Kyra Suarez POVKyra held Omer's hand as they stepped from the airstrip through the large, ornate gates into the palace. Partially, she was keeping him from getting too excited and running away. Partially, she was trying to keep herself calm. She had known that Ali Ahmed was a Sheikh. She'd known that he was very wealthy. But seeing it all was something completely different. As someone who had struggled to save every possible penny her whole life, this felt like a different world.Kyra felt a little guilty to admit that she kind of liked it."Lady and gentleman," Ali Ahmed said, stepping in front of them and sweeping his hands to either side like a tour guide. "Welcome to Dubai. I'll take you on a quick tour of the palace while Mohammed brings your bags to your rooms. Then I'll let you both get settled in.""Sir," Mohammed said, trotting to keep up. Ali Ahmed waved him off."I'm home, Mohammed. You don't have to shadow me here."With a small sigh, Mohammed headed off towards the palac
Ali Ahmed POVAli Ahmed found it hard to focus all day. He went from meeting to meeting, talking about everything from fishing rights to taxes, but his mind was on Kyra. She'd looked so at home on the terrace and, for a moment, Ali Ahmed had almost forgotten that she hadn't always been there. He'd almost forgotten that they hadn't seen each other for six years. He'd almost reached out to pull her in for a kiss like he had when they were young.But he hadn't. Of course, he hadn't. Everything had changed since they were college students. He had become a Sheikh. She had spent years struggling on her own. And they had a son together.Ali Ahmed tapped his foot impatiently, glancing at the clock. In just half an hour, it would be time for them to eat dinner together. He couldn't wait. Ali Ahmed had asked his chefs to send a selection of Al Jumeirah delicacies, from their famous saffron rice to lamb kebabs and Kalish, a delicious dessert of pomegranate, pistachios, and flaky pastry, to Kyra
Kyra Suarez POVKyra could hardly believe that she and Omer had been in Al Jumeirah for over a week. How had the time gone by so quickly? Omer had been enjoying his classes, Kyra had been relishing her free time, and the days had simply flown by. Her life back in the Philippines was starting to seem more like a half-forgotten dream than her real life.Now it was Saturday and Omer was standing by the door in his swimming trunks and a T-shirt, holding a towel and bobbing along to the music that Kyra was playing. Every few minutes, he asked if it was time to go yet."No, sweetie," Kyra said, again, when he asked the twentieth time. "We're waiting for Ali Ahmed to come so that he can take us to the pool, remember?""I'm sure we could find it," Owen said, bobbing a little more."I know, but isn't it more fun to go together?"That was the other thing that had happened this week: the three of them had become a little unit. Sure, Ali Ahmed was busy with his royal duties, but they still ate di
Ali Ahmed POVKyra found Ali Ahmed first. He was hiding in a linen closet, wedged between bed sheets and a stack of towels. She smiled then stepped into the closet, shutting the door quietly behind her.Ali Ahmed was very, very aware of how close together they were, how dark the closet was, and how the sound of their breath was the only thing he could hear. He was torn between wanting Omer to find them as soon as possible and wanting this moment with Kyra to never end. Kyra shifted and Ali Ahmed felt her bare arm slide against his, sending shivers through his whole body."There you are!" With a gleeful shout, Omer flung the door open and Kyra stepped out of the closet quickly, not looking back. Ali Ahmed followed."Congrats! Your turn to hide, right?""Wait," Ali Ahmed said, his heart suddenly skipping a beat. "What time is it?""Just a little before three," Kyra said, glancing at her phone. "Why? What's up?""I have a meeting," Ali Ahmed said, grabbing his bag and starting for the do
Kyra Suarez POVKyra gave the pot a gentle shake, listening to the last few pops, before pouring the white, fluffy kernels into a large bowl. As she added salt and a drizzle of melted butter, she listened fondly to the sounds coming from the living room. Omer was telling Ali Ahmed about the movie they were about to watch: an animated film about fish that he'd seen about a hundred times. Ali Ahmed was patiently listening, even asking follow-up questions. It was the sound of family, a sound that Kyra loved.Grabbing the bowl, she headed back into the living room and settled on the couch. Omer had already claimed his spot in the middle, so Kyra found a place on the left side, making eye contact and sharing a smile with Ali Ahmed over Omer's head. As always, meeting Ali Ahmed's gaze made Kyra feel almost shivery."Are we ready?" Omer asked, wiggling with excitement. "This movie is so good.""Let's do it." Kyra grabbed the remote and pressed play. Right away, the opening notes of the movie
Ali Ahmed POVIt was Ali Ahmed's favorite time of day. Omer was sleeping, watched over by Mohammed, and he and Kyra were outside in the gardens. The sun had just set, but the gardens were light with beautiful tiny fairy lights. All of Ali Ahmed's work for the day was done. Now he could just enjoy his time with the beautiful woman beside him. He felt happy and somehow braver than he had before."How was your day?" Kyra asked."Oh, you know, nothing too exciting," Ali Ahmed said. This wasn't strictly true: there'd been a big argument between two of his advisors about an issue involving camels, but Ali Ahmed didn't want to get into it now. He just wanted to enjoy the evening. "How was your day?""Good. Omer made paper airplanes in a combined art and physics lesson that Noora made up. All day he's been throwing the airplanes around the house, which he is loving so much."Ali Ahmed laughed a little at the thought of the little boy with a house full of paper airplanes. "That sounds like him
Kyra Suarez POV Kyra walked through the gardens slowly, humming under her breath as she passed the rose garden where Ali Ahmed had kissed her the night before. She felt like a lovesick teenager. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the kiss again and saw how dark Ali Ahmed's eyes had looked as he leaned towards her. His words about how she could trust him echoed in her ears, making her smile. Kyra hadn't felt like this in years, not since Ali Ahmed had kissed her back in college. She knew that bringing feelings into this arrangement was very likely to complicate things. It was worth it, though. She was already looking forward to seeing Ali Ahmed for dinner that night, maybe going for another walk afterward… Kyra gave herself a little shake. She needed something to do, something to focus on. For the first few weeks, all the time to relax and stroll the gardens had been a blessing. She'd loved being able to finish a book when she started it and to enjoy the occasional movie. Even
Ali Ahmed POV "I can't do the state dinner on Tuesday," Ali Ahmed told Omar, his assistant. "Can we send someone else?" Omar gave him a look sharp enough to melt diamonds. "Sheikh Ibrahim, dignitaries from several European countries are coming here to discuss economic cooperation with you. Are you really willing to dishonor them by sending someone in your stead?" "You're right." Ali Ahmed shook his head. He didn't want to cancel any more dinners with Kyra and Omer, especially not after hearing how sad his son was when he didn't show up. But Omar was right. This was an important meeting and it had to be a priority. "What's next?" "A meeting with your advisors Wednesday morning," Omar continued, running his finger across the agenda. "Followed by an appearance at a new university library that was built in your name. After that…" Ali Ahmed tuned out as Omar kept talking. He felt like he was on a hamster wheel these days. He ran and ran but never got where he was going. Sunday had bee