by Lara Hunter
Tariq rolled his eyes to his father in the mirror. He let out a playful sigh and grabbed Emily’s hand in his. If he was annoyed, he didn’t show it. Instead, he said, “When it happens, you’ll both be the first to know. You have my word.”
“You better!” Nuray warned before turning her attention to Emily. “We’re glad he waited,” she confirmed. “Now he’s met you.”
Emily smiled but said nothing. She squeezed Tariq’s hand as his mother turned back to face the front, sighing contentedly. She loved this—the family banter, the playful teases, the adorable way Tariq’s face squished up when he was embarrassed.
Before long, the foursome reached the airport and it was back to the runway to find Tariq’s private jet. Nuray hugged Emily tightly and made her promise to come visit again soon.
“We haven’t seen him like this in so long. Not since he was a little boy,” Nazeer said, taking Emily aside after a brief embrace. He placed both hands on her shoulders and clarified, “Happy, I mean. He never talks to us like he did tonight. So open, laughing. I think I know why.” He narrowed his eyes toward her in a lighthearted manner. “He’s in love,” he said with a wink in his tone.
“Oh!” Emily blurted out; her face red hot as Nazeer set his hands at his side.
“Thank you for making my son so happy,” he added. “Hopefully the next time we see you you’ll have a ring on that finger.”
Emily nodded happily and soon she was standing with Tariq once more. After one last wave goodbye, both Tariq and Emily were back on his private jet and on their way home. The flight back to Arizona would be 17 hours, and Emily knew she would be exhausted if she didn’t get some sleep now. Saying that, she didn’t know how she would ever get to sleep now after such an amazing day.
Still, she told Tariq she would be headed off to bed and thanked him immensely for spoiling her with so much history, for his wonderful company, and for the hilarious thrill of getting to meet his parents.
“Funny, funny girl,” he said sweetly.
The way he looked at her then was almost too much to handle. He leaned in and met her lips with his in a soft, lingering kiss. The way he breathed against her skin was something Emily knew would be burned into her memory for years to come. In that moment, everything changed. She didn't want to be afraid anymore, didn't want to be the shy girl so out of control of her own life.
Like Tariq, travel had always been Emily’s favorite thing in the world. Not to places like the Grand Canyon or sunny Hawaii, no. Her dream was to visit other cultures and lands—to expand her mind and see something bigger than herself; to be around people who could make her see the world in a different way.
And who better to do this with, she thought, than her new favorite person.
TEN
The private jet was just as luxurious as Emily remembered. She wanted to take one last wander around the cabin so she could appreciate it, but she was too exhausted from their unexpectedly romantic day of sightseeing, and went right to bed for what she assumed would be hours and hours of rest before landing in Phoenix.
Instead, it was only a handful of hours before the wheels touched down.
Emily’s heart sank. Had they had to make an emergency stop somewhere? This was it. Her mother was right—don't take risks! This was her comeuppance for trusting that a sexy guy would actually take an interest in her. They were probably crashed on a deserted island somewhere.
Just as she began to feel the panic rise up in her, Tariq gently knocked on the door and entered the room.
“Sorry, I hope I didn't wake you,” he said quietly.
“What happened? Is everything okay?”
“Yes,” he gave her a peculiar smile. “We had to make a stop.”
“I knew it,” she said, her tone rife with worry.
“No, not like that,” he chuckled. “I wanted to make one more stop before we headed back.”
She frowned. “Oh. Where are we?”
“Paris.”
Paris?! Was he kidding? He just brought her on basically the most romantic, out-of-the-blue vacation to his hometown, and now they were literally in the most romantic city in the world. If Emily were the fainting type, this would be where she would pass out from sheer joy.
Her high was quickly brought back down to earth as she began to think about work. She only had the weekend off and had promised Mike she would have her accounts updated by the end of Monday. He was going to freak out, and the last thing she needed at this point was to give Mike another reason to be frustrated with her. She sighed inwardly, annoyed with herself for taking less two seconds to ruin this trip.
“Something up?” Tariq asked. “What’s wrong, not a fan of French food?”
“Um, warm croissants and quaint bistros? Trust me, I’m dying on the inside.”
“But?”
“But,” she repeated. “I’m just a little nervous about not showing up for work.”
“That’s my responsible girl,” Tariq said, coming up to give her a quick peck on the lips. “I’ve already thought about it. Just call tomorrow and say our flight was delayed. It’s not like you’re lying, technically.”
“Technically,” she repeated in a mocking tone before bursting into giggles. “I guess so.”
“Besides, I’m going to be the boss now, remember?”
She laughed. “Oh right, I’d nearly forgotten.”
“Once I buy the place you won’t have to worry about losing your job.”
Emily couldn’t help but love and hate how that sounded. She needed her job and she would be over the moon if she were given a better position in the company, but she hated that it sounded like he would be giving her an advantage.
It was as if Tariq could read her mind, his eyes skimming over hers. “Not because we’d be together,” he said. “Because I know you’re an amazingly talented worker.”
And just like that, she felt wonderful again.
Just the thought of being with Tariq made all of Emily’s troubles fall away, like a wonderful little coat of contentment and love and protection that was all hers. She didn't care if it seemed too good to be true; the past few days had flown by, yet somehow she still felt like she'd known him for years.
Maybe Tariq’s parents were right. Maybe it wasn't about how long you've known someone, maybe it was about who they made you into. Emily hadn't felt this good about herself in a long time. Now she couldn't imagine life without him.
If Tariq was taking a well-needed break from the world, she would gladly take it with him. This would give them time to do all of the normal things couples did: expensive dinners, kiss like teenagers, dance together. Emily felt a flutter in her chest and couldn't help but think that, even with all the romantic gestures Tariq had thrown her way, she'd be just as satisfied to lay on the couch and watch a movie with him. She could do anything with him and have fun.
At first, Emily had worried the pair were taking things too fast; now it seemed like fast wasn't fast enough.
The streets of Paris were beautiful, cultural, and chic; it was everything you could want from a city. They wouldn’t have as much time there as they had in Al Dirhan, but Tariq had made a fantastic checklist of sights they could see to make the most out of a day in Paris.
And how could he go wrong? It was Paris!
“Just don’t bring me to any more catacombs,” she quipped.
“But Paris is famous for them!”
“I think I’ve seen enough death for one weekend getaway, thank you,” she grinned.
Tariq nodded in defeat and snuck in for a peck on the lips. “You’re going to love it, I promise.”
“Something tells me you’re going to keep that promise.”
“Hey, when Sheikh Tariq Al Habib Bin Hasan promises a weekend adventure, his guest will not be disappointed.”
“Or else I get my money back?”
“Tenfold,” he winked.
The first sight they saw was the Arc de Triomphe. Being in front of the landmark was like being in a pos
tcard. In fact, all of Paris was like being in a postcard.
The Arc de Triomphe was constructed in 1806, Emily learned from Tariq, who put on a fantastic French accent and acted as her tour guide all morning. He mostly did so by reading internet search results off of his phone as they approached new tourist attractions, but jokes aside, his French was beautiful. She could listen to him speak all day.
“The Arc was constructed by Napoleon. After his army conquered most of Europe, he told them they would return home through arch of triumph.”
“And they did,” Emily said plainly.
“And they did!” Tariq said. “Total cost. Guess.”
“Seven, billion, dollars,” Emily exaggerated.
“Nope!” he corrected with pizzazz, imitating a buzzer noise. “Wrong, m'lady! It was almost a million U.S. Ouch!”
The two marveled at the monument, sipping delicious cappuccinos that probably cost Tariq nearly as much as it cost Napoleon to build the Arc, Emily mused. They wandered the famous streets of Paris for an hour or two more before making their way to the next famous attraction: the Louvre.
The art gallery was stunning to behold. It was part castle, part pyramid. The glass pyramid outside the grand courtyard was lit up by the sun and looked like it was made of glimmering diamonds. The museum, of course, housed more than 35,000 objects from history. The original building was created as a fortress—a very beautiful one at that, Emily thought. The craftsmanship and gargoyles that guarded the entrance gave guests a spectacular reason to stand in awe; the architecture was so grand Emily almost teared up, though she didn't quite know why.
The museum housed artwork and treasures such as Egyptian antiquities and Roman statues. Emily felt like a kid in a candy shop walking through the majestic building.
“What if I break something?” she whispered unsurely to Tariq.
He laughed, the echo of it sounding through the vast display room. “You're not going to break anything.”
“Would you pay for it if I did?” she teased, whispering in his ear seductively.
“What like, ‘you break it you buy it’?”
She shrugged. “Something like that, yeah.”
“Only if I get to pick what you break,” he joked. “Like that,” he said, pointing to the object in question.
Emily lowered her brows and couldn't help but smirk. “That's a garbage can.”
“And I’m sure it’s the cheapest thing in here. So, there you are, go forth... break things!”
She gave him a light smack on the arm before looping hers through his, leaning her face against his shoulder as they walked and marveled at the sights before them. She loved it all, but her favorite part was looking at the Middle-Eastern displays with Tariq, because he seemed to know the stories behind them; unlike the rest of his guided tours, he didn't have to make up silly facts about this one.
The two of them grabbed lunch at a local bistro before another visit, to the Château of Vincennes, a royal castle complete with medieval towers, dozens of state rooms, and lush gardens. Emily nearly let out a squeal of delight as they approached the moat. She had only ever read about them in fairy tales, and seeing one in real life brought back every book she'd ever read as a seven-year-old girl. Then again, her life was mirroring a fairy tale quite well these days.
Evening came and Tariq brought Emily to a charming bar with a fantastic view, where they went up to a second-floor patio, overlooking the Seine. The wrought iron railing added a sense of rustic charm to the building, while the small tables, soft jazz music, and hundreds of candles lit up all around them made everything feel heightened with romance. The pièce de résistance, of course, was the beautiful Eiffel Tower which stood across the river, crystal clear against the backdrop of the night sky.
Looking up, Emily could hardly see the stars, outshone by the bright lights of the structure and the city surrounding it, but she didn’t care. She was too enamored with the stunning spectacle. When they came onto the patio, she literally gasped, her eyes filling with tears as she caught sight of it for the first time.
She could tell Tariq was pleased with her reaction, his smile full of heart as he watched her. She hadn’t thought about it until now, but Tariq had mentioned he was always traveling. He’d likely seen these beautiful sights a thousand times over, which was why he never seemed impressed by them. Instead, he was always watching her and waiting for her reactions. She was his way of seeing an old sight for the first time again, and he seemed to enjoy it greatly.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m living in a dream when I’m with you,” she said, taking a sip of the champagne that had been brought to her in a crystal glass. “You’re so romantic, Tariq; I’m not sure if it makes me insane or if I love it.”
“You want to hate it,” he said, raising his brow in a knowing manner. “But you love it.”
“Maybe you’re right,” she shrugged playfully. “It makes me wonder what you’re like on a bad day. Or when you’re just in your pajamas hanging out around your house. What happens when you’re not mister fancy?”
“Well,” he said with some finality as he looked down at his watch. “If you wouldn’t mind humoring me for one more second, I’m just about done with all this romance. Then I promise I won’t shower for days and the next time you see me I’ll be in jogging pants offering you a cold hamburger for dinner. Deal?”
She nearly burst with laughter and quickly covered her mouth. “You almost made me spit out my champagne!”
“Who needs it!” he joked and smiled at her. “I can’t get enough of your lips. Or your smile.”
“I noticed,” she said coyly.
Tariq looked down at his watch once more and then pulled his chair over to Emily’s side of the table. He searched her eyes for emotion and then looked over at the Eiffel tower in a way that told her she should follow his gaze. As the clock struck ten, the tower suddenly lit up in an array of lights.
The lights cascaded in the water below, causing a shimmering effect of stars dancing above and below them. The sight was almost too beautiful to behold.
What started as bright golden lights suddenly faded into a familiar shade: blue-green lights that almost seemed to burst from the tower. It was the same color as her eyes. Emily moved her gaze only for a moment to look at Tariq in wonder. She didn’t know how he did it, but she wasn’t about to question it.
Blue and green fireworks shot up from behind the beautiful tower and Emily could hear the cheers from the crowds below. They had all stopped to see the lightshow, but Emily knew this one wasn’t for the tourists. It was for her. Her heart raced as beautiful symphony began to play through the patio speakers to the timing of the fireworks. It was almost too much to take in.
As breathtaking a sight as it was, suddenly all Emily wanted to do was look at Tariq. Wrapping her arms around him, she brushed her free hand through his hair and pressed her lips into his. She switched from grabbing his bottom lip to kissing his top one, unable to stop. She kissed him passionately, with a hunger to have him near that was insatiable.
Finally, she broke the kiss and he leaned into her ear and lingered a moment to catch her scent before whispering in a most beguiling tone, “You are so beautiful.”
He exhaled as he spoke, and somehow his breath seemed to elongate the moment. The more he lingered, the more she felt nervous to have him so close. She arched her neck as he took his face away from her ear. He stared at her and she felt a comfortable sensation just holding him close. Just to feel the fabric of his clothes made her calm.
He exhaled again, just enough for her to hear his voice shine through the whisper of breath. She closed her eyes in a moment of enamored bliss before suddenly looking up at him nervously.
Tariq furrowed his brows with concern. “What is it?”
“I think I'm falling in love with you,” she whispered. Panicking that she might have overstepped, she tried to lighten the mood, and with a slight laugh said, “Isn’t that silly?” She shook her head. “Don’t gloat.”<
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“I wasn’t going to,” he said softly. “I was just thinking that I'm falling in love with you, too.”
“Really?” she exclaimed, her tone pure shock and excitement.
They kissed again, furiously, passionately, before heading back to their hotel, where Tariq had booked the presidential suite.
The suite was immense, with a giant bay window overlooking the streets of Paris. A king-sized bed was set up against the wall, an antique canopy with sheer white linens hanging from the ceiling to enhance the room’s royal atmosphere. The carpeting was silver-gray with a beautiful pattern that seemed to sparkle from the floor.
Emily walked to the window and stared out across the city, where the cobblestone roofs oozed old-world romance. Tariq came up behind her and put his hand on her hip; his free hand roaming to her chin so he could turn her lips to his own.