The Sheikh's American Bride (The Sharqi Sheikhs Series Book 2)

by Leslie North

  Shaking his head, he started laughing. That was the first time she had ever heard him laugh so hard. It was so nice to see him laugh whole-heartedly. He looked good smiling and it made her stomach do all sorts of flip-flops when he directed it at her.

  “That was the funniest thing ever,” Claire said to him. “That mini tantrum she threw before she left was even funnier.”

  Taleb laughed. “She was not pleased,” he said to her. He swam towards Claire and grabbed the side of her kayak pulling it toward him as it flipped over. Claire screamed as she started to fall, but Taleb had grabbed her by her lifejacket and hauled her against him.

  “Taleb!” she cried out. She held onto his muscular arms as they bobbed in the water. They were so strong and hard, Claire liked how they felt as he wrapped them around her.

  “I think that it’s safe to say you are the reason why both Vanessa and I are wet,” he told her in a scolding tone. “Now it’s your turn.”

  “Me? How is it my fault?”

  “Well, you were the one to recommend kayaks.”

  “Which you thought would be fun,” Claire added.

  “And when she fell in, I, being the gentleman that I am, had to jump in after her,” he continued as she grinned at him. “And since I had to get wet, it is only fair that you be wet as well,” he finished.

  “For what? Solidarity?” she asked as she attempted to splash him with water.

  “Or, for being a brat,” he responded as he splashed her back. Laughing, Claire tried to swim away but he held tight to her. “Did you hear what she said to me before she left?” Shaking her head no, he continued, “She said to have fun on the date I’m already on.”

  Claire instantly sobered, “Oh Taleb, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

  Placing his finger over her lips to shush her, he smiled at her, “Do not worry about it. I am having more fun with you.” Unsure what to say, Claire stared at him wondering how they got here and not wanting to spoil the moment. Pushing Claire toward her kayak, “Come, my apartment is nearby. Let's drop these off and go get dry,” he told her as he swam toward his kayak.

  Claire nodded, too surprised to reply. She was pleased that Vanessa was gone, more for herself than the Dean. She found that the more time she spent with Taleb, the more she liked him and while she knew that she wasn’t his type or wife material, what harm would it cause to have a little fun?

  She was tired of being the odd one out. It felt good to be the center of attention for a change, even if it would be short-lived.

  Chapter 13

  Claire gasped as she looked around Taleb's apartment. It was spectacular with its floor to ceiling windows that looked out over Harvard Square. Standing in the doorway while she waited for him to grab towels, she stared around at the main living space, with the over-sized leather furniture and large screen smart TV, it was obvious that guys lived here.

  Taleb threw Claire an Egyptian cotton towel to dry herself, as she kicked off her shoes and left them next to his by the door.

  “Thanks,” she said, pressing the soft material to her face. She dried her hair and caught Taleb staring at her chest as he wiped his hair too, but he didn’t turn away. It made Claire feel a little shy as she realized how tightly her wet shirt was hugging her body. She felt her cheeks turn red.

  “What are you staring at?” she asked him. His grey gaze was resting on her. It was so intense; she had to break it as she looked away.

  “You have a nice place here,” she told him not waiting for him to answer her question.

  “It's okay,” he answered as he followed her around the room with his eyes.

  Wrapping the towel around her hair, she turned to look at him, “So, do you have something I can change into while my clothes dry?”

  Nodding his head, he gestured for her to follow him down the hall. Walking into a spacious bedroom, Claire looked around at the king-sized bed with its plush comforter and pile of pillows. She didn’t think he’d appreciate it if she jumped on it while wet.

  As she turned back toward him, he pointed to the robe on the back of the door. “Change into that and I’ll put your clothes in the dryer.” And with that, he shut the door.

  Looking around the room, Claire was surprised to see no personal items out. Everything seemed to be neatly stored away making it difficult for her to snoop without having to open drawers. Realizing that she was taking too long, she quickly shed her wet clothes and was just about to reach for the robe when the bedroom door swung open and Taleb walked in wearing nothing more than a towel.

  “Sorry, Claire, I forgot to grab…clothes,” Taleb finished, as he stared at her standing in the middle of his room, naked. With a squeal, Claire jumped on the bed and grabbed a pillow to cover herself, completely forgetting that she still had the towel on her head.

  Claire blushed as a smile spread across his face. “What are you smiling at?” she asked him, completely mortified that he had seen her naked.

  “I had been wondering if your blush spread to other delectable parts of your body and I’m pleased to see that it does,” he told her as he walked toward the bed.

  Claire stared at his chest as he walked toward her unable to look him in the eyes. His entire body had a golden tone as if he spent all his time in the sun. Without his shirt on, his muscles had more contour than she imagined as she fisted her hand on the pillow to keep from reaching out to run her fingers down his chest to his happy trail that disappeared under the towel.

  Reaching his hand out, he tugged at the pillow that she was now fisting in both hands. “There now,” he said softly. “That pillow did not do anything to you, there’s no need to strangle it,” he told her as he managed to pull it out of her tight grasp and set it aside.

  Claire desperately wanted to cover herself again and reached for the towel on her head, but he beat her to it as he tugged it loose and tossed it far from her reach.

  Smiling down at her, “You’re beautiful, Claire and if you’ll allow me, I will show you.”

  Unsure how to respond, she felt her blush deepen, as he dropped his towel. Unable to resist, she dropped her head to look and had to close her eyes. He really was magnificent, which had her wondering what he could possibly see in her.

  Before she could call a halt to what they were about to do, he grasped her chin and forced her to lift her head to look at him. The look in his eyes was almost her undoing as she looked into his admiring gaze.

  Without thinking, Claire leaned forward and pressed her lips to his; parting her mouth on a gasp at how good it felt. She had not realized how much she had missed his lips until he kissed her. The last time they had kissed, she had put a stop to it and ran off without saying anything, but she didn’t intend to do that this time. Not now.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately as Taleb pushed her back onto the bed and joined her.

  Hovering over her, Taleb slid his knee between her legs forcing them apart as he settled comfortably between them. Looking down at her, he traced the side of her face with his finger before running it down her nose to her lips.

  As he gently outlined her lips, Claire opened her mouth to capture his fingertip and sucked it into her mouth, swirling her tongue around it before he slowly pulled it out with a pop. His eyes darkened with approval as he watched her. With his hand, he continued to explore her body seeming to see her for the first time as he gazed on her with wonder.

  As he trailed his fingers across her chest, his thumb brushed up against her nipples as she moaned in response. He stared transfixed as they puckered up into stiff peaks. Dropping his head down, he licked first one and then the other.

  The sudden intense feelings his warm mouth created had Claire itching to close her legs so that she could rub her thighs together to calm her growing need. Instead, she drew her legs up and rubbed them up and down the sides of his body, as he continued to worship her breasts.

  Claire felt as though her body was on a slow simmer and Taleb was th
e flame, as she felt her body heating up under his capable hands. Everywhere he touched or kissed her, she wanted more. He was stirring sensations inside her that she had never felt with Daniel or any other man.

  Working his way down her body, Claire arched up when his beard brushed against her more sensitive spots. Lifting his head, he grinned at her as he rubbed his chin across her mound watching as she writhed beneath him. Lifting her legs, he draped them over his shoulders before kissing the inside of her thighs.

  Rubbing his thumbs along her fleshy lips, he parted her folds and licked her as she clutched wildly at the comforter beneath her. Inhaling deeply, Taleb ran his tongue up and down before he captured her clit with his mouth and sucked on it.

  Claire’s orgasm caught them both by surprise as she cried out his name and began bucking beneath him. Holding tight to her hips, he drank in her juices as she spasmed beneath him.

  When she had started to calm down, he reached up to his nightstand and opened the drawer. Pulling out a condom, he rose up on his knees to put it on, but Claire stopped him. Taking it from his hand, she ripped it open and held it to his now throbbing erection before rolling it on. Looking down, Taleb had to close his eyes at the intensely erotic image of her small hands wrapped around him.

  Leaning forward, he kissed her as she fell back on the bed. He chuckled when she wrapped her legs around his waist, lifting her hips as he rubbed his cock up and down her slit. Thinking that he would go slowly, he began to work his way in. Her muscles were still vibrating from her first orgasm and he groaned at how eagerly her body welcomed him inside.

  Wrapping his arms around her, he began to thrust in and out, as she looked up at him wide-eyed. Claire’s eyes began to flutter closed and he nipped at her chin causing her to snap them open.

  As the pleasure began to build inside her, Claire found herself lifting her hips to meet each downward thrust as her muscles clutched against his upward pull before he slammed back into her, causing both of them to moan with desire.

  Soon Claire couldn’t stop moaning, as her entire body felt as though she’d reached her boiling point and was threatening to boil over.

  Suddenly, he sat up, taking her with him, as she found herself straddling his legs. Grabbing his shoulders, she dug her heels into the bed as he lifted her easily by the hips and began to speed up his thrusts. Taleb’s grunts grew louder as he neared his own orgasm. Claire grabbed both sides of his face and kissed him, her cries of pleasure drowning inside his mouth as his own orgasm shook them both.

  Collapsing backwards on the bed, Claire smiled up at him as he removed the condom before lying down next to her. Pulling her to him, she snuggled against him as their legs tangled together.

  Chapter 14

  Claire woke in a strange bed. It took her a moment to realize exactly where she was: Taleb’s bed. She looked to the side and found the naked Adonis sleeping beside her. Last night had been magical. Daniel had never made love to her like that. No, not love, worship.

  She had never felt so alive as she did in Taleb’s arms. Maybe there really were happy endings, she thought as she watched him sleep. He was so incredibly handsome and when he looked at her the way he did last night, her insides had melted.

  Sitting up, she got out of bed and padded to the bathroom to freshen up. Putting toothpaste on her finger, she brushed her teeth. Looking around, she found a comb and began the tedious process of combing out her hair.

  She thought about sneaking out to find her backpack to retrieve her brush, but she didn’t want to disturb him. After several minutes, she finally got all the tangles out. As she looked in the mirror, reality sunk in.

  She had just slept with a student.

  While they were the same age and he was a graduate student, it still felt wrong. Daniel had cheated on her regularly with students and now she was suddenly no better than he was.

  Oh, my god, what have I done? she asked herself as she stared at herself in the mirror. Her body still held its rosy afterglow as she suddenly felt the urge to jump into the shower. While she knew that she hadn’t violated any university ethics rules, she didn’t think the Dean would approve of her methods to sabotage Taleb’s bride search.

  Claire rushed back into Taleb's bedroom. Fortunately, he was still fast asleep. Since her clothes were never thrown into the dryer, she quickly gathered them up and got dressed; cringing at their dampness. Tiptoeing to the door, she quietly opened it and shut it behind her

  She was not even going to say goodbye to him. She didn’t think she could as she had no idea what to say. She’d had a wonderful time and would never forget him, but it was over. It had to be.

  Chapter 15

  It had been almost a week since Taleb had seen Claire, and he thought he would go mad. They had such a wonderful time kayaking on the Charles River and then back at his place. She was beautiful, loving, giving and nowhere to be found.

  When he woke the next morning, he was disappointed that she was not still in bed with him. When he realized that she had left without saying anything, he was hurt and tried to call her but she did not answer any of his calls. Maybe it was merely a one-night stand for her, he thought, but deep down, he didn’t believe that. Not his Claire.

  Sitting in the lecture hall lost in thought, Taleb became aware of whispers flying around different students. Thinking it was about him, he looked up only to realize they were directed at a woman sitting in front of him.

  As the professor finished up with the instructions, it was time for the students to partner up. The rest of the class seemed to move away from that girl whose shoulders visibly sagged. Taleb raised his eyebrows as he watched them all shun her. Leaning forward, he tapped her on the shoulder as she turned to look at him. Tears were threatening to fall but she looked determined to hold it together.

  “Want to work with me?” he asked her as her eyes lit up.

  “You're not going to run away from me as if I have the plague?” she asked him.

  “Are you contagious?”

  Shaking her head no, she smiled at him before extending her hand. “Zoe Donahue,” she told him as he reached out to shake her hand.

  “Taleb Sharqi,” he answered as he shook her hand. Zoe's blue eyes lit up.

  “Nice to meet you, Taleb.”

  “Donahue,” Taleb repeated, as she stood up to join him. “Isn’t that the name of an endowment?”

  Nodding her head, “Yes, my grandfather started it years ago.”

  Moving closer together, Taleb and Zoe picked a topic together as he caught the jealous looks from the female students in the class. Whatever was going on with Zoe and the other students was none of his business, he decided as they quickly sketched out an outline of their proposed project.

  “I am dreading the upcoming charity dinner,” Zoe told him as she copied down the assignment from the board.

  “Why?” Taleb asked.

  “Because there is going to be an auction, which I signed up for weeks ago. I regret doing that now because no one is going to bid on me.”

  Taleb raised his eyebrows. “Why wouldn’t anyone bid on you?” he asked her, puzzled. She was beautiful.

  Looking up at him, she smiled softly, “You really don’t know, do you?” she asked. Giving her a blank look, Zoe chuckled. “Well that would make you the only one. I slept with Professor Daniel Simons,” she confessed, motioning to the man speaking with students by his lectern.

  Taleb glanced around the room at the furtive glances many of the students were giving them. Turning back to Zoe, “I do not understand why that is anyone’s business,” he told her honestly. “Is he married?”

  Shaking her head, “No, although I had heard that he had been dating someone but she broke it off when she found out and then he broke things off with me after a lengthy conversation with Dean Parker.”

  Shaking his head, “I still do not understand why it is anyone’s business. Now, tell me about this auction.” Smiling, Zoe told him about the planned auction where people would bid to
go on a date.

  “I am sure that all this worry is for nothing and there will be a bidding war for you,” he told her consolingly.

  “After everything that happened with the professor, I am sure no one will bid on me.” She ran her hand through her blonde hair in agitation.

  “You never know.”

  “Sleeping with him was stupid. I should have known better.”

  “There is nothing you can do about it now.”

  “You are right. I would like to move on but it's hard when everyone is talking about it.”

  Taleb gave her shoulder a reassuring rub, “Ignore them.”

  Zoe smiled at him. “Thank you for not judging me,” she told him as she squeezed his hand. Taleb shrugged his shoulders. As they talked, some of the students were turning around and looking at them. Clearly some were unhappy that Zoe was working with him.