The minute I heard my first love story,

I started looking for you, not knowing

How blind that was.

Lovers don't finally meet somewhere,

They're in each other all along.

-Essential Rumi

She squinted and reached for the sunglasses hanging from the front pocket of her suit jacket as she ducked from the plane. "I always forget how bright it is here."

"It's Iraq, Anna," The ginger woman next to her, in matching shades, shrugged as they walked down the stairs to the tarmac hazing in the heat. "It's bright, hot, and then surprisingly cold because we're in the desert."

"Not anymore." They both looked up to see a man in a tailored Italian suit approaching them with an entourage of security personnel and assistants forming a semi-circle around him. "We're trying to make this Eden again, as it was in the days of Father Ibrahim. Eden for all."

"I thought Adam lived in Eden." Anna spoke up, bringing the man's attention to her.

"He did but Father Ibrahim deserved to live there too."

"I'm sure he did." She nodded at him, "I applaud the effort."

"And I applaud your desire to participate in it." He extended his hand, "Ms. Smith, salaam alaykum and welcome to Baghdad."

"Alaykum salaam Mr. Talmay and thank you again for the use of your private jet. It made the trip far easier." She took his hand to firmly shake it after they bowed at the neck to each other. "You've all but spoiled us."

"I work to make my potentially future collaborators as comfortable as possible."

"You've more than succeeded in your attempt to… Seduce us with luxury."

"Hence the offer of rooms at my hotel."

"That is another reason to be grateful." Anna exchanged smiles with Mr. Talmay and his bright, straight teeth. "I must say, you were right when you insisted we move this meeting and our reservations to your hotel. The pictures had Gwen convinced in a moment that it far outmatched our original reservation."

"It is the grandest in Baghdad." He sighed, "But not quite as grand as my house, which I believe I offered first."

Anna gave a laugh, "That would've hardly been appropriate for our business here. How could I finalize a contract with your legendary gardens to distract us? Or all that marble work you've raved about in no less than three interviews?"

"I see you follow my work."

Anna gave a little shrug, "You job is to woo your future collaborators, Mr. Talmay. Mine is to know them."

"Then," He put a hand to his chest, "We must cease with all these formalities. From now on I am Yahya, not Mr. Talmay."

"Only as long as you'll address me as Anna."

"Agreed." His tongue shifted over his perfect teeth, "Although, I must admit that the wooing of your company was not why I wanted you to stay at my residence."

"No?"

Talmay shook his head, "No, as I did not intend to spend much time on a contract."

"Then what would we have done in your house?"

"Shared food prepared by my chefs, enjoyed fine wines, and talked long into the night so I could show you a beautiful Baghdadi sunrise."

"Sounds downright romantic," Anna gave a grin of her own. "Was there anything else on your proposed list of activities on this home visit, Yahya?"

"I intended to make a series of indecent proposals over the course of the stay until I either seduced you to my room or you decided I wasn't worth the effort of staving off." Talmay shrugged, "But things are what they are, God willing."

"God willing." Anna opened her hand toward the caravan of cars that lined the tarmac near the entrance to the airport, "Shall we?"

"Your carriages await." He waved his hand over her shoulder and Anna noted the workers hurrying with their bags. "After me."

Anna fell into step a few paces behind him as the army of security and assistants swarmed between them on the short, but already sweat-beading, jaunt to the cars. Gwen pulled alongside Anna, leaning over to whisper in her ear. "What was all that borderline harassment about?"

"Mr. Talmay and I've been working on this deal for over a year." Anna shook her head, "It's not harassment. That's his sense of humor."

"Doesn't translate well."

Anna struggled to find the words, "He wasn't like that when we first started this project. He was…"

"Less of a sex-addict?"

"He's not a sex addict."

"No?" Gwen snorted, "I seem to remember him once saying that he thought the company was trying to seduce him by sending you to meet with him."

"Before he said that it was a distraction from my keen mind and tenacious business practices. Those are what won him over."

"Not what he called your 'ruthless approach to acquisition'?"

"Now you're just cheery-picking our conversations. He said I was 'shrewd', not ruthless. There is a difference."

"It's the same thing."

"Vastly different connotations." Anna tried to put her elbow into Gwen's side. "And he wasn't that way at first."

"No?

"No. He was polite, kind, and buttoned-up to the point I couldn't get two words out of him. It was difficult."

"Must've been your overt sexuality."

"No."

"Then why he's so… Fresh?"

"Fresh?" Anna laughed, "What is this, the fifties?"

"Twenties, but whatever. You know what I mean."

"I do, unfortunately."

"And you're not bothered by that?"

"No. This is the result of our emails, calls, texts, and numerous face-time chats." Anna shrugged, "We're comfortable around one another because we know each other. I know his humor and he knows mine. It's why he's the way he is and why we talk like this to each other."

"It's sexist."

"It's not sexist. It's… It's how he expresses himself."

"And his desire to get into your knickers."

"He doesn't want to get into my knickers."

"Take a look at his trousers, you'll see where he stands."

"This isn't Les Misérables and it's nothing serious. It's…"

Gwen raised an eyebrow, "Flirting?"

"It's not flirting."

"If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it's a duck Anna."

Anna shook her head, heaving a sigh, "Fine, he's flirting. But I'm just as culpable since I'm enjoying the chase."

"I thought you had someone."

Anna smiled, taking Talmay's offered hand to get into the back of an SUV. "I do."

"Then why entertain him?"

"Because we're both enjoying the game."

"Does he know it's a game?"

"A man as rich and attractive as Yahya Talmay always knows when it's a game or he wouldn't be as good at what he does as he is."

They settled into the SUV, Talmay and a large white man sitting with their backs toward the driver so they faced Anna and Gwen as they took the rear seats. The assistants and other security joined those from Anna's team to spread themselves across the other cars. Once everyone was settled and the baggage properly stowed, a little speaker next to the large white man squawked as a man spoke Baghdadi Arabic. With a large finger depressing the button, the man responded in accented Arabic before knocking his knuckles against the screen separating their seats from the cab.

Talmay clapped his hands together as they started moving and extended one to Gwen, "I do apologize, Mrs. Harding, for not introducing myself earlier."

"You were busy flirting with my boss." Gwen shook his hand and Talmay laughed.

"So I was." He winked at Anna before addressing Gwen again, "If I may say, you are just as fiery as your hair. It's what Anna has told me saves her immeasurable time. It'll save me time too when we hammer out this contract as well. Being forthright, in this case, Mrs. Harding is a boon."

"Most cases, I've found."

Talmay pointed to the man next to him, "Bates here would agree with you."

"Yes," Anna extended her hand across the cab, "It's been awhile since we met in London, Mr. Bates. When Mister… Sorry, when Yahya was last in town for our latest round of negotiations and discussions."

"It was a pleasure then and continues to be now."

Anna took her hand back after Bates finished shaking it to address Talmay. "I did always find it interesting that you found a man like Mr. Bates to be your bodyguard."

Gwen frowned, "What was interesting about a rich man having a bodyguard?"

"I believe Anna is referring to how we have the same name." Talmay pointed between himself and Bates.

Gwen's frown only deepened. "I don't understand the joke, which I hope is a joke, because I don't speak Arabic."

"It's…" Talmay looked to John. "His name is John Bates. That's the English version, roughly, of my own name: Yahya bar-Talmay."

"It's how we met, actually." John spoke, his eyes meeting Anna's for a moment and she allowed her mouth to twitch to a smile she covered the moment Gwen looked at her.

"Really?" Gwen nudged Anna, "Did you know?"

"I've heard bits and pieces of the story." Anna nodded at the two men, "I'm sure we've a bit before we reach the hotel so you, Yahya, might as well tell us a story. If you're feeling up to the challenge."

"A man is not a man if he misses a chance to impress a beautiful lady with a well-crafted tale." Talmay straightened his arms as if he were about to perform a magic trick. "John here, or Bates as he insists I call him on duty, was stationed in the UAE to do some training with our military there."

"I thought you were Iraqi." Gwen glanced at Anna, "Was my research wrong?"

"Excellent question, Mrs. Harding, and both yes and no." Talmay bit at his lip, "Bar-Talmay is my mother's maiden name. I use it in business since my father's family name is a little more high profile. The risks of being an Emirati prince, you understand."

"You're royalty?"

"Sort of. More like your nobility than your royalty." Talmay shuddered, "I hope to never have to wear the crown of my country."

"It explains your mastery of the Iraqi dialect." Anna looked at John, "And your accent is rather good too."

"A little too English still, so say all the locals." He gave a little smile. "But Mr. Talmay has mastered no less than five Arabic dialects. Iraqi and Emirati among them."

"Any other skills, Mr. Talmay?" Gwen leaned forward and Talmay grinned.

"Many. Unfortunately I don't demonstrate them on married women. I may not be the best Muslim but that's a rule I won't break."

"Excuse me?"

Anna tried to hide her snort at Gwen's face. "Mr. Tal… Sorry, Yahya's told me that he's taken some gaffe from his family about the nature of his more… Liberal tendencies. But because he's an impeccable businessman and he makes his family a lot of money he's forgiven his many faults."

"Not all, but most." Talmay held up a finger before nodding toward John. "They forgave me hiring him as my head of security at least and that is all that matters."

Gwen eyed them both before speaking at John. "At the risk of offense, while you look the military type, I don't see how you met him in the military."

"Royal family obligation." John nodded at Gwen's raised eyebrow. "He's an excellent pilot. Qualified to fly that jet you arrived on and no less than six models of small plane and helicopter. He was my pilot in our training exercises here."

"And you're his bodyguard now?"

"Head of security and translator, for the few languages he's not conversant in."

"He's being modest, as usual. He's got many more talents than that. And he's always making his contribution appear less than it is. Like he didn't save my life and…" Talmay opened his mouth and then closed it at the expression on John's face. "I'll not tell the whole story, make you less of a hero so I have a better chance to impress these ladies."

"Hero?" Anna blinked at John and Talmay. "I don't understand."

"The reason my family allowed me to hire Bates here is because he saved my life." Talmay shrugged at Anna's surprised face. "It's true. I was flying the helicopter on a routine training mission when we were hit in a rocket attack. I barely managed to ground the bird before spearing the propellers into the ground with the rocky landing. I ruined the machine and almost ruined myself in the process. But Bates here dug through the wreckage, despite his own injury, and carried me to safety. Risked life and lost limb but he got me back in one piece. Him… in two pieces."

"Two pieces?" Gwen risked and John tugged up his right trouser leg to show off a carbon-fiber limb. "Wow."

"It's a bitch in the mornings but it does allow me an advantage on occasion." John lowered the leg of his trouser. "I was grateful for the job since, with this, I wasn't much use to the Army and I didn't want to be on disability for the rest of my life."

"And I thought," Talmay put an arm around John's shoulders, "If a man saves my life before he's paid to, then I'd better hire him to do it before someone else does."

"How do you like the heat?" Gwen knocked her knuckle on the window. "I'm not sure us English roses were meant for it."

"I'm technically Irish but I see your point." John sighed, "We don't spend as much time here as you'd think."

"No?

"No. Mr. Talmay's interests are global."

"Weren't you just in America last week?" Anna ventured and Talmay narrowed his eyes to match the intrigued grin. "I told you, I'm supposed to know my future collaborators. That, on occasion, means following them in the news."

"Then I'm flattered."

"That's the point."

"So it's not just my interviews you're reading."

"I read everything."

Talmay turned to Gwen, flashing Anna another smile, "We were there to visit my alma maters… As quickly as we could for the fundraising events."

"You've more than one school?"

"I've four, actually." Talmay held up his fingers, "There's my undergraduate, which I obtained from Brigham Young University, then-"

"But you're not…" Gwen looked to Anna, who only shrugged. "Why there?"

"They have a very good business school and their economics program was impeccable. Those were my majors, by the way. They also have a very high statistical acceptance rate to Ivy League schools for graduate degrees. Not to mention it was inexpensive to attend."

"Was money really a factor for you?"

"No, but my family was impressed by the religious emphasis and the strict honor code that kept me in line." Talmay's grin returned, "While I was there, anyway. Once I went to Harvard, for my graduate degree in Business Politics and Economics, I was… What's the term, free to do as I pleased?"

"You went to Harvard?"

"Yes. And was accepted to two doctoral programs. One at Yale and another at Columbia. More business and economics, you understand."

"I'm sure I don't beyond the fact you get to add a few extra letters after the titles in your name." Gwen peeked at Anna, "And this is the man who's making a contract for our company? How do we know he's not robbing us blind?"

"Because he's not the lawyer, I am." Anna nodded at Talmay. "But I still find your commitment to your alma maters very impressive."

"You do?"

"I've not given a cent in donation to mine so…"

Talmay laughed, "Some things money shouldn't buy. Loyalty and a good education are two of those things and I value both above most things."

"Hence your… significant scholarships for the underprivileged students wishing to attend aforementioned universities."

"It was the least I could do to give back to the institutions that've given me so much." Talmay's pocket vibrated and he dug into it for his phone, "Excuse me, I need to take this."

His slid his finger over the screen and spoke in fast Arabic. The soothing rolls of his voice took over the car and Gwen leaned to Anna's ear to whisper. "This is the man who's been flirting with you for a year and you've not taken him up on any of those scandalous offers? Ever?"

"Says the person who, not half-an-hour ago was calling him a sex-addict?" Anna scoffed, "It's alright now because he's a pilot and well-educated and gives to charity?"

"It's gross double-standard but I'm not saying you've got to marry him." Gwen gave a little shrug, "You could just have a very fun few days with a man who looks like he can handle himself in a bed with high thread count Egyptian cotton sheets and a mattress with the consistency of a cloud."

Anna patted Gwen's knee, "No thanks."

"Why not?"

"I told you, I've already got someone." Anna's eyes flicked to John. "And he suits me just fine."

He held her against the wall, his large hand wrapped over her thigh as their lips came together and broke apart almost as quickly as they could struggle to breathe. They broke apart for a second in the midst of their flurry of ferocious kisses and he laid a trail of over her neck as he ground his hips into hers. "What'd you tell Gwen?"

"Just that I have someone." Anna's fingers dragged over the back of John's shirt, unsettling it so it hung off a shoulder before he risked the second he needed to tear it away from his body so Anna's fingers could run along bare skin.

"She seemed so disappointed it wasn't Talmay."

"She can be as disappointed as she likes." Anna put her hands on John's face, pulling him back a moment to take in his swelling lips boasting a hint of nude pink from her lipstick. "I'm not and I don't intend to me."

"Then I'll give my very best to continue your history of satisfaction."

"Please do." Anna's knees tightened on John's side as he thrust deeper. "It's been too long since we've done this."

"Too true." John went back to kissing at Anna's neck, his teeth grazing her skin.

Anna clung tighter to John, only pausing when her phone vibrated on the counter. Her fingers slipped on John's shoulder as she reached for the phone and gasped out, clinging tighter to John when he shifted them closer to the counter. They knocked against it, Anna catching her phone before it fell to the ground, and biting her lip when John used the height of the counter to tip Anna back for a new angle.

Her thumb slid over the phone and put it to her ear as John dragged his lips to kiss over her breasts. It took everything Anna had to stop herself moaning over the phone as she swallowed hard to clear her throat. "Anna Smith."

"Have you met with Mr. Talmay?"

"Mr. Bricker." Anna grabbed John's arm to hold herself in place as John's fingers ran over her clit to send her quivering in his arms. "Yes, Mrs. Harding and I arrived safely and we're all settled with Mr. Talmay's people."

"I hope that this meeting goes well. Our business is depending on this."

"I understand Mr. Bricker." Anna held the phone away from her mouth as she groaned into John's shoulder. "I'll get it done."

"I should hope so. There's the question of your job should this fail, Ms. Smith."

"Understood." Anna's voice caught at the end of it as John sucked hard at her nipple and brought her to climax.

"Call me with any updates."

Anna tried to nod, her legs loosening slightly as John finished, before realizing she was on the phone and Mr. Bricker could not see her. "Absolutely Mr. Bricker."

She hung up the phone, letting it slide across the counter as she leaned back into the mirror, fighting for breath. "You've outdone yourself Mr. Bates."

"You could still answer the phone." John's head lifted from her shoulder as his hands gripped the counter. "I'd say I underperformed."

"It was admirable and I won't have you saying differently." Anna pulled at her phone, getting it to show her the time. "Unfortunately we've not got time for a repeat performance, had that been on your mind."

"I was tempted to ask." John checked the time on her phone as well. "But we'll be late if we do and that'll look suspicious."

"If us running off at the same time didn't already look suspicious." Anna moved off the counter and removed the rest of her clothes to start the shower. "It's not like we're careful about this."

"Careful enough that no one's figured it out so far." John checked himself over before following Anna into the shower.

"They'll figure it out on this trip if we can't keep to ourselves."

"I'm sorry that emails and Skype calls aren't enough for me anymore." John moved behind Anna, taking the loofah from her hand to run over her body. "I think it's time we considered the future."

"Our future?"

"Why not?" John kissed at the small of Anna's back, leaving her quivering, before tracing his kisses to her hip. "It's not as if we're beholden to the people for whom we work."

"Says the man missing a leg he lost in the service to his current employer."

"Happy coincidence." John tossed the loofah aside and urged Anna's legs farther apart. "Like the benefits of this position."

Anna gripped the wall as John's tongue went to work. "Hurry."

John responded with his tongue and fingers, moving fast enough to bring Anna over the edge so hard she trembled against the wall of the shower. But he was on her in a moment and their sloppy kisses only worked to encourage John faster as he drove into her. His fingers left new bruises over her hips to match those on her thighs as his hips pistoned against hers and her ass cradled in his hips each time he reached the end of her.

But time refused to be on their side and they finished in a rush to try and rinse themselves clean. Clean enough to change back into their clothes without appearing as those they met for a sexual rendezvous. Or met at all.

Anna checked herself over in the mirror as she fixed her hair for the final time and noted John arranging his cuffs before extending a hand to her. "Shall we go to dinner?"

With a final nod at her appearance, Anna took his hand. "We shall." Using the half-second of surprise, Anna put herself within the circle of John's arms and kissed him. "Much as I don't want to do anything but make use of what promises to be a very comfortable bed over there, I think we need to."

"Appearances and all that?"

"And all that." Anna followed John into the hall and waited with him by the lifts. "Do you go and retrieve Mr. Talmay or does he come and find you?"

"If he's doing what I think he's doing, then I need to get him."

Anna grinned, "Is he doing what we were doing?"

"I think he's trying a mathematical experiment that we've yet to try." John shrugged, "I wouldn't say you've broken his heart but he's definitely been hoping you'd finally be open to one of his more illicit invitations."

"Well, he and Gwen'll have to remain disappointed." Anna winked at John, entering the lift to leave him in the corridor. "I'm already taken."

"I'm taken with you."

"Charmer." Anna hit the button, "See you at dinner."

"Until then Ms. Smith."