by Leslie North
He fell forward, and the mattress dipped between them. Immediately, his hands were between her legs, caressing and pressing against her.
She squirmed, clawing at his clothes. If he didn’t stop, he was going to make her…oh God…she was going to…just a little more…. “Iman,” she gasped.
Knock. Knock. Knock. “Your Excellency? I have found your guard.”
Reality crashed around them, and Iman straightened without a word. Horribly embarrassed and scared, Natalie leapt from the bed and scrambled to straighten her clothes and her hair.
He silently gave her enough time to slip her jacket back on before he opened the door. “Thank you,” he said coldly. “Amyad. A word, if you please. Natalie, if you will follow this young lady, she’ll show you to your room. Please try not to cause any more scenes. You won’t be needed until the flight home.”
His words were cold and harsh, and Natalie wrapped her arms around her body as she ducked her head and exited the room. She was close to tears as she followed the servant through the palace to her own room.
What a horrible mistake. She couldn’t even be alone with Iman for more than two minutes before she was throwing herself at him. And on the very weekend that he was supposed to be negotiating his marriage.
Disaster. She was a complete disaster. When they got home, she would resign. She wasn’t strong enough to handle this, and it would take an ocean between them for her to be able to stay away.
11
Iman couldn’t trust himself to be around Natalie. He didn’t see her for the rest of the weekend, and he made sure he had plenty to do during the plane ride back. When he returned to his own palace, the first thing he did was visit his mother.
To his surprise, he found that she wasn’t alone in her room. A small blonde girl, dressed in a princess outfit, was standing on the bed, a cardboard sword stretched before her. His mother had a matching sword, and they were playfully fighting with each other.
A strange, small, white thing bounced around the little girl, yapping shrilly. Iman thought it might be a dog at first, but it appeared to have a green tail and horns. “Mother?”
“Iman!” Breathless, Taslima stopped and sank to the bed. “Just a minute.”
“Do you surrender?” the little girl bellowed.
“I do, your highness,” his mother gasped. “I pledge my loyalty to you.”
“And to Beetle?”
“And to Beetle, the great dragon of the realm!”
Now that she could claim victory, the little girl dropped her sword and looked curiously at Iman. “Hi. I’m Iris. Who are you?”
The girl was beautiful. She was almost the spitting image of her mother, having the same lovely shade of blonde hair and delicate features. Where Natalie had blue eyes, however, Iris had dark chocolate eyes.
“Hello, Iris,” Iman said with a nod of his head. “My name is Iman.”
“Iris, this is my son. He is the Crowned Sheikh of Haamas.”
The girl’s eyes widened. “Are you a king?” she whispered.
“I am,” Iman chuckled. “And it seems to me that you are a princess.”
“No.” The girl jumped fearlessly from the bed. “I play a princess, but I’m just me. My momma says that I should just be me because I’m the best me there is, and I like being me, but sometimes I want to play with dragons and have adventures.” She tilted her head to one side to gaze at him seriously. “But you have to be a princess to do that.”
“I don’t think so,” Iman laughed. “I know one woman, who was perfectly ordinary, who had an adventure and captured herself a dragon.”
“Really? Who! Tell me!” The little girl jumped up and down, waving her arms in delight.
Before Iman could answer, Tahira showed up, her face flushed with panic. “Iris! There you are!” When she realized where she was, the servant immediately bowed her head. “Shekinah. Your Excellency. I am so sorry. I was playing hide-and-seek with Iris, but I did not anticipate the hiding place that she might choose.”
“No apologies necessary,” Iman’s mother said with a brilliant smile. “I asked Iris to play with me. I love children.”
“Iris.” Tahira fixed a stern stare on the girl. “Your mother has come home, and she’s asking for you. Will you curtsy and thank the Shekinah for playing with you?”
To everyone’s surprise, the girl wrapped her arms around Taslima instead. “I don’t know how to curtsy, but I hug my friends, and you are my friend.”
Before he could stop her, the young girl had suddenly loosed his mother and had jumped to wrap her arms around him next. “And you are going to be my friend, too! I have succeeded in conquering everyone in the castle so far, but you look like a worthy foe. I will be back for you,” she announced.
“Those are big words for such a little girl,” Iman teased.
“I read big-girl books.” Giving him a toothy grin, she scooped up her dragon and skipped after Tahira.
As the servant closed the door behind the girl, Iman frowned at his mother. “Would you care to explain what you were doing giving orders to my guard?”
His mother avoided his gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Iman. Isn’t that girl delightful? Is this the first time that you’ve met her?”
“I don’t want to talk about the child. I want to talk about your order to my guards to let Natalie roam unattended in Abba Alim. She caused a scene within minutes of arriving at the palace.”
“Oh, I think your guards must be confused, my dear. I asked the guards to protect her but give her some freedom. She needs to explore, doesn’t she?” His mother waved her hands airily. “You don’t really want to talk about her, do you? What of the princess?” She paused and regarded him closely. “Did you sign the contract?”
Iman blew out his breath. “No,” he admitted. “There are some things that I need to think about. I have invited the princess to come here next weekend so we can get to know each other a little better.” He smiled. “And I want you to meet her.”
“Of course,” she said, clasping her hands together. “I’m so happy that you want my opinion.” Seeming to change the subject, she raised her eyebrows and added, “What sort of scene did Natalie make?”
Before Iman could answer, his phone vibrated. Checking it, he saw an email from Kaylana Private Flights.
His stomach clenched as he read it through. Natalie wanted to resign. “Not bloody likely,” he growled. “Excuse me, Mother.”
Whirling around, he marched out of her suite and down the hall. He wanted to march right into Natalie’s room and demand an explanation, but he made himself stop. She’d been away from her daughter for three days. He was sure that she wanted to spend the evening with the little girl, and he didn’t want to take that away from her.
Instead, he emailed the company back and told them that he did not accept Natalie’s resignation.
Why interrupt Natalie when he could make her come to him?
It took longer than he expected. Much longer. Three days, in fact, before there was a soft knock at his door late into the night.
Dressed in a pair of loose lounging pants and nothing else, he opened the door and arched an eyebrow. “Natalie. It’s awfully late for a visit.”
“Apparently Thursday nights are movie and slumber party nights for the children of the palace,” Natalie said with a frown. “And I didn’t want to have this conversation with Iris around.”
“What conversation is that?” he asked with mocking innocence.
“You know exactly what I want to talk about.” Narrowing her eyes angrily, she poked him in the chest and forced him inside. “Refusing my resignation? I gave you plenty of notice to find someone else. I was very professional in my email to the company. Why on earth would you refuse it? You know it’s the best solution!”
With an amused grin, he closed the door behind her. “The best solution to what? Your coffee is still terrible, and you’re extremely clumsy, but overall, I’m very happy with the job you’re doing.�
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“You know what I’m talking about.” Her gaze dropped to his bare chest. “You’re supposed to be getting married.”
“I’m not married yet, Natalie. I’m not even betrothed,” he pointed out. “You haven’t done anything wrong.”
“I know that she’s coming here, Iman. I know what you intend. I want to be professional around you, but this weekend proved that it’s not a good idea for me to be around you at all. You’re supposed to be running a kingdom.”
She was so beautiful when she was angry, but he wasn’t enough of an idiot to point that out. Instead, he gently took her arms and led her to the bed. “I am running a kingdom,” he said mildly.
“You’re supposed to be shopping for your queen, or whatever it is that you sheikhs do.” She didn’t even seem to notice as he eased himself down on the edge of the mattress and pulled her down to sit next to him.
“We don’t shop,” he chuckled. “We negotiate, and I’m still in negotiations.”
“There is no reason you can’t hire someone else to serve on your plane.” Her breath hitched when he lifted the hem of her shirt, and her eyes suddenly focused on him. “What are you doing?”
“I’m answering your questions.” Victory surged inside him when she didn’t resist, and he easily lifted the shirt over her head and slid it down her arms. “You’re not wrong. I could hire someone else to serve on my plane.”
“Then why don’t you?” Her blue eyes darkened as he leaned down and kissed her neck. She was as soft and satiny as he remembered. “Why are you keeping me here?”
“That’s something I can show far better than I can explain.” His voice was husky as he reached around for the snap of her bra. “No one is going to interrupt us now, Natalie. You’re mine tonight. All night.”
“What if my daughter needs me?” she whispered.
“Tahira is no fool. She’ll know where to find you.” The bra slid down her arms, and he stared, captivated, at her beautiful bare breasts. How many times had he dreamed that he would be able to hold them again? Stroke them, while he listened to her moan?
Softly, he lifted one in a gentle hand and swiped his thumb over her nipple.
She arched into his touch as her eyes drifted shut. “Once more,” she hummed as she leaned into him.
“Once more.” Pushing her down onto the bed, he opened his mouth and slid his tongue over her as his hands traveled down her abdomen to the loose drawstring of her pants.
He knew that he was lying. He didn’t plan on having her once more. He didn’t plan on getting any sleep that night. If she was in his bed, he was going to make every second count.
12
Over the past six years, she’d dreamed countless times of this moment. Thinking she would never see him again or that he would even remember her, Natalie lost herself in the memories of that one night. His fingers and his mouth brought all of those fantasies to life. Trapped in that abandoned plane, they hadn’t had much room to maneuver, but here? He had no problems lifting her easily to the top of the bed as he settled between her legs.
Natalie could barely breathe as he slowly undid the strings of her pants. “Lift your hips.”
That command again. It gave her shivers, and much like the previous time, she was powerless to go against his wishes. Closing her eyes, she squirmed as his fingers trailed down her legs while he finished undressing her.
“Turn over.”
Turn over? She blinked but slowly did as he asked. Once she was on her belly, he gripped her legs and pulled her down until her knees were straddling his. Gripping her hips, he pulled her up until her back was pressed against his chest, Her knees were wide apart, and she was completely exposed to the slight chill of the air.
Behind her, he nibbled on her ear. “We’re not going to sleep tonight, Natalie. I’m going to draw every orgasm I can out of you this night. Every moan. Every whimper. I’m going to tease you until you’re begging for me. I’ve waited too long for this.”
Rolling her head to the side, she lifted her arm to his face. “I’m yours,” she whispered. “All night.”
“That is exactly what I wanted to hear.” He sank his teeth into her shoulder, marking her as he explored her willing body. He stroked her breasts, slowing to pinch and roll and torment before sliding his hands over her stomach to tease lightly over her pussy before caressing her inner thighs.
The whole time, she pressed back against his hard cock and rolled her hips. If he was going to torment her, Natalie was going to torment him. “Make me come, Iman,” she moaned. “I can’t taste you from this position.”
“Taste me?” he chuckled. “Can’t get enough of my kisses?”
His fingers lightly strummed over her clit, and she moaned. “I do love your kisses, but I was thinking of tasting something else.” To make her point, she pushed up against his cock, and his fingers froze.
“Oh, yes?” he whispered in a strangled voice. “That’s what you want?”
“Mmmm,” she hummed. “So you can keep playing with me, or you can make me come so I can turn around and suck your—” Before she could finish the sentence, he plunged his fingers into her with a grunt, and she jerked against him. Maybe it was the anticipation since seeing him again, or maybe it had been too long, but she barely lasted more than a minute of his touch before she exploded around him.
“As hot as I remember,” he moaned. “Natalie, I have been wanting this for so long.”
Dismounting him, she turned and pushed him flat against the mattress. “All night, right?” she whispered. He nodded, and she smiled. “Good. Hands up, and no touching.”
“Natalie,” he said in a warning tone.
“All night,” she reminded him. When he moved his hands above his head, she leaned down and freed his cock. As she pushed his pants down the rest of the way, she took him deep in her mouth.
She was out of practice, but it wasn’t long before she got into a rhythm, and soon, the sounds of his moans drove her to move faster. She played him with her tongue, experimented, listened to what turned him on and used it against him until she felt that last thread of control snap.
“You win,” he gasped as he jerked up and pulled her away.
“Hey!” Natalie protested with a laugh as he pushed her against the pillows. “I wasn’t finished!”
“I want to be inside you, Natalie. I need it,” he pleaded as he positioned himself between her legs. “For six years, I’ve thought of you. Wondered where you were. Who you were with.”
“Nobody,” she admitted. “Iman, I haven’t been with anyone since Iris’s father.”
“Did you think of me?”
“Every night.”
“We have so much time to make up for.” Lifting her knees, he leaned down to kiss her deeply as he probed at her entrance. He entered her slowly, his eyes intent on her face, and everything changed. She’d been trying so hard to fight him, to fight what she was feeling for him, but there was no point. She’d fallen in love with Iman six years ago, and despite everything, she’d never stopped.
Clinging to that, she gave herself to him completely, and he gave her everything in return. They fucked and moaned and whispered and melted into each other. They rested, rehydrated, talked, and started up all over again. By the time the sun rose, she was sore and sated and exhausted.
“Sleep,” he whispered. “I’ll have Tahira get Iris ready for her tutor.”
“No, I should do that,” she mumbled.
“I’ll take care of it, Natalie. Sleep.” He kissed her cheek, and she slipped into sleep, thinking how nice it was that Iman was going to help take care of their daughter.
Natalie couldn’t remember the last time that she’d been so happy. Her body still sang from Iman’s touch and caresses. He’d given her everything and held nothing back. She’d never felt so alive, so satisfied in her entire life.
So loved.
The thought should have terrified her, but she felt complete, knowing that she finally had her answer. She had
n’t been the only one to experience something life-changing that night in the hangar. She hadn’t simply been a way for him to pass the time.
At the moment, Iris was with her tutor. She’d stopped in that morning to have breakfast with Natalie and tell her everything that had happened in a singsong breath of jumbled words before she scarfed down her breakfast, kissed Beetle, and headed back out for class with the other children near her age. When Natalie had first met the tutor, she’d been surprised at how much she was teaching the younger kids who ate it up faster than the young woman could dole it out. On top of that, the children were given instruction on basic protocols when around members of royalty, and Iris had been tickled that she finally learned how to curtsy.
Although Natalie hadn’t gotten any sleep, she was full of energy. She spent the morning exploring the palace and humming to herself.
It wasn’t until she glanced out the window and saw the entourage of cars driving in from the main gates that her glorious mood was dashed. In the haze of lust and love, she’d completely forgotten about Princess Bari’s visit.
“When I was a princess, I always thought it was ridiculous that I couldn’t go anywhere without an army of cars,” a new voice said suddenly. Natalie whirled around and inhaled sharply. She hadn’t formally met Iman’s mother, but she recognized the woman from the large portrait hanging in the hall. Even if she hadn’t, there was no mistaking the woman as anything but royalty. She was the picture of elegance and poise.
“Shekinah.” Nervously, Natalie bowed her head. “I apologize if I’m interrupting anything.”
“You’re not. In fact, I was looking for you.”
“For me?” Natalie frowned. “Oh, no. Did Iris or Beetle break something?”
“No,” Taslima laughed, and her eyes sparkled. “But I did want to speak to you about Iris. She’s such a delight.”
“Yes, she is.” Natalie cocked her head as she tried to understand how the woman knew that. “Have you two met?”
