Omar took me aside and commanded me, “Wait for me in the suite. Do not change, I wish to ruin all this with my teeth and hands.”
I whispered at his lips, “Yes Master.”
CHAPTER TWO
The first wedding ceremony would be as per Omar’s original plans and out in the desert estate where his family lives. I had yet to see the place he simply calls the Oasis Estate, and I was feeling anxious about the next few days. Anxious and also excited. I was going to become Omar Khalid’s wife and the queen of a nation. Despite my apprehension over the latter, Omar reassured me time and again that I will be the perfect queen to his people. His words aside, the way he adores me, both through how he always verbalizes his adoration, and then with his body, seem to be enough of a bolster and natural anti-anxiety potion that I eventually gave up fretting over it.
Yasmin helped me and we did a test run on the entire wedding gown and veil and shoes this morning when Omar was out with his men. She took some pictures of me, and I sent those to my mom and Julie. They are both beyond excited for the official wedding and weeklong party to take place in another month. Julie was downright giddy about the fully paid trip, and my promised shopping spree with the black Am Ex card that Omar gifted to me with the words, “Whatever makes you happy. There is no limit to this card, and there is no limit to what I would give you for the joy you’ve brought to my life.” Needless to say, not only did I squeal, but when I told Julie, she fell off her chair.
For now though, I had to focus on the next couple of days and the real ceremony. Seeing his family again was a bit stressful. Mainly because of his sister, Alath, who appeared to either hate me or was simply jealous of her brother. I got the distinct impression she could have easily ruled, but in this part of the world the women just weren’t permitted that kind of power.
We flew the hour out into the desert in one of Omar’s larger helicopters. The procession of gifts and needed items for the gathering were to follow the next morning. We arrived about mid-day and were greeted with hearty welcomes from his brothers and parents, but Alath was nowhere to be seen, and no one made any excuses for her absence. I was relieved, and I began to relax.
The Oasis Estate was something out of a movie and completely out of this world. It was unbelievably large and expansive, and the entire place was surrounded by tall castle-like walls. There were even armed men stationed between stone pillars. It was undoubtedly safe, and it made me feel as if they could withstand an entire army’s attack.
We were settled into a suite that was at least as big as the entire ground floor of our home. This room was decorated in subtle hues of velvet burgundy and silver and white. It was opulent, yet comfortable, and I took my time settling our stuff into the closets while Omar caught up with his family.
He was still using the cane, so couldn’t fully hide how hurt he’d actually been, but his demeanor had changed and he no longer put off the air of wounded and ailing. His immense personality was resurfacing, and even his arrogant and commanding attitude was now more in the forefront than it had been the previous few weeks, which I liked.
We had a lavish dinner comprised entirely of vegetarian dishes, gourmet cheeses, excellent wine and custom, handcrafted truffles from a chocolatier in France. By the time we were finished, I declared I wouldn’t fit in my gown if I kept eating.
His family asked us to join them for libations in the study, but Omar announced he wanted to take me to the Oasis. That was met with hearty agreement, and within a few minutes guards had been summoned and I was instructed to change into jeans and the paddock boots that Omar had ordered for me a few weeks back. We were riding out on their Arabian horses.
I was given a stunning bay horse to ride, and I instantly fell in love with him. His name was Drusik, and he was incredibly well behaved. I’d had riding lessons when I was younger, and I always loved horses, so this
was an exciting adventure. We left the walled fortress estate as a procession with me and Omar leading and ten other men on horseback following. I felt like a queen from the past. I couldn’t stop smiling.
Everything was cooling down in the late evening. Omar had been hesitant when he first mounted his black horse that stood a solid hand taller than mine, but as soon as he’d settled into the leather saddle, I’d seen his features relax and a serene, happy expression had replaced his former tentative self.
I whispered to him, “You okay? Doesn’t hurt?”
He grinned and shook his head, gathering the reins and exhaling, “No, I feared my hip would not rotate correctly and my knee as well would be an issue, but there is no pain. None! This is amazing.” He grinned again and then watched as I mounted from the ground, easily swinging up onto my horse.
“You did not tell me you were such an expert horsewoman. You never cease to amaze me, Anna.”
“I love horses, Omar, and your stable is full of the nicest horses I’ve ever laid my eyes on.”
He waved his arm in a flourish toward the other stabled animals all peeking at us with pointed ears and inquisitive expressions, “We have twenty of the finest bred Arabian horses in the entire world.” He looked back at me on Drusik, “Yours was raised here on the estate and is one of gentlest we own. He’s fast, though, so if you are up for it perhaps we will race?”
I wiggled my eyebrows at my lover and replied, “Oh we will have fun tonight!”
It took us about half an hour of walking the horses to see the sparkling expanse of green and blue off in the distance. When we arrived,, there was a tent set up with lounging facilities and more wine was offered. I was giggling and happy after the brisk gallop into the Oasis. Omar seemed in a similar state of euphoria. He took my hand and led me towards an area with tall palm trees and a planted garden rich with flowers and even a few citrus trees. He dropped my hand and instructed I sit. After I obeyed, he strode to a small, multiple-story hutch made from blonde-colored wood. I’d seen a few bees coming and going, but it was near dark and much cooler, so most of them had gone to bed for the night.
Omar boldly opened the hutch and a small swarm of bees flew at his chest. He spread his arms and closed his eyes and in shock I watched as they began to land on his arms and settle around his shoulders. Some stacked up the back of his neck, and soon part of his face and head were covered. He remained calm, though, and within about ten minutes, the bees left him in favor of their hive. He reached in after them and produced a small portion of honeycomb, then closed the hutch back up, securing it with the provided latch.
He came to me and without words offered me the honey from his dripping hand. I licked his fingers, and the instant the nectar hit, I moaned. It was the most delicious thing I’d ever tasted and unlike anything else I’d ever put to my tongue. I moaned and sucked harder on his fingers. He went to his knees in the sand and put his lips to mine, delving his tongue into my mouth and tasting what I tasted. I took more from his hand, and he repeated the tongue dancing transfer of succulent honey.
I moaned and he groaned, and we bathed in the sticky stuff as it spread out over both our faces. I licked him and he licked me, and we spent forever cleaning the other with our tongues. He chuckled and his eyes took on a faraway expression, “I am going to bring some home tonight. I shall coat you with this and then lick it off.”
I was already breathless from the kissing, and all I could say was a throaty, “Okay.” This made him chuckle and kiss me again.
CHAPTER THREE
My official wedding day arrived, and I woke up before the sun. My stomach was in knots so I didn’t even have coffee. I woke up alone. After Omar made the sweetest love to me—literally sweet from the honey he first slathered and then licked off—he left as per tradition that he not see the bride-to-be on her wedding morning. I didn’t quite understand his obedience to that one law, when in all honesty I should have still been a virgin and tonight should have been the first time we shared a bed.
Yasmin talked to me and helped distract all my wandering and nervous thoughts. She took her time with my hair and after almost two hours of her fussing over it, I indeed looked like a queen of a nation. The braids danced over and around my head and tendrils of curls framed my face. It was truly a masterpiece, as if she’d constructed a crown from my auburn locks. Then she added the diamond tiara, and I sat and gaped at my reflection.
“Is this really happening?” I muttered.