by Leslie North
And even though he’d spent close to two months in the hospital, recovering from his injuries and going through rehab, he knew that he would carry the burden of his fault for the accident, for Ayesha’s death, for the rest of his days.
Of course, the press having a field day with the accident and shredding his reputation and relationship with Ayesha afterward hadn’t helped matters either. By the time it was all over, his convictions had been firmly cemented in place. Relationships belonged behind closed doors, out of the public eye. The minute anyone outside of him and his lover got wind of it, it was all destroyed. One more reason to keep to himself, to guard his privacy above all else.
He made himself a pot of coffee in the villa’s small kitchenette, then dug out the burner phone he’d managed to smuggle in. Perhaps if he was lucky he could fire off a text to his contacts within the palace to check on the status of the bills Feraz’s advisors were voting on this week. Last night, he’d considered letting it all go, but in the morning light he knew that was impossible. He wasn’t a let-it-go kind of guy.
So he walked around his villa with a mug of coffee in one hand and the burner phone in the other, searching for any kind of a signal at all. The most he got was two measly bars in the corner nearest the closet in the bedroom. He set his mug on the nightstand and fired off a quick message:
Please advise on status of bills
Then he hit Send. Not exactly eloquent, but then he wasn’t even sure the message would make it to Djeva anyway. After he was done, he shut off the phone and hid it back in the side zip pocket of his duffle before strolling back out onto his balcony. A part of him had been hoping that Ani would still be there, but alas she was gone.
Now there was a walking conundrum if ever he’d seen one. She tried so hard to appear put-together with her clothes and makeup and appearance, then she went into hysterics over missing a plane—after she’d already been on the island for two hours! He chuckled then sipped more coffee. If that had been him, he’d have been back down at those docks five minutes after disembarking. Then again, he had considered running too, so…
And there’d been something about her last night, as they’d sat quietly on their respective balconies in the darkness. Something that made him feel oddly reflective and open, something about her that urged him to tell her all his secrets. Which was beyond insane.
He kept his secrets to himself these days.
Not to mention he’d just met her. Why would he tell her anything? Why would he trust her?
Because you need to trust someone.
As he stared out at the sparkling turquoise waters of the Arabian Sea, Rehaj couldn’t help but smile, a bit of his usual stoic melancholy lifting. He had the whole day ahead to discover more about Ani and what made her who she was. A whole day to spend watching her and those lovely long, tanned legs of hers. A whole day to simply enjoy the beauty of the island and the weather and just be himself. Whoever that might be.
He’d not paid much attention to his wants and desires in life—outside the bedroom—since his graduation from college. There hadn’t been time, what with him and his brothers busy cleaning up their father’s mess then trying to rebuild their beloved nation into a first-rate, first-class international destination for both business and leisure travelers. Most days Rehaj barely got four hours of sleep, let alone time to sit around and think about what he really wanted out of life. He was too busy living it. But now? Well, for the next fourteen days, he had nothing but time to think. That could be a good thing or a bad thing in his case.
No doubt about it. These next two weeks would be interesting indeed.
* * *
Two hours later Ani found herself in a small motorboat heading out into open water. Rehaj was steering and doing a fine job of it too, considering he’d just learned prior to this introductory adventure in coupledom.
On this first Recover Love task, they’d been given a crude map with nothing more than vague shapes to indicate islands and water features—which Ani was in charge of—and the boat, which Rehaj was manning. Their goal was to work together to collect three clues to lead them to the prize at the end—a luxurious spa day for two. All they had to do, besides find their clues, was beat the other ten couples also trying to accomplish the same thing.
The small bay fronting the resort was teeming with boats zipping here and there, but Rehaj seemed unfazed. Good thing too, since Ani considered herself one of the most directionally-challenged people on earth.
“Where am I going?” Rehaj called over his shoulder. He’d removed his shirt and tossed it into the bottom of the boat shortly after they’d left shore, giving her an awesome view of his back. Too bad the same sight was also distracting her to no end, making the already difficult task of guiding them even harder. “Are we headed in the right direction?”
“Uh,” Ani turned the map ninety degrees, but it didn’t help. It all looked foreign to her. Still, she didn’t want her partner to think she was a complete idiot, so she squinted at a blob on the map then out at the horizon. “Over there, I think.”
Rehaj tracked the line her finger was pointing to, then frowned. “Are you sure? It appears the other couples are going the opposite way.”
For a moment Ani’s courage failed. Then she remembered her new commitment to confidence and lifted her chin. “Yep. Positive.”
“All right then.” Rehaj grinned, his eyes hidden once more behind those mirrored shades of his. “I do like a woman who knows what she wants.”
Heat spiked through Ani’s cheeks and she looked away from him quickly. She couldn’t see his gaze, but why did she have the distinct impression he’d meant that in more than just a platonic way.
Maybe because you’re in serious lust with the guy?
Ani shivered and shoved those thoughts aside. She wasn’t in lust with Rehaj. She barely knew Rehaj. Still, he did make for nice scenery. As they approached the little shoal of rock sticking up out of the Arabian Sea, Rehaj cut the boat’s engine, then moved back to stretch out on the bench seat behind her. The other couples and their engines were out of earshot now, leaving just the gentle lap of the waves against the hull and the occasional squawk of a seagull to break the silence.
For a while, Ani let herself be lulled by the peace and quiet. It had been so long since she’d taken time to just be. Not trying to impress someone. Not trying to take care of someone. Not trying to do…anything. Just being. Time drifted and she closed her eyes, her skin warm from the sun and her lungs full of fresh sea air. She just wished she’d remembered to bring a mirror with her. It was windier off shore and she couldn’t imagine what her hair must look like. And her makeup, was it still in place? She reached a hand up and felt a slight sheen of perspiration on her forehead. Uh-oh. That wasn’t good. Without her mask in place, her real, flawed self might show through.
She sat up quickly and patted her face with her hands, fanning herself.
“Why do you do that?” Rehaj drawled lazily.
Ani glanced over to find him staring at her, his glasses lowered down the bridge of his nose so those arresting green eyes of his were finally visible. Her heart stuck in her throat and she couldn’t seem to get words out.
He propped his head up on one arm and rolled to his side, now giving her a fabulous view of his toned, tanned torso. A drop of sweat glistened in the middle of his pecs as it made a slow trek down his abs. She longed to trace that same trail with her lips and tongue, then bit her lip hard to keep from making a fool out of herself by actually doing it.
“You did the same thing right after we met, you know,” Rehaj continued, his voice low and soft and infinitely hypnotic. “You kept fussing with your makeup. I believe you do that when you’re nervous.”
The fact he’d struck so close to home on his guess did nothing to ease the coiling tension inside her. She shrugged and tried to brush off her awkwardness with nonchalance. “I like to look my best. Is that a problem?”
“Not at all.” Rehaj continued to watch her over
the top of his sunglasses, his expression quizzical. “I have four sisters. Believe me, I understand more than you think. But you do not need the makeup to look good, is what I’m saying. You are naturally beautiful. Many women would pay handsomely to look as you do.”
Flustered and unexpectedly thrilled that Rehaj found her beautiful, she seized on the opportunity to change subjects. “Four sisters? Wow. You come from a big family then?”
His warm green eyes frosted over and he slid his glasses back up into place before rolling over onto his back. “Yes. There are seven of us siblings in all.”
“Yikes.” Now that she was out from under his scrutiny, Ani took a deep breath and forced herself to relax. “That is big. I just have the one sister.”
“Younger or older?” Rehaj asked.
“Younger, by two years. What about you?”
“One older sister, three younger. Also one older brother and one younger brother as well.”
“Cool.” He didn’t offer up any more information than that and she didn’t feel comfortable asking at the moment. So, instead, she looked around the area. “Um, shouldn’t we be looking for our clues?”
“Is that what you want to do?” Rehaj asked, not sounding particularly enthused by the idea.
“Not really.” Ani sighed. “But a spa day would be lovely. I could do with a massage.”
“If that is what you want, I will buy you the full package when we get back.” Rehaj snorted. “But I would much prefer to spend my time here doing as I please.”
“Okay.” It wasn’t like Ani had much choice, so she stretched her legs out in front of her, careful not to let her toes touch Rehaj, and pulled the brim of her sunhat down a bit lower. “So, where do you call home, Rehaj?”
He raised a dark brow. “I am from…the Middle East.”
Ani laughed. “Way to be vague. That’s like me saying, I’m from America.”
“Where in America?”
“I asked you first.”
“Touché.” Rehaj laughed, then quieted, his handsome face becoming serious, as if he was about to tell her something difficult. “Fine. I am from Djeva.”
She was no geography major, but she kept up with world events. Still, that was a new one. “Sorry. I’ve never heard of it. Is it close by?”
“Relatively,” Rehaj said, sitting up. “About a hundred miles or so to the east. And you? Where in America are you from?”
“Texas. Dallas, to be precise.” She did her best not to stare at his body and failed. “What do you do for a living?”
His shoulders visibly tensed. “I am in civil service.”
“Oh. So like government work then, huh?” Ani wiggled her toes and caught Rehaj turning his head to follow the movement. “What’s Djeva like?”
“It’s beautiful. Small, but proud. We have a little bit of everything there.” As he talked about his home country, his love for his land was evident in his voice and his expressions. “There is desert and mountains, a seafront area and even caves. My younger brother recently opened a wildlife preserve.” He chuckled and shook his head, sending his windblown dark hair shimmering in the sunlight. “If my father could have seen that, I’m not sure if he’d be amazed or want to turn over in his grave.”
Her heart pinched. “I’m so sorry about his death.”
“Thank you.” For a moment, Rehaj looked like he wanted to say more, but stopped himself. “And what about you? You said you have a younger sister. What of your parents?”
“Both are living. They run a charity for women and children around the world to provide healthcare and education. My mother is the spokesperson. She travels all over giving speeches and seminars. And my father handles all the behind-the-scenes stuff and supports her.”
“And you, Ani. What is it that you do?”
“Me?” She stared out to sea. “I’m being groomed to take over the charity from my parents one day.”
“And this is what you want?” Rehaj asked, lowering his glasses again to pierce her with his narrowed gaze. “You do not sound passionate about it.”
“I’m fine. It’s fine.” Liar. She wrapped her arms around herself and drew her knees into her chest. Running the charity was a big responsibility and she should be grateful to have the opportunity. Never mind that she’d dreamed of being a writer since she’d been a kid or that she’d actually written several screenplays that she kept hidden beneath her bed at home. That was a hobby. It could never be anything more than that. Right? She shrugged. Besides, who was Rehaj to say what she was or wasn’t passionate about. He didn’t know her, any more than she knew him at this point. “The charity does a lot of great work around the world. I’m honored to be a part of that.”
It was her stock answer, the one she gave anytime the media asked her about it. Though lately, the focus of their questioning had been on her break-up with Marcus. Since his recent wedding, maybe they’d stop asking. Her chest ached with loneliness again and she winced.
Rehaj noticed. “That is a sore spot. I am sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it.” She rested her chin on her forearms atop her knees. The front of their boat tapped against the rocks of the shoal and a spot of bright yellow glimmered from a crevice near the top. Ani scowled. “What’s that?”
“What’s what?” Rehaj turned and spotted it too. He crawled to the front of the boat, then leaned past her to grab it, his warm skin smelling of coconut oil and sweat and clean male and her insides quivered. He grabbed the envelope and pulled it down to hand it to her. “Open it.”
She did, then squealed with delight. “Ha! It’s a clue. It says to go around the bay to a heart-shaped coral reef for our next clue.” She giggled. “Maybe I don’t suck at this as much as I thought.”
Rehaj grinned along with her, then nudged her shoulder with his. “Ani, darling. I doubt very much that you suck at anything. You are far too kind and smart and beautiful for that. But since you’ve uncovered one clue, perhaps we should make a run for the prize after all. What do you say?”
Stunned for a moment at his high praise, Ani just blinked at him. He’d known her for a day and a half and already he’d made her feel more worthy than Marcus ever had in a decade. At last, she nodded slowly. “Uh, sure. Let’s do it!” She picked up her map again and got her bearings. “Right. The shoal is here, so you want to head over there then veer right.”
As Rehaj started the engine again and they took off in a cool spray of salt water, Ani couldn’t help but smile. Maybe confidence didn’t have to come from a bottle or tube or something you put on after all. Maybe it was something you felt, inside, with the right partner by your side.
4
“Can I get either of you anything else this evening?” the waiter asked.
Rehaj glanced across the table at Ani then shook his head. “No, thank you.”
He waited until they were alone again to speak. They’d lost the treasure hunt earlier, and the next two activities as well—a three-legged race, and a couples’ meditation thing that still had Rehaj stumped. Somehow these Recover Love Specialists as they liked to call themselves expected two people to be able to reach some amorphous spiritual plane together where they could “touch auras”. Sound like a huge pile of camel dung to him.
“How is your salmon?” he asked Ani as he dug into his own swordfish. She smiled around a bite of food and he grinned back. “You should have worn more sunscreen. Your nose is pink.”
“Good thing it’s just my nose.” She sipped her white wine, watching him over the rim. “Those judges today looked like they wanted to tan my hide good.”
Spending more time with her today, they’d developed…well, not exactly a friendship, per se. But a bond to be sure. He found he liked her company. She was smart and funny and his polar opposite when it came to emotions. Where Rehaj kept them all locked inside, Ani had hers out for full view. As proven when they’d been tripped by another couple on the three-legged race course and she’d battled like a warrior for charges of cheating to be broug
ht against them. Now, Rehaj was all for fair and equal treatment in all areas of life, but the fewer waves they created around here the better in his opinion.
As he savored his succulent fish glazed with a sweet garlic sauce and served with lightly steamed vegetables, he was once again struck by the fact that everyone else in the room appeared to be hooked up already. There were all nationalities and ages represented as well as other sexual orientations. He had no problem with it. In fact, one of the things that he and his brothers were promoting as part of their overhaul of Djeva’s economy and reputation on the world stage was inclusivity. They’d been raised Muslim, but if they wanted their country to succeed in the same fashion as the UAE and Dubai, they needed to cater to a more Western clientele.
As if reading his mind, Ani sat forward and pointed at him with her fork. “Tell me more about this mysterious Djeva that you come from.”
Rehaj bit back a chuckle. Even her eating was animated and full of life. He couldn’t help wondering if she tackled other “activities” with such enthusiasm as well.
Whoops. No.
Quickly, his thought backtracked. Not going there. This week was all about relieving tension and regaining his fortitude to continue his push toward the head cabinet position in his brother’s new government. Not about getting laid. No matter how tempting the woman sitting across from him might be. Plus, there was every reason to expect they’d be paired up for the rest of the retreat, seeing as how they were the only two people not “coupled up” yet. That was good. Rehaj wasn’t big on change in the best of circumstances and under these conditions he much preferred the angelic devil he was coming to know to some media-hungry seductress he didn’t.
Before he could answer her question, two Love Specialists showed up at their table. His gut twisted a bit. They were dressed in the resort’s standard uniform of white shirt and pants, each wearing a large pink heart nametag covered with glitter.