The Sheikh’s Unexpected Bride (Qazhar Sheikhs series Book 16)

by Cara Albany

  Their eyes locked together in a passionate, questioning gaze, she felt her breathing slow slightly. She hadn't realized just how breathless she had become. But his passion had been so instantaneous, so sudden, that she hadn't had time to gather her thoughts or even hold onto what was left of her composure.

  But, right now all her composure was gone.

  And when he suddenly scooped her up in his arms and started to walk toward the tent, she knew there was no going back.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Inside the tent it was cooler than outside. He set her down on the carpet in the middle of the tent's open area. The remaining light from outside filtered in through the fabric of the tent walls. But still there was enough to see each other by.

  He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again. There was still the same urgent need, but somehow she sensed he was holding something back, almost as if he was conserving his energy.

  She wondered what he was thinking. How he was finally going to go through with this.

  She let herself sink into his arms and held both his shoulders, feeling the tightness in his muscles. The scent of the incense in the tent mingled with his manly aroma. It was a heady mixture.

  She felt his tongue probe again, seeking more. This was only the beginning, she realized, but already every one of her nerves was straining with anticipation.

  Her quickening breath matched his. His hands cupped her face along the length of her jaw, holding gently as if she was an exquisite jewel.

  Then he lifted his head back, his lips parting from hers. He tugged at her robe, pulling gently at the shoulder, revealing a wide patch of her skin. Then he lavished her shoulder with more kisses. Exquisite sensation flared through her body as she felt his moist tongue lave her soft skin.

  He pulled even more firmly, drawing the edge of the robe lower. She took hold of the edge herself and pulled it down, exposing her breasts.

  She was wearing a very thin bra, almost transparent. His head lifted back and his gaze settled on the sight of her breasts enclosed in the soft fabric.

  His head dipped and she felt his tongue sucking on one of her nipples through the gauze-like fabric. Delicious sensations swept through her. She felt his hand cup her breast, holding it gently. He continued kissing her breasts for a few moments.

  Then he lifted his head back and reached around and loosened her bra, pulling it away. Her breasts sat free and his mouth descended quickly upon one of her nipples. His tongue circled hungrily.

  Pleasure flowed right to her core and she felt the heat growing even more intense. She grasped at his shoulders, digging her nails into his flesh, desperate to signal to him the intensity of her pleasure. He groaned in response.

  Then he straightened and shook off his robe, dropping it quickly to the floor by their side. All he wore were a tight pair of boxers. Beneath the fabric she saw his thickness, even more heavy and powerful looking than it had looked when she'd seen him naked at the pool. She could see just how aroused he was. There was no mistaking his desire now.

  His chest was broad and covered in a dense, thick dark hair. His abs were perfectly defined ridges that just made her want to reach out and run a finger across them.

  Gemma swallowed, anticipation taking hold of her again. She wanted to touch him. Wanted to feel the heat of his skin, the burning furnace of his need.

  Her own impatience was taking possession of her just as Ahmed was claiming her as his own. But she restrained herself.

  Ahmed reached out, taking hold of her robe. He bent slightly, tugging it down the length of her body until she it was piled loose around her feet. She kicked it away. Now she was dressed only in her panties and flat shoes. She got rid of the shoes in an instant.

  He swept her up in his arms, his bare chest crushing against her breasts. He kissed her with a fearsome intensity. She felt the rough hair of his chest against her breasts. That just made her nipples harden even more.

  As she lifted her head, seeking more from his kiss, she felt his firmness pressing insistently against her belly. Her throat tightened and she moaned one again.

  The heat of his hardness was as warm as the rest of his entire body. And that body was swiftly taking possession of her. With each moment she felt like she was being drawn deeper and deeper into a world she knew nothing about.

  But he was the expert, here, she told herself. He'd already shown her he knew exactly which part of her body to touch to ignite treacherous desire. Right now, he was the master.

  There was no doubting what was going to happen next.

  And she had already accepted it.

  She realized that all of this had been somehow inevitable.

  Perhaps even fated.

  His lips parted from hers and he slid an arm around her waist and started walking with her toward the sleeping alcove. In the dim light, she could see the bed. It looked inviting, so welcoming.

  But, as she gazed at it, walking by his side, she felt the stirrings of concern in her belly. Surely he knew how much this meant to her.

  That this would be the first time.

  They halted next to the bed. He surprised her by sitting down on the edge of the bed and placing his hands gently on the side of her hips. The skin of his fingers felt rough against the softness of her skin. He looked up at her. "Gemma" he murmured softly.

  She smiled at him, but didn't say anything. Even if she'd tried to say something, she was sure her voice would have betrayed her nerves.

  Maybe he'd noticed that already. She was sure he could see the hesitancy in her eyes.

  She reached down and ran her fingers through his hair, which was slightly damp, now.

  Then he started lavishing soft kisses on her middle. He started on her belly, kissing her skin there with the lightest touch of his lips. Gemma gasped. The heat of his lips on her cool skin was like sweet fire.

  He worked his way across her belly to the edge of her hips, his lips tracing a delicate line down her side. Each kiss made her quiver with delight.

  Her legs felt weak. She rested her hand on his head, not wanting him to stop, while trying to control the sensations sweeping through her.

  Then she felt him tugging at her panties. She glanced down and watched as he slowly eased them down. She shifted slightly, opening her legs a little and he slid the panties down to her feet. She pushed them away.

  Now she was naked before him.

  Utterly exposed, for the first time.

  She saw him lean back and gaze upon her, his features full of dark appreciation. He ran his gaze down the length of her naked body.

  As he did so, she felt as if, even with that gaze, he was caressing her, touching every part of her naked skin.

  She shivered with ecstasy. This was new feeling, unbelievable pleasure. And she knew he hadn't even begun, yet.

  He slid his hands around her lower back and eased her close to him. She felt his breath on her belly. He kissed her again, but this time his head began to shift lower, toward her core. She dragged in a breath, knowing what he intended to do, barely able to wait.

  Then she felt his hot lips at her core, sensed his fingers on the soft flesh on the inside of her thighs. His lips explored her, finding her, opening her slightly.

  She moaned and felt her body quiver. Every nerve was alive like never before. She felt his fingers ease upwards toward her core.

  And then one of his fingers found her most sensitive area. This time she couldn't control the moan which leapt from her. She leaned forward, pushing against him, seeking more, wanting to encourage him.

  His finger began to circle slowly, expertly. She felt his warm breath against her mound as his lips kissed her slowly. Feeling flamed in every nerve. She wasn't sure she was going to remain standing for much longer, so intense was the pleasure.

  As if sensing that, she felt his other hand hold her hip steady, ensuring she could continue to enjoy every moment, every subtle circling of his finger on her nub.

  Her heart was racing and her pulse
was pounding in her ears. It was all she could do to control her breathing, stop herself from feeling light-headed.

  Then she could feel her climax coming. Her first with him. His fingers moved faster, but never too fast and never to hard. His touch was delicate and soft, but every movement took her closer to the peak.

  Then, suddenly the wave swept over her, and her entire body quivered, shaking with ecstasy. He held onto her with both hands, holding her tight, kissing her belly as she submitted to the sheer, overwhelming pleasure.

  Her whole body shook and it was as if every nerve flamed into life. Her core ignited with ecstasy and she crashed forward onto him, but he held her steady, stopping her from falling.

  The wave subsided and she could hardly believe how intense the feeling had been. Could hardly contain her incredulity that he could make her feel like that.

  He eased her body down onto the bed beside him. They lay alongside each other, and he gazed at her.

  There was wonder in his gaze.

  He wrapped her in his arms, holding her close. She allowed him to hold her like that for a while. The feelings in her body, the feelings he had called forth, softened eventually. She was left feeling a wondrous sense of warmth and calm.

  Gemma stroked the side of his face and gazed at him. She could see how much that had meant to him, jut by the expression in his eyes.

  Did Ahmed have any idea how he had made her feel?

  Of course he did, she told herself. His touch had been expert and sensitive. Experienced. She tried not to think about how he had acquired that experience.

  Right now, that didn't matter.

  All that did matter was that this was just the beginning.

  She felt his hard, warm naked body against her and just enjoyed the feel of it for a while. The strength contained in his body made her think of what was to come next.

  She saw a sudden eagerness appear in his eyes and he sat up, kneeling alongside her. He was still wearing his boxers.

  She gazed at his thickness inside the shorts and felt her throat tighten. She asked herself what it would feel like to have him inside her.

  Then he hooked his thumbs along the top of the shorts and slid them down off his hips. His fullness was revealed in all its glory. She felt heat on her cheeks, watching him come to full nakedness as he discarded the shorts with an impatient gesture.

  Ahmed paused a few moments, almost as if he was allowing her to gaze on him, to take in the sight of his hardness. He slid a hand down and briefly held himself. He was fully aroused now, as hard as he could be. It was huge and thick, and again she wondered what it would feel like once he entered her.

  As if to remove all her doubts, he eased across her and lay softly on top of her, taking the weight of his body with his elbows. The feel of him over her renewed the quivering pleasure of moments before.

  His body was hard and hot.

  She curled her hands around his biceps and felt the muscles shake slightly.

  Was that with the effort of not wanting to crush her, or was it an sign of his pleasure? She could feel the tension in those muscles. Was he just trying to hold onto himself? Trying not to be overwhelmed with her closeness, with the pleasure that was about to come?

  She opened her legs slightly and she felt his firmness pressing at her core. He gazed down at her and there was one last question in those eyes.

  This was what she really wanted.

  She knew now that this was exactly where she wanted to be. Where she belonged.

  With him. Everything had been leading her to this moment. Leading her to him.

  He dipped his head and kissed her. This time the kiss was gentle, not quite so urgent, not so ravenous.

  Gemma wrapped her arms around him, feeling the dampness of his skin, the heat of it. The aroma of his desire filled her senses.

  He was an intoxicating male. Everything about him was driving her senses wild in a way she'd never known before.

  The strength, the power, the need. He had it all. But, on top of that, he'd shown her what it meant to experience sheer pleasure. He had been sensitive to her every need.

  She felt him draw in a deep breath, his chest broadening, his muscles tensing yet again. He was preparing himself for what was to come.

  Then, she felt him shift his hips, placing himself at the entrance to her core. She felt a momentary flash of apprehension. But as quickly as it appeared, it was pushed away by the sheer ecstasy of feeling his body.

  She knew what was to come.

  Then, she felt him push slightly. His gaze was locked upon her, taking in the sight of her as he began to enter her.

  He moved slowly. Very slowly at first. His gaze was steady at first, but then, as part of him entered her, she saw his nostril flare, saw his eyes narrow.

  She felt a brief stab of discomfort, but it lasted no more than an instant. It was quickly replaced by a glorious warmth in her core as she felt him ease into her, felt him fill her.

  She tightened around him. Now it was his turn to groan. She heard him draw in a sharp breath and he paused, simply gazing at her.

  Then he started to move, slowly at first. But soon he was moving quicker, pushing into her, taking possession of her. And every time he thrust into her, she felt a quivering ecstasy flow through her entire body.

  Every thrust seemed easier for her than the one before. Soon, he was thrusting into her with a steady rhythm, every time deeper, it seemed.

  Pleasure ignited in her with every one of his powerful, yet sensitive movements. With each thrust, his mound pressed against hers, triggering a wave of sensation that rippled through her.

  This was where he belonged. Inside her, taking her toward yet another peak. She could just how much this meant to him by his dark, intense gaze. The way he looked at her every time he pushed into her.

  It was like a dance and they already knew each others movements as if they'd always known them.

  Then his thrusts became more urgent and she knew he was nearing his own climax. She wanted to share it with him. From now on, she wanted to share everything with him.

  But for now, all she could think about, all she was aware of, was the burning need inside her as he drove them both toward the peak.

  His strokes became faster, urgency and need taking hold of him.

  Then, he quickened his movements and she could feel the wave of pleasure coming toward her. Her whole body tightened as he pushed into her faster and faster. She gazed up at him, seeing the need in his eyes.

  Then the wave swept over her and she cried out, holding onto his powerful muscles, feeling the primal energy take possession of his body.

  He lifted his head and roared his pleasure, every sinew hardening as he emptied his passion into her. She was overcome by pure pleasure, every nerve alight with ecstasy.

  And then they were sinking into a place of absolute pleasure and joy, bound together as one.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  They made love long into the night.

  He was insatiable, driving her to unbelievable heights of ecstasy.

  And, even when the storm began to blow against the tent, shaking the walls, he continued to make love to her. He brought her to climax after climax, until she felt exhausted by pleasure. Until she couldn't go on any longer. The whole time, she ignored the sound of the wind blowing against the outside walls of the tent. She paid no attention to any of it because she felt totally safe in his arms, now.

  Eventually, they lay holding one another. Gemma was stunned by what had happened. She'd never felt like this. Not ever.

  She could feel her muscles aching, but in a good way, she reflected. Parts of her were tender, but that didn't matter. All she cared about was him. All she wanted was to be with him.

  He held her close, gazing into her eyes, whispering sweet words to her well into the night. When the storm eventually subsided, it was time to fall asleep. She closed her eyes, feeling how good it was to be in his embrace.

  After a while she drifted off to sleep
.

  WHEN SHE AWOKE SHE COULD SEE THE early morning light coming through the fabric of the tent.

  She looked across and saw Ahmed lying there, still asleep. She wanted to touch him, but she didn't, not wanting to wake him. He looked so peaceful, his features soft. There was a calm, satisfied expression on his face.

  She slid carefully out of the bed and walked outside. The sky was clear blue and the air was clear and cool. She breathed in deeply and stretched contentedly.

  She saw remnants of their meal strewn across the desert floor. Plates had been scattered by the winds of the night before. The table had been turned on its side and the cushions were wedged against the wall of the other tent.

  There would be plenty for them to take care of later, she told herself.

  A new day, she told herself. And what a night it had been. Her world had been turned upside down by what had happened. Ahmed had been incredible. He'd made love to her with an urgency and a tenderness which had stunned her.

  She wandered around the camp for a while, letting the events of the night sink into her mind. Into her heart.

  She wrapped her arms around herself. Ahmed would be getting up soon. He'd probably want to be with her from the moment he emerged from the tent. Unlike yesterday, he probably wouldn't want her to spend any part of the day away from him.

  But, was that what she wanted?

  Gemma sighed, pushing that question out of her mind and walked over to the pool. She leaned against one of the trees.

  She thought about the conversation that would take place when he came to her again. He'd want it all to be different. Wouldn't he? He'd ask her to stay a while. He'd repeat to her some of the words he'd whispered in her ear, last night.

  Words of desire.

  Words of love.

  She swallowed just thinking about those words, how they'd made her feel.

  Was that what she really wanted? For him to come to her and say those things again?

  Because she knew that if she let that happen, her world would change forever.

  Even as she felt the echoes of his passion in every part of her body, she still wasn't sure if she was ready for that.