Arabian Nights - The city time had forgot - completed

Chapter Eight

After a restless night, Elena sluggishly moved out of the bed, and went to fill the bath, for soaking in. Sighing with relief, she sunk lower, letting the warm bubbly water wash over her tired body and mind. Yes, just what she needed, closing her eyes, and eased back, sinking lower into the waters.

"I should have known!"

Squealing, she sunk under the water, pushing up, spluttering, bushing hair from her face, and grabbed the edge of the bath, hiding her body against the side of the bath. "Hassan!" She roared.

He smiled, eyes warm, leaning against the open door frame, arms crossed, dressed in his usual robes, looking so good in her eyes. "I brought breakfast."

"Yes, well," she waved him out. "I'm soaking here!"

Instead of leaving, as if it was his right, he entered in further, and settled down on the ottoman in the middle of the room, suddenly looking very solemn. "I have been thinking," he started. So had she, long and hard. He was trapped harder than her, caught in this so call legend that he believed in. It explained a lot, the way he talked, and the way he thought. She couldn't really hold it against him, and didn't.

"Depends if this good for me or not," she sighed, giving up as he shot her a warning look, leaning arms on the edge of the bath, resting her chin on crossed arms. The bath was deep enough to keep her covered, and the bubbles from the foam, she had added to the water.

"Thinking thing over about what you said and all."

"Which part was that Hassan? I have said a lot of things."

A wry smile touched his lips, glancing across. "Yes, you have, mainly about how different we are, and how we have just met." Standing, he crossed over towards her and crouched down in front of her, at eye level. "You want time, so give me time. After you see your father, stay with me, so we can spend some quality time together, so you can get to know me better."

Astonished, she stared at him. "You would do that for me?"

"Of course."

"What about you? Surely you need time to get to know me also."

His dark, intense, amber eyes burned deeply into hers. "I already know you Elena Thompson." She swallowed hard.

"How is that possible?" She asked softly, though her heart was racing like thundering horses heading towards the finishing line, roaring in her ears.

"I know you by the way you act. You believe in justice. You have a strong voice, you are very protective, and care very deeply about your father." All he had said was true. "As you already know me, when you let yourself admit it. And I better go before all those bubbles disappear altogether."

Startled, she turned, dismayed, because the bubbles were disappearing fast. Gently his fingers brushed her cheek, guiding her back to him, then coaxed up her chin as his head dipped, sharing a kiss. A soft, gentle kiss, then he was walking out of the bathroom, while she melted into the water. The man was too deadly for her.

Bloody hell, she sunk back under the water, pushed up, this time climbing out of the bath, grabbed a towel, drying herself and wrapped around. Grabbing another towel, she wrapped up her hair, heading into the wardrobe and removed an abaya. It came to her, as if second nature now, and walked out, while towel drying her hair. "You really need to install a shower, Hassan."

"I find the baths much more relaxing."

She had to agree, joining him at the table that had one large covered pot in the middle of the table, pita bread off to the side as was hot beverages, suddenly starving. "Ah, but when in a hurry, a shower is much more efficient." She dropped the towel behind her chair, and ruffled her damp air with her fingers. Another fizz ball. Hassan removed her towel to drop onto the floor, and then removed a lid of the dish, revealing poached eggs in a spicy tomato sauce. She leaned over and breathed in the aromas, making sounds of pleasure in approval.