Loving Ali, Shånnon Marie [i like reading .TXT] 📗

tubes. "In fact, we're moving you right now to the outpatient ward, since your body seems to have recovered fully and rapidly from your surgery. You'll stay here one more night, and if you're still good in the morning you're outta here!"
"That's great!" he beamed as a nurse came in and began wheeling him to the outpatient ward. "Thanks, Doc, and goodbye!"
"Goodbye, Ben!" I waved.
"I love it when you get a really nice patient like that," came a voice from behind me.
I whirled around. "Oh, hi, Kip!"
He smiled. "How are you doing, Claire? We miss you in the pediatric ward."
"I miss it too," I smiled back. "Are you off today?"
He shook his head. "I'm just on break. Thought I'd swing by and see how you were doing."
"I'm doing great," I assured him. "But I'm kind of in the middle of my morning rounds still."
"Oh, of course," he grinned sheepishly. "I'll let you be then, it was good seeing you, Claire."
I nodded, and went to my next patient.
"I told you," Rico showed up at my side. "The man was practically drooling!"
"Please," I shook my head. "Why is everyone so obsessed with setting me up lately?!"
"We worry about you, Claire. You work too hard and never seem to let yourself relax. You need to hang out with that Ali dude some more, he did a lot of good for you making you happy!" He winked.
"Hush, Rico!" I shoved him playfully.
"I'm serious!" he laughed. "As your boss, I get to give you orders. And my orders are: find a man. Marry him. Get laid; have a child or two. And enjoy yourself, Claire!"
I rolled my eyes. "I'll keep it in mind, you silly man. Later!"

"Hey, Claire!" Nora greeted me when I got home.
"You're working late," I smiled. "How was your day?"
"Quiet, as usual. I was just on my way home, actually. I made you a pie, that's why I'm a bit late. 
"A pie?" I grinned. "Nora, you're a saint. I insist you stay here and eat dinner with me."
"Well, if you insist," she smiled.
"Oh yes, I do!"
We both laughed and enjoyed ourselves over coffee, a delectable stew, and cherry pie.
"Thank you, Nora, this was delicious," I leaned back and patted my full belly, "But I really need to stop pigging out! Just the past 4 weeks alone I've put on 5 pounds."
Nora laughed. "That man took good care of you, you were too thin anyways!"
"I miss him," I sighed, leaning my chin in my hand.
"It'll be alright, dear," she patted my arm.
I smiled at her. "Of course it will."
"Do you want me to stay and help clean up dinner?"
"No thanks, I've got it."
"Alright," she grinned. "See you tomorrow morning!"
"See you!"
And Nora left.


The next few weeks passed slowly. Without Ali's company, life was lonely, dull, and depressing. I turned to my work as a distraction, working myself to the bone in a vain attempt to get him off my mind.
One such morning, I woke up with a fever and nausea. I called in sick, and spent the next few hours in my bathroom. The nausea eventually died down, and my fever turned into a dull headache. I took an Advil and kicked back with today's paper; I felt sick all over again when I saw the picture on the front page.
It was of Ali, looking as beautiful as ever in a white suit that pointed out just how amazingly tan he was. He had a huge grin on his face as he gazed down at the breathtakingly gorgeous Ingrid, who beemed right back up at him with an adoring look in her eyes.
He was placing an expensive diamond ring onto Ingrid's finger, and the caption read: "Prince Ali of Saudi Arabia finally settles down!"
My eyes skimmed the article, which told the story of how Ingrid and Alie had been spotted together at the Waldorf for dinner, and how he had pulled out a ring and placed it on her finger. Ingrid was estatic, and more than happy to make a million excited comments for the article, but Ali had apparently just shrugged and given no response to the reporters.
I gripped the newspaper so tightly my hands shook. That bastard! He swore he'd never settle down! And he had promsied I'd be the first to know if he changed his mind, that traitor!
I stormed up to my bedroom and threw some clothes on. Then I grabbed my keys and headed out to my car, purposely driving the Land Rover and refusing to step food inside the car Ali had bought for me.
I drove like mad down to Ali's gym, and practically ran into his office where he sat, calmly sipping a cup of iced tea and going over paperwork. 
He glanced up as I walked in, and his eyebows raised in surprise. "Heya, Doc!" he smiled.
"Don't 'heya, Doc' me, you fucking asshole!" I screamed. "I trusted you!"
"Whoah, there!" he held his hands up defensively. "What's all this about, then?"
"You swore you wouldn't ever settle down!" my lip trembled.
"Who says I am?"
I gave a disgusted sigh and threw the paper down on his desk. "You did, you jerk!"
He browsed over the paper, his face completely void of any emotion, until an amused grin pulled at the corners of his mouth.
"And just what the hell is so damn funny?!" I bellowed as his grin turned into laughter.
He put his feet up on his desk and leaned back in his chair. "You can't believe everything you read in the papers, you know."
"Well, what about the picture? That ring's as plain as daylight!"
"So I gave her a ring," he shrugged," what of it?"
I gave a cry of frustration. "Are you marrying her or not?!"
He wiggled his eyebrows. "Why, you jealous?"
"Ali!" I sputtered. "I'm being serious right now!"
He swung his legs around and walked towards the door, loosening his tie as he went. "That's your problem, Doc," he threw his tie onto a nearby chair and closed the door. "You're way too serious." He dimmed the lights and closed the blinds, then started walking towards me.
"What are you doing?" I stepped backwards. "Get away from me!"
"You remember my theory on fucking and how it does wonders for people who take things too seriously, don't you?"
"Don't. You. Dare!" I hissed. "I'm never having sex again with you as long as I live!"
"I'm sorry you feel that way," he backed me against the wall and put his hands up to either side of me. 
"Let me go!" I demanded, trying to get away, but he had me trapped. His arms closed around me, and I felt my head spin as his scent and closeness started working its magic.
"No," he whispered, bending his mouth towards mine.
"Argh!" I shrieked, shoving him forcefully. To my amazement, he actually stumbled backwards a few steps. I ran for the door, but his arms shot out and grabbed me, and he threw me over his shoulder.
"Put me down!" I pounded his back with my fists.
"Now, now, Claire, let's be reasonable," he said, laying me down on the small brown couch and settling himself on top of me. "I'm not letting you leave until we've had a good sound fucking session, so you can either give in and enjoy it or you can fight me the whole way and miss out on all the pleasure you know I can give you. Your choice, love."
"Neither!" I cried, angry tears spilling down my cheeks. "I hate you! Get off of me!"
"Your choice," he said again, then claimed my mouth with his.
Every inch of my body screamed to respond to him and kiss him back, but I fought against it, squirming and thrashing about and trying to escape.
"I hate you!" I screamed again into his mouth. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"
"Would you mind struggling a little more?" He asked in a husky voice. "You have no idea how much your twisting about is turning me on."
I tried to shove him again, but he wouldn't budge. He grabbed my wrists in one hand and held them above my head. With his other hand, he made quick work of my blouse and bra, and I bit back a moan when his tongue flicked over my breasts.
"Stop it!" I gasped. "I mean it! I hate you!"
"I'm sure," I could feel his grin against my stomach as he kissed down my abdomen. His hand went to my jean fasten, and my breath hitched in my throat.
"Don't you dare!" I hissed.
He laughed. "Oh, I dare." And in one quick movement, he maneuvered both my pants and underwear down to my ankles. He continued his trail of kisses even further, and I couldn't fight the scream that erupted from my mouth when his tongue slipped inside my legs.
"Ali!" I gasped, arching my back into his caress.
"Claire," He growled back, letting go of my hands to remove his own clothes. "Claire, I swear to God, if I don't have you right now..."
Even though I had control of my arms again, I didn't fight him. "I hate you!" I whispered as I reached up and pulled his lips back down to mine.
"I've missed you," he moaned, his hands roaming all over my body and touching me in that wonderful way.
"I haven't," I lied, moving my hand down to his hardness.
He started to chuckle, but inhaled sharply as I began stroking up and down his entire length.
"Claire, please!" He panted.
"Yes," I moaned, "but I still hate you."
He grabbed my hips, yanking them into his own as he buried himself all the way inside. I cried out at the heated joining, gasping for breath as he pulled out and did it again and again and again.
"Do you still hate me?" he rasped in a strained voice and we both neared our climax.
"Yes!" I groaned back, moving my hips in perfect union with his, pushing upwards to take as much of him inside me as was humanly possible. "I hate you more than ever!"
"If this is hate, I love it!"
I continued to tell him over and over just how much I hated him, and then screamed something entirely different as we simulatneously peaked.
My hands flew to cover my mouth as he stared blankly at me, still breathing heavily from our intense lovemaking. My words hung in the air like weights, creating a tension so thick you could cut it with a knife: "I love you."
We both laid there, frozen, until the door flew open to reveal a completely livid Ingrid. Chapter 7

I sat in my office, barely tasting my sandwich as I stared sadly out the window. 

"Claire?" Rico knocked softly and stepped inside. "Claire, are you still upset over that Arabian guy?"

I sighed. It had been almost 3 years since I'd seen Ali. After Ingrid had found us, she'd called Ali's father who had demanded both of their immediate returns to Saudi Arabia. A few days later, they'd both appeared on television to announce their engagement and the projected date of their marriage, which had taken place sometime last year. 

About a week after Ali had left, I'd discovered that I was pregnant. Eight and 1/2 months later, I gave birth to beautiful twins: a boy and a girl. I named them Carter and Leah.

Tomorrow, we'd be celebrating their 2nd birthday, and I ached for Ali to be celebrating