Mona and Amber re-entered the dining room when the coast was clear. They found Saja standing in the middle of the room with red cheeks. They approached her to find out if she was okay. Saja sighed and went to her bedroom to Skype her best friend, Jordan. This was something she had to share. She was confused. She never knew how to read men, so this was something she needed help with.
Jordan laughed hysterically before giving her opinion on the matter. “Oh, he's beastly,” Jordan said mischievously and wiggled her eyebrows. Saja frowned.
“I really dislike this guy and I don't know how to handle this. And… I have such conflicting emotions. He’s so annoying, but at the same time, I like being around him.” Saja said and ran her hand through her hair.
“And he feels something for you, otherwise why would he grab you and lay it on you like that?”
“He frustrates me! He's arrogant and assumes he knows what I am about. Jordan, I want to come home.”
“I understand you. He is a jerk and it's really messed up.”
“But?” Saja could sense there was a ‘but’ in the sentence.
“Don't bite my head off, just hear me out,” Jordan said. Saja had a feeling she was not going to like her idea. Jordan had always been the wild one. She always came up with the crazy ideas. “Honey, have fun with it, otherwise you'll drive yourself crazy,” Jordan added.
“Fun? You've lost it,” Saja could not understand Jordan's point.
“Not like enjoy being his prisoner but take it as a holiday,” Jordan said. Saja narrowed her eyes
. “Explore the place, have fun. Ignore him when he argues with you. Don't let him get to you because this approach you've tried so far hasn't worked and it’s only driving you crazy,” she added.
Saja started laughing. She was convinced that Jordan had lost it.
“Go horseback riding, order his staff around, be the woman of the house. He might get annoyed by you and get rid of you or embrace you.”
Strangely, Saja thought that Jordan had a point. Saja could really get under Basil's skin by acting like the woman of the house; she was his betrothed after all. Shouldn't she get comfortable in her new home? She got the feeling that he would not appreciate her challenging his authority. Saja smiled at the very thought. That would really infuriate him.
“I think that I have an idea. Thanks,” Saja said.
“Girl, I always tell words of wisdom. Now tell me, is he a good kisser?” Jordan asked. Saja rolled her eyes.
“I am ending this conversation,” Saja said and hung up on Jordan. She was not ready to answer that question or even think about the kiss. She was simply going to forget the whole thing even happened. She did not understand it nor did she want to.
***
The King was having dinner with Badir and Basil. The maids served them their dinner and poured their drinks. King Al-Qadir had mentioned inviting Saja but Basil had completely dismissed that idea. Basil examined his food for a while. It was not Arabic food nor was it what he normally ate. The food looked appetising. He tried it anyway and it definitely tasted different. He called Marina into the dining room.
“Why is this food different?” Basil asked her.
“What is wrong with it? I think it tastes delicious,” the King said. Badir nodded in agreement, as he took another mouthful.
“That is beside the point,” Basil said. Marina suddenly started feeling nervous.
“It was Miss Saja who changed the menu. She said that she had your permission as she was your fiancée,” Marina replied softly and bowed her head. The King and Badir looked at each other before they both started roaring with laughter.
“What?” Basil demanded.
“Well, she does have a point. She is your future wife. She does have the right to change the menu,” his brother teased, as both men continued to chuckle. Saja was really challenging Basil to a point he never thought anyone could.
“That is ridiculous.”
“Prince Al-Qadir, I am so sorry,” Marina apologised and bowed her head multiple times.
“You might as well eat it. It is not like it tastes bad,” the King said. Basil returned his attention to the food, which he reluctantly ate. He was filled with mixed emotions. Part of him was infuriated because she had no right to change his menu as she pleased. The other part of him was enjoying the food but would not admit it aloud. He wanted to march over to her room and show her who was in charge but he did not trust himself to do that. That morning he had pulled her into his arms and kissed her. That was not something he had expected or planned. He did not know why he did it especially after she had slapped him. She needed to be punished for that. He still remembered her taste.
The next morning, Basil was pleased and surprised to have his breakfast as he normally did. He had partially expected Saja to have changed his breakfast too. She was quite tenacious. He questioned whether she had given up. Basil shook the thoughts out of his head as he ate.
After breakfast, Basil left his quarters for his office. His jaw dropped when he walked in. It had been redecorated. He did not even need to ask why it had been changed. He knew that this was Saja's doing. He sighed and sat down at his desk. He had work to do and he would have to deal with her later. At the moment, he was simply glad that she had left him his desk.