The Sheikh's Stolen Bride-To-Be(15)

Mehdi pointed out the cinnamon forests to the north, as well as some  other distinguishable landmarks that Steph had a hard time caring about  as she clung to his bicep. They left land behind, flying over smooth,  blue waters for a short time.



Mehdi looked down and pointed, and Steph turned her head in that  direction. They were flying toward a small exotic island that was shaped  exactly like a leaf. It was unlike anything Steph had ever seen.



As the helicopter began its descent, Steph watched with wide eyes as  they approached turquoise-blue water surrounded by silky white sand.  They landed on a small helicopter pad, gently touching the ground before  the blades ceased turning and they were able to step out onto solid  ground.



Steph gazed all around her at the secluded island, and then she turned and grinned at Mehdi.



"Okay, this is seriously cool."



The Sheikh's grin was wide as he took her hand in his and thanked the  pilot before escorting her off the helicopter pad. Steph's heart soared  at the gesture, and she laced her fingers with his as they walked toward  a small, boutique resort.         

     



 



Inside the main building, there was a small concierge desk with a woman  standing behind it. When she glanced up, her eyes widened.



"Your-" she began, but at the look on Mehdi's face, she stopped herself.



"Hello, sir. It's a pleasure to see you here today! What can we do to accommodate you?"



"Hello," Mehdi said, greeting her warmly. "My friend and I would like a  private cabana, some sunscreen, and a picnic basket with your finest  offerings for the day, please."



"It will be ready in just one moment. You can enjoy the beachfront while you wait, if you'd like."



"Thank you," Mehdi said, steering Steph in that direction.



As they stood waiting for their provisions to be ready, Steph glanced up at Mehdi with a curious stare.



"Why don't you like people addressing you by your title?" she asked. "And how do they know not to do so?"



Mehdi glanced down at her before he gazed out at the shimmering, crystal-blue waters.



"I would rather not be singled out in that way. People still tend to  treat me better than they would others-it kind of comes with the  territory-but I have made it known that I prefer not to be addressed as  anything other than sir, if one must be so formal."



"You are quite a man of the people for a royal," Steph said, and Mehdi's thoughtful look turned jovial once again.



"Yes, I am quite unusual, I'm afraid. Do you think I'm strange?"



He gazed searchingly into her eyes, and she held his gaze.



"Not one bit. I think you are the perfect monarch, and I am grateful that I can call you mine."



Hearing the implication of her words, Steph blushed and began to  backtrack. "I mean my sheikh, or ruler, or whatever. Obviously … "



Mehdi's gaze was warm as he looked at her, and he leaned down, about to  say something, when the concierge approached them from behind.



"Here you are, sir! Enjoy your time on the island."



With the spell effectively broken, Mehdi forced a smile for the woman  before taking a large picnic basket and holding out his arm for Steph to  take.



"Shall we?" he asked.



She placed her hand on his arm without hesitation and looked ahead at  the beautiful scenery. "Absolutely," she said, enjoying the feel of the  sand beneath her sandaled feet as they walked over to a private cabana.



Inside, there was a misting fan and a refrigerator, as well as a couple  of comfortable lounging chairs. Mehdi made quick work of filling the  fridge with a series of foodstuffs Steph didn't recognize before tossing  her the sunscreen.



"You'll want to put this on. The sun is much stronger here than in the northern climes you're used to," he said.



Steph caught the sunscreen and opened it, applying it liberally to her  arms and legs. When it came time to get her back, she hesitated, but  Mehdi was right there.



"Allow me," he said, squirting some of the lotion onto his hand and rubbing it along the back of her shoulders.



If Steph could purr, she probably would have in that moment. Mehdi even  massaged her shoulders a little as he applied the sunscreen, and when he  was done Steph fought back sharp disappointment at losing his warm  touch.



"Can you get mine?" he asked, turning around.



Steph turned, taking the sunscreen from a side table and filling her  hand with plenty. She ran her fingers all along his shoulders and back,  savoring the feel of him as she tried to think about anything other than  doing this in a bed somewhere.



"I'm surprised you need sunscreen, since you've lived here all your  life," she said, trying to bring up anything that would distract her  from how good it felt to run her hands along his muscular back.



When he turned, she caught her first glimpse of his perfectly sculpted  abdomen, and she averted her eyes lest he catch her staring.



"It's important to care for one's skin, no matter how adept it may be at  absorbing the sun's rays," he said, taking the lotion she dangled from  her fingers.



"Now, your next lesson in El Farah geography is this: How warm are the waters of our ocean?"         

     



 



Steph grinned. "I don't know, but I bet I'll find out before you do."



With that, she dashed out of the cabana and straight toward the water,  not looking back. She laughed as a cool breeze danced along her face,  the sun not nearly as intense on the island as it had been back toward  the desert. She heard Mehdi laughing before she cried out, her legs  swept up from under her.



Mehdi carried her all the way into the water, and they both laughed as he dove in, taking her underwater with him.



As they went beneath the waves, Steph opened her eyes and was surprised  that it didn't sting her eyes to do so. Around her she saw a few of the  colorful fish she had seen in the aquarium on her first day in El Farah,  and she laughed underwater, a bubble of air popping out of her mouth  and floating to the surface.



Swimming upward, she crashed back to the surface, where she saw Mehdi floating along, his body perfectly flat along the water.



"This has got to be the cleanest water I've ever seen," Steph said,  running her hands along her wet hair to keep it out of her face.



"I think we do a pretty good job of maintaining it," Mehdi said. "Now look behind you."



Steph turned in the water, feeling it flow between her fingers as fine  silt encased her toes. Across from them, a small, rocky island protruded  sharply from the water. When she looked back at Mehdi, she saw the  gleam of competition in his eyes.



"You want a real race?" he challenged.



"I thought you'd never ask."



"Ready, set, go!" Mehdi called before striking the water with his arms as he swam fast as a shark toward the island.



Steph dove in after him, quickly catching up. Mehdi caught her eye,  realizing she was right alongside him, and even as they swam she saw the  surprise and delight on his face as they made stroke after stroke  toward the other island. As they approached, Steph picked up her speed,  running to the shore and collapsing on the sand just before Mehdi, who  landed right beside her.



They breathed hard as they laughed.



"You never told me you were an Olympic swimmer!" Mehdi said between deep breaths and laughter.



"I guess it just slipped my mind," Steph said. "You know, with that pesky arranged marriage and all."



They took a moment to catch their breath as they lay on the sand staring  up at the clear blue sky. When they finally recovered, Mehdi sat up,  holding out a hand to help Steph do the same. She took it gratefully.



"There is a reason I wanted to bring you here," he said, glancing behind them.



Steph followed suit and saw several stone archways that led to a series  of caves. Something was glowing inside them. Something she couldn't wait  to explore.



When she looked back at Mehdi, he was grinning from ear to ear.



"Well," she said, "what are we waiting for?"





ELEVEN



Steph





Steph grinned at Mehdi before dashing over to the caves, continuing  their race. She heard him laugh behind her before he easily caught up,  jogging alongside her. When they reached the cave's entrance, Steph  stopped.



"Is it safe to go in there?" she asked. As much as she had longed for an  adventure just like this, she was still a cautious person. Wasn't she?



Mehdi nodded, allaying her fears. "Perfectly. Come on," he said, reaching for her hand as he stepped forward into the cave.



Inside, the clear blue waters turned translucent beneath the cave  ceiling, which was glowing a neon cyan that sparkled above the  reflection of the water.



"What is this?" Steph said, amazed.



Mehdi gazed around them, his eyes bright in the glowing light.



"It's a type of algae that's particular to this region. The salt from  the water evaporates into the air, causing the unique glow."