They shared another heavy pause—so much unspoken that neither was willing to be the first to say—before Steph reached for the door and held it ready to close.
“Have a good night, Mehdi.”
“And you. I’ll have breakfast ready for us in the morning, and then perhaps we can go on another adventure?”
“That sounds wonderful,” she said, feeling a tingle of excitement for whatever Mehdi had planned.
“Good. Sleep sweet, Steph.”
“Good night,” she said, finally closing the door before he had a chance to walk away.
She stared at the door for a moment, wondering if she should act on her impulse to throw it open and run down the hall, straight into Mehdi’s strong arms. It was the one place in the world she wanted to be more than anywhere. She came very close to doing just that, her hand already on the doorknob, before her rational mind took over and she stopped herself.
Mehdi had just told her that he was cautious when it came to love. He had been through a terrible divorce, which was something that could have very easily happened to her if he hadn’t stepped in to help. Throwing herself at him could very well put an abrupt end to her little adventure, and that was the last thing she wanted.
Mehdi was a dream, and nothing more. Still, Steph was happy to dream of him for the rest of her life if she had to, though her brain reminded her that she might end up married to another man at some point, once she rejoined reality. That was not a thought she wanted to dwell on.
Turning back to her room, Steph felt the weight of exhaustion pressing into her, weighing down her eyelids. Still, she wanted to wash off the day’s events, so she headed to the armoire and found a comfortable set of pajamas before heading to the bathroom.
A large shower was raised on a platform, and there were three large showerheads protruding directly from the ceiling. Steph turned on all three, watching as the shower basically turned into a gentle, warm rainstorm that was contained in the middle of the room. She laughed in delight as she removed her dress and cardigan and stepped under the steaming water, relishing in the sensation of the water pouring all around her.
She found some expensive-looking soap and shampoo and took her time cleaning every inch of her body, washing away the anxiety and the stress. She thought about all the things she had done with Mehdi, and how much she enjoyed staying in the palace, even if it wasn’t his favorite.
After a while, her exhaustion won out, and she turned off the showerheads, finding a large, fluffy towel to dry herself with. She braided her hair before tossing on her pajamas and crashing into the enormous bed, sinking deeply into the mattress and pillows.
She pulled a pillow to her chest and held it tightly, thinking about Mehdi and what her true wish would really be, if wishes actually came true, as she drifted off into a deep, comfortable sleep.
Somehow her wedding day had turned out much better than she could have anticipated.
TEN
Steph
Steph stretched languorously, her limbs easily fitting on the massive bed even as she extended them as far as they could go. She smiled into her pillow, which was comfort itself, before opening her blue eyes and welcoming the day. From her terrace, the sun was rising just over the horizon, peeking out as it prepared to greet the desert with more glaring heat.
Remembering Mehdi’s promise of a new adventure for the day, Steph shot out of bed, heading straight for the armoire. It really was a fashion lover’s paradise, and she spent a chunk of the morning picking out clothes she would wear in any given situation, unsure what to put on. When there was a knock at her door, she ran over and answered, hoping it would be Mehdi.
A young serving boy was there. Steph squashed her disappointment with a smile as he told her the Sheikh would be ready for her at any time for breakfast. She thanked the boy and told him she would be just a moment, changing quickly into a long, flowing skirt and white blouse with a blue headpiece to cap it all off.
She was out of her room in a flash, following the boy with a hop in her step. He led her down one of the corridors she had taken with Mehdi the night before, though she could hardly remember which one was which—she had been far too focused on her companion to remember directions.