The Desert Rogues Part 1

by Susan Mallery

  “I do empathize with your position, but I’m also selfish. I think you’re wonderful for Malik and I don’t want you to leave.” Dora spread out her hands, palm up. “What do you want?” she asked. “What isn’t Malik doing right?”

  “I don’t know.” Malik was doing a lot of things right. If she ignored the fact that he’d tricked her into marriage, he was being a real sweetie. He was charming and attentive whenever they spent time together. If he seemed a little obsessed with her ankles, it wasn’t such a big flaw. He still wanted her to move into his rooms and wouldn’t sleep with her until she did—which she hated but understood.

  As for what she wanted…she remained clueless and completely confused.

  “I’m going to go talk with him,” Liana said and glanced at her watch. It was nearly two in the afternoon. He was probably still in his office.

  “I can’t wait to hear the outcome of this conversation,” Dora called after her. “I want the details later.”

  Liana was still smiling when she marched into the foyer of Malik’s office. Zachary took one look at her face, then buzzed his boss and announced her.

  Rather than waiting to be let in, Liana walked into Malik’s office and closed the door behind her. Her husband raised his eyebrows.

  “An unexpected treat,” he said.

  “Yeah, yeah, lay off the ankles this time, okay?”

  “As you wish.”

  He was so polite all the time, she thought grudgingly. And handsome and attentive and emotionally distant and complicated and good in bed.

  “I thought you wanted this marriage to work,” she said.

  “I do.”

  “But you won’t sleep with me.”

  “Not until you share my bed.”

  “And I can’t just come in for a few hours and then leave?”

  He didn’t bother answering that one.

  She sighed. “Fine. Bethany and I will move our things in this afternoon.” Her gaze narrowed. “But don’t think for a second that I’m going to beg you to make love with me.”

  A slow, male smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I promise you won’t have to beg.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Liana decided to make the move on her own. She didn’t want to get one of the servants to help and have the news spread all over the palace. Not that it was going to be a secret for very long. There were too many clothes for her to transfer everything in a single trip, but it was easier to carry over armfuls of clothes than to pack them all up and then unpack.

  As she draped dresses over her arms, she found herself both excited and disappointed. Somehow she’d hoped for more than a teasing acceptance from Malik. After all, her giving in was a big deal. She’d promised herself that he was going to be the one to bend this time, and he hadn’t. What did that say about her strength of character? Or did it mean she was realistic?

  She hated that she spent so much of her time second-guessing herself. Before meeting Malik, she’d always known the right thing to do, and now everything was upside down. But a part of her was thrilled at the thought of being with Malik again. As much as she might want to tell herself she needed to live with him to give their marriage a fair chance, she couldn’t deny the anticipation that raced through her at the thought of being able to see him and touch him whenever she wanted.

  She paused at the entrance to his private rooms and realized belatedly she didn’t have a key. Not all the doors were kept locked inside the palace, but his suite might be. However, she tried the knob and found it turned easily. After shifting the clothes to a more comfortable position, she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

  She hadn’t thought much about what his suite would look like. From what she could tell, they were all variations on a theme. Living quarters faced the ocean and were large and spacious. She’d expected sofas and chairs, a small dining area and artwork reflecting his taste. She found all that in the room, but the elegant furnishings weren’t what caught her attention.

  Instead she looked around in amazement at the roses decorating every surface. White and pink and peach and deep red. Yellow and plum and shimmery silver. They stood in bowls and vases; their petals littered the floor and their fragrance invaded her senses.

  Malik stood in the center of the room, his expression as unreadable as usual. But she sensed his tension, his need for her to be pleased.

  There was a chair by the door and she set down her clothes. “It’s been less than a half hour since I told you I was moving in,” she said, then waved at the roses. “How is this possible?”

  “I work quickly.”

  “You couldn’t have had the flowers here all this time.”

  “No. They’ve been in a large refrigerator. They’ve been replaced two or three times while I waited for you to make up your mind.”

  It was a silly, expensive, romantic gesture and she didn’t know if she should thank him, burst into tears or tell him not to waste that kind of money on her. Instead she walked over the petal-littered floor until she stood less than a foot in front of him.

  “Will I ever understand you?” she asked.

  “Given time.”

  “Do you understand me?”

  He smiled. “You are a woman. You and your kind will always be a mystery to mere mortal men.”

  He reached into his jacket pocket and drew out a small jeweler’s box. Her breath caught as he opened the velvet top to show her a brilliant marquise-cut diamond set on a diamond and sapphire band.

  “I never gave you a wedding band,” he said by way of explanation, then slid the ring on to her finger.

  “It’s beautiful.” Liana didn’t know what else to say. Was she supposed to thank him? A wedding ring. Somehow that made their marriage feel all the more real.

  “Be with me,” he said, gathering her close and kissing her. He pressed his mouth to her lips, then her cheeks, her forehead and finally returned to her mouth.

  She felt him shaking in her embrace, as if her being here really mattered to him. All her doubts fell away, as did her questions as to whether she should have given in or not. Need filled her. Not just passion and the desire to be with this man, but a longing to understand him and heal him. To be his haven. She wanted to empty herself into him, to fill him up and take away all his pain.

  It was as if her feelings were so large and overwhelming that she couldn’t keep them to herself. She kissed him back, opening her mouth and welcoming him, touching him, teasing him, beginning the dance that would bind them together in unforgettable passion.

  She reached for his shirt buttons. He shrugged out of his jacket, then stilled her hands.

  “Not here,” he said. “In my bed. I need you there.”

  She looked at him. His face was all harsh angles and planes. A muscle twitched by his mouth, and she saw the tremors in his fingers. He was already hard and his arousal pressed against the front of his trousers.

  Her power over him humbled her. She wanted to promise that she would never take advantage of her ability to transform him from proud prince to mortal lover. But her throat was too tight for her to speak.

  “I need you,” she breathed as he led her toward the hallway.

  “And I, you.”

  Without warning he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. He placed her on the bed and began to remove her clothing. She found herself fumbling first with his buttons, then her own. He pulled her shirt from her slacks and she did the same. She had one shoe on and had lost the other somewhere.

  They were kissing and undressing and trying to touch at the same time. She pulled off her blouse and unfastened her bra. He slipped down the lacy cups and began to suckle her breasts. She fumbled with his fly, then drew him out and wrapped both her hands around his silky, hard length.

  Finally they were naked, and he was pressing himself into her. She was wet and ready. It had been too long—perhaps all of a week, but it felt like a lifetime.

  “More,” she gasped as he entered her. She drew back
her knees.

  Malik reached between them. Even as he plunged in deeper, he rubbed her small center, bringing her immediate pleasure. She screamed out his name and he swallowed the sound with a kiss.

  Over and over he drove into her, taking her back to the point of release, making her writhe and beg and gasp. As he neared his own completion, he opened his eyes and stared into her face. She could see to his soul.

  Both of their bodies tensed. “My wife,” he breathed as the first waves of pleasure swept over him.

  “Husband,” she managed, then lost herself to one final shuddering release.

  Then they were caught up in each other, joining in a timeless union of man and woman. Carried forward on surrender and promise.

  After they’d both regained their ability to breathe and had settled under the covers, Liana snuggled close to Malik and rested her head on his shoulder.

  “I should have moved in long ago,” she teased. “If you’d been clear about what I could expect I might not have fought you so hard.”

  “I doubt that. You can be very stubborn.”

  She laughed. “As if I’m alone in that. You were determined to have your way in this.”

  He looked at her. “I had no choice.”

  There was always a choice, but she wasn’t about to debate that with him. Not now, with her body still pleasantly relaxed and her muscles all liquid and rubbery from the lovemaking.

  “Who are you, Malik Khan?” she asked idly as she rubbed her hand over his chest. “You say that in time I’ll begin to understand you, but I’m not so sure. Sometimes I feel as if I know everything you’re thinking, but other times you’re a complete stranger.”

  “How well do we know anyone?” he asked.

  He was being elusive again. She turned so that she lay on her belly, and rested her chin on his chest. He picked up a strand of her hair and rubbed it between his fingers.

  “You have lovely hair.”

  She smiled. “Aren’t you going to comment on my ankles?”

  “I’ve decided to let that go.”

  “Thank you. It was starting to scare me. I was afraid you had a secret foot fetish or something.”

  “Nothing like that.”

  She looked at his face. In time, if she stayed, she would get to know every inch of him. She would trace his scars and bumps and curves and muscles until they were as familiar as her own. Together they would create a history that would give them strength through the difficult times. If she stayed.

  And if she left? What would happen then?

  Liana found she didn’t want to think about that. It was too frightening and sad.

  “I’m still not sure I know how to be a princess,” she said.

  “You will learn. Just as I will learn to be a good father to Bethany.”

  “Doesn’t being a father frighten you?”

  “Sometimes. I have no experience.”

  “I get scared, too,” she admitted. “When that happens, I just hang on and love her. It’s amazing what a full heart can accomplish in a relationship.” She pressed her lips together, then decided she might as well take the chance.

  “What happens if I fall in love with you?” she asked.

  “Then you will stay in El Bahar and be happy as my wife.”

  She poked him. “Wrong answer, Malik. You’re supposed to say that you’ll love me back. Then I can stay in El Bahar and be happy as your wife.”

  She thought he might tease, as a way to distract her from talking more about the l-word, or change the subject. Instead he grew serious.

  “I am your husband, Liana. I will be faithful to you and take care of you and any children we may have together. But you must understand I am first and foremost the Crown Prince of El Bahar. My very best is for my people. As such I cannot allow myself to be weakened by emotions such as love. I live for the greater good.”

  She stared at him. “I can’t figure out if this is a bad joke, or if you actually believe what you’re saying.”

  “I mean what I say. I will be all things to you, but I will not love you.”

  His words slapped against her, and she found herself scrambling into a sitting position. After pulling up the sheet to cover her nakedness, she stared at him. “You really mean that?”

  “Yes.”

  Something inside her cried out in pain. She didn’t want it to be like this. She didn’t want him to reject her before they’d even had a chance to make things work.

  “And yet you expect me to stay here and love you?”

  He looked uncomfortable and would not meet her gaze. “Loving is not required. A successful marriage is based on many things, including mutual respect and an honest desire for the other’s happiness. I believe we can build on that.”

  She couldn’t take it all in. Did he really think he could hold himself apart from his feelings so completely? “You might be a Crown Prince, Malik, but you’re also a man. You can’t command your heart not to love.”

  “I have so far, and without much effort.”

  She didn’t doubt that. His life hadn’t exactly made him the poster child for happiness.

  “You mentioned an honest desire for the other’s happiness. What if the only way I can be happy is for you to love me?”

  He rose from the bed. “You are speaking about events that may not occur. I don’t wish to discuss all the unlikely possibilities at this time.”

  She still hurt, and if she let herself think about all he’d said, she knew she would start to cry. “Every time I start to believe we can make this work, you tell me something that makes it impossible.”

  He stiffened. He stood naked in front of her, and she was able to see all his muscles tense at her words. He moved close and touched her bare shoulder.

  “You don’t understand,” he told her. “I can give you everything. You say you don’t want money, position or power, but that’s because you haven’t experienced them. Your life will be the envy of millions all over the world. You will want for nothing. Bethany will have every opportunity. We can have children of our own. Children who we will help grow to be great leaders. We can begin a dynasty that lasts for a thousand years.” His gaze narrowed. “Will you throw all that away because of a few words?”

  “They’re not just words. They imply a commitment.”

  “I have committed myself to you. I take you as my future queen. I lay El Bahar at your feet. How can you ask for more?”

  When he put it like that, she felt selfish and greedy. Once again he’d completely confused her.

  “What about children?” she asked. “I would never agree to raise them the way you were. I wouldn’t let you take our oldest son from me when he is four and force him to be a man. A child remains a child until he is ready to be man. No one should interfere with that.”

  He sank onto the bed and pulled her close. He was warm and strong and she could feel the steady sound of his heart. “That is why you must stay,” he told her. “Because I don’t want that for my children either. I need you, Liana. Stay with me.”

  How was she supposed to refuse him when he was like this? She wrapped her arms around him and held him close. But in the back of her mind she heard the faint ticking of the clock. Her month continued to speed by, and she was no closer to knowing what to do than she’d been the first day she’d found out she was married.

  “You seem to have settled in well,” Fatima said a few days later when she joined Liana for lunch.

  They sat on the balcony at a small ebony table that had been a gift from a Chinese emperor nearly five hundred years ago. Liana traced the pattern of the flatware and tried to smile. Her mouth curved up on demand, but she had a feeling that she didn’t look all that happy.

  The older woman leaned forward. “Are you still angry with me?” she asked bluntly. “I was a bit harsh with you before, and I’m sorry for that. I reacted out of disappointment. I thought that you were going to be so good for Malik, and then when I found out you were still thinking of leaving, I was surp
rised and hurt.”

  Liana looked at Fatima. “Don’t be so quick to assume that everything has changed.”

  “I don’t understand. You’re here, living in his rooms. When you two appear in public or with the family, you seem very happy.”

  Liana shrugged. “We are. In a way. I mean…” She took a sip of her iced tea and sighed. “In a way everything is going very well between Malik and myself. He’s attentive, kind and wonderful with Bethany. He’s begun talking about some of his responsibilities with me. He’s brilliant about politics, and I’m learning a lot.”

  “Givon says that Malik appreciates your opinions,” Fatima told her. “He respects you.”

  “As I respect him.” She paused before going on. She and Malik were also making love every night, and that part of their life together was marvelous. Not that she was going to share the details with his grandmother. “I could very easily fall in love with him.”

  “Then what is the problem?”

  Liana drew in a deep breath. “Malik has told me that he will never love me. He believes that the best part of him must be saved for El Bahar, and he won’t let himself get tangled up in any serious emotions. So he will care for me and be faithful, but he won’t allow himself to love me. I’m assuming he intends that to also encompass our children, should we have any. So how can I stay with a man who vows never to give me the one thing I want?”

  Fatima regarded her with dark, wise eyes. “Is love so very important?”

  “Isn’t it? Chuck and I had infatuation, childish affection and lust. When that wore off, we weren’t left with very much.”

  “All the more reason to be sensible the second time around.”

  “Sensible,” Liana repeated softly. “It’s not exactly what every young girl dreams of for her marriage.”

  “But you are not a young girl. You are a mature woman who has experienced some of life.” Fatima touched her glass, but didn’t pick it up. “Did it ever occur to you that Malik is deceiving himself? That he speaks the words because he wants them to be true, not because they are?”