Page 29 of The Forbidden Sheik
“How about a game of chess?” he suggested.
Marianna smiled. “I like chess,” she admitted.
He took her hand and led her over to the chess table set in the corner. “I propose that, with every chess piece a person claims, the loser must take off a piece of clothing.” He kissed her fingertips and poured her more wine. “This will make it more interesting.”
Marianna laughed, shaking her head. “I doubt that I’d be able to concentrate if I were naked.”
“Exactly. So, the idea will force you to concentrate more completely.”
She rolled her eyes, but couldn’t deny that she was intrigued. And more turned on than she’d been the previous night. After watching how competitive Amit was, which she should have already known, as well as how gracious he was at losing, Marianna knew that she was falling hard for the man.
But could he ever love her? He desired her. But was that enough? Enough to sustain a relationship?
And an even better question, did Amit evenwanta relationship with her? She kept circling back to the previous question; was this a fling? Or something more?
Chapter 36
The chessboard was already set up. Amit led her to the chair, waited until she was seated, then sat down opposite her.
“You may make the first move,” he offered, watching her carefully as he leaned back in the chair.
As he watched, Marianna licked her lips, her eyes moving over his chest and shoulders. When she’d first proposed playing card games, Amit had been confused and, if he were honest with himself, a bit hurt. But he’d genuinely enjoyed spending the past two hours with her. It was shocking to find himself growing more intrigued with Marianna with each passing moment. How was that possible? Maybe because he’d learned about her life in Paris, the hurt and confusion she’d felt when she’d been ripped away from her friends and everything she’d known growing up immediately after her mother’s death.
He'd learned that her favorite color was yellow, because she loved sunshine. He discovered that she loved riding and, even after only two days, desperately missed her horse, Stella. Marianna had admitted that Stella was the recipient of all of Marianna’s secrets. So now, Amit was jealous of a damn horse!
He’d also learned that she hated broccoli because one of her mother’s favorite things to make was broccoli, but she burned it every time. Now, Marianna couldn’t disassociate the beautiful, vibrant green broccoli that was served by the palace chef or at restaurants with the puke green blobs with charred bits that her mother had served during her childhood.
He’d discovered that Marianna had gotten into her current profession to spite him, personally. After their first, inauspicious meeting eight years ago, Marianna had been so angry with him that she’d looked up his father’s policies and begun publishing opinion articles to make Amit angry. He’d also discovered the fact that learning he’d hurt her so deeply made his chest ache. He also realized that he quite desperately wanted to find a way to bring back her smiles and the pretty shimmer in her brown eyes.
“Your move,” she announced, smiling at him over the chessboard.
Damn, she was so beautiful, all tense and eager to trounce him. He didn’t give a damn if he won or not. Having her here, in his home and smiling at him like this, was triumph enough. She looked so pretty, he could barely rip his eyes away to make his next move.
He moved a pawn forward, then waited, eager to take her first chess piece. He wouldn’t be able to concentrate, but he’d have Marianna naked. That was his goal and damn the game!
It took him two minutes to take her first piece, then watched with anticipation as the woman slowly pulled…a ring off her finger! Damn her.
Then she took his bishop. Not good, he admonished himself. That bishop had been pivotal to his strategy.
But in the spirit of the game, he leaned forward and unbuttoned his shirt, dropping it beside his chair, then he leaned back and waited. A long time! Marianna couldn’t seem to take her eyes off his chest. Never before had any woman’s gaze turned him on like this. He wanted to shove the chess set out of the way so he could pull her onto his lap and show her an entirely new use for chairs.
However, he restrained himself, keeping his hands on the arms of the chair. His erection was full on and obvious. He thought about stroking himself, but wanted her to do that for him, like she’d done in the shower. He’d enjoyed watching her fingers caress his shaft, her thumb rubbing circles around the tip. Damn, he had to stop thinking like that because he couldn’t concentrate.
She made a move, but Amit was too focused on her and not the game. When he glanced down at the board, he was startled to find that she would have him in checkmate in four moves! Hell, how had that happened?
Moving his queen into a safer position, he leaned back. A half hour later, Marianna was nearly naked, and he was down to his boxers. And he’d have her in checkmate in two moves.
“Checkmate,” Marianna announced.
For a moment, Amit didn’t register what she’d said. He was too focused on making his next move—getting that bra off her. She had no more jewelry left. It was down to her bra or her panties.
Leaning forward, Amit stared at the board. It took him a few moments to realize—she had won. Marianna had him cornered. There was literally no move he could make!
“Damn!” he muttered, then threw back his head and laughed with delight. Before his laughter even died down, he stood up and scooped her into his arms.
Forget the chair! He wanted a bed where he could spread her out and teach her a lesson for…he had no idea what lesson he needed to give her. At the moment, she was pressing her hot, sexy core against his erection. All thoughts of punishment vanished from his head.
He tossed her onto the bed, enjoying her delighted laughter. As he loomed over her, he surveyed every inch of her delectable body. When he pushed her legs wider, her laughter died and she stared up at him, her body already quaking with desire. With deft fingers, he removed her panties but couldn’t focus long enough to deal with her bra. Instead, he simply pulled the straps down, revealing her beautiful breasts. He immediately began to suck on one nipple while his free hand teased the other, tweaking the tip before sliding down her body to those delicious folds.
