Duty Bound Desire: The Sheikh's Forced Marriage (Desert Desires Book 1)

by Jennifer Jansen

  He moved his hand to her waist. Yasmin gasped. This was highly unusual. He held her close, waaay too close. She could feel every inch of his torso against hers, and he was all hard male. Stiffening, she tried to pull back a little but it seemed Nabil had anticipated her reaction. ‘I’m not letting go,’ he drawled almost lazily and pulled her even closer to him. ‘You’re very conscious of people staring at you,’ he added, regarding her with an almost curious intensity. She looked up into his eyes. Those dark pools of sensuality in which she could easily become lost.

  ‘I’m not used to it,’ she admitted hesitantly.

  ‘Get used to it,’ he said sternly. ‘You are now my wife, with everything that entails.’ He then regarded her with an almost bemused expression, as if she were some kind of weird specimen. ‘I would have thought with your status…’ he trailed off.

  She wondered how her life had taken such a sudden turn, how instead of specialising in her chosen medical field, she was standing in a wedding dress at a wedding she didn’t want to be invited to, let alone be the main attraction.

  Suddenly, the music changed and Nabil released her. Stunning even herself, Yasmin felt a little tinge of insecurity at being removed from his arms. But the men in their white robes were entering the dance floor, hand in hand, making a semi-circle and moving their feet in the Dabka dance style. The festivities had well and truly begun.

  ‘I know this has been a big day for you.’ Nabil had to speak over the music. ‘Why don’t the two of us step outside for some fresh air,’ he suggested.

  Feeling grateful for the opportunity to escape, she took it. He held her by the hand, threading his large fingers between hers. Yasmin’s nerve endings tingled because, despite the simplicity of this act, she felt this as a surprisingly intimate gesture.

  As they stepped out on to the balcony at the far end and of the palace away from the crowd, Yasmin immediately felt the freshness of the evening breeze as it caressed her face. Taking in a deep breath she felt as if this was the first real breath she had taken in days. She briefly closed her eyes. When she opened them she found Nabil staring at her.

  She couldn’t look away, mesmerised by those deep, searching eyes. Somewhere inside of her fireworks exploded. She noticed him inhale sharply as well and quietly wondered if he was feeling it too.

  ‘You have a surprisingly light digital footprint for a royal,’ he said, shocking her with the subject.

  She didn’t respond for a few seconds. ‘What do you mean? You’ve been searching for me online?’

  ‘Most women I know are keen, if not desperate, to be in the spotlight. Not you, it seems,’ he said looking at her again with a keen sense of curiosity. ‘You don’t fit the usual mould.’ Then he tilted his head very close to hers and whispered, ‘That’s what I like about you.’

  She didn’t respond. Wasn’t sure how to. His face was so close to hers. She could feel his breath.

  ‘That, and the fact you are still pure,’ he said as she felt her cheeks warm.

  She lifted her chin. ‘How do you know I’m pure?’ she challenged him.

  He leaned in even closer, one eyebrow slightly raised, a roguish smile playing upon his lips. ‘Because I’m not.’

  He held her gaze, unflinching and unmoving. Her throat tightened, her chest heaved. Her entire body began to tremble. She could feel it to her core. She pulled in as deep a breath as she could.

  Without warning, Nabil quickly closed the small gap between them. He lowered his eyes, lashes hiding their dark intensity, and leaned his head close to hers. Panic assailed her and she became very aware of her ragged breathing. She wondered, would she feel the same way if a man she knew and loved was standing there in front of her?

  But she would never know. He pulled her tightly into him in a clear gesture of possession as his mouth came down on hers, his lips gently encouraging her own. She felt herself slowly but surely melt into his embrace, and her mind went blank, deleted of everything else for a moment.

  His mouth was hot and she could feel her entire being responding in spite of herself. She moved her hands up, holding onto his body tightly, butterflies causing havoc in her belly. She heard a low growl coming from deep within him and his hands splayed across her back pulling her in tighter, crushing her breasts against him with more strength. He didn’t need to worry though. As surprising as it was, in that moment, nothing could drag her away from Nabil’s powerful embrace.

  Yasmin kept her eyes closed and allowed herself to feel the intoxicating sensation of his mouth on hers. It was like a drug running from his mouth right through her. A small moan escaped from her mouth and it seemed this was all he needed. He slowly but surely deepened the kiss taking her mouth in a most exquisite sensual process. Despite his size and strength, everything he did was gentle and soothing.

  His tongue moved gently in and out of her mouth, teasing and tantalising. He used his mouth in such an expert manner, that she felt it all the way down to her toes. And he sensed it too. She knew he did. She felt his body begin to harden against her.

  She began to feel her nipples peaking and it seemed that every nerve ending was on full alert. A rush of embarrassment ran through her. How could she feel this way about someone she didn’t even know? And if this was how he made her feel with just one kiss, what would she be like in his bed?

  When Nabil finally lifted his mouth from hers neither of them spoke, but she noticed his breathing was as shallow as hers. Yasmin looked into his eyes. She had never experienced anything like that before. Awareness exploded between them. Yasmin almost stopped breathing.

  As she looked up at him, his face displayed a trace of surprise, and also what seemed like…irritation. Nabil shifted uneasily.

  Yasmin felt as if his mouth had just drugged all her senses and she attempted to gain some control....but her legs were like jelly, a reminder of what had just occurred – and a taste of what was to come.

  Chapter 3

  Yasmin awaited her husband in the opulent quarters of the palace that were to be their home. She had been escorted from the wedding festivities by the head handmaiden, an older woman she had met her first day in Zashar, probably close to fifty, with gentle eyes and a sincere smile. Yasmin had been so grateful for her in that moment.

  She bowed deeply before Yasmin. ‘Your Highness, please follow me.’

  ‘What is your name,’ Yasmin had enquired a few days before when they first met.

  The woman had bowed. ‘Your Highness, my name is Adeeva.’

  Perfect, Yasmin had thought. Adeeva, meaning gentle and kind. And she looked it too.

  As the wedding festivities continued into the night, Adeeva led Yasmin through the palace halls, but this time she was escorted away from the women’s quarters where she had stayed for the days before the wedding, and going by the even more extravagant and deluxe setting, (if that were even possible), assumed she was being taken to where she and Nabil would live.

  As Yasmin followed the older woman, she tried hard to gain some control over her body which was still tingling. She was stunned with her response to Nabil’s blitz on her senses, no matter how gentle and tender it was. She almost felt like she didn’t know herself anymore. It was as if he had unlocked a part of her she had always tried hard to control. And why, even after kissing men in the past, did it have to be this particular man, in this particular circumstance that had her entire body humming?

  Adeeva stopped at two large, ornately sculpted doors. She used her two hands to open them both, then turned and bowed, waiting for Yasmin to enter.

  As she moved into what no doubt was her new residence, the doors quickly closed behind her.

  ‘Your Highness, this way, please.’ Adeeva spoke softly but clearly, motioning with her open palm showing the way.

  Following Adeeva’s direction, Yasmin moved through the open space to a corridor a little off the side. The fading sunlight flowing through the skylight windows in the ceiling was fanning out across the area, the many shades of yellow and
orange playing against the walls. A few more steps and Yasmin was in a dressing area, the scale of which surprised even her.

  Racks of exquisite and very expensive clothing lined two entire walls. Shelves filled with shoes that would make Emelda Marcos blush filled another side, and across was an opulent sitting area with comfortable looking sofas, full-length mirrors, and a very large, carved dressing table.

  ‘Your Highness, which gown would you prefer to wear tonight?’

  Yasmin wanted to say, none of them. I want to go home. But she resisted the urge, not because she didn’t want to make an unseemly outburst, but because in spite of herself, she was now curious to know how she’d feel after one night in Nabil’s bed, especially after knowing how she felt after one kiss.

  She quickly spotted what she wanted. It was a shell-coloured gown, delicate and elegant. The handmaidens rushed right over, undoing the buttons of her wedding dress. She raised her arms and they slipped it over her head, which was no small task with all its jewelled beading. Before she knew it they were all out the door and she was once again left alone – with her thoughts.

  In a very short time she would be lying in the bed of Nabil ben Nasser Al Saed Al Massoud.

  What would her life would be like? Could she really live with a man she hardly knew? Could she even like him? Could she live the rest of her life without love? She wondered if she was being a hopeless romantic wanting a man who was madly in love with her. That had been her ideal future when she had imagined it. Her present reality was not even close, she reflected sadly.

  She sat on the sofa concentrating on her breathing. Tonight she would give herself to this man. She reached up and touched her lips with her hand remembering the way he claimed her mouth on the balcony. It had awakened something in her she never thought would be possible with someone she didn’t know. Every sensitive area of her body throbbed with a need she tried hard to ignore but failed miserably.

  Nabil’s body began to harden at just the thought of his new wife in his bed. He wasn’t expecting the intensity of the sparks between them, not only from himself, but from Yasmin too. She had melted into his arms without so much as the tiniest protest, and had clung to him like he was a life-saver and she was drowning at sea. He would definitely enjoy certain aspects of this marriage.

  His most pressing concern right now, however, was the fact she was new to physical intimacy. He smiled as he remembered her trying to deny it, to bait him. He knew the way an experienced woman behaved. Yasmin was not in that category. He could tell she was pure just by the way she could not hold his gaze for too long, the way her cheeks would blush at certain points during the conversation, at the way she behaved generally around him. The women he was used to were very experienced, brazen even. And he had appreciated that in the past. But now his entire body thrummed with the anticipation of experiencing physical pleasures with his new bride, her innocence a turn-on he never expected. This shocked him more than he could have imagined.

  Despite her passionate and responsive reaction to his kiss, he felt a fierce determination not to overwhelm her. He had to be very careful for she was in a category all her own. He pushed back the hint of nervous tension he sensed about taking her innocence.

  He opened the door to their chambers. He hadn’t seen nor heard her yet, but her subtle perfume was in the air and he breathed it in slowly.

  He found her in the sitting area facing the open glass doors that took up the entire west wall. He could see her silhouette move, his eyes slowly scanning her torso, enjoying the sight of her waist, her beautiful hips flowing as she walked. His was immediately ready to take her.

  ‘Good to see you more relaxed now.’

  Nabil’s voice had her jumping out of her skin. She turned, eyes wide. There he stood - her husband. Husband. She hadn’t got her head around the entire situation yet, every day had just blurred into one.

  And she was anything but relaxed!

  ‘Nice choice of outfit,’ he remarked scanning her up and down. ‘Pity it won’t be on for long.’ Yasmin flushed all the way to the roots of her hair. Maybe this was a bad choice. Maybe she should have gone with something a little less snug.

  He smiled, the same roughish smile from the balcony. His gaze surveyed the territory he would conquer tonight. Her mind constantly went back to their first kiss. This man was a stunning force of masculinity and power.

  She hated that this total stranger could have such an effect on her. Her nerves were on edge, her mind and body on full alert.

  Nabil had changed and was now wearing more informal clothing, just a white shirt open at the neck and pair of black trousers. Yasmin could see his strong chest through the shirt, her eyes immediately drawn to his broad shoulders. She couldn’t control the direction her eyes took as she allowed herself one quick indulgence dropping her gaze lower, his strong muscular legs not the only things she noticed.

  Even this small amount of visual stimulation began to awaken in her feelings she had tried to deny. She shook her head slightly, quickly raising her eyes. Too late, he had caught her, noticing exactly where her eyes were. She held her breath. One side of his mouth slowly lifted. A knowing smile spread across his face. ‘That kiss on the balcony told me everything I need to know. The chemistry between us is definitely there.’ He moved a little closer. Yasmin’s breathing became shallow.

  ‘This marriage will be good for both of us,’ Nabil smiled, a glint in his eye.

  Another step closer. Then, as if sensing her trepidation he stopped.

  He held out his hand, his dark eyes gleaming with intent but softening as he looked at her. This was her call. She paused for a moment then tentatively walked forward and placed her hand in his, watching as his long fingers closed around it, their warmth sending a pleasant sensation through her.

  ‘Come, Yasmin. Let us sit together,’ he said as he led her to the sofa.

  They sat side by side, his thigh gently touching hers. For a few moments he said nothing. She kept her eyes ahead, not wanting to look at his handsome face, her head already spinning with unease and anticipation. But she couldn’t help herself. She turned towards him and he was watching her with those dark eyes that drew her in.

  He didn’t speak, but he had reached out and began gently stroking her cheek, leaning in closer. Then his hand moved to her chin and tilted it up slightly. He looked deep into her eyes. Her mind blanked.

  As if sensing her unspoken question he said, ‘You don’t need to worry about anything, Yasmin,’ he said. ‘Leave everything to me. We will move as slowly as you like.’

  He leaned in close, his voice deep and smooth. ‘But I will take you to my bed tonight,’ his eyes scanned her up and down, ‘and I promise you it will be…exceptionally satisfying for both of us.’

  Butterflies were running riot in her belly. She wanted this, wanted him, she admitted to herself grudgingly. He had this raw magnetism that just drew her in, and his attentiveness and gentle coaxing were hard to resist.

  Yasmin swallowed hard. He reached up and took out the clips that held her hair in place. It tumbled down to her shoulders where his hands continued to gently stroke it. She closed her eyes for a moment, the sensation feeling good. But she couldn’t relax completely. She was nervous and tired.

  He moved in so close she could feel the heat from his body. He lowered his head even more. ‘You are a beautiful woman, Yasmin,’ he said, his face close to hers. She could feel his breath on her face and opened her eyes to see the hard line of his jaw, now blue-black with stubble, his lips a hairs-breath away from hers.

  She waited in anticipation and he generously obliged by moving in that last distance and joining his mouth with hers. His were lips parted and he kissed her with the same tenderness he had on the balcony. He took his time, leisurely seducing, tasting, tantalising. She could feel her fear beginning to melt away slowly, but not completely.

  His tongue gently delved into her mouth and began a slow and sensual dance. He pushed in and pulled out in a gentle rhyth
m and Yasmin found herself lost in the dance, moving her own mouth in time, matching him stroke for stroke.

  Still on the sofa exploring each other’s mouths, their breath merged, their tongues duelled. Nabil’s hand gently held her head in place. The other had moved across her waist pulling her closer to him. She could feel her breasts being crushed into his hard, muscular chest and a deep, throaty groan escaped from inside him.

  Yasmin inhaled sharply. His mouth had replaced his fingers on her neck. That heat. The heat of his mouth surprised her as it moved expertly lower. She shivered, never having experienced such a sensation wondering what the rest of it would be like. She felt the apprehension rising. She didn’t know this man. He didn’t know her. And she was pretty sure no words of love would be spoken on this night.

  As if reading her mind, Nabil said in a deep voice, ‘We can make this work, Yasmin.’ Then, moving his hand again gently across her cheek, he cupped her face.

  Yasmin felt a wave of relief and commiseration sweep over her as he lifted his mouth from her neck. But in the next moment the nervous anticipation was back as he suddenly stood, hand outstretched. ‘Come.’ It was gentle but a command nonetheless. She stood.

  Taking her hand he led her through the massive corridor to an equally massive bedroom, his private bedchamber. It was opulently furnished with the largest bed she’d ever seen standing by ceiling to floor windows which looked out onto the horizon. The room was dim with only the quickly fading sunlight providing her with the opportunity to see it.

  A hint of jasmine gently wafted through the air. She couldn’t help the smile that came to her. Instead of rose petals on the floor and on the bed, as was tradition, jasmine flowers had been plucked and placed all over the room, including on the bed.