Book Boyfriends Cafe Summer Lovin' Anthology 2015

by Melinda Curtis

  Becca had known him well – or thought she had. At sixteen, she’d been crazy about him.

  Any relationship beyond friendship would have been strictly forbidden. Besides the fact that she was too young, her parents had plans and dreams for her that didn’t include falling in love at sixteen. She’d had boyfriends, but nothing serious and those had truly been boys. Aaron was a man and she had wanted him as she’d never wanted anything or anyone before in her young life.

  It had terrified her.

  “I apologize for having kept you waiting. You are probably exhausted from your trip and perhaps you aren’t aware of how quickly dehydration occurs in the desert. Unfortunately, it takes visitors to our country by surprise.”

  Shakily, she accepted the glass from him. “Thank you,” she murmured even as she thought that of all the lousy, misbegotten luck anyone could have, this was it.

  Ten years ago, he’d been twenty-one, sure of himself, but with reason. He’d been good at his job with the unique ability to reason, weigh his options, then react instantly. Now he was a man who was fully mature and she imagined those qualities had only been amplified, honed with time and experience.

  He was tall, broad-shouldered and slim-hipped, urbane and sophisticated in his beautifully-cut navy blue suit. She’d seen him in a different setting, though, mud-covered and bruised as his friends had taught him American-style football, which he’d loved because it involved force and strategy.

  Aaron al-Rashid, of all the people in the entire country for her to run into within an hour of touching down, he was the last one she would have wanted to see.

  To buy herself some time to think, decide how she was going to handle this fiasco of her own making, she sipped her water slowly, keeping her chin lowered, eyes downcast.

  Apparently satisfied that she wasn’t going to faint, he returned to his own desk and sat, examining her closely, his eyes searching her face. After a few minutes, he said slowly, “We have met before, haven’t we?”

  She could deny it, but Rebecca knew he would eventually find out the truth. She lifted her head, met his gaze full on. “It’s me, Aaron. Becca Sanger.”

  He straightened. Stared. “From Phoenix?”

  “Yes.”

  He studied her, stood once again so that his gaze swept over her, noting her hair, clothes, and face. “But why? Why are you here?”

  “I have business in Côte de Diamant.”

  “Business?”

  “Yes, personal business.”

  “You told the officials at the airport that you were sightseeing and observing so you could tell your students about the people and culture of Côte de Diamant. Is that not true?”

  So, the man at the airport had reported their conversation word for word. That kind of scrutiny was something she needed to remember.

  “It’s true, but I have to admit, I don’t understand why it’s such a surprise, why it was necessary to bring me here. I am no threat to anyone.”

  “Perhaps we are too cautious, but we have learned the truth of that old saying that it is necessary to keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.”

  “You think I’m an enemy? No one here even knows me.”

  “Except me,” Aaron pointed out.

  “You knew me when I was sixteen. That was ten years ago.”

  “And you have changed a great deal.” His eyes narrowed. “Except for your hair. I should have known you the instant you walked in because of the color of your hair. I suppose it’s been too many years. Memories fade.” He paused, lost in thought, then asked, “How are your parents?”

  “My mother is well, but my father has been ill. He has a heart condition that forced him to take early retirement and undergo heart surgery. He is recovering, but slowly.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. Please give him my regards. I have fond memories of my visits to your home, of the chess games he and I played.”

  “As does he. He has spoken often of the pilots from Côte de Diamant who trained in Phoenix.”

  “Luke Air Force Base,” Aaron said. “He was an excellent mechanic. I always felt secure knowing he was taking care of my plane. And we felt honored that he invited us into his home. Your family made us very welcome.”

  “We enjoyed it,” she answered with a small smile. “My mother loved to cook for a big crowd, especially boys and men, said she always wished she’d had a couple of sons as well as daughters because girls just don’t eat enough. And my father has always been very big on learning about other cultures, other people.”

  He didn’t answer for a moment. His attention was fixed on her, his eyes steady, mouth grave. That was another thing she remembered about him. Aaron al-Rashid seemed to listen with his whole body. Maybe it was bred in the bone – the legacy of ancestors who had survived by being alert to the first sign of enemy attacks, of hordes racing across the desert dunes on horseback.

  She looked at his hands and was shaken to realize she remembered that they were long-fingered, strong, sure. She had never seen him fly a plane, but she’d seen him drive a sports car and recalled imagining that his movements would have been much the same. And later, when she’d gained some sexual experience with her college boyfriend, and then with her husband, she dreamed of a man’s hands sliding over her skin, leaving heat in their wake, preparing her for the satisfaction that would come later – but she’d always awakened before it did. She realized now that those had been Aaron’s hands scorching her skin.

  Unbidden and unwanted, her nipples hardened, heat pooled in her groin and settled there as if waiting for his touch. Although she knew he couldn’t see her body’s reaction beneath her jacket, she hunched her shoulders slightly and brought her arms forward. Attempting to appear at ease, she crossed them loosely at her waist.

  She was proud of the steadiness in her voice as she said, “But instead of being a pilot in the Côte de Diamant Air Force, you are now the Minister of Tourism. That’s quite a change.”

  “I’m still a pilot,” he said. “In the reserves, but yes, to use a cliché, life is full of changes.”

  More than he could possibly know, she thought. Some of life’s changes could absolutely break your heart.

  His voice interrupted her reverie. “And you, Rebecca, what have you become?”

  Now there was a question, she thought. She couldn’t tell him the full truth which wasn’t very interesting or compelling anyway. She was a dutiful daughter, had tried love and marriage which had ended in catastrophe, so she smiled and said, “I finished high school, went to the university, became a teacher of high school government and economics classes.”

  “And what about your husband? Doesn’t he mind that you are halfway around the world by yourself?”

  She stared. “My . . . my husband?”

  Aaron indicated the paper on his desk, confirming that the man at the airport had called to report all about her. “Your name is now Perris. Doesn’t that mean you are married?”

  “Oh, of course.” She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, I’m very tired and I’m not thinking clearly.”

  “No doubt, you would like to get to your hotel.”

  “Yes, yes I would.” She sent him a grateful look. Maybe she was going to get out of this office, away from his disquieting presence so she could gain some control, so she could stop thinking about his hands, his sexuality, his profound maleness.

  “So you are here for both pleasure and business?”

  At the word ‘pleasure’, her gaze jerked up to his. Because she was afraid her voice would shake, she cleared her throat and said, “Yes.”

  Rebecca realized she should never have sat down, never have let her mind drift into some kind of sex-starved haze that his presence seemed to bring on. She had to get a grip on whatever this craziness was that was affecting her. He was probably married with half a dozen children and a wife he adored. She couldn’t imagine why that thought depressed her.

  She was growing drowsy and she felt as if the room was growing dar
k. She sat up straight, blinked in confusion, took another sip of water, tried to focus on what was important here.

  “Are there any places in particular you will be visiting?” Aaron slid open a drawer of his desk and removed a sheet of paper, a stamp pad and a stamp. He wrote quickly, the bold strokes flowing from the tip of a slim, silver pen.

  Gratefully, she saw that the form he was completing had an official letterhead at the top. No doubt, it was some kind of authorization for her to travel around the city. Even though her first instinct was to grab the paper and run from the room, she wondered if she could convince him to authorize travel further afield. It was worth a try.

  “I want to see all of Côte de Diamant City. I’ve heard and read a great deal about the city’s efforts to modernize its infrastructure.”

  “Wait.” He held up his hand. “It’s April. School is still in session. Shouldn’t you be teaching?”

  She bit her bottom lip. “I’ve taken some time off. Personal time.”

  “To study Côte de Diamant?” He lifted a skeptical eyebrow.

  “That’s part of it.” She took a breath, determined to get through it. “Also, if I can, I plan to see the ruins at Wadi Akbar as well as the archaeological dig at Sik Ru.”

  He glanced up sharply, his green eyes searing into her. She had to force herself not to jump in alarm. At the intensity of his expression, her heart pounded and her mouth went dry.

  “Sik Ru? That isn’t wise. In fact, that could be dangerous. It is very close to the border of Isbahar, where chaos is the rule of the day.”

  “I know, but that’s where I hope to find someone to help me . . . .” Too late, she bit her tongue. Dismayed, she looked at him. Color washed over her face, a sure sign to anyone who knew her that she had made a slip of the tongue. Would Aaron remember that about her? Damn this exhaustion! She couldn’t think clearly.

  “Help you do what?” His green eyes were piercing.

  She couldn’t come up with a convincing half-truth or even an outright lie. And she had given up lying years ago. She was going to have to tell him the truth. He was going to find out eventually.

  She lifted her chin and met his eyes. “They are going to help me find my sister.”

  “Your sister?” Confusion warred with suspicion in his tone.

  “Yes.” Rebecca cleared her throat again.

  He went very still, except for his fingers, those swift, agile fingers which continued to slide over the smooth surface of his sleek pen. He turned it from one end to the other, fingers at the tip, sliding down, turning the pen, turning it again.

  Desire clawed at Rebecca’s throat even as she realized that what she had feared, what she had tried to avoid was screaming down upon her head, bringing to light that which she’d tried to keep secret.

  Aaron looked up, his eyes fierce, his lips stiff. “I only knew you to have one sister. Jennifer.”

  The name dropped between them like a stone hitting mud. She swallowed, nodded.

  “Rebecca, you told me Jennifer was dead.”

  Chapter 2

  Aaron stared, aware that he hadn’t moved in several seconds. The shock had paralyzed him. He had heard that phrase before, but never knew what it meant until this moment. It had been a surprise to see Becca, pleasant at first, but then horrible, unthinkable. The shock began to wear off and anger moved in to take its place.

  “Explain yourself,” he commanded, standing to tower over her.

  “My sister, Jennifer, was in Isbahar as part of an organization that is racing to save archaeological sites in countries with a history of . . . .”

  “War,” he provided with a twist of his lip.

  “Um, yes.” She glanced up, read his hurry-up expression, and continued. “She hasn’t been heard from in several weeks. No one was able to help, my father is very ill and was beside himself with worry, so I came, hoping I could find her.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, his anger mounting. “But that’s not what I meant. Explain how someone who died so tragically at the age of eighteen can now be alive.”

  Rebecca’s hands came up, lifted pleadingly. “It’s a long story . . . .”

  “Your visa is for three weeks. Plenty of time for your story.” His tone of voice made it completely clear that he wanted the truth.

  He wanted something more from her. He wanted to snatch her up, crush her lying mouth with his, ravish it with his tongue, pull every answer out of her, fill her with his taste, block out every thought in her head that didn’t center around him – then he wanted her to do the same with his body.

  Exhilarated and profoundly shocked at what was going on in his mind and shooting through his body, Aaron started when knuckles rapped against the door and his young assistant stuck his head in. “It is time, sir. Your guests will be arriving soon.”

  Angrily, Aaron turned on Dahhak, whose eyes widened as he stepped back. Color washed over his face. “I’m . . . I’m sorry.”

  Aaron waved his apology aside. “I’ll be there in a minute, Dahhak. Is the car ready?”

  “Yes.” The boy dipped his head in acknowledgement and turned away.

  Becca stood. “Since you have . . . um . . . guests, I’ll be going. Will Ibrahim take me to my hotel, or . . ?”

  He pointed at her. His anger and disillusionment were looking for a place to land and she was the most convenient target. “You’re not going anywhere. You’re coming with me.”

  “Certainly not!”

  “It wasn’t a request.” The words were hard and cold. He was infuriated at his reaction to her – at the way his body betrayed him, at the way her deep blue eyes could look haunted and exhausted while her mouth failed to give him the answers he sought. “You’re not getting away until you tell me everything I want to know. But there isn’t time now. I’m expecting guests at my home for dinner, and you’re joining us.”

  She looked down at her skirt and jacket. “I’m certainly not dressed for a dinner party . . . .”

  “You’ve got your suitcase in Ibrahim’s vehicle, don’t you? You can change at my house.”

  Now she was growing angry. “Aaron, I’m an American citizen.”

  His jaw tightened and he could feel his pulse pounding in his neck. “Who came to Côte de Diamant of your own free will, and who is now subject to the rule of law in this country.”

  “And does your law include holding people against their will?”

  “Only liars!” he snapped.

  Becca’s mouth closed into a furious line while color rose in her cheeks and her eyes shot daggers at him.

  Good, he thought. Let her be angry. It was nothing compared to the fury he was feeling. There was no time to deal with it now, or with her.

  “Let’s go,” he commanded, pointing to the door.

  She turned and stalked ahead of him, her boot heels clacking against the parquet floor. Dahhak was hovering in the hallway so Aaron told him to move Becca’s things into his car and tell Ibrahim he could leave. His assistant hurried off to do as requested.

  “Turn right,” Aaron ordered Rebecca. “My car is outside that door at the end of the hallway.”

  Over her shoulder, Becca threw him a look that should have singed him. He only gestured for her to hurry along.

  At the end of the corridor, he slipped around her and opened the door. “Get in the car,” he said. “And do it quickly.” He wasn’t sure why he’d added that last part except that he didn’t want to let her get away until he had the answers he wanted and he’d decided what to do about her, and he didn’t want to slow down, give himself time to think, to become even angrier.

  When the door opened, she paused, blinking in the sunlight. She stepped out, nearly stumbled, but he was right there to clasp her elbow. Before she could pull away, he steered her toward the Jaguar parked in his private slot. Within a few seconds, Dahhak hustled around the corner with a black suitcase riding on its built-in wheels behind him. He loaded the luggage while Aaron got Becca inside.

&nbs
p; “Strap in,” he said and received a poisonous look in response.

  He didn’t give her time to talk back or to protest. He climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine. As soon as he heard the trunk close, he gunned the motor, shooting gravel up behind them. In his rearview mirror, he saw Dahhak leap back from the flying debris. With a silent apology to his assistant for his reckless driving, Aaron pulled onto the street and headed home.

  It maddened and frustrated him that he couldn’t get the answers he wanted from Becca right now, but his previous commitment couldn’t be ignored. He was going to get the answers, though, and before midnight tonight.

  ~*~

  Rebecca didn’t know whether to be more angry with Aaron, or with herself. She should have been able to finesse her way through her talk with him. She was sure he’d been ready to fill out a pass for her, one that would have given her free access to the country, even the border area she needed to visit to find Jenny, but her exhaustion had made her inept and her fervent vow to never lie again had cornered her into telling him the truth. Now she would have to tell him the entire story and deal with the consequences. She only hoped that she could convince him to let her go find Jenny, hire someone to help her and do it quickly.

  After a few minutes, she began to calm down. In spite of her annoyance with him and his anger with her, Rebecca knew she could trust Aaron. He was a man of honor.

  Honesty and integrity meant everything to him. She had known that when she was sixteen, which now made her wonder how she’d ever had the nerve to tell him such a whopping lie, but she’d been desperate, sure she knew the truth and the right thing to do for her devastated sister.

  Dismayed, and dreading the upcoming confrontation, she looked around at the city. They had reached a residential area with homes featuring walled courtyards and iron gates. Aaron slowed the Jaguar to accommodate the speed limit. He was a careful driver, she noticed, his hands steady and sure on the steering wheel. She had to stop thinking about his hands, letting her tiredness pull her into crazy, confusing thoughts and feelings that were sending her judgment spinning into space.