The long-range, Gulfstream G650 jet waiting on the tarmac exceeded Nathaniel’s wildest dreams. He suddenly thought about Rebecca’s apples and oranges statement. He clearly owed his sister-in-law, Catherine Moore-Stallion, far more than dinner in his new restaurant. Catherine or Cat, as the family called her, owned a multimillion-dollar aircraft leasing company and had been very generous with her resources. He was going to have to cater her and his brother Noah’s baby shower, their kid’s sweet sixteen and his niece or nephew’s wedding, to repay their generosity.
Both he and Rebecca boarded the plane with wide eyes and gaping mouths. The luxury aircraft had an eight-seat configuration with leather recliners, a full-sized galley and lavatory. It afforded them comfort and amenities that they hadn’t even begun to imagine.
The flight attendant greeted then warmly. “Dr. Stallion, Ms. Marks, welcome aboard!” the tall, lanky man said. He relieved them of their luggage and pointed them to seats of their choosing. “My name is Brian and I’ll be traveling with you this morning. Can I interest either of you in a beverage before we take off?”
“I would love a glass of mimosa, if that’s possible,” Rebecca said. “A pineapple mimosa, actually!”
“A pineapple mimosa? Really?” Nathaniel said with a slight laugh. “It’s not even nine o’clock yet!”
“You have me flying millionaire-class. That means millionaire goodies!” Rebecca quipped. “Unless you don’t have mimosas?” She looked to Brian with a raised brow.
Brian smiled. “That won’t be a problem, ma’am. And for you, sir?”
“Well, in that case, I think I’ll have a pineapple mimosa, too!”
“Coming right up. Please, make yourselves comfortable and I’ll be right back.”
“But no mimosas for the pilots!” Rebecca chimed after him. “Not until we land!”
The other man laughed as he gestured with a thumbs-up.
Rebecca dropped down into one of the plush seats. “So, you still haven’t told me where we’re going.”
Nathaniel grinned. “Morocco!”
Her eyes widened as she turned to stare at the man. “Morocco?”
He nodded. “We’ll be there in approximately twenty-one hours. We have a quick stop in Paris first to refuel and then on to Marrakesh. We’ll shop one, maybe two days and then we’ll come right back.”
Rebecca laughed, clapping her hands excitedly. “This is insane!”
“It probably is,” her friend said as he dropped into the seat beside her. “But what’s a little adventure between friends?”
Brian moved back to their sides, two tall flutes of champagne and pineapple juice in hand. “The pilot says we’ll be taking off in about twenty minutes. He’ll be turning on the seat belt sign soon and I’ll come back for your glasses when he does. I’ll gladly bring you another once we reach our cruising altitude.”
“Thank you,” Nathaniel said.
“How fast does this baby go?” Rebecca asked, her energy level suddenly sky-high.
“Near the speed of sound, I do believe.”
She smiled. “Wow! That’s fast!” she said cheerily.
Nathaniel laughed. He was equally excited and feeling very confident about his decision. He suddenly shifted forward in his seat, concern washing over his expression. Rebecca’s face had dropped into a downward frown, something amiss in her eyes. She jumped from her seat, the gesture abrupt.
“Bec, what’s wrong?” he asked.
“I can’t go to Morocco! I can’t leave the country! I have to get off this plane!” She was moving from side to side, her hands moving as frantically as her mouth.
“Woman, what the hell are you talking about?”
“I don’t have my passport! I can’t travel without my passport. I don’t know what you were thinking!”
He laughed again as he stood up and moved to her side, grabbing her by the shoulders. “I was thinking that if you can talk to my sisters when it suits you, that I could talk to your sister when necessary. I had her express-mail me your passport earlier this week. You will have no problems getting into and out of the country.”
“Really?”
“Bec, you don’t think I’d do this without you, do you?”
“I don’t know what to think, Nathaniel Stallion. When it comes to you and me...well...”
He took a step closer to her, shifting his weight and warmth nearer to her. He clasped her hands between his own, entwining their fingers together. “It’s like you were saying last night, the bond between us is practically sacred. You are as much a joy and a blessing in my life, as I am in yours. We’re good together and it has scared the hell out of us both. But it’s time we stopped being scared. We’re missing out on the best thing that could happen to either of us. And like you said, I don’t want to miss out on anything more.”
A slow, upward bend of Rebecca’s mouth made her entire face glow. She nodded slowly. “So you did hear what I said last night.”
“I heard every word, Bec.”
She bit down against her bottom lip. “So what now?”
A low gust of air blew past his full lips. Nathaniel lifted her hands and kissed the backs of her fingers. His touch was gentle, his lips like silk against her skin as he kneaded the flesh softly. “Well,” he said softly, his voice a low whisper. “Right now, I’m going to kiss you and I don’t plan on giving you a little friendly peck on the lips. I plan to kiss you like I mean it, and I expect...”
Rebecca pulled her hands from his and laced them around his neck. She pushed her body against his, allowing her soft curves to fold sweetly against his hard lines. “So just kiss me already!” she said and then he did, claiming her mouth with his.
* * *
Soon, kissing Rebecca became Nathaniel’s all-time favorite thing to do. She tasted like fresh mint and pineapple mingled with sugared candy as he teased the line of her teeth with his tongue. Her lips were full and plush, the sweetest cushions against his own. She opened her mouth to let him in and their tongues danced together slow and easy. Every kiss was searching, a new discovery as they explored what both had only dreamt of prior. He found it intoxicating. In that moment he knew he would never again pass up any opportunity to kiss his beautiful Bec. And she was his, heart and soul. As he kissed her he realized she always had been.
The flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport took just over ten hours. When they landed for refueling they were both exhausted, having talked nonstop for most of the trip. Nathaniel had been amused as Rebecca called herself negotiating the parameters of a relationship they had already defined many years earlier.
“You know I’m funny about my personal space. And sometimes I just need me time. I don’t want you to take that personally.”
Nathaniel laughed. “It’s never been a problem before, Bec. I’m sure it’ll be fine now.”
“I’m obsessing, aren’t I?”
“You do that sometimes.”
“Aren’t you nervous at all? Because I’m scared to death that we’re going to mess things up. We have such a wonderful friendship and if this goes south we might not be able to recover from it.”
“No,” he said leaning to kiss her again. “I’m in love with my best friend. I have nothing to be nervous about and neither do you. So stop!”
Tears misted Rebecca’s eyes. Nathaniel loved her. He was in love with her. Life couldn’t get any better than that, she thought.
The pilot landed the plane and then pulled the aircraft up to the hangar. Once the seat belt sign was disengaged Brian moved to update them.
“You’ll have some time,” he said. “We’re changing pilots and refueling so we’ll be here for an hour or so. Ms. Moore has arranged dinner for you. We can set it up here inside the plane or if you prefer, we can set the table up inside the hangar. It’s your choice.”
Nathaniel gave her a look. “It’s your choice, Bec. Whatever you want is fine with me.”
Rebecca’s smile was bright. “Why don’t we get off and take our break in the hangar. I really do need to stretch my legs.”
“It sounds like we’ll be dining in the hangar,” Nathaniel said as he gave Brian a nod.
“Yes, sir. It will only be a few minutes more and then you’ll be able to disembark.”
“Thank you,” Nathaniel said. “We appreciate your efforts, Brian.”
“Does Cat always arrange dinner in Paris for her clients?” Rebecca questioned.
“I guess it depends on the clients,” Nathaniel said with a chuckle.
“Did you know about this?”
“No. It’s news to me. But I’m sure it’s no big deal, probably just sandwiches and more of those chocolate chip cookies you’ve been eating since you got on the plane.”
“You’re the one who’s been obsessing over the chocolate chip cookies,” Rebecca quipped. “How many have you had? I know I’ve only had three.”
Nathaniel laughed. “Three more than I’ve had!”
“Don’t play me! You are not going to make me feel guilty about eating cookies. I’m on vacation and I plan to eat.”
“This is not vacation. We’re supposed to be working, remember?”
“You’re supposed to be working. I’m just tagging along for the fun. I don’t even know what we’re here to buy.”
“Spices. Morocco is renowned for its spices. Cayenne, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger and saffron. Definitely the saffron. Those are just a few of the spices that I plan to take back with me.”
Rebecca smiled. “So you did decide to do the tagine chicken?”
“I did. I’m going to make it a special for opening day. If it’s well received, we may add it to the menu permanently. I’m not sure yet.”
“I really love your tagine chicken!” Rebecca exclaimed as she thought about the exotic warm stew he often made for her when she needed comfort food. It was made with chicken and yams, carrots, garbanzo beans and tomatoes seasoned with garlic and coriander.
“I know you do. That’s why I think we’ll probably be adding it permanently to the menu at some point. Maybe call it Bec’s Tagine.”
“No, I think you should just let it be a special. I don’t want everyone to be able to just get it every day.”
“But it’s so easy to make.”
“But it’s special. You’ve always made it for me when I needed a hug.” The look she gave him was suddenly pulling at his heartstrings. Nathaniel understood without her needing to say the words. Over the years there were things that had become special to the two of them. Simple gestures that solidified their feelings for each other without them having to say the words. It worked when neither of them had realized why.
The moment was interrupted as Brian made his way back to their side. “Everything’s ready when you are,” he said softly. “You can follow me now if you like.”
With a nod of his head Nathaniel reached for Rebecca’s hand, clasping it gently beneath his own. He kissed the back of her fingers gently. Together, they followed their new favorite flight attendant off the airplane.
They were met at the airplane’s door by a woman from immigration. After confirming their identities and reviewing their passports she welcomed them to Paris.
“I didn’t know you spoke French,” Rebecca said as they descended the airplane stairs and followed Brian into the private flight hangar.
“It’s high school French and I really don’t speak it well. I haven’t had a whole lot of opportunity to practice.”
“It was kind of sexy,” Rebecca said, her voice dropping to a seductive tone. “Actually, it was very sexy.”
Nathaniel grinned. “I’m good like that,” he said as he kissed her again.
They both came to an abrupt stop, staring at the inside of the hangar. Everything was bright and shiny, the massive beams enhanced by a bright white concrete floor and large expanses of glass. A number of Fly-High Dot Com aircraft were parked pristinely in the steel-framed structure, adding to the impressive view.
Catching sight of the spread that had been laid out for them, they were both taken by surprise. Dinner was surely more than sandwiches and cookies. Someone had arranged a gourmet feast at a table set for two. Fine china and expensive crystal adorned a lace tablecloth. There was a centerpiece of fresh flowers, pillar candles and a bottle of wine waiting to be uncorked. The decadent aroma of hot food scented the air and suddenly they were both hungry.
“This is beautiful!” Rebecca gushed, wide eyes trying to take it all in.
“It’s definitely something,” Nathaniel responded. He turned, a slight hand waving for Brian’s attention. “Did you say my sister-in-law arranged this?”
“I believe there’s a card somewhere for you, Mr. Stallion,” Brian said as he gestured toward the table. He moved to pull out Rebecca’s seat.
Rebecca saw the small envelope perched in the leaves of the centerpiece. She pulled it from its nesting spot and waved it in the air. “Can I open it?”
Taking the seat across from her Nathaniel nodded. “Please.”
The white envelope had both their names printed neatly in gold ink. Rebecca slid her thumb under the seal and then pulled out the notecard inside. She read it quickly and smiled, tears pressing against her dark lashes.
“Who’s it from?” Nathaniel asked, not sure if he should be concerned or not. He extended his hand and reached for the card.
“We’re excited for your future together! May this be the beginning of great things to come,” he read aloud. It was signed by all his siblings.
“I really do like your family,” Rebecca said as she met his stare.
He nodded. “Yeah. I think I might keep them.”
* * *
Nathaniel was sleeping soundly in the leather recliner beside her. He snored loudly, his head tossed back as he rested with one arm above his head and the other draped over his chest. Rebecca shifted in her own seat, turning so that she could face him. She’d been watching him for the last hour as they flew the final leg of their trip into Morocco.
Rebecca couldn’t begin to believe how happy she was. It was as if she’d been flooded with an abundance of joy. She kept expecting that she would wake and discover it was all a dream. She couldn’t help but think that maybe it was all too good to be true. She heaved a deep sigh as she continued to consider it all.
Had they never left the airport in Paris she would’ve still been happy. That experience itself was a dream come true. Unexpected, exciting and immensely fulfilling.
His sisters had arranged a gourmet meal catered by the renowned Arpege restaurant. They dined on multicolored vegetable ravioli, Thai crab curry, couscous with vegetables and shellfish, and sea scallops in a velvety crème sauce. A hazelnut and praline torte had completed the meal and champagne flowed like water. The servings were not only pretty, looking like they’d been taken from the pages of a food magazine, but also an orgasmic experience against her tongue. Even Nathaniel, who could sometimes be a food snob, had been impressed.
They had bantered back and forth like they always did, yet their comfort levels seemed heightened even more. It was amazing how quickly things between them had changed and had also stayed the same. He was still the love of her life but now he knew it. She had his heart and if she were honest with herself, she had always had it.
They’d departed soon after the meal ended. Hand in hand they had reboarded the plane and had settled down comfortably for the remainder of the flight. With a few more hours of flight time ahead of them, he’d fallen asleep quickly, the plush seats rocking him into a deep slumber. Rebecca had dozed slightly, waking when they’d hit a slight patch of turbulence. Unable to fall back to sleep she’d been watching him ever since, marveling at how crazy happy she was feeling. And wondering how soon it would be before everything blew up.
* * *
Morocco was extraordinary, the exotic destination nothing like Rebecca had imagined. It was late night when they finally landed. Nathaniel had reserved two adjoining rooms at the La Maison Arabe in Marrakesh. Rebecca had stayed in beautiful hotels before but this one exceeded her wildest fantasies. Expensive furniture and lush tapestries decorated his room and hers. There were two large swimming pools, a patio adorned with olive trees and rose bushes and magnificent views from their windows.
After they checked into the hotel, a bellman had guided them to their respective rooms. Once each had received their luggage, the exterior doors were closed and locked, Nathaniel had opened the door that connected the two rooms together.
“And you wanted separate rooms because...?” Rebecca said eyeing him curiously as she stepped into his space.
“Because I wanted to make sure you are comfortable. I didn’t want to make any assumptions about our living arrangements. Besides, I’d reserved the hotel before you expressed your undying love for me.” He grinned sheepishly.
Rebecca laughed. She didn’t want to admit it but she was glad he hadn’t canceled the second room. They still had things to talk about before taking their relationship to the next level. Suddenly the prospect of actually making love to him had her on edge. But she promised herself she wasn’t going to agonize over it. It wasn’t like the two of them didn’t fall asleep together on his living room sofa every night anyway.
After a long hot shower Rebecca slipped into flannel pajamas. They were her favorite pair and the least sexy nighttime garments she owned. She toyed with the lace camisole and G-string that she’d brought with her but decided at the last minute that it wasn’t the right time. When Nathaniel called her name to check on her, she stole one last glance in the full-length mirror and joined him in his room. He was seated in the center of the bed, his legs extended and crossed at the ankles. He sat with a notebook in his lap and an ink pen in his hand.
“What are you up to?” she questioned.
Nathaniel tapped an empty spot on the bed beside him. “Just double-checking my shopping list. I need to make sure we leave here with everything we need and at least a good three-to six-month supply. And we’re not going to be here long enough to do any serious price comparisons, so I need to practice my haggling skills.”
Rebecca jumped onto the bed beside him. She was suddenly bubbling with exuberance. “Haggling! You know that’s right up my alley, right! I am the queen of making a deal.”
“I do. Why do you think I brought you along?”
“You brought me along because I’m such wonderful company.”
“That, too.”
Rebecca pulled his notes from his hands and read through his list. “Is this everything?”
“I think so. I was just going over it again to make sure.”
“I am so excited for you,” Rebecca said softly. “Your dreams are coming true. You’ll soon be running my favorite restaurant and sharing the experience with your favorite girl. I am very proud of you. I hope you know that.”
“I do,” Nathaniel answered. He leaned to kiss her lips, cupping his palm against her cheek. “And I hope you know that I could not have done any of this without you. From the start you have been my biggest supporter. You had faith in me when I didn’t have faith in myself. I love you for that. I love that you just let me be me even when I might have been getting it wrong. You mean the world to me, Bec. Please, don’t ever doubt that.”
The kiss he wrapped her in was sweet and easy, the gentlest caress of skin against skin. His mouth danced against hers, his lips like full, plush pillows. He slid his arm around her waist, his large hand pressing against the soft curves of her back. He eased her gently down against the bedding, his mouth urgent and possessive. For the next few minutes they made out like teenagers. Nathaniel pulled himself from her when the muscles below his waist tightened so intensely that he thought he would burst. He palmed his male member as he shifted his body from hers.
Rebecca lifted herself up on her elbows. Her breathing was static and she panted lightly. She giggled softly.
“What’s so funny, Bec?” Nathaniel asked.
She gestured with her head toward his crotch. “I wore my granny panties and flannel jammies so that you’d be turned off.”
Nathaniel laughed heartily. “Woman, you are sexy in everything you wear. Although the granny pants might be a little iffy, I think the flannel is hot. There is absolutely nothing about you that turns me off.”
Rebecca laughed with him. After a few minutes she said, “I know you’ve had a hard-on for me for a while now, but I don’t want you to hurt yourself trying to get that first taste. You don’t know if you can handle all this yet,” she said teasingly.
Nathaniel shook his head, amusement seeping out of his eyes. “Seriously now, what’s really bothering you?”
She inhaled swiftly and held the air deep in her lungs before responding. “Are you ready for us to go there? To take things to that next step so quickly?”
He pondered her question for a quick minute. The look he gave her was so intense that her breath caught in her chest and she gasped loudly. They both took a deep breath at the same time.
Finally, he spoke. “I will be ready when you are, Bec. I have thought about making love to you for longer than you may know. I think about our being together and me being inside of you all the time. But we can take this as slow as you need or as fast as you want.”
Rebecca smiled. “Let’s get a good night’s rest so that we are both at our best tomorrow. Then tomorrow night I’ll wear satin.”
Nathaniel grinned. “I like satin, too.”
* * *
The next day Rebecca discovered that Marrakesh was one of the busiest cities in Africa. It was a major economic center and tourist destination. Real estate and hotel development in Marrakesh was substantial and the thriving metropolis was a popular vacation spot with French celebrities. She was duly impressed when Nathaniel recognized the actor Omar Sy having dinner with friends in one of the downtown restaurants.
Marrakesh also had the largest traditional open-air market place or souk in Morocco, selling merchandise from traditional Berber carpets to modern consumer electronics. Finding the spice stalls took little effort at all. The brilliantly colored bins of food stuffs lined the aisles of the souk. Nathaniel moved swiftly to find a vendor who had been highly recommended to him. The man sat in a nondescript location toward the back end of an alleyway. He was short in stature, his skin bronzed and weathered from the sun. He wore a white linen caftan with matching slacks and a traditional Berber turban. When Nathaniel introduced himself, mentioning their mutual friend, the old man hugged him warmly, and kissed him on each cheek. He nodded politely in Rebecca’s direction.
Rebecca stood aside as Nathaniel examined the spices he wanted to buy. He waved his hand in front of his nose as he inhaled the aromas, checking for product that might be stale and musty. Occasionally he took a taste to make sure the product was authentic. Minutes later he was negotiating the price of cayenne, cinnamon, cumin, sea salt, paprika, ginger and saffron. With each item the shopkeeper explained the best dishes to use which seasoning and even gave them some insight into the medicinal purposes some of the spices held.
Rebecca found herself on sensory overload with all the bright colors, weird smells and strange sounds. It felt as if they had inadvertently stepped back into another time and place. The marketplace was chaotic and overrun with tourists and it felt very much alive. Although she could have done without the skinned goat carcasses and camel heads, the occasional pile of donkey droppings and the stench of urine, she knew she wouldn’t hesitate to come back again.
She and Nathaniel both enjoyed the art of bargaining the price down, sometimes as low as a third of the initial asking price. When they were done, the shopkeeper celebrated their success with an offering of mint Moroccan tea. An employee of the hotel came to take their purchases and arranged for everything to be brought back to their hotel room. The two then enjoyed a slow stroll through the souk to see all the other items being sold. By the time they made their way back to the hotel, Rebecca had purchased two Berber rugs, a half-dozen housecoats called djellabas, silver bangles and an oversized, hand-painted, ceramic tagine pot.
As they returned to their room, she asked about his purchases. “So, can you please explain to me why you paid almost four thousand dollars for that saffron? And it was just over a pound, right?”
Nathaniel nodded. “It was actually a pound and a half. I got a great deal on it. Saffron is expensive because it’s difficult to cultivate. It has to be picked by hand and takes almost two hundred flowers to get one gram. He said he gets his from a town called Taliouine where it’s grown.”
“So what did you get the saffron for?”
“I’m doing a beautiful French bouillabaisse with sea bass, lobster and salmon. And occasionally I might do saffron potatoes.”
“Are you happy with your purchases?” Rebecca asked.
Nathaniel grinned. “Are you?”
She laughed as she gestured with one of her many bags. “I could get very used to this!” she said gleefully.