Khalaf hadn't been kidding when they arrived in England they hit the tarmac running and was taken away in a private city car, straight towards the University, where he had a meeting with the head dean. Olivia stayed in the car. She didn't want to cause him any more problems or headaches.
Quietly she sat in the car, watching the activity of the busy university, pondering over her future. Where did she go from here? She couldn't stay with the sheikh or in his country, she could see that now. She could hide away in her parent's house, while she looked for a new job, new life, a new beginning, if she was lucky enough to find one.
Of course, that also meant a new circle of friends. She reached for her handbag and removed her mobile. Did she or not? She had shut down all communications with her friends. Had she been wrong to shut out her friends as she had?
"Get in the car," Khalaf tight voice ordered, making her throw her mobile back into her bag and shifted across as he lowered into the car at her side. She glanced across and confront two blackheads siblings, one with long flowing hair, the other short and cropped to his head.
Without saying anything a word, she rubbed Khalaf's arm, feeling his tension and smiled as he looked down. "Is this Oxford or Cambridge?"
"Oxford," he answered, covering her hand on his arm with his own. She looked behind as they left the grounds of the university.
"It is amazing, did you go there?"
"Yes, well mostly," he added thoughtfully.
She looked at him stunned. "You didn't finish?"
"No, I had to go home."
"Really, why?"
"Family issues."
"Oh, sorry." He didn't like talking about his family and personal stuff, she was beginning to learn. "Did you ever finish the courses?"
"Yes." That pleased her.
"Now where are we going?"
"Shipping the twins home," he stated coldly and exactly what he did as they watch the plane take off with the twins aboard who weren't happy been sent home alone, looking very sullen, shooting her daggers as if it was her fault.
"They didn't look that happy," she noted.
"They are lucky to be breathing," he growled. "Come, I have some business that needs my attention"
"Oh, what is that? Are we staying here?"
He gave her a crooked smile. "Unless you have sprouted wings that I don't know about that would be correct."
"Oh, you." Playfully she swatted his crossed arm, both leaning against the car, receiving a raised brow at such actions. "You know what I mean, why didn't we go with them?" Not that she was in any hurry to leave because that would mean her going home.
"At this time it is best there is a distance between us. They will be collected and grounded until I come back and decide what to do with them."
"What did they do?" she asked astonished, what could have they done to be expelled from the university?
"They have pushed the boundaries once too often, and have tried my patience beyond reason. I do not want to discuss those two," he dismissed straightened as if he was ready to leave. A man was there instantly and opened the back door, where she lowered in and slid across and was joined by Khalaf, who instructed his driver to go, leaving the airport and heading towards the centre of London. Olivia's nose was pressed against the window, taking in all the sites.
Khalaf watched her with interest, she was like a kid in a candy store, not sure what to look at first, grinning, shifting closer towards her, leaning over and pointed out famous sites and some not so famous, having a captive audience. Floral sent filled all his senses, remembering her gentle touch on his arm as she touched him with comfort.
He couldn't remember the last time anyone had done that. His parents probably, sliding an arm along the back of the seat behind her, where she snuggled up against his shoulder, smiling up at him. She asked endless questions about London as they merged through the traffic and far too soon they arrived at their destination.
His temporary home, one of many, when he left his country, usually on state matters. Living out of hotels wasn't something he desired, owning many penthouses around the world, always waiting to be used by him or his family, whenever needed. He hadn't been kidding when he said he didn't want to be on the same flight as the twins.
Turning off the main road, they headed down below into a private car park where they pulled up beside an elevator, where he guided Olivia out, holding her hand as he went straight towards the elevator and were taken straight up to the penthouse, stepping out into a grand entrance that took Olivia's breath away.
They went through a door into a living room. "Go and make yourself at home. I have a few phone calls to make and make sure that everything is in place when the twins arrive home."
Nodding, she happily went off exploring, discovering it was a two-level penthouse, not she had ever been in such luxurious surrounding before, and the bedrooms were downstairs, entering the most gorgeous room with a full window that overlooked the city of London with its own balcony, unlocked and stepped out and was bombarded with the sounds of the city and sites, looking down upon the Thames River.
"What is it with you and my bedrooms?" Startled she spun around, hand on her racing heart.
"Khalaf," she blew out a breath. "I guess I have to find another room," she sighed dramatically.
"Yes, since I snore," he noted stepping out, joining her side, placing hands on the balcony rail, and looked out across the city of London. "It's so busy." He missed his own quieter city and desert setting with the Persian Gulf in the background.
"Yes, it is," She shifted closer, rubbing his arm feeling his sadness. "Then you should've gone home, Khalaf. The plane was big enough to keep the distance of the twins, and you don't snore," she added.
"I know," he looked down upon her uptilted face to finally see peace. "So we could share the bed after all?" he teased, having heat burning her cheeks bright red.
"Ah, but I do," she pointed out covering her embarrassment.
"I don't mind," he said, and then added, "and you don't." Just cry.
"Get me on my back with a few glasses behind me and believe me I will take off your roof, so I better find my own bed." She eased away, heading back into the bedroom that was straight out of Arabian nights.
Having its own build-in canopy with red curtains hanging above the bed, however, not draping all the way to the ground. Above a king-sized bed, overrun by pillows and bolsters mixed with colours of red, orange, yellow, and browns. Behind the bed was recessed area framed by carved Moorish style patterned wood with different sized red crystal candle glasses.
"May I," she asked fascinated to be nodded at. She sat down on the edge of the bed, which was so comfortable and edged into the middle of the bed and laid down in the middle of all the pillows. "I love how you have all these pillows." She twisting onto her stomach, resting her chin the heels of her hands, legs swinging as she took in the vase-shaped candle glasses, edging higher on her elbows, peering into the cubby cove and looked over the hidden treasure of hand caved silver jewellery boxes.
She looked from side to side at the hanging lanterns over the hand-carved bedside tables. Flopping onto her back she eagle-spread out her arms, staring up at the canopy above her head, pleated red curtains gathered in the middle to drape across and hang from all sides in a handkerchief design.
Khalaf coughed, having her sitting up. He pointed at the door. Bouncing off the bed she straightened up the covers, stacked the pillows before following him out to be shown to another room that was nice but not as good as his.
This time she couldn't share his bed, looking around, making all the right comments, saying how lovely it was, which it was, but didn't have the heart and soul as his room did. I was quite plain though exquisite in taste and style that most would love to stay in. Her heart belonged to another bed. Swinging on Khalaf, hands behind her back, she smiled. "It's such a lovely room." It was.
"Liar." He tapped her nose. "And I'm not swapping; it keeps me sane while here."
In understanding, she nodded. "A touch of your homeland while away from home." The rest of the penthouse was so much plainer, stunning but didn't have the Arabian flavour of his bedroom. "Maybe we can take turns," she suggested tongue in cheek.
"The only way you will get in that bed is while I am in it."
"Couldn't we discuss this," she asked following him out and back towards the second floor, ignored. "Is that a maybe?"
"You know the answer to that Olivia, now shall we eat?" She entered the main room, following him through the penthouse and out to the balcony, where a table was waiting, set up for two.
"Oh, this is nice." He pulled out a chair, one that faced the city that was taken with a thank you. Circling the table, he sat on the opposite side facing her, tucked away in the corner undercover as their first course was served to be enjoyed, where they relaxed, enjoying the views and just talked.
"So what did the twins do?" she asked biting into deserts. He raised a brow in disbelief, unbelieving she would ask after he made it clear the subject was closed. "I just can't see what they could do to get kicked out." Her eyes widened dramatically. "They weren't streaking through the university?" she dared innocently.
"They might as well have been," he grumbled then sighed. "Just one of many things to break the camel's back."
"So they were determined to go home?"
"Yes."
"To do what?"
"Now that is a good question. I don't think that ever entered their heads."
"So they played up, to be sent home?" Sadly she shook her head. What a waste when they had so many opportunities, while others had none. She guessed they were set up for life no matter what. "You could always marry them off," she thought out loud, thinking about those arranged marriages she had heard about in countries like his.
Khalaf nearly choked on his coffee that he had been savouring. "I do not believe I'm hearing this from a westerner, who are dead set on their rights of marring whoever they wanted and you want to marry them off?"
She flashed a smile. "I was only trying to help. No, not really, it just seems to me they both need a good kick up the...." She fell away at his warning stare. "Okay, okay, keep my opinions to myself, noted and done, so what's next on the agenda?" she asked as she finished, the dessert plate was taken away and a platter of cheeses was set between them. "Apart from jogging around the block?" she noted eyeing off the delicious assortment of cheese and fruits, helping herself. She had never enjoyed such a rich variety of foods as she had over the last couple of days.
"After this, I have a few meetings to attend, followed by calls and conference calls. I have an extended library that you are welcome to use. There is a large television in my room," her eyes lit up with interest, "with an extended built-in library of movies. I'm sorry I cannot allow you to wander out by yourself. I will arrange a shopping trip later if you are interested. If I have time, I will organise a night out at the West End. If there is anything you need or want all you have to do is ask Abdul, he will stay here, seeing to all your needs." He glanced at his watch. "I do have to leave."
"Of course," she waved away. "I don't need a baby sitter. I will stay put," she promised at his hardened expression. "However, I might need to buy something for the West End. I didn't pack anything for a night out." She didn't add she had nothing suitable to wear if she had.
"I will see to it," he inclined his head and departed leaving her sitting at the table as it was cleared away, deciding to have coffee here, enjoying the views. Khalaf was correct it was noisy, though beautiful.
After a long afternoon of meetings he had been putting of,f Khalaf entered the penthouse, finding it strangely quiet. Sending one of his men to find Abdul, he dropped his briefcase into a seat and draped his coat over as he undid the constricting tie and unbutton of his shirt as the men came back. "Where is Olivia?" they were greeted with. That was what was missing, her bright smile he had seen over the last couple of days that was so much better than those saddened eyes of her. "I hope she didn't leave the penthouse."
After the desert incident he wanted to keep her safe. Walking the streets of London could be just as dangerous and the last thing he needed, was a complete stranger, hitting onto her. "Downstairs in your room, sire, watching a movie. She had said it was allowed," Abdul said nervously.
Khalaf waved away his concerns. "Olivia has free rein everywhere." Why wasn't he surprised to hear that? Collecting his belonging, he headed downstairs, after giving orders, coffee for two, and brought to his room.
Just as he was informed, Olivia was snuggled in his bed, cuddling a pillow engrossed in a movie, the room darkened, flat screen that had been lowered from the ceiling, blaring. Tossing his belongs into a chair he sat down in another, removing his shoes, followed by his socks, unbuttoning his shirt, his gaze going from the bed to the screen, especially as it exploded into action, building bursting into flames, where someone was thrown by the explosion.
He would've thought she had enough of life defying action to last a lifetime. Obviously not, she hadn't moved or glanced his way, and had taken him literally about using his bed. Any excuse, he came to realise, she was under the covers, lost in a sea of pillows in the middle of the king-sized bed. He wasn't sure if he should be offended or not that she was more interested in his bed than him. Another explosion filled the screen drawing his gaze again, then the attendant standing in the doorway with a tray to be waved in and pointed at the bedside table, where the tray was placed down.
Olivia looked across. "Thanks," she murmured. "Any chips? Better not," she changed her mind smiling. "We don't want crumbs in his bed."
"No, we do not," Khalaf drawled startling her, springing out of the cushions, holding the bedding to her chest. Not again. What was it with her been naked in his bed, both time without his approval, then again, he frowned, he had given her permission both times, however, not remembering anything about been naked in them.
"Khalaf," she gasped searching for the remote, found, and placed the movie on pause. "I'm sorry, what time is it?" She looked around for a clock.
He waved away the attendant, who departed, closing the door behind him. "Are you naked in my bed again, Olivia Jones?"
Heat coloured her cheeks. "Um, I didn't want to crease my clothing, and it was cozy in here and....." she drifted off, watching him as he rose and disappeared into a walk-in wardrobe, coming back and threw his cashmere sweater at her that she pulled over her head. "You have the best telly I have ever seen when it came down out of the ceiling," she demonstrated with a hand the lowering of the television from the ceiling, "I was blown away." She wiggled the sweater down over her, though not quite quick enough as the bedding fell away, exposing the soft roundness of a breast, remembering how she felt in his hand, she fitted perfectly in his hand, all that heaviness, so soft and silky to the touch.
Undoing the cuffs of the shirt he pulled the shirt over his head. "I am beginning to think you have a thing for my beds, Olivia." His voice sounded huskier than it should have. She snuggled back down under the covers, lounging back into the pillows.
"I do. They are so romantic and luxurious; actually, to be truthful I only came to see what you had on offer." He looked across for her to point at the telly. "Your collection is enormous. I can't believe your library collection in movies. Do you really get any time to watch them?"
"You mean when I'm not entertaining anyone in my bed or sleeping?"
"Khalaf!" She threw a pillow at him to his amazement that he catch and tossed back.
"You shouldn't be here like that. People do talk Olivia. First the plane, now this, not really acceptable." Chewing on her bottom lip she lowered her eyes, nodding.
"Of course, sorry. I'll just get out of your hair."
"Finish your movie Olivia and have some coffee, pour one for me." Departing he went back into the wardrobe, stripped-down and pulled on loose white pants and headed back, settling on the bed at her side, where she handed over a cup of coffee, hers on the other bedside table, perched up higher in piled-up cushions. Taking the cup he placed it down on his side table, found the remote, and turned the movie back on. "What are we watching?"
"Mission Impossible four. He will be going down the side of Burj Khalifa shortly." He had thought the face had looked familiar. Tom Cruise.
"Seen it before then?"
"Heaps of times, I love the way he scales down the tallest building in the world."
"Against all the odds the good guy wins."
She grinned at him. "That's the best type." Reaching for her cup, she sipped from as she drew up her knees to hug with an arm. "All finished?"
"For now. What else have you been doing, apart from fawning over my bed?"
"Khalaf," she nearly choked on her coffee. "Okay, okay, I get it, leave your bed alone. Just enjoying the views and scribbling."
"Just next time wait until you are invited," he noted, shifting to go under the covers himself, settling in, reaching for his coffee as they went back to watching the movie. After finishing the coffee, they snuggled together, Olivia leaning against his arm, hand on his shoulder as was her chin, though mostly in the pillows.
"Do they really get that bad?" she asked out of no-where as Tom Cruise chased after the bad guy from the sudden sandstorm, mouth covered by a head scarf, wearing goggles.
"Worse, one can move sand dunes for miles."
"Have you been in one?"
"Yes, years ago, now hush." He placed his hand on her thigh pressed against his, caressing skin where the sweater allowed as the stress of the afternoon drained away, never felt so relaxed that his eyes began to close, filled with her sent and the warmth of her body against his. Very aware of her breast touching his arm, her soft breath against his skin, the sudden brushing fingers against his jaw.
"Shall I leave?" she whispered her warm breath against his jaw as she leaned in closer.
"No, stay," he released a slow breath enjoying her closeness. "Finish your movie, habibti." Her hand went back to his shoulder and settled at his side, letting her and the sound of the movie take over, drifting off to sleep. He could get used to this.
Instead of watching the film that she had seen many, many times, Olivia watched Khalaf sleep. She knew she shouldn't be here, knew she shouldn't have stripped and slipped into his amazing bed to have such soft texture against her skin but she had felt lonely and when in his bed like this she felt a little bit closer to him, which was wrong, all wrong. She couldn't trust men, not really, only her family and he was a stranger, yet in some strange way, she felt close to him. She couldn't explain it, she just did.
Hovering over him, she resisted the urge to stroke his strong stubble jawline. In sleep, he wasn't so intense, or stubborn. Dark long lashes, most women would die for, resting against his milk chocolate skin, thick black hair fell softly across his broad forehead, his cheeks bones slanted sharply, giving him chiselled features, yet softened in sleep.
His full shapely lips slack, slightly part, breathing shallow and didn't snore, not even on his back. She couldn't believe he was a sheikh, flicking hair back from his forehead, caressing a finger across, pleased to see those stress lines gone. Suddenly he shifted rolling onto his side, taking her with him, an arm going around her waist and buried his face into her breasts, rubbing his cheek against.
Daring not to move, she looked down on his dark head, running fingers through the softness, letting him sleep, and went back to the movie, very aware of his body against hers, her eyes widening as his hand dropped, and curled around her bottom and buried his face into the valley of her breasts over the sweater, her nipples hardening with reaction.
Oh, great that is all she needed, him to wake and find her aroused by his touch. She should've stayed out of his bed. To be honest she expected to be gone before he came back, leaving no evidence of her invasion. Why did he have to have such a huge collection of her favourite movies?
The ringing of a phone had him rolling away, much to her relief, sinking further under the bedding, staring at the screen as he reached for the phone and answered in his motherland's tongue, and replaced, running a hand over his face. "I have to go." Tossing back the covers, he went to change back into his suit and departed.
Ten minutes later, Olivia had fixed the bed, retracted the television back into the ceiling, collected her clothes, and went to her room, and changed back into her own clothes. Going back she collected the tray, filling up with empty cups and took back upstairs to the provided kitchen and handed over the tray, wandering back into the main living room, where Abdul was waiting to inform her, she was dining alone and had no idea when his Excellency would be returning. After dinner, she went through his library instead, finding a nice supply of books to occupy her time instead, taking it back to her room, where she stripped and snuggled under the covers and read well into the night.
"Still awake?"
She looked across at the man in the doorway of her bedroom, the jacket was gone, buttons of his shirt half way was undone, looking ragged, his hair messy from too many hand ruffling. She waved the book at him. "Yes."
"Care to join me in a coffee or a drink?" Sitting up, she gasped, dropping down, she had forgotten, she hadn't a stitch on. Note to herself to start wearing nightwear. She just loved the freedom and feel of the sheets against her skin especially such quality as the ones covering her now.
"Okay, just give me five." He looked across the room, entered, and went to retrieve his sweater that had been folded neatly, in a chair.
"Nice try, habibti, but it is mine."
"Then stop giving it to me," she protested.
"Okay, I will, just keep you naked instead. I could handle that."
"Khalaf!" she roared. Laughing he ducked as he left as a pillow went flying passed, missed the target, and out the door.
Bookmarking the page, because she hated creasing the pages, Olivia stepped out of bed, placing on a caftan to wander upstairs, finding Khalaf waiting for her, his shirt had gone, replaced with the sweater, sleeves pushed up to the elbow, over black pants "Now you're just teasing me," she noted as he handed over a balloon sized glass with a small amount of amber liquid in the bottom. Even though it did look debonair on him, falling from his broad shoulders and chest to be loose around his taught tight abs and lean hips. "So what was so important you had to rush off? You missed a good movie."
"Just a crisis meeting that has been sorted. A business I should've seen to months ago." With his own glass, he settled down into a large white sofa, patting the seat beside him, where she settled at his side, tucking up her legs at her side. Tenderly he brushed her hair with his fingers guiding her up against his side. "I'm sorry Olivia, however, the next few days will be filled with my absentee. I have much that needs my full attention."
"I understand, you're a busy man, Khalaf, and you had no choice, as you pointed out, to bring me. I'm happy just to chill and to be honest glad to get out of the sand and heat. I have a lot to think over," she added softly. His hand fell, draping over her shoulder and play with her silky strains of thick coppery hair.
"Like what?" he prompted.
"Like not sneaking into your bed," she teased.
"Like what?" he asked again more seriously, not fooled by the cover-up.
She shrugged, swirling the golden liquid in the glass. "Where I go from here, I guess." She brought up the glass to her lips, taking a long sip. The liquid went down soothingly, warming her. Placing down his glass, Khalaf removed a long black remote control, dimming the lights then pointed at a glass panel in the wall to have flickering lights of a gas heater, making her gasp.
"Oh, I like that," she sighed at the lowered lights and flicking fire lights, finding the ambiance so romantic, snuggling up against her sheikh. She felt like she had to pinch herself, making sure it was all real.
"As much as my bed?" he asked.
"You wish, not quite," she admitted, but a close second.
Leaning back against Khalaf, she slipped fingers though his from the draped arm around her neck, now settled between his legs, sipping at the cognac, mellow. He rested his chin on top of her head, circling her waist with his other arm, glass-free. He glanced at his watch. "Another long day tomorrow so we need to get some sleep." She twisted in his arms, where she had the glass removed and placed on a side table. He tucked hair back behind her ear. "Although I would rather stay here, I do feel rather relaxed," he smiled warming her heart.
"Is there a telly here?" she asked not ready for bed. She didn't mind entertaining herself and wasn't tired. She had read enough, so she was ready for a movie. Khalaf removed the long black remote control on the table and pressed a button. There was one to be lowered, handing over the remote, Khalaf departed, leaving her to it.
She missed him as soon as he left, snuggling in the corner, where he had been sitting absorbing his heat and warmth as she flicked through the choice of movies, settling on a romantic comedy. When she finally went to bed, she paused beside his bedroom door, wondering if he was asleep, opening the door as quietly as possible.
"Yes?" came a deep voice.
"Oh, you're still awake?" she asked surprised not sure why she had done that. "Just wanted to say goodnight and thanks for everything."
"Goodnight Olivia." There was a rustling of sheets, so closed the door, and went to her room, where she stripped down and climb under the bedding, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillows with a smile on her lips.
A smile that hadn't been there for a long time.
Khalaf hit another pillow, wondering why he didn't ask her to sleep in his bed. He had a feeling he would be asleep by now if she had been in his arms like earlier. Then smiled to himself warily. Probably not.
After a lot of tossing and turning he eventually got some shuteye before he had to leave again, seeing to more state business, looking in on Olivia, who was sound asleep the sheets twisted around her naked form, closing the door.
He will just have to keep his distance.
He couldn't afford the distraction, could he?