The Royal Elite: Ahsan (Elite, Book 2) (24 page)

Wadding up the paper towel, she tossed it down without looking where it landed. He was larger than life in ways she hadn't experienced before, and she suffered an acute bout of embarrassment that he should see her like this. Covered in flour, disheveled, and wearing an apron. Anger returned in force, and before she could stop herself, her hand flew up to make contact with his whiskered cheek. His head only moved an inch from the slap.

“Sessily! What are you doing?” Anna gasped in horror.

To Sessily's surprise, Ahsan smiled. A slow curve that made his appearance that much more devastating.

“You didn't show up,” he said, sounding as casual as if they were discussing the weather.

“I know him, Anna,” Sessily said in her native tongue. She didn't miss the way Ahsan's gaze narrowed, picking up on some subtle clue. Then to Ahsan, she said, “And I can't believe you expected me to show up.”

“I thought you wanted to see the Greek Islands.”

The nerve. The utter nerve of this man. Her fingers twitched to slap him again, but she wasn't typically the type to strike anyone, and instinct told her that he wouldn't allow it to happen anyway. She wished he would just back up five steps. Give her room to breathe. To think.

“I can't believe you,” she retorted. “Aren't you too busy running a country to meet women in clandestine locations?”

“I'm an excellent multi-tasker. And you should let me worry about what work I have, and don't have.” He took a step closer.

Sessily jutted a hand out, making contact with his chest. The warmth of his skin seeped through the shirt and into her palm. “Don't.”

“Don't what?”

“Don't come closer. Don't try and...seduce me. I won't fall for it.”
Again
, she thought, but didn't dare say.

Anna stood on the other side of the room, struggling to decipher the English words, one hand over her heart. Sessily knew the woman only had a rudimentary knowledge of the language, and for that she was grateful.

Like a striking viper, he snaked a hand low around her back and pulled her hard up against his body. “Really.”

“How dare you,” she hissed, finally losing her temper. The wonderful, hard contours of his chest felt heavenly under her hand, as much as it galled her to acknowledge it. “Sending me gifts, inviting me to your yacht. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

“I'm not sure why,” he drawled. Then he said, “Your accent isn't as strong as Anna's. I find that curious.”

Leave it to him to pick up on the smallest thing. “Because I grew up in Southern California for ten years of my life. My mother was American. We moved back here when I was ele—why am I telling you this? Release me right now.”

He tipped his head down. Closer. “Your mouth tells me one thing, and your eyes tell me another. Which is the truth, I wonder.”

“That I want you to let me go. That's the truth.” She wanted to kiss him. Wanted to melt against him, feel all his heat and strength and the muscles beneath the fine suit. Her body betrayed her, arching into his, fingers curling against his chest.

“You want me to let you go, yet you're doing everything you can to crawl into my skin,” he pointed out. “Tell me why I shouldn't be here. Tell me why, Sessily, you think you don't want me here.”

“Do I really need to say it? Do I need to remind you that you're married, that I find the idea of some clandestine meeting in Greece with you repulsive? I won't do that to another woman.” Saying the words out loud made the situation more real. More devastating. He was committed, and even if he didn't honor his vows, she would.

He reached up to pull his sunglasses off. Staring down at her, he tucked the glasses into his front pocket, a frown marring his brow. “Were you snooping outside the conference room?”

“Why are you trying to distract me? I wasn't snooping, I was...listening.”

“Eavesdropping. Snooping. Same thing.”

“Yet you don't deny it.”

“I was busy for a moment realizing the woman I'm in love with has a problem with nosiness.”

Sessily gasped. Had he just said he loved her? “What?”

“I was busy for a moment--”

“I heard you! How can you be in love with me and married to someone else?” she demanded.

“That's because I'm not married to anyone else.”

“But I heard the Emir--”

“You heard the Emir try to brow beat me into doing what he wants me to do. I have other plans, none of which include marriage to a woman I don't love. Nor am I seeing anyone else. Does that clear things up?” He arched a brow, almost as if to challenge her.

A thrill shot through Sessily. He wasn't married. And didn't plan on being married, at least not to that woman in the palace. “You won't be forced to do what he says?”

“No. I'm the Emir, I hold the title. It's what I've spent the last two weeks dealing with, and why I couldn't be here before now. I'm not nearly done with all that needs doing in my home country, but this couldn't wait any longer.”

“And what of your status as the man no woman can catch? I heard all about you and your playboy ways. No woman can hold your heart—that's what I was told. How am I supposed to engage in anything with you when I know your attention will stray. Probably within weeks?” It was an issue for Sessily. He had a reputation, and she didn't expect him to stop doing what he'd been doing for years just for her.

“You're going to have to trust me. Besides, if I can convince you I'm worth having,” he said with an arrogant twist of his mouth, “we'll be very busy the next few months.”

“What do you mean?”

“Greece is only the first stop. We'll cruise the islands, then pay a visit to Cairo. Would you like to tour the pyramids? And then I thought we could spend some time in Monaco. I'll take you on dazzling dates at all the best restaurants and you can tell me more about living between the United States and Romania. Where in all that would I find time to see other women?”

She could hardly wrap her mind around it all. Ahsan was offering her a dream. Traveling, going on real dates in exotic locations, and getting to know one another on a much more intimate level. Learning each other's quirks and idiosyncrasies. “You could find time, I'm sure.”

“What if I told you I don't want to see other women? Would that convince you?”

Stunned by his offer of travel and romance, Sessily considered his question after a moment to bring her head out of the clouds. She held his gaze, reading the intensity and honesty there. “It might. Did you just say you loved me?”

He smiled, and the effect was devastating on his face. “I said I was in love with you, yes.”

Sessily struggled to absorb it all. She wanted to throw her arms around him and agree, yet a part of her still couldn't believe it was real.

“You hesitate,” he said after another minute of silence.

“I know. I'm thinking.” For the first time, she detected a flicker of concern in his eyes. As if she'd surprised him in return, though not the kind of surprise he'd been hoping for. “This is a big step. I'd be giving up my job here, and leaving my sister. If...if things didn't work out between us--”

“I'll see you're well cared for until you decide what you want to do. I have a feeling your job here will always be available if you want it,” he said, interrupting. “Relationships take patience and honesty and a willingness to forgive. I'm willing to make whatever sacrifices are necessary to give this a shot. Are you?”

Again, she hesitated. All he was asking her to do was spend some time with him, have fun. Learn more about him personally. What was she so afraid of?

“I'll tell you what,” Ahsan said, brushing a kiss to her cheek. “You think about it. My plane leaves in two hours from the private airstrip in town. If you show up, we'll go. If you don't, I'll know this isn't for you, that I'm not for you, and we'll leave it at that.”

Sessily clutched the front of his fine shirt, then smoothed it out with her palm. A sliver of panic
worked its way in when he slowly unwound his arm from her waist. He was giving her what she needed—time to make a decision. It felt both right and wrong at the same time.

“All right. That's fair,” she finally said.

He cupped her cheeks in his calloused hands, and bent to touch a tender kiss on her lips. “Two hours, Sessily. Don't be late.”

Without another word, he released her and departed the shop with ground-eating strides. On his way, he gave Anna a roguish smile and a quick wink, sending the baker into a flurry of motion.

“Good day! Anna says come back soon!” Anna watched anxiously out the windows, then turned a curious, suspicious eye on her employee.

Rooted to the spot he'd left her, Sessily touched her lips, still warm from his kiss. She understood the things Ahsan hadn't said, too. That if she was late, if his plane left without her, he wouldn't be coming back. He wouldn't chase her, wouldn't beg. A man like Ahsan didn't have to beg.

“Heavens and Saints, Sessily. What in the world is going on?” Anna whispered.

Sessily watched the limousine pull away from the curb, freeing up the parking spots in front of the shop. Resisting the urge to run down the street after the car, she glanced at Anna.

“He loves me,” she confessed. “He loves me, and wants to take me on proper dates. He wants to travel with me, show me the world.”

Anna's mouth fell open. “When did all this happen? Tell Anna—do you love him? Is that why you hesitate?”

And that, Sessily realized, was her problem. Did she love Ahsan? Her emotions were muddled and hazy. She wasn't sure what she was feeling, and it threw her off.

“I don't know. I don't know—and I only have two hours to figure it out.”

Ahsan raked a hand through his hair. This part of the Romanian countryside was a lovely mix of low mountains, rolling green meadows, and stands of thick trees. He saw none of it while he stared out the window on the way to the airstrip. He'd taken a big gamble, coming here. By sending Sessily little reminders and clues. Admitting he loved her hadn't been the most scary part of it all—what had been scary was the thought that she didn't return his feelings.

And it looked very much like she didn't reciprocate his love.

The last two weeks had made him realize how much he missed her, and wanted her in his life. Their banter, teasing, and serious conversations were different than what he usually shared with other women. He felt alive around Sessily in ways he hadn't before. She challenged him and didn't put up with his antics. Sometimes he thought she was as headstrong as he. But he couldn't force her to love in return, and the idea of having to move on from here—without her—wasn't a pleasant one. He would do it because that's the kind of man he was, but he wasn't looking forward to it.

For the rest of his life, he would remember the woman with auburn hair and blue eyes. The one that got away. The only one he'd ever wanted to keep.

. . .

Opening the door to the small, one bedroom apartment above a bookstore, Sessily tossed her keys on a small table just inside and scanned the tiny living room for Iris. The apartment was a study in used furniture, crocheted blankets and hand-me-down décor. Shabby chic, she thought some people called it.

“You're home early,” Iris said, glancing up from a textbook. She sat on the lone, worn out sofa, legs stretched across the cushions.

Closing the door, Sessily leaned against it, hands trapped behind her body. Iris was well on the mend these days, her bruises gone, the haunted look finally fading from her eyes. She had taken up
studying again, not yet ready to go back to work.

“Ahsan came to the shop. He came to see me,” Sessily said, cutting straight to the chase.

Iris glanced up, blonde hair made paler by the afternoon sunlight streaming in a window. “What for?”

“He's been sending me little...gifts. Over the last week.”

“What kind of gifts?” Iris frowned and closed the textbook.

“Flowers, a little miniature replica of a yacht, and an invitation to join him on that yacht that I ignored.”

“Why didn't you tell me before now? What did he want today?”

“Because I thought it might remind you and upset you. And because I was angry at him,” Sessily confessed. She rubbed her forehead with her fingers, aware of every second ticking off her internal clock. Counting down to zero. Counting down to goodbye.

“He followed through on his word and got us home safe and sound. I know he's not like...his brother. But thanks for thinking of my feelings,” Iris said. “Why were you angry?”

“I thought he got married. The last thing I heard was his father tell him he had to marry a woman of their culture, that it would go a long way to ease the public's mind about Ahsan's reign. So I was angry that he kept sending me things. I thought he wanted a secret tryst away from prying eyes, hiding it from his wife.”

“But he didn't?”

“No. He said he's in love with me and wants to take me on real dates. Travel to the places we once talked about when I stayed at the palace. I was so excited about the thought then, even though I'd been playing a part at the time. I really wanted to go with him.” Sessily stepped away from the door, dragging her finger around the frayed edge of a small lamp.

“He's in love with you?” Iris repeated with a wealth of shock in her voice. “Are you in love with him?”

Sessily sat across from Iris in the other chair, fidgety. Restless. “That's the thing. I don't know, and I don't want to give him false hope by going, then regretting it later.”

“Well, if you're not sure, you shouldn't do it.”

“That's what I told myself before he left the shop. He's waiting at the airstrip. In two hours—well, less than that now—his plane leaves, and once it does...” Sessily couldn't finish. She didn't want to think about never seeing him again now that she knew he wasn't married, and was in love with her. What did that mean? Was she just fond of him, grateful that he'd saved her?

“Once it leaves, that's it. You won't get another chance,” Iris said, finishing the thought. “Are you okay with that?”

“I just don't know, Iris. I'd have to quit my job and leave you here alone. I--”