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“I don’t feel stuck at all. I can’t wait to dance with you again.”
She scoffed loudly. “Sure, Hunter.” She pulled him up the aisle where they would stand in the receiving line.
“I mean it. I loved dancing with you and tonight you can’t say no.”
She glared at him. “What’s this? Are you hoping I’ll be your lucky bridesmaid that you can screw all night since you leave for China in two days?”
He hadn’t been thinking that but now that she’d put the thought in his head, it was perfect. He could hold her in his arms again, press his body to hers all night for one enchanted evening, before he spent the next six months drumming up business in China. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Well, good then.” She crossed her arms and refused to let her disappointment show. He didn’t have to shut the idea down so quickly.
“I said I wouldn’t dream about it Mimi, not that I didn’t think about it or hope it would happen. And since you planted the seed,” he leaned in until his lips brushed against her ear, “it’s all I can think about.”
THE END
The Sheikh's Choice
Chapter One
There was something incredibly erotic and sexy about sneaking around with someone.
That was what Keisha had originally thought when she started seeing Ahmed. She had thought that being secretive brought them together because it meant that only they two could share in the special connection that had brought them together nearly a year ago now.
But that year had changed her opinion on the matter. When she got the results yesterday, a lot had changed.
She waited in the bazaar, a cowl brought over her head to cover her hair, though she was grateful for her arms at least to be exposed to just above the elbow. It was too hot today to remain entirely covered.
It was her nicest outfit. A two piece dress that was almost the brighter color of red that she always admired and embroidered with a shiny yellow thread (gold was both expensive and a little too ostentatious for a woman of her social status). The dress dropped down to her ankles and matched the top, and she was grateful that it was of that lighter summer fabric, allowing some air to pass through on a day that was otherwise sweltering.
Of course, she probably would not be sweltering outside like this if Ahmed had been there already. She’d been waiting for nearly an hour, and she’d only arrived maybe ten minutes early. Which meant he was late. Very late. Late enough that Keisha wished she were in a position to go to his home and demand where he was. Had he stood her up? Was he all right? Had his plans changed without warning?
These were all reasonable questions to ask for a normal couple—but they were questions she could never ask. Their relationship was, unfortunately, very much a secret and it was very unlikely that that would change. Ever.
The thought caused her full deep rouge colored lips to pull down in a frown. Was that to be the rest of her life? Secrecy?
Fool, she chided herself as she walked down the dusty pathway glancing disinterestedly at several of the booths offering bargains along the way. Of course that is to be your life. Until he marries.
The thought was painful, piercing her heart like the stabbing of a knifepoint. It was all she could do to keep her breathing even, her expression neutral, and her eyes dry. Part of her had always understood that it was inevitable that one day Ahmed would leave her, but she had convinced herself somehow that things would be different because they were in love.
At least, she was in love.
But now things were even worse. Now, she had to back him into a corner. She was no longer allowed the luxury of pretending one way or the other on his feelings. Tonight she would have to face the truth, whatever it was, and hope that somehow she might pick herself back up from it after it was all said and done.
“Fool.” This time, she said it out loud.
She stopped at a booth that was selling fresh fruit. She did not have a lot of money with her; these were difficult times. If she waited for Ahmed, there was no question that he would buy the sweet looking peach for her, but that assumed he would show. At this point, doubt had started to gnaw at her and she was not sure that was the case.
Besides, she did not need his charity. This was not about the money and never had been. Unfortunately, she also understood that the money situation was about to become very important. Her situation was changing rapidly and there was little she could do to stop it.
Reaching into her small beaded bag, she pulled out a couple of coins and then offered them to the man running the booth as she pointed towards the peach. He smiled at her, an old crinkly smile that reminded her of her grandfather, and nodded.
“Thank you,” she told him as she took it up.
Her mouth watered as she thought of the taste of the rich, sweet fruit. It was her favorite, always had been, ever since her father had brought some home for her and her sisters when they were still young. That had been a long time ago.
She raised it to her lips, about to sink her white teeth into the thin velvety skin of the fruit, when everything suddenly went dark. A pair of hands slipped across her eyes as a warm body pressed closely behind her. A breath tickled at her lips as she heard his smooth, deep words slip into her ears, “You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, my love.”
Her heart fluttered and her doubts were suddenly forgotten. “Ahmed,” she breathed, her body warming from something other than the heat of the day.
