the sleepless nights and endless work days didn’t seem so bad when she looked into those hazel eyes.
They walked down a sandy path toward their respective bungalows, which were side by side. Nicole turned to her door and waved to Bahir before closing it behind her and pressing her back against it. For a moment, she could breathe. She gazed about her room, which was furnished with a queen-sized bed facing a circular glass doorway that overlooked the sparkling waters of the beach.
In short, it was stunning. It was also extremely romantic, which made Nicole even more nervous. This wasn’t supposed to be romantic. So why did she want to kiss Bahir so badly? She told herself it was the atmosphere. Everything would go back to normal once they returned to reality.
Nicole pulled out her phone and turned it on. There was no signal to be found. Sighing, she turned on some music and forced herself to relax, lying on the bed and staring out at the waves.
After some time, she rose and headed for her bathroom, which housed a stunningly beautiful shower made of slick stone, the showerhead protruding straight down from the ceiling. She washed before blow-drying her hair and twisting it up into something that resembled a style she had wanted for her wedding day. She applied soft beachy makeup before sliding back into her white dress. She decided against wearing shoes. It was a beach wedding after all; she could get away with it.
Nicole took one last glance at her reflection in the mirror. Her blond hair was twisted up, framing her face in just the right way, her blue eyes shining, her cheeks rosy. Her expression was a combination of excitement and nerves, just like any other bride, she supposed. Nicole took a deep breath, then exited her room.
There was nowhere to go now but the altar.
TEN
Bahir stood underneath the whitewashed gazebo, gazing out at the clear, blue waters of the ocean. His heart was pounding in his chest, and he couldn’t remember a time when he had been so nervous. Maybe when he was about to make the Mortimer deal—that had been a wild ride.
Still, his mind drifted back to Nicole. It had been doing that a lot, recently. The minute he’d made the decision to marry her, she had burned herself into his thoughts, haunting his dreams. When he’d woken to find her on his lap on the plane, he’d realized then that he wanted her. Badly. He’d tried to keep his mind in control as she huddled against him, needing protection. He wanted to keep her safe, to protect her from all her worries and fears. If only he could do the same for himself.
Bahir was not an insecure man—he was used to women fawning over him. This was a business transaction, and nothing more. He tried to remind himself of that every time he caught himself looking into Nicole’s stunning blue eyes, his gaze falling on her golden locks. How badly he wanted to run his fingers through that long, beautiful hair. To breathe her in. But none of that was fair to Nicole. She may have told him her