by Leslie North
An overwhelming urge to check her makeup had her reaching for her purse. Just one look, one peek to make sure her appearance was in order before they arrived at the palace. Just the thought of being someplace so grand, meeting his family and all those important people, caused a fresh wave of nerves to wash through her. So much for her fake-it-‘til-you-make-it confidence.
She’d just about pulled her compact out of her bag when Rehaj placed a hand on her arm. “I am sorry, mahbubi, but I’m afraid they will need me to go directly to speak before the cabinet members when we arrive at the palace. I’d hoped to spend some time relaxing with you in our rooms, maybe show you around first, help you get acclimated, but it’s not to be.”
“Oh,” she said, her mind still stuck on the words “our rooms”. Her heart fluttered with hope. Of course, a bit of disappointment was in there as well because she’d harbored these romantic fantasies of him introducing her to his family and them being captivated by her wit and grace and charm. Then again, given the fact they’d been traveling for several hours now, she’d probably come across more tired, hungry, and a tad wrinkled at this point. She forced a tiny smile. “It’s fine. We can do all those things afterward. Can I come to watch you give your speech? After all, I did help you with it.”
Rehaj sighed. “I’m afraid that’s not allowed, mahbubi. Only family and cabinet members allowed. But I’ll be sure to tell the staff to see to your every need until I return.”
They pulled through a massive set of wrought iron gates a few minutes later. Through her window, Ani could see a huge palace complex looming ahead, all shimmering sandstone and colorful mosaics. It was breathtaking…and more than a little intimidating. She reached over and took Rehaj’s hand. “Will I see you for dinner then? We can celebrate your success?”
“Perhaps,” he said, as the car pulled up to the curb at the front of the circular drive and a flood of white-clad servants hurried over to help them from the car then escort them inside. A younger man with startling green eyes and the same black hair as Rehaj shook his hand and began discussing something with him in rapid-fire Arabic. Ani assumed this was his younger brother Raheem, though no formal introductions were made.
At the door, Rehaj stopped and spoke to another servant, again in Arabic, then glanced back at Ani. “The staff will show you to the quarters. Relax and enjoy the amenities. I will see you later.”
Before she could respond, he was gone, disappearing down a long hallway of the majestic foyer. Ani blinked around at all the sumptuous gilded gold furniture and shiny marble floors, the sky-high painted ceilings soaring at least twenty feet in the air, and the velvet curtains and tapestries draped from the walls.
“This way, ma’am,” the servant said, bowing slightly to Ani. The woman’s English was impeccable. “I will show you to your rooms.”
“Thank you,” Ani said, following the woman down another hall, opposite the one Rehaj had taken. She missed him already, truth be told, but she refused to let that dampen her enjoyment of his gracious hospitality. They walked around a corner and down another hall, this one lined on one side with floor-to-ceiling mirrors and on the other with windows overlooking some of the most beautiful gardens Ani had ever seen. Texas was a dry, forbidding place most of the time, so seeing all this lush greenery was a treat. She’d thought the same on the island, but this was even more special because it belonged to Rehaj.
The servant showed her to a suite of rooms that was bigger than her entire apartment back in Dallas. A huge bedroom with a heavy, carved king-sized bed frame in dark mahogany, matching armoire and dresser, a separate sitting and boudoir, and a bathroom to die for—all sparkling travertine tile and granite counters. There was a huge shower big enough to fit five people and a sunken marble tub with gold fixtures and a basket filled to the brim with decadent bath bombs. Perfection. Total perfection.
Ani thanked the woman then locked herself inside, quickly shedding her clothes as she ran a hot bath, dropping in three bath bombs just because she could. The first was a sapphire blue and smelled of cassia. The second was pink and filled the water with glitter and the scent of roses. And the third was white and carried the sweet fragrance of gardenias. She lit candles around the space and even poured herself a glass of wine from the minibar in the bedroom before sinking beneath the silky bubbles.
It had been a long time since she’d pampered herself like this, just for pleasure, not to meet anyone else’s expectations or to boost her confidence. This time, here, now, was just for her. Her eyes drifted closed and she thought of Rehaj. Ani finally admitted to herself that her feelings for him had long since moved past affection and had fallen head-first into love. He was just so kind and smart and gorgeous and funny, even though he usually only showed the world his serious side. And then there was his wounded heart. The tragic story of his accident still squeezed her chest with sadness for what he’d lost, the pain and guilt he’d endured for years, blaming himself when he deserved forgiveness.
The aches and pains and frustrations slowly drifted away and Ani snoozed.
By the time she opened her eyes again, the water was cold and she had no idea how long she’d been soaking in there. She got out of the tub and dried off then slipped on a thick terry cloth robe she found hanging on the back of the door. After draining and rinsing the tub, she went out into the bedroom, hoping Rehaj might be back from his speech and ready to spend time together. But the room was empty and the sun was setting and Ani’s heart fell.
During her bath, the servant must have returned with her bags because all of her things were neatly put away in the drawers and a clean set of clothes was laid out on the bed for her—a little black dress and matching flats. She dressed quickly then wound her hair up into a messy bun before doing a bit of snooping. He’d mentioned “our rooms”, so she assumed he’d be staying in here with her, but as she looked around, she found none of his things. Huh. Well, maybe they’d made a mistake and put her up in a guest room until Rehaj returned.
She took a seat in the sitting area and clicked on the flat screen TV but found nothing interesting to watch. Next she flipped through some magazines on the table, but again, they held no interest for her. Finally, she couldn’t take it any longer and got up to wander out into the hall in search of Rehaj.
No sign of him, but she did locate the same servant from earlier. She smiled at the woman. “Can you tell me when…” What did she call him? Sheikh Nazrani? Prince Rehaj? Just Rehaj? She ended up settling for something in between. “Will Sheikh Rehaj be ready for dinner soon?”
“Pardon, ma’am,” the woman said, bowing again. “But the sheikh is already at dinner, with his family. They all went out after the cabinet meeting. He told me to bring you whatever you’d like from our kitchens.”
“Oh.” She did her best to hide her disappointment and failed miserably, if the kind look the servant gave her was any indication. “I see.”
It felt like the world she’d expected had been pulled from beneath her and she was now suspended in mid-air with no safety net to catch her. Her stomach plummeted to her toes and any appetite Ani might’ve had evaporated. She turned back toward her rooms and walked away slowly.
“Wait, ma’am. What would you like me to bring you for supper?” the servant called.
“Nothing,” Ani said. “I’m not hungry anymore.”
She went back into the bedroom and locked the door behind her then slid slowly down the wall until her bottom hit the floor. She had no right to be hurt. Not really. Rehaj had never promised her more than the fling they’d had on the island. He’d invited her here, yes, but he’d never said he’d spend more time with her here. She’d just assumed he would. And that was the problem. That had been the problem her whole life. People told her things and she just assumed they were right. Her mother telling her that confidence came from outside yourself. Marcus telling her that she was nothing without him. Rehaj being so kind and nice and sweet and saying that she was beautiful and precious just as she was.
Ani gave a sad little snort. “Right. I’m so damned beautiful he can’t stand to be anywhere near me. God, I’m such an idiot.”
Out of habit, she got up and stalked over to her purse, first pulling out her compact, then tossing it aside in lieu of her phone. Normally, when she felt like crap, she’d go online and shop or look at pictures of gorgeous things until she felt better. But after being without her phone for so long, she was out of practice. Besides, she doubted she’d ever find anything as gorgeous as Rehaj on the Internet anyway.
Sad and lonely, she curled up into a ball in the middle of the huge bed and clicked the device on anyway. Maybe she’d check her emails. She still needed to let her parents and her sister know where she was and her plans for staying on with Rehaj for the next couple of weeks. But when she opened up her Internet browser, the main story splashed all over the screen was about the cabinet meeting earlier today and Rehaj’s failed attempt to win the advisory position. His expression looked harried and hurt and her heart ached all the more for him. No wonder he prized his privacy so much. Losing what he wanted most was bad enough. Having his failure flaunted all over the web was even worse.
Tears welled as she shut the stupid thing off and buried her face in the pillow.
The whole day had gone from glorious to horrendous in the span of a few hours.
* * *
Rehaj returned to the palace a few hours later and went in search of Anastasia. His plan had been to give his speech then come back here to celebrate his triumph with her. Unfortunately, things had not gone to plan.
The press had already been all over what they termed his “failure” to secure the head advisor position over Feraz’s cabinet members. In truth, Rehaj hadn’t failed at all. All of the voting members had liked him just fine for the position and his speech had gone a long way in convincing them he was the right man for the job. What they hadn’t liked was his stipulation that his private business remain private. The voting members had been vocal about their beliefs that the new Djevian government needed to be open and transparent in all aspects, including their rulers’ personal lives. They felt such disclosures would help to show the world at large that Djeva and its leaders were serious about joining the twenty-first century and had nothing to hide.
Of course, Rehaj had balked at the idea. Not that it had mattered.
As soon as the meeting was over, his sisters and brothers had swept him away to a local restaurant for dinner, despite his protests to the contrary. There, they’d grilled him about who Ani was and why he’d brought her to the palace. Then they’d moved on to why he’d not accepted the head advisor position when it had been offered to him. The crowning moment came when his eldest sister, Jessenia, had pulled out her phone and showed him just how futile his efforts to keep the two spheres of his life separate had been.
Already photos of he and Ani leaving the retreat were online, taken by what he assumed were resort staff, since no one else had been allowed to have any technology on the island. He should’ve known the precious, quiet bubble they’d been living in for two weeks would burst under the pressure.
He knocked softly on her door, then stuck his head inside when she didn’t answer, spotting Ani asleep on the bed. He’d wanted to put her into his own private rooms but had not wanted to overstep his bounds by overriding her wishes. So, he’d had the staff make up the suite adjacent to his. There was no connecting door, but they were just across the hall from each other.
She stirred on the bed and yawned before looking over at him, bleary-eyed and mussed and so damned adorable his chest ached. His sisters had questioned him about his feelings for Ani and he’d been deliberately vague with them. First, it was none of their business. And second, he’d tried so hard over the last few days not to put a label on things for fear it would all end badly. But as Ani sat up and beckoned him closer, her expression a mix of affection and sadness, his chest constricted with the intensity of his need for her. Not love, exactly. At least he wasn’t ready to call it that. But a powerful…desire to be near her. To hear her laugh, to feel her soft curves against him, to smell her delightful sweet perfume. To just be close to her, to have and to hold. He walked into her room then closed and locked the door behind him in case any of his family decided to get nosy again.
“You’re back,” she said, patting the bed beside her, inviting him to sit. “I’m sorry about the cabinet position. I saw it online.”
“Ah,” he said, toeing off his shoes. He loosened his tie and slipped off his suit jacket, rolling up his shirt sleeves and unbuttoning his top few buttons before climbing onto the mattress beside her. He stretched out then relished the feel of her warmth snuggling up beside him. Back in paradise at last. Rehaj kissed the top of her head, whispering into her hair, “Thank you for your concern, mahbubi. But you mustn’t believe everything you read.”
Ani pushed away from him slightly to frown up at him. “Did you get the job then?”
“Eh, no. But it wasn’t because they didn’t offer it to me. I turned them down.”
“But why?” She rested her hand over his pounding heart. “I thought that job was your life goal.”
“It was one of my goals, yes.” Rehaj closed his eyes and leaned his head back. Being here with Ani, relaxing, was another goal he hadn’t even realized he’d had. “But they asked too much of me.”
“How?”
“They wanted my life to be an open book, every area accessible. And you know why I cannot allow that.”
“Oh, dear.” She cuddled her head beneath his chin. “I’m sorry. That must’ve been so hard for you.”
He sighed. Best to get this over with now before letting her go would be even harder. “Things will be harder for you too, if you stay with me.”
“What?” Ani sat up then and he missed the heat of her immediately. “What are you talking about?”
Reluctantly, he pulled out his phone and brought up the tabloid websites his sisters had shown him at dinner. Garish headlines filled the screen, accusing them of everything from an illicit affair to kidnapping and bondage. He handed her the device then slid his legs off the bed so that he was sitting on the edge. He couldn’t bear to see her face when she reached the interview her sister had done earlier that day.
“What the hell?” Ani said, her voice tinged with anger and betrayal. “How did they get these pictures of us on your yacht?”
“I’m guessing the staff took them.” Rehaj shrugged, having been through it all before. Usually, once the media got ahold of his relationships like this he ended them, to avoid another incident. But this time he wasn’t ready to let Ani walk away. Not yet. “There’s more. Remember that night that you filmed us at dinner?”
“Yes.” She gasped. “Oh, God. I’d forgotten all about that stupid video camera. Don’t tell me they sold that to the tabloid too?”
“Afraid so.” He exhaled slowly and pushed to his feet to pace the room. “Apparently a reporter from one of the Middle Eastern tabloids also contacted your sister back in Texas today, asking her what she knew about us. She’d been shocked to say the least and said the family hadn’t heard anything from you about it. The press now knows about your family and their charity work though. I’m sorry. I tried to keep it all secret for you as best I could, but it seems I’ve failed. Again.”
She scoffed. “I don’t care about that. What I do care about is the fact they’ve got us practically engaged. Did you see this article calling me Mrs. Rehaj? I mean I like you and all, but…”
Her words were like a dagger to his heart. He’d heard that before too. Women signed on to be his girlfriend, for a few good times and some laughs. Then the glare of the media spotlight kicked in and his family pressures increased and they couldn’t run for the hills fast enough. Damn, he was such an idiot. Why hadn’t he been upfront with everyone from the start? He should’ve just announced who Ani was to his family the moment they stepped from the limo and been done with it. That way his gossiping sisters could’ve handled damage control f
or him while he’d been in that meeting, instead of speculating right along with all the nosy reporters they’d talked to during the cabinet vote. Hell, he’d lay good money the marriage rumors had started directly with them. Seemed his four sisters couldn’t wait to see him walking down the aisle.
Rehaj’s shoulder slumped and he took a seat on a chair in the sitting area, facing Ani who was still on the bed. “I like you too, Anastasia. Very much. But I completely understand that this is not what you signed on for. You came here to Djeva with me for a few more weeks of rest and relaxation, perhaps to spend a few nights together, do some sightseeing. I know that you have a robust life of your own back in Texas. You spoke of your family’s charity and your extensive travel around the country as your mother’s assistant. Some of those articles on the Internet also spoke of friendships you have with various celebrities and their children through your work. In many ways, you are a celebrity in your own right. I have no right to ask you to stay here with me, in hiding until all this blows over. It might be best for you to contact your family in the States and make arrangements to return home at your earliest convenience.”
Ani blinked at him a moment then got up and walked over to where he sat, kneeling down before him and taking his hands in hers. “Do you want me to go?”
Rehaj shook his head, not trusting his voice. Honestly, he never wanted her to leave, but now was hardly the time to tell her that. Bad enough some of the tabloid sites were calling him an old-fashioned curmudgeon who’d more likely kidnap a woman and hold her against her will than date her.
“Good. Because I’m not going anywhere,” she said, the conviction in her tone lifting his spirits a bit. “Not for a while anyway. Listen, I don’t know why you brought me here, but I can tell you why I came. I came to Djeva to spend more time with you, in the real world. To see what your life was really like and to perhaps see if I might have a place in it beyond our fling at the retreat. I like you Rehaj. More than like you, truth be told. But after what happened with Marcus, I don’t want to get trapped in a bad relationship again. I’m skittish. I’m worried that you’ll be too busy for me, but I’m willing to take that risk if you are. Most of all though, I’m starving. I expected you to come back and have dinner with me after the meeting, but then the servant told me you went with your family, which is fine. But my stomach’s empty and I’m told I can be a bit…bitchy when I’m hungry. So I suggest we raid this palace kitchen of yours so we can all stay happy, eh?”