“You awake?” It was Marian. He scrambled to answer it, typing out a fast response.
“I am.” He sent the message, staring at his words. There was so much more he wanted to say. A moment later, his phone rang. He smiled as he answered it.
“Good morning, beautiful.” It felt good to say those words and mean it.
Maran laughed on the other end of the phone. “You certainly woke up in a generous mood.”
“I’m being honest, not generous,” he said, fluffing the pillow beneath his head. “Why are you up so early on your day off?”
“Well, I had an idea and thought you might like to join.”
“What’s that?”
“Sightseeing!” Marian’s tinkling laugh delighted him. “Wanna come with?”
“Yesterday’s sights weren’t enough for you?” He rolled out of bed, heading for his closet. Of course he’d go. It was exactly what he’d been hoping for.
“I couldn’t see too many sights through the orgasms,” she said. “But I appreciated the effort.”
He chuckled, pulling a linen shirt from the closet, followed by a pair of light gray pants. “Should I come soon?”
“As soon as you can,” she purred. “And anywhere you’d like, too.”
He paused as her words sank in, then he laughed. “Naughty girl.”
“I’ll be here. We can have breakfast together before we go, if you’d like.”
He smiled, excitement prickling through him. “I’ll be there in a half hour.”
When Omar strolled into Marian’s hotel, she was already waiting for him in the hotel’s restaurant. She waved at him from a corner table, bread plates and glasses of orange juice crowding the table.
“I got you an American breakfast,” she said. “I kinda miss it. So I thought we could share it.”
He pulled back his seat, admiring the spread. A waffle stared up at him from the center of the table. “I think that’s a lovely idea.”
“Have you ever had waffles before?” She pointed her knife at the puffy monstrosity. “There’s a certain technique to eating them. It includes a half pound of butter.” She licked what looked like jelly off the knife.
Omar unfolded the napkin over his lap, taking a sip of the orange juice at his setting. “Yes, but only once. And I’m certain that I didn’t eat them correctly. They were plain.”
Maran’s jaw dropped. “Waffle faux pas!”
The two chattered happily as they barreled through the breakfast spread. Marian kept him laughing and eating, way more than he normally would at such an hour. He liked sharing in this slice of her home culture…and even more, he liked just being with her. Besides, he was inclined to do almost anything she suggested. If she’d implored him to take a bite of a stale rice nugget, he would have done it.
“I’m stuffed,” he said after finishing off the plate of eggs. He folded up his napkin, setting it on the empty plate. “We better start sightseeing, or else I’ll fall asleep.”
“Agreed. So I have a list of must-sees.” Marian produced a little slip of paper, smoothing it over the table top. “Based on some research and my own morbid curiosity.”
Omar studied the list, which had at least fifteen items on it. “The catacombs.” He noticed but didn’t mention the butterfly garden on the list. That connection again…
“I’ve heard so much about them! Anyway, since you’re the resident Minarak native, you have to be the tour guide.”
“Of course. I promised.” He flashed a smile, snatching up the paper. “I like this. I don’t think I’ll even tell you where we’re beginning.”
They rose from their seats, Marian’s jaunty smile practically a drug for him. “Just don’t lead me down any dark alleyways.”
“Not even fo
r my own selfish purposes?” They fell into step beside one another as they headed for the front doors. He wanted to sling an arm around her, but there were too many eyes at this hour in the grand hotel foyer.