The Sheikh Doc's Marriage Bargain

by Susan Carlisle

  She kissed his chest and let her hand drift to his hip bone. He hissed.

  “Laurel,” Tariq snapped. “Yes or no?”

  Her finger dipped into his belly button and she looked into his eyes. “I used to wonder if I would ever be able to know what you felt.”

  Tariq turned on his side and brought her firmly against him, making her intimately aware of his hard desire for her. “Can you tell what I’m feeling now?”

  She wiggled against him. “It’s certainly clearer.”

  “And how do you feel?”

  “Like a princess for the first time in my life.”

  That was all the encouragement Tariq apparently needed. His mouth found hers. His kisses were deep, hot and needy. He seemed unable to get enough of her. His hand fondled her breasts while he kissed her neck.

  Laurel’s body leaned into his of its own volition, as if it knew who and what it had been looking for. Her fingers ran through Tariq’s hair as his mouth claimed a nipple through her gown. He sucked and teased until she groaned with delight and her center throbbed.

  He pulled away and tugged at her clothing. “This has to go.” She raised her arms and he removed it. “No wonder you were cold. There is nothing to this.”

  “It’s the only nightclothes I own.”

  “I am going to contemplate that in depth later.” Tariq pulled her to him and the blankets over them again.

  He returned to lavishing her with attention. The unknown and unusual sensations shooting through her made her squirm. She was on sensory overload. Laurel could do little more that run her hands over his back and hang on. When he nudged her legs open and teased her center with his finger she jerked.

  He whispered low against her ear, “Easy, habibti. I wish to touch all of you. Love all of you.”

  Slowly his finger entered her. Her breath came in gasps. Tariq removed it and she flexed her hips, wanting the sensation to return. He didn’t disappoint. With a push and pull movement he had her going to a place she had never been before.

  His lips found hers. He urged her to open for him. Their tongues met and mated. Laurel held his face as she returned his kisses. She wanted all of Tariq he would give.

  Just as she started to believe she could take no more, he removed his finger. She moaned her complaint and disappointment. Her eyes widened as he kissed her thigh before settling between her legs.

  Tariq looked at her briefly. “I must taste you.” His mouth found her heated center and slurped before his tongue teased her most sensitive spot.

  Laurel’s back bowed, her hands fisted the blanket beneath her as she keened her delight. It rolled upon itself. Growing tighter, sweeter and more painful with every thrust of Tariq’s tongue. She wasn’t sure what was happening, but she loved every second. With eyes squeezed tight she focused on Tariq and his ministrations. Like a hot test tube bursting under pressure, she exploded into a thousand brilliant pieces.

  Her hips rose and her head fell back as she floated in bliss. Slowly, she returned to reality.

  Tariq, in all his beautiful glory, looked down at her. Her gaze met his as she laid a hand on his chest. She could read his feelings clearly in his eyes. He had opened himself completely to her. “Thank you.”

  “It was my pleasure. Habibti, I must be in you.” He sounded as if he were in pain.

  She opened her arms. “That’s where I want you to be.”

  Tariq left her and went to his bag. He shoved his pants off and returned with his sheathed manhood standing tall. Her heart swelled. Tariq was all gorgeous male and he wanted her. As he came down over her, Laurel pulled the covers up over him, cocooning them in a world of their own.

  “I can wait no longer.” The tip of Tariq’s manhood nudged her center. He came up on his palms, flexed his hips and pushed into her. Her breath caught. He pulled out, then entered again. Moving back, he thrust again, finding home. They waited. Laurel adjusted to the thickness of him.

  Tariq made small plunges and eased back, going deeper and faster with each movement. His eyes remained locked with hers. His movements soon became thrusts. Shock registered in Laurel’s foggy mind. The amazing sensation Tariq had created earlier built in her again. She gripped his forearms and held on for dear life as she tumbled over into oblivion. The last thing she remembered was the slight smile on Tariq’s lips as he made one final plunge, then groaned his release.

  * * *

  Laurel woke from her dozing to Tariq gently cleaning her. He still wore nothing but she didn’t mind. She started out of the bed. “You don’t have to do that, I can get up.”

  He stopped her with a hand to her shoulder. “I would rather have you here warm and waiting for me.” Tariq dropped the rag and climbed back into bed, tucking her close. “I did not hurt you, did I?”

  “No.” She looked at him in wonder. “It was perfect.” Every minute had been.

  “You were perfect.”

  “I don’t believe that. I just hope I didn’t ruin it for you.”

  He rose up on an elbow so that he was looking down at her. Cold air blew across her skin, making her shiver. He settled in again. “You have to be joking. You were everything I dreamed of.”

  “I was?”

  “Why would you think differently?”

  “The only other time I’ve been to bed with a man he announced afterwards, as he was dressing as fast as he could, that I was as cold a fish in bed as I was dull out of it.”

  Tariq’s body tensed and his hands fisted. He used an expressive word she didn’t understand but didn’t think was nice. His body eased finally and he cupped her face in his hands. “Let me make this clear. You are neither dull out of bed nor in it. In fact, what we shared was the most amazing experience of my life.” He kissed her sweetly, making her believe in the sincerity of his statement.

  Laurel’s heart swelled. If she hadn’t been crazy about Tariq already she would be now. She moved so she lay along his body and he pulled the blankets over her shoulders. Shifting down until his manhood rested against her entrance, she smiled at him. “I bet I can do better the second time.”

  Tariq’s hands came to her waist, lifted her and he slid into her. His voice was husky as he said, “Habibti, I am more than willing to let you try. But I doubt you can.”

  * * *

  The next morning was the best of Tariq’s life. He woke to a warm and compliant Laurel beside him, her head resting on his chest. He had the pleasure of watching her eyelids slowly flutter open. Knew the second she registered she was with him. There was wonder there, and something he did not wish to put a name to but felt as well. After a night with Laurel he had never been a more satisfied man.

  She had given to him like no other woman ever had. Her responses to his actions had been affirming and exhilarating. All he could think about was having her again. What would it be like to have this sense of well-being every day of his life? But that was impossible. Laurel did not fit into his life plan. He would not question beyond what they had right now.

  “Hi,” Laurel said softly.

  “Hello.” He gave her a little squeeze and her smile broadened. “We had better get out of bed or someone is going to come in here to check on us. I do not mind being found in bed with you but you might not like it.”

  Laurel pushed away from him. He had a magnificent view of her beautiful, full breasts as she moved. He cupped one. “Perfect. So absolutely perfect.”

  She kissed him. “I’m not perfect. You just make me feel that way. For that I will forever be grateful.”

  This much emotion after only one night together disturbed him. They were headed down an uncertain road. “We should get started.”

  She rose from the bed, pulling a blanket with her.

  Tariq wanted to see all of her. He wanted the bold Laurel in daylight he had experienced in the dark. “Let go of the blanket.”

  She gave
him a timid look over her shoulder. “Aren’t we in a hurry?”

  “Not if it means you are going to try to hide from me.” His gaze held hers.

  “I’m not hiding.”

  “Yes, you are. Please let it go.” He rose and started toward her. “I have touched all of you. Now I would like to see all of you. There should be nothing between us.”

  She slowly let the blanket go. It pooled at her feet.

  He brought her into his arms and kissed her. “Thank you for trusting me. You should never hide yourself away. You have a light in you that should be allowed to shine.”

  Laurel clung to him. “Thank you.”

  He set her away. “We had better get dressed now.”

  “Okay. Will you see if there is food for us? I’m starving.” She went to the basin.

  He chuckled. Now she was the one giving the orders.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Look who’s giving orders now.” He pulled on his pants.

  She gave him a sassy look over her shoulder. “You didn’t seem to mind last night.”

  He chuckled. “I didn’t.” And he hadn’t. In fact, he had loved it. There it was again, too many feelings. He went to the tent flap and found a tray of food waiting. Carrying it to the chest, he set it down there.

  Laurel joined him. Instead of taking the pillow across from him, she pulled hers around so she could sit beside him. “I like being close to you.”

  And he liked having her there. They ate their meal in companionable silence. A couple of times Tariq caught her studying him. “Is there a problem?”

  “I was just thinking how gorgeous you are. You’re the most handsome man I have ever seen.”

  He had been told that he was nice looking before but somehow it mattered more coming from Laurel. “Thank you. You are lovely yourself.”

  “Oh, no, I’m not even in the same ballpark as you. The first time I saw you I thought you were the most handsome man I had seen, but now I know it’s both inside and out. Which makes you even more attractive.”

  Now she was embarrassing him, which did not happen easily. “I think you are special as well.” His mouth found hers. They broke apart when someone called from outside the tent entrance. “He said there is a queue waiting for us.”

  “Then we should get busy.”

  “That we should.” Tariq helped her to her feet.

  * * *

  Over the next few hours they saw patients as quickly as they could. Tariq had requested someone who spoke English to help them. A young man assisted Laurel.

  They had been seeing patients for a couple of hours when Laurel called to him. He looked away from the patient he was seeing. “Yes?”

  “When you have a second, could you give me a second opinion?”

  “One moment.” Tariq liked it that she valued his thoughts. At one point in their relationship he hadn’t been sure she held them in much esteem. He also found he enjoyed working with her. Laurel was efficient and gentle, and truly seemed to care about his people.

  Tariq finished with his patient and stepped over to where Laurel stood. Her patient was a young mother who held a small child of about two in her arms. The translator asked the mother if she knew what the child had been drinking.

  He gave Laurel a questioning look.

  “I think the boy may have worms. Have you ever seen them before?”

  Tariq gave the mother a reassuring smile. “No. All my knowledge is from a textbook.”

  “Mine too. But that’s all I can come up with for a diagnosis. The mother states that the boy’s stools have been runny, that he wakes often during the night and she is having difficulty keeping him from putting his hands in his diaper.”

  Tariq ask the mother to remove the boy’s diaper. Together he and Laurel examined the boy’s bottom. It was an angry red color.

  “Has he been eating well?” Tariq asked the mother.

  “No.”

  “Where are you getting your drinking water from?”

  “From the storage bag beside our tent,” the mother answered.

  “What did she say?” Laurel demanded. She gave him a determined look. “Translate, please!” She seemed frustrated not to be able to understand things herself.

  Tariq repeated what the woman had said.

  “You need to explain to her that she will need to dump the water and clean the container with hot water. That pinworms are very contagious. She will need to clean her tent. Even better, she needs to move to another tent. Not share one, and bring nothing with her until the old one is clean. Do you have any medicine to give her?” Laurel was in doctor mode.

  “I do not, but I will send a tribe member down to meet someone who will bring it to him.”

  “Good. Make sure she understands that they should bathe right now and clean their clothes as well.”

  “I will explain. You have made a diagnosis I am not sure I would have arrived at. Well done.”

  She sighed then smiled, a look of satisfaction coming over her face. “Thank you. I’ll see another patient at your station while you finish up here.” She did not wait for him to reply before she walked off.

  At noon they took a short break for lunch. Once again one of the women in the village brought them a meal.

  “Interesting morning?” Tariq asked.

  “Yes. I’ve done more clinic work in Zentar in the last few weeks than I have done in years. I have found I missed it. I think I’ll start doing at least one day a week in a clinic when I return home. It’ll keep me in touch with why I went to medical school. To help people.”

  Home. A muscle in his jaw jerked. She was still talking about leaving Zentar. Leaving him.

  * * *

  It was mid-afternoon and Laurel had just finished with her latest patient when Tariq called her.

  “Come here a moment. I have a patient I think you would like to meet.”

  She joined him along with a man who looked around thirty years old.

  “Laurel, I would like you to meet Uric. He has hemophilia.”

  She nodded. “Hello Uric. I’m Dr. Martin. It’s nice to meet you.” Tariq translated. She understood when he corrected her name to Dr. Al Marktum. She still wasn’t used to calling herself that. After last night she truly was his wife. She still glowed from their time together.

  Laurel looked at Tariq. “Does he mind me asking him some questions and examining him? You will need to translate.”

  “Yes, that is fine.”

  Over the next half an hour she asked questions with Tariq’s help and took notes. “Would you ask him how he has managed to survived to adulthood living in the tribe? I know he must have been hurt at some time.”

  Tariq nodded. When he had finished talking to the man he turned to her. “He was born in the city. He joined the tribe later in life. He keeps a supply of factor. If no one brings him a supply he goes down for it. He only takes factor if he has fallen or cut himself.”

  “Ask how his joints feel and if he will walk to the other tent and back.”

  Again Tariq translated. “He does have pain after long walks. Especially if it is cold. It has become more frequent.”

  Laurel watched the man walk away, paying special attention to his knees. “So he does have the deterioration of the joints that I expected.” She watched carefully as the man returned to them. “Would you ask him if he would be willing to come in for X-rays when he comes to the city again?”

  Tariq relayed her request. “He said he will but it will be months from now.”

  “Tell him that will be fine. And thank you.” She smiled at the man. But she might not be here when that happened. If her funding did come through, she would be gone. Sadness came over her. Tariq had said nothing about their relationship becoming a real one. She couldn’t base the rest of her life on one night of passion. It took more than that
. She turned to him. “Even if I am not here to see him, will you see that his test results are sent to me?”

  Tariq studied her a moment with his now expressionless eyes and spoke to the man, who returned a toothy grin and hobbled away.

  She and Tariq finished with the last few people waiting and stored the few supplies they hadn’t given away.

  “What will happen with these?” Laurel placed her hand on the boxes of supplies.

  “We will leave them here. They will be used. Come, we need to get dressed for the celebration.” Tariq headed for the tent and she joined him.

  Laurel entered behind Tariq to find two royal blue traditional gowns with silver braid down the front openings hanging on a tent pole hook. Sitting on the chest was a matching headdress for him, and another that was much like the one she had worn at their wedding. The clothes were extraordinary. She ran her finger along a section of the braid then looked at Tariq.

  “The women of the village started working on these as soon as we arrived. They are our wedding gift from the village. We are to wear them tonight.”

  “They are absolutely gorgeous.” She couldn’t believe the generosity of these people.

  Tariq picked up his bag. “I need to check on my aunt then I’m going to the stream to wash up. So you will have some privacy.”

  Laurel had just pulled on the gown when he returned.

  “There should be a belt for yours,” Tariq commented as he put his bag down.

  Laurel look through the material on the bed and found the belt. It was embellished with silver as well. She tied it at her waist.

  Tariq came to her. “Let me help you.” He removed the belt and wrapped it in and out, creating a pattern.

  She looked at the top of his head. “If you have to give up being a prince, you can always go into dressing women.”

  Tariq straightened and gave her a pointed look. “I would much rather undress them. One in particular.”