Desert Sunrises ✓

Chapter 4

The rest of the team meets us outside with 2 trucks to head to the resort. The drive was long and the AC in the truck was busted so the windows were down, letting the hot breeze and desert dust roll through the car, making me cough.

We pull up beside the hotel, although that designation was being a bit generous. If the outside was any indication as to what we were working with, it would need a lot of work to even remotely resemble being operational. The 6 of us stood in front of it, taking in every busted piece of wall, the sign that needs replacing and the front drive, if you could call it that, needs to be fixed.

"It sure doesn't look like the brochure," Max notes. We all turn and look at him before turning back to the trucks and grabbing our things. The front door falls to the floor as Ari struggles to get it and open and I smile when I hear Sammy's judgmental chuckle.

We come into the main reception and dining area where there's furniture piled up the two walls and sanding covering the floors. Ari looks around before declaring, "So it needs a little TLC."

"I think it needs a whole lot more than a little." I say as I try to kick some of the sand away with my shoe. A small crab pops out causing me to scream and jump. Everyone laughs at me while I'm clutching my chest, trying to regulate my heartrate.

"I'm with Amanda on this one. What a dump." Sammy says.

Jake opens one of the backdoors, revealing the sea that gave the resort its name. I hear him call it paradise. "It's something alright." I whisper to Sammy. We hear Rachel and Max yell out and I'm immediately on edge. I look around. "Where's Guy?"

I see Ari walk past outside and I run after him. We enter into another building and look around. Ari opens a window, and the sea breeze blows sand in, right in our faces. I look down when I smell smoke, and tap on Ari's shoulder, nodding towards the ash tray that was holding a still-lit cigarette.

Someone runs past us; out another door and I follow Ari as he chases after them. "Hey!" he yells. "Hey guys, guys" he yells again, and the others join us. As we come around the side of the building, there is a group gathered there.

"Hello," Ari greets them, as he takes off his sunglasses. "My name's Guy Thomas. This is my wife, Amanda. We're the new owners of this hotel."

No one says anything, but some look in fright behind us. I turn around and see Max has brought a harpoon gun and is holding it, cocked towards the staff. "Irving, lower that thing!" I say. He looks at Ari, who nods, before lowering it.

"Abu Hamid." The elderly man in the front says.

"Hello," Ari greets him.

"What the hell is going on?" Sammy asks quietly.

"I think we just met the local staff." Ari answers.

We go back and start inspecting the rooms. There's our living situations that need to be dealt with. Everyone claims theirs before Ari and I are left alone in what could only be the owner's suite. "I guess this is us." He says as he places his bag on the bed.

I let out an unamused laugh. "Yeah, I don't think so. There are several plagues I'd rather live through than share a bed with you."

"We're supposed to be married here Ilana. Married people sleep in the same bed."

I roll my eyes. "Well, you would know. Whether you tell me or not is the question."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I think it was quite obvious what that was supposed to mean. When you came to me 6 years ago, you weren't exactly honest, now were you? I told you on the plane that I saw you with them. You played me then, but I refuse to allow you to play me again. You want to share a bed, fine. But your ass better stay on your side of the bed." I say before heading out of our room and back to the main building.

...

Flashback, 6 years ago

I was standing off to the side of the synagogue in silence, faintly smiling as friends and acquaintances of my parents offered me their condolences. I never expected them to go together. Granted, I never expected them to go at all. My parents were forces of nature, bending everything, people included, to their will. A car accident was almost too normal for them to be taken out that way.

The service was finally over, the mourners had gone, and I was by myself. I felt someone come up behind me and I turned around. "No, that's not possible. You can't be here right now." I say, turning back around.

"Did you really think I wouldn't come?" Ari asks.

"How did you even find out?"

"My dad called. Figured I probably wanted to know."

"So, you and your parents are talking again? That's good, I guess."

He sighs. "I didn't come here to fight with you Ily. I came to be with you in your time of mourning."

I sigh. "Fine. Since you already made the trip, I guess you can stay." I offer him a small smile. He smiles back. "But you're going to have to help me clear out their house."

He laughs a little. "Deal." He offers me his hand and I take it, allowing him to lead me out of there and to my car.

"Where are you staying? Do your parents even know you're here?"

"I'm not here for them. You're my priority right now."

"Thank you. For being here. I'm sure the flight over must have been murder."

"It wasn't the greatest. But I'd do it all over again to be here for you." This makes me smile. "Let me drive. It's not like I don't know the way."

We pull into my parents' driveway, and I let out a shuddering breath, trying to not start crying again. We get out and I unlock the door. I take a step back as the smells hit me all at once, a mixture of Dad's cigars and Mom's soft perfume. "I'm not sure if I can start today. How about I make us some dinner and we can start fresh tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me."

"Let me make sure the guest room is made up, then I'll start dinner." I say before walking upstairs and enter the first room on the left. It's the least personable room in the whole house, only a few paintings adorning the walls, but I still fight back tears as I see all of Mom's personal touches.

I make sure the sheets are fresh and that there's clean towels for him to use and go back downstairs. I make us dinner and we eat in silence before turning in for the night. As we walk up the stairs together, I stop him. "Why did you never reach out? You left for Israel, and I don't hear from you for 10 years." I was angry.

"You left me that morning."

"And what, you were going to take me with you? Please, you were ready to cut ties with everyone, me included."

"It wasn't over for me," He says, "It still isn't over." He picks me up and slams me against the wall, lips attacking mine, my legs coming up to wrap around his waist. I moan into his mouth as I feel him pressed up against me, grinding against my center. He carries me the rest of the way and deposits me on my childhood bed.

"Seriously, in here?" I ask, smiling.

"Call it an unmet fantasy." He says before moving his hands down my body, unbuttoning my dress as he goes, smirking once it's completely open and I'm bared chested before him. "No bra?"

"Don't need one in this dress. Plus, I was already going to be suffocated enough today without one." He doesn't say anything, just moves down to and hooks his fingers around my panties, slowly dragging them down my legs before tossing them over his shoulder.

I quickly help him lose his pants and grab him through his boxers, causing him to moan into my mouth. I push them down his hips and he springs free. God, was he always that big? I cry out as he enters me, stretching me almost to the point of pain as he settles himself between my legs.

Ari gives me a moment to adjust before he starts moving in and out of me, quickly making me a muddled mess. I can feel myself tightening around him, and I can tell he's close too as his hips are jerking erratically and he's groaning above me.

I pull him down to my lips as I feel my walls start to tighten around him as he thrusts into me twice more before emptying inside of me, moaning low in my ear as he does.

He pulls out of me and rolls over, pulling him to his side as he does so. I curl into him, resting my head on his chest as I drift off to sleep.