“You know, there is a myth of magic on our little island,” Mrs. Keeper said.
“Magic?” It was like someone dunked my head in water because my own words seemed to be drowned out by the blood rushing to my ears. I shook my head and took a deep breath.
“Magic, mystery and enchantments that are not explainable, but none the less still happen.” Mr. Keeper glanced at me from the driver seat and winked.
“That’s all legend, right?” I attempted to calm my uneven tone, but my lips slightly quivered.
Mr. Keeper’s tone reminded me of a theatrical monologue He became extremely animated and that helped calm the freak out that had taken me over a moment ago. “My dear girl, Fantasy Cove is known for the fantasies it grants to all its visitors. Even if you are not aware of it, the myth says that the island can sense your heart’s deepest desires and will grant them to you.”
“Has it worked for you?”
“I married the love of my life, right on this island, so I must say I am a true believer of the magic here.” He lifted his wife’s hand from his lap and kissed her inner wrist. She swooned like a high school girl – giggles and all.
Looking at them I couldn’t help being a believer too. I’d take whatever magic was offered to have Rami awake and healthy when I got to his room. Fear suffocated me. What if he wasn’t awake? What if he was still in a coma? I closed my eyes and wished on all the magic that the Keepers said this island had and hoped it was enough.
10
After a quick shower and change of clothes at the hotel, I requested a car to take me to the hospital. On trembling legs, I padded to room 204 – actually flipped-flopped was more like it because none of my shoes fit the mini watermelons that had replaced my feet and ankles after the hours of flying. My back and butt throbbed from siting and I wouldn’t be surprised if a bedsore appeared by morning. Then there was the perpetual stabbing pain on the left side of my neck. An angry gremlin was on my shoulder stabbing me with her little gremlin knife in an attempt to decapitate me.
I arched and stretched my weary limbs, but all that pain numbed at his hospital room door. My heart sank at the sight of all the machines and bandages that covered him. My chest tightened and tears trickled down my cheeks.
My Rami was real. Swallowing a sob, I crept to the bed. The side he’d worn the mask on in the dream was covered with gauze and both his eyes were protected by white bandages. Yet, he was still here, still fighting.
“Rami, I found you honey. It’s me, Maddie.” My voice trembled.
His black curls were slightly longer and more unruly than in the dreams and my fingers itched to touch them. I caressed away a few of the wayward curls from his face and echoes of his passionate groan tugged at my heartstrings. “You liked when I would run my fingers through your hair . . . I love your hair, in case I forgot to tell you.”
I don’t know what I’d expected, but he didn’t awaken at the sound of my voice. But some sort of magic had brought us together and I had to believe that the same magic would wake him up. Sitting in the chair beside his bed, I caressed the uninjured side of his face and brought my lips to his ears.
“I know you can hear voices where you are, so hear mine, Rami. Follow my voice and come to me.” I breathed in his scent, woodsy spice and something that was so uniquely him wrapped around me like a comforting blanket. “You smell the same as you did in that dream.”
His left hand was wrapped in gauze as well but I entwined his uninjured right fingers with my own while I spoke into his ear.
I sat by this bedside, babbling. I told him how I found him, how it must have been the spell in that book that brought us together. After I ran out of things to tell him, I shared my intimate thoughts and feelings.
“I miss the way you feel inside of me. I miss how your mouth tasted, how your beautiful lips felt on my body. You rocked me inside out. I need you to wake up, Rami. You still have to tie me up, remember. We had a deal . . .” I swallowed hard. “Your naughtiest fantasy and mine?”
Tears stung my eyes and I wiped them with the side of my hand. “Even if you don’t remember me, you just need to wake up. What would be the point of all of this, if you don’t wake up?” My mouth trembled when I kissed his unyielding lips.
The sun beamed through the blinds and I awakened with a start. I’d fallen asleep with my forehead resting on the pillow next to his ears. Dreamless sleep. No Rami. No beach just a fog of exhaustion that I couldn’t shake.
“Hi?” A petite woman in her twenties entered the hospital room wearing dark jeans and a Rock On T-shirt. She looked as tired as I felt. Her long, dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail and dark circles lined her eyes, but still, she was gorgeous. Eyes the same shade of green as Rami’s were framed with long dark lashes, a picture perfect nose, and a heart shape face and full lips like Angelina Jolie.
“Hi,” I whispered. My voice seemed to have left me after a night filled with pleading with Rami.
“You’re Maddie?”
“You must have talked to Ghaith.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t know my brother was seeing anyone back home.” She titled her head in question.
“It’s a long story.” Thank God Ghaith hadn’t told her about the dreams. I glanced at him again and went to stand up, but his fingers moved over mine.
“He moved,” I gasped.
She leaped to the bed and looked at our joined hands. His fingers were caressing mine in small circles like he’d done so many times in the dreams.
“Rami, do you hear me? It’s me, Maddie, and I’m here with your sister.”
“It’s Rana. Wake up, you jerk and tell me that I need to get my shit straight.” Tears flowed down her cheeks.
“Did you . . . find a . . . husband, yet?” His raspy whisper was heaven to my ears.
Rana and I stared in astonishment at one another and she burst into laughter as tears streamed down her face. “Even after a coma, you got jokes.”
“I have to make sure . . .” He took a jagged breath and exhaled. “You didn’t miss me too much,” he whispered. He tried to sit up and yelped in pain.
I gently tugged him back. “Easy, big guy.”
“I can’t see,” he moaned.
“They covered your eyes because of the injuries,” Rana said.
“I’ll get the nurse,” I said.
His fingers tightened around mine. “Don’t leave me.” The fear in his tone shattered me.
“I’ll call the nurse and the family. Mom’s been praying to every Saint the Catholic Church recognizes. She’s going to kick your ass for getting hurt.” She rushed out of the room dialing on her cell phone.
“Maddie.”
“Yes, I’m here.” I squeezed his hand.
“I heard you. Through the muffled voices, yours was the only one I heard clearly.”
I brought his hand to my lips. “I can’t believe you’re real.”
“I’ll show you how real I am . . . once we get out of this joint.” His words were muttered, but I heard them clearly.
“Really, and how do you plan on doing that?” I kissed his lips softly and he moaned against my mouth.
“Oh, Dimples, you just wait.”
“I can’t wait.” The tears poured from my eyes and onto his face.
“Don’t cry, baby, I’m good. Give me more sugar.” I kissed him again and again until there was a knock on the door.
A nurse and doctor came in and I stepped back to give them all space. There were introductions, but I missed everything over the thrashing beat of my heart. They checked his vitals, while they asked mundane questions like do you know what your name is and do you know where we are?
“What about my eyesight?” His voice trembled.
“There is only one way to find out. Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
Oh, God. Please heal his eyes. The prayer was for him. It didn’t matter to me as long as he was healthy and happy. But that little tremble in his voice confirmed it would matter to him.
It was like I lost years off my life as the doctor peeled off the bandages. Rami’s back was to me, so I couldn’t see his face or the wounds behind the bandages.
“Will I scar?”
“Probably, but nothing a plastic surgeon couldn’t fix. Open your eyes.”
I waited with bated breath for Rami to speak. “It’s foggy. My vision is foggy,” Rami whispered. My heart broke at the panic in his tone.
“It will clear, keep blinking.” The doctor reassured him.
After a few heartbeats, Rami reached his hand out to me. “Maddie, I can see.” His warm hand squeezed mine and pulled me to him. I caressed his arm and beamed with a love so great I couldn’t explain it. I took my place at his side while he thanked the medical staff. We watched them walk out the room, then he tugged me onto his bed.
“Do I look ugly with the scar on my face?”
“You are the most beautiful man in the world.” My heart soaring, I planted a hard kiss on his mouth filled with all the happy gushy words I couldn’t find in this moment. His lips met mine with the same intensity and I moaned.
Loud voices of celebration echoed from the hallway. It was like a football team was stomping down the corridor. He groaned and adjusted the blankets on his waist.
“What’s that commotion in the hallway?”
“My family.”
An army of Rami clones, followed by Rana appeared at the doorway. Cheers, greetings, and some tribal call that sort of sounded like Kill-Li-Li-Lee, echoed in the small space all at once. A middle-aged woman stood in the center of the clan. I guessed was Rami’s mother. She tossed colored metallic wrapped chocolates all over Rami and me and continued with the tribal call.
“What’s your mom doing?” I whispered.
“It’s called a halhola, it’s a cackle that expresses joy.”
“And the candy?”
“Sweets in celebration of good health.”
“That’s beautiful,” I whispered.
“You’re beautiful.” He squeezed my hand.
My stomach twisted in knots. It was a little early to meet the family and I shifted to get off his bed, but for an injured man, he was as strong as an ox. Rami tucked me into his side and my face boiled hot enough to fry an egg.
“Hey, Cinderella, all it took was a pretty girl to wake you up?” He had to be one of his brothers. He resembled Rami the most with a similar height and powerful body, but sported a buzzed haircut and mud-brown eyes.
“Raad, that’s Sleeping Beauty, not Cinderella.” Another Rami clone male chimed in. He had the same pronounced facial features as the other brothers, but his hair was a dirty blond you couldn’t quite replicate using a bottle and his eyes were even a deeper green then Rami’s.
“Ramzey, what confuses me is that you know the difference,” Rana said.
“You used to force me to watch them with you,” Ramzey said.
“I don’t remember forcing you,” Rana said.
“Enough.” His mother came forward. She was probably only five feet tall and shaped like a pear, her blonde highlighted hair in a bun at the nape of her neck, but her bright green eyes streamed with tears. “Bronie, thank God a million times you are awake.” She pronounced every syllable of the words with her Middle Eastern accent. She came over to the bed and I again tried to get up, but Rami’s grip on me tightened.
“Mamma, this is Maddie.”
“Hi, ah, Mrs. Yaldo.” I managed to yank my hand from Rami’s grip and stuck it out for a handshake.
She reached out and took both my hands in her warm fingers. “My son wakes up because of you, habibi. You call me Mamma now too.” She kissed both my cheeks. “You are family now.”
11
If someone would’ve told me that I’d be face down and ass up in the middle of Rami’s bed a month ago, I’d have called bull shit. The plush bedding prickled against my hardened nipples and moisture pooled between my thighs. Rami’s muscular frame pressed against my back and the warmth of his breath sent tremors down my spine.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” He whispered.
“Yes.” The air I’d been holding rushed from my lips in a puff.
He kissed the back of my neck. “If you want me to stop at anytime, you tell me, okay?”
“Okay.”
Soft and warm kisses teased my shoulder blades and his warm hands caressed my arms to my wrist. His erection pressed against my backside and heat tugged at my core. My heart galloped in my chest as black silk wrapped around each wrist with a gentle tug and secured them to the bedpost. My back arched when his velvety tongue licked down my frame and lingered on the small of my back.
“I can’t wait to be inside of you.” The silken sashes caressed my backside and every nerve ending in my body cried with need.
A little rougher this time, his coarse hands pulled my legs apart and tied each ankle to the iron footboard. My body rattled with adrenaline. I’d never been so exposed, so helpless and shamelessly wanting for anyone. The suspense was killing me and my body throbbed with lust. Wiggling against the ties, the bundle of blankets between my legs delighted my sex.
“Rami, I need you.” The lustful tone in my voice sounded desperate to my ears.
“I’m right here, babe.”
After more shifting of the bedding, he knelt between my legs. His fingers caressed my lady parts and a tremble surged through me. Grasping my hips, he teased my sex with wicked licks of his tongue. Nice and slow, the heat simmered in my core and sprang to life throughout my whole body in little kisses of pleasure. I wanted his fingers, his cock . . . the anticipation of what and where he was going was killing me.
“More, Rami,” I breathed.
His wicked laughed vibrated against my clit. “Oh, you’ll get more.”
He spread my legs farther apart and OMG, he consumed me. The lazy strokes of his tongue changed in pace and alternated between licks and sucks on my clit. Just as I felt my core tighten, readying for release, he changed his tempo. I was near begging for more.
“Rami.” My voice hoarse.
“Tell. Me. What. You. Want.” He said between lashes of his sinful mouth.
“I. Want. To.” My whole body shouted for the need to release. “To. Come.”
“I got you.”
He used his mouth and hands with renewed purpose. Penetrating me with his fingers and tongue. I couldn’t focus on what he was doing anymore and my body scorched beneath him. Waves of heat washed over me with every stroke and touch. I floated farther, closer to that happy place. My entire body trembled and flourished, then finally, the heat brewing inside me erupted and I shattered into a million pieces.
Before I could even catch my breath, he filled me with one smooth stroke. He didn’t move at first, his skilled fingers caressed my ass as my body adjusted to his girth. When he moved inside of me, it was graceful with slow and steady strokes. My core hummed with growing lust and the mounting tension.
His callused hands circled my back and warm kisses trailed down my spine – leaving tremors in their wake.
“You ready to do this?” he whispered.
“Anything . . .” I panted. “With you.” I meant those words with my entire being. He was made for me and sent to me at the time I needed him the most. He healed my heart and brought me joy in every sense of the word.
“That’s my girl.” Something wet and cool drizzled over my backside entry. I inhaled when his finger slid against the slickness and teased me in this forbidden place. One finger pressed inside and an impressive pleasure washed over me. His determined finger continued readying me for what was to come. Pain over shadowed with desire ripped through me. Ripples of gratification bathed me and when he pulled out, my body suffered from its desertion.
“Don’t stop.”
“The fun is just beginning, Dimples.” His erection mocked my backside entry and I cried out when he slid only the tip inside of me.
He slid in farther and instead of pain, the ripple of desire that was forming in my
sex before returned with each inch he took inside me. Slowly he filled me to the rim and his hard chest pressed against my back. His arms framed the side of my face. He muttered something that sounded like, “So. Fucking. Tight.” Overwhelmed with sensory overloaded, I relished the way he totally consumed me, overpowered my body.
“Are you okay?”
Nodding furiously, I urged him to continue.
“Tell me, baby.”
“Yes,” I wheezed.
He moved slowly and I licked my dry lips. The intensity flowed from where he invaded my body. It enveloped my sex and rang throughout my entire frame. I wanted to reach out and grab something, anchor myself with something tangible, but the restraints made it difficult to move. My legs stiffened and my arms ached from the extension of my limbs. The wave of pleasure stole the air from my lungs and an earth-shattering orgasm rippled through me with an astonishing jolt of pleasure, bringing him with me.
Sated, I barely registered when his weight moved off me and my restraints were undone until his welcoming arms were around me.
“Wow.” He breathed in my ear. “Even better than our dream sex.”
“Yeah . . .” I panted.
I touched the scar on his cheek were he’d once worn a mask in our dreams. “You have totally rocked my world, Sandman.”
“So . . . According to that book, we shared other past lives together?”
“Yep.”
“Do you believe that?”
Finding the energy, I shifted in his arms to look into his eyes. “My connection to you is just too strong to not believe it.”
“Me too.” His placed a sweet kiss on my forehead and something cool pressed against my chest.
“What’s this?” I turned the cool metal and smiled at the heart pendent. “It’s beautiful.”
Naughty Nightly Page 6