The Sheikh’s Tempted Prisoner by Holly Rayner Page 0,2

that the Middle East was comprised mostly of desert, but when Marissa had met her, she had instantly set her straight. Vast stretches of the region were filled with luscious forests, not unlike the national parks Lily had grown up visiting.

The plane touched down, somewhat haphazardly, and Lily waited impatiently as each passenger before her grabbed a bag and stepped off the plane. When it was finally her turn, her legs protested as she stood, her limbs tingling as blood began to flow freely once again.

The crew had instructed the passengers to fill out documents before the plane had landed, and Lily had set herself up with the free two-week travel visa, which she held onto tightly as she rolled her suitcase through the colorful airport. Images of local royalty were on display, and Lily glanced at each picture before she made it to the front of the customs line, where she reached a man in an official uniform.

“Passport,” he said, his accent melodious.

“How did you know I spoke English?” she asked.

The man glanced at her as she handed him her passport, his dark eyes on the document as he scanned it, then on her face.

“We don’t get many blond-haired, blue-eyed people who aren’t English speakers, though it does happen from time to time. What is the purpose of your visit?”

“Pleasure. I’ll be vacationing here for ten days.”

She hoped the small shake in her voice didn’t give her away. Lily wasn’t used to lying, but she had already made her decision, and she would figure it out. Marissa would help her find something so she could afford the work visa fee; she was certain.

The man looked over her passport for another minute and then handed it back to her.

“Enjoy your vacation, Miss Hawthorne.”

“Thanks,” she breathed, a rush of relief jolting through her.

Grateful that the man hadn’t been able to see right through her, Lily strode toward the arrivals area, turning on her phone so she could call Marissa to let her know she had arrived. As she did, her phone beeped with a voicemail…from Marissa.

Lily held the phone to her ear and listened.

“Hey, Lily. Oh my gosh, I feel like a complete moron. I totally forgot in my excitement to get you here that I agreed to go on a three-week safari with another friend of mine. I just had to pack and we’re running out the door now! I’m so sorry. Don’t worry about a thing. I’ve got a spare house key under my apartment mat and my car keys are inside the apartment. Use whatever you need, and we can totally party when I get back, okay? Here’s my address…”

She spouted off her address, then, and Lily rushed to find a small notepad and pen to scribble it down. She felt a sharp stab of annoyance at her friend’s flakey behavior. Who invited someone to fly halfway across the world to stay with them only to be gone for three weeks the very day they arrived?

Lily took a deep breath, reminding herself that she was lucky to have access to a car and a place to stay. Squaring her shoulders, she pulled her suitcase along and stepped outside. The air that met her was humid and warm, like a tropical forest.

There was a long line of green cabs parked along the stretch of the airport sidewalk, and Lily approached the one at the front.

After opening the back door, she slid in and gave the driver directions. Fortunately, he spoke English, too, and made short work of driving her to Marissa’s apartment. Along the way, Lily admired the stunning ancient architecture around her. Al Yibri’s capital city was old, and apparently quite proud of it. There wasn’t a skyscraper to be seen, and all the buildings had an earthy, clay-like coloring.

The sounds of the cars around her seemed out of place as they arrived at Marissa’s apartment. Lily gave the driver some of her exchanged currency, and he nodded in thanks as she made her exit. She watched as he drove off to find another fare and then turned to look up at the small house that was home to Marissa’s apartment.

There were two apartments in the building, side-by-side. As she pulled up the mat in front of Marissa’s door, she saw the little silver key and smiled. It was nice to know her friend felt it was safe enough to leave a key not so well hidden. She opened the door and was met with the subtle scent