“Did you doubt me?”
“Never.”
He bent his head and their lips met in an explosion of passion they’d kept under tight guard since that morning. Exhilaration rushed through her as their tongues tangled. Her hands fisted in his clothes—for once he wore a long robe—and she inhaled deeply to draw his soothing scent deep inside her.
His arms closed around her like a vice, pulling her hard against his chest. She could feel his heart beating and breath filling his lungs. Being in his arms felt totally natural, a relief after the frustration and worry of waiting for him. “I missed you,” she admitted.
“It took all my self-control to wait until the guards changed watch. Then I climbed onto the roof from the next door building and shinned down the wall into the window.”
“I’m sorry that you have to sneak around.”
“I’m not. I’m highly trained in sneaking around, and I take a certain pride in it.” He winked. Then he ran his hands down over her body, feeling the outline of it through her robe. His fingers brushed past her waist and her hips, and squeezed the curve of her backside.
“Am I really going to get to see what’s hiding underneath all those traditional dresses?”
Aliyah tugged at the ties in the front of her robe and let it fall open. She heard Gibran’s sharp intake of breath.
He lifted a hand and brushed her bare nipple with his fingertips. It tightened under his touch and a shiver of sensation roamed through her. Her breasts felt heavy and tingling, and something stirred deep inside her belly—in her womb. She had definitely never been this aroused in her life.
Gibran’s robe was belted with a sash, and she stuck her fingers into it and tugged until it gave way. He also wore an evening robe that opened in the front, and it parted to reveal a sliver of tanned chest and a very impressive erection.
She stared for a second, because she’d never seen anything like it. Would that really fit inside her? She felt herself biting her lip.
“Don’t be nervous, everything’s going to be fine.” He spoke like a wolf talking to a trapped lamb.
She grinned nervously. “Promises, promises. Can anyone hear us?”
“If we’re loud they will. Try to contain yourself.” His smoldering gaze suggested that might be difficult.
Her bed was curtained against the tiny biting insects that swarmed at certain times of the year, the inside hidden from view. He took her hand and led her toward it. Standing next to the bed he pushed her robe gently back over her shoulders until it fell to the stone floor, leaving her naked in the patterned light from a single wrought-iron lantern.
“You are unbelievably beautiful.” He drank in the sight of her, looking like a man who’d just crawled across the desert and found an oasis.
She lifted her arms and pushed his robe back, which wasn’t so easy as he was taller than her and his shoulders were broad. Finally it fell, sliding down thickly muscled arms, one ornamented with the shattered heart tattoo, revealing his strong chest, powerful thighs and sturdy calves.
He parted the curtain and led her into the canopy and onto the bed. The curtains fell closed behind them, leaving them in a private world. She lifted her fingers to his face and stroked the hard line of his cheek and his stubbled jaw, then let her fingertips trail down to his chest, over the thick pectorals and along his hard stomach, which contracted under her touch. His erection jumped in anticipation, which sent a shimmy of pure arousal through her.
He kissed her lips, and her nipples brushed against his bare chest, sparking heat in her core. Already she was wet and ready for him, and her fingers now trembled as she shoved them into his thick hair.
“Are you ready?” He asked it softly.
She nodded, not sure she could even form words right now. She lay back on the pillows, his hands roaming over her body while she shifted herself into position. He rolled on a condom—it was the first time she’d ever seen one, though she’d heard about them before—then climbed over her carefully, kissed her firmly on the mouth, and entered her with exquisite tenderness.
She felt herself open for him like a flower, drawing him deep, as her arms closed around his broad back. Their kiss deepened as he sank further into her, visiting places no man had ever been before and flooding her body with intense sensation that made her moan through their kiss.
Propped on his elbows, he kissed her softly while he moved in a tantalizing rhythm. She felt her hips rise and fall with him as she held him close. The intense sensation building inside her made her moan again, and the sound startled her. She couldn’t make noise! It became harder and harder to keep quiet as raw, powerful pleasure surged through her and made every part of her body sizzle.
Gibran kissed all over her face and neck, still riding her. He was so hard she could sense him dancing inside her, and the feeling was incredible. So this is what people made such a fuss over!
And emotion was building in her, whether she wanted it to or not. She’d had feelings for Gibran almost from the moment she met him. Mixed feelings, for sure, but strong ones. Now they grew more powerful than ever. He was a strong man and brave but also defensive—trying to protect himself from being hurt—and that drew on tenderness deep within her.
He’d prodded her into driving, and drawn her out of her comfort zone into the family group, all because he cared enough to help her. He was a lot kinder and more thoughtful than he wanted anyone to realize. She cared about him, and the more she got to know him, the more deeply she cared.
Which was foolish, really. He was deliberately unpredictable, wary, and clearly shied away from commitments.
Still, right now he was wrapped around her, holding her and kissing her like he intended to devote the rest of his life to her.
Her hips rose to meet his, drawing him as deep as she dared, holding him tight and giving herself over to the emotion and sensation that swept through her. She’d been through a lot already in her short life, so she couldn’t blame herself for seizing pleasure and passion with both hands now it had come unexpectedly into her life.
A sudden rush of sensation took her breath away, and fierce contractions shook her. She gasped, breaking their kiss, as she felt her insides seize Gibran and squeeze him tight. What was happening? Fierce waves of sensation swept over her. She clutched him, wondering if her body was going to explode or if she might be about to die for the crime of giving into her desire for this man.
He let out a long, low groan and she felt him pulsing inside her. He collapsed on her, heavy and breathless, and their sweat mingled while he murmured a few gentle expletives. Then he gingerly eased himself off her and lay beside her.
“Are you okay?” He kissed her cheek.
“Why do you ask?” she managed to force the words out in a shocked whisper.
“You look…stunned.”
“I feel stunned,” she rasped. “I think I had some kind of…convulsion.” She was embarrassed by it. For a few moments she hadn’t even been in control of her own body, and it had spasmed like a chicken that had just been slaughtered.
A warm smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “That’s an orgasm. It’s completely normal and natural. I guess you never had one before.”
“I certainly haven’t.” She blinked. Other people’s bodies did that? She’d really had no idea what sex was supposed to be like until now.
It was amazing.
“It felt good, though, right?”
“It felt….” She groped for words. “Unbelievable. Like the world was going to explode and you and I were the only people in it.”
“Maybe we are.” He kissed her cheek and nuzzled it. Warm fuzzy feelings flooded her, for a moment, then caution flashed back over her.
“I hope I didn’t make any noise.”
“You were quiet as the sunrise.”
“What a relief.” She let out a sigh. Her body was still throbbing and pulsing down there, and sensation zinged through her. “This was much more…intense than I expected.”
&
nbsp; “We have amazing chemistry.”
“Chemistry? I thought that was about test tubes and formulas.”
“Heck no. It’s about reactions and explosions.” He grinned, his cheek right against hers. “And as you can see we have plenty of those.”
She hesitated, then decided she had to ask. “Have you had…chemistry with other women before?”
His brow furrowed slightly and she watched his chest rise as he drew in a breath. “Not like this. There’s something different between you and me.”
“I guess that’s a good thing.”
“Is it?” He didn’t look at her while he asked the question, so she didn’t answer. He was talking to himself, no doubt wondering if he was getting into something over his head.
She was wondering the same thing. Neither of them knew where this was going.
“Well, I enjoyed it.”
He kissed her softly on the mouth. “I did, too, Aliyah. You’re a very sensual woman.”
“I had no idea.”
“I know.”
“First you get me driving, now you get me…convulsing. What next?”
“I guess we’ll find out eventually. But for now I need to get out of here and back to my room.” He kissed her on the mouth, and their tongues met one last time.
She was still sighing as he glanced out the window, climbed up onto the roof, and his footsteps disappeared. She sank back into the pillows, still stunned and disbelieving but very, very curious to find out where this was going.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The next morning, Aliyah awoke wondering if Gibran’s nighttime visit had been a dream. Her girls begged to go eat breakfast with the family. Unable to come up with a good reason why not, she walked across the garden to the bright room where breakfast was spread on the table: fruit, freshly baked bread, yoghurt, honey, and eggs for those who wanted.
She cut up fruit for Parsia and helped Nasri spread honey on her bread. She kept glancing up nervously, afraid of how she’d react when she saw Gibran. Or any of them. How would they feel about her if they knew how she’d spent last night? Her indiscretion with Gibran felt like a huge and dangerous secret.
“Hi girls! Hey, Aliyah!” Ronnie breezed in with her sketchbook and sat down next to her. Aliyah glanced at the open pages and saw a jumble of shapes scribbled in pencil.
“Hi.” Aliyah smiled, trying not to look as guilty as she felt. “What are you drawing?”
“Believe it or not…” Ronnie reached for some bread and spooned some melon onto her plate. “This will be a building. I’m just playing with concepts in my head. I’m trying to figure out how to make the most of the light here and the way it plays across planes as it changes during the day.”
Aliyah nodded, wishing she really understood what Ronnie was talking about. She understood the English well enough, but light playing across planes? That must be something you learned about in American universities.
“Morning ladies!” Sam wandered in, tapping something into her phone. “I just learned that my documentary on the marriage ceremony in Nabattur will be shown on TV in the United Kingdom and France this fall.”
“Congratulations.” Aliyah smiled warmly. They were both so accomplished—and energetic! Sam was pregnant with her first child and beginning to show, but it didn’t slow her down at all. Aliyah had been sick as a dog through both of her pregnancies.
“Gibran told us you’re learning to drive.” Sam spooned honey onto some yoghurt. “He said you drive like a professional.”
She shrugged. “It’s not so hard. I thought it would be more difficult.”
“I remember when I got my first car,” mused Sam. “I was sixteen and earned seven hundred dollars from babysitting my neighbors’ twins. I spent it on a used Honda Civic—baby blue—and when I got behind the wheel I felt like I’d been given the key to the world.”
Ronnie nodded. “I know the feeling. My dad bought me a car for my seventeenth birthday. Instead of being thrilled about the car, I was mad because he didn’t turn up to celebrate it with me because he had some big conference he had to attend at the last minute. And I had no idea how to drive! I lived in New York City so I didn’t need to. But after I took a few lessons and discovered that I could go to Jersey or Philly or Washington, D.C., without even telling anyone, I was hooked. Where do you want to go, Aliyah, now that you can go anywhere?”
Aliyah looked down at her plate for a second. They would think she was foolish for visiting a grove of trees she remembered from her childhood. “I don’t know.”
“I bet you do,” urged Sam. “Come on, tell us the truth.” She’d said the last part in Ubarite, which was sweet. She’d made a big effort to learn it and was getting pretty good.
“I’ve always wanted to see the Far Mountains. Maybe I could drive my girls there.”
“Yes Mama! Please!” The high-pitched chorus sounded like she’d just suggested they go to the famous Disney World she’d heard about, not an empty stretch of desert known for its dramatic sunsets.
“We’ll go, my loves, soon. But not today.” She wanted to get more experience before driving with her girls in the car.
“Yes, today we need to do some serious planning for the contest or summit or whatever we’re going to call it. How about the ‘games’? That sounds nice and non-threatening. What do you think, Aliyah?”
They went on to have a productive discussion and lay out several events, from a welcome reception, to a grand awards ceremony where everyone got something rather fabulous, to a festive send off.
Aliyah was impressed by how quickly and decisively her new sisters made decisions, and she pledged to practice being so bold and firm herself. They were a great example for her girls, who played and ran around the table while they spoke and made notes. They managed to communicate fairly effectively in a mix of Ubarite and English, and she began to feel like maybe she could grow close to them after all.
After lunch, Zadir offered to take the girls to the stables to visit the horses, and they were thrilled at the chance to spend time alone with their fun uncle. Aliyah, Sam and Ronnie—she was starting to think of them by the familiar nicknames, now—were left alone to relax in the garden and sip coffee. They talked about which fabrics were coolest in the heat, which oils were best for moisturizing hair and how to bake almond cookies so that they were crispy and brown on the outside and chewy inside—true “girl stuff”! She was relaxed and enjoying herself, not feeling at all self-conscious any more, when Sam asked a question that hit her like a bullet to the chest.
“Aliyah, would you prefer to have your own house, your own estate, for you and the girls?” Sam was smiling as if this was just a casual question.
“You mean, leave the palace?” Aliyah tried to keep her voice steady.
“Yes,” chimed in Ronnie. “You must feel a little strange still living here now that Osman and Sam have moved in. You could build a new house, exactly like you want, for you and the girls. I’d be happy to design it. I can do a traditional Ubarite design if you prefer, with a courtyard garden and an orchard. I’ve been studying traditional designs and I really admire the way they utilize the movement of air….”
Aliyah couldn’t really understand what she was saying about evaporative cooling techniques and besides her mind had galloped away with her. She’d been sitting here thinking about how they were growing closer—truly becoming sisters—when all along they’d hatched a plan to move her out of the palace!
Her heart beat faster and she could hear her breathing growing unsteady. They didn’t want her and the girls here any more. She knew Ronnie was building her own house—a modernist palace for her and Zadir—in the remote part of the kingdom that Zadir had inherited. She and Zadir were just living here temporarily while it was being constructed.
Sam wanted her gone. She wanted the palace for herself and Osman and didn’t want any hangers-on from the old regime cluttering up the place. She felt tears prick her eyes. “You’d prefer me to move?”
“I
was just thinking that you’d prefer it.” Sam looked earnest, and now a bit concerned. “I know most women like to be mistress of their own house. Then you can run everything the way you want. I’m sure Osman would be fine with giving you whichever piece of land you choose, or you could even move right into Nabattur if you prefer. It would be easier to see your family.”
Aliyah blinked, still not able to comprehend what Sam was suggesting. She wanted her to leave her home, where she’d been so grateful that she and the girls could live, and be cast out with her children. Unless…
Icy fear struck her heart. “Would I get to take my girls with me?” Her voice was a shaky whisper. She couldn’t bear to leave them behind. Though if it meant they could still get an education, maybe she could put her own needs to the side. She felt a hot tear roll down her cheek.
“Of course you would! Aliyah, what’s the matter?” Sam reached out a hand and touched her shoulder. Aliyah flinched away. A mix of shame and rage rushed through her. She’d so totally misunderstood Sam and Ronnie’s intentions for her! How could she have thought that they wanted her to be a member of the family, when all along they were plotting to get rid of her?
They wanted her to leave, so if she told them she didn’t want to, she’d be inconveniencing and annoying them. She wasn’t sure if she was angry with herself, or with Sam for upturning her whole world. All she knew was that she needed to get out of here.
“Aliyah, wait!” She could hear Sam hurrying after her. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings! I just thought—”
“Aliyah, what’s the matter?” Osman’s deep voice stopped her in her tracks. She’d almost run headlong in to him as she crashed through the orchard toward her quarters—the quarters they wanted her out of.
Maybe Gibran was part of this conspiracy. Perhaps they’d encouraged him to teach her to drive so she could be independent enough to move away. Cold horror chilled her to the core.
“It’s…nothing. I don’t mind leaving.” She managed to push the words out. The whole thing was probably Osman’s idea. He was the new king and no doubt wanted the palace to himself, without any unpleasant memories of his father’s last marriage.
Desert Kings Boxed Set: The Complete Series Books 1-6 Page 56
