Page 91 of Not the Plan

“Oh, a Little Kite told me that it might not be a horrible idea to go someplace with a spa. Plus, we’re a little farther away from the hotels recommended for guests, so I hope we’ll have some privacy. I thought that might be particularly important if your mother really got to you and you needed a break.”

Isadora’s eyes watered. It had been ages since someone had been so attentive to what might make her comfortable.

“Thank you,” she said. He kissed her on the cheek as the porter opened the door.

She thought he’d booked a room, but it was a suite. An enormous bouquet of white roses was waiting for them on the coffee table. She gasped and went over to bury her face in them and absorb their smell. She smiled at Karim over her shoulder, and he smiled back as he took off his jacket and strode over to her.

“Are you surprised?”

“Very! They’re beautiful!” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

“I’m glad you like them. And now, you should get undressed.”

“Already? We’ve only just arrived.” She pressed herself closer to him.

“As much as I’d like to, no. It’s for our couples’ massage. They’ll be here in less than ten minutes.”

She froze, an excited buzz growing inside.

“Really?” she whispered.

“Yeah,” he smiled.

Her personal phone blared. She didn’t need to see the contact name that flashed across the screen for the bubble Karim had created to burst.

“Hello, Mother. How are you?” She stepped close to the window.

“Are you here?” Her mother’s voice was even more harried than usual.

“Yes, just getting in. Is everything okay?” Isadora asked.

“Of course it is! Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I don’t know, you sound really—”

“Is he here?” her mother asked.

“Who?”

“Your date? Kahil or Kamel, whatever.”

“Yes, he’s here.” Karim came up behind her, his arms around her waist, stroking her cheek with his. His chest rose against her back as he took a deep breath and eased it out. She followed his lead, relaxing back into his arms, surprised at how tense she’d gotten so quickly.

“When do I get to meet him?” her mother asked.

“At the rehearsal dinner.”

“That’s in three hours! Why do I have to wait that long?”

Isadora sighed.Always the same thing—we agree on something, then she changes her mind, but somehow, it’s my fault.“Isn’t that what we said before, that we’d meet up at the dinner?”

“Okay, fine. I’ve waited this long for you to have a man in your life; another couple of hours won’t kill me.” Isadora went rigid. Karim moved into her line of sight, his eyebrows furrowed. Those green eyes snapped her out of the automatic submissiveness she slid into with her mother. There was a knock at the door and Karim left to answer it after giving her a prolonged kiss on the temple.

“That was uncalled for, Mother,” she said.

“Why’s that?”

“First of all, it was just rude. Secondly, I haven’t shared all the details of my personal life with you for a long time. Experience taught me it’s wiser—”

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