Khaleel laughed. “Not the kind you think. I do have one request to make of you, though. Is your head clear?” Aurora glanced around and spotted the tea he’d poured for her while she was on the balcony. She picked up the cup and knocked some of it back, glad that it wasn’t as hot as the first installment had been.
“Go ahead,” she said, setting the cup down once more.
“We never really did finish our dance, you know,” Khaleel said. “I’d like to do that now.”
Aurora opened her mouth, staring at him, and then shut it when she realized that nothing was coming out. She shook her head, laughing. “Okay,” she said. “I will dance with you again.”
Khaleel stood in a fluid movement, and Aurora took his offered hand to help her up. He picked up a remote control from the coffee table, and pressed a button on it. The same song they’d danced to on the yacht began to play, and Khaleel pulled Aurora close to him, leading her into the open space in the middle of the living room.
Aurora fell into his rhythm, swaying and moving as she followed his steps; she rested her cheek against his chest as they moved together, feeling safe and content, and happier than she had in years.
“There is something else I want to talk to you about,” Khaleel said as they shifted in a circle on the floor, their hips moving together, their bodies no more than an inch apart.
“What’s that?” Aurora turned her head to look up at him.
>
“Not right this moment,” Khaleel told her. “After we’re done dancing.”
Aurora nodded and they went back to moving together, focused on nothing more than one other’s bodies. Aurora marveled at the fact that after knowing each other such a short time, they seemed to fit together, seemed to move together, as if they had been lovers for years.
Khaleel led her out onto the balcony and for a moment they both watched the city, lit up by electricity and moonlight, in silence.
“I’ve been thinking,” Khaleel began musingly, “and I have to give you some credit for it.”
“Me?”
Khaleel glanced at her and grinned. “Yes, you. I’m tired of running away. If you could face the proposition of a dangerous man like Jon for the sake of confronting your demons, the least I can do is to live up to my own responsibilities.”
“Okay,” Aurora said, frowning in slight confusion. What was Khaleel leading into?
“I’m putting the yacht away. I need to get serious, and start running the business I was raised to run.” Khaleel turned his to face her, and Aurora almost felt overwhelmed by his intent gaze. “There’s a shareholder meeting that my mother—and the board—has been wanting me to go to. It’s in Australia, in a few days’ time.” Khaleel smiled slightly. “Would you like to accompany me? I think you mentioned that Australia is on your list.”
Aurora smiled, almost overwhelmed with the joy that rose up inside of her at the prospect of traveling with the playful, beautiful Sheikh. “Yes,” she said, nodding. She would have to tell her parents about it later, but she knew that the trip to Australia was only the beginning; without even knowing Khaleel well, she could already imagine their future adventures together. “Australia has been on my list for a long time. I’d love to go with you.”
“We’ll have to hurry to get you packed,” Khaleel said, looking her up and down. “We want to make sure you’re prepared for anything while we’re there.”
“Even being dunked in the water?”
Khaleel grinned and moved closer to her, draping his arms around her waist. “I did say anything,” he told her.
Aurora laughed and pressed her body closer to Khaleel’s, closing her eyes and basking in the comfort of his body. As he inclined his head, and his lips met hers in a tender kiss, she knew she had finally found what she wanted to do with her life; she knew that she was safe.
The End