Then they were back and dismounting from the camel, Shihab helped her down, so much more dignified than her mounting. She thanked her guide and was ready to head back towards her room.
Shihab grabbed her hand, stopping her departure. "Not so fast, my lady."
"It's so late, Shihab," she begged off.
He shook his head. "Not before we get this sorted between us."
She wetted her lips. "I thought we had things sorted."
He drew her closer to him, so they were almost touching, her body humming at his closeness and looked up, searching into his darkened hooded eyes that washed over her. Reaching up, he lightly traced fingers down the side of her face to her chin and under, tilting her face towards him as he lowered, guiding her even closer, her eyes resting on his inviting lips.
"Not by a long shot and I want the air cleaned once and for all."
She drew in a sharp breath, shaking her head. "I don't know Shihab, you did accuse me of..." she gulped, still hurt by his accusations of being loose, which was so far from the truth. What a joke, she hadn't even... "It doesn't matter, we are so different and also live in different worlds and once this is over," she waved at the resort, "I would be going back home and you still be running a multi-billion dollar business, or whatever you do. See, I have no idea what you do, apart from being a producer for a company in your spare time."
He raked a hand through his hair. "Look, can't we discuss this somewhere more private than this courtyard?" Everyone else had moved on, back towards their rooms, while the animals were seen too, and walked away.
She blinked at him in two minds as he led her away towards their rooms, in a different part of the resort that they walked through.
"Shihab!"
Cursing under his breath, he clutched at Andie's hand tightly, stopped and turned towards the fast-approaching blond. "Not now Carla I am busy."
She stopped in front of them, crossing her arms, and ran cold blue eyes over Andie, dismissing, although her eyes narrowed at the linked hands. Andie's fingers curled around Shihab tightly. "So I see, however, we do need to talk," she sniffed.
"No, we do not," Shihab corrected. "I will get in contact with you when I am ready or shall I organise a flight back to London for you?" He challenged, arching a brow. The blond pouted at him turned on her heels and clip-clapped away on the paved floors. "Impossible woman," he muttered under his breath.
"Shihab?" Andie started softly. He glared down, eyes darkening in a warning.
"Don't even think about it. I can't believe you could think I would be involved with that," he pointed behind him. "When I thought it was very clear I was interested in you." Colour flooded her cheeks.
"You do like spoiling me," she pointed out softly, chewing on her bottom lip.
"More like trying to woo you," he corrected. "Come," he edged her forward.
"Woo? That's a very old fashion word, Shihab," she couldn't stop smiling. "Were you?" She asked eyes widened in wonder, feeling all funny inside. She had thought he was just being nice to her, now this sounded something completely different. "I thought you were just trying to win me over for all this."
"I will admit I was at first, then I met the writer, and it all changed."
She swallowed hard. "It did?" She asked, dazed. "How?" Confused.
He took a deep breath. "That's your problem Andrea; you have no faith in yourself. You are a very beautiful woman, hiding away from the world." He smiled, taking her breath away. She loved his smile. "Actually in my favour since I have found you."
Stopping, he guided her up against him, folding his arms around her, head dipping.
"Shihab," she gasped, looking around. "We are in public," she whispered.
"I do not care if it means I can show you how much you mean to me Andrea May." She pressed her fingers against his tempting lips, melting.
"Not like this Shihab." She sighed. "It's so good to have your name on my lips."
"Andrea," he moaned.
"Sorry, I keep doing it, saying what I'm thinking," she rushed, cheeks flushed.
"Your honesty blows me away, to be truthful."
"It's not honesty, it's my thoughts speaking."
"I prefer you to have my lips on yours." He swept in and kissed her then walked her away, under his arm, he even refused to answer his phone when it rang and then shut down.
"Shihab," she complained, knowing how important he was.
"It can wait until tomorrow, after I have sorted us out, which I should have done in the first place, instead of letting things escalate. I won't anymore."
The minute they entered his suite, he swung her into his arms and kissed her as he had wanted to for days, with no holding back. At first, she was stunned, then kissing him back, hesitatingly, then became bolder meeting him as they hungrily explored each other, threading fingers through her hair, holding her to him.
He had been wrong, leaving them both breathless and hungry for more.
She pulled away placing her hands on his chest, looking up with confused eyes.
"I can't do this Shihab. I don't play games. What does all this mean? If you are looking for a night of passion, sorry it's not me. I want it all. I hated feeling the way I did, and the way I treated you," her eyes shimmering. "I'm not that type of person Shihab."
"Everyone is that person when they feel threatened. In some ways, it is all good. If I meant nothing to you, you wouldn't have reacted as you did."
She couldn't argue with that, chewing on her bottom lip as he edged her back against him. "Like you wouldn't have accused me of....flirting with other men." Guilt fleeted across his face. "Is that the only reason you said that?" She asked hopefully.
"Yes," he released a breath. "I am so sorry Andrea, you were closing me out. I hated it, then seeing you with that actor was too much to bear." She looked at him astonished.
"What? When?"
"The pool and that comment I would catch you later. Why would you say that?"
Startled, she stepped back. "As when we do, not a selected time and date, as if I would," she shook her head in denial. "How could you believe that?"
He frowned thoughtfully, thinking back. "You did smile at him."
She took a deep breath. "To hide the fact you were with her."
"I was never with her," he vowed touching her cheek, drawing her gaze back and she stepped back towards him, enticed. "Never would be," he added. "She is an actress I have to deal with."
"Yet you brought her back with you?"
"Because I had no choice. I can't tell you why, because it's complicated, however, I'm not involved with her."
"Yet she is all over you, demanding all your time, and was in your bedroom," she shrilled in distress. "Sorry," taking a deep breath, calming her voice. "But she was, I heard the shower running in the background."
He took hold of her hands; he edged further into the room, settling them both into a soft brown sofa, holding her against his side. He removed her bag, placing it down in a chair, followed by the veil that he placed down gently.
Reaching up, he tucked hair behind her ear, eyes caressing over her that sent her pulses throbbing. "A room she had no right to be in. She must have entered the bedroom to answer the phone," he released a long breath, raking a hand through his hair. "Something she would pull, and explained your sudden coldness, condemned before asked."
There was a long silence, eyes lowering then raised with regret and shimmering again with threatened tears. He cradled her face in his hand, guiding her up towards him. "I should have trusted you, but I didn't. No wonder you were so angry with me, but everyone was talking about the drop-dead gorgeous blond you had brought back with you, hanging off your arm. Then there was me. You fell for my books. I'm not my books, I'm just me," she wailed.
He swore in Arabic. "Damn it Andrea, you are more beautiful than any of your heroines. Like you, I'm not into blonds."
"You're not," she gasped, eyes glowing suddenly.
"No, I am not," he gathered her even closer so their lips were nearly touching, "However, I am very interested in one beautiful, creative, famous writer. Yes, you spoke to me through your words. However, I fell in love with the woman."
Her breath hitched. "You love me?" She asked again amazed. "I'm not her, you know."
He eased back slightly, frowning. "Sorry, you have lost me."
"This fantasy girl you have pictured in your mind. I'm messy, and my mind always wanders off. I'm not one of the heroines in my books. Brave, adventurous. I'm pathetic like a little church mouse."
"Andrea!" He hissed, taking her aback. "Why do you have such a lack of faith in yourself? Your beauty steals my breath away, your imagination flames passion in my veins. Yes, you are my fantasy girl, because you fill them all. I fell in love with the writer and now I have fallen in love with the woman."
Her heart stilled. Did she believe what he had said? "Love me?" She whispered like a gentle summer breeze. "How can I truly believe that Shihab? After all who you are. A man of wealth, a man of power, a man of greatness."
"Who had been brought down to his knees. I dare not hope. I dare not believe a woman like you with such passion, would love a man like me. I am nothing without you."
A trembling hand touched his face, eyes searching. "I do love you, Shihab. I fell in love with you at first sight, thinking all my dreams had come true in one perfect form."
"Ah, that explains why you kept staring at me, standing at the entrance of your home on the first day."
"I was in awe of my sheikh," then frowned. "And you're not a real sheikh unless you're from Arabia. Are you?" He shook his head. Only businessmen were called Sheikhs there, not royalty. "Not that it matters," she added quickly. "You would always be my Sheikh," she whispered, leaning in closer, guiding his head down and kissing him with the passion she had within her, showing him how much he meant to her.
Her arms went around his neck as he hauled her hard against him, holding her in his arms.
"Yes, Andrea May Bennett, I love you," he declared. She softened before his eyes, reaching up to touch his face with her fingers, brushing over his lips.
"As I love you, Shihab." She planted a kiss on his lips. "Every day you have been wrapping yourself around my heart." Then pulled back. "So what's with the blond?!"
Smiling, he cradled her against his body, burying his face into her hair, breathing her in. "That is my Andrea." He released a long sigh. "It's very complicated and involves a person in the family."
"Yours," she guessed. "She is rather demanding, isn't she?"
"Very," he laughed, kissing her. "So, I can conclude you were very cold towards me because of her, not because you were interested in someone else."
"Levi!" She laughed openly and then sobered. "There is more than that," she added. He frowned. "It's not what you're thinking," she promised. "Can we have a drink?" She asked hopefully.
"Of course, stay here," he released her and went off to separate part of his rooms, returning with a bottle of champagne and two long flute glasses.
"Not actually what I had in mind, but I won't say no," she added when he arched an eyebrow at her. He settled back at her side, handing over the two glasses. He opened the bottle while she peered at the label. "You've got to be kidding me. Dom Pérignon."
"Only the best for my girl," he leaned in to snatch a kiss, while the bottle popped and the cork went through the air, overflowing. Laughing, she shoved the glasses at him to be filled, mainly with bubbles, waited and added more, placing the bottle on a nearby coffee table.
Drawing a leg up onto the sofa, Shihab placed an arm along the back of the sofa, while Andie wiggled in closer, tipping her glass with his, and took a sip. "Never thought I would see this day."
From behind he played with her long silky locks, watching her closely. "Why do you say that, Andrea?"
"I never thought someone like you would fall in love with someone like me."
He scowled down at her. "Why wouldn't I, you are amazing Andrea May. Tell me you belong to me."
She looked deeply into his eyes. "My heart has always belonged to you from the moment I set my eyes on you."
"And he means nothing to you?"
"No." She reached up and touched his face. "I'm so sorry I put you through that."
"I think he was out to make mischief, not you, even hinted there was something between you two."
Her eyes widened. "He did not! The toad rag. Hmm, he will pay. One never should peeve off a writer, and I do the rewrites," she noted with glee, taking another sip. "I can inflict some sort of injury if you want."
He removed her glass and placed it beside the bottle with his glass, then guided her into his arms and held her against him.
"Forget him. Just believe in me, that is all I ask of you, Andrea. My life is not simple, but if you believe in me, we have a future, I do believe that. I need time to look over certain factors." She peered up at him confused. He brushed her hair back from her face. "I will explain when everything is in place, as long as you put your faith in me."
"I do," she vowed.
"Good. We will have our drink then I would see you back to your room." He reached for her glass; she placed her hand on his arm stopping him.
"I have a better idea, we enjoy that together, and I stay the night."
"Beloved, I won't do that to you, we have to do this right and wait."
"Wait for what? I love you and you love me, so I want to be with you in every way. Isn't that a commitment already? I need you," she whispered.
He cradled her face in his trembling hands. "Do not think I don't want to be with you, because I do, but I want to do this right for both of us." Reluctantly, she nodded, though did spend time getting to know each other, enjoying long leisurely kisses, wrapped in each other arms, just enjoying being with each other until it was time to leave.
"You need your sleep," he edged her off his lap which she had wiggled onto.
"Can I stay?" She asked again, hopefully.
He looked at her for the longest time. "Is that what you want to do?"
"I do," she breathed. A commitment, a promise to each other.
"Andrea," he groaned in pain. "You do make it hard. No," he shook his head.
She rose to her feet, pushing hair from her face.
"Of course, sorry," desperately she looked around for her belongings, scooping them up in her arms. "Busy day and the hour is late," she rambled on.
It made perfect sense, she wasn't like them and she had already made it clear, she didn't do affairs. Placing a smile, she turned around and nearly passed out at the sight of Shihab on one knee, an open box in his hand.
"I wanted to do this properly Andrea May, you wanted it all, and I want to give you it all. Would you marry me, Andrea May?"
The items in her arms fell to the floor at her feet, covering her mouth with her hands, in shock. Speechless, she moved towards him, reaching out to close the lid of the box to his utter horror. "Shihab you don't have to do this."
His fingers clamped around her wrist and pulled her down to him, into his arms, both sitting on the floor, holding her tight in his arms. "I am not going to let you go until you say yes. Nearly losing you, made me realise, you're the only woman I want in my life and my bed for the rest of my life."
She cradled his face in her hands and looked deeply into his eyes. "Our time together..."
"Has been amazing, except for that little spat and misunderstanding, and let's get one thing straight here and now, Andrea May, I have never or would be involved with Carla Langley. I had no desire to. To be honest, she leaves me cold, but had no choice, and had to deal with her at this time, no matter how distasteful. The reason is...." She placed her fingers on his lips.
"It doesn't matter Shihab. I believe you, for a while I lost the plot, but you don't have to marry me, we barely know each other."
"This coming from a romance writer. I'm very disillusioned," he bemoaned.
Laughing, so light-hearted she kissed him. "I'm trying to be realistic." Taking a shaky breath, she reached for the box still in his hand, and opened the lid, revealing a stunning princess-styled diamond ring, and pulled it out, because of the setting, looking very old and Middle Eastern. "What is this?"
"A diamond."
"I meant the ring," she pointed out, eyeing him sideways. It never changes.
"Ah," enlightenment entered his eyes, "my grandmother's ring and added the diamond." Her mouth fell open. He took a deep breath, watching her closely. "Queen Farah." If he hadn't been holding her, she would have fallen flat at his feet.
"Shihab," she squealed. "You're not! Like a real Sheikh as in prince?!" Slowly he nodded. Shocked, she thumped his arm. Her eyes widened in horror. "Oh my God, I just hit a real-life prince." Guiltily she rubbed his arm better, not that she had hit him hard. "What are you trying to do, give me a heart attack! First the ring, now this. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because one didn't involve the other. The film business is my other life. My heritage, another. I hope you're not going to hold it against me." This time she grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer and kissed him. She would be crazy to let this gorgeous man slip through her fingers.
"Yes, yes, yes," she pulled back. "No, not holding it against you, yes to marrying you," she rushed out.
"Good, then we will wait until our wedding night. I want to make it perfect for you in every way."
Leaning in closer, she nuzzled his neck. "I would rather practise. Can't we have a wedding night rehearsal?"
"Andrea," he gasped, shocked.
"What? I'm a modern woman!"
"No, you're not," he growled, reaching for her hand and placing on the ring, the diamond sparkling up at her that she gingerly touched.
"This is really your grandmother's ring?" She asked, amazed.
"Hmm, and she would have loved you as I do."
She looked at him, astonished. "Do you Shihab, do you really love me? Not just the writer?"
"I had fallen in love with the writer; now love the woman behind the writer." Tears trickled down her cheek that he wiped away with his thumb, then brushed across her lips.
"I think I fell in love with you at first sight, if that is even possible."
"Believe me, my love, it is possible, and how often have you had them fall in love at first sight?" He challenged.
"Yes, well, I live in a dream world of make-believe," she pointed out with delight. So this is what it felt like to be on top of the world. "Then I can stay?"
"Andrea!"
"Just like what we did on the yacht," she offered. "Shihab I have missed you so much. I just want to be with you, losing you was more than I could bear."
"You did not lose me, Andrea, and never would," he promised kissing her cheek. "If you want to stay, you can as long as you wear something from the neck to feet, you tempting little witch," he growled deep in his throat.
She looked at him innocently. "I could wear my belly dancing outfit," she suggested.
"No!" Came back firmly, though gathered her against him, cocooning her in his arms against him, shifting a leg to support her back as she snuggled in. "And where did that come from? Talk about knock me off my seat moment, my naughty princess."
"Just for once, I wanted to be that girl, who did the adventurous thing. The last thing I expect was you to be there.
He gave her a sheepish look, tugging at his ear. "I knew where you were at all the time Andrea," he confessed.
"You did?" She gasped, shocked, then laughed. "My stalker," she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I do love you Shihab, mainly because you accept me for who I am. Faults and all, even after reading all my books," she smiled, warming all over. "My number one fan, who would always look after me. I still want to shout you, now and then."
"If you insist," he muttered under his breath
"Shihab," she hissed, he held up his hand in defeat, his other arm firmly around her waist.
"Are we going to sit here all night?" He asked instead.
"Why not, this is fun, and I have you where I want you."
"Really and where is that?"
"Here with me. Shihab I just want to be at your side."
"I am sure we can do that in a more comfortable situation," he pointed out.
"I didn't go on bended knee and freak out the girl," she noted.
"And I wasn't the one to close the box and freak out the groom." Laughing, they fell back onto the floor, holding each other.
"You're beginning to sound like me Shihab that is so bad."
"Is that so bad, Andrea, my love?"
"Depends how your family feels about us?" She reached out and touched his beautiful face. "A real live prince," she sighed, running fingers over his lips. "Am I dreaming? Are you real?"
"Yes, I am, and don't you dare doubt that," he told her then exhaled slowly. "I need to talk to my family and I will," he promised.
"Surely you need their permission before you can even ask me," she gasped. He arched a brow and gave her a look that spoke volumes. "Obviously not." She chewed on her bottom lip. "Is that wise? Shihab you need to talk to them first. I will not cause family problems, I won't," she wailed.
He gathered her against him. "You won't," he promised. "And you need to tell me what happened with you and your own family, apart from your parent's death." So much more.
A time for the truth. She looked down at her ring. Perhaps she should give it back, and see what happens after the facts. He covered her hand and brought it up to his lips and kissed. "Whatever you are thinking forget it," he warned.
She rolled into him. "How do you know what I think all the time? About the tent?" He frowned. "That time I was late and you said..."
"Ah, yes, it's the longing in your eyes when you looked back. There was no way I was going to leave you behind by yourself. You show your thoughts openly Andrea without words."
"And you read me far too well," she noted.
"More to do with, I am in tune with you. Shall we get some sleep, then tomorrow we will spend the day together, after all, it is the weekend. You will never leave my side again," he vowed. She held up her hand showing off her ring that she just loved, old mixed with new.
"What about this? Surely we need to keep this hush-hush for now."
"Yes, it will be our little secret for now," he agreed. "Once I have spoken to my family then we announce our engagement." She shook her head. "Why?" He asked, eyes narrowing.
"I want to enjoy us, just you and me, our little secret," she rolled into his body, "can we? I will wear your ring, but on the other hand, while on set, when we are alone, I would just swap it over."
"As you wish for now." She leaned in and kissed him.
Eventually, he got her off the floor and she changed into one of his shirts and nestled against him as they shared more champagne, heading out to the open balcony to look out across the light-up area, lights highlighting the pool below and surrounding area, further out a shadowed desert.
Just as she imaged it. She turned back towards Shihab.
"We must do the whole desert dinner again, just the two of us."
"As long as you don't do the whole dance thing. I don't think I can handle it a second time."
"Oh, is that why you were so distant, and only looking at me in the face," she noted smugly.
"No matter what you think, Andrea May, I am only flesh and blood and you were pushing me to the limit. All that shimmying and shaking can do dangerous things to a man's libido."
Smiling, she moved up against him. "Maybe you can tell me, so I can express it in my stories." He eyed her closely.
"It is a good thing we are engaged, Andrea May," he swooped down and kissed her. "I think it is best if we got some shuteye. It has been a rather long and tiring day," he sighed.
"Do I even dare ask how you spent the day with the delectable Carla Langley?"
"I kept her out of your hair, so you should be happy," he pointed out swaying her in his arms. She turned her head sharply.
"Do you hear that?" They edged closer to the edge where there was faint music in the background they swayed together. Contented she melted against him, wrapped in his arms just swaying, eyes closing, absorbing him.
The rest didn't matter. She was his girl.
"The sacrifices I have made for you," he grumbled as he climbed into bed wearing long loose pants. She eyed him from the pillows already moved in, in his shirt.
"Oh, how?" She asked curiously
"It doesn't matter."
"No more secrets," she tickled his side. Naked from the waist up.
"Andrea!" He roared, grabbed her hands, and tugged down on top of him. She snuggled in as she had done on the yacht. He collapsed onto the pillows. She spread her hand across his chest, nuzzling her face into his neck, breathing him in. Her leg spread across both of his legs, moving against his side. "I knew this was a mistake," he grumbled.
"Sorry," she stilled and sighed as his arms went around her after turning off the light, so the only light that drifted into the room was from the open balcony and the natural light from the moonlight that seeped in.
A contented silence wrapped around them.
"What sacrifices?" She suddenly piped up.
"Andrea," he moaned, rolling her onto her back, and covering her with his body. "Let's put it this way I don't normally sleep like this."
"What with a woman?" She dared. He growled deep in his throat. She giggled, holding him in her arms, running hands down his bare back. "Oh, I see," her finger trailed along his pants edging. "You don't have to on my behalf," she said huskily.
"You're only saying that because it's dark." He kissed her cheek, then rolled back onto his back, taking her with him, once more spread across his. "Try to behave or I will send you back to your room," he threatened for his sake.
"Okay," she snuggled back against him and sighed with contentment.
Closing her eyes, she hadn't felt this safe and happy in a long time.
Knocking on the door, stirred Shihab from his sleep, finding a body draped across his body.
Gently he eased Andrea onto the pillows, and slipped out, pulling the bedding over her shirt-covered form. Grabbing a robe, he pulled it over his head as he headed out, closing the door behind him.
Yawning and rubbing his hair, he opened the door and stared at the blond at the other end.
Damn, the last thing he wanted. Carla.
Leaning against the door frame, he crossed his arms.
"It's early, so it better be important."
His biggest mistake was bringing Carla here.
Then again, he had no choice in the matter. Good thing she didn't need to be here any longer. Hashim was on his way home later today. She pushed her way in, blond hair bouncing behind her.
He sighed, running a hand over his face. He wasn't up for this.
"What the hell!" He roared when she barged into his bedroom.