Page 17 of Her Older Sheikh

Brian surprisingly proves me wrong, and I find myself actually having a good time as we chat between sips of juice (mine) and beer (his). He's good-looking and smart, funny and outdoorsy, too. I think I could've liked him a lot more...if only I didn't meet Mr. Mine before him.

And speak of the devil, self!

This is going to sound gross, but it did feel like for a moment that shock could've made my eyes bulge out of its sockets. I just have a hard time believing I'm not imagining things. Is that reallyMr. Mine walking towards me...in the company of Dr. Adam Al-Masri?

"Not good, babe."

Brian startles me when he cups my chin to gently make me face him again, and I feel genuinely embarrassed and ashamed when I realize he's caught me staring at another man while we're on a date.

I apologize profusely, but Brian assures me we're "cool", and I'm not sure how to take that. Is he saying it's just his ego that's hurt, but he actually doesn't mind if I'm interested in other guys?

"Is he your ex?"

"No, nothing like that," I hastily deny. "I just know him...from around."

"He looks familiar, though."

"Really?" It takes everything to keep my tone casual. "Where do you think you've seen him?"

"I can't seem to recall. But I'm sure I've seen him before." Brian glances over his shoulder as he speaks, and I'm unable to resist stealing a look myself.

Oh.

My breath catches at the way his handsome face immediately hardens upon seeing us, and I have to fight against the urge to run up to him and tell Mr. Mine he has nothing to worry about.

Have some pride, self.

Thoughts of him have haunted me every night, and he had me tossing and turning in bed while I tortured myself with questions I had no way of answering.

Could I have done something different to make him stay?

Does he remember me still?

If he could do things all over again, would he still have chosen to walk away?

You hurt me, Mr. Mine.

You truly did.

There hasn't been a single instance that the rain doesn't remind me of him, hasn't been a single instance that I don't think of him every time I pass by a cafe or just about any place that has flowers gracing its entrance.

I know this makes me sound like I'm the biggest loser on earth, but I've spent every morning hanging out at the B&B where we met, just hoping and hoping that he'd one day show up.

But he never did.

It's as if he found it so easy to cut me out of his life, and so for me to see him now—-

"Rashad?"

It's Dr. Al-Masri who's speaking, and my senses reel a little when I realize it's Mr. Mine he's addressing.

Rashad.

I finally know his name, but it's too late, and I can no longer let myself care about this.

Over and done with, remember?

I pin a smile on my face and reach forward to touch my date's arm. "Brian?"

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