“I really do appreciate you stepping in back there,” she said. “I need to stay out of trouble – I can’t let anything jeopardise my opportunity to study in this wonderful country. If I lose my college place, I’ll get deported. And I don’t want that.”
“I’m pretty sure you didn’t start that fight back there, sweetheart,” Ivan said, smiling kindly. “So what are you studying?”
“Applied mathematics,” she said.
Ivan laughed. “No way!”
She raised a cool eyebrow. “I’m not sure what’s so funny about that – unless you think I’m some kind of oppressed woman with no education. You forget where algebra first originated, huh?”
“Let me guess… Persia?”
“Correct. So you do know something of my country.” Samira absent-mindedly tucked her long hair behind her ear, unable to suppress her flirting. This guy was hot!
“I like to think I’m knowledgeable about my best friend’s home country,” he said.
“Huh! My cousin left with his parents when he was child. He knows nothing of the reality of Iran.”
“Well, he knew enough to help you get outta there, right?”
“Yes, that’s true. Did he tell you why I had to leave?”
Ivan frowned with concern. “No? He just said you’d come here to study.”
Samira decided not to elaborate – she hadn’t told anyone in America her reasons for leaving Iran in such a hurry, and although she sensed she could trust Ivan, she’d only just met him. She changed the subject. “So tell me about yourself, Ivan.”
“Well… the reason I laughed when you said you were studying math is because that’s what I studied.”
She grinned. “Oh cool, so you’re a math geek, too, huh?”
“I sure am.”
They shared a playful smile. Samira felt as if she’d known him forever, but he was also mysterious. It was exciting. The breeze rustled through the palm leaves and tickled her skin with warm prickles, so she hugged herself around the triceps and gazed up at Ivan, wishing he would put his arms around her. But they’d only known each other five minutes… Literally.
He looked away and focused ahead. “So how do you like America?”
“I love it. I’m hoping to be allowed to stay here after my studies.”
“You don’t wanna go back to Iran, not ever?”
“Never. It’s just not my kinda place, you know? Too conservative.”
“Hmm… Tariq says he can’t go back after the way his parents left so quick.”
“That’s true. And of course there’s the matter of Tariq’s… persuasion.”
Ivan smiled. “You can just say he’s gay – it’s not a taboo here, not really. ‘Specially not in LA.”
“It’s good that you don’t mind.”
“Why would I mind? It’s his business what he does with his… you know.”
Samira laughed. “I know. But some men, they feel threatened if a man prefers the company of other men.”
“Well, I prefer the company of women, so do you feel threatened by me?”
“No, of course not.”
“Well, there you go.”
The air became chilly as they headed away from the beach, so Samira rummaged in her bag to grab a cotton scarf, which she draped around her shoulders. “I wish these things could be so accepted in Iran.”
He raised a playful eyebrow. “Well, if you’re so reluctant to return to Iran after your studies, what you need is a rich American husband who’ll marry you after you graduate, huh?”
Samira chuckled. “Is that a proposal?”
His eyes widened. “I think you might be a little young for me, Samira. But you’ll probably meet some jock at college, huh?”
“No thank you! One thing I will say about American men is, they mature very slowly.”
Ivan laughed. He shot her an inquisitive glance, running his gaze all over her, then he changed the subject to talk about math, as they walked along the sandy asphalt road back to the house. But Samira found it impossible to concentrate on the topic of spontaneous equations – not when all she wanted from Ivan right now were multiple org**asms. She was sure he was attracted to her. But there was only one way to find out…
Chapter Two
From the moment Ivan had seen Samira, he’d wanted her. She was one of the most beautiful women he’d ever laid his eyes on – with her stunning bone structure and bronze skin. And that delicious accent stoked his desire every time she spoke. It was hard to believe she was only nineteen – compared to Ivan’s twenty-nine years old. She seemed wise beyond her years, and Ivan sensed a fiery bite behind those captivating dark eyes. Her long blonde hair framed her face perfectly, emphasising her delicate features and making her seem enchanting. He could already imagine what she would be like in bed – wild. And he hoped to tame her, then make her perfect body scream out with more pleasure than she’d ever experienced in her life. During their small talk on the way back to the house, Ivan had discovered that she was intelligent, funny, and warm. She was so different to the women Ivan usually met – those rich confident socialites, who were happy to have some fun in bed, but never really had a lot going on behind their fake plastic smiles. It was obvious Samira had been through a lot in her short life, and she was clearly a born fighter, like him.
? Also By Julie Farrell
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