Page 1 of Sheikh's Vacation Fling

Prologue

“Sweetie you have to go without him. Screw Charles, you were always too good for him anyway.”

Abby Shaw appreciated her best friend’s words but they were just that, the words of someone who loved her dearly. “You have to say that Shelly. The truth is that Charles and I were very compatible.” She was nothing, if not a sensible girl.

Shelly snorted a laugh and refilled their wine glasses. “Obviously not that compatible.” At Abby’s narrowed gaze she shrugged not looking very apologetic. “Sorry but you know its true. There is nothing wrong with the fact that he likes that kind of sex, but the fact that he didn’t tell you is a big problem. Huge. Gigantic.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and then frowned when a thought occurred to her. “You’re not thinking of taking that jerk wad back are you?”

Abby shook her head, brown hair falling around her shoulders. “No I’ve already decided we’re over. Like you said I can’t trust him, but I don’t know if I can do Fiji on my own.” She wasn’t really a do things on her own kind of girl when it came to dining out or going to the movies. She certainly wasn’t brave enough for Fiji. Alone.

“Of course you can,” she stood at the sound of the doorbell and pushed her hair off her shoulders before she went to pay for the pizza. “If I could go with you I would, but teaching the advanced placement summer classes will get me the down payment I need for that old blue Victorian on Kirkwood Avenue.”

Abby knew how important that was for her friend. They’d both admired that house for years and now it was finally on the market. “Since my life plans aren’t shaping up the way I thought they would, maybe I should start looking into buying a house too.” She wouldn’t do that, not yet anyway because it would mean admitting that she’d given up on the notion of forever love and a house filled with children. Her hope had taken a beating but it was still there.

“Now what you need to do is hop on that plane in the morning and forget kinky Charles ever existed. None of this is on you Abby, he lied and he withheld important information from you. He’s the jerk here.”

With a heavy sigh she nodded her agreement. Fiji was a once in a lifetime adventure for her. There would very likely be no other time in her life she could afford a summer abroad, in fact she’d probably spend the next few years paying the trip off. Charles had insisted they go Dutch even though his salary was at least double hers so she couldn’t really not go. And it would be a lifetime of memories, adventures and fun. “Okay I’m going. Alone.” She frowned. “Maybe—,”

“No!” Shelly pointed a sharp blue nail at her friend. “You will be perfectly fine as long as you don’t get into cars with strangers. Unless they are irresistibly hot and offering to rock your world,” she laughed and wiggled her eyebrows while she thrusted her hips and made vulgar sounds.

Abby couldn’t help but roll her eyes at her crazy friend. “I am not sleeping with a strange man on an exotic island.” Though the idea did hold appeal the more she thought about it. And heartbreak wasn’t even possible because it would be casual. One night, even. “Maybe.” Her shoulders rose and fell and her face twisted in indecision. “I’m not really the fling type.”

“So you think, but you’re hot and there will be plenty of flavors of man candy to choose from. Rich bachelors traveling alone, sexy locals looking for a slice of American pie,” she did the eyebrow thing again, sending Abby into a fit of laughter. “Or even better…European backpackers!” Her blue eyes went wide and she squealed with delight.

“You are seriously certifiable Shelly.” She laughed some more and it felt good. The more she laughed the lighter she felt. Thinking about what had happened just a few hours ago wasn’t as bad as it felt when she’d burned rubber out of her ex-boyfriend’s parking lot. It was actually kind of funny. In a gross, kinky way.

When Abby woke up the next morning, half hungover from too any glasses—okay bottles—of red wine the night before and then it all played back for her in sharp detail and shocking naiveté.

The last day of school. For Abby it meant the start of a new chapter in her life. At least she thought so. Another step toward her future. It took less than thirty minutes to clean up her biology classroom, remove all the posters and decorations, and pack up her personal belongings so everything was all clear for the summer school session to begin next week. Thanks to her recent research grant she would get a new room and a bigger lab in the fall. With a pep in her step, Abby hoisted the box on her hip and took one last look around as she exited the building. For three whole months.

She was too excited for the possibilities of a summer in Fiji with Charles, her boyfriend of two years and she hoped soon, her fiancée. They were set to leave tomorrow to make the most of the trip they’d been planning all year and she was sure by the end of the summer they would be one step closer to her very own happy ending.

She stepped inside the small cottage she rented and smiled when she caught a glimpse of the two orange bags sitting by the door. A plan had come to mind and she decided it was the perfect way to start her vacation off on the right foot. She took a quick shower, putting on some of her sexiest lingerie under a breezy summer dress that made her green eyes pop and spritzed perfume on her pulse points before grabbing her bags and making her way to Charles’ condo on the other side of town. She was supposed to take a cab to him in the morning since his place was closer to the airport, but she figured it would be nice to give him a sexy surprise early.

Using the key he’d given her as a token of how serious he was about their relationship, Abby pushed the door open and frowned at the loud club music filling the entire unit. Charles didn’t listen to anything other than soft jazz and classical music because he believed it helped him perform his job as an accountant better. He referred to her beloved hip hop music as noise so it was a little unsettling to hear it being blasted, but she forged ahead shaking off her unease as she made her way up his beige carpeted stairs. Maybe I can talk him into more color once we’re engaged, she thought as she came to a stop outside his closed bedroom door.

Abby sucked in a deep, fortifying breath and blew it out. It would be fine, she convinced herself. Charles preferred things a little milder in the bedroom, with him initiating and taking charge. Hopefully he’d appreciate this change of pace. Despite the loud music she thought she heard a smacking sound and smiled to herself, thinking maybe he was enjoying a bit of self love, in which case her arrival would certainly be appreciated.

She pushed the door open and froze. Of all the things she’d expected to see—Charles pleasuring himself to internet porn—the one thing she hadn’t expected to see was him in bed with two other people. Stunned for a full minute, all Abby could do was watch and listen to the depravity before her. No, not depravity, but rather a part of him she hadn’t known existed. Desires that she, after two years together, had no idea he had.

Finally she came to her senses and stepped inside the room, completely invisible to the threesome on the big bed. Where I just slept two nights ago, she thought with a shudder. Since they hadn’t noticed her arrival, Abby decided to take a page from her students and snap a few photos before stopping the music and drawing the attention of the human caterpillar before her. “I guess I really should have called first.” Not the wittiest opening but she didn’t need to impress anyone.

All three stopped mid-thrust and turned with one head in her direction. Charles scooted to the edge of the bed, scowling at his friends. “Stay here,” he barked at his bed mates before scrambling off the bed and strolling towards here. Abby chose that moment to turn on her heels and make her way down the stairs. “Abby, wait!” His footsteps were heavy and hard and fast. “Dammit Abby, wait up!’

“No thanks,” she called out, without bothering to look back at him. “I’ve seen all I need to hear!” He might think he could talk her out of what she knew she had to do, but she knew the truth.

“Listen to me Abby,” he smacked a palm against the door to stop her from opening it and she turned to face up. “I am a man with very specific sexual needs. I didn’t want to bother you with them, or scare you” he flashed that smile only yesterday she found charming and sexy.

“You should have told me what you needed was sex with a man! God, do I need to get tested? Never mind, I am definitely getting tested.” With a shove to his naked chest, Abby slipped out the door, barely suppressing the angry tears threatening to spill.

“I’m always safe Abby, I’d never put you in danger!”

She laughed bitterly. “Oh yeah is that why you were doing what you were with them and, ew even now your mouth is still covered in that woman!” A shudder passedthrough her as that image replayed in her head. Ugh I kissed that mouth a day ago. “I’m just glad I found out before we took this any further. I can’t believe you,” she shook her head, in disappointment or disgust she didn’t really know. Have a nice life Charles.”

“Take the night to calm down and I’ll see you in the morning. Our flight leaves early in the morning.”

She froze and turned slowly with a blank look on her face. “I’m going to Fiji alone Charles.”

“You can’t stop me from following you Abby, and I will. We have a future to plan.”

“No! We had a future to plan but you’re a liar and a cheater and you put my health at risk, I will never forgive you for that. Follow me and the partners at your firm will see exactly what kind of man you are.” She would never do that but watching the color drain from his face was satisfying.

She hopped in her car and started the engine, letting an old 50 Cent track soothe her anger.

Abby sat up as she watched herself in her mind’s eye, surprise washing over her. She hadn’t been sad or heartbroken, but she’d been plenty angry. Mad. Pissed off. I should be hurt, depressed or something about the fact that the man I thought I would marry was being double teamed by strangers. Abby realized she had never been in love with Charles, she was comfortable with him. “I was settling for him,” she said and slid out the bed with a quick glance at the time. She had three hours until her nine o’clock flight.

Screw Charles, I’m having my adventure in Fiji!

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