Page 98 of My Big Fat Vampire Wedding

It would be OK.

“Just give me one second,” Pandora said as the jet stopped and Mikhail opened the door. “I want to freshen up.” She grabbed her bag and rushed into the tiny bathroom.

Alone, she grabbed the tube of sunscreen, then started to slather it across her face, neck, hands, and the portion of her arms that could possibly peek out from beneath her shirtsleeves.

She had a bit of a white cast on her skin, but, hey, Victor already thought she was prone to sunburn, so he would understand her putting on some thick sunscreen.

Satisfied, she dug around for her hat, stuck it on, then made her way back out to meet Victor.

To be fair, Ambrosia had a point. She’d never considered the idea of having to leave London with Victor, that they might happen to go to places in the world where she wouldn’t have the same protections she did in London.

That said, it wasn’t a real relationship. She didn’t have to travel with Victor if she didn’t want to. In fact, they were both going to be too busy to travel for the year of their arrangement. She would be busy building her bookshop. He would be working on his thesis and getting a job once he graduated.

So this challenge was just a little hiccup in their plans. It wasn’t going to be the lesson Ambrosia was trying to teach her.

“Ready?” Victor asked. “Mikhail said the car should take us to our accommodation. And there will be everything we need there.”

“Brilliant,” Pandora said, ignoring the pit in her stomach as they started to move out into the sunshine.

They stopped inside the airport, per instructions, to exchange their pounds for dirham, then slid into the sleek black car with heavily tinted windows, allowing Pandora to breathe a sigh of relief.

Victor rolled down the car window, letting in the salty sea air as they drove closer to the blue-washed buildings. Pandora could make out the vibrant life of the medina. Shopkeepers stood near displays of their colourful textiles, local crafts, and leather goods.

“Have you ever been?” Pandora asked, watching Victor as he took in the sights.

“No. It’s stunning, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Pandora wasn’t sure if she was speaking of Morocco or of Victor himself.

The car dropped them off at the bottom of a seemingly never-ending staircase, each step and the walls on the sides all painted in hues of blue.

According to their folder of instructions, they would find their accommodation somewhere near the very top.

“Shall we?” Victor asked, waving toward the stairs.

And so they did, making their way up the steps, occasionally stopping to glance at shop fares or gorgeous tiles that adorned doorways to private residences.

“Oh, brilliant,” Victor said, making Pandora turn to see him pulling a pretty red umbrella with white trim out of a holder at a shop. “You didn’t pack yours,” he said, handing it to her. He fished some dirham out of his pocket and handed it to the woman, who gave them both a soft smile.

While Pandora trusted Dante’s sunscreen, she was thankful for the added protection. And incredibly charmed by Victor’s considerate nature.

“Thank you,” she said, and they began walking again.

“Thought I was in reasonably good shape,” Victor said a while later, giving Pandora a grimace as they got to about halfway up the hill. “All these steps have proven me wrong on that.” He reached down to rub his aching thighs before starting to climb once again.

When they made it to the top, it was just a short walk toward a private white-stucco home.

It was cozy and neat, set against a backdrop of the mountains with a wonderful view of the Blue City below them.

“This is stunning,” Victor said, back to her, his hands on his hips as he looked at their view.

She had to agree.

But, this time, she was sure she meant him. Even if he clearly didn’t feel the same way about her.

The inside of the house was small, but not claustrophobic, complete with a fully functioning kitchen with a washer/dryer, a living room with two couches, a nice-sized bathroom that had a basket full of essentials waiting for them, and, finally, the bedroom.

Pandora couldn’t help it.