“How?”
He shrugged. “He sent me, didn’t He?”
It took everything in her not to laugh. “So, ego and arrogance.”
“Didn’t want one to feel left out.”
This time she did roll her eyes, then took in the chic and classy area. Way more amenities than she’d expected on a safari, but she would not complain.
When she noticed the party slowing to enter the building, Leighton hung back, Apollo’s warning ringing in her ears. She noticed Hassan hovering close to Princess Daria, who had forgone a headscarf, her naturally curly hair frizzing in the humid air.
Though Leighton considered forgoing hers, she guessed it would not be acceptable, despite the princess’s example. When Apollo’s presence pressed in, she drew up her courage and followed the royals. They snaked inside, and the guide called out names, assigning rooms. Nasir and Rayan would bunk together. Maaz would share a room with Hassan. Daria and Aliyah were splitting a room.
“Not again,” Apollo muttered even as the guide turned to them, the last two standing in the hall.
Only then did she understand they were being forced together. “Maybe there’s a bunk.”
“Don’t bet on it,” he huffed as they were let into their room.
One bed.
“Called it,” he grumbled.
She swallowed and heard the door click behind them. The walls were mostly glass with generous portions of steel. Not as luxurious as the palace but light-years beyond the tents or open ground she’d expected to camp on. Saw their luggage already at the foot of the bed. There was no couch or cushions for him to make his own bed. “I’ll sleep on the floor,” she offered.
“Over my rotten corpse.” He walked the room, checking the closet and bathroom.
“Your rib is cracked,” she reminded him.
“Like your head, if you think I’m letting you sleep on the floor while I crash on the bed.”
“You do not have to be heroic about this. I?—”
“You think I’m heroic?” He swung those blue eyes toward her with a crooked grin.
She sighed loudly. “Let’s get an early dinner and fight over where to sleep later. I’m beat.”
“Your wish…” he said, motioning to the door.
They headed down the hall and banked toward the main foyer. Doors on the left stood open to a high-ceilinged café. They made their way to the counter and ordered. Armed with burgers and fries a few minutes later, they sat at one of the small window tables.
“After that mushy, snotty stuff you forced me to eat,” Apollo teased, “I can’t wait to dig in.”
“You are uncivilized.”
“Thank you.” He polished off the burger quickly, then munched his fries while she finished hers. He glanced out the window. “Look!”
When Leighton turned, she spotted the source of his excitement—down by the riverbank, three elephants and a baby were splashing into the waters. One trumpeted water over itself, cooling off. “That’s so amazing,” she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin. “I love elephants. Always have.”
“African or Asian?”
“Yes.” Then she laughed and shrugged. “I don’t know, I think the African is a tad more majestic, but that’s absurd. Majestic is majestic. Beautiful is beautiful.”
Arms on the table, he watched her for a long minute, his baby blues tracking over her face. “Yeah…”
Her stomach squeezed at the way he watched her, making her swallow as he returned his gaze to the herd. And though she did the same, she let her gaze stray back to him. Sure to keep her head still so she wasn’t caught. She couldn’t help but admire the blond hair beneath the silly bleached strands. Bet with that dye gone, he’d be handsome. Well, he already was, dyed hair or not. And young… “How old are you?”
Surprise winged up his eyebrows, but he stayed focused on the wildlife. “How old do you think I am?”
