Chapter 4 Uncertainty

Ali Ahmed POV

Ali woke up with a sinking feeling in his heart. It took him a moment to realize why. As of today, there is less than a month left in his year at UP. He groaned, rolling onto his side and pulling the pillow over his head. He wasn't ready to go back to Al Jumeirah, Dubai. He was going to be the sheikh soon, and his days would be filled again with meetings and events. His one year of freedom would be over.

The worst thing was that his time with Kyra would be coming to an end. Ali would have happily sat through a hundred meetings with her around. Why hadn't he met Kyra earlier in the year? It wasn't fair that they only had a few months together. It wasn't fair that he had to leave her behind when the semester ended.

Maybe they could have more than a few months. Maybe if Ali Ahmed admitted who he really was, Kyra would still care about him. Maybe she would still look at him with those beautiful green eyes like he was the most important person in the world.

Or maybe she wouldn't. Ali Ahmed groaned again. It was just as possible that, if he admitted who he really was, Kyra would push him away. After all, he'd been lying to her the whole time they'd known each other. Or, Ali Ahmed corrected, not lying, just not telling the whole truth, either. But to someone how had as much trouble trusting as Kyra did, the difference probably wouldn't seem that important.

The one thing that Ali Ahmed knew for certain was that he didn't want to leave without Kyra knowing how he felt. He loved her. Over the last couple of months, that had become clear. She was his dream girl. She could make him laugh and make him think. She was his equal in everything, from their language studies to their conversations. Not to mention that she was absolutely gorgeous and that kissing her was the best thing in the world.

A plan started to form in Ali's mind. He loved Kyra. It seemed like maybe, just maybe, she loved him back. He didn't want to give that up. Kyra might have been mad when she found out the truth, but surely she could get past it. Maybe, after she graduated next year, she'd be willing to come to Al Jumeirah, Dubai. Maybe they could be together.

Starting to feel more cheerful, Ali sat up, looking around his dorm room. This was where they had fallen in love. When Kyra came over to study that evening, he would surprise her with something romantic. Then he'd confess how he felt about her. And then, when she was convinced that Ali Ahmed really did care about her, he would explain who he was and why he hadn't told her.

The whole day, Ali was brimming with excitement. By the time evening came, his plan was set in his mind. After his last class, he raced to the Lebanese restaurant where they'd eaten the first night they met and asked them to make a take-out feast. While that was being prepared, he went to the grocery store next door for candles and flowers.

Ali knew that he was probably straying too far into the realm of cheesy. Hopefully, Kyra could see past that.

When the food was ready, Ali hurried back to his room and set up the food on the floor the candles on the shelves, and his desk all around the room. Then he realized he'd forgotten matches and hurried back out to buy some. Finally, at five fifty-six, just four minutes before Kyra was supposed to arrive to study, everything was ready.

Ali turned out the light, letting the room be lit by the flickering warm light of the candles, and waited for her knock. His heart was beating so fast he was worried it would escape from his chest. What if Kyra didn't feel the same way about him? What if she thought he was silly or cheesy? What if, when he admitted that he was actually Ali Ahmed Al Ibrahim, future sheik of Al Jumeirah, Dubai she felt betrayed and wanted nothing more to do with him?

Finally, after what seemed like hours, there was a soft knock.

"Come in!" Ali called.

Kyra opened the door and stepped inside, a look of confusion playing across her sweet features, followed by a blush and a little smile.

"AJ? What's going on?" she asked, clasping her hands in front of her. Somehow, it was like she had known to dress up that day. Instead of her usual leggings and too-big tops, she was wearing a green dress with tights. Her hair was loose around her shoulders and glowed auburn with the candlelight. She looked as lovely as always and Ali felt a wave of love and affection. He'd come to the Philippines for a year of freedom and he'd found so much more.

"Just a little celebration," he said. He took her hand and escorted her to the picnic on the floor, both of them sitting with their backs against the bed. "I got food from the Lebanese place."

"It looks delicious," Kyra said, taking a deep breath and smiling at the scent of falafel and flatbread. "And the candles?"

"Part of the celebration," Ali replied. His heart was still racing, but now that Kyra was here, he felt calmer. This was the woman he loved.

"Okay, and what are we celebrating?" Kyra asked. She looked curious, nervous, a little hopeful. Ali Ahmed had planned to wait until after dinner to bring up his secrets and his feelings, but he couldn't.

"Kyra," he began, "these few months with you have been amazing. The best of my life. You're the most beautiful, fascinating, intelligent woman I've ever met. And I wanted you to know that I love you."

For a moment, Ali Ahmed wasn't sure what Kyra's reaction would be. Her green eyes were wide with surprise and one of her hands flew to her mouth at his words. The pause seemed to stretch, breathless. What if Kyra didn't feel the same way? What if he'd ruined any chance of them spending at least the next few weeks together? Then, finally, Kyra spoke, her soft voice quiet but certain.

"I love you, too," she said. "I didn't know if that was possible for me, but I guess it is. Oh AJ, being with you is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I feel like I can finally be myself."

Ali knew that the next thing he needed to do was to come clean about who he was. He needed to tell Kyra that he was really Ali Ahmed Al Ibrahim, the future sheik of Al Jumeirah. He needed to tell her about his parents. He needed to tell her that he loved her despite all that and that he hoped that she still loved him too.

But Ali's confidence failed. Kyra looked so vulnerable, so beautiful, sitting there in the candlelight. He couldn't stand to shatter her beliefs about him now.

Instead, he rose up on his knees and kissed her, just once, gently and softly. When they pulled away, he hesitated there, one hand on the side of her face. This moment felt precious and fragile and Ali never wanted it to end.

"I love you," he said again. "No matter what."

Kyra grinned, more confident now. Ali couldn't help noticing how the candlelight highlighted the gold flecks in those deep green eyes. "I love you, too. I've never met someone so kind, so interesting, so funny, and so smart. When I'm with you, I feel…" She trailed off and Ali ran his thumb across her warm cheek.

"I know. I feel the same way. Free and hopeful."

"And whole," Kyra added, glancing up at Ali through her eyelashes. "I feel complete."

Ali's heartfelt as full and warm as a mug of hot chocolate. "Me too. I think we're just better together."

"We are," Kyra agreed. "We fit."

"And that's what we're celebrating," Ali added. After Kyra's words, he felt even more guilty for not telling her the truth, but there would be time. He could come clean later, before the end of the semester. Just for tonight, he would let them both enjoy the feeling of being in love without any complications. He would let this moment of completeness rest in the air between them. "Now, let's eat!"

They both settled in, side by side. Kyra reached across Ali for a piece of flatbread at the same moment that he turned towards her to ask for the hummus. Suddenly, their faces were only inches apart again and Ali had a sudden, overwhelming feeling that they wouldn't be eating dinner just yet. He couldn't even imagine being hungry right down, despite the delicious smells wafting up from the takeout. All he could think about was Kyra, how beautiful she was in the flickering light, and how much he wanted to hold her in his arms.

Kyra seemed to be feeling the same way, because she leaned ever so slightly forward, brushing a kiss across Ali's cheek. He felt the warmth of her lips even after she drew away like the kiss had left a permanent mark. Ali wouldn't have minded. Reaching for Ali, he pulled her closer and into a deeper kiss. They kissed for a few minutes, still as sweet and soft as ever, but with a new kind of urgency. Ali needed to be close to her. Then he pulled away, feeling breathless.

"Kyra," he said, his voice coming out lower than usual. "I would never want you to do anything you're uncomfortable with, but I did want to mention that we have a bed here."

He nodded behind him and saw Kyra's eyes widen. "Let's go," she said, just as breathless as he was.

In one fluid motion, Ali Ahmed helped Kyra to her feet and she twirled to sit on the bed, just as light and graceful as ever, reaching for him. There, in the flickering candlelight in early spring, they gave in to the pull that had been drawing them together since the first day they met.

XXX