They walked hand in hand outside the airport, both of them giddy as children with silly smiles plastered on their faces. He kept on playing with her h...nds as they walked and got in a cab. Their smiles growing by the minute, she was biting her lips in giddiness. He kissed her hand, gave a tiny bite, looked at her and said, “You’re beautiful.” She blushed. “Thank you.” Both of them grinned, paused and said together, “Thanks won’t do.” She smiled and gave him a big hug and cuddled into him. The. She looked at her appointment book, then set the screen saver on hercomputer as her three O'Clock appointment came in. "Mako, have a seat."Mako Toshikawa took a seat nervously. This was not the smiling woman heremembered from last month. This Madeline Rittenhour looked like one ofthe zaibutsu he'd left Japan to get away from.She lifted a file, reading for a moment. "You're work is for the Federalprison system?" Yes, ma'am," he replied. "The Federal government and state governmentsare looking at. Nikki was at a total loss, she couldn't think straight and even if shecould she was so excited for the black woman that she went along,enjoying the elevator ride of her life. Once they reached Nikki's floor,she separated from the ebony girl just long enough to guide her to herroom. She quickly fumbled with her purse to find the room key and letthem inside.Meanwhile Naomi opened the bottle and helped herself to a quick toastdirectly from the bottle. She offered one to Nicole as they made it. A woman with great dark eyes behind a transparent gold veil sat him down on the softest cushion in the room. She looked at the floor when she addressed him, the picture of demure virtue, but then she looked into his eyes in a way that made Arram feel like he’d been struck by a thunderbolt. She said she was Dalila, and that for tonight she was his, and would be as loyal and steadfast as the caliph’s own concubine, at least until tomorrow morning. Arram was not sure this really made sense, but he.