Christian rested his cheek on the head of his favorite lady. Then he lifted it just enough to smile down at the sleeping American by his side—this woman who was fast stealing his heart—as the drone of the airplane’s engines whirred on.
He was feeling more and more confident that the past would remain in the past, and that maybe, just maybe, a decent future lay ahead for him after all.
He yawned and reclined the back of his seat a little further, already growing bored with the long flight. He hoped he’d doze off for a while since it would be quite some time before they arrived at his friend’s condominium just outside Bangkok. The twelve-hour flight was sure to leave them both exhausted.
At last, they were able to stretch their sore, stiff legs and exit the plane. What freedom it felt like after so many hours cooped up together!
They were greeted by Abdalla, an African native who had migrated to Thailand a few years earlier. Abdalla had spent his youth in Africa, then moved through both England and Norway before finally settling in Thailand. He had married and fathered two kids while in London, and life had been good for a time. But when his janitorial business failed and he turned to the bottle a little too heavily, his wife left him, taking their children to Oslo. He eventually sobered up and followed them, hoping for reconciliation, but it wasn’t to be. He drifted to Bergen next, taking on an assortment of odd jobs until he longed for a place warmer—and cheaper.
Christian introduced Nicole to Abdalla, who politely clasped her hands in his, kissed the palm of one, and said, “So nice to meet the lovely lady after all the wonderful things I’ve heard about her.”
Nicole smiled, and Christian delighted in how amazed she looked, drinking in her foreign surroundings with wide, curious eyes.
The drive through the city was sluggish, but once they left the congestion behind, it was smooth sailing into a quieter area. Not rural exactly, but definitely less crowded.
“What do you think so far?” Christian asked from the front seat of Abdalla’s car.
“Well, I sure see a lot of palm trees,” Nicole replied.
Both men chuckled.
Eventually, Abdalla pulled into a large parking lot in front of a multi-story building.
A few minutes later, with both men carrying everything and leaving Nicole responsible for nothing but her handbag, they were packed into an elevator and riding up to the eighth floor.
Abdalla’s condo was bright, airy, and spacious. Though it was only a two-bedroom, Christian knew it meant he’d be sleeping with Nicole—unless she asked to take the couch or sent him to it instead. He knew he wouldn’t take advantage of her, and he hoped she’d allow him the chance to prove that.
She did.
And the truth was, he couldn’t have been a bad boy even if he’d wanted to be. They were both so exhausted, they practically fell asleep the moment their heads hit the pillow.
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