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Three days later, Laura was at the end of another long, but interesting workday when a mysterious invitation arrived via servant to her suite. She tucked away that day’s treasures—a set of three handmade glass sand bottles, each depicting a different Arabian Nights scene, from a local Al-Qustra vendor—and went to meet the servant hovering at her door.
“Thank you,” she said, giving a slight bow as she took the white envelope from the silver tray then wandered back to her sitting area. She sat on the divan and opened the letter, surprised to see Raheem’s elegant scrawl on the fine paper. He was inviting her to dinner tonight, outside the palace. It would be a nice change of pace, since most nights she ate in her room alone, too busy with work to venture down to the dining room with the rest of the royal family. Besides, after that first day when she’d met Raheem’s sisters, she had the distinct impression they didn’t like her much. Whether it was jealousy or something else, she wasn’t sure. Either way, things were safer and smoother for her to dine here by herself, where she could surf the net or catalog more of these fine items from the local merchants. She was sure Raheem would be pleased when he saw what she was planning.
A quick glance at her watch showed she didn’t have much time to get ready and get downstairs before the car would pick her up at eight, so she hurried through a shower and chose the same red silk outfit she’d worn to the dignitaries’ breakfast her first day in the palace. Overall, she’d stuck to her own clothes while here, not feeling comfortable imposing on Raheem’s generosity any more than was necessary during her stay. But since his invitation mentioned that the restaurant he was taking her to was five-star rated, she doubted they’d appreciate her walking in dressed in jeans or cargo shorts.
After smoothing her hair back into a neat ponytail and applying a light coat of makeup, she grabbed her purse and headed down to the foyer. Sure enough, a sleek black sedan with dark tinted windows waited for her at the curb in front of the palace. No Range Rover tonight, apparently. She allowed the driver to help her into the back of the car where she relaxed against the fine leather interior as they headed into the glittering downtown of Al-Qustra, lit up like diamonds against the dark desert sky.
Minutes later, the car pulled up outside a non-descript white stone building with only a small lighted plaque proclaiming ‘Thamin’ on the side in shiny golden letters. Raheem was there to meet her at the entrance and led her inside. Towering ceilings, at least thirty feet tall and covered in glimmering mosaics, reflected the candlelight of the tables below. The walls were covered in sumptuous burgundy velvets and brocades. A bar sat against one side of the dining room, its backdrop a soaring rock wall carved with Arabic symbols and artwork and beneath it a shimmering, glass-beaded fountain with trickling water and ever-changing LED lighting.
“Wow! I don’t even know what to say.” She blinked around at everything, her stomach growling loudly at the succulent smells of curry and spices and roasting meats. She’d been so busy she’d not eaten lunch today, so this was really a special treat. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
Raheem grinned and winked at her. “Of course. I thought you should see this place and get a taste of the local cuisine at the same time. And I figured you could use a break too. You’ve been working too hard. The servants tell me you barely leave your room.”
“Just trying to get everything done,” Laura said as a maître d’ led them across the room to a cozy table near the back. All eyes followed Raheem, but he seemed to take all the attention in stride. She, on the other hand, felt her face heating under the scrutiny of the other patrons.
As if sensing her distress, Raheem bent close to her ear as he held her chair for her. “Don’t let it bother you,” he whispered. “Just pretend like they’re invisible.”
She chuckled. “Is that what you do?”
“Not anymore. I’m used to the spotlight. But when I was younger, yes.” He smiled and her chest warmed with the sweetness of it. “Best advice my mother ever gave me.”
“Good to know.” She thanked their server for the menu he handed her then stared at the seemingly endless array of choices. “What’s good here? I honestly have no idea what to order.”
Raheem grinned over the top of his menu. “If that’s the case, then allow me to handle the meal. I promise you, you won’t be disappointed.”
“Go for it. I’m always up for an adventure.” She set her menu aside and watched as he rattled off their selections to the waiter in rapid-fire Arabic. He looked exceptionally gorgeous tonight, dressed in a tailored black suit with a crisp white shirt and deep purple tie. His black hair gleamed in the candlelight and his white even teeth flashed against the tan of his skin when he smiled. Laura felt bewitched and charmed, despite her decision to keep things between them strictly platonic. Once Raheem had finished and the waiter left, she sat back and folded her hands i
n her lap. “How have you been this week? I haven’t seen you since that night you came to my rooms to discuss the project.”
“Good. Busy, as always.” Raheem flicked open his linen napkin and placed it across his lap. “The running of a country includes a never-ending stream of paperwork which all seems to end up piled on my desk.” He gave a rueful snort as the sommelier poured them each a glass of expensive wine. “But I’m more interested in your progress on my project. Please tell me that things are taking shape nicely.”
“Oh, they are.” She spent the next twenty minutes or so telling him all about the wonderful vendors she’d met and all the lovely items they’d offered her to be part of the final filming for the project. She truly loved working on this campaign and helping bring her vision to life for Raheem through her work gave her a rush of adrenaline she’d never experienced before professionally. By the time their waiter returned with heaping plates full of all sorts of local delicacies, Laura felt like she was floating on a cloud of happiness. “So, long story short, I have been quite busy, but I’m certain we can begin filming next week and should have the entire project wrapped up within a month or so and ready for public viewing.”
“Marvelous.” Raheem began dishing up their food from the platters, explaining each item to her as he put it on her plate. “First we have a salad of root vegetables and chickpea hummus with crispy parsnips. Next is salmon kibbeh nayyah, dukkha and molasses. Finally, is roast cabbage dolma with za’atar and truffle butter.”
“This looks delicious.” Laura placed her own napkin across her lap and dug into the amazing food. Flavors blended together in her mouth—the crispness of the root veggies and the sweetness of the salmon, combining perfectly with the tang of the cabbage and the smoothness of the truffle butter. “So, so good,” she said, stopping for a sip of wine. “This is definitely a dinner to remember.”
“Glad to hear it,” Raheem said. “And this is only the first course.”
By the end of the meal, they’d powered through a double portion of sayadieh—black cod with spiced rice and caramelized onions, and a selection of Arabic breads with olive oil and wild za’atar dip. And just when Laura didn’t think she could possibly eat another bite, the waiter brought dessert—sweet milk b’stilla with strawberries.
Raheem dished this up for her too, his smile devilishly handsome. “This you will love, I’m sure. It’s my sisters’ favorite and my personal favorite too. It’s a traditional Moroccan dessert made with rosewater custard, toasted almonds, and brik pastry.”
The man was a wizard when it came to food, that was Laura’s opinion. Impressive all around. She devoured the treat and so did Raheem, then they each sat back, full and sated. At last the chef stopped by their table and exchanged a few words with Raheem before retreating back to his kitchens. Laura didn’t think she could’ve asked for a more magical night if she’d tried. She was really coming to love it here in Djeva and wasn’t sure how she’d go back to her regular, dreary life after experiencing such a magical existence.
“If you’re ready,” Raheem said, standing. “There is something else I’d like to show you before we return to the palace.”
“There’s more?” Laura said, pushing to her feet beside him. “You’ve already done so much for me, Raheem. I really can’t keep accepting your hospitality like this.”
“It’s my gift and my pleasure.” He bowed slightly then took her elbow gently to lead her from the restaurant. “Besides, I don’t know about you, but I could use some exercise after all that food.”
Laura stifled a yawn and glanced sideways at him. There wasn’t an ounce of fat she could see on Raheem’s fit, muscular body. Whatever he did with all that food, he didn’t seem to retain any of it. She smiled. “Exercise sounds good. I have been cooped up in my rooms a lot and I miss the outdoors.”
“Then I have the perfect place.” He helped her into the backseat of the sedan then slid in beside her before leaning forward to give directions to the driver. “I hope you’ll like this place. It was one of my most beloved spots growing up.”
They headed out of Al-Qustra once more and a companionable silence settled between them in the darkened car. Laura felt a bit sleepy after her large meal and wished she could cuddle into Raheem’s warm side and nap on his shoulder, the bumps of the roadway lulling her into a doze. Luckily, she caught herself before doing so.
Raheem stared out the window beside him, his expression thoughtful. “I wanted to show you the lake. It’s so beautiful at night, the way the moonlight shimmers off its surface.”
