description? Or was he leaning on her because he felt something for her? She shook her head and tried to rattle the thoughts away. Easy, girl. Just focus on enjoying the next few weeks. Whatever happens, will happen .
“You okay?” Sadiq asked as he watched her shake her head.
“Oh, yeah,” she said nervously, feeling like an idiot. “Just trying to take it all in. Now, what’s next on the tour?”
***
Sadiq and Hannah spent a full day touring the palace and the grounds. They headed back inside just as the sun was beginning to set.
“Perfect timing,” said Sadiq as they walked up the marble steps to the large sitting area on the back patio.
“Perfect timing? For what?” asked Hannah.
“For dinner on the roof!” Sadiq said with a smile. “Wait here!”
He disappeared through the hall that led to the kitchen as Hannah flopped onto one of the plush chairs. She had been on her feet all day, walking the miles of palace and grounds. Note to self , she thought. Next time, wear sneakers.
Sadiq returned a few minutes later and saw Hannah sprawled out on the chair, rubbing her feet. “Are you okay?” he asked, concerned he had worn her out.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she lied, but it was clear that he wasn’t buying it. “It’s just that I wore the wrong shoes, that’s all. My feet are a little sore from all the walking. I’m used to standing still on stage in these things, but I never realized how uncomfortable they would be to walk in.”
Sadiq laughed and sat down across from her. “I bet. They look like instruments of torture to me. I’ve never understood why women would cram their feet into those things anyway.”
“The price of being beautiful,” Hannah said, rubbing harder at her toes.
“Well, you certainly don’t need those. You’re beautiful already,” Sadiq said lightly.
Hannah lifted her eyes up and saw Sadiq smiling at her. His eyes were so dark, so deep and his face was soft. She looked at him and wasn’t sure if he realized what he had just said. She straightened her back as she felt another tingle work its way up her spine.
“Thank you,” she said, feeling suddenly awkward.
She was about to slip her shoes back on when Sadiq jumped up and took them out of her hands.
“Hey! What are you doing?” she asked, not wanting him near her shoes; she was pretty sure after walking in them all day, they didn’t smell like roses.
“Nope, nope, you don’t get these back.” Sadiq said, holding them high above his head as Hannah tried to jump up and reach them. “Not tonight, anyway.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your feet are killing you, right?” Sadiq asked.
Hannah dropped her arms, too tired to fight him. “Yes,” she said, defeated.
“Then no more of these. You will walk barefoot to the roof and then I will have Fatima bring you a pair of the most comfortable slippers you have ever worn. How does that sound?”
It sounded wonderful to Hannah. She nodded and smiled warmly. Sadiq nodded back at her and then tossed her shoes across the room out of her reach, grabbing her hand so she couldn’t chase after them.
“This way, Miss Green,” he said, using his formal voice.
Hannah giggled in spite of herself, and with her hand in his, she tiptoed barefoot across the cool marble floors and into the elevator that led to the roof. The doors opened with a swoosh a moment later, and, their hands still clasped, Hannah and Sadiq stepped out onto the rooftop terrace.
“Now this is a terrace,” said Hannah, thinking about her little fire escape at home.
She dropped Sadiq’s hand and walked to the edge, looking over the vast expanse of lawn below. The shimmering pool, the ponds and the fountain all caught the setting sun perfectly and the flowering fruit trees cast long shadows across the lush grass.
Hannah saw a clutch of tables and chairs set up under a sun sail,
“You okay?” Sadiq asked as he watched her shake her head.
“Oh, yeah,” she said nervously, feeling like an idiot. “Just trying to take it all in. Now, what’s next on the tour?”
***
Sadiq and Hannah spent a full day touring the palace and the grounds. They headed back inside just as the sun was beginning to set.
“Perfect timing,” said Sadiq as they walked up the marble steps to the large sitting area on the back patio.
“Perfect timing? For what?” asked Hannah.
“For dinner on the roof!” Sadiq said with a smile. “Wait here!”
He disappeared through the hall that led to the kitchen as Hannah flopped onto one of the plush chairs. She had been on her feet all day, walking the miles of palace and grounds. Note to self , she thought. Next time, wear sneakers.
Sadiq returned a few minutes later and saw Hannah sprawled out on the chair, rubbing her feet. “Are you okay?” he asked, concerned he had worn her out.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she lied, but it was clear that he wasn’t buying it. “It’s just that I wore the wrong shoes, that’s all. My feet are a little sore from all the walking. I’m used to standing still on stage in these things, but I never realized how uncomfortable they would be to walk in.”
Sadiq laughed and sat down across from her. “I bet. They look like instruments of torture to me. I’ve never understood why women would cram their feet into those things anyway.”
“The price of being beautiful,” Hannah said, rubbing harder at her toes.
“Well, you certainly don’t need those. You’re beautiful already,” Sadiq said lightly.
Hannah lifted her eyes up and saw Sadiq smiling at her. His eyes were so dark, so deep and his face was soft. She looked at him and wasn’t sure if he realized what he had just said. She straightened her back as she felt another tingle work its way up her spine.
“Thank you,” she said, feeling suddenly awkward.
She was about to slip her shoes back on when Sadiq jumped up and took them out of her hands.
“Hey! What are you doing?” she asked, not wanting him near her shoes; she was pretty sure after walking in them all day, they didn’t smell like roses.
“Nope, nope, you don’t get these back.” Sadiq said, holding them high above his head as Hannah tried to jump up and reach them. “Not tonight, anyway.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your feet are killing you, right?” Sadiq asked.
Hannah dropped her arms, too tired to fight him. “Yes,” she said, defeated.
“Then no more of these. You will walk barefoot to the roof and then I will have Fatima bring you a pair of the most comfortable slippers you have ever worn. How does that sound?”
It sounded wonderful to Hannah. She nodded and smiled warmly. Sadiq nodded back at her and then tossed her shoes across the room out of her reach, grabbing her hand so she couldn’t chase after them.
“This way, Miss Green,” he said, using his formal voice.
Hannah giggled in spite of herself, and with her hand in his, she tiptoed barefoot across the cool marble floors and into the elevator that led to the roof. The doors opened with a swoosh a moment later, and, their hands still clasped, Hannah and Sadiq stepped out onto the rooftop terrace.
“Now this is a terrace,” said Hannah, thinking about her little fire escape at home.
She dropped Sadiq’s hand and walked to the edge, looking over the vast expanse of lawn below. The shimmering pool, the ponds and the fountain all caught the setting sun perfectly and the flowering fruit trees cast long shadows across the lush grass.
Hannah saw a clutch of tables and chairs set up under a sun sail,
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