The Karawi Sheikhs Series: The Complete Series

by North, Leslie

  Unable to help herself, she chuckled. Here she was, naked in a large tub with what was easily the most gorgeous man she’d ever met, while his hands stroked her wet calves, and she found herself giggling like a teenager at his sweet words.

  The more she thought about it, the more she laughed, until tears were rolling down her face and she was gasping for breath.

  Bahir stopped and stared at her for a moment before he suddenly launched forward and grabbed her wrists. Before she knew what was happening, he’d pulled her up to straddle his lap. Waves of water flew over the lip of the tub, and more splashed on her face.

  As his erection settled in the apex of her legs, her laughter died immediately. His hands gripped her waist, and she swallowed hard. “I wasn’t laughing at you. I promise.”

  “You’re nervous.” His touch slid up her sides. “I find that strange since my fingers have already been inside you.”

  “Yeah.” Amy cleared her throat. “About that. The only guy that I’ve ever been with is my ex-boyfriend, and…well…I’ve never actually…when we were together….”

  “You never had an orgasm with him.” His eyes widened in surprise. “Really?”

  Amy couldn’t help sighing as she answered with a shrug, “Yeah, I usually took care of myself during or after. You’ve been the first…to…get me there.” Her cheeks burned. “This is horribly embarrassing.”

  Slowly, he leaned over and kissed her. As his tongue coaxed her lips open, she settled even further on his cock and rocked back and forth over it. Her clit moved over him, and pleasure shot through her. Gasping, she opened completely to him, and his tongue danced with hers in low strokes.

  “The only thing embarrassing about that was that you stayed so long with a man who couldn’t please you,” he muttered huskily, and then his lips moved down her throat to her shoulders. “Stay with me, Amy. It would be my mission to make you cry out in pleasure all night long, to make you tremble on my fingers, my tongue, my cock, to fuck you slow and deep, and hard and rough, to fuck you until you were hoarse from moaning my name.”

  She moved faster over him now. Gripping the ledge behind him for support, she let her own desire take over as she rubbed her sweet spot over his cock. He grunted with her, but his hands gripped her and pulled her away. “I’m so close,” she whimpered in protest.

  “I know, sweetheart, but you’re going to like this. Scoot back to the other side of the tub.”

  Bewildered, she slid off his lap and to the back of the tub.

  “Good. Hoist yourself up using the side of the tub, and press your back against the wall.”

  She did as he asked. Water rolled off her skin, and she watched as he reached over to the side of the tub and pulled out a board. Sliding it under her butt, he indicated for her to sit. Carefully, making sure that it would hold her weight, she lowered herself. “I’m pretty sure this is meant for a glass of wine, a book, and a candle,” she chuckled hoarsely.

  Without a word, he grasped her ankles, pulled them out of the water, and eased her feet onto the edges of the tub. She’d never been so exposed in her life, and her pussy throbbed. She was open, right at his eye level. There was no hiding from him now.

  “You are so beautiful,” he murmured darkly. “Scoot to the edge. I won’t let you fall.”

  It was obvious what he had in mind. Knocking her head back against the wall, she closed her eyes and moved to the edge of the wooden board. Her feet and hands were helping hold her weight, but she felt secure.

  At least, until she felt his exhalation right at her molten center. Her heart hammered against her chest, and she white-knuckled the tub in anticipation. It seemed like forever before his mouth settled over her, and she cried out and bucked against him. There was no time for teasing. No time for slow, gentle licks. He suckled and scraped his teeth over her, and in a few minutes, her feet fell into the water, and she was coming against his mouth.

  His strong hands never left her. Pulling her from the board, he straddled her once again in his lap, his erection probing her entrance. Whimpering, she froze, but he didn’t push her down or force her. Instead, he let her rest against his chest while he kissed her shoulder. His fingers stroked up and down her spine as the tension mounted inside her again, and this time, she gently eased down onto his cock as he stretched and filled her.

  “Bahir,” she whispered, moving over him. “I can’t stop. I can’t.”

  “That’s good,” he groaned. “I don’t want you to stop. You feel…ah, Amy, I’ve never felt anything like you, sweetheart.”

  Framing his handsome face with her hands, she leaned over and kissed him. She wanted his lips on hers. She needed that kiss, not only to muffle her moans, but to feel that connection with him. Whatever she’d felt for James didn’t even come close to how she felt for Bahir. It wasn’t only the sex. It was the promise of his arms wrapped around her. It was the intensity in his eyes when he spoke to her. It was the honesty in his voice.

  God help her, she was in so far over her head, but all she could do right now was hold on. Hold on and hope that as she finally shattered around him, her world would still be there when she came back up to breathe.

  12

  Though the ride to the palace was long, Bahir had no chance to speak to Amy. His guards surrounded them, and his daughter chattered nonstop all the way. He listened indulgently and tried to answer her questions, but he couldn’t help noticing that the closer they got to the palace, the smaller Amy shrank.

  He’d spent half the night buried inside her, worshipping her body, reveling in her warmth, and he’d spent the other half of the night holding her and wishing he could make the night last forever. Despite the revelations and intimacies of their night together, he’d had a feeling it would all be over when the sun rose.

  This was insane. He’d never felt so intensely about a person before, and he had no idea what to do about it.

  “Amy, Bahir says that I’m going to have my own room! Can Kedar have his own room, too?”

  He watched Amy’s gaze fix on the stuffed octopus, though she’d been avoiding eye contact with anyone but the child for the last hour. “I think Kedar might be scared if he was on his own. He’d better stay with you,” she said softly.

  Aisha hugged Kedar fiercely. “Kedar is not scared of anything,” she informed everyone. “But he should stay with me. He might get in trouble if I leave him alone too long. The sheikh also says that I’m going to have a friend named Iris. Do you think she’ll like me?”

  “I think she’s going to love you,” Bahir interrupted. He knew for a fact that most of the servants were going to love the fact that Iris had a friend. That child, along with her terror of a dog, Beetle, was exhausting. Now they could let Aisha and Iris tire each other out.

  Parenting 101.

  “Are you going to have your own room, or are you going to sleep with Bahir?” Aisha asked innocently.

  The car grew uncomfortably silent, and Amy turned beet red. “I’m sure I’ll have my own room,” she said hastily.

  That wasn’t true, but he didn’t correct her. If he was to have only a couple weeks with her, then they were going to spend every night together.

  “You’ll also have your own tutors,” Amy reminded, quickly changing the subject. “So don’t think it’ll all be play.”

  Aisha immediately screwed up her face in distaste. Bahir could tell that as smart as Aisha was, she clearly didn’t like her schooling.

  After a few moments, Aisha suddenly looked at him. “How come I get to live in the palace and no one else?”

  Bahir’s stomach immediately knotted. He couldn’t keep putting the truth off forever, but he was a little concerned about Aisha’s reaction. “That is because you’re not like anyone else,” he said softly. “You’re the daughter of a sheikh.”

  The child didn’t ask a bunch of questions. She connected the dots all on her own. As her gorgeous eyes studied him, she pursed her lips and took a few minutes to work through it all. Finally, she cocked
her head. “Are you my daddy?” she asked softly.

  “I am. How do you feel about that?”

  “How come you didn’t live with Mommy?” Her eyes filled with tears. “How come you didn’t come get me sooner?”

  All these were questions that he’d known he’d face sooner or later. He’d simply hoped his daughter would be a little older when explanations became necessary. “I only found out about you,” he confessed. “I came as quickly as I could. Had I known about you sooner, my darling, I would have been there. I promise.”

  Aisha nodded, and he saw Amy squeeze her hand. Then the woman leaned down and whispered something in the little girl’s ear, and Aisha giggled. “Do I call you Daddy, now?”

  There was a sharp yearning in his chest, but he tried not to get his hopes up too quickly. “You can call me whatever you want. If you’re comfortable calling me Daddy, I would like that very much, but if you’re not, then that’s okay, too.”

  “Okay,” she said simply.

  That was it. No confirmation or denial. Just okay.

  That was perhaps the hardest hurdle he’d faced in his life, and the child acted like nothing was different.

  Children really were a wonder.

  “We’re here,” the driver finally announced, and Bahir pulled Aisha into his lap so she could see her new home.

  “Oooooh,” she whispered. “It’s so pretty.”

  The palace was impressive. Expansive, with two dome towers toward the middle, accented by columns of white stone, it stood out in an oasis of greenery. The gardens were the kingdom’s pride and joy, and Bahir smiled to hear Aisha’s gasp of delight. To him, it was home, but to her, it was a castle, full of adventure.

  “If you’d like, I can go shopping for her and get her some suitable clothing before dinner,” Amy said in a low voice. “She doesn’t have much, and you might want her in something nicer when she meets your family.”

  Surprised, Bahir stared at Amy. She’d spent days harping at him about how little the orphans had, and now she was concerned about how Aisha would look when meeting his mother? “In a few days, I’m sure my mother will be begging to take her shopping. Until then, I’m not worried about it. She can borrow some things from Iris as they look to be about the same size, and my niece wants for nothing.” He cringed, feeling as though that statement had been insensitive, and quickly changed the subject. “I’d like to give you both a tour.”

  A hesitant smile spread over her face, and she nodded as she settled back.

  Bahir asked the driver to take them around to the back. He wanted to get Aisha settled before his mother and sister-in-law smothered her with love and affection.

  The guards took their bags. Aisha practically bounced up the steps, and he could see that she was shaking with excitement as she waited at the top.

  Bahir grabbed Amy’s hand and pulled her closer. “Are you okay?” he whispered in her ear.

  “I’m fine, but I think your daughter is going to start the tour without you.” She nodded her head in a meaningful way, and Bahir turned in time to see Aisha manage to wrench open the door.

  Cursing to himself, he bounded up the stairs and grabbed her. The child shrieked with laughter as he lifted her over his head and whirled her around. Perching her on his shoulders, he opened the door and walked in.

  He was home, and he had his beautiful daughter with him. It was probably the happiest moment in his life.

  Turning his head, he watched as Amy slowly followed behind, and he realized that something was still missing.

  * * *

  “I can’t believe you left without telling me. When Iman told me what you’d done, I was beside myself with worry. Why are my sons always trying to put me in an early grave?” Taslima whispered as she reached over and grabbed his hand. Squeezing it gently, she wiped away the tears in her eyes.

  It was after dinner. Aisha and Iris had bonded immediately and had taken over the table by telling stories, each one more outlandish than the last. Iman sat at the head of the table, and Bahir had taken his usual seat on the right. He would have preferred to sit next to Amy, but she’d chosen the open spot next to Natalie, and the two Americans had whispered throughout dinner. Aisha and Iris had claimed the chairs to either side of Bahir, and his mother sat on the other side of Iris. He’d spent most of his dinner making sure that dinner didn’t end up in his lap, not that Beetle would have complained. Iris’s furry friend had taken up residence under the large table and was busily snapping up any food the little girls managed to drop.

  It was chaos, but he’d loved it.

  Now the two girls were playing on the floor of the common room with Amy and Natalie. Iman went to take a phone call, and from the look on his face, it had something to do with Riyad. Their youngest brother was always in trouble.

  Alone with his mother, Bahir put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I’d already lost too much time. I didn’t want to waste another second.”

  “She’s beautiful.” Taslima smiled gently. “Her mother did a good job with her.”

  “Amalia was a good woman. At least, when I knew her, she was.”

  “And Amy? The social worker you’ve invited into our home?” Another might take his mother as sounding judgmental, but he knew from experience she was simply being nosy.

  Bahir snorted. “Mother, I’m not on the market for your matchmaking; perhaps you should set your sights on Riyad. From the look on Iman’s face, he might be in need of your skills.”

  Taslima blinked innocently, but Bahir could see the mischievous twinkle in her eye. “I was merely wondering why she’s here.”

  “As you can see, Aisha is attached to Amy. I thought that it might make the transition easier.”

  “And how did she feel about hiding from armed rebels?”

  Hearing the edge in her voice, Bahir looked down and frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean that after what happened to you and Iman, losing time that could have been spent raising your daughters, you might have learned that your actions have consequences. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be sleeping with her because of the possibility of fathering another child. I’m saying that you should consider the fallout because you’re the heir to the throne.”

  She turned her face fully to him, her gaze intense. “How will you protect her when she leaves this palace?”

  Bahir felt a jolt of annoyance. “Amy is not Amalia, Mother. She isn’t subject to the same judgments and values. She can leave my bed the same way she entered it, a free woman.” One side of his mouth twisted, then relaxed. “Amalia was cast out, but Amy has no family. She doesn’t face the same threat.”

  “That’s not what I’m talking about, Bahir,” his mother said with a disapproving frown. “It’s obvious that woman is vulnerable. She came here in search of something. Will she find it, once the media splashes her face all over the newspapers and television screens?”

  Bahir was about to question his mother about what she meant when he realized the impact of her words. News of the rebellion was already making headlines, yet soon he’d have to introduce his daughter to the public. It wouldn’t take long for the media to uncover the days they’d spend in hiding or the American woman who had been holed up with him.

  Maybe, maybe if he hadn’t touched her, she’d be able to go back to her life at the orphanage, but that wasn’t an option now. She was at the palace with him. His guards all knew that they’d spent the night together. Keeping that kind of secret quiet would be impossible. She’d be recognizable on every street corner.

  She wouldn’t be able to have that quiet life now.

  That settled it.

  He would have to keep her.

  13

  As Aisha and Iris started to yawn, Natalie immediately swooped in to spirit her daughter off to bed. “There’s a small window of opportunity, and if you wait too long, they get their second wind, and then you’re up half the night,” she whispered with a wink.


  Amy was already half in love with the Crowned Sheikh’s wife, who obviously understood what it meant to be an outsider and had spent most of the evening making her feel comfortable. It was a relief since Amy couldn’t have felt more out of place. Sheikh Iman and his mother were very nice, but they were understandably focused on the new member of the family.

  Amy? She was the most uninteresting person at the table. “Aisha, tell Iris good night. She’s going to bed, and so are you,” she said firmly, stirring herself from her thoughts. She reached out to take the girl’s hand, but Bahir beat her to it.

  “I’ll get her ready and tuck her in,” he announced. “Besides, our doctor is here, and I want him to look her over before bed.”

  There was no room for objection, and why would there be? He was Aisha’s father. She wasn’t even the girl’s nurse or tutor anymore. She was present in the room, a witness at most.

  Pain knotted in her chest, and she realized how difficult it was going to be to say goodbye to Aisha. She’d never expected to bond with any of the children at the orphanage, a place she’d gone to pick up facts for a compelling story, but once she’d taken Aisha under her wing, she’d never thought about the day she might leave.

  She was planning on leaving. She had set out to travel the world, after all, not become enamored of one little kingdom.

  So why was it so hard to watch Bahir take Aisha’s hand and walk away?

  “My son has told me what happened,” said the elderly woman who had sat herself down nearby to watch the children play, her hands clasped in her lap. “About the incident with the rebels and how you stood up to protect my granddaughter. My family is indebted to you.”

  Taslima was a beautiful woman. So elegant and sophisticated, she made Amy feel like a speck of dust. Amy swallowed hard and tried to sound matter-of-fact. “I appreciate that, but it’s really not necessary. It was Shatha who stood up to the rebels, and I didn’t recognize your son when I met him at the orphanage or I might have been a bit more…” Amy tried to figure out how best to respond. “Conciliatory,” she finished, and the Shekinah chuckled.