Page 10 of At the Sheikh's Bidding
She closed her eyes tight. She had to face facts. She’d walked into her worst nightmare.
A man whose touch made her heart race.
A man whose gaze melted her to her core.
A man who threatened her independence, just when she was about to achieve it.
CHAPTER5
Janey had lain awake most of the night, watching the movement of the moonlight trek across her room and listening to the hunting cries of the nocturnal birds as they alighted on their prey, far out in the desert. Her thoughts were full of the man who threatened everything she wanted. And whose gaze swept away all of her fears, making her forget everything except the flare of need which his touch and his gaze ignited. It blasted all else into oblivion. But she couldn’t allow herself to forget what she wanted for one moment. Because if she did, she’d be back right where she started. Controlled. Diminished. Lost.
So it hadn’t been until the break of dawn that she’d eventually fallen into a fitful sleep where her dreams were as disturbing as her waking thoughts. Dreams which shattered into a thousand pieces as the thumping noise which had been accommodated by her dreams suddenly turned into reality. Someone was banging on her door.
“I’m coming,” she muttered, throwing off her covers and groping around for her robe. But the banging continued. “I’m coming!” she shouted louder. Whoever was on the other side must have heard, because the banging stopped. She checked the time on her phone. It was still early. What was going on?
She pulled on her robe and flung the door open, bleary-eyed, prepared to give the person on the other side an earful. But all she could do was gasp his name, and pull her robe tighter, half believing that she’d conjured the man before her from her dreams. The only difference was, this man was fully clothed and the heat of impatience had replaced the heat of passion.
“Amare,” she repeated, hoping that by saying his name, she’d snap out of the dream. In shock, she took a step back, releasing the door. Amare obviously took it for an invitation and stepped into the gap she’d created.
“Good morning!” he said, too bright and breezy for anyone at that hour, as he closed the door behind him.
“Well, I guess it’s morning. That much is true,” she said, pushing her hair back from her face as she wondered how she could eject him. “I’m not so sure it’s good.”
“Why? Didn’t you sleep well?” Before she could react, he took a step toward her and lifted her chin, searched her face, and frowned. “I can see you didn’t. Is there anything you need?”
His questionmighthave been innocent, but her not-so-innocent interpretation was obvious. It was there in the deep blush which started somewhere in her belly, caught up in a whirl by his touch, and rose to fill her cheeks in a flaming flag of guilty color. She might as well have shouted out that,yes, she did need something, but she’d wait until hell froze over before she admitted it.
From the twinkle in his eyes, she could see he’d correctly interpreted the reason for her blush immediately. She slipped behind a chair and gripped its back like a shield.
“What Ineedis some privacy. What Ineedis for you not to disrespect me.”
His lips formed a slight pout, but amusement was still bright in his eyes. “Janey, I’d never disrespect you.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You just have, by hammering on my door at this ungodly hour.”
“I tried a civilized knock, but you didn’t respond. After a couple of those, I was forced to resort to hammering. I thought you’d run away, back to your ivory towers. I thought I’d frightened you off.”
She glared at him and retreated into the room, leaving him standing by the door. If she could maintain her distance, she stood a chance at keeping her wayward desires in check.
“I have work to do here first. I’m not going anywhere until that’s completed,” she said.
He didn’t seem in the least perturbed by her scowl, and smiled back at her.
“Glad to hear it,” he said. “I’d hate to think our reunion had been cut short before it’d had a chance to blossom.”
“Thereisno reunion!” she said, anger bursting through her body at his arrogant assumption that there was something between them which would be continued. “There will benoblossoming! And Iwillbe leaving in a week!”
He shrugged. “Let’s not split hairs. I’m not in the mood for an argument today.” He strode over to the window and swept back the drapes, letting the sunshine pour in. He turned to face her. “How about you get ready and we’ll be on our way?”
“On our way where? I thought we were having a breakfast meeting in an hour. Or at least that’s what your message said.”
“We are. And we’re leaving in ten minutes. That’s why I’m here. When you didn’t answer your phone, I thought I’d deliver the message personally.”
“So kind,” she said coolly.
“Yes, I thought so,” he said, refusing to acknowledge her sarcasm. “So I suggest you get dressed.”
They both looked at each other for a few minutes. She crossed her arms. “And… you expect me to get dressed while you watch?”
