“What are you doing here?” Lina screeched in a panicked whisper.
If the authorities caught them… she dreaded to think what would happen to next. “We came to see you,” his voice was calm unaware of the monumental transgression he had committed, he was committing. “In an abaya?” Lina cast a horrified glance around to check if anyone had spotted them.“Yeah, we blend in, right?” The man on the right spoke, ending his sentence with a short chuckle.“Actually, you don’t. You lot are way too big. What do you think attracted my attention?” The trio laughed, “shall we leave then?” Ahmed linked his arm through Lina’s in a feminine gesture.Incredulous at his flippancy Lina stared at him wide eyed. “Do you really think this is funny?”“Hey, we get to see a bunch a sexy ladies. I think it’s worth taking the risk.” His friend piped up again.“So you do this often?” Lina demanded glaring at his veiled face.He didn’t reply. “Come one, let’s go.” Ahmed kept his arm wrapped tightly around Lina’s and began walking. Lina had no choice but to follow. They exited the party and walked a hundred meters or so before they came to the parked Mercedes in a dusty car park just outside the compound. Stripping off their abayas they bundled them into the boot and came to stand in front of Lina, a bit like an Army lineup, she smirked as they stood to attention with their chests puffed out. She cast a surreptitious eye over their bodies and noted with approval that all three men were incredibly good looking. They were all immaculately groomed with freshly shaved designer beards and neat gelled hair, their eyes glinted mischievously and it was obvious that the three of them were good friends, if not brothers. Introductions were made and now that they were away from being caught Lina smiled and began to relax. “So really, do you do this often?” she asked seriously.“Well, when it’s required. We like to shake things up a bit.” Mazen replied. Lina focused on his features, there was a familiarity there that she couldn’t quiet place. Then she gasped, “you’re brothers!” She waved a hand between Ahmed and Mazen.“Cousins,” Ahmed smiled stepping closer to Lina.“And you?” She turned to Fawzi, the shortest of the trio. “Nah. Friend. But we’ve known each other for years.” He threw a playful punch at Mazen’s shoulder.She watched as a playful brawl broke out, and smiled within. Here in this small car park with three virtual strangers she felt at ease. The friends were a colourful bunch who knew how to have fun. Maybe life in Riyadh wouldn’t be so dull after all? “Lina, so what do you think?” Ahmed nudged her gently pulling her away from her thoughts.“What? Think of what?”“We’re going for a ride, can you come?” Ahmed took her hand and re-arranged his features into a puppy dog look.“Okay,” Lina saw elation flare up in his eyes. “Why wouldn’t I come?”“It’s just that some girls don’t want to take the risk,” Mazen shrugged.Puzzled Lina frowned, “but the car is tinted, why would it be a risk?”The men burst out laughing, Mazen bent over and held his knees gasping for air.“What?” Lina challenged. “What’s so funny?”“We…not….ah!” Mazen straightened up and clutched his stomach.“Sweetie. We’re not going in the car, we’re going on bikes. Motorbikes. Is that okay with you?” Ahmed wrapped his arm around her shoulder.On bikes? Me? In Riyadh? “I’m wearing an abaya!” “Take it off.” Fawzi drawled inhaling on a cigarette.“Easy there,” Ahmed growled holding up a hand.“Well, what do you want to do then?” Fawzi threw a hand up in the air.“Baby, you need to dress like one of us. What are you wearing under your abaya?”“A dress! A party dress! I can’t get on a bike like that. People will know I’m a woman.” Lina felt a rising hysteria. This was crazy, they wanted her to act like a man and jump on the back of a bike? And why not? It’ll be fun. Something to tell the grandkids, a wild glee called from the back of her mind. Lina pushed the voice away, she was not going to do this. There was stupid and even more stupid, and she was neither, what if they had an accident? What if they were stopped by the police for a routine check?And what if you weren’t? What if you say no and go back to your dreary house with your dreary life? What if Ahmed loses interest and you spend the next few years searching the hospital crowd for him? Lina shuddered at the image. Maybe her subconscious was right, she should lighten up and live a little. How often did things like this happen? She had to grab the opportunity while she was still young. “Okay, you have to change. I have leathers in the boot. They might be a bit big, but we can roll them up. I don’t have spare boots though, so just wear these,” Ahmed rooted around in the boot and threw a pair of thick socks onto the car roof. Lina gauged his reaction. He was serious. Fine, then so am I. She watched him extract the leather outerwear from a duffle bag and place it on the passenger seat of his car.“Where are the bikes?”Lina asked.“At my house. We’ll leave the car there and jump onto the bikes. If you wear the helmet inside the car then the staff won’t know you’re a girl. Simple.”Lina nodded warming to the plan. She had never been on a bike before and now with a plan in place, she was beginning to look forward to it. “Here, jump in and change. Shout if you need an extra pair of hands.” Ahmed’s voice held a hint of desire and his hands held open the passenger door. Fawzi snorted and made a vomiting sound and Lina blushed as she slid into the back seat trying her best to hold back a smile.In the back seat, she stripped off her abaya and fumbled with the clasp on her dress. What a waste it had been to get into it, she hadn’t taken her abaya off at the party anyway and now wished she just wore a pair of jeans. Once the dress was off Lina cast a nervous glance out the window wondering if it really was tinted. It must have been as neither of the men turned to look at her, a surprising feeling of disappointment edged its way into her heart, she wanted Ahmed to see her. “Calm down woman,” she whispered at tendrils of longing began to snake its way into her, she closed her eyes remembering his lips on hers, how they curled against her mouth making her want more. Breathing deeply Lina sat up straighter, now wasn’t the time. She had to get into the biker’s suit quickly. Slipping on the thick socks and leather trousers Lina effortlessly pulled the zipper up and groaned, the waistband was a least two inches two big – it would slide down her legs in an instant, either that or she give everyone a view of her builders bum once she was on the back of that bike!Grabbing the jacket she pushed her arms though it, relishing the cool lining graze against her naked skin. She struggled to find the zipper in the dark and closed the two sides in an effort to make it catch, it didn’t and she tried again. And again and once more before giving up. How hard could this be? The zip must have been made for a special reason as it just wouldn’t catch the other side. Lina chewed her lip and then decided to get some help.“Ahmed, I need some help.” She called through the open passenger door.“Sure baby,” Ahmed grinned at his friends and sauntered over poking his head through the door.“The zip.” Lina looked down at her navel then back up at Ahmed.His eyes trailed down the exposed skin of her neck, down to the gap between the leather where the zip had failed to meet. She saw the corners of his mouth curl up and a low sigh escape his lips, “woah,” he breathed as his eyes rested on the inch of exposed bra. Lina bit her bottom lip and patted herself of the back for deciding to wear her sexiest bra. A black lace piece that housed a collection of small crystals in the middle where the two cups met. “Um, I might be a while. This looks complicated,” Ahmed called over his shoulder at the two sniggering men.He climbed into the back seat where he filled half the space with one easy movement, then he leant over and slammed the front door shut.