Page 23 of The Forbidden Sheik
“They are all safe,” the guard assured the parents.
Chapter 26
Amit stepped into his apartment and looked around. He was disappointed when he didn’t see Marianna sitting on the sofa or at the dining room table, hard at work. He saw the laptop he’d provided for her sitting on the table, but it was closed. Even the notebook was closed, everything neatly stacked up in a pile.
Listening hard, he tried to figure out where she was. But there was only silence. Where could she…?
He paused when his eyes landed upon the graceful lift and glide of Marianna’s arms as she cut through the water. He hadn’t heard her because the doors and windows were hermetically sealed. But he could see her. Clearly!
His body tightened immediately at the sight of her long arms reaching up and over, her legs kicking behind her. She was beautiful and…what the hell was she wearing? Ornotwearing, he thought. The white panties and bra - and yes, he knew they were her lingerie since he’d selected them personally - barely covered her body. In fact, the material highlighted her most interesting parts. The lacy bra clearly showed the outline of her darker nipples, puckered from the chilly water, and her white, satin panties revealed the dark patch of hair between her thighs, and he couldn’t help but notice the cleft of her bottom when she shifted, rolling to a perfect spin to swim the other direction.
His mouth watered at the thought of tasting those nipples, his hands itched to explore her derriere. Hell, his hands wanted to explore every damn inch of her! Not just her ass!
She rolled over, floating on her back, which allowed him an unrestricted view of her lovely body. Well, all of her was lovely, but those breasts were absolutely divine! Had any woman had more perfect breasts? He doubted it.
She smiled up at the sun and Amit was glad that there was an awning to protect her skin. She had the naturally tan skin of their ancestors, but she still needed to protect herself. The sun was strong at this time of day.
He’d come here for a reason, but for the life of him, Amit couldn’t remember what that reason was. Marianna had literally taken his breath away!
As if in slow motion, Marianna stepped out of the pool, the water streaming down her bare skin exactly the way his hands ached to do. He was envious of the water, furious that the small bits of lace and satin didn’t give him a clear view of every place he wanted to see, touch, and taste.
She pushed her hands through her wet hair, slicking it back and then…Marianna smiled. That smile was gorgeous! It was as if the water had somehow washed all of the tension from her body. She looked more alive and relaxed than he’d ever seen her.
She bent down to grab a towel from the stack near the pool’s edge, and wrapped it around herself. He almost walked out there and pulled the towel away, but caught himself just in time. It took monumental effort to remind himself that he was supposed to keep her safe. Marianna wasn’t here for a hot and heavy affair.
Pulling himself back from the brink, Amit turned and walked back out, forcing his feet to move quickly. He exited his apartment just as he heard the door to the pool open.
Chapter 27
As Marianna heard the front door click shut, she instinctively tightened her grip on her towel. The tension she had just managed to release in the pool came rushing back, her muscles tensing in anticipation of Amit's imminent arrival.
However, when his imposing figure failed to materialize, Marianna couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. Her muscles relaxed, leaving her feeling oddly empty. She had been braced for confrontation, but...there was nothing. Just a lingering sense of unfulfilled anticipation.
“Shower,” she announced to the silent room. She quickly showered and changed into dry underwear, loving the naughtiness of the lacy style. She normally chose functional but pretty pieces of lingerie. Wearing these daring pieces made her feel bold and sensuous. Was she walking differently? She definitely felt more feminine and sexy.
Once she was dressed, Marianna looked at her reflection in the mirror. The image staring back at her looked different somehow. There was a flush to her cheeks that she didn’t recognize. Was that because she was in a new place with a dynamic, powerful, fascinating man that made her blood boil with frustration one moment, then sizzle with anticipation the next?
Or was it because she genuinely disliked the man?
No, that wasn’t it. Amit had taken good care of her. Except for that brief moment when she’d thought he’d been behind her kidnapping, Amit had been genuinely kind and openly concerned for her. He’d provided food, shelter, clothing, and even a cell phone and laptop. He’d been nothing but kind and considerate.
Her entire life was dedicated to the premise that people’s minds could be changed when presented with evidence that challenged one’s opinion. Her work’s goal was about presenting facts and hoping that someone’s mind might shift and accept a new reality.
So here she was, standing in her “enemy’s” home with a vast amount of evidence that he wasn’t the villain that she’d considered him to be.
Marianna had to accept that Amit wasn’t the villain.
Which meant that her whole impression of the man was wrong. She needed to gather more facts and alter her perception of him.
Chapter 28
Amit stood in front of the door to his private apartment, but he didn’t go inside. He stood there, slowly breathing in and out as if he could magically…what? What did he want? He admitted to himself that he was terrified of stepping into his living space because it had taken him nearly an hour to get his body back under control after watching Marianna swim.
Even now, he could feel his body tighten all over again and muttered a curse. He knew his guards were watching him. Most likely they knew exactly what he was going through and were silently snickering.
Bracing himself, he took a deep breath and opened the door. He hadn’t realized that he was holding his breath until he saw Marianna sitting at the dining room table, hard at work. But as soon as she saw him, her eyes lit up and…bam! He was nearly fully erect again.
He stepped into the middle of the living room, watching as Marianna stood up as well. Something in his expression must have warned her that he was on the edge because her smile wobbled and she hesitated. He watched as she reached out to the ornately carved dining chair beside her, steadying herself. His eyes focused on her fingers, wondering what it would feel like to have those fingers trailing over his body, her fingertips gliding over his bare chest or her hand wrapped around his…!
