Sheikha's Determined Police Officer (Botros Brothers Series Book 4) (4 page)

Aaliyah fell in love with Joseph's house as soon as she walked in. The floors were wide-planked wood and polished to a shiny finish. The living room and kitchen was one common area divided by a tall kitchen island with pub chairs along one side. The living room was dominated by two black leather sofas, a large wood coffee table and a flat screen television.

“Your place is very nice,” Aaliyah said.

“Thank you,” Joseph replied. “Please, make yourself comfortable,” he said to her as he walked into the kitchen and put on an apron. Aaliyah started laughing.

“This is something I never expected to see,” she said to him as she settled on one of the pub chairs. He smiled at her as he began pulling food out and placing it on the counter. He took out the pans and put them on the stove. Aaliyah sat there watching him chop the food and add the spices. She had spent very little time in the kitchen and was fascinated at how easily he seemed to know exactly what to do.

“I am an impeccable cook you know,” he said.

“Already bragging, tut tut. I will be the judge of that,” Aaliyah said as she stood up to explore the rest of the house.

The bathroom was clean and neat. Aaliyah wondered if he cleaned it up because she was coming over or if he was always this neat. She headed down the hall and opened the door to a room at the end of the corridor. It was the master bedroom. The house had two bedrooms. She walked in and started looking around as she wondered what kind of a man he had become. Fiddah always said that you can tell a lot about a man from the look of his bedroom.

The bed covers were silver, and the pillowcases were a contrasting black. The curtains were silver with black embroidery. Everything was matching and very tidy. She went to look at the top of his dresser. There wasn't much. She picked up his cologne and smelled it. She liked the scent as she rubbed a bit on her wrist.

Aaliyah took her shoes off. Good thing she had gotten a pedicure. She returned to the kitchen after carefully looking around his room. Joseph was almost done cooking. “Finished inspecting the house?” he asked. Aaliyah frowned.
How did he know?

“I wasn't inspecting,” she replied as she sat back down at the counter. Joseph took out two plates and placed them on the counter. He looked at her suspiciously. “What?” she asked, feeling uncomfortable.

“Nothing.” He smiled and walked back to the stove.

Aaliyah didn’t realize how hungry she was until she smelled the food as he placed the plate in front of her. “I can see you are trying not to drool,” he teased.

“It all looks amazing. I can’t believe that you made all this,” she told him as she looked down at her plate. There was dolma, na’an, diced chicken breast with mixed peppers and hummus. Everything looked so appetizing.

Joseph poured her a drink before sitting down beside her. “You can eat,” he said to her.

Aaliyah picked up her fork. “Why is your place so clean? It is unusual for a bachelor,” she said. Her eyes widened when she tasted the food. It tasted better than she expected.

“Should it be untidy?” he asked her.

“Or did you clean it because I was coming to visit?”

“My house is always like this.” Technically that was true, but he did fix it up a little. He wanted everything to be perfect when Aaliyah arrived.

After lunch, Joseph collected the plates and put them in the sink. “Since you cooked, I can do the dishes” Aaliyah said.

“By all means do so.”

“What a gentleman.” Aaliyah smiled as she headed to the sink. Joseph laughed. He leaned against the counter and watched her do the dishes before picking up a dishtowel to help with the drying.

“I am surprised you can do dishes,” he said to her.

“What? Why would you be?”

“Before today, have you ever washed any dishes?”

Aaliyah paused for a moment. They always had maids, so there was never a reason for her to do the dishes. “I have,” she said. “A few times.” She could remember every moment she ever cleaned.

“You missed a spot.”

Aaliyah looked at the plate. It was clean. Joseph chuckled as she splashed him with water. “You are not funny,” she said.

“And yet you smile.”

Aaliyah ignored him and carried on doing the dishes while Joseph dried them and put them away. After they were finished, they moved to the living room. It was strange to sit together watching movies together like they had done back in high school. It was so comfortable, as if no time had passed.

Joseph took Aaliyah's hand into his and stroked it gently. “I missed you,” he said softly. Aaliyah turned to look at him. For once, he was not teasing her. He had a very serious expression on his face as he stared at her. Looking at him like that made her both emotional and shy.

“Did you?” she asked him. He nodded and caressed her face. “It's my fault,” she added.

“What do you mean?”

“I ended it. I was not brave enough to try to make things work.” A tear rolled down her face. Joseph wiped her tear away with his thumb and shook his head.

“I let you go and I should not have. Do not blame yourself.”

Aaliyah looked down. She tried to fight back the tears but she could not. Joseph held her face in his hands. It broke his heart to see her like this. He leaned forward and kissed her. Aaliyah was surprised at the sudden touch of his lips. She placed her hands on his chest and kissed him back.

Aaliyah moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her tightly as he kissed her gently. He took his time exploring her mouth as their tongues danced together. “You kiss better now,” he teased when he broke off the kiss.

“What? I always kissed well,” she protested. Joseph smiled. Aaliyah frowned when she realised that he was teasing her again. She pushed him away playfully. “Whatever,” she said and turned away from him. He pulled her back and let her rest her back against his chest. He held her tightly vowing that this time he was never going to let her go.

Later that day, after they had dinner together, Joseph drove her back to her hotel. Aaliyah was going to be in town one more day. Fortunately, Joseph was off work early the next day and he promised to spend the rest of the day with her. Aaliyah played it casual even though she was excited.

***

Tariq was sitting in the dining room reading the paper and enjoying a glass of wine. Sara was helping the nanny put the children to bed and it felt good to have the house quiet again. Having three toddlers was exhausting. He could not understand where Sara got all her energy from as well as continuing to work. Sara walked into the room. “They are all asleep,” she announced as she sat down beside him.

“Finally,” he said as Sara laughed. “But why isn't Aaliyah back yet?”

“She is taking some time for herself.”

“What? What does that mean?”

Sara could never lie to Tariq. “Promise not to get mad,” she said to him as he sat up straighter.

“Why would I?” he asked.

“Because you are you.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Sara grinned. “Just don't get mad, okay?”

“Fine.”

Sara took a deep breath. “Okay, she met a guy…. Turns out that he was an old flame and she wishes to rekindle their relationship. So she stayed there to do so,” Sara said quickly. Tariq raised his eyebrows.

“You realise that speaking that fast won't make a difference. I still heard everything you said,” Tariq told her. She spoke like that whenever it was something that she did not want to talk about. And this was definitely one of those times.

Sara looked at him doe-eyed, waiting for his response. He was so overprotective when it came to Aaliyah. Tariq's facial expression changed. “Who is this man and what does he do?” he demanded.

“I said, don't get mad,” Sara said. Tariq took a deep breath. It was hard to stay calm.

“Who is this gentleman? Please tell me, my dear wife,” he asked sarcastically as Sara narrowed her gaze at him.

“Husband,” she said returning the sarcasm. “He is a fine police officer-” Before she even finished speaking. Tariq cut in.

“Police officer?!” he shouted.

“Don't wake the children.”

“You mean to say that Aaliyah is infatuated with a police officer?” This time Tariq lowered his voice.

“This is not an infatuation.”

“It must be.”

“But it isn't. They were high school sweethearts.”

Tariq frowned. “That is unacceptable,” he spat out as he made his displeasure evident. Sara looked at him whilst he was speaking. She knew he was not going to be happy about it.

“Don't act like you weren't with someone at that age.”

“It was different.”

“How so?” 

Tariq grunted and looked away. He knew he was not going to win this argument. It was better to stop now. He couldn't tell her that it was different because he was a man, she would bite his head off for it. Frankly, if it was another girl, he would not care but this was his baby cousin. “I wish she would be with a respectable man from-” Before he finished, Sara stopped him.

“Stop there my love. Being a police officer requires one to be disciplined, brave and upstanding. A police officer assures the safety and security of everyone. Do not write him off because he is not a sheikh. Meet him first, and then make your decision,” Sara said.

Tariq looked at his wife and nodded in assent. She was a good influence on him. Had this been five years ago, he would have dismissed the subject and the police officer right from the start without giving it a second thought.

“Have you met him?” he asked her as she nodded. “What did you think of him?”

“He seems very nice. He was polite and kind.”

Tariq nodded. “Fine, I will meet him,” he said.

“That is all I ask,” Sara replied as she smiled. She leaned forward to kiss him. However, she knew that was only the first step. It was not going to be so easy telling his parents. Amir and Fiddah would not be so bad but Tariq's mother was impossible.

Catching her hand, Tariq brought it to his lips to kiss. “And just where do you think that you are going?” he asked her as he kissed the palm of her hand.

Holding her breath, Sara let it out slowly as she closed her eyes, “I thought that I would go check on the children.”

“They are with the nanny. Come to me, wife, I have not seen you in days,” he told her as he pulled Sara toward him.

Smiling mischievously at him, she grabbed the newspaper from his lap and straddled his legs. Squirming to get comfortable, she settled on his lap as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Kissing his face, “Did I tell you that I bought some new lingerie?” she asked him as she kissed his cheeks.

“Oh? Is it something I would like?”

“Husband, as you well know, if it is on me, you will like it,” she teased as she lightly kissed his lips.

Grumbling, “I cannot be sure of that, I think that I will have to see for myself.”

“Well, perhaps you can start by touching it,” she replied cheekily as she nibbled on his lower lip.

Sliding his hands under her shirt, Tariq groaned when he felt the silk teddy underneath. Rubbing his thumbs up her body, he found the silk ribbons. Frowning playfully, “Hmmm, I cannot quite tell what I am feeling; I think I need to see it.” Reaching for the hem of her shirt, he pulled it over her head and tossed it aside.

Leaning back in his lap, Sara posed, as she looked at him. “You like?”

Rubbing his hands over the body-snug teddy, he smiled at his wife. “Beautiful,” he told her. “But I want to see all of it.”

Grinning at him, Sara stood up on the chair as she continued to straddle him. Reaching for the clasp on her waistband, she unzipped her shorts and let them fall to her ankles. Bending to rest one hand on his shoulder, her breasts dipped tantalizingly in front of him as she stepped out of her shorts and kicked them to the floor. Before she could kneel again, Tariq slowly ran his hands up her legs as his thumbs rubbed back and forth along her groin. Leaning forward, he kissed her mound before he tilted his head back to admire his wife.

Dressed in a pale green, one-piece teddy, she looked delectable as her skin began to flush with excitement. Silken ribbons laced up the front to demi cups that covered her breasts enticingly. Tugging at her hips, she knelt back on the chair as his hands continued to roam across her body. Sara’s hands found their way back to his shoulders as she closed her eyes. She still found it amazing that he could so easily ignite her with his touch.

Sliding forward in the chair, Tariq gripped her hips as he stood up. Yelping in surprise, Sara held on as he walked toward the kitchen counter. Setting her down, he reached for the bow at the top of the teddy as he tugged it loose.

“Tariq,” Sara moaned. “We are in the kitchen.”

“Yes,” he replied, as he continued to tug on the ribbon. “You have given me a present and I intend to unwrap it.”

Slowly pulling the ribbon loose, he exposed more of her breasts. Pausing, he leaned down to kiss them. He smiled as Sara caught her breath. He loved how he could so easily turn her on and it pleased him that she had purchased the lingerie. Sliding his hands up and down her sides, he continued to kiss her breasts. Blowing hot air across her nipples, Sara squirmed on the counter as he tightened his grip on her sides to keep her from moving. Unable to resist, he sucked a nipple in his mouth through the teddy, as Sara gasped. The added sensation of the silk against her skin was doing things to her insides.

Shifting sides, Tariq sucked on her other nipple as he reached for the ribbon and continued to pull it loose. As the teddy slowly parted in front, he followed it down as he kissed and licked at her silken skin. Pulling it all the way apart, he kissed her stomach as he continued to work his way down. Unable to sit up any longer, Sara lay back against the counter wincing when her elbows landed too hard against the granite. Hooking a chair with his foot, he dragged it toward him and sat down without stopping what he was doing.

As Sara melted on the counter, grateful for its coolness against her rapidly heated skin, he loosened his grip on her hips as his thumbs made lazy circles along her pelvis. Finding the ties on her thong, he pulled them loose exposing her entire body to his intent gaze. Placing the palm of his hand against her mound, he pushed against it as he moved his hand in circles. The pressure was causing intense sensations inside her body as her feet found their way to his shoulders and she pushed against them.

“Oh. My. God. Tariq, don’t stop,” Sara panted out as she pushed against his hand.

Chuckling, he pushed against her hood to see her clit pop out. Licking it, he continued to rock her mound as Sara gyrated against his hand. As Sara’s moans increased, she tossed her head from side to side. The logical side of her was aghast that she was lying sprawled across the kitchen island, but the sensations he was creating deep inside her sent reason fleeing from her mind. She cried out when he sucked her clit into his mouth. Sliding his hand to the side, his thumb easily penetrated between her folds, as he rubbed along the inside of her walls. His other thumb joined the first as they began pumping in and out. Crying out his name, Sara bucked hard against him as she dug her heels into his shoulders. Holding her tight, he licked and sucked at her clit as she continued to bounce against him.

Sara vaguely heard the sound of his zipper as he loosened his pants and dropped them below his hips. Pulling her into a sitting position, he drew her toward the edge of the counter as she wrapped her legs around his hips. Entering her swiftly, Sara wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him deeply. Mimicking his pumping movements with her tongue, she matched his speed and intensity as she kissed him. Groaning, Tariq shortened his thrusts as his orgasm drew near. One, two, he slammed into her one last time and held her tightly against him as she clenched around him, milking his orgasm dry.

Panting, he held her to him as their breathing began to slow. When she was able, she released her legs as he set her on her feet. Kissing her deeply, he smiled down at her before reaching for his pants.

“I really like your new lingerie and I think that you should wear it more often,” he told her, as she laughed.

***

Joseph had been counting down the hours until he would see Aaliyah again. Finally, the day was over and he rushed out of the station as his fellow officers stared in wonder. He normally stayed later than he needed to and willingly put in overtime. It was strange to see him leave work so early.

Aaliyah was already waiting for him in the lobby. When she saw his car pull up in front of the hotel, she smiled and dashed outside. She opened the door for herself and got into the car. “Are you that eager to see me?” Joseph asked, as Aaliyah frowned at him.

“What are you talking about?” she asked him.

“You were waiting for me in the lobby and you practically ran out as soon as I arrived.”

Aaliyah ignored him as she adjusted her seatbelt. “I am not a tardy person that is all,” she said. Joseph burst out laughing as he drove off.

“Liya, you were never punctual for anything, especially if it was something that didn’t interest you.”

Aaliyah did not hear anything past
Liya.
It warmed her insides to hear him call her that once again. Joseph was the only person ever to give her a nickname and he first used it when he told her that he loved her. Whenever he was in a good mood or he was trying to cheer her up, he called her that. It had become such a term of endearment for her that when one of her boyfriends had called her that, she was quick to correct him.

“What are you daydreaming about?” Joseph asked Aaliyah.

“Huh? Nothing.” She cleared her throat and looked outside as she smiled to herself.

Finally, they reached their destination. As usual, Joseph got out of the car and opened the door for her. She smiled and thanked him as she exited the car. “Where are we?” she asked.

“The semi-finals for a soccer tournament,” he said. The local children loved playing soccer and everyone came out to cheer them on. The tournament was an annual event and the small town turned it into a big celebration as they cheered on the local teams.

“Who are we supporting?” Aaliyah asked as they walked to the pitch.

“The Eagles, the ones in blue.”

“Okay.”

“Officer Samara!” someone shouted. Aaliyah and Joseph turned towards the voice. Three teenage boys ran towards them. Joseph smiled as they approached.

“Hey guys,” Joseph greeted them and threw light punches. The boys dodged the punches and jabbed back as they all laughed. Aaliyah just stood there watching.

“What will you give us if we win?” one of them asked.

“When we win, you mean,” another said. Joseph laughed.

“Win first, then we'll talk,” Joseph replied.

“Who is the beauty?” the last one asked referring to Aaliyah. Joseph introduced her to them. She smiled and greeted them.  

“Good luck guys,” Aaliyah said to them as they ran back toward the field. Joseph led Aaliyah to the bleachers, as they found seats. Several of the spectators all nodded and greeted Joseph. It seemed that everyone knew him well.