by Holly Rayner
Even his father walked proudly beside her as they made their way down the aisle. There was a piece of Yasin that was worried his father wouldn’t approve. He hadn’t met her before the engagement. She was American. The sudden proposal. The rush of the wedding planning. Doubts plagued his dreams. Not doubts about Olivia, but doubts about his father’s approval. He was happy to know that he was wrong about all of it. His father beamed at him as he handed his son Olivia’s hand.
“Be good to each other,” Maalik said softly before walking to his seat. It was the smartest piece of advice that Yasin had ever heard from his father.
Chapter 16
Olivia
Olivia didn’t know if she could do it. Nylah had left her side so she could walk down the aisle with her brother as maid of honor and best man. Between the flash of the cameras and the sea of people—of strangers—she had never felt so alone. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Yasin’s father as he offered her his hand.
“I’m honored to be the one who gets to walk you down the aisle,” he said warmly. “Not since Yasin’s mother have I ever seen such a beautiful bride.”
“Thank you,” she said, her voice barely above a squeak.
“These people,” he said. “They can be intimidating. They would frighten away a lesser woman.”
This didn’t exactly help Olivia’s nerves.
“But,” Maalik continued. “I’ve seen you with my son. I’ve never seen such a big smile on his face. He’s never been happier.”
Olivia’s heartbeat calmed slightly.
“And,” he went on. “I’ve seen you with the press. You are sweet and graceful. Your words are eloquent and your heart is so full and big.”
She smiled at the compliment.
“You are a good woman, and I am proud to have you in our family.”
Maalik’s words were comforting, but it wasn’t until they stepped into the hall where the ceremony would take place that Olivia knew he was right. When her eyes met Yasin’s extraordinarily golden ones, she felt weightless. It was almost as if she was gliding down the aisle. No one else mattered: not the crowd of strangers, not Nylah, not her future father-in-law, not the press.
It was only Yasin.
They stood together before the officiant and held each other’s hands. It was a small gesture, but a comforting one. Olivia had never felt so close to anyone. The officiant continued to conduct the wedding like he would an orchestra; his words were like the wand, moving the crowd and the wedding party one way and the other, making everyone smile and cry all at once.
“Now,” he said. “I hear that you both have written your own vows.”
They both nodded.
Olivia went first.
“I first met you while you were on a business trip. It was love at second sight.” There were a couple snickers in the crowd. “They say that you can’t improve upon a first impression, but we proved them wrong. If fate had left us at our first encounter, I would only have remembered a spilled coffee and bad timing. But fate had a different first impression for us, and I’m so grateful.
“I’m grateful because I’ve never met such a giving, sincere, loving, intelligent, and open person in my life. You are an inspiration, a motivator, and an amazing person, Yasin. You are the love of my life and you make me want to be a better person. I couldn’t ask for a better best friend and it is my honor to spend the rest of my—” Olivia’s voice cut out as she held back tears, “—the rest of my life with you. I never thought that I would find love, but that was before I found you.”
Her heart swelled as the words flowed. It all came so naturally. She had written her vows days prior, and they had been as easy to write as they were to say. She didn’t stumble, nor did she lie, and she could tell that he could see that in her eyes.
All of a sudden, it was Yasin’s turn.
“Olivia, never have I met a woman as genuinely unafraid to be herself as you. You have a childlike wonder about this world, but you also hold yourself to high responsibility—not just for yourself, but others too. The first time I met you, I was, I’ll admit, surprised by your hot-headedness.” The crowd laughed. “But I soon realized that your fiery temper is balanced by equal parts sweetness and kind-heartedness. You make me want to be a better man every day. There was a time in which I dreaded settling down and getting married, but meeting you has made me so excited for the future. I can’t wait to be a husband—your husband. I hope I can be the perfect life partner you so deserve.”
Olivia’s head was spinning when the officiant said they could kiss, and when she and Yasin were declared husband and wife, she felt as if her soul had floated out of her body.
This was it. It was done. She was married. And, even if it was due to a contract, even if being a new bride was part of her job spec, it was still real. She was, officially, Olivia bin Taab, the Sheikh’s real fake wife.
Chapter 17
Olivia
The reception was beautiful, and full of good food, laughter and romance, all captured by the photographers. By seven o’clock, though Olivia had had enough of cameras for one day, and Yasin was kind enough to sneak them both away. The hotel had given them the uppermost floor—the honeymoon suite. Olivia had never been to a hotel room that large before. It had its own kitchen, seating room, bedroom with sliding doors, hot tub, and a wraparound balcony with an intricate iron balustrade.
“Wow,” she said. “This place is amazing. When I was in Dallas, I stayed at a Meyer Motel once when our house was being fumigated.” She looked around. “It didn’t look anything like this. The entire room was about as big as just the kitchen from this place.”
He laughed. “This is a bit over the top, even for me. Of course, I don’t do much else except for sleep whenever I’m staying at a hotel. I always spend most of my time at the office.”
They both let out a long sigh and plopped down at the foot of the bed. It only took a couple of seconds for them to realize how awkward it had gotten as they both sat on the plush comforter and mattress in silence.
There they were, sitting on a bed during their honeymoon…frightened to touch each other. They hadn’t been intimate since the night of the dinner, when they had both given in to their desires.
Olivia grasped at the fabric of her dress. Her palms were sweaty. Next to her, Yasin looked just as uncomfortable as she did.
“This is silly,” he finally said.
She turned to him. “Huh?”
“Well, that we’re sitting here like this. Everything’s felt incredibly natural up until now.” He paused. “Right?”
She nodded. “Yes, yes. Most definitely.”
“Then why does this feel so weird?”
She shrugged her shoulders and looked straight ahead.
He’s right. Why does this feel so weird? We’ve had sex before. We’ve sat closer to each other for longer periods of time. Movies. Talking. I just… Why…? Her mind searched for an answer but came up blank.
“I don’t know,” she finally said. “I don’t know why this is so weird.”
“My father is expecting a—” He stopped. “I mean, the insemination is… We should plan for…” His voice faded. The word insemination felt like a gigantic fog cloud that was filling the room. “Um.”
Olivia tried to pinpoint just what she was feeling. Anticipation? Nerves? Was she scared? She wasn’t worried. She felt safe with Yasin.
“Expectations,” he suddenly blurted out.
“What?” she asked.
“That’s what’s making this so weird. There are certain connotations associated with the—” He coughed and cleared his throat. “The honeymoon suite.”
She nodded. “Oh. Yeah.”
That’s it. He’s right, she thought to herself. But how do we dispel that? All this awkward tension in the air.
“It’s not that I don’t want—” he started but then stopped. “I mean, that one night that we had was…”
“Great,” she finished.
“Wonderf
ul,” he said.
“So great…”
They turned to each other. Their eyes met. She wanted to do it again. She wanted to feel close to him. She wanted to feel his touch but she didn’t want to complicate things. They had just fulfilled one of the biggest parts of the contract: the wedding. They were officially married now.
It’s just a business transaction, she thought to herself. It’s just a part of the contract. I shouldn’t overanalyze this. Just because I feel like there’s chemistry there, a spark between us…that doesn’t mean anything.
She wanted to kiss him. It was her wedding night, after all. She wanted to feel the closeness of intimacy in some form, but the contract just made it all too complicated.
Olivia sighed. Her shoulders drooped.
“Are you okay?” Yasin asked. “Tired?”
“It’s been a long day,” she said, imagining that he would just suggest that they both go to bed.
“Well, I have an idea, then,” he said. “Stay here. Fiddle with the TV or read one of those books or something. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Do you need help with—”
“Nope,” he said. “It’s a surprise.”
“A surprise?”
He left in a hurry, rushing out of the bedroom area and shutting the sliding doors so that she couldn’t tell what he was doing. Olivia looked over at the pile of books.
Books…in a honeymoon suite? That’s a little odd, she thought to herself.
Getting up from the bed, she walked over to the stack and recognized a few of the titles as books she had read recently but had not yet finished. Had Yasin brought them from home?
Her hand reached for one and brought it up to her for inspection. Checking the spine for cracks, she could tell it was new. He had asked for these books because he knew that she had been reading them. Something to make her feel more comfortable? To ease her mind? Or maybe to pass the time while they were locked away for their honeymoon? She placed the book back on the stack.
It was thoughtful of him to think of her comfort, and to remember such little details. But then, Yasin was one of the most thoughtful people she knew.
She picked another book up and got cozy with it on the bed. It was one of the most comfortable things that she had ever sat on. So comfortable, that she debated on whether or not she should nap instead of read, but…
“It’s my honeymoon,” she said, her voice just barely a whisper. “I know we haven’t really been romantic or anything, but…” She opened the book and found the spot where she had stopped reading.
After a few moments and some overheard shuffling from beyond the sliding doors, her reading was interrupted.
The doors to the bedroom slid open and Yasin walked in with a smile.
“Okay,” he said. “I ordered some room service, ordered a couple of their most plush robes, and checked in to see if they have any movie streaming subscriptions,” he said. He motioned for her to follow him into the sitting area.
The table in front of the couch was filled with movie snacks in addition to fancier fare: strawberries dipped in chocolate, a bottle of champagne, slices of cherry cheesecake, and soft cheese with crackers. Olivia eyed the bottle of champagne.
“Shall I pour you a glass?” Yasin asked.
She shook her head. “I’ve been a bundle of nerves today,” she said. “My stomach’s been tied up in knots. Is there any ginger ale?”
“I’ll call down for it,” he said. He placed his hand gently on her stomach. “I’m sorry you’re not feeling well.”
The feeling of his hand against her stomach loosened the knots in her abdomen and awoke the butterflies within. She could feel her heart aflutter. Yasin walked away to call the front desk from the phone in the kitchen.
“I’m going to change,” Olivia said, leaving for the bedroom.
The doors slid shut and she took a step back. With a pull of a few straps and a zipper, she slipped off her wedding dress. She laid it on the bed and looked at the colors. The warm tones intermingled with one another in an incredible dance of fabric.
Glancing at the mirror, she saw herself standing in the honeymoon suite in white lace underwear and couldn’t help but feel just a little bit sad that she wouldn’t get to spend her wedding night doing what most married couples did. But instead of wallowing in the sadness, she opened up a bag in the closet and slipped on a white tank top and a pair of cotton, sea-foam green shorts. Comfortable and simple.
When she walked out of the bedroom, Yasin had already taken off his tie and cummerbund. Dressed in a white undershirt, open white dress shirt, and slacks, he looked at her and smiled.
“I think I’ll do the same,” he said before motioning to the couch. “I found a good movie for us to watch.”
He winked and walked toward her. As he passed her to enter the bedroom, he elbowed her slightly, brushing his arm against her playfully. She pushed back and giggled.
“Get comfortable,” he said. “We’ll have a fun night in.”
He didn’t lie. They watched her favorite romcom, the movie that he had chosen for them because he’d thought it would calm her nerves, and they talked for hours. It was as comfortable as her tank top and Olivia’s spirits were instantly lifted.
Two movies and a lot of popcorn and chocolate strawberries later, Olivia was resting her head on Yasin’s shoulder when he brushed a few strands of hair from her face.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Better,” she said. “That ginger ale really helped.”
“Oh, good.”
The music from the end credits faded and they both stared at the menu page again. Movies of all genres filled the screen. Olivia debated on what to watch next. She really wanted to talk some more, so she would have to choose one that she wasn’t really interested in watching closely.
“Since you’re feeling better,” Yasin said. “Would you like to dance?”
Olivia raised an eyebrow. “But there’s no music.”
“Yeah,” he said. “That just means that I don’t have to worry about staying on the beat.”
She giggled. “You danced just fine at the wedding,” she said.
He shook his head. “Only because I rehearsed it for about fifty hours. I’m all left feet.”
He stood up, and Olivia followed him to the middle of the living room floor. Wrapping her arms around him, they swayed gently. She rested her head on his chest and followed the beat of his heart.
“I’m really glad that I took this job,” she said, her voice soft.
He nodded. “Me too. This whole marriage thing is so easy with you.”
His embrace felt so warm.
“We have chemistry,” she said. She chose her words wisely. It was just a business arrangement. She had to keep from falling for him—not that she was trying too hard at the moment.
“What do you say I run the hot tub and we spend a little time in the water?” he asked.
Hot tub, she thought. That sounds romantic. I shouldn’t…
“That sounds nice,” she replied.
Olivia internally chided herself. What am I doing?
She looked toward the direction of the bedroom.
“I asked Nylah to pack an extra suit for you. By the time I realized that there was probably going to be a pool or hot tub here, you were already pretty stressed out. I didn’t want to worry you anymore,” he said. “There’s a spare bag in the closet with some extra clothes and a…bridal emergency kit? Whatever that is,” he said with a shrug.
“I was wondering what that was,” she said with a smile.
Yasin walked over to an area off to the side of the sitting room which was slightly recessed from the rest of the floor. He took the two steps down and walked along the marble floors in order to get to the hot tub. After pushing a couple buttons, the top retracted, revealing the water inside, which came alive with soft lights and music. He bent over to reach something else that Olivia couldn’t see. As he did, she stared at his figure.
“Light blue,” Olivia said as she pulled the classy, one-piece swimsuit out of the bag. It was hemmed in a stripe of white.
The hot tub felt amazing and the company was even better—seeing Yasin in swim trunks and nothing else reminded Olivia of their blissful night together. It was hard not to stare at his body, but she tried her best. Unsuccessfully.
“You okay?” he asked.
“What?”
“You seem a little…distant.” He scooted next to her.
“Heh,” she scoffed. “I’m right here, silly.”
“You know what I mean,” he said. “You look like your mind’s wandering off to distant places. You wish you were somewhere else?”
She shook her head. “No, definitely not. This place is amazing. I don’t see how you would have to leave this floor for anything. Ever.”
He laughed. “So, we’re married now,” he said. “What do you think of that, Wife?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Husband,” she replied. “I wonder how things will change.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, I can’t see them changing very much. You won’t need to do all that wedding planning anymore, but we’re just going to replace all that with doctor’s visits so…there’s that.”
“Pregnancy,” she said. “I’m a little scared…but I promise that I’ll take care of the little peanut,” she said, her hands retreating under the water to touch her stomach. “And I’ll do whatever you need after, too.” It felt weird saying it aloud, especially since she knew that Yasin specifically wanted to raise the child alone. “But he or she will obviously be under your care. I just—you know. Whatever you need.”
He nodded. “Thank you, Olivia.”