She stared at the door for a moment, wondering if she should act on her impulse to throw it open and run down the hall, straight into Mehdi's strong arms. It was the one place in the world she wanted to be more than anywhere. She came very close to doing just that, her hand already on the doorknob, before her rational mind took over and she stopped herself.
Mehdi had just told her that he was cautious when it came to love. He had been through a terrible divorce, which was something that could have very easily happened to her if he hadn't stepped in to help. Throwing herself at him could very well put an abrupt end to her little adventure, and that was the last thing she wanted.
Mehdi was a dream, and nothing more. Still, Steph was happy to dream of him for the rest of her life if she had to, though her brain reminded her that she might end up married to another man at some point, once she rejoined reality. That was not a thought she wanted to dwell on.
Turning back to her room, Steph felt the weight of exhaustion pressing into her, weighing down her eyelids. Still, she wanted to wash off the day's events, so she headed to the armoire and found a comfortable set of pajamas before heading to the bathroom.
A large shower was raised on a platform, and there were three large showerheads protruding directly from the ceiling. Steph turned on all three, watching as the shower basically turned into a gentle, warm rainstorm that was contained in the middle of the room. She laughed in delight as she removed her dress and cardigan and stepped under the steaming water, relishing in the sensation of the water pouring all around her.
She found some expensive-looking soap and shampoo and took her time cleaning every inch of her body, washing away the anxiety and the stress. She thought about all the things she had done with Mehdi, and how much she enjoyed staying in the palace, even if it wasn't his favorite.
After a while, her exhaustion won out, and she turned off the showerheads, finding a large, fluffy towel to dry herself with. She braided her hair before tossing on her pajamas and crashing into the enormous bed, sinking deeply into the mattress and pillows.
She pulled a pillow to her chest and held it tightly, thinking about Mehdi and what her true wish would really be, if wishes actually came true, as she drifted off into a deep, comfortable sleep.
Somehow her wedding day had turned out much better than she could have anticipated.
TEN
Steph
Steph stretched languorously, her limbs easily fitting on the massive bed even as she extended them as far as they could go. She smiled into her pillow, which was comfort itself, before opening her blue eyes and welcoming the day. From her terrace, the sun was rising just over the horizon, peeking out as it prepared to greet the desert with more glaring heat.
Remembering Mehdi's promise of a new adventure for the day, Steph shot out of bed, heading straight for the armoire. It really was a fashion lover's paradise, and she spent a chunk of the morning picking out clothes she would wear in any given situation, unsure what to put on. When there was a knock at her door, she ran over and answered, hoping it would be Mehdi.
A young serving boy was there. Steph squashed her disappointment with a smile as he told her the Sheikh would be ready for her at any time for breakfast. She thanked the boy and told him she would be just a moment, changing quickly into a long, flowing skirt and white blouse with a blue headpiece to cap it all off.
She was out of her room in a flash, following the boy with a hop in her step. He led her down one of the corridors she had taken with Mehdi the night before, though she could hardly remember which one was which-she had been far too focused on her companion to remember directions.
They entered a large foyer, and Steph saw Mehdi sitting at a table on another wide, sweeping veranda. When he saw her, his face lit up.
"Steph! I hope I didn't wake you. It's much nicer to take breakfast on the veranda early, before the heat really settles in."
Steph smiled broadly. "I slept beautifully, and was awake long before your messenger arrived. Nothing to worry about there."
"Good," Mehdi said with a nod, gesturing for her to sit down.
There was another vast spread on the table for her to peruse, and Steph looked up at Mehdi with a sparkle in her eye.
"Let me guess, another series of El Farahn delicacies?"
Mehdi nodded, not looking away from her as he described everything that was on the table. If Steph were the hopeful sort, she might have thought he was looking at her that way because he couldn't take his eyes off her in her perfectly chosen outfit, but she reminded herself that she was a realist and tucked that hope away.
"We have a very large amount of cinnamon produced in our northern region, beyond the desert. Because of this, many of our morning food options tend to have that spice included. Try this one," he said, holding out a flaky pastry that was clearly cinnamon dusted.
Steph took it delicately from his fingers and tried a bite. An explosion of flavor erupted on her tongue, and she grinned.
"Now that is sensational," she gushed.
"Does it taste different to you?"
Steph savored the flavor a little longer, realizing that it did taste different to the cinnamon she was used to.
"It's not quite the same, though it is definitely better."
Mehdi nodded. "That is because most of the cinnamon you have in the West is really what we call cassia. It's a related plant, but it's not true cinnamon. What you are tasting now is the real thing."
"So you're telling me I've been eating the wrong spice my whole life and never knew it?"
"Probably. Still, you're eating it now, and that's what counts! Try this one next."
Mehdi had her sample every dish on the table, each one better than the next, before he was satisfied that she had had enough to eat. As the sun continued its rise into the sky, Steph felt herself getting warmer.
"It might be too warm to stay out here for much longer," she said.
"I agree," Mehdi said. "You're still on board for a small excursion today? I think I've got just the thing for us to do."
Steph's eyes glittered at the possibilities. "Of course. Where are we going?"
"That is for me to know and you to find out. You will get one hint, however. Bring what you would need for a day at the beach."
"The beach!" Steph squealed, elated.
Growing up in landlocked Vermont, it wasn't often that Steph got to go to the beach, and when she did, it was a frosty New England one at best. She loved the ocean, and she had hoped for the chance to enjoy it in El Farah. It was as if Mehdi were a mind reader!
He laughed, dabbing the corner of his lips as he stood. "Well then, let's not wait another moment. Can you meet me at the front of the palace in a few minutes?"
"Heck yeah I can!" she said. Feeling impulsive, she rose and dashed around the table, throwing her arms around his neck and giving him a big hug.
Mehdi hugged her back before releasing her with a smile. "What was that for?"
"You must know, my rescuer!" she said, blushing as she turned tail and scurried back to her room, closing the door behind her.
He had felt so good in her arms for that brief moment. It had taken everything in her to let him go. If it hadn't been for the promise of a new adventure, she probably wouldn't have. As it was, she found herself back at the armoire, where she picked out a tasteful one-piece swimsuit and some beach clothes to wear over it. Grabbing a towel, she finished her packing within minutes and was out the door, navigating her way back to the main foyer, where Mehdi was already waiting.
He was dressed in swimming trunks and a bright blue shirt, and he looked like he could have been any surfer at a California beach somewhere, not the ruling sheikh of a whole country. Steph liked Mehdi's beach look. Of course, she tended to like him in anything he wore.
When she approached him, his gaze was filled with challenge.
"Ready?"
"As I'll ever be," she said, her stomach exploding with butterflies.
How was this man able to make her whole body react with one word, one twitch of his lip? He was amazing in every possible way, and Steph walked a little closer to him than normal as she fell into step by his side. They walked down a hallway until they reached a door to the outside, where Steph saw a helicopter waiting for them.
"What?" she asked, incredulous.
Mehdi slid on a pair of sunglasses, turning into sexiness personified. His rugged smile had her heart doing somersaults.
"When I promise an adventure, I don't go small."
"I see that," she breathed as he placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her toward the helicopter.
Steph slid inside and buckled herself in, taking the proffered headset Mehdi handed her so they could communicate on the way. Once they were strapped in, the helicopter whisked into the air, and Steph grabbed on to Mehdi's arm as they soared over El Farah, the country exposed in its entirety as they lifted higher and higher into the sky.