by Holly Rayner
They walked past a vendor, and Darian stopped, ordering them two cold drinks with what looked like tapioca drops at the bottom.
“Are those bubble teas?” Rachelle asked as he handed her one.
The fluid inside was a creamy brown, almost the color of iced coffee.
“They are not. This is a Zaradi specialty. The balls inside are actually created from one of our local fruits, which has a bit of a citrus flavor. It is wonderfully refreshing. Please, try it.”
Rachelle eyed the drink warily for a moment. For something that looked like a combination of coffee and tea to taste like citrus sounded a bit wacky, but as she took her first sip, she bit into one of the fruits, and an explosion of cool, crisp flavor enveloped her senses.
“Wow!” she said, taking another sip. “That’s so cool!”
Darian chuckled, taking his own sip as they strolled on.
“And to think, you would have never known such a specialty had you stayed in the conference center.”
“Yeah, yeah. I get it. I need to let loose a little. You happen to be suited up yourself, you know.”
Darian laughed, and it was a rich sound. It danced along the gentle breeze, catching the glances of a pair of women passing them by in the other direction. One of them looked at Rachelle with jealousy in her eyes, and Rachelle bit back a smile. What a feeling it was to be treated to a tour by a prince in a foreign land!
“Yes, I’m just giving you a hard time. The truth is, I could do with getting out a bit more myself. Ah, here we are.”
They had reached an entryway that appeared to be the opening to a small amusement park. A towering Ferris wheel circled before them, slowly turning as people got on and off again, smiling as they headed back out toward the city.
“Shall we?” Darian invited again, holding out his arm.
She grinned up at him, not hesitating for a moment as she wrapped her arm around his, happy to have her hand touching his warm skin once again. Before they got in line for the wheel, Darian bought them two cones filled with a cream-colored, sticky-looking dessert.
“And what is this delicacy?” Rachelle asked, excited to try more local cuisine.
If it was anything like the drink she had just imbibed, then it would be one of the most delicious treats in the world.
“It’s a combination of coconut, honey, and almonds, all wrapped together. It can be a bit sticky,” he said, grabbing a few napkins as he led the way to the Ferris wheel.
When the attendant saw Darian’s face, he gave a subtle bow before releasing the barrier chain and letting them in without a fee.
“What was that about?” Rachelle asked.
Darian shrugged.
“All members of the royal family get free entry to all of our public attractions. Employees are given our images to memorize, so that they won’t be embarrassed when we arrive.”
“Well, that’s a nice perk.”
“You’ll find there are many perks to being with a sheikh in Zaradi,” he said, helping her into the wobbling car.
Rachelle planted her feet as she struggled to keep balanced, sliding quickly into the seat. The cars were enclosed, and it felt strangely intimate as Darian slid in beside her, holding out the cone of sticky treats for her to sample.
She took one carefully between her finger and thumb and popped it into her mouth. The taste of coconut erupted along her taste buds, and as she crunched on the almond, she smiled at Darian.
“Delicious,” she confirmed.
He nodded his head approvingly.
“Of course they are. What is it that you like to snack on, where you’re from?”
Rachelle was about to answer when the wheel began to move, and she jumped, grasping onto Darian’s arm, hugging it tight and closing her eyes.
“You really are afraid of heights, aren’t you?”
Realizing what she had just done, Rachelle cracked open an eyelid and blushed.
“Slightly.”
“You’ve nothing to fear; we’re perfectly safe, though if you’d like to continue to use me as an anchor, I certainly won’t object.”
She grinned up at him.
“How gallant of you.”
“I’m nothing if not a total gentleman. Now, perhaps answering my question will distract you?”
Rachelle wracked her brain to remember what he had been asking her. Right. Food.
“We’re actually pretty renowned for our food, particularly Chicago-style hot dogs.”
“And what would I find on one of those?”
Rachelle’s smile broadened.
“Pretty much every savory topping or condiment in the world, except for ketchup.”
“That is quite curious. And are there little things that you snack on, without piling them a mile high?”
“Ice cream? Though I can’t really say that. We love to pile that up, too.”
“That does sound pretty good right about now. Hey, what’s that?”
Rachelle glanced out of the car, the entire city on display beneath them. She gasped.
“That is stunning and terrifying all at once.”
“You are being silly. There is no need to feel afraid!”
“Hey, just because I have a healthy sense of my own mortality doesn’t make me weird. We are in a tiny metal box hanging far above the ground. One mishap and we’re going down!”
“And that is why safety regulations exist. Now, Rachelle, look at me.”
Her eyes were glued to the landscape, but at his request, she met his chocolate brown gaze and held onto it. He cradled her elbow in his palm, forcing her to face him.
“You can take risks and not die. You can soar high above the world in a little metal box, and instead of shaking in fear, you can laugh and feel alive. I formally give you permission to allow yourself to do those things. Do you think you can accept it?”
She stared into the depths of his eyes, seeing confidence and assurance and some other emotions she dared not name in that moment. Her eyes darted down to his lips, so close and yet so far, before she thought better of it. There was no point. Instead, she heeded his words and allowed herself to see the city for the beauty it held, rather than the terror of her perch.
“It really is a stunning place,” she said, casting her gaze beyond the skyscrapers and back out toward the sea of desert sand that surrounded them from all sides. It truly was a fascinating and unique city.
Darian agreed, handing her another coconut treat, which she ate with gusto. She listened as Darian launched into tour guide mode, detailing the history of the city and pointing out specific landmarks that were important.
“That’s our palace, there along the outer edge,” he said, pointing to an enormous, glittering structure.
“When you say ‘our’ palace, you don’t mean…?”
“That I take up residence there? I do, actually.”
“So, when you said that you had room in your house for a home office, you simply meant an entire office building’s worth of space?”
“Maybe not that much space, but it is quite roomy.”
“I imagine so,” she said with a chuckle.
Seeing the palace, she craved to look inside and peek into Darian’s shimmering world. This place was so far away from the bucolic forest of Michigan, but on some level, it felt perfectly right to her. How could one feel so at home so far away?
The car finally swept back down toward the ground.
“I imagine you don’t want to take another turn?” Darian asked with a smirk.
Rachelle shook her head with gusto.
“I’m all set. Solid ground sounds like just the thing.”
Darian let out a low chuckle, and he stepped out of the wobbling contraption first, holding out a hand for her to keep her balance as she disembarked.
“You know, we have something like this in Chicago, too.”
“I take it you’ve never been on it?”
“Nope. Not once.”
“Perhaps now you’ll find the courage to
do so, when you return.”
“Perhaps,” she agreed with a small smile.
They made their way out of the amusement park area and back into the city.
“Well, that was quite the start. What’s next?” Rachelle asked, eager to continue her adventure with the handsome sheikh.
Darian glanced around a bit, as he had earlier, before he reached down and took her hand in his.
“I’m feeling a bit warm, aren’t you?”
Rachelle laughed, her hand fitting perfectly in his as they began walking once again.
“I’m always feeling a bit warm. We’re in a scorching desert.”
“Yes, well. You might have noticed, or perhaps you haven’t, that we have a distinct lack of grass parks in this part of the world.”
“It came to my attention, yes,” she agreed.
As they walked, they made their way through a smattering of buildings before coming out into an open space. There, a park with concrete ground was spitting up fountains of water. Children ran in between the spouts, chasing one another and pushing each other into water, which quickly dried in the heat.
When Darian glanced down at Rachelle, there was mischief in his eyes.
“I think it’s about time I helped you cool off, Miss Smith. Don’t you?”
Rachelle released her grip on his hand, stepping back with her hands up, laughing.
“Don’t you dare,” she warned, grinning as he approached her, catlike, as though stalking his prey.
In that moment, Rachelle thought there could be worse fates than falling prey to the likes of Darian Al-Adain. Seeing his intentions, she backed up slowly toward one of the fountain spouts, preparing her defense.
“Just so you know, I’ve never lost a water fight,” she warned. “You don’t know what you’re getting into, here.”
Darian grinned at her, and her stomach did backflips. Ignoring the sensation, she smacked a hand across the fountain, splashing him with a stream of water. He closed his eyes, then opened them, and made chase.
Squealing, she bolted around the water spouts as he managed to spray her entire body. It felt outstandingly refreshing after walking around in such heat, and together they laughed alongside the children as they all splashed and sprayed one another.
“Caught you!” Darian said, encasing Rachelle in his arms.
She was instantly met with another, entirely different kind of heat. Gazing up into his eyes, she wondered if he was going to kiss her then. Instead, he backed away, releasing her.
“Do you concede?” he asked.
Rachelle narrowed her eyes.
“Never.”
He laughed.
“I thought as much. We shall call it a tie, once again. Now, I have to say I’m already quite famished. Shall we head to dinner?”
Chapter Four
Rachelle glanced down at her rumpled, wet clothing before holding her hands out to either side.
“I don’t think we’re exactly dressed for the occasion,” she commented.
“Since when has that ever been a problem? Come, this way.”
He reached his hand out for her to take again, a habit that she was growing to like quite a lot. It felt so natural, strolling hand in hand down city streets, like they had been doing it for ages. He walked at a brisk pace, Rachelle keeping up with him as she did her best not to gaze up at his perfect profile. He stopped abruptly, and Rachelle nearly bumped into him as he turned and rang a bell on a building that she hadn’t bothered to notice.
“Yes?” a voice said through an intercom.
“It’s Darian,” he said.
“Your Highness! Please, come in.”
The door buzzed, and Darian opened it, leading the way up a set of stairs to another closed door. It flew open, and a beautiful woman with smooth, straight black hair held her arms out to them both with a wide smile.
“Darian! I wasn’t expecting you today!”
“Are you expecting me any time I pop in?”
“Of course not. With you, I know to always expect the unexpected.”
She glanced over at Rachelle with a friendly expression.
“You’ve brought a friend for us today,” she observed.
Darian nodded.
“Yes. This is Rachelle Smith. We met at the conference going on uptown, and we seem to have gotten ourselves into a bit of a mess.”
The woman’s eyes studied them both as she took them in.
“So you have. What can I help you with this time?”
“We need eveningwear. Fancy, but not ballroom fancy.”
The woman nodded.
“Got it. Why don’t I check out back and see what we have, and we’ll have the models come out momentarily.”
“Not a long show, please. We need to get going.”
Nodding with understanding, the woman led them to a pair of cushioned sofas and promised refreshments before she made an exit through another door. Moments later, another impeccably dressed young woman came out with a tray of sweet mint tea and some cookies.
“I am going to gain so much weight in your country.” Rachelle laughed, sinking her teeth into the moist confection.
Darian took his own bite, swallowing before he answered.
“Doubtful. You can walk anywhere. Besides, we had plenty of exercise this morning. Your figure remains exceptional.”
Rachelle blushed again. He tossed tiny compliments at her so easily. Was it possible that he felt the sensations she was experiencing being in his presence? Could this be mutual, or anything at all? Was it worth even thinking about?
Before she could think of something witty to say in return, a pair of doors opened up to the room at large, and a male and female model strutted out side by side. The woman was wearing a chic little black dress, and the man was wearing a suit that perfectly complemented it. Rachelle cast a sideways glance at Darian.
“So, you also just happen to have a private boutique for whenever you need to change clothes in the city?”
Darian glanced back at her.
“Of course. Doesn’t everyone?”
She watched him, trying to see if he was being serious. When the corner of his mouth twitched, she landed a playful swat on his rock-hard bicep.
She swallowed, imagining running her fingers along his bare skin right there. Turning back toward the little show, she watched as another pair walked out in a different ensemble, no less extravagant. Finally, the original pair walked out in a third set of outfits, and Rachelle gripped Darian’s arm.
“Oh, that’s the one, right there. That is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen!”
Darin smiled, waving his hand to the model, who took the signal and nodded before heading out back. He looked back at Rachelle.
“Then consider it my gift, for a lovely afternoon and dinner. I hope you’ll get the chance to wear it many more times.”
The owner returned with the dress hanging gently over her forearm. It was burgundy lace that draped slightly at the top and fluttered over the hips. The woman smiled at Rachelle as she held out a hand to help her up.
“Let’s make sure this fits you, then. Darian, you’ll have your suit in your dressing room. You know where to go.”
“Oh, now only the lady gets preferential treatment?” he scoffed.
The woman rolled her eyes at him as she laced her arm with Rachelle’s.
“Darling, when are you going to learn that the woman always gets preferential treatment?”
Rachelle met Darian’s gaze then, and his eyes were warm as they rested on her.
“I suppose you are right, as usual. See you in a few minutes?” he asked.
“Sure,” she said, not really certain what was happening. The whole afternoon had been a complete whirlwind, and now she was being personally fitted for a dress she could have only seen in her dreams. The woman pulled her into a private dressing room, and turned to busy herself as Rachelle undressed.
“Does Darian come here often?” Rachelle asked.
The
woman nodded, seeing Rachelle’s state of undress and handing her the new outfit, which she draped delicately over her head. It fit her perfectly.
“He does. That fellow has to attend so many different types of events that he set us up here permanently so that he can change in a hurry.”
“Does he own these things?”
“Some of the suits. Otherwise, no. Most of these are the latest fashions from various runways. Darian always manages to stay in style, though I must take some credit for that!”
Rachelle turned as the woman zipped up the back of her dress, pulling here and there at the fabric.
“We seem to be in luck! You’ve managed to pick a dress that fits you beautifully. Well done!”
Rachelle laughed.
“I don’t think I can take much credit for that.”
“Nonsense. Now, let’s fix up the rest of you, shall we?”
Sitting her down in a chair, Rachelle watched the mirror before her as the woman untangled and restyled her hair into a series of delicate curls, pinned up with a tiny diamond-encrusted headband.
“Darian will return this, right?”
The woman shrugged.
“Maybe. He usually just pays the bill we send after his visits.”
Rachelle swallowed, trying not to think about how much the little hair piece must cost. Did Darian always treat people he just met with such generosity? Was it something she could accept?
Next, the woman opened up a medium sized box, where a diamond necklace sat, waiting to be placed about her neck.
Yeah, Rachelle could accept it.
She held her breath as the cool diamonds touched her skin. Finally, the woman expertly applied evening makeup, finishing Rachelle’s look, and transforming her entirely.
“We can have your clothing sent to your hotel, if you would like?”
“That would be great,” Rachelle replied, giving her the information before she was released from her chair.