Innocent in the Harem

by Michelle Willingham

  “Turn onto your stomach,” he instructed.

  There was an unexpected disappointment that he did not intend to caress her breasts further. When she laid upon her stomach, he moved the length of her hair to one side. Warm hands touched her skin, the oil sliding over her. He massaged her in a different way than she’d experienced earlier, when the slave had prepared her. His palms and fingertips soothed a path down her spine. Sensual and sleek, she shuddered when his mouth bent to her throat.

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve been with a virgin,” Khadin whispered. His mouth caught at her earlobe again, teasing it. “It fires my blood to think that I’ll be the first man to be inside of you. If you allow it.”

  His hands moved down to stroke her bottom, and he parted her thighs slightly, his fingertips grazing her moist center.

  A shock of heat made her tremble, and she bit her lip as his thumbs slid over the seam hiding her womanhood. She couldn’t stop the cry that broke forth when he rubbed a touch of the oil over her intimate folds.

  Her fists gripped the coverlet, and she spasmed when his fingers slid inside her, as if to prepare her for his entrance. She was wet against his hand, her fingers gripping the coverlet as she gasped. He entered and withdrew his fingers several times before he stopped and rolled her over.

  “Shall I stop?”

  Laila couldn’t breathe, her body tingling with sensation. The effects of the oil had begun to impact her, and right now, an aching lust tormented her. With every touch, she was losing herself.

  In the dim light of the lamp, she saw Khadin’s face staring down at her. “You feel it, don’t you?”

  “Yes,” she managed. “I don’t think I can bear it.”

  A shadowed smile crossed over his face. “You’re going to have to, güzelim. For I’ve not begun to pleasure you yet.”

  He sat closer to her feet and massaged the insoles and ankles, easing the pain of the past few weeks. Then up to her calves, the scented oil rising from her skin in a spicy perfume. His hand briefly brushed her mound, which was now smooth and free of hair from the earlier preparations.

  Then Khadin parted her thighs, sliding his hands against her intimate flesh once more. Laila arched her back, the excitement building higher.

  She looked up into his eyes, and though it killed her to say it, she whispered, “I need you to stop.” If she let him go any further, he would join his flesh with hers.

  Khadin’s expression was dark and shuttered. “All right, güzelim,” he murmured. “I’ll stop touching you. But it’s your turn to massage my skin.” He gave her the vial of oil and kissed her softly. Rolling onto his stomach, he awaited her ministrations.

  The vial was warm from his hands, and it took her a moment to realize that she was treading upon dangerous ground while touching him. Now that he had left her alone, the wild feeling surged inside, transforming into physical frustration.

  Tentatively she reached out and touched his neck, moving her palm across his nape and back. She poured the oil into her palm and massaged the muscles, just as he had done for her. He tensed as her hands moved over him, and then he groaned in relief.

  It was a strange sense of power. She slid her hands over every part of his shoulders and back and was startled to find herself responding once more.

  Khadin lay with his face turned to the side, and it was then that she saw a light scar upon his temple. She leaned forward to touch it, her bare breasts grazing his back. “What happened to you?”

  His mouth softened in a cynical smile. “One of the odalisques threw me into the baths when I was about two years of age. I struck my head upon the marble and nearly died.”

  The admission sent a cold fear through her. Being a prince did not necessarily guarantee his safety, even within the palace walls. “Have there been many attempts on your life?”

  “Enough,” was all he would say. She did not ask anything further, understanding his reluctance to speak of it.

  Pouring more oil into her hands, she massaged his back and shoulders, moving down to his hips and legs. When she reached his feet, he rolled over, flinching at the touch.

  “Are you ticklish?” A smile rose to her mouth at the thought.

  “Sometimes.” He brought her to sit upon his lap, facing him. When she straddled his waist, his erection pressed close to her folds. “I enjoyed the afternoon we spent together,” he murmured against her throat. With a soft kiss, he pulled her into his arms, guiding her until she was snuggled in his arms, her backside pressed against his length.

  That was it. He truly was going to stop. Her heartbeat was pounding, and Allah, she’d never felt this way before. Liquid and aching, and filled with desperate needs.

  She felt the soft sounds of his breathing, though there was a rigid tension in him. Laila tried to sleep, but the pressure of his body against hers was only making her want more. The heat of his manhood was what she needed now. She needed him inside her, to satiate this fever.

  All she had to do was ask.

  This was no longer about gaining her freedom. She couldn’t lie to herself and say that she didn’t want him. She did. Her body was crying out, begging her to surrender everything.

  She moved over to face him and saw that his blue eyes were open. He looked like a man on the edge of his control.

  “What do you want from me, Laila?”

  “I don’t know.” All she knew was that she regretted her decision to stop. Khadin was an honorable man, a prince who had saved her from the worst sort of fate. Her hands moved up to touch his chest. “I know that neither of us is content right now.”

  “I’ll be all right.” He leaned back, resting his arms behind his head. She didn’t like being the cause of his unrest. He was holding back for her sake, when he didn’t have to.

  She reached out to touch his pectoral muscles, her hands splayed over his chest. If she became his concubine, she would turn her back on everything her family had wanted for her.

  But then, they were gone. There was no one to protect her anymore. No one to command her life. She could only make choices for herself, whether right or wrong.

  “I don’t understand,” she said to Khadin, “why you gave me the choice to say no.”

  “You have little enough freedom.” He kissed her fingertips, drawing one tip into his mouth. “But this, I can grant.”

  His words crumbled away her remaining resistance. Her past was gone, caught in a life she would never again lead. She could not know what the future would hold, and it was best to live in the moment. To decide what it was she truly wanted.

  She reached up to grasp Khadin’s neck, drawing him down for a kiss. With her mouth, she opened to him, letting him know of her surrender. She drew her hands over his naked back and down to muscular hips.

  He raised her up onto her knees, taking her breast into his mouth. She cried out, gripping his shoulders. Beneath her woman’s flesh he pressed his shaft slightly, and it shocked her to feel something thick sliding within her opening.

  “Do you want me?” he whispered, tantalizing her with the pressure. Khadin’s breathing was harsh, and he rubbed against her, driving her closer to a sensation that made her skin tighten, her nipples cockled with desire as he tongued one, then the other.

  “Yes,” she answered, hoping she would not regret the decision.

  When her body began to tremble, her breath coming in quick gasps, Khadin sheathed himself within her. She cried out at the tightness, but he stopped abruptly, kissing her until she started to relax against the sensation. Though she was sore, the pain quickly receded when he began to move against her.

  It was a strange sensation of fullness. His penetrations no longer hurt, but instead, they conjured up a muted pleasure. He palmed her hips, forcing her to ride him. It reminded her of the rocking sensation of trotting with a horse, only she’d never imagined it with a man. She arched against his rhythm, shuddering as he used his erection to pleasure her.

  Khadin’s face was tense, and he rolled her
onto her back. It was awkward at first as she tried to lift her hips to meet him, but he controlled the tempo, filling her up with long, smooth strokes. She understood that he was trying to make this first time good for her. He was being so careful, gently joining with her.

  And yet, she belonged to him now, as his concubine. She was a woman meant to give him release, to satisfy his needs. She reached to grasp his backside, her fingers urging him faster. But even when he quickened his thrusts, it didn’t seem to be enough for him.

  He needed more from her, and she couldn’t know what it was. She wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering, “It’s all right, Khadin. Show me what it is you need.”

  With her words, Khadin closed his eyes and nodded. Still buried within her, he drew her legs back together, and the motion created a stronger friction as he withdrew and plunged inside. His mouth took her breasts, sucking hard as he thrust.

  A rising shiver started to take hold from inside her, an aching heat that made her breath quicken. Over and over, he penetrated until a white-hot explosion rocked against her flesh, making her shatter against him. The dizzying eruption went on and on, her body milking his length as she came apart. At last, she heard him emit a groan as he drove deeply within, seizing his own release.

  Her heartbeat pummeled within her chest, her body alive in ways she’d never expected. She couldn’t stop herself from touching Khadin, running her hands over his neck, down his shoulders, and holding him in a tight embrace.

  He leaned up, pressing another kiss upon her mouth. There was a slight smile on his lips, and he murmured, “Are you all right, güzelim?”

  “Yes.” She kissed him back, offering it freely. Though she couldn’t quite believe that she’d given herself to him in this way, it had indeed been pleasurable, as he’d promised.

  And yet, as he gathered her into his embrace, the soft sheets encasing them, she couldn’t let go of her fear. For though he had given her a night that she would always remember, she feared it wouldn’t last. Most of all, she was afraid of losing herself in this world of secret pleasures.

  Chapter Four

  Four days later

  The ink was not yet dry, but Khadin lifted the parchment. Upon it, he’d written his wishes that Laila should receive her freedom, along with the white stallion. He wanted his command in writing, so that no one could deny it to her.

  She lay sleeping upon his bed, her fingers resting on the spot where he had slept. Last night, he’d spent hours making love with her, hardly able to sleep. She’d given herself to him, time and again, until they’d both collapsed in exhaustion. Even when he’d gone to sleep, he’d felt her hands caressing his skin, as if to imprint herself upon him.

  He’d gone with Laila each morning to the stables, watching as she fed and comforted the injured stallion. The horse had fallen under Laila’s spell, and yesterday, he had allowed Laila to ride him. It stunned Khadin to think that she could transform a horse with love, making the animal feel safe.

  But then, she’d captivated him. He’d wanted no other woman since the first time he’d seen her. Watching her cry out in ecstasy when he filled her body with his own was something he craved. He didn’t want to ever let her go.

  But his time had run out. Last night, he’d received the summons he’d been waiting for. The sultan would receive him this morning in the Imperial Hall. No matter what the outcome might be, he had to secure Laila’s fate. If he could have his greatest wish, it would be to take her back with him to Nerassia.

  A soft tap came at his door, and when he granted permission for the person to enter, he saw four kapici standing there. They wore black, with scimitars hanging around their waists. One held a braided cord in his hand, and Khadin tensed.

  “Laila,” he called out. “Rise and go back to the harem.” He wanted her gone, for although the threat was against him, he didn’t want her involved.

  She stirred at the sound of his voice and clutched the bedcovers to her. Glancing over, he saw the nervous expression on her face. “What is it?”

  “Do as I command.” He rose and tossed her the clothes she’d worn to his chamber. Eyeing the kapici, he said, “Has my father summoned me?”

  One bowed, nodding. “His Majesty, Suleiman the Magnificent, has indeed requested your presence, Prince Khadin.”

  So be it. His time of waiting was finished. A knot formed in his stomach as he kept his gaze fixed upon the cord within the guard’s palm. Were they planning to execute him? Or would they do so after he’d spoken with Suleiman?

  Laila moved to stand beside him, and Khadin took the parchment, folding it into her hand. “Give this to Princess Mihrimah. She will obey my orders.”

  Her eyes widened, “But I thought—“

  Khadin lowered his voice so that the kapici would not hear him. “My father has sent for me.”

  “What are you afraid of?” she whispered, taking his hand in hers. “I see it in your face.”

  He risked a glance at the guards, who were growing impatient. “If I do not return to you, take the stallion and leave the palace. I’ve ordered escorts for you as well. They’ll see to your freedom.” He reached out to touch her face, but her eyes showed nothing but worry for him. “I should have given you emeralds or pearls for the nights we’ve spent together. But this, I think, is what you truly desire.”

  “What do you mean, if you do not return?” she demanded. “Your own father would do nothing to harm you, would he?”

  Khadin lowered his forehead to hers, not wanting anything but honesty between them. “I don’t know. But you will be safe. I’ve seen to it.”

  She leaned up and pressed her mouth to his, and he gripped her fiercely. The touch of her lips sent a ripple of fire through him, reminding him of the sweetness they’d shared in his bed.

  “If I can come back to you, I will,” he swore. Leading her forward, he walked into the corridor where a eunuch waited. “Take her back to the harem,” he commanded. But as she disappeared into the forbidden quarters, he couldn’t drive the memory of her from his mind. Nor did he want to.

  Laila couldn’t stop herself from imagining the worst. Hours had passed since she’d been forced to leave the prince, and she didn’t know if he was still alive. Though she had been given her own place within the harem, she hardly cared. Not once had she slept anywhere but within Khadin’s bed. Being parted from him was wrenching, for he’d come to mean something to her.

  Last night had been breathtaking. The physical intimacy seemed to grow more intense with each time she joined with him. It was as if she’d now given Khadin a part of herself to keep. Sleeping within his arms each night, he’d filled up all the empty places inside her heart, driving away the grief of loss. Perhaps it was only the attraction between them, but she wanted to believe that it could be more. It shouldn’t have affected her this way, but she couldn’t stop herself. And now, his life might be in danger.

  She’d given the parchment declaring her freedom to the kizlar ağasi who had promised to inform the princess of her new status. Princess Mihrimah, the sultan’s eldest daughter, had taken the position of valide sultana after the death of her husband, governing the harem and its inhabitants. Laila hoped that Khadin’s wishes would be honored, but she would not know until she met with the woman.

  Though she joined the other women in the hamam, bathing her sore muscles, she wanted to huddle against the wall and release the fear welling up inside her. Already her status had changed and not for the better. The concubines shot her jealous looks as they bathed, complaining that a Bedouin did not deserve to be favored by a prince. As she sat within the hot steam, Laila washed herself, remembering Khadin’s hands caressing her skin.

  Don’t lose your heart to him, she warned herself. You’re only one woman among hundreds.

  And yet, he’d kept his promise to grant her freedom and give her the stallion, though the animal was not fully tamed. She’d named the animal Amir, a name that reflected his princely nature. Proud and stubborn, he was a horse
whom she felt she could love. The way she was starting to have feelings for Khadin.

  Laila shivered, for the kapici who had escorted the prince had looked grim, as though they were bringing him to an execution rather than an audience. Let Khadin be safe, she prayed.

  She stood from the baths and another eunuch attended her, wrapping her up in linen to dry. As she dressed for her meeting with Princess Mehrimah, her hands began shaking. She didn’t like this helpless feeling, of waiting behind these walls to know of her fate.

  When she was brought to the valide sultana’s chambers, Laila saw an exquisitely beautiful older woman who wore robes patterned with turquoise and silver over a creamy-white anteri and şalvar trousers. Princess Mehrimah’s hair was hidden beneath a turban, and each of her fingers held a jeweled ring. Long fingernails curved in arches, while her cosmetics accentuated red lips and kohl-lined eyes.

  As she was bidden, Laila knelt before the princess, and pressed her mouth to the hem of the turquoise robe. A soft hand lifted up her chin, and she dared to look into the valide sultana’s face.

  “You have not yet been introduced to my father, have you?” Princess Mihrimah asked. Although her voice was calm and held a musical quality, Laila didn’t miss the power within it.

  “No, my lady. I serve Prince Khadin,” Laila had answered.

  The princess gave a thin smile. “I’ve heard the tales of you. That you’ve been working in the stables with one of the horses each day.” The woman’s fingertips touched her cheek. “It is not something I would ever permit. An odalisque should never leave the harem.”

  Laila’s instincts warned her not to argue. There was more at stake than she realized.

  The princess folded her hands in her lap. “It is said that you have a magical gift with animals. Perhaps you may be allowed to keep a pet of sorts.” An amused smile crossed her face. “Or perhaps my father will keep you as a pet, if you please him.”

  The mention of the sultan made Laila’s insides clench tighter. She did not wish to be summoned to his bed, nor let her life fall into his hands. It was clear that her only means of escaping the palace was with the prince. If Khadin was permitted to leave.