“I beg your pardon? Nothing about my life is your business. You had better back off” She managed to duck under his arm and spring to her feet.
“I am leaving,” she said indignantly. “Good night.” She stomped off, fuming. She didn’t get very far. Tariq gripped her arm, swinging her around to face him.
“How dare you walk away from me?”
“I’m not one of your royal subjects, Your Highness.”
He let out a low growl. Her insolence irritated him, yet at the same time ignited a strange excitement in him. He gazed at the woman looking up at him with fire in her eyes. The urge to kiss her got the best of him. He covered her mouth with his, swallowing her startled gasp. He moved his mouth roughly over hers. It didn’t take long before her body became pliant against his. He gave a satisfied moan. The passion between them had clearly not dissipated a bit over their time apart. He pulled his lips from hers. Bending down, he scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder. Tonight he would make her his.
She let out a yelp.
“Tariq, what are you doing? Put me down!” She struggled against him.
“Keep still, Clara.” He took long strides through the main area of the palace.
She looked around frantically.
“You are the crowned Prince for goodness sake. What if someone sees us? Have you lost your mind?”
“That is why I sent everyone away. And no one will hear us in my private suite.”
“You’re p-private suite? No, take me to my room, or better yet put me the hell down so I can walk there, and get far away from you.” She began to struggle again when he headed up a spiral staircase. He stopped at a door and pushed it open. When he finally put her down, she adjusted her dress, while glowering at him.
“What are you a barbarian?”
He chuckled softly, brushing his fingers gently across her cheek.
“The flecks of gold in your eyes brighten when you are angry,” he whispered.
She drew in a sharp breath, her heart fluttering from the tenderness of his touch. She stared into his eyes and stepped away from him.
“I should really just go to my room.”
“No. You are staying here with me. I know you want to, Habibi. I want to make love to you and I can see that you want me too. Do not deny me or yourself the pleasure.”
She shook her head. There was no way she could sleep with a prince, she shouldn’t. But, she craved his. Her resistance gradually frittered away. Her shoulders sagged. She was going to giving in and share a passionate night with the Sheikh. The consequences be damned. “You’re right, I do want you.”
Satisfaction and joy coursed through him. Finally, he would have her, the one woman who has ever had such a profound effect on him. He lifted her off of her feet and headed to his bedroom. Placing her on the enormous bed, he slowly began to undress her. Her breaths came out in short puffs as he slowly stripped away her barrier, both physically and emotionally. She soon lay naked beneath his smoldering gaze. His eyes roved the length of her body, appreciatively.
“You are lovely, Clara,” he whispered.
“I want to see you too, Tariq,” she said shyly.
He gave her a lopsided grin and immediately began to remove his clothes. She took in his defined biceps, broad chest, and rock hard abs. Her eyes widened when his erection sprang free of it restraints and jutted forward.
“Wow,” she whispered. He was a perfect male specimen. “I have to say you are rather lovely yourself.”
He smirked.
“A woman has never told me that I am lovely before.”
“Exactly how many women have you been with?” She couldn’t help the jealousy that flickered beneath the surface.
“That does not matter right now. It is all about you and me.” Tariq crawled onto the bed to cage her beneath him. Leaning forward, he captured her lips. She kissed him back greedily, wrapping her arms around his neck. She felt like she couldn’t get close enough to him.
He released her lips to trail soft kisses down her neck and lower to her chest. Her back arched and shuddered when he took one beaded nipple into his mouth. He moaned.
“Clara your response to my touch is enough to drive me insane.” He moved on to lavish his attention on the opposite breast.