Come Away With Me--Saudi Arabian Nights Series 2

Chapter Two

“You’re going to be a rich artist one day,” he laughed and stood next to her. “Everyone is asking about you. They want to see your next collection.”

Leah knew that Pierre had the ability to be overly dramatic. Pierre was a nice-looking man with jet black hair and the most amazing cool blue eyes she ever had seen. He spoke with a French accent and was very flamboyant.

Leah owed a lot to Pierre. When she came to New York City, she was chasing her dreams while pounding the pavement Leah was born and raised Georgia. Just like any teenager, she had dreams and aspirations to become something or someone out in the world. When she left Atlanta for New York, everyone, including her parents, told her she would return soon. She received a partial scholarship to Columbia University, but it was barely enough money to pay for food and books. However, Leah wasn’t going to allow anyone to stand in her destiny, especially her unsupportive family.

“Painting is not a really job!” Simon Moore yelled. 
“I want to do it; it’s my passion,” she replied.

Pierre hired her at the gallery five years ago as an assistant. During the process of working for him, he had offered Leah the opportunity to display some of her work in the gallery. Her collection, “Better with Time,” went over well with the crowd, and she grossed enough money to allow her to move into a loft in Queens. Mostly importantly, Leah wouldn’t have graduated from Columbia without the help of her friend and mentor.

“Are you prepared for the showing in two months?” Pierre asked.

Leah nodded her head. “I have only three painting to go, but it’s like my mind is clouded.”

“Girl, ever since you and what’s his name broke up, you have been down in the dumps.” Pierre put his finger to his chin. “You should go to dinner with Leo and me.”

“No thanks,” Leah laughed. “The last time we went, I remember staying out until four a.m., not to mention the nasty hangover I had all day,” she grimaced.

“I’m telling you, you don’t know what you’re missing,” he said, and did a little dance move.

Leah couldn’t help but laugh at Pierre’s antics. “I think I’m going to go home and relax, order some Chinese food, drink a glass of wine, and watch a Lifetime movie on DVR.”

“All in that order?” he asked.

“Yes,” she grabbed her tote bag and turned to look at him. “Do you have a problem with that?”

“No ma’am. Call me and let me know you made it home safely.” He kissed her cheek before disappearing into the office.

“I’m locking the door!” Leah shouted.

Stepping outside into the cold Manhattan night, Leah shivered slightly as she pulled her hoodie on top of her head. She haven’t even been out the art studio for five minutes, and her fingers and toes were going numb as she walked through the deep snow. Leah had to chuckle to herself; she only missed the Deep South in the winter.

 Normally, Leah would have hailed a taxi, especially since the weather outside was so frigid, but she needed the time to think.  She always promised Pierre and Leo she would take a taxi at night, but tonight was one of those nights where she needed Mother Nature to help her creative juices.

Leah thought about what Pierre said. Ever since she stopped dating Christopher Newman, she had been in the dumps. Her friend and boss was correct, any woman would be down in the dumps when the man of her dreams proposed, only for her to say no.
“Leah, will you marry me?” Christopher asked on bended knee.

“Chris…” Leah said, looking at her boyfriend of two years. Christopher was a handsome man, with brown shaggy hair and brown eyes. He was lean and built from his day working at the fire station in Brooklyn.  She stared into those dark brown orbs; immediately she saw their life flash in front of her, and it wasn’t marital bliss that she saw. “You’re not my soul mate.” 

“What do you think about going out on another date with me?” he asked as a black sedan pulled up in front of them.

“Now, Mr. Tala, why would I do that?” She smirked, walking to the car. “You’re a complete stranger.” 

“We can change that between us…I don’t have to be a stranger.” This time, it was his turn to smirk. 

“Maybe.” 

“We could learn something from each other?” 

Suddenly, out of the blue, she reached up and grabbed his grey tie, pulling him down, causing a gasp to slip from his lips. Their faces were inches apart when she spoke.  Her voice was breathy and her eyes were bright with sensuality. “It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just a kiss.”

Hamaz closed his eyes, smirked, and leaned down further.

Leah broke the kiss and wiped lip gloss from his lips before dashing to the waiting car. She left him standing on the cold sidewalk, craving more from his dinner mate. 

Walking to his own waiting sedan, he slid in the backseat next to his trusted adviser and friend Madani.  

“I see that look on your face, sir,” Madani said, as he instructed the driver and bodyguard Ehan to drive to their hotel.

Hamaz tried to concentrate on Madani, but his mind was still on Leah. “Don’t have the slightest idea what you’re talking about, my friend,” he said, looking sheepishly at Madani. 

“You’re going to pursue her.” 

Instead of answering the one person who knew him. Hamaz chose to stare out the tinted window, at the snow that fell thick and fast to the ground. He muttered a curse word as he touched his lips from the kiss he shared a moment ago with Leah. Damn it all to hell. How could this enticing woman be stuck in his head?

“Are you planning on seeing her again?” 

“I don’t have to run my schedule around you,” Hamaz spat at his closest ally in the world. For some reason, there was something about Madani that rubbed him the wrong way.   

“I’m just saying, Your Highness, that if you to know more about this woman, I can have Ehan do a search on her.”