Page 8 of The Sheik's Pretend Fiancee
“You have a family celebration,” Tiro supplied for her, understanding what she hadn’t said.
Angela nodded, not sure why she’d felt the need to keep that bit of information to herself. Every birth in her family was announced publicly, so there was a public record of each of their births.
“Yes. It’s…uh…Zayn’s birthday tomorrow.”Angela hesitated sinceZayn, her Uncle Khal’s son, was Crown Prince of Lativa and a powerful man in his own right. Somehow, admitting that it was Zayn’s birthday that she was rushing back to celebrate seemed…odd.But why should it be weird? She was just being…silly, perhaps.
Tiro nodded understandingly and Angela wondered what was going on behind those dark, mysterious eyes. They seemed so…knowing at the moment.
“The crown prince is turning twenty-four, correct?”
Angela shifted slightly. “Yes. He’s…brilliant, actually.”
The man smiled slightly. Well, the corner of one side of his mouth quirked. Angela suspected that, for him, the expression was one of amusement.
“You don’t consider yourself to be brilliant?”
Angela sighed, her mouth twisting slightly.“I don’t think about it, actually.” She glanced at the time again. Her guards would be ready to start the day in about thirty minutes. Because she slipped away from them so often, a habit she and her older cousins had learned early on, she’d memorized their schedule.
“Where are your guards now?” he asked, suddenly looking around.
Angela silently groaned. “They are still up in the suite,” she admitted and shifted toward the end of the leather booth. Immediately, her body cooled. She hadn’t realized how much Tiro’s heat had warmed her during their hours together. As soon as she stood up, Angela turned, ready to say goodbye. But instead, she jumped slightly, surprised to realize that he had followed her. He was so close, close enough that her breasts would touch his chest if she took a deep breath. She couldn’t step back because the table held her in place.
Angela thought about moving to the side, but something within her didn’t want to escape. It was a stupid something, because being this close to her country’s enemy was a bad thing.Very bad!
And oh so good!Angela breathed in the spicy scent of him. Even this late in the night…or early morning…he smelled deliciously masculine and incredibly tempting. That naughty “something” part of her wanted to lean in closer. She wanted to press her face against the warmth of his chest, to feel his heart beat against her cheek.
When she tilted her head back, Angela inhaled sharply at the look of heat in his eyes. Before she could decide if it was a good or bad thing, he leaned in. She opened her mouth to tell him not to kiss her. But instead, she found her hands wrapping around the back of his neck, pulling him closer. And when his lips met hers, Angela felt as if she had been transported to a different world. A world in which there was only need and heat and an aching sensation low in her belly.
He ran his fingers through her hair, tightening his grip to tilt her head back, deepening the kiss. Angela’s fingers tightened as their kiss turned heated. His tongue invaded her mouth and her head spun with the need for more. Everything he did to her, she reciprocated, wanting to learn how to kiss him, to tease him, and maybe ease this intense, unfamiliar ache deep in her body.
As he pulled away, Angela couldn’t stop a small whimper. But for several moments, neither of them moved. Angela stared up into his eyes, thrilled that he was clearly just as affected as she was.
“I’ll walk you to your door,” he told her, his voice gruff.
Angela felt a sense of giddiness wash over her at his husky tone. That, and the impressive length pressing against her stomach told her that he’d enjoyed the kiss just as much as she had.
“Yes,” she whispered, looking at his lips as if she could somehow lure him back for another kiss.
But in that moment, she sensed movement and, without thinking about it, looked around. The hotel was coming alive and several people were in the lobby, chuckling as they hurried to start their duties. Had anyoneseen them? Surely they were somewhathidden inthe shadows!
Angela checked her phone again and was shocked to discover that more than a half hour had passed.
“Good grief,” she gasped and pulled away, wondering why she hadn’t done so immediately. She’d stood, happily, enveloped in her enemy’s arms instead of rushing back to the security of her private suite!
“It’s okay,” he soothed, rubbing her back. Angela wanted to purr at the touch, but she grabbed her laptop and notebook, hugging both to her chest and forced her feet to start walking. But no matter how fast she walked, the man beside her was able to keep up. Since Tiro was probably a foot taller than her five foot, four inch height, Angela couldn’t help but resent him for this. All of her uncles were impressively tall. All of her male cousins were height advantaged as well, which irritated her.Why were women stuck with the short DNA? Hercousin, Nahla, was only slightly taller than Angela, while all of the male cousins and her brother, Rylan, were well over six feet tall.
Life was so unfair, she thought as she stabbed the elevator call button. She turned to Tiro, feeling shy all of a sudden. “You can’t walk me to my door.”
He moved closer to her, looking down at her from that obnoxious height. “You’re not safe alone. I will walk you to your door.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re not safe either.”
“I’m bigger and stronger than you,” he pointed out with a chuckle. “If there’s a kidnapping threat, then I’ll stand a better chance of getting away.”
She huffed a bit, but the arrival of the elevator paused their conversation. Thankfully, it was still early enough that the elevator was empty. They stepped inside and moved to the back. He pressed the buttons and Angela didn’t wonder how he knew what floor she was on. Still, she paid attention when he pressed the penthouse button. Now she understood why her assistant hadn’t been able to book that suite for her visit.
They rode up to her floor in silence, and she was painfully aware of how close he stood to her, just brushing her arm with his own. She was also painfully aware of the hotel cameras that were watching them as the elevator ascended. When she glanced up at him, he gave her a barely perceptible nod, acknowledging the cameras as well.
Angela rushed out of the elevator, nearly sprinting down the hallway in her hurry to reach her suite. There were only four rooms on this floor and hers was at the end of the hallway.
