Page 28 of At the Sheikh's Pleasure
Their lovemaking had been a revelation.He’d never, in his life enjoyed being with a woman so much.And he had to admit he knew the reason.While their physical connection was amazing, there was something extra, something about her which got to him emotionally.His world had been turned upside down, and yet he still felt okay about it.He’d think more about what that meant later, because lying here thinking about Rosana had made her want her again.Very much.
He found her out on the terrace.She was dressed in a robe and was facing away from him.Her loose hair, which tumbled around her shoulders and down her back, shone in the sunlight.Whoever was on the other end of the phone was obviously not agreeing with her because as each moment passed, her voice became a little more tense.He realized it wasn’t the volume of her voice which had awoken him, but its edginess.
He was about to slip his arms around her and press up behind her so that she could feel what he wanted, when he heard her say something which stopped him in his tracks.
“There must be a seat available.What—nothing until tomorrow?No, that’s impossible.I need to return urgently.”
She grunted with impatience, finished the call, and slipped the phone back in her pocket.
“Urgently?”he asked.
She swung around, guilt stamped all over her face.Despite that, she looked incredibly sexy.But his ardor lessened when he saw the expression in her eyes.He got the feeling that they wouldn’t be returning to bed.
“Oh, I…” She shrugged.“I need to return to Oxford urgently.”
He bet she did.As soon as she thought about what she’d done, and had become terrified.
“Why?Did a student of yours have an urgent need to have his essay marked?Some Oxford dinner requires your urgent presence to test the quality of the wine?”
“I don’t drink,” she said between gritted teeth.“And Idon’tappreciate you suggesting that what we do there isn’t important.”
“Then what is so pressing at Oxford, which requires your presence as soon as possible?”
“I slept with you, Zaire.That doesn’t give you the right to interrogate me about my movements.”
She was right, and it annoyed him.He was acting like a jerk, or a king.For the first time, he wondered if there was a difference.
“Of course.Please forgive me.It was rude, though understandable given the circumstances.”
“What circumstances?”
“That I know the reason for this ‘urgent’ need to escape.”
She crossed her arms, the folds of her robe softly draping around her ample bosom, almost distracting him.“Of course, you’re a man.I’m sure you can read my mind.”
“As it happens, I can.”He stepped closer, and she blinked.He traced her brow with his finger.It was no good.It was hard keeping focused when her robe slipped like that, revealing her cleavage, and the natural pout of her lips which had been further swollen by a night of passion.“I know that it’s not your thinking brain that’s the problem, but your fear.”
He was so close to her he could see the pulse quicken in her neck, the sharp intake of breath and darkening of her eyes.He didn’t need her to do a lie detector test to prove the veracity of his statement.
“You can’t believe you’ve allowed your natural instincts to take over that mind, which rules your life like a cast iron jailer.”He brushed away a lock of her hair from her face, allowing his gaze to rest on her lips for a long second before looking up into eyes whose expression almost took his breath away.Gone was the anger and arrogance and all that was left was naked fear combined with awakening arousal.The two combined made his heart ache.He dropped his hand from her face.The arousal was easy to deal with, but the fear?He needed to focus on eradicating that first.
“Please,” her voice was a husky whisper.“Don’t do this to me.”
“Do what, Rosana?”He shrugged.“Make you see that there’s no need to fear yourself or me?Make you see that you no longer need to hide your emotions?Make you see that your place is here with me?”Even he couldn’t believe he’d said it.But the truth was out there now.And it felt right.“With me,” he repeated with emphasis, as much to prove to himself that he meant it, as to her.But he no longer had any doubt.
She took a step away, her cheeks flushed, but at least the fear had gone.Other emotions, not altogether welcome ones as far as Zaire thought, now replaced it.
“What are you talking about?”she asked.“My place?With you?Are you mad?”
Quite possiblywas his first thought, but there was no way he was going to admit that to her.“If the truth is mad, then maybe.”
“But, but…” she stuttered.“We’ve had one night together.That’s hardly enough to build a relationship on, even if I wasn’t who I am, and you weren’t who you are.”
“And who are we?”
“You’re king and I’m a princess of a country which wants nothing to do with yours.”
“And yet you’re here.”
