One Night With the Sheik (Friends Forever Book 4)

by Elizabeth Lennox

  Startled, she looked at him, trying to figure out what he meant. “Fascinating?” For some reason, that sounded like a dangerous word. Not to mention, Arianna couldn’t stop her eyes from admiring his shoulders.

  Wait…was she doing it again? She should be immune to his shoulders. Wow! This morning was getting pretty out of control!

  No! She wasn’t fascinated!

  “You aren’t eating, Arianna,” he admonished.

  She put her fork down and glared across the table at him, conveying her stubbornness. “I’m finished. What’s next on the agenda? Don’t you have meetings? People to see? Wars to start or someone to torture? Because I’m fully capable of asking questions on my own. I don’t need your assistance, just a phone call to someone who can get people to answer my questions, whoever that might be.”

  He laughed softly. “I’ll get to each of those agenda items later this afternoon. If you’ve had enough, let’s go,” and he stood up, taking her hand and lifting her out of the chair. Right into his arms!

  “What are you doing?” she demanded breathlessly as her soft breasts pressed up against his hard chest. She couldn’t ignore the way his muscles felt under her fingers as she tried to balance herself. Nor could she figure out what to do with her hands. In the end, she had to grab his arms or fall, and that wasn’t a pretty option. When her fingers gripped his upper arms, she was amazed by what was underneath her fingertips. The man was all muscle! All power and…well, just crazy hard!

  She tried to look away, but the stupid man was just too big! He towered over her, but more than that, his shoulders were…in the way! Irritating broad shoulders, she thought in annoyance.

  His next words completely distracted her from salacious thoughts of his bulging muscles though. “I’m fighting the instinct to either paddle your amazingly enticing bottom or kiss you. Which would you prefer?”

  Arianna stared up at him, her breath caught in her throat. Initially, her eyes looked into his darker ones, but as his question filtered through her fuzzy brain, her gaze dropped to his lips. Firm, sensuous lips, she thought. Very kissable lips. Very…! “Um…neither?”

  His hand shifted, moving down her back to stop precariously close to her derriere. “And if ‘neither’ isn’t an available choice?”

  She bit her lip, not sure she could withstand a spanking. But his kiss? Oh my, yes, his kiss might be more devastating. She remembered their kiss from the last time and…

  “You’ll enjoy both,” he asserted, his head lowering even as his hand moved along her waist, sliding lower. Lower still. She caught her breath, wondering if he was going to spank her. She wasn’t waiting for that. No, she didn’t want that! Not in any way.

  Did she?

  Goodness, the image of his hand against her bottom, his tanned fingers smoothing over her…! It was too much! She couldn’t think and pressed her palms against his chest.

  Thankfully, he loosened his hold. But not completely. No, he didn’t let her get too far from him. And she felt the heat of his body too intensely for efficient cognition. “No kiss then?” he asked, his voice low. Sexy. Almost painfully seductive.

  When she realized the direction of her thoughts, she sighed with frustration. Obnoxious man! She slipped out of his arms…or tried to. His eyes sharpened when she tried to pull away but he shook his head, a slight smile tilting those…she refused to describe his lips as sexy! No, that would be dangerous.

  His lips were dangerous.

  She blinked and tried to do better. Sexy? No, that didn’t help a whole lot either. Enticing? Nope…wrong direction again.

  What was wrong with her? Why was she thinking like this? Arianna was suddenly discovering a disturbing need to flaunt danger. To court danger. And his lips might just be her first adventure.

  Blinking, she was shocked at where her mind had gone. Pulling away, stepping as far as his hold would allow, she tried to push those crazy thoughts out of her mind. He was just a man. She’d dated men in the past and…okay, so none had made her think such outrageous thoughts as this man did.

  But…it had taken her weeks to stop brooding about his laugh after their kiss months ago. Her self-esteem had been brutalized. She couldn’t go through that again.

  “Didn’t you say something about…leaving?”

  Those fascinating lips quirked up slightly, almost as if he found her amusing, but nodded in agreement. She sighed with relief when he released her and she was able to put more distance between the two of them. Taking in deep gulps of air, she tried to get hold of her rampant and undignified thoughts. Focus on finding her father, she reminded herself. Focus and stop wondering about…him. And his shoulders. Or his chest. Or…any other body part.

  “Yes, we need to make a stop first. Are you ready?”

  Arianna almost laughed at the question, looking down at her blue, silk dress, then back up at him. “Ready for what? You still haven’t told me what is going on today or even why I’m still here in the palace instead of out searching for my father, which I should have been doing already instead of sitting around eating. I’m confused.”

  He moved closer, taking her hand once again before he said, “You are still here in the palace because you fascinate me.”

  Her eyes widened. He sounded like a spoiled child, but this man was no child! “And you always get what you want?”

  “Yes,” he answered softly and without emphasis. It was simply a statement of fact. And Arianna acknowledged that, as sheik, the man probably did get anything he wanted. Not even things that were outside of reason, like average people would have to limit themselves to dreaming about. Yes, this man could, and probably did, get anything he desired.

  She’d have to remember that.

  “Except me,” she asserted as firmly as she could, and waited for him to confirm it. When he only stared back at her, she shifted on her feet, feeling like a trapped rabbit. “Where is a frantic aide with an urgent crisis when one needs it?” she muttered sarcastically.

  He laughed, but then took her hand and tugged her closer. Thankfully, he only tucked her hand onto his arm and walked out of the dining room. “Fair enough. We will move forward with today’s plans.”

  She watched as the guards surrounded them as soon as he stepped out of the dining room. They didn’t walk in front of and behind him, as they’d done to her when they’d led her to the dining room earlier, but the two of them were still surrounded.

  For him, this was probably the norm. Arianna looked at the bulky men with bulges underneath their suit jackets and shuddered. Scary men, she thought.

  When they stepped into the sunshine, she spotted the waiting SUV. “Where are we going?” she asked, nervous and not sure she wanted to get into that vehicle.

  “We have a couple of stops first, but eventually we are going to the oil rig site. You and I are going to figure out what happened to your father.” One of the guards held the door open and Arianna peeked inside, nervous and tentative.

  “I don’t think I want to get in,” she told him.

  He moved closer. “That’s fine. I would rather stay right here and…”

  Arianna didn’t let him finish that statement. Instead, she dove into the dark interior of the SUV and waited for him to join her. She couldn’t stop her teeth from grinding in frustration at his soft chuckle as he followed her into the cool interior. It seemed as if everything she did or said this morning amused him.

  She bristled in the soft, leather seat, but then almost gasped out loud when he put his strong hand on her bare knee. “It’s going to be okay, Arianna. I promise.”

  She could feel her heart pounding, her blood racing as she stared down at his hand. No man had ever dared to touch her like that. She’d always been completely in control of her dates, even to the point of telling the man when he should kiss her and ending the kiss when she’d grown bored with the caress.

  Would this man listen to her when she got bored? When she told him to stop?

  Two things struck her at the same moment.
First, from past experience, she knew that she would never be bored by his kisses! And secondly, she wasn’t sure he would stop. Or that she would want him to stop! Goodness, all of those issues were disturbing and altered her world in a dramatic way.

  Deciding that now wasn’t the time to evaluate the sexual tension when she was about to continue the search for her father, she looked out the window. “Where are we going?”

  “We’re going to your hotel.”

  Sure enough, they were heading in the direction of the inexpensive hotel in which she’d been staying for the past several days. “Why are we going there?” she asked, panic filling her heart.

  “We’re going to collect your belongings.”

  She thought frantically of the clothes strewn all over the bed and floor. What would he think of the mess in her room? She’d been so anxious about finding her father, about possibly running into Rhys again, and not knowing how she might react to seeing him, not to mention, his reaction after she’d ignored his calls, that she hadn’t cleaned up in days! Her clothes were strewn about, laying all over the place. She remembered the…oh no!

  “We can’t!” she gasped, her back ramrod straight as she tried to come up with a valid reason why they shouldn’t enter her hotel room.

  “Why is that?” he asked, his eyes narrowing on her anxious face.

  Rhys watched her carefully. He even sensed his bodyguards’ increased alertness, although they gave nothing away. One of them started typing on his cell phone and Rhys knew that the man was warning the others on the team in the SUVs in front of and behind his vehicle to be on higher alert.

  The SUV pulled into the parking lot and Rhys looked around, his lips thinning as he surveyed the dump she’d been living in for the past several days. “This is where you’ve been sleeping?” he demanded in horror.

  Arianna jumped out of the vehicle but the guards were already there, blocking her escape. She wasn’t trying to escape so much as to hurry into the hotel room and pick up…everything!

  “If you want me to pack up my clothes, then fine. I’ll go do that,” she said, holding her hands out to ward off his progress towards the door. “But just…” She glanced behind her, noticed the other guards that were once again looking angry and…mean!

  “What don’t you want me to see in there?” Rhys demanded, taking hold of her hand and pulling her closer. He wouldn’t release her hands even though she twisted them, trying to break his hold. The guards moved around him, their weapons at the ready. “Is there another man in that room, Arianna?” He questioned, fury eating at him. Or was it jealousy? He’d never been jealous of anyone, and especially not a woman, so this was a strange and unrecognizable emotion. One he didn’t like. Not in the least! But he couldn’t deny the fury that was surging through him at the thought of a man waiting for her, a man who had the right to touch her, to feel her soft skin and hear her soft moans or sighs as he ran his hands over her body.

  “Or is there a weapon that you don’t want my men to find?” he demanded, thinking in the opposite direction. “Damn it, Arianna, are you sending my security team into a trap?” he asked, gripping her upper arms, lifting her up onto her toes.

  Arianna’s mouth fell open, shocked at the thought. “No!” she gasped. “There’s no danger in the room! And definitely not a man!”

  Rhys looked at her, saw the outrage in her eyes, and some of his tension…and jealousy…eased with her assurance. Not all, but it wasn’t a gnawing, acidic burn in his stomach now. All of his guards had stopped, waiting for her answer. When he saw the truth, he nodded to his men. They went to the door cautiously, still wary of accepting her word.

  Arianna watched in horror as the big, muscular men moved towards her hotel room door. She tried frantically to stop them, but the words wouldn’t come. It was as if the world had shifted into slow motion and she could anticipate everything that they might see as soon as they opened the door.

  No, she thought. She couldn’t allow these men to go into her hotel room!

  “Please!” she gasped, turning around with pleading eyes as she begged him to stop his guards. Just thinking about…oh, they just couldn’t!

  She watched, her hands braced against his biceps but for once, she didn’t concern herself with those arms or the man glaring down at her. She watched, her entire being cringing as Rhys’ men entered her room. A few minutes later, all three bodyguards came out, each of them had varying levels of amusement on their faces.

  “Oh no!” she whispered, her shaking fingers covering her face.

  Rhys looked down at her, then at his men. Something strange was going on. He had no idea what it was, but he was going to figure this out.

  “Come on,” he snapped and moved toward the open door.

  Arianna raced ahead of him, putting her hands onto his chest in a valiant effort to stop him from moving forward. “You don’t need to go in there,” she urged, but her heels skidded slightly against the cement parking lot.

  He glared at her, then frowned at his men. None were giving anything away beyond slight smirks, which only made him more determined to find out what she’d been hiding in the hotel room. “I’m going in, Arianna. Either get out of my way or…”

  She shook her head, those silky, strawberry blonde locks tumbling about her shoulders as she shoved him. “No. You can’t. Just…oomph!” she grunted when he simply picked her up and carried her into the room.

  “No!” she gasped and hid her head on his shoulder. When he put her down, she buried her face in her hands. But in the ensuing silence, she couldn’t stand the suspense. Peering through her fingers, she looked at him, sure that he was…

  Oh, it was worse!

  Arianna loved lingerie! She spoiled herself on beautiful pieces, lacy things that made her feel special and sexy and feminine. Now one of those bras was dangling from his fingers, looking sexier than she’d ever thought possible. “Don’t!” she gasped, horrified that he was looking at her intimate pieces. “Oh, please, just…get out and I’ll…” She didn’t finish that statement, just reached up and grabbed the pretty bra from his fingers.

  He bent down and picked up a black, lace thong…one of her favorites!

  “Rhys! Don’t!” But he anticipated her move this time and lifted his arm, moving the thong out of her reach.

  He laughed softly even as she jumped to try to reach the delicate scrap of lace. But in the process, she lunged, plastering herself against his body. Without remorse, he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

  “What are you wearing underneath this dress?” he asked and recognizing the husky quality to his voice, she knew that she was in big trouble. Especially since her own body was reacting to the feeling of her breasts pressed against his chest, her thighs against his.

  “Nothing,” she blurted, and almost choked over her shock when they both registered what she’d said. “I mean…”

  He released her, but that wasn’t the end to the discussion. She retreated with each step he took towards her until she felt her shoulders against the wall behind her. Then…well, out of the frying pan and into the fire, she thought.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she watched him move even closer.

  “I’m finding out if you’re really wearing nothing underneath this silk dress,” he purred, reaching for her.

  “You can’t!” she whispered, but her tongue darted out, moistening her suddenly dry lips.

  “Why can’t I?” he asked, his hand sliding along her waist, smoothing higher. She gasped when his hand lightly brushed against her breast, her nipple already hard, aching for…another touch? Impossible!

  “Please!” she gasped, feeling his fingertip drift along the edge of her neckline. The buttons…they weren’t a strong enough defense. They popped open…one by one. None of them hesitated to give way under his fingers’ relentless commands.

  When he spread the blue silk, his eyes moved lower. For a long moment, he only stared, his eyes barely
moving as he took in the delicate blue lace that only barely covered her nipples.

  She waited, barely breathing now. Her body almost arched closer, wanting him to touch her. The nipple was there, pointed towards him, aching for his caress.

  But did he give her what she needed?

  No! The horrible man smiled. Just smiled! And then, the jerk buttoned the dress back up. Even worse, he wasn’t particularly careful about his efforts, because those hard knuckles brushed mercilessly against her breasts, the touch almost making her double over with need. An unprecedented need. She’d never wanted anyone to touch her, to cup her breasts and rub his thumbs over their hard peaks. But right now, at this particular moment, she would gladly beg him for that touch, just a simple caress.

  When he stepped back, her arms swiftly moved up, doubling over her chest as if the gesture could ease the ache throbbing through her breasts. It didn’t help. She doubted anything could help.

  Lifting her eyes back to his, she wondered what game he was playing. But then she saw the black lace still in his hand and her mouth fell open. Both of them realized what he was holding at the same moment, but he was faster, his reflexes honed by decades of training. So, when she tried to snatch the material away, he quickly pulled the underwear out of her reach, his laughter following her attempt. “I don’t think so,” he told her softly. “These are mine now.”

  And with that, he stuffed them into his pocket.

  With a grumble, she glared at the pocket, but…was that…was he…? She realized what she was staring at and…oh, she should be embarrassed that she was admiring at Rhys’ large, clearly throbbing erection. But she wasn’t. Not even slightly. In fact, her hands loosened, fully prepared to reach out, to explore further.

  She came to her senses with a nearly audible snap and glared up at him. Yes, he knew exactly what she’d been about to do! The blush staining her cheeks was painful!

  “Oh!” she huffed and moved around him. With jerky movements, she grabbed every item of her clothing, stuffing them back into her suitcase, too distracted to be concerned with folding them, she didn’t care about wrinkles. Arianna was more concerned with hiding the rest of her delicate lingerie from this man’s too knowing eyes.