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“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.
Ani snorted then winked at him.
“Maybe I spoke too soon. Am I still in trouble for earlier?” she asked the specialists.
“No, ma’am.” One guy, Indian, late-twenties, bowed slightly. His nametag read Ravi. “We were just checking in to make sure both of you were enjoying your time here on the island.”
“Sure.” Ani said, her gaze not leaving Rehaj’s, humor sparkling in their clear blue depths. “What’s not to like? Oh, well, except for the total isolation and no phones or tech policy. You know, if you wanted to kick me off, I’d be totally okay with that.”
The other specialist, a woman named Sal, maybe mid-forties if Rehaj had to guess, with a too-tight smile and bleached blonde hair, gave Ani a flat stare. “This island is paradise, for those who truly open their hearts to the experience.” Her haughty tone reminded Rehaj of his oldest sister, Jessenia, when she got on a rampage about one of her precious causes. “Perhaps a shuffle in the pairings will do the trick.”
Rehaj nearly choked on a bite of swordfish. “Excuse me,” he said, pushing to his feet. Other diners turned to look his direction and he lowered his tone slightly. “I thought everyone else here was paired up already.”
“Most of them are,” Ravi said. “But we do have one other set of guests who are in, shall we say, an open relationship. They have approached us about the possibility of exploring love with others outside their relationship.”
This time, it was Ani who protested. She stood as well, doing nothing to divert attention as she placed her hands on her hips. “Listen, buddy. I don’t know what kind of game you’re trying to pull here, but I’m not about to get involved in some kind of kinky group sex thing. Got it?”
Poor Ravi went white and bug-eyed at that while Sal gasped and clasped her chest like she was clutching her invisible grandma pearls.
“Please, ma’am,” Ravi said, his tone low. “I believe that you have gravely misunderstood me. I would never imply—”
“Damn right you wouldn’t,” Ani said, her tone rising along with her temper. It was a similar show to what Rehaj had seen earlier in the day and he knew that if he didn’t put an efficient stop to it soon, it would escalate and they’d draw even more unwanted attention to themselves. “Now pay attention both of you. I want to talk to your manager right now and—”
Without thinking, Rehaj rushed around the table to take Ani’s hand and pull her tight into his side. “Yes, please let the management know that we have now officially become a couple and we do not wish to partner with anyone else for the duration of this trip.”
Ani spluttered. “We what?” She scowled up at him. “Maybe you’re the one who got too much sun today.”
Rehaj did his best to play off her remarks with a laugh. Ani tried to pull her hand free, but he kept his hold tight. “She’s such a kidder. One of the things I like most about her. So, so funny.”
Ravi and Sal exchanged a suspicious look.
“You do know that the activities will become more intimate from this point forward, yeah?” Sal asked, raising a brow at them. “We make exceptions for those not in a committed relationship, but for everyone else, it’s the standard program.”
“Oh, well.” Ani dug her nails into his hand and Rehaj hissed in pain. Still, he didn’t let go. “I’m sure they’d make exceptions for newer couples, right?”
