"Ah, desserts," she said with glee as it was placed down in front of her. Her decadent Tiramisu in a glass of rich chocolate, cream and espresso-encrusted ladyfingers. She placed a possessive hand around it as she dug in with her spoon.
"I guess we don't share desserts?" He teased by the way she was protecting her dessert.
"No way. I promise to leave you alone, something's aren't meant to be shared." She peered across to his plate. Amaretti and chocolate custard, raspberry sauce and vanilla Chantilly, she was informed. "Oh, you got me at raspberry sauce," she laughed. "I might have my arm twisted if you try."
"We'll see after you finish that if you can handle anymore," he offered inclining his head towards her dessert. She glanced down to see it was three-quarters gone.
"No, I'm fine," she smiled digging in and finishing. Their coffee arrived with a platter of cheeses and fruits to be shared. "Coffee time, so down to business."
"No, just say yes Andrea, and we will deal with the rest of it on the plane."
"You just want me somewhere I can't escape," she teased, totally relaxed, savouring her cappuccino.
"So true."
"Okay, let's just go over the basics. How did you plan to pay me in a ballpark way and what do you expect from me? To do rewrites when needed or am I supposed to be on set every day?"
He leaned back, resting his arm on the back of the chair. "You've done this before."
"We do have to sign contracts."
"Ah, but you don't sign anything before you have finished a book."
"Because I can't guarantee a time done, it's the way I write. I can go for it like a bull in a china shop, and then just stop dead. I had to stop two book deals because it stressed me, and I cannot write under those situations."
"Now they will take whatever you produce," he stated.
"Have you been checking up on me?"
"That is the business side of me, however, makes no difference to me. I still want you. It is your book Andrea and I want to see it come alive on the big screen and do it justice. I want you to be involved in every part of it, choosing the actors, and so forth."
She glared at him in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me. Isn't that what a director does?"
"Well, your input," he smiled. "My dear Andrea you know the characters better than anyone else."
"They grow on me," she had to smile. "There is no rule book, Shihab. A spark, an idea and go for it."
"However, it's inside of you Andrea."
She coughed. "Back to business."
He shifted, placing his hands around his cup though, didn't pick it up or touched it, lowering his eyes, and then looked across with those dark liquid silver eyes of his. "I would go with the salary," he advised.
"Oh, so I get paid if I work or not, on some days?" He pursed his lips, and she smiled. "Could be right. Depends on what is on offer. If one is paid by the hour, or break down the salary to find out what is the hourly rate that has to be compared."
"No one is going to pull the wool over your eyes Andrea."
"I learned the hard way. I have a lawyer friend, who goes over my contracts."
"Now that wouldn't be Alex?" He probed.
"What? Do you have a dossier on me? Should I be worried Mr. Stalker?" She teased, not feeling any kind of threat at all.
He shook his head. "No need, you were very adoring to Alex in a dedication."
"Oh, that," she laughed. "She really dug me out of a hole, legally."
"Ah, yes, a very askew law I had to look it up myself." She grinned at her cleverness, well Alex's. "So that explained the devotion. I have to find something special so I can get such a dedication. I was so envious."
"Really?" She asked, shocked. "I'm sure you have lots of devoted women at your feet."
"Hmm, wrong type," he noted, lifting a hand, and bringing a waiter across. "A liqueur with your coffee?" He wasn't denying it, so all true. Not at all surprised.
"No, I'm fine, thank you, nothing with coffee. I need a clear head tomorrow, rewrites and edits."
His brows come down, perplexed. "I hope it's not a busy time for you, like in the middle of a book and deadlines?"
"No, not at all. Well, there are my deadlines, not the publishers. Don't worry Shihab, I have decided to go. Once in a lifetime experience, and I finally see the country, I write about."
He nodded, still not so sure. "But you were having second thoughts."
"More like a panic attack. I have never been out of Australia. This is my first big adventure, and I'm not the adventurous type."
He laughed richly. "You have kidnappings, shootings, black ops repelling from helicopters, legends, curses, and hidden agendas, so please tell me now how you are not adventurous."
"I am safe behind a keyboard, do what I like, and they suffer, not me," she smiled. "I do have so much fun," her eyes glowed. "I play this game."
He leaned forward, intrigued. "You do?"
She nodded eagerly. "What if? What if this happened? Or that? Helps at times, when I don't know what to do next."
"Yes, you do love throwing in the unexpected, yet, it works."
"That's because half the time I don't know then bingo, oh, that is why that happened and away I go. My favourite part is they are having a conversation and one blurts out something I had no idea was coming. Bang!" She laughed.
"You have so much passionate about this Andrea, you just glow and it comes across the pages, you have great banter, sensual, and humour with soul."
"Can I keep you as my PR man," she laughed heartily, never feeling so good. "You do me wonders, really you do."
"There are many things I would like to be for you, but that one didn't cross my mind," he noted amused. Colour tinted her cheeks. He was such a tease.
"And, I suppose, you're far too busy to see to my needs," she pointed out, trying to make light of his comment. There was no way he was serious. They had only just met and he wanted her to work for him. He just smiled.
After their delightful meal, coffee and cheese, she was being driven back home again, the evening suddenly finishing far too fast. Suddenly she didn't want it to end, and he was pulling up in front of her house. An older house in a very influential area. All new fancier homes surrounded the home that she was brought up in. She loved her home, even after everything that had transpired.
She daren't think about selling it and starting afresh.
Turning towards Shihab, she debated where to invite him in for coffee, but they just had coffee, so would sound like a strange request, and might think she was offering something else. She licked her lips, not sure what to do, when he opened the door and climbed out, leaving her speechless.
Blinking, she twisted around and watched as he circled the car and come around and opened her door, offering his hand to be taken. A gentleman. Her heart melted once more. She had only dreamed of this.
Surely it can't be real?
He helped her out, closed the door, then tucked her arm through his and walked her to the door. That was it. No kiss goodnight, not even on the cheek, removed her key and opened her front door and waited until she was safe in her house, then he was gone, leaving her standing alone in the hallway.
What was she thinking? shaking her head and headed off towards bed. She had only met him today.
That night she dreamt of a sexy sheikh and a passionate love affair in the desert.
Another story was brewing, strong and steady, reaching into the unknown.
The day the plane was leaving, Andie was nearly bouncing off the walls. She had a once-in-a-lifetime adventure in front of her. There was no sheikh. There was no romance. She was seeing the country, seeing it first-hand, and hopefully doing it justice.
Bags packed, passport in hand, Andie closed the front door of her parent's home and headed down towards the waiting town car, sliding into the back seat after her bags were taken and placed in the boot by the driver. Clicking on the seatbelt, she took a deep breath. She was on her way. Her stomach twisted up with nerves, pressing her hand against it.
It all seemed surreal.
Entering the private plane, Andie tried to take it all in her stride though nearly passed out when apricot and white roses were presented to her. The last thing she expected. Hadn't he already given her too much by flying her out of Australia on his private jet? Never expected that, even if her heroines flew in them all the time. She couldn't get over the space and luxurious setting of super large chairs.
Surely this wasn't happening, but yes, it was as she was shown to a seat that she sunk into and the softness that seemed to suck her down. She had just died and gone to heaven. The attendant removed her flowers and placed them off to the side, placing them into a built-in vase so they wouldn't fall over or go flying when they took off or landed. Very smart. Perhaps he bought all his women guests flowers.
This was so out of her league.
She couldn't help smiling to herself, only if her parents could see her now. Living the dream, only even this once. Okay, they would never understand her, but they loved her up to that horrible car crash. She had found solitude and comfort in her writing, especially after the rest of her family wiped her from their lives. She took a shaky breath and pushed back her hair from her face.
That was in the past and didn't matter, no matter how painful.
Perhaps she could learn from him, by watching the way he acted, how he talked and how he handle himself. Her real first live sheikh, not that he was, but up there with them, going by the cut of his suit. She loved his thick wavy full head of hair that curled at the bottom of the nape of his neck.
"So glad to see you have joined me."
Heart in her throat, she stared up at the man who eased down in the chair opposite and slipped his laptop under his seat. She grabbed hers and followed suit, then eased back into her seat, reaching for the belt and clipping in. Her eyes drifted over to the flowers, warming. No one had ever given her flowers before.
"Thank you for the beautiful flowers, but you didn't have to do that."
He frowned. "Not to your taste?"
"No, they are very beautiful. I love them." She paused to catch her breath. "Sorry, thank you, Shihab, they are gorgeous. Are they going to survive the flight?"
"Yes, Andrea and they would be taken to our room if you desire."
She gulped. "Our room?" She asked warily.
"Sorry. Suite, where we are staying in Dubai before we move on. Once we are settled in the air, we would have a look over the schedule."
She smiled, relaxing. "I'm sure there would be plenty of time."
"Yes, fourteen hours. We are flying straight there."
Her eyes widened. "Do we have enough fuel to do that? It's not like it's a jumbo jet."
"Also not full of people. Just you, me, attendants and pilots."
"Okay, put in my place," she looked out the window that she sat beside, as the engines kicked over. With a slight jerk, they were rolled out backwards and turned once, released, and then headed out to the tarmac, as they prepared to take off.
It was happening, she was leaving Australia and heading towards the Middle East.
Slowly she released an excited pent-up breath.
"You have nothing to worry about Andrea May."
She glanced across, seeing the concern in his liquid silver eyes. Such beautiful eyes. "Can I ask you something?" She asked, learning not to just blurt out as she normally did around him. Only seem to happen around him.
Crossing his legs, he rested locked hands on his lap. "Why do I get the feeling it's going to be very personal? By the way, six foot three."
She blinked at him. "Sorry, uh, that. I thought so. I was just curious about your eyes, such unusual colouring, especially for your race."
"Nothing like the sheikhs you write about."
"Never realised there were silvered eyes in your race."
"Hmm, from my mother's side. Her entire family of silver eyes."
"Oh, do you have siblings?" He nodded without adding more. "Are they silvered-eyed as well?"
"No, I am the only one. The others take after my father's side, very dark eyes, while you have hazel eyes with flecks of yellow and greens, especially under the right sunlight."
"Yes, I take after my mother," she said softly suddenly feeling sad.
She always did when she thought of her parents, so pushed them aside. They were gone and there was nothing she could do to bring them back or change what happened after that, changing her life forever.
"As I do." Though, he watched her closely sensing her change in mood.
She smiled. "Something we have in common."
"I am sure, we have other things also." She wasn't so sure about that, however, the engines' tones were changing and they were moving, revving higher as they prepared to take off, running along the strip faster.
It was a strange feeling of force as the plane picked up speed.
She loved this part, the g-force pushing one back into the seat. There was nothing like it, and then they were leaving the ground, flying up at an angle. The wheels rose into the underbelly of the plane, the undercarriage doors closing.
They were on their way.
She wanted to pinch herself just to make sure she wasn't dreaming.
Excitement fluttered in her stomach as she looked out the window below, the ground so far away. She breathed in deeply, pressing fingers against the window, soon surrounded by clouds and above, and levelling out. A calm washed over her, wondering how stupid she was for even questioning this.
She was going to get her real first taste of the Arabian Desert and see it for herself.
Once on their way, soaring through the blue skies, they settled down to refreshments and nibbles, Andie made herself comfortable in a super luxurious chair, reaching for her laptop bag and removed the laptop, placing it on the table between her and Shihab, opened and booted up. She glanced over the top at the man opposite her, who was watching her with interest.
"Sorry. I hope you don't mind."
"And there I thought you were going to probe me, Miss Andrea." She scrunched up her nose. "We are alone," he pointed out.
She grinned at him. "Oh, I will. Later, I promise you, but I need to finish a scene, well, one of them."
"Take as long as you need. We have a fourteen-hour flight or so before we arrive in Dubai and it would give me the chance to catch up with my work, without feeling guilty for ignoring you."
"Shihab do whatever you have to do, and never feel guilty about it. I can always keep myself entertained for hours," she added with glee.
"So I see," he noted not so gleefully, reaching for his laptop and opening it, placing it on the table that was big enough to handle the two laptops, coffee off to the side. "I am beginning to see why some women complain about being neglected."
"Well, I don't," she promised, "I feel rather spoilt," she admitted.
"Hmm." She glanced over the top again at him, whose head was down, reading over what was in front of him. Smiling, she went back to what she was doing, fingers running over the keyboard, words flowing.
It must be all the ambience of the plane and the man opposite.
Dreamingly she glanced across, watching him. Fascinated, she eased back into the comfort of the chair, taking in the lines across his forehead as he concentrated on the written word. The way his dark brows nearly netted together as they narrowed down, mouth pressed together.
"Surely it's not that bad?" Came out before she could stop it, moaning inwardly. She really must learn not to say what she thought out aloud.
"Apart from being a thorn in my side, no," he answered preoccupied.
"Oh," she leaned forward interested. "Competitors or family?" This time he glanced across.
"Why family?" He asked, watchful.
"Sorry. I find it is usually business or family when it's so serious."
"Serious? Did I have my serious face on?" He sounded amused.
"Yes, very serious and ignore me. I didn't mean to pry, however, I am a good listener," she added, because she didn't like him like this. As if his world had imploded. In a very short time, she had become very fond of him and his opinion. It meant so much to her, usually, she didn't care, because she went against the grain with her writing and thoughts. Her writing was her whole world without it she would have felt empty, barren, alone. She looked at him with searching eyes, doubting herself. "Are you sure about me?"
"Andrea," he reached across and covered her hand on the table and squeezed, his gaze holding hers, warmth flowed through her. "I believe in you."
She gulped. "Thank you," she said softly. Very few people did, only her readers who loved what she did. Even today she found it hard to believe. "Is it that bad?" She asked again.
He eased back, his warm hand leaving her, now she yearned for more, pulling her hand back. "No, just complicated. I would work it out. It's what I do."
She frowned. "I suppose so, as a backer, seeing to all the problems."
"This," he waved at his laptop, "has nothing to do with the movie Andrea. There are no problems with the movie," he reassured, much to her relief.
"I wasn't concerned about me," she jumped in quickly, hating the idea that he thought that about her. This was all so new for her, still doubted if she was doing the right thing. What if she messed up? What if she hated the country?
Heaven forbid.
She took deep breaths, calming her racing heart.
"No, you never do, sweetheart, this has nothing to with you. Thank you for your concern about me. Are you finished?" She looked down at her scene that was finished and beyond so nodded. "Good, shut it down, and let's just relax."
"Chilling is good," she smiled, shutting down her computer as he followed suit.
"Let's chill over there," he pointed towards another section of the plane, a more open area with a long matching super soft sofa that begged to be shared. Did she dare? Be brave. Be strong. Be your heroine. She laughed at herself from within. As if.
"Why not," she smiled a nervous smile.
"Just to watch a movie," he suggested. "Chill on the sofa as friends," he added.
Instantly she relaxed. "Sounds like fun," she agreed. Closing everything down, packed away, cups and plates taken away, they settled on the sofa and started arguing over what to watch. Not from different tastes, they did like the same things, it was between genres of mystery thrillers, SCI fi or action films. They looked at each other. "Fate of furious," they said in unison. With a push of a button, a large television rose from a cabinet, screens rolled down blackening the area.
They moved towards the middle as the movie began. She started to smile.
"You have seen this before," he accused.
"Yes, but it's so worth watching again. You haven't?" She asked, astonished. He gave her a sly smile. "I hate you," she laughed, hitting him lightly with the back of her hand. "Shall we?"
They did, as the movie went on they leaned closer together whispering or laughing out loud. All the probing was forgotten, as they just relaxed and enjoyed each other's company. Even slept some, Andie using the provided bed at the back of the plane that was big enough for two.
Shihab took the sofa that was wide enough and long enough to accommodate him with ease, even if she did feel guilty over kicking him out of his bed. She managed a few hours' sleep, joining Shihab for breakfast as he worked on his laptop and looked over business dealings, apologising to her that she waved away, saying she had plenty to do.
He smiled, reaching for his coffee. "You are an easy guest to have around Andrea May. It is so nice not to feel guilty ignoring someone while I work." So over breakfast, they did their own thing, sharing breakfast in a comfortable feeling. She kept glancing over and smiling, watching him as he drank from his coffee, as he read over his laptop, totally emerged, in what he was doing.
Sometimes he placed down his cup, resting his cheek in his hand, elbow on the arm of his chair. Once he caught her watching her and smiled. Blinking, she pretended to be daydreaming, laughing nervously and went back to her work. As they got closer to their destination, they packed up and moved closer to the windows to watch as they approached the desert city.
One of the most amazing sites was flying into Dubai, where the plane circled to give her full viewing of the sights from high, the famous hotel, palm island, the creek weaved through the heart of the city and further out, the desert as far as the eye could see. It was a magical wonderland waiting for her to explore, her heart soaring, finding it hard to keep a lid on it, nose pushed up against the window pane, trying to take it all in at once.
Shihab watched her excitement with interest there was such a glow about her that spill out and overflowed filling his heart with delight as she flashed a grin at him and then went back to looking out the window.
He was now glad he had organised this.
A fly around before landing. He was seeing it through her eyes. Magical that he looked at the window as if it was the first time he had seen it, something he had taken for granted. To think just over fifty years ago this has been just desert and had sprouted out into an architectural dream of modern buildings and wide highways all clean and in immaculate condition.
They came in for a landing, and went through customs, without an issue, once Shihab explained he was her sponsor, which should have warned her, but was so excited, it hadn't dawned on her. One had to live in the area to be a sponsor.
They headed out, changed from her travelling clothes into a long white skirt with a handkerchief hemline and a matching three-sleeved white top with a bronzed decorative belt lying low on the hips, wearing flat sandals, while Shihab stayed with his suits.
Not a robe in sight. She would have liked that.
Shihab guided her over to a waiting limousine where they piled into the back, hit by air conditioning after the heat from leaving the airport building. The luggage was placed in the back then they were on their way, heading towards the main city area, hitting a four-lane highway through the heart of the city.
Passing skyscraper after skyscraper, all glass and steel, yet so different with their very modern design. In the far distance was the tallest building in the world designed on the lyrical and well-proportional regional desert flower the Spider Lily - Hymenocollis.
Shihab pointed out many interesting things as they drove through, with the titbits, one had to know and was rarely noted in the books. She listened fascinated as he spoke, his deep rumbling voice wrapping around her heart with warmth. Something she could have done all day, listening to him.
Then they were approaching the residence, they were staying. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. "We're staying here?" She gasped at the tallest building in the world, which also had the most famous fountain on display.
Even if she hadn't been here before; she knew everything one needed to know about Dubai. Inside and out, but to see it upfront and personally was a different, mind-blowing experience, even if over the top, she loved it.
Pictures and books just didn't do it justice or catch the ambience of the place. It was big, brand new, glitz that had grown out of barren desert land, perched next to the Persian Gulf. Flying in had been one amazing sight, now with all this, she was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed.
"You have a problem with that?" He asked, amused. She shook her head, speechless. Ever since he had entered her life, he had turned it upside down and on top of its head. Sleep is probably what she wanted and needed.
"No, of course not," she laughed. "Just not what I expected."
"What did you expect?"
She looked at him stunned. "To be honest, I had no idea."