Amir led the way through the various open spaces of his mansion until they reached a subtle corkscrew staircase discreetly tucked into a corner. He waved for Kaye to follow him down.

“This is quite the secret, as you can tell,” he said, stepping carefully as they wound their way down, muted light coming from below.

“It’s not terribly well-hidden, then,” Kaye observed.

“Ah, but it is. Everyone is always so distracted by the glamour of the floor above, that they fail to notice this little corner in the back. In all the parties I’ve had—and I’ve certainly had a few—no one has ever managed to find me when I sneak down here for some peace and quiet.”

They reached the bottom, and Kaye gazed around at her new surroundings.

It was a cozy space, almost like an in-law suite, but for the mega-rich. There was another comfortable living room, a posh-looking kitchen toward the back, and a door that presumably opened up to another bedroom.

“This is quite the hideaway you’re sharing with me then,” she observed, curious that he would do so.

After all, for all their engagement mumbo jumbo, Amir and Kaye were practically strangers to one another. He shrugged one shoulder, leading the way toward the kitchen.

“You are my fiancée, after all. We should have no secrets. Also, when Merle gets to be a bit too much, now you know where you can hide.”

Kaye grinned at that as she took a seat at the kitchen counter, watching as Amir pulled out a series of ingredients from the surprisingly well-stocked kitchen.

“A bit too much?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow.

“I think there are words one could use for Merle that go well beyond the realm of polite conversation,” Amir said, setting out a cutting board and plopping a series of vegetables in front of Kaye.

“Now, chop chop,” he said, gesturing toward the veggies.

“Now, knife knife,” Kaye replied, and Amir turned, procuring a sharp cutting knife and handing it to her.

She accepted it and began chopping vegetables as he seasoned some steaks.

“You really like steak,” she observed, breathing in the scent of the herbs. “Are you going to grill that?”

Amir nodded, still focused on his food prep.

“It is one of my favorites. While the restaurant I took you to has a good selection, you’ve never had a good steak until you’ve had one of mine.”

“Humble, aren’t you?” she teased, and Amir smiled.

“You’ll see,” he said.

A dimple appeared with his grin, boyish and handsome, and Kaye nearly cut her finger as she stared at it for a moment too long.

A minute later, Amir turned with the seasoned steaks on a plate.

“Are you ready to be amazed?” he asked.

She stared at him with a deadpan expression. Unfazed, he turned and opened what had appeared to be another set of cabinets, but was really a built in indoor grill.

“Wow!” Kaye exclaimed, and Amir laughed. “Are you going to grill these too?” she asked, gesturing toward the cut vegetables.

He nodded.

“Go ahead and put them right up here. I’ll give them a little bit of flavor.”

Kaye stood, bringing the wooden board full of fresh cut veggies over and setting them on the counter next to Amir. He tensed, grasping her hand and looking at it. She jumped in surprise.

“What—” she began, but had no time to finish her question.

“A ring,” he said, his tone serious. “We forgot to put a ring on your finger!”

Kaye glanced at her hand, still encased in Amir’s grasp. Her heart was beating a little faster at his touch, and she knew she had to find a way to let go. She pulled her hand up as though to look at it more closely—like she needed to—and he let go, thankfully.

She couldn’t afford to have her heart racing for Amir. A million dollars depended on it. A lifetime of security. The ability to eat anything but crackers. She reminded herself every time she realized she was staring at him just what was a stake.

“I’m sure we can come up with a story for it. Maybe I had to get it refitted, or it was sent to the cleaners the day we filmed our earlier scenes.”

Amir visibly relaxed.

“Yes, those are both viable options. Quick thinking, Kaye. Still…”

He left the steaks and vegetables by the grill, walking away and into the other room. He disappeared for several minutes before he returned with a little black box in his hand. Kaye swallowed.

This wasn’t exactly how she pictured her first engagement.

Seeing the trepidation in her eyes, Amir cracked open the box to show her what was inside. A stunning diamond ring with beautiful rubies on either side graced the inside of the box, shimmering in the muted light of the kitchen.

“This was my grandmother’s,” Amir said, removing it from the box.

Kaye held up a hand to stop him.

“Amir, I couldn’t possibly. That ring deserves to go to a woman you actually love…someday,” she protested, but Amir simply shook his head.

“We have to be believable. I would never use any other ring for the woman I love. No, this one will have to do.”

He reached for her hand, and she allowed him to take it. When he slid the ring onto her finger, it was a perfect fit, and a shiver ran down Kaye’s spine.

“Just for the show. I promise you I won’t keep it once this is all over and done.”

Amir simply nodded, satisfied that they had filled their plot hole before he plopped the steaks and veggies onto the grill, and they began to sizzle.

“There’s some wine in that little fridge over there,” he said, nodding toward the other side of the kitchen. “If you’d like to share a bottle.”

Kaye nodded, grateful for the libation. She opened the wine fridge and looked at the bottles. The contents of that tiny fridge could have probably paid off her rent for life, but she tried not to think of that as she picked a nice, cool bottle of champagne.

Unwrapping the cork, she popped it, the sound echoing across the room as Amir glanced back at her.

“Champagne. Inspired choice.”

“It feels like we should be celebrating,” she said, finding two flutes and filling them while Amir continued to cook.

She located a couple of plates, napkins, and silverware, and set the small table that was just off the kitchen. By the time she was finished, Amir’s steaks were ready, and he asked her to bring the plates over for him to load up. The food smelled outstanding, and Kaye’s mouth was watering as she took a seat, excited to share another sumptuous meal with her host.

“To life—both real, and reality TV,” Amir toasted, lifting a glass.

Kaye clinked hers against his, taking a sip.

“To life,” she agreed, enjoying the crisp taste and the bubbles that tickled her tongue.

She cut a piece of her steak and took a bite, the meat melting in her mouth as an eruption of flavors exploded around her taste buds. She looked up to see Amir watching her, expectant.

“All right, fine, best steak I’ve ever had,” she complimented begrudgingly, and he beamed with pride.

“I thought so,” he said, taking a bite of his own. “Now, about naming your new car…”

The two tossed around names for a while until they settled on ‘Iishraq’, meaning sunshine in Arabic.

“The perfect way for me to commemorate the Sheikh with the sunshine personality who gave her to me,” Kaye concluded.

They ate the rest of their food in comfortable silence, Kaye enjoying the savory taste of another exquisite meal. She would dearly miss this food when all this came to an end, but she reminded herself that she would have plenty of money to buy whatever she pleased. It would all work out in the end, no matter what.

“Thank you for letting me stay here,” she said when they were finished eating.

Amir shook his head.

“It’s no trouble at all. Besides, it will be easier to film with you close by, and you’ll find my guest house to be more than comfortable.”

“I already have. We did a bit of filming in there today for my one-on-one interviews.”

“And how did those go?”

“I think they went well. I tried to be convincing.”

“You are an exceptional actress, Kaye.”

“So are you. You really impressed me today,” she said.

Was he blushing a little?

“Yes, well. I’ve had plenty of exposure. The harder parts will be when we go to Al Rayyan, and I’ll have to act alongside my family.”

Kaye nearly spit out her champagne.

“Al Rayyan? We’re going to be taking a trip to your home country? Meeting your family?”

“Of course. I believe we’re scheduled to go next week. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Two people in love will need to meet one another’s families. We’ll be scheduling time to do an episode meeting your family, as well.”

Kaye swallowed, thinking about how her family would react to cameras in their faces while living their regular everyday lives.

“Is something wrong?” Amir asked, picking up on her unease.

“No, not at all. Just planning,” she replied quickly, downing the rest of her drink.

Amir lifted an eyebrow but said nothing, instead rising as he moved to put the dishes in the sink.

“I can help with this,” Kaye said, standing up as well.

Amir shook his head.

“No worries. The kitchen staff will take care of it. I just like to compile and rinse a little to make their lives easier.”

“That’s very considerate of you.”

Amir shrugged as he organized the kitchen. As he did so, Kaye yawned. It had been an exhausting first day, and the effects of the champagne sank in as it relaxed her body and soul.

“You are tired, and rightly so. Allow me to make sure the guest house is suitable.”

Not entirely ready to say goodnight to him, Kaye nodded as she followed him back up the stairs, across the house and around the pool. A few stars were visible above them, but the light pollution from the city generally blocked most of them out.

Amir opened the door to the guest house, checking all the rooms quickly before he stepped back toward the exit.

“I hope you sleep well,” he said.

“Thank you. And you as well,” she replied, not sure what else to say.

Did she wish him sweet dreams? Did she dare think of what Amir looked like asleep, his perfect face resting against a plush pillow?

He nodded, hesitating before he turned around and made his way back into the main house. Kaye watched him go, finally turning back and closing the guest house door. She glanced down and turned his ring on her finger so it glinted in the light once again. It felt heavier than it should have, like it carried a lie with it that shouldn’t have been there. Still, in spite of that, it looked stunning on her hand, and she found that she loved it.

Walking around, she gave herself a small private tour of the space before she landed in the bathroom, sifting through the drawers as she discovered a fresh toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash. After washing up, she rifled through some drawers, finding cloud-soft pajamas that looked brand-new, as though a whole wardrobe had been purchased just for her.

That night, Kaye slid into the most comfortable bed of her life, turning off the light and staring up at a dark ceiling. Her thoughts drifted to Amir, and she shooed them off. Instead, she made herself think about how nice it felt to have a full belly and a warm bed, with work promised in the morning.

She tried her best to focus on that, even as the idea of the sensation of Amir’s arms wrapped around her won out, and she drifted off into a deep, comfortable sleep.