by Leah Leonard
She shivered and shook in ecstasy.
He reveled in her taste. Far more pleasurable than he ever imagined, like the clear waters from the ocean near his home. He never wanted anyone so fiercely before. “You are beautiful.” His eyes ran over every inch of her body and came to rest on her face. He gazed into her eyes.
****
Sarah was aghast at the raw sensuality she felt toward this man and the things he could do with that tongue! She lay in a withered heap in the tangled sheets longing for more, simultaneously wondering if she could withstand his body any longer.
She kept her eyes locked on his only for a moment before a rush of emotion became too overwhelming for her and she had to look away.
What was she afraid of? She recalled all the aspects of what this night could mean for her in the future. Did she want to live with regrets? No, she didn't. It’s now or never, she told herself. “Make love to me,” she commanded. “Now.”
Ghazi’s eyebrows raised.
She wondered if he was surprised by her forwardness, but then again, he had already explored more of her body than any other human being on earth.
Without a single word between them, Ghazi did as he was told.
He lifted off of her and gripped his erection, then gently brushing her thigh with his hand, he spread her open with his tip. “Are you ready?”
Was she? Sarah still wasn’t certain.
“Wait," Ghazi rolled to his side, disappeared into the bathroom.
Sarah hoped he hadn't decided against this after all the time she took talking herself into it.
He reappeared a moment later. “Condom.”
“Oh…of course.” She should have considered that herself, but then again, she never had to make such decisions on a moment's notice before, aside from the fact Sarah wasn’t sure how she felt about the fact he was so prepared. Had he planned on the two of them doing this today, or was he always ready for whoever happened to show up? She wasn't sure she liked either possibility. He was, after all, one of Turkey’s most eligible bachelors, so what would she expect? She decided to push those thoughts far from her mind, realizing she couldn't afford to consider the answer to the question now, particularly if she was going to go through with this.
Ghazi took the square foiled envelope, tore it open and revealed the round disk within. “A Trojan.”
Sarah giggled. “You are too funny, sir.”
“I aim to please, milady. Now, shall I do the honors or would you like to?” His eyebrows raised in anticipation.
Truth be told, Sarah would love to offer her help but had no idea how. She didn’t want to spoil their fun, so she replied, “I want to watch.”
Apparently aroused by the thought, Ghazi became more aggressive. Growling and nibbling at her neck like a hungry bear, he wasted no time sheathing himself before resting his palms on her thighs. “Ready now?”
Sarah closed her eyes, blinked tight, opened them again. “Yes.”
“You’re sure?”
“Uh huh.” She hoped this wouldn’t hurt or that Ghazi wouldn’t figure out she’d never done this before. He looked…large…even though she had nothing to compare him to. Her mind was filled with both eager anticipation and fear at the prospects of him inside her.
Ghazi proved to be a compassionate lover, gently widening Sarah’s legs, he leaned himself closer, teasing her opening with the tip of his erection before sinking himself inside. Soon, they were joined as one.
Sarah gasped with ecstatic pain at the immensity of him, marveled at the pleasures she derived from him filling her.
He stroked evenly at times, harder and more passionately at others. Each movement offered her exactly what she needed. Her internal heat rose and she felt afire, their rising desires culminating into a mind altering grand finale until together they collapsed in each other’s arms.
Kissing the tender skin under her ear, Ghazi breathlessly whispered, “You were amazing.”
She hoped so. "So were you."
He slowly lifted himself off her, rolling to one side.
She watched while he removed the latex from his body and hoped once that was done, he would hold her.
"Hmmm," Ghazi scowled.
"What?"
He pulled the condom off, dangling it in front of her eyes. "This."
The end was torn.
"Nothing to worry about," Ghazi reassured her. "Although that's never happened before…"
"If you say so." Sarah turned on her side facing the wall, unable to believe he had the nerve to bring up anyone else during their lovemaking.
Ghazi lay by her side and placed a reassuring hand on her belly, pulling her close until they lay together like two spoons in a drawer. "It'll be fine, I promise," he said, as he kissed the back of her neck.
Sarah lay still, unable to fully relax. What had she done? This man was oblivious to the fact that she just gave him her virginity and there he was, talking about his other conquests. She shouldn't have allowed this to happen, not because it wasn't pleasurable, but because of the feelings their connection evoked in her both on a passionate, primal level and to her dismay, on an emotional one.
Sarah stared into the amber eyes of the most beautiful man she’d chosen. Her lover. At the rate she'd been going, she wondered when she would ever be able to call anyone by that title. Not anymore. She had officially crossed the threshold into womanhood today. It felt better than she thought. Too good, in fact. She wanted more.
Ghazi drifted off to sleep in a matter of seconds. She couldn't close her eyes to save her life. She listened to his breathing, studied the tension in his jaw, the taut muscles of his neck and the perfect strokes of hair displayed across his chest. She rested her palm to his heart, felt it beating slow and steady. God he was gorgeous! And so gentle with her!
To her dismay, a rush of feeling swept through her body, tingling her toes, dizzying her mind and fluttering her heart. No, she told herself. She couldn’t possibly have feelings for Ghazi! That was not what this was all about! She promised herself this wouldn’t happen! She couldn't allow that! It was bad enough he had her virginity, but anything more would prove too dangerous and detrimental to her future. She wanted Ghazi to serve a purpose, which he had, quite nicely, as a matter of fact.
She finally closed her eyes, rested briefly, and awoke again at the sound of him stirring.
"Hello," he purred, brushing her hair from her eyes.
"Hi." She stared at the gorgeous cocoa face and angular features pressed against the pillow.
He appeared intoxicated by restful relaxation.
She wished his expression was love. No, she told herself. This wasn’t real. The look was lust, not love. Men like Ghazi could not love.
The problem was her. She loved him. Damn it! She shuddered at the thought. No! She told herself before this happened that she would not love him. She wanted to use him for her own purposes – a lasting memory.
Fear consumed her, shook her to her core. What was she going to do now? She could hardly pretend they hadn’t just shared the most intimate of moments.
The overwhelming feeling of escape jerked her to one side and before rational thought could stop her, she escaped his arms, exiting the bed. She ran to the bathroom a few feet away and slammed the door shut, locking it behind her.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
What had he done wrong?
Ghazi never had anyone refuse his touch or his gifts like Sarah Taylor. Never had anyone so abruptly left his proximity after sex either. Women were often clinging, wanting, needing…needy. Unattractive.
As much as Sarah’s disappearance squeezed his ego, he also found it challenging, a real turn on. He sat straight up in bed, tossing the sheets aside. “Sarah?” He knocked on the bathroom door. “Are you all right in there?”
His mind flashed back to the day at Troy when he saw her after so many years apart. He told himself this would be nothing more than sex, but Sarah had somehow succeeded in stirring an unfamiliar passion within him. He wa
nted her more than anyone he bedded before. He hoped he hadn't hurt her. She didn’t complain during the act, but still…“Sarah! Answer me, are you okay?”
“Of course,” she called back. The lock twisted and the door opened. Sarah stood draped in a large white towel, her brown tresses fell in a messy heap around her face, her cheeks were flushed with fresh passion. She appeared as though she just had the best sex of her life. He wanted her again. He stiffened and approached her, reaching out to pull her closer.
Lifting her in his arms, he carried her to the bed and entered her again, releasing every ounce of pent up frustration she’d caused him. Emotions he had not ever experienced before bubbled up within him. He tried to tell himself he was simply aroused, horny. It had been awhile since he’d had sex. Not since before his father’s funeral.
Ghazi finished off, gently lifted himself off of Sarah and held her close. He loved listening to the faint sound of her breathing as she nestled her head against his chest.
He combed her hair with his fingers, brushed her cheek and kissed her. They lay there quietly, peacefully. He’d never experienced such profound silence with anyone before. The Greek girls were always drunk. Always. And never quiet about anything. Never emotional either. This felt different, and Ghazi wasn’t sure if he liked it or not.
He closed his eyes, smelling the sweet scent of Sarah's hair. This encounter had been quite a surprise, a complete contradiction.
Despite her stunning good looks and feisty temperament, Sarah proved alluringly submissive in bed, preferring to lie reclined on her back, never bothering to reach for him or attempting to dominate him by taking her place on top. Maybe next time.
Then again, wasn’t that exactly what he thought was different – and special – about her? Those Greeks were domineering animals compared to sweet Sarah. With her, there was a vulnerability and purity unlike anything he had encountered before. Not to mention her tightness. Oh how she sheathed him! His internal fantasy about her possible inexperience and his role as teacher stiffened him while simultaneously making him want to protect and care for her, consider her wellbeing, and treat her with tenderness.
Just thinking about all of these things stiffened him yet again, and he wanted to sink himself deep inside her and never come out. He rolled to his side, pressed his erection against her.
She reciprocated by backing up against him, although she appeared half asleep, he entered her again, gently probing, overwhelmed with emotion and ecstasy.
He slipped out of her and wrapped his arm around her, holding her as close to his body as possible. The sexier aspects of their lovemaking could develop over time, he told himself. She was a breath of fresh air in so many ways, a far cry from the frisky little tarts he normally bedded. In some ways, he found Sarah more sensual than anyone he’d ever met.
“Is everything okay?” Sarah asked sleepily, rolling over to face him, her green eyes flashing.
“Yes, of course, darling,” he drawled, brushing his hand over her flushed cheek, he pulled her close. “You are wonderful.”
“I feel the same way about you.” She melted once again into his chest, wrapping her leg around his back.
He never felt more at peace.
****
The following morning, to Ghazi’s great pleasure, the two lovers joined again – twice – before making any moves to get themselves up and dressed.
“What do you want to do today?” he asked her. “Besides this, of course.”
Sarah rested her head on his chest. “I want to go to the beach, with you this time.”
“Fine.” Ghazi held her close. “Why don’t you go shower, we can get something to eat, and after that, I’ll take you to the beach?”
“You can go first, if you want. I’m sleepy.”
“I wonder why,” he nibbled her neck.
“You know why,” she kissed him.
“I insist. After you,” Ghazi gestured to the open bathroom door. “Or with you, perhaps…?”
To his surprise, she got out of be, but rather than head to the shower, she dumped out the entire contents of her suitcase and began folding her clothes in an orderly fashion. “Sounds nice. You go on and I'll join you in a minute, okay? I just want to get everything organized so I won’t have to deal with it later.”
Women. He would never understand them, even after all the many experiences he'd had over the years. "Join me. I will wash your back…" he offered.
"I can't wait." She said, with her back to him.
If she couldn't wait, then why didn't she come now? He didn’t get it. She appeared to be interested in his suggestion, so he stepped into the bathroom, keeping the door cracked open for her. “Don't leave me waiting long.”
“I won't,” she insisted.
****
Once Ghazi went to take a shower, Sarah folded her clothes and shook the loose grains of sand on to the carpet, and tried not to think about her arms wrapped around Ghazi’s stiff body and what he would feel like with her soap covered hands on him. The truth was, she wanted him again. The feeling of their two bodies conjoined as one surpassed any other experience of her life. It was a sensation she could quickly become addicted to if she allowed herself. And she could not let that happen. She called out, “I’ll be right there.”
She finished folding the clothes, repacked everything and was in the middle of kicking off her towel when she heard the doorbell ring.
She gasped. Who in the world would be here at this hour?
She thought about ignoring it and continuing on with her plan, when she heard a woman shouting from the front porch. “Hey! I know you’re in there! Let me in now!”
Was Ghazi’s housekeeper coming to work? Surely not. No employee would dare talk to her boss that way. Curiosity getting the better of her, Sarah walked to the front of the house and peeked out the window through the curtains.
A voluptuous woman with long dyed blonde hair stood pacing around the flower pots. Her enormous breasts practically popped out of her clingy leopard print top. “You hear me? Open up!” She pounded the door with her fists.
Unsure of what to do, Sarah slipped into her swimsuit, draped a towel over her shoulders and opened the door.
“Finally,” the woman barged in without even a hello. “Where is he?”
“Who?’ Sarah asked.
The bossy woman surveyed the room, then brought her attention back to Sarah. “So that’s where it went off to.”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand,” Sarah said.
“Sure you don’t.” The woman walked straight over to the pile of swimming suits which were still on the living room chair and began rummaging through them. “That bastard! He probably kept them here so I wouldn’t wear them around anyone else!”
“Those are yours?” Sarah asked.
“That one is too,” She pointed a finger at Sarah, flashing an enormous diamond ring on her left hand. … “but of course he doesn’t give a damn about that, does he?”
Sarah nearly doubled over and had to fight from vomiting.
“So is he here?” The woman stomped around the living room.
“Uh…” Sarah had no idea what to say.
“Oh, who gives a damn.” She gathered up the suits, stuffing them awkwardly into her giant handbag. “You tell him he can kiss my ass. Or yours, or whoever else he’s banging this week. He can go straight to hell, for all I care!”
Sarah backed against the sofa.
“Keep that one if you want,” she said, pointing at Sarah. “Looks good on you. Besides, I have a feeling he’s about to get what’s coming to him, and that’s good enough for me. My husband isn’t going to put up with him anymore, and at this point, I’m not either.” The blonde stormed out and slammed the front door behind her.
Sarah’s head buzzed from shock and disillusionment. What in the world had she done? That faint little voice in her head that kept warning her about Ghazi was silenced last night and this morning by his endless charm and one liners. He apparently could
talk the pants off of anyone – and everyone – he met, even a married woman!
How in the world had she been so naïve and stupid? For a scholar, she had some serious learning to do.
Just then, she heard Ghazi shouting, “The water’s getting cold in here.”
Yeah, I’ll bet it is. “I’ll be in there in a couple more minutes,” she called out to him.
“Great. The water’s still nice and warm.”
Well? Which was it? Hot or cold? The man apparently couldn’t even keep those details straight, let alone the hordes of women he bedded on a regular basis. Agh! This entire situation was an absolute nightmare!
She listened to make sure she still heard the sound of running water. A moment later, Ghazi started singing. Perfect.
Her heart twitched. She almost wished she had earplugs. He was so hard to resist!
Steam oozed from the crack in the door. He stopped himself mid verse and called to her again. “I’m getting lonely in here. Hurry, I want to scrub your back.”
“Coming.” She stood staring at the bathroom door for a moment, contemplating the magnitude of what she was about to do. In her mind, she had no choice. She had to take care of herself and salvage what little self esteem she had left.
While Ghazi sang his heart out, instead of joining him and melting into his waiting arms, Sarah dressed in record speed, neatly folding her borrowed bikini and placing it on the foot of the bed. That was the last souvenir she wanted from such a horrible experience! Would he even get why she left? Would he care? Probably not.
She glanced in the mirror, making only a minimal effort to straighten herself, slipped her sundress and sandals on, grabbed her bag and snuck out the front door.
Staring at the beach, she contemplated what happened today and felt partially satisfied. True it was the experience of a lifetime and proved more amazing than she ever would have dreamt. But now she was running away because she had to protect her heart. She hurried around the house to the circular drive out front. There was nothing anywhere near here until she got to the bottom of the cliff. What was she thinking? There was no place to go, nowhere to run. What would happen if Ghazi came out and found her trying to get away? He would be furious.
