SHEIKH DENIED - completed

Chapter Four

Opening her eyes, Lottie jerked up as she stared into dark brown eyes. "Zaid," she breathed, running a hand through her hair, looking around dazed. She hadn't meant to fall asleep and to be gone before he come back.

"Don't you think it is time you start telling me the truth? First of all, you have this massive hissy fit about not having any time off to visit family, now I can't seem to get rid of you. Please enlighten me. I'm all ears."

She sighed. What was the use? She could never lie to him. "I guess I didn't need as much time off as I thought, and remember now, why I needed to get away in the first place. Send her away Zaid, and I'd be back in force, better than before," she promised.

He eyed her closely. "You want me to send her away, after all I had to put up with?" he asked in astonishment. "I don't think so, Lottie."

Her lips perched in annoyance. "Will you drop it? Stop calling me that. I have always been your Charlotte, and I never let anyone call me that," she spat in anger.

"I see you need more time off," he noted, standing up from the bed.

"No!" she wailed. "I need to work. I made a mistake Zaid. Please let me come back to work," she begged. "My family is driving me completely insane, and I have nothing in common with my friends anymore." Tears sprung to her eyes, bringing him back to her side, taking her into his arms to hold.

"I can't. I signed a contract, you know that. If you want to stay here, then do so, just no more hissy fits. Come and go, as you please, and try to be nice to Christine."

"Can I really?" she asked with a sniff, looking up under spiked lashes, have the tears wiped away. "Can I really stay? I won't be a bother, it's just I need to breathe. I need the peace."

He brushed untamed hair from her face. "Is it really that bad?"

"Yes. I need calm, order, and mostly you." Colour flooded her cheeks, licking suddenly dry lips. "Your ordered, and structured life," she added before she made a complete ass of herself. She really did need him.

"Maybe I have a better idea. You can still have your holiday, but not here, and I need a few days off myself."

"You," she gasped. "In four years you had never taken time off."

"Then it is time I did. How do the Greek Islands sound?"

"Perfect, when do we go?"

"As soon as I can arrange it. Do you need anything?" 

She nodded to be driven home in the limousine, collecting all her new clothes.  Finally, Zaid met her mother, who was covered in paint, her hair messy, wearing a smock over her clothes, and running critical eyes over him. 

"So you're the one, and can see why."

"Oh mum" she moaned. "She's like you Zaid, always talking in riddles. I'm just grabbing my stuff, then leaving again." Lottie rushed upstairs to quickly pack her new clothes into a bag. Changed into a little mint lace dress, and rushed back downstairs to be met with stony silence. Not good, kissing her mother on her cheek. "I'll ring tonight to say goodbye to everyone else. We must go, Zaid's a busy man." She practically shoved him out the door, having her bag taken out of her hand.

"You have an interesting mother," he noted.

She moaned. "What did she say? Mum always speaks her mind. I hope she didn't offend you. Not that she would mean to, it's just her way."

"No, your mother was very pleasant," he smiled, placing an arm around her, and guiding her to the car, both unaware of being watched from inside the house.