Seduced by the Sheik

by Elizabeth Lennox

  Over the next two weeks, Harper felt as if she were in a haze of sensual insanity. She worked hard to collect data about her research, worked with Elsa and Ellora for at least an hour, normally just coloring or playing with blocks while she talked to them about their fears and concerns. But at night, as soon as dinner with the family was over and the twins were tucked into bed, Amit would take her hand, leading her back into his apartment and he’d make love to her until they were both breathless.

  One night though, he changed things up. “Stay just like that,” he ordered, getting out of bed. Harper watched, confused as he walked into the next room and returned with something in his hands. “You moved,” he accused, walking back to the bed and rearranging the sheets against her legs. He pulled the sheet back down so that her breasts were uncovered, then shifted her legs so that one was on top of the sheet, the other tucked underneath. “Are you comfortable?”

  “Um…?” she shifted the pillow behind her back so that she was propped up more comfortably. “Yes. Why? What are you going to do?” she asked, apprehension coloring her tone.

  “Just stay still,” he commanded and moved a chair closer to the bed before sitting down. He opened the notebook, turned to a fresh page, and began to draw.

  “You’re not drawing a caricature of me, are you?” she demanded.

  He stopped, looking over the edge of the notebook at her, lifting a dark eyebrow as he frowned at her. “And if I am?”

  She started to sit up, but his look told her to remain still.

  With a huff, she leaned back against the pillows. “If you’re going to draw me looking silly then I’m going to do something drastic.”

  His pencil flew over the paper and she wondered what he was drawing. “How long will this take?” she asked.

  He ripped the page free a few minutes later and tossed it to her.

  Harper looked at the image he’d drawn and, after a horrified gasp, burst out laughing. “This isn’t me!” she giggled, looking at the person with angled eyes, a huge mouth puckered up as if she were about to smooch someone, wild hair, and a sex-kitten body. At least he hadn’t drawn her naked, she thought as she relaxed against the pillows.

  When she looked up again, Harper realized that he was already drawing something else. He glanced up over the notebook, then back down at the paper. His intensity was surprising and Harper relaxed, enjoying watching him. He pressed his lips together occasionally as he drew, as if the detail was complicated.

  “I need to stretch,” she warned him.

  He glanced up and shook his head like he’d forgotten where he was, then looked down at the picture. He dropped the notebook on the floor and moved closer, reaching to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “You are so beautiful, did you know that?”

  Harper laughed, delighted with his intensity as well as his playfulness. “Thank you. You’re quite focused while you draw. How did you learn to draw?”

  “I taught myself,” he told her, letting his fingers skim down her body and leaning forward to take one taut nipple into his mouth.

  Harper wanted to ask more, but just like every time Amit made love with her, he overwhelmed her with his touch. The room was filled with the sounds of her gasps and moans. When he entered her this time, the love she felt was so intense, she could barely stop herself from screaming her feelings.

  And after the hurricane of pleasure subsided, he wrapped his arms around her and turned out the light before they drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter 18

  Harper watched as Talia swam in the pool with Ellora and Elsa. The girls were giggling and splashing, eagerly trying to outswim their aunt.

  In other words, her job here was done. Harper had tried to think of ways to extend her stay here in Izara. She’d gone to several additional schools, talked with parents and administrators, people who she hadn’t originally intended to be part of the research project. She’d written up an outline of her research paper and discussed her findings with several hospital administrators and therapists in the area.

  Unfortunately, she couldn’t think of anyone else that might add to her study. It was time to go.

  Turning away from the scene, she walked slowly back to her suite. With tears in her eyes, she pulled the suitcase out of her closet and started packing. Angrily, she wiped at the tears, but they kept coming. It was as if her tears were a parallel to the ending. As much as she tried to avoid that ending, her departure, it was coming and she couldn’t stop it.

  Angrily, Harper turned and yanked open a drawer. “Tears as a parallel?” She scoffed at the ridiculous thought. “This sucks! This is just…!” She hated this whole situation! She wanted to go to Amit and beg him to love her. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him!

  She knocked a pile of loose pages onto the floor and stooped to collect them. Her hand stilled as she realized they were drawings. There were so many of them. Amit had drawn her in so many positions that it boggled her mind. He’d drawn several of her sleeping, his talent coming through in the minute details of her lashes or her legs, even her toenails were precisely drawn.

  Sitting down, she stared at her favorite drawing. She was sitting in one of the courtyards, leaning back on her hands with her face lifted to the sunshine. Harper had no idea when he’d drawn this one, but she loved it. She saw herself relaxed, her lips curved into a dreamy smile. Plus, she had her clothes on! Harper smiled as she sifted through the drawings, almost all of them were of herself in his bed in various states of undress.

  Bowing her head, she thought about the nights she’d shared with Amit, how every touch, every look, every conversation with him was so precious to her. She loved him. She loved him so completely, it terrified her.

  She wished she could tell him how she felt. But if she did, what would happen? What would she do with her life here? Her job, her friends, her family…everything familiar to her was back in the United States. Her students needed her! And what’s more, she needed them…didn’t she?

  A small voice in the back of her mind whispered that she needed Amit more.

  But she understood that this was just a fling for Amit. A casual affair. Harper knew that she wasn’t special to Amit. He had a country to run and a world to pacify. He had two little girls who looked to him as their father figure.

  He didn’t have time for her.

  “Damn it!” she groaned, shoving things into her suitcase with a fury that was entirely unlike her. “This isn’t fair!”

  How many times had she heard those words from her patients? How many times had the wife or husband snapped that it wasn’t fair when someone had an affair or that their child was addicted to drugs? Or when a spouse died unexpectedly?

  Life wasn’t fair, she thought with increasing resentment. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair. It was just life and pretty often, life sucked!

  Instead of finding comfort in those words, Harper dissolved into tears. She cried so hard, her knees gave out and she slid from the bed to the floor, her hands over her face as she wept at the horrible unfairness of the world and the fact that she’d stupidly fallen in love with a man that didn’t…couldn’t…love her back!

  Love her? She scoffed. The man was a master in bed, but he didn’t have emotions. He couldn’t love! He was emotionless!

  Unless it was anger. Or passion…Amit didn’t allow himself to become angry very often. Lust, desire, and passion…yeah, he easily showed those emotions. Everything else, he hid behind a professional façade, looking to the world as if he were a powerful, confident ruler.

  Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the bed, staring up at the ceiling. “This isn’t doing anyone any good,” she whispered and pushed herself to her feet. She resumed packing, barely bothering to fold her clothes as she stuffed them into the suitcase. When her fingers came to the papers she’d stuffed in there so many weeks ago, she paused, then pulled them out.

  Looking down at the drawings scattered on the bed, she felt the tears well up
again. Tears of sadness and pain as she stared at herself. There was love in her eyes as she stared back at Amit from the drawings. He’d drawn her like that, so he must know how she felt.

  And yet, he’d never confronted her about her feelings, never asked her if it was true. He simply drew what he saw. Her finger trailed over the paper, her heart aching for what could never be.

  With a heavy sigh, she turned to toss the pictures into the trash. But before her fingers could release the pages, she stopped, turned back to her suitcase and tucked them into her suitcase with her clothes.

  “I might not have his love,” she announced to the empty room. “But I do have his pictures.”

  With that, she closed the suitcase and zipped up the sides. Hefting it off of the bed, she looked around. “I’ve probably missed something, but I’m not going to wait around to find it.”

  Taking out her phone, she pulled up the airline flights. There was a flight heading to Virginia in a few hours. It would have to do, even though she’d sort of hoped that she’d have another day, a full day to say goodbye to everyone and…

  Oh, who was she kidding? She wanted one more night in Amit’s arms. She wanted more time, more blissful moments with Amit, more beautiful pleasure in his arms and more time to show him how much she loved him.

  And yet, what would that do? Was he going to get down on his knee and beg her to stay? She snorted at the idea. Amit didn’t beg anyone, and he certainly didn’t get down on one knee. Not for her! Besides, he’d had plenty of time to tell her his feelings if he’d been so inclined.

  She stopped, realizing that she’d never told him how she felt either. And she’d had just as many opportunities.

  “Just go,” she whispered to herself.

  Before she could stop herself, she pulled her suitcase out of the apartment without looking back. She made her way towards the nursery where Elsa and Ellora would be working with their tutor.

  Sure enough, the girls were sitting on the carpet, working with puppets, giggling and chirping as the tutor asked questions.

  “You ladies sound like you’re having fun,” Harper said during their next break.

  Both girls stood up and rushed over to her. “Harper!” they yelled, throwing themselves at her and hugging her. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to say goodbye,” she explained, kneeling down so that she was at their eye level. “I have to go home. My job starts in a few weeks and I have to get things set up.”

  The girls looked stunned. “You’re leaving? But…why?”

  Harper’s heart ached even more. “It’s not for forever,” she whispered. “I’m definitely coming back. But I have to go back to my home. Your uncle hired me to help you learn to talk about your grief. And now, you’re better. You’re happy and,” she looked at them carefully, “I want both of you to continue to get stronger, okay? No more silence! It doesn’t work and you’ll just get more sad, okay?”

  The girls nodded slowly. “Okay,” they said, almost in unison. “But…couldn’t you stay for a little while longer?” Elsa added.

  Harper wanted to tell them that she could, that she’d love to stay and play with them or make another cake with them or go swimming or…anything! But she had to do this. It was better this way. “I have to go. But I’ll come back for a visit. And maybe you two could come visit me?” She stroked the pair of dark heads gently. “I’d really like it if you girls could talk with me on video. Maybe tomorrow when I get things set up? I could show you my office and you could show me the new pictures you’ve drawn? Could you do that for me?”

  The girls’ eyes widened. “Your office. We could see it?”

  Harper nodded. “Absolutely! We could do a video chat and I can show you everything. And we can talk whenever you want. Okay?”

  Elsa shifted. “So, if we can see you whenever we want, it’s not like you’re leaving completely, right?”

  Ellora seemed to understand where her sister was heading with that question. “It will be like you’re still here with us, just not here next to us.”

  Harper nodded, smiling even though her heart was breaking. “Yeah, it will be like I’m sorta still here with you.”

  She smiled, hugged them one more time, then stood up. “Okay, so head on back to your tutor now and know that I’ll check in with you very soon, okay?”

  “Tomorrow!” Elsa emphasized, her hazel eyes narrowing so much like her uncle’s, it was almost scary. “You said tomorrow!”

  Harper laughed despite the pain in her chest. “Yes. Tomorrow I’ll call you and we’ll chat, okay?”

  The girls smiled, appeased, then returned to the front of the room where their tutor sat, patiently waiting for them.

  Turning, Harper left the room. “This next one is going to be harder,” she muttered, towing her suitcase behind her.

  Amit nodded to the jeweler. “This one,” he decided, picking up a diamond ring. It wasn’t the largest, but that was fine because he doubted Harper would want a large diamond. But this ring was perfect. Emerald cut with a platinum setting, he knew it was the one he wanted to see on her finger.

  The jeweler bowed slightly, closing up the box and backing out of the office. Amit wouldn’t deal with the payment of the ring. Rashid would ensure that the jeweler received payment. Hell, Amit wasn’t even sure how much the ring had cost, nor did he care. He wanted to find Harper and present the ring to her, to convince her to stay here in Izara and marry him, stay with him for the rest of their lives.

  It was a good match, he told himself. She was smart, witty, fun to be with, easy to talk with, and…hell, they lit the sheets on fire every time they touched! If that wasn’t the basis for a good marriage, he didn’t know what was.

  Turning around, he was just about to call Rashid when something occurred to him and he laughed. It was so revolutionary, Amit could barely understand how it had happened. Quickly, he smothered his amusement. Later, he told himself. When he was alone, he would pull that realization out and revel in the fact that he was…well, later. Right now, Amit had about fifty issues that he needed to deal with, decisions to make, and reports to review. Still, he shook his head as he thought about what had just occurred to him. He was in love with Doctor Harper Ross! Completely, madly in love with her!

  Rashid knocked on the door, then pushed it open, peering inside to ensure that Amit was alone. “I apologize for the interruption, Your Highness, but Doctor Ross is here to speak with you.”

  Amit turned and looked at his assistant, smothering his resentment at the intrusion. There was always something, he thought. But then Rashid’s words registered and his resentment evaporated. “Harper is here? Why are you waiting? You know she can interrupt me anytime, Rashid.”

  The smaller man looked nervous and he stepped completely into the room, closing the door behind him carefully. “She has her suitcase with her, Your Highness.”

  Amit didn’t understand. “Why would she…?” he trailed off as he realized the significance. “She’s leaving?”

  Rashid nodded slowly, watching Amit’s face. “That is my understanding.”

  Amit’s fingers closed around the ring in his hand. He blinked at Rashid…but didn’t really see the man as he schooled his features, careful not to reveal anything.

  Suddenly, he remembered Harper’s face last night, the smothered longing in her eyes. He’d known something was wrong but…last night, she’d come into his arms just like all the other nights. Hell, she’d been more eager last night, almost desperate.

  Because she’d known. She’d known that she was leaving today.

  Why hadn’t she said something? Why hadn’t she warned him?

  Rashid stood in the doorway, looking awkward and uncomfortable, not sure what to do. It was probably the first time in his employment that the ever-efficient aide was unsure.

  Remembering his responsibilities, Amit pulled himself together, pushing his anger to the back of his mind for the moment. He’d deal with it later.

  “Right,” he
replied, straightening his jacket and tugging at the cuffs of his dress shirt. He paused, took a deep breath and briefly closed his eyes. Finally, he opened them again, looked over at his assistant and nodded sharply. “Send her in.”

  Rashid still hesitated. Amit stood still, waiting patiently, his face blank. At least, he looked patient on the outside. Inwardly, he wanted to punch something.

  Finally, his assistant nodded, bowed, and left the office. The scant moments before Harper stepped in, Amit walked over to the window, not sure if he could watch as she walked away.

  Unfortunately, he wasn’t given a chance to make that decision because she stepped into the room, her eyes downcast.

  “Amit, I…” she trailed off, clearly searching for the right words.

  He turned, looking at her carefully. What the hell was she doing? Why was she going? Why was she doing this?

  “I have to go,” she finally blurted, and he watched her blink hard, almost as if…was she trying to stop herself from crying?

  “No, you don’t,” he argued. Just three words, but he meant them with every fiber of his being. He wouldn’t beg, but Amit desperately wanted her to stay. He wanted her to love him. It was such a new emotion, one he’d never allowed, or even felt before. Although he knew that it was love that he felt for her, it was so raw, he didn’t know how to handle it.

  Still, she turned her head as if he’d slapped her. “I do,” she whispered. Taking something out of that damned bag of hers, he watched as she set a folder on his desk. “This is the report I promised. I’ll have a more thorough report sent to you as soon as I’ve compiled my findings and refined my research into something more cohesive.”

  “You don’t need to go,” he argued, ignoring the report. He didn’t give a damn about the report! He wanted her! He wanted her to stay and tell him that she loved him! He knew that she did, so why the hell was she leaving?

  “I don’t?”

  “No,” he replied, frantically reaching for some reason, any reason, for her to stay. “There are other research assignments. You know I could use your help here in Izara.” Hell, he would love to keep her in his life! But if she didn’t want him, he’d come up with some excuse for her to at least be near to him. If she continued working here, perhaps there was some way he could continue to see her, maybe convince her that they could manage a personal relationship.