Sequoia Valley: Risk (Free Preview)

18

Yâsmeenah and Jâsim were just nearing the end of their game when his phone rang. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled it out and answered. After a short one-sided conversation that made her think he was talking to the delivery service bringing the mattress he’d bought, he hung up. 

“They’re here,” he announced without preamble, rising to his feet and returning his phone to his pocket. “Could you go to your room? I’ll come and get you when they’re gone.” He looked her over. “Unless you’d rather put your ’abâyah and hijâb back on and stay in here.”

Yâsmeenah shook her head. It seemed easier and better to wait in her room as he’d suggested. “I’ll go to my room.” Rising, she went to the bookshelf and snatched a random book so she wouldn’t be bored while waiting. 

She glanced over her shoulder as she left. Jâsim stood by the couch watching her, evidently waiting for her exit. But he didn’t hurry her along when their eyes met; he offered a smile that made her return it. Then she turned away and left the room. 

When she entered the bedroom, she closed it behind her and flopped on the bed. Then she opened her book. 

As she read, she heard a mixture of sounds outside of her door—the door being opened, footsteps, voices, and grunts and groans as something heavy was dragged in the hall. Finally, as she entered the next chapter, she heard footsteps walking away from the bedrooms, followed by the distant sound of a door being closed. 

A few minutes later, her bedroom door opened, and Jâsim stepped in. He’d changed into a T-shirt and plaid pants. “They’re gone.”

For a moment, panic flooded her senses. He was in her room—her private space, where she was most vulnerable. Slowly, common sense returned, reminding her that he wasn’t Jeremy to force his physical desires on her whenever he wanted. He hadn’t tried to touch her in any way that wasn’t innocent of deceptive intentions. He wouldn’t take advantage of her. 

“Am I not allowed to come in here and talk to you?” Jâsim’s voice interrupted her thoughts, his tone soft and gentle. His gaze, when she dared to look at him, was calm, a softness in his eyes that urged her to trust him. 

“It’s okay,” she managed to say. She could hear the tremble of fear in her voice, and she was sure he did, too, but he didn’t comment on it. 

He moved further into the room, pausing by the dresser. After a few moments, he moved on to the closet and looked in there. 

“What are you doing?” she finally asked, hating the nervous tremble in her voice. 

“Just looking,” he said lightly. “You can kick me out if I’m being too nosy.” As she eyed him, uncertain whether to take him seriously or not, he turned to her with a grin. “It’s easy. Just say, ‘Jâsim, go away. I don’t want you in here. You’re annoying.’ My mother does it all the time. So did Sumayyah when she lived with us.”

Yâsmeenah would have never dared to to tell Jeremy to leave the bedroom so she could be alone, but it was comforting to know Jâsim saw nothing amiss with her telling him to leave her space. He was practically encouraging her. It made his presence in the room less threatening. 

Jâsim looked around him. “I should get you a bookshelf. You need one in here.”

She gaped at him in surprise. 

“What?” he asked curiously. “You don’t want one?”

“That’s not...” she began.

“Good,” he interrupted cheerfully. “That can be our next project—putting together a bookshelf. Doesn’t that sound fun?”