by Holly Rayner
She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. “Famished.”
She thought she felt him press his lips against the top of her head, though it was such a gentle sensation she couldn’t be totally sure.
“Excellent,” he whispered.
He carried her all the way up another dune. The full moon lit the way, and the sand turned iridescent bathed in its light. When Sadiq reached the top of the dune, Hallie was met with the most extraordinary sight.
A small platform had been spread out under a marquee. On it, there was a table laden with covered dishes, the table and surrounding area dotted with white candles. Beyond them, in the distance beyond the dunes, Hallie could see towering mountains. It was breathtaking.
“I wanted to show you the most stunning view in all of Al Shayam,” Sadiq said softly. “It’s a little difficult to get to, but I think you’ll agree that it is worth the trip.”
Hallie thought about how nice it felt to be held in Sadiq’s arms, and she ignored the pang of regret when he lowered her to the ground and walked over to the table, pulling out a chair for her to sit in. She did so, staring around them as he took a seat across from her.
“This is…totally unreal.”
Sadiq’s grin was satisfied. There was his dimple again, tempting her beyond reason. She wanted to get some answers tonight, and perhaps that meant it would be time for her to open up, too.
She gazed up at the plethora of glittering stars through the skylights in the tent. It was the clearest sky she’d ever seen, and she wondered at how much she’d missed by living in the city for so long. When she brought her view back down to Earth, her eyes met Sadiq’s.
“I think tonight we should be honest with one another,” she said.
Sadiq’s brow furrowed. “How do you mean?”
He was guarded about his past, just as she was, but the past few days had been so wonderful, and Hallie knew that the time for serious conversation had come. They had laughed and joked, brushing off the deeper elements of themselves they hadn’t been ready to share, but under the inky black sky of night, illuminated by candlelight, Hallie was ready to tell him the truth. She hoped he was willing to do the same.
“I mean, addressing why we’re both here. Single, looking for marriage on a dating app. There are things about me that I’ve kept hidden from you, Sadiq, but I want you to know them. If you decide it’s too embarrassing for you, I’ll understand.”
Sadiq’s stare was serious, his brown eyes shadowed by the flickering light. He waited for her to go on. Hallie took a sip of cool champagne before she launched into her tale.
“Last year, I made a foolish, shallow decision. I auditioned for a reality TV show—The Perfect Couple—and I got in. Part of me really believed that I might actually find love that way. The other part of me wanted to see what being on TV would be like, and what it would be like to be famous for finding love while being watched by millions of viewers.”
Hallie watched Sadiq’s expression, which remained unchanged. He was listening intently, and she wished she could read him better. Unable to, she plowed on.
“I ended up falling for the guy. I made it into the final three, but was cut right after…right after...”
She stopped mid-sentence. She didn’t want to tell him how much more it hurt to have confessed her feelings for Michael, only to be thrown away the next day, standing in a row of women, like chickens picked for the slaughter.
“Well. After the show ended I had quite a few fans who supported me, who thought it was wrong the way I’d been eliminated, but then my ex showed up, wanting to get back together. I believed that he wanted a piece of the attention I was getting, so I turned him down. That was when he went to the paparazzi and spun a bunch of lies about how I was a gold digger searching for fame at any cost—that I was an airhead who had no other agenda than hedonistic pleasure.”
She was nearly spitting her story out. The anger was still so fresh, the wounds so unhealed.
“I decided to watch the show back, after that. I’d ignored it, generally. Once I had been rejected, I didn’t want to watch the guy making out with all the other women, but when I did sit down and watch I saw how terribly I’d been portrayed. I came across exactly as the world wanted me to be—a villain.”
She choked on the last word, and Sadiq reached for a napkin, handing it to her. She nodded her gratitude, dabbing delicately at her eyes.
“I lost my job. No one wanted to be associated with me after that. I was one of the brightest stars in the publishing industry in New York, and all because of some stupid, misguided idea I ended up losing it all. I got a job in data entry just to make ends meet, but I still believed that I deserved love. That’s when I downloaded LoveMatch, and you were the first man I spoke to.”
She paused, staring deeply into Sadiq’s eyes, trying to get a read on his emotions. Would he run? Would he think she was crazy? Was this all a trick, too? Some kind of joke where her ex would jump out and laugh in her face as the viewers at home laughed on? Nothing was out of bounds.
Sadiq sighed. “That’s a terrible story, Hallie. Having got to know you this past week, I would never take you for a shallow or materialistic person. In fact, you’ve given me some insight into that realm myself, and I find I am better for it.”
His shoulders tensed, and Hallie watched as he visibly tried to relax them. He was nervous, but why?
“I appreciate you telling me your story. I know it wasn’t easy for you, so I will match you with one of my own.”
His stare was direct, and his pause made Hallie’s stomach clench uncomfortably.
“I created LoveMatch.”
She stared at him. “You did what?”
“I created it. I came up with the concept, wrote the code, and launched it just two weeks ago. Coincidentally, you were also the first person I spoke to.”
Hallie’s heart sank. “So what am I, just some test subject for your investors to evaluate?”
Sadiq sat back in his seat. “Of course not! I mean, I joined to test out how the app worked, but when I met you, and you were brave enough to come out and meet me, all of that changed. You see…”
He paused, taking a breath before he plunged on. “I didn’t always look like this, Hallie. I didn’t act like it, either. Growing up, I was painfully shy, and incredibly, well…geeky.”
He actually blushed so hard Hallie could see it in the candlelight. She could hardly imagine the muscular, handsome man across from her as anything but a confident jock, at the very least.
“I loved computers, programming, all of it. You might think that my connection to the royal family would make me popular regardless, but that was hardly the case. I went to school with many children of the rich and influential, and they wanted nothing to do with me.”
Hallie tried to imagine a young Sadiq with glasses and suspenders, getting pushed into lockers by bullies at school. All that did was make her want to hug him…which of course she already wanted to do, all the time. He carried on with his story, staring out into in memories of his past.
“Three years ago, I created my first company, a startup that ended in one of the most popular apps in Al Shayam. That was the year I made my first billion, and it all happened so fast. All of a sudden, the people who wanted nothing to do with me in school… They wanted to be my friends. I realized that I could become anything I wanted, and I had this idea of what a billionaire should be, so I became it. I took up residence at the Winter Palace, and I totally redid the place. I turned it into a wild party zone, and everyone wanted to attend.”
His glance darted back to Hallie then, and he let out a breath.
“That went for women, too. They all wanted in on my life, but they wanted the lifestyle more than the man that came with it. I would try to have conversations with them and get nothing back but blank stares and pretty smiles. It was fun at first, of course. What man wouldn’t want a swarm of beautiful women around him at all times? But it wasn’t enough. I w
anted someone I could confide in. Someone I could really talk to. That’s why I made LoveMatch a blind date app—you had to get to know someone regardless of how handsome or rich they may be.”
“And then you found me,” Hallie whispered, and the corner of Sadiq’s lip turned up ever so slightly.
“Then I found you.”
Hallie lost her breath at the warmth in Sadiq’s gaze as he shifted his seat over to be closer to her. He took her hand in his and gently caressed her knuckles with his fingertips.
“Would you consider staying in Al Shayam a little longer, Hallie?”
He whispered the last word as he lowered his face to hers and captured her lips in a delicate kiss that quickly turned passionate. Hallie placed her hand along his chiseled jawline and drank in the taste of him. Beneath the moonlight and stars, surrounded by candles, Hallie absently thought how the team behind The Perfect Couple would have never been able to produce something this romantic.
Finally, she broke off the kiss, and grinned at Sadiq. “I think I will.”
ELEVEN
Somehow, weeks passed, with Hallie and Sadiq spending much of their time together. Just when Hallie thought she’d seen all Al Shayam had to offer, he would surprise her with something else even more spectacular. They’d also started a new project together: redecorating the palace.
“Are you sure you want to help?” he’d asked.
Hallie had grinned at that. “You’re scared of the physical labor, aren’t you? Too used to the staff doing it for you?”
Her tone had been teasing, and Sadiq had met her grin with a stretch, during which he flexed his arm muscles, and Hallie’s mouth went dry.
“I’m not afraid of physical labor, by any means. I just figured I’d pay a professional; someone who specializes in this kind of thing,” he’d said, waving at the room absently.
As they’d gotten to know each other better, it had become clear to Hallie that the palace wasn’t at all designed for Sadiq. Rather, it was designed for some arbitrary idea of what Sadiq thought a billionaire should be. Realizing this, he had decided it was time for a total redo of the space, and Hallie had suggested that they do the work together.
“Just think how much homier it will be when we make it our own,” she’d said, then blushed. The last thing she wanted was to overstep her bounds. She knew she shouldn’t be talking about the palace like it belonged to her, too, yet somehow she found it hard not to. She found it hard to imagine living anywhere else, especially as time wore on and the weeks passed by.
Sadiq’s gaze had been affectionate as he took her hands in his and gently kissed the tip of her nose. “You’re right, of course. Let’s work together. If anyone can help me discover my own style, it’s you.”
After looking at several designers’ showcases, Hallie and Sadiq had found the perfect colors and furniture styles for each room, one at a time, and were now finally ready to begin work on the master bedroom. Sadiq had insisted on a deep royal blue for the walls.
“Are you sure about this?” Hallie asked, for what must have been the tenth time at least.
Sadiq nodded his head. “Absolutely. This color is my favorite, and I want to wake up to it every day.”
Hallie let out a dramatic sigh. “All right, but if we have to repaint, it’s on you.”
“Deal,” he replied, undeterred.
He led the way, holding two heavy cans of paint, to his bedroom. When he opened the door, Hallie stepped through, her eyes wide in amazement.
The room was enormous, though she supposed it had to be—it was a room meant for a king. The ceilings were at least two stories tall, and they were covered with elaborate paintings. Sadiq saw where she was looking, and glanced up.
“We’ll have to be careful when we get close to the ceiling—that’s actually some prized art up there.”
“So I can see,” she breathed.
There was a grand fireplace, around which several large, leather sofas were placed. The desert chill had a way of seeping through the windows at night, and there had been times when Hallie had been tempted to scour the halls for Sadiq—for his warmth, of course. Not wanting to risk getting lost for the millionth time, she had stopped herself, snuggling deeper under the covers.
Sadiq dropped the paint cans and unrolled a tarp that had been left for them. With the tiled floor covered, they were able to dip their brushes in and get to work painting the wall. Sadiq had an entire wall made of windows, with a circular top that crested in a curlicue tip. He had a perfect view of the distant mountainscape they had seen weeks before, when they’d had their first kiss, though she had to admit that the views were less breathtaking here than they’d been on top of that dune.
“Hey, you. I’m not the only one painting today—quit your daydreaming and get to work!”
Hallie shook her head and glanced over at Sadiq, who was smiling at her with his paintbrush pointed in her direction.
“You better watch it, warden, or I’m going to paint you!”
“I’d like to see you try,” he grinned.
He jumped as Hallie ran over to him, her paintbrush flailing wildly in the air.
“Take that, blackguard!”
Laughing, he jumped back, narrowly avoiding her swipe and dealing one of his own, across her cheek.
“Oh, I’ll get you for that!” she laughed, slathering his white T-shirt in royal blue paint.
The Sheikh started to chase her, and when he caught her he wrapped her in his arms, and the two of them tumbled to the floor, rolling until they landed, Sadiq’s body covering Hallie’s.
He gazed into her eyes, brushing a strand of errant hair from her face before he kissed her deeply, and she met him in that embrace. She could have made love to him there, on the floor, in broad daylight. It was a heady sensation.
Sadiq pulled back from the kiss, and his eyes glistened with emotion. “Marry me,” he said.
Hallie stared deeply into his eyes. She’d wondered, of course, if this proposal would come, and how he would do it. They’d been pretty transparent about their intentions from the beginning, and yet, somehow, she’d been totally unprepared for when it actually came. Still, she knew her answer all the same.
“Of course I will!”
Sadiq’s smile was radiant as he kissed her again and again, the two of them laughing and crying all at once with the sheer joy of the moment. After some time, Sadiq lifted himself from her body and helped her up, only to take her in his arms and hold her close. Hallie enjoyed his embrace, relishing in the feel of having a man hold her like that.
“When should we set the date?” she asked, her voice muffled as she breathed against his neck, resting her face against his broad shoulder.
“How about two weeks from today? Is that enough time?”
“Two weeks? To plan a wedding?!”
Hallie couldn’t believe he wanted to get married so soon, but she found she was excited at the concept.
Sadiq pulled back and stared into her eyes searchingly. “Is that too soon? I’m just so sure about this and I don’t want to wait any longer. Besides, if we work together, we can hash out everything we need to by then, I’m sure of it!”
Hallie smiled at him. “I’m sure we can make it work. We’re a pretty unbeatable team, you and I.”
Sadiq kissed Hallie’s cheek. It was a soft, tender show of affection, and it made her heart soar.
“We most certainly are. Now why don’t you get cleaned up and we’ll work on painting the bedroom later.”
Hallie looked around the room. There was barely a brush stroke on the wall. “You’re just going to have someone else paint it, aren’t you?”
Sadiq shrugged. “Maybe, now that we have more important things to attend to.”
Hallie thought about that, and her smile broadened. “I suppose I’ll give you that. Next project it is, then.”
“Good. Now scrub off that paint and meet me in the foyer in an hour, okay? I want to take you out for an engagement dinner before all the plan
ning starts.”
“All right,” she said, giggling at his characteristic brusqueness as she turned to leave the room.
Before she was able to turn the knob on his door, however, Sadiq’s hand was resting on hers. When she glanced up, his face was inches from her own.
“I love you, Hallie,” he said softly. His eyes were laced with passion and affection and something else Hallie couldn’t quite identify.
Her eyes glistened with tears and she lifted her lips to his. “I love you, too,” she said when she pulled away.
Sadiq rested his forehead against hers for a moment before he turned the knob with her hand on it and sent her on her way.
Hallie nearly skipped with glee down the hall, through the foyer and back to her own room, which was becoming easier to find over time. She whistled to herself as she cleaned up for dinner.