Page 104 of The Accidental Wife

“Would the lovely couple like a photo for memories?” The guy leading the camel asks when he saw us all loved up with one another. I nod and hand him my phone, Shayla lays her head on mine, and we smile for the photo. “You’re a wonderful couple, very in love.” He says, handing the phone back to me, and I smile, kissing her knuckles.

“Hu Hayati,” Shayla tells him, and the man puts his hand over his chest and nods.

“Tsttye alqawl.” He replies. Shayla bites her lip and shrugs. I look at her with a frown, and the older man must have caught on that I didn’t understand, and he chuckles, amused.

“She says you are her life.” He interprets with a warm smile. “And I say, you can tell.” I look back at her and press my forehead to hers, pressing her hand over my heart.

“She’s my life, too.” The older man sighs, smiling, and continues leading the camel, mumbling to himself in Arabic.

After the camel ride, Shayla drags me to the dune buggies, and we ride those around for a while. I say ride, but we were racing through the desert. I laughed heartily when Shayla’s buggy got stuck in the sand, and she couldn’t move. “What happened, babe?!” I ask, circling her while she flips me off. “See what happens when you get all cocky.” I chuckle and hold my hand out to her. “Come here, baby.” I shift back and pull her in front of me on my buggy while I wrap my arms around her waist and kiss her pulse as she drives. The sun was setting as we ride around the desert. Shayla stops at the top of a dune, and we watch the sunset.

I rub her bare thighs, softly trailing my lips along her neck, and she moans, tilting her head back to give me more room to continue my ministration. “I really don’t want to go back home.” She breathes, closing her eyes. “Let’s just move here.”

“I’d quite happily stay here with you forever,” I whisper in her ear, and she smiles prettily. As it got darker, the stars filled the sky. Shayla and I lay on the sand, looking up at the stars.

“I’ve never seen so many stars in the sky before. It’s incredible.” She sighs, smiling up at the sky, absolutely mesmerised. How can someone be so beautiful inside and out? I remember something my grandfather told me at our post-wedding party when he first met her. “Keep hold of this one. She’ll change your whole world just like my Maisie did mine. Hold onto her for dear life, and don’t let go.” My heart aches a little when I remember him. He knew I was in love with her before I ever did. I wish I had listened to him; we’d still been married right now if I did.

While we were stargazing, the tour-guide comes to tell us the desert party had begun. Shayla hops up excitedly and squeals. “Come on, lover.” She pulls me toward the jeep, and they take us to where the party is held. Upbeat Arabic music was thumping through the speakers, people dancing and eating delicious food from a barbeque they had going. “Oh, my God! Now, this is Shay’s kind of party.” I laugh while she pulls me along to where they serve the buffet. We sat on a blanket with all those huge floor cushions while eating our food, watching the belly dancers. Shayla was singing and dancing along to the music, her eyes glittering under the lights.

One of the belly dancers comes sashaying over to me, and I watch her wide-eyed while she shakes and rolls her hips right in front of me. Shayla giggles watching me amusedly while the belly dancer leans over and brushes her hand over my cheek. Shayla smiles at the beautiful girl touching my face and slides money into her outfit. Before I could blink, the dancer had Shayla up and in the middle with her. I watch in awe as they dance together.

Another thing I didn’t know about Shay, she could belly dance. My God, did I hit the motherload. I watch avidly the way her hips shake and sway to the song perfectly. Others started to join the dance, and Shayla motions for me to join her and begrudgingly get up and walk over to her. There is no way in hell I can dance to this type of music. I take her hand and spin her before I pull her to me.

“Excuse me, but why am I only just finding out that you can belly dance?” I scold her playfully, and she grins up at me and shrugs impishly.

“Some things are best kept a secret.” She replies with a grin, and I wrap my arms around her waist.

“Nah uh, not this, absolutely not. First thing tomorrow, I’m buying you an outfit, and you’re going to dance for me just like you did up there.” I state, looking down into her upturned face while she laughs, swaying in my arms.

“Oh, am I now?”She purrs flirtatiously. “Are you going to slide cash in my panties too?”

I grin and lift her into my arms, “I’m going to slide something better than cash into your panties if you shake your sexy bum at me like that.” I declare, pressing my forehead to hers, and she grins. “I’m going to explode If I don’t kiss you soon,” I mumble, and she pouts with a nod.

“Me too. Shall we go find an obscure corner and make out for a bit.” She suggests with a wicked smile. I pull my head back to look at her and gasp.

“You mean, break the rules?” I smirk, and she nods, slowly licking her lips. “You’re trouble, Shayla Hart.” I follow her as she pulls me through the crowd of people dancing, and we find a secluded spot away from the party and prying eyes. I pull her to me and draw her lips to mine. We moan in unity the moment our lips touch. I’ve been dying to kiss her all damn day, and it seems she’s been feeling the same frustration. We continue to kiss heatedly for a while, hands caressing over one another leisurely.

“Mm, take me back to the suite and make me yours, Cole Hoult.” I groan and brush my lips over hers softly.

“Yes, my Arabian princess.”

And I did—all night long. Unfortunately, our trip had come to an end. It was a trip I would never forget for many, many reasons. The plane touched down in London and if only I knew what was waiting for me and what it would cost me— I would have never come back.

Shayla and I walk out of the jet laughing at some ridiculous joke she was telling me. We stopped dead in our tracks when we come face to face with a group of photographers.

“He’s out!” One shouts, and Shayla looks around wide-eyed.

“Tristan, over here, can you confirm your engagement to Sophie Turner?!” My blood ran cold in my veins when I heard that very question, and it completely froze when Shayla turns her gaze up to look at me.

“Shayla, over here! How are you feeling about the news of Tristan and Sophie’s sudden engagement?”

Shayla held such hurt in her eyes; it wrecked me. No. God, no, no, please no. Tears fill her eyes instantly. I didn’t even get to open my mouth before she hastily took off running.

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