Heaven in the Desert Ch. 02

"Right, Mr. Razam entered." Ariana finished.

"You should go and change, come back when you are properly dressed." Ghani said with disapproval.

Ariana bowed her head and quickly left to do as she was told.

When Ariana was out of earshot, Aaryan turned toward his family. He was beginning to put two and two together. He now guessed that Ariana was not a present but another ploy from his family.

My mother must be pretty desperate if she brought one all the way to the palace, Aaryan thought.

"More of your scheming to see me married off?" Aaryan said in a bored tone. Ghani looked away innocently.

"You must admit brother, she is a very attractive female." Haaziq said with a grin. "Attractive, passionate, intelligent..."

"Did you see the way she stood up to your brother, you will never be bored with her." Ghani chimed in approvingly.

"What makes her so different from the others?" Aaryan said dismissively. He did not like being cornered, even if the girl was beautiful, he could make his own choices.

"You can't say that you are not the least bit intrigued by her?" Haaziq said puffing his chest out.

"How can I be, I have only spent mere seconds in the girls company." Aaryan said turning away from them.

"Fine then, I will make her one of my harem girls. A virgin of her beauty will suit me." Haaziq said. Ghani looked at him skeptically.

"Haaziq, you don't have a harem and you love your wife." Aaryan said.

"I could start one with her." Haaziq challenged.

Aaryan knew that his brother would do just that to force his hand.

"No." Aaryan said turning back. "I will have dinner with her and decide if she stays here. If she is dismissed she is to go back home untouched. Understood?"

"Yes, brother." Haaziq said with a smile as his brother played right into his hands.

Aaryan wiped his hand down his tie, confused about why he felt possessive. Then he thought with a smile, "She is here for me, I have every right to be possessive."

Haaziq knew that Ariana had left an impression on his brother. He had only thrown out the proposition of her being a harem girl to see his brother's reaction.

"No one is to tell her who I am. Make sure all of the servants know." Aaryan said.

Ghani and Haaziq nodded their agreement as they left to do his bidding.

So the hellcat is a virgin. Aaryan thought with a grin.

He should have known. There was no way that his mother would bring a woman to his palace who was not.

********

15 minutes later, dressed in a fashionable light brown blouse tucked in a tan cotton pants¬¬¬, Ariana arrived back downstairs.

While in her room she had given herself a pep talk. Although she could admit there was sexual chemistry between herself and Razam, she had to focus on the task at hand.

If she could gain Razam's trust, she thought that maybe he could help her escape the sultan. If she could not escape, Razam could be a better alternative than marrying the sultan.

When she entered into the drawing room, she was surprised to only see Aaryan sitting at the table.

Seeing the look on her face, Aaryan asked, "Is there something wrong?"

"No, it's just...I wanted to thank your mother for her generosity. Ah well guess it will have to wait." Ariana said.

"Would you like some?" She said gesturing toward the pot of stew.

"Indeed." He answered, looking at her with a contemplative look.

She scooped out a bowl of stew for herself and Aaryan and sat two seats down from him. She was grateful that she and Aaryan were not completely alone. Kadshah and Rafiq were both standing over in the corner.

"Why are you sitting so far away?" Aaryan asked with his most charming smile. "I do not bite."

For some reason all Ariana could think about was him biting. Her nipples, her neck, her thighs...

"I thought it would be improper." Ariana said instead.

"Come sit here." Aaryan said pointing to the seat immediately at his right. "There is no one else coming to join us."

As the silence grew between them, so did the sexual tension.

Their legs were very close and Ariana could feel the heat radiating off of Aaryan's thigh through her pants.

She bit her lip as she thought of all the delicious sensations he stirred in her in the kitchen.

Trying to douse the tension, Ariana decided to strike up a conversation.

"So Mr. Razam, are you another brother of the sultan?" Ariana asked.

"Yes, we are very close" Aaryan said taking a bite of stew.

Perfect, Ariana thought with a smile.

He smiled approvingly at the taste and asked, "Do you have any siblings?"

"Yes I have three brothers, but sadly we are not very close. I guess we all grew apart when we went away for college and started are own lives." Ariana said.

"That's unfortunate." Aaryan said with a face of genuine concern. "Would you be closer to them if you could?"

"Of course, family means the world to me. I want to have a big family one day." Ariana said with a smile. "Are you in business like your other brothers?"

"Yes, I own a few businesses. In fact, while I'm in town, I'll take you to a few of them. We can go sometime this week." Aaryan said.

"I would love that very much." Ariana said loving the chance to see more of Omash. "Will you be in town long?"

"I'm not sure yet. I may have a few business deals coming up that will take me away again." Aaryan said.

"So tell me more about yourself?" Aaryan asked giving Ariana a dazzling smile. "I want to know more about my brother's future wife."

"Oh, I don't plan on marrying your brother." Ariana said matter of factly and heard Rafiq clear his throat.

"Why not?" Aaryan asked. "He is a rich man you know. He could give you everything you could dream of and more."

"With all due respect Mr. Razam money isn't everything." Ariana said blowing off her stew. "Marriage is a serious commitment and the man I marry must have certain qualities."

"Really? What qualities are that?" Aaryan asked curiously. Amused by her innocence.

"Well for starters he must be loyal. I will not share my husband with a mistress or another wife." Ariana said.

"It's common practice for a sultan to have both. What makes you think your marriage will be different?" Aaryan asked.

"I'm very sure that I can keep my husband's attention. He will have no need for mistresses and other wives." Ariana said confidently with a smirk.

"What if he wants more wives to bear more children?" Aaryan asked with a glint in his eye.

I've cornered her now, he thought.

"I will bear all of his children and keep giving him children until he says enough." Ariana said raising a challenging brow, daring Aaryan to say something else.

She didn't really want to have a lot of children, but she refused to let Aaryan best her. He was beginning to get under her skin in more ways than one.

"Very well, what other qualities should your husband have?" Aaryan asked.

"He must be honest and kind. He should definitely be understanding." Ariana said.

"Are you talking about a husband or a lap dog?" Aaryan said with a chuckle.

"Very funny Mr. Razam." Ariana said with a smile.

"Please continue." Aaryan said and gestured with his hand.

"Well, I would like it if my husband was passionate, handsome of course and confident without being arrogant." Ariana said.

Check, Check and Check. Aaryan thought with a smile.

Ariana was definitely a hopeless romantic at heart. Either that or the sappy romance novels were getting to her.

"And most importantly, I would like it if..." Ariana began but abruptly cut off.

"If what Ariana?" Aaryan said.

"He was a protector." Ariana finished with a vulnerable look in her eyes.

Before Aaryan could address it, the look had vanished from Ariana's face and an unreadable mask was once again in its place.

"You have a long list of qualities you want in a husband." Aaryan said.

Instead of responding, Ariana laughed in his face.

"What's so funny?" Aaryan asked with a perplexed expression.

"Nothing it's just, this is sounding like a date." Ariana said with a grin.

"Somehow I get the expression that it would be much harder to get you on a date then this." Aaryan said with a smile. Again Ariana laughed.

"Are you hard to get?" Aaryan asked.

"I can be...elusive." Ariana answered with a chuckle. "I rarely dated back in the states."

Thinking about the states made her a little homesick and she took a spoonful of her stew to cover up her sadness.

Focus on the plan Ariana, she told herself.

"What about you?" Ariana turned to Aaryan and asked. "I couldn't help but notice that you are easy on the eyes. You must have women knocking down your door and falling at your feet."

"I do, but just like in business, I make my choices carefully and wisely." Aaryan said taking a sip of water.

"So, in other words, you are picky?" Ariana said with a laugh.

"Indeed, I am. I think it has worked out to my benefit so far." Aaryan said confidently.

"Indeed it has." Ariana said as she sipped her juice.

"So tell me more about your life back in the states, what did you do?" Aaryan asked curiously.

"Well, I just finished my Bachelor's degree in Chemistry. I worked my way through college as a waitress at a pizzeria, and a coffee shop. Both were not too far away from campus. I had a roommate named Jessica and we lived in a modest apartment with her cat Louie." Ariana began.

"Which university? And what did you want to do with your degree?" Aaryan questioned.

"Jordana University and I want to DO research in any area that will help improve people's quality of life." Ariana finished.

"That is noble." Aaryan said with a contemplative look. It was very clear that Ariana had a lot of different sides to her.

Continuing Ariana said, "Ideally I want to do research in pharmaceuticals, specifically medications that can help with pain relief and aid cell regeneration."

"Hmmm, that's very specific." Aaryan said. "What made you choose those of all things?"

"Well my father, started my interest in science, I was very close to him when I was younger and that was his passion. He passed away before I reached my teens. I think it would be nice to do something that can help people with degenerative diseases in his honor." Ariana said staring off, spoon forgotten in her hand.

"I'm sorry to hear that your father passed." Aaryan said genuinely.

"Yes." Ariana said with a polite smile that did not reach her eyes.

"Please, enjoy your meal." He said standing abruptly. "Rafiq!"

"Yes, sir." Rafiq said.

"Have Rakshan meet me in my brother's office." Aaryan said.

"Yes, sir." Rafiq said as he stepped outside to call his brother.

Ariana was a little sad at the loss of Aaryan's presence. She wondered if she had done something wrong to make him leave so abruptly.

Maybe she had bored him will all her romantic notions she thought.

"Kadshah, come sit with me." Ariana said as Rafiq stepped back into the room.

"But milady, it isn't proper for servants to sit at the dinner table with guests." Kadshah said frantically.

"I won't tell if you won't." Ariana said. "And you won't tell on us either Rafiq, will you?" Ariana said pleadingly.

"No ma'am I won't." Raifiq said with a smile.

"Good and I'll be sure to leave you a bowl of stew." Ariana said with a wink.

*****************

Meanwhile in Aaryan's office.

"You can't tell me that she hasn't gotten under your skin."Haaziq said sitting in a chair in front of his brother's desk.

Rakshan entered and stood near the door.

"What makes you think she has?" Aaryan said facing a window that overlooked the beach. The moonlight shining over the breaking waters illuminated his brooding face.

"Look at you now, standing over there." Haaziq said with a smile. "Tell me what bothers your more brother. The fact that you will have to wait or the fact that you have met your match?"

"What makes you think I have met my match?" Aaryan said facing his brother and quirking his brow.

"She will not be some meek girl easy to conquer. Spend some more time with her and you will see what I mean. We picked her for a reason." Haaziq said standing up to leave, beaming with confidence.

"And what reason is that? Because she lost her father the same time we did?" Aaryan said with a sting of pain.

Haaziq looked at him with a shocked expression.

"You did not know?" Aaryan questioned adamantly.

"No, none of us knew. We could not find any information on her father, except that a man with his name was killed. Brother, we all took father's death hard. None of us would use that against you." Haaziq said, reaching an arm out to his brother's shoulder.

"I know...and you are right, she has gotten under my skin." Aaryan said with the beginning of a smile.

"I assume I can tell the servants she will be staying for a while?" Haaziq said with a smile.

Aaryan was once again looking outside of the window at the beach, but this time he smiled as he watched Ariana walking outside.

She was currently laughing at something that Kadshah was saying to her as Rafiq trailed behind them from a safe distance.

Instead of answering his brother, Aaryan asked, "Rakshan, what do you think?"

"I think she will suit you well sultan." Rakshan said straight faced.

"You do." Aaryan said stroking his nicely cropped goatee. "And your brother would agree?"

Rakshan nodded his agreement.

Turning back toward his brother Aaryan said, "Inform the servants that she will be staying indefinitely. Inform mother that she can begin the wedding preparations quietly at once."

With that being said Aaryan began to walk out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Haaziq said to his back.

"I'm going to court my future wife." Aaryan said removing his suit jacket and undoing a few buttons on his shirt.