by Leslie North
“So, you weren’t thinking that maybe you should wait for me?” he asked gently.
“Should you be out of the hospital?”
Masoud shrugged and sat on the bed. “I’m fine, and you’re ignoring the question. Were you trying to give me the slip?”
Fleur fidgeted nervously. “You need to see your father, and you need to get the diamond back. Besides, I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”
“My father is fine. I spoke to the doctor myself. His tests weren’t as bad as originally thought. He’ll be down for a few days, but he should make a full recovery. He doesn’t need me by his side. And I have people to track down the diamond. Anton apparently thinks he’s indestructible, but I have contacts. They’ll find him in no time, and they don’t need me breathing down their necks to do it.”
“Masoud….”
“Fleur, it’s a mild concussion. I’m fine. And I’m not letting you go all half-cocked to some other Middle Eastern territory alone. It’s not safe for you.”
She shrugged. “You’re right. I’ll go home. That way no one has to worry about me.” She leaned over to grab her bag, and he reached out to snag her arm.
“Fleur, we really need to discuss how often you lie to me. I know you’re going to the mines,” he said softly. “If I knew how to stop you, I would. Since I can’t, I am going with you.”
“I thought you didn’t trust me,” she said bitterly as she stared at him. What could he possibly be thinking? She wasn’t a threat to his precious diamond anymore. Why would he want to stay close to her?
“I said things that I shouldn’t have. I am constantly surrounded by conspiracy, politics and money. All of it plays a role in everything that I do. But this is not your fault. You were protecting someone you trusted, and you had no reason to trust me. I understand that. This has nothing to do with the diamond. I know you’re going after that mine, and I want to make sure you’re safe.”
What the hell did that mean? A few sexy moments together didn’t usually warrant a bodyguard. She had one-night stands all the time. Well, not all the time. A few times. One time. And the guy didn’t offer to take a trip into the unknown with her afterward. “It’s not necessary,” she said stiffly as she pulled away.
Masoud shrugged. “It doesn’t matter if it’s necessary, Fleur. It’s happening. I’ve already made arrangements to make sure that no one lets you fly out without me. There are perks to being a Sheikh.”
“That’s abuse of power,” she muttered but she was pleased that he’d made so much effort for her. The truth was that she could feel something blooming between them, and she wanted to explore it more. He softened his grip on her, and she slung her bag over her shoulder. “I hope you’re packed.”
“I’m packed, and I have a private plane at our disposal. Where are we going?”
She flashed him a smile. “I’ll tell you on the way.”
Chapter Thirteen
Masoud called his brothers to explain the situation. Jaymin was not happy. “You’re in East Africa, and you’re not even tailing the diamond? When father gets better, you’re going to have to explain your actions and your priorities,” he said tightly.
Adil was more forgiving. “Traveling across the country for a woman? You’re losing your touch, Masoud.”
Masoud rolled his eyes and refused to give in to Adil’s teasing or Jaymin’s uptight lecture. Adil was more than handy with a computer, and if anyone could trace Anton’s whereabouts, it was he. Fleur spent the entire plane ride pouring over the map.
“Now, do you care to explain what we’re doing here?” he asked softly once they’d landed.
“The side of the diamond is engraved with something that looks like the letter J,” she said absently.
“Yes, I’m aware,” he said patiently.
“In ancient Hebrew, it means staff. There are quite a few references to a staff of God in the Bible. Most notable is the use of Moses’s staff that turned into a snake. But Solomon’s Diamond didn’t reside on a staff. It’s in a ring, so that threw me at first. Until I remembered something I learned in an anthropology class. There is a very small and private bush tribe known as the Samekhi. Samehk translates to the hand on the staff or the control of the staff. Now, the tribe itself isn’t well known because they won’t let anyone study them. In fact, they’re quite violent in making sure no one disturbs their privacy. It’s almost like they’re guarding a secret.”
Masoud raised his eyebrows. “You think they’re guarding Solomon’s Mines? That’s a fairly long stretch. Not to mention that they could be beyond rich if they shared their secret.”
“If their ancestors were given the right to guard the mines, they would no doubt take it very seriously. They’re relatively untouched by the rest of the world, so the chances are good that they fear the wrath of God if they give up their secret. And it’s more than just the name that leads me to them. The only thing we really know about them is that they are not nomadic. Even after centuries, they have never changed their location. They also don’t have to. Despite the droughts that plague the area and the roaming wildlife, they always have an abundance of water and food. These are easily the most nourished of the bushman tribes, which is why, at one time, everyone wanted to study them. The other thing we know about them is that they are all tattooed with a symbol over their heart.”
“The symbol for the staff,” Masoud guessed.
“Marked with the same symbol that’s etched in the diamond. Miraculously blessed in a harsh region and violently private. It can’t be ignored,” Fleur said excitedly.
“So why the sad face?”
“Well, I wasn’t kidding about the violently private part. There are academics who have persisted in getting close to them, and it didn’t end well. It’s incredibly dangerous for us to get close, and it might be impossible to get any information out of them or to explore the region.”
He wasn’t keen on taking Fleur into a dangerous situation, but he knew she wasn’t going to back down. After what had happened at the caves, he had expected her to run back to her desk, but she seemed more determined than ever. He couldn’t help but feel proud that she was rising to the occasion, but he feared she would go too far.
“Do you speak their language? Can you communicate with them?”
“I’m not sure. More than a few journals identify the majority of their language as ancient Hebrew, but as generations pass, the language evolves. About thirty years ago, one scholar did manage to record some of the language, but when a linguist looked at it, they were baffled. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason behind some of the words.” She pursed her lips. “It was like babble, but they could obviously communicate with each other, so it wasn’t entirely misunderstood.”
“So we can’t communicate with them, and they’ll likely kill us if we get too close to their secret. Am I missing anything?” Masoud asked casually.
She looked at him and frowned. “Actually, yes. On the off chance that we do find the mines, I can’t tell anyone about it. People would kill for this kind of information, and while the tribe might be effective warriors and guards, they’re still a primitive group of people. They’d be slaughtered if they continued to stand in the way.”
“And that’s what you’re really worried about,” he said softly. “You’re afraid that if you discover the mines, these people will pay the price.”
Fleur smiled sadly. “Unfortunately, archeologists are often cutthroat. I’m starting to think that we shouldn’t have even come here. But I have to know. I have to know if I’m right.”
She had an insatiable curiosity, and he knew it would more than likely consume her if she didn’t at least try. He didn’t think he’d ever felt so passionate about anything like that. It made him wonder about the purpose of his life. She always needed to know more, and just a few days ago, he was complaining that he was bored.
“We’ll give it a few days, but if, at any point, I feel like your life is in danger, we’re leaving. Do you understand me?
”
Anxiety filled her eyes as she nodded her head, and he wrapped a hand around her waist and kissed her forehead. She stiffened under his touch, but she didn’t pull away. Did she regret their intimacy in the cave?
“Come on,” she sighed. “We better get started.”
Leaving the minor comforts of the airport, they caught a ride to the edge of the small town and stocked up on supplies. Water. Food. Masoud had packed camping necessities, but there would be no blow-up bed or propane grill for them here. This was as rustic at it got for him, and he realized that he didn’t mind. It was almost refreshing to be without these comforts. It made everything he did with Fleur that much more intimate.
They hiked slowly through the jungle. Both of them were painfully aware that they were on the lower end of the food chain, and every step they took was made with caution. When the sun set, he set up camp for them while she heated up a can of soup. In the safety of the light of the fire, she leaned against him. “Masoud,” she asked quietly.
“Hmm?” he responded absently. Exhaustion and fatigue were getting to him.
“What are you going to do with Anton and Bruce when you find them?”
“What would like me to do with them?”
She bit her bottom lip, and he was captivated. There seemed to be more freckles on her face, and as he stared at her in the firelight, he suddenly had an urge to kiss each one. He’d barely gotten to explore her body in the caves. Where else could she be hiding freckles?
“I understand that you want your diamond back, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t hurt them. You may not understand Bruce, and there are times when I don’t either, but he is still my family. I’d like you to promise me that you won’t hurt him.”
How ironic that she was asking for his promise. If she knew exactly what he’d planned to do with the diamond, he’d understand that his promises to her were empty. “I have a feeling he thinks he can take care of you with the money he gets for the diamond. And that’s something about Bruce that I can very much understand.”
“Taking care of your family?”
“No, Fleur.” He reached up and touched her jawline. “Wanting to take care of you.”
“Oh,” she breathed as he bent down to kiss her. Before, he’d been almost crazed with lust to have her, but tonight, he wanted to taste and savor her. She responded hesitantly, but she didn’t back away. And when she finally slid her arms around his neck, he knew that she was his.
“I will do my best to go easy on Bruce,” he said softly. Breaking the kiss, he turned and doused the fire. When he held out his hand, she took it, and he led her into the tent.
“I know that this can’t go anywhere,” she said softly as he laid her down on the sleeping bag. “But I still can’t help wanting you. I’m not a casual fling kind of woman. I hope you know that.”
“I’ve known that from the moment I met you.”
He was a casual fling kind of man, and that’s how he knew that what he felt for her went deeper than that. As he peeled her clothes off and took the time to kiss every inch of her skin, he savored every cry that she made. And when he bent between her legs to taste her, he only wanted to give her as much pleasure as possible.
It should frighten him how much he wanted this woman. This was uncharted territory for him and for the first time in his life, he was okay with that. If only she felt the same way. But until then, he would take now.
Sitting up, he quickly shed his clothes as she opened her eyes to watch him. He smiled down at her, loving the look of satisfaction on her face. Rejoining her, he stretched out over her, balancing on his forearms as he looked down at her sweet face. He smiled as she lifted her head and kissed his nose. Such an innocent action should not have made his insides clench.
Shifting his hips, he settled against her, pressing his erection tightly against her thigh and watching as her eyes opened wider with awareness. Dipping his head down, he kissed her lightly, watching the reaction on her face. As she parted her lips, he deepened the kiss, loving the sound of her moan.
His hands smoothly stroked over her body, loving the feel of her skin and the soft moans she made.
When he entered her slowly, he knew that he was falling in love. But even as his slow thrusts drove them both to distraction, he knew that it wasn’t enough. He had a responsibility to his family, and he needed to figure out how he could have both.
He gritted his teeth as he pushed deeper into her warm and inviting depths. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?” he whispered hoarsely. She only moaned in response, and he held on for as long as possible. He wanted to draw out every minute that he had with her and try to make it last forever.
When she wrapped her legs around him and shuddered in release, he couldn’t help but fantasize that this passionate and beautiful woman beneath him could one day be his forever. She moaned with her orgasm, and he reached down to capture that moan in a kiss. Everything about her touched his very soul. Enveloped in her warmth and spurred by that idea, he let himself go, and he lost himself in her.
He was in trouble, because being with Fleur felt like paradise.
Chapter Fourteen
Fleur shook her head at the empty space in front of her. Baffled, she opened her map for the fourth time since they entered the clearing and frowned. “I don’t understand. They haven’t moved in centuries. So where the hell are they?”
The location of the Samekhi tribe was no secret. It was well documented, and there was absolutely no way that they were wrong. But there wasn’t any evidence to point that any human had been here.
Masoud wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her close. “Maybe they took a vacation,” he said as he nuzzled her neck.
She shook her head and pulled away from his grasp. As much as she wanted to bask in the glow of his touch, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. “But there’s no evidence that a tribe has been here in years. No shelters. No fires. No gardens. From the length of the grass, I’d say that no one has been here in at least a decade.”
“Has anyone seen them in a decade?”
“No.” Fleur’s shoulders slumped. “Maybe something happened to them. Without them, I wouldn’t even begin to try and find the mines, and I’d never be able to connect it back to Solomon without the diamond. I’m sorry, Masoud. We’ve made this trip for nothing. I’m going to have to look at that diamond again if I’m going to prove my thesis.”
“We’re here. We might as well look around,” he said as he pulled away from her. She saw the veiled expression on his face and felt uneasy. Was he keeping something from her?
They’d spent half the night wrapped up in each other’s arms. She’d never experienced anything like it before, and she didn’t regret a single second of it. She was in love with him, and while she knew she could never be his forever, she needed to know that she was more than just a woman of convenience for him. There was something different in the way that he touched her, but she had nothing to compare it to. She wanted to believe he felt something in return.
She needed to believe it.
But that wasn’t the most pressing issue, despite how she felt. She was almost certain that Solomon’s Mines were somewhere in the vicinity, but she needed proof. The absence of the tribe meant she didn’t have to worry about human casualties, but it also raised some troubling questions. What happened to them? Why did they suddenly decide that they didn’t need to be in the area anymore?
They explored the area until dark, but there wasn’t a single shred of evidence to support her theory. Masoud set up camp, and it was only in his arms that she was able to push her sorrows aside. Part of her was relieved that the tribe wasn’t there because she didn’t want an audience to her moans of pleasure. As she straddled and took him inside her, she felt the deepest connection she’d ever had to another human being. Sometimes she was so obsessed with the past that she forgot about the present.
Looking down at him, she leaned back with her hands on his kn
ees, rolling her hips in a figure-eight pattern. She loved the feel of him deep inside her as her muscles clenched against him. Shifting, she lifted her hips, her wetness from their lovemaking making it easy to lift off him only to drive herself back down, making them both groan in satisfaction.
There was something powerful in the way she could make him cry out. Withholding her own pleasure, she teased and tormented him, watching as his passion increased until he finally flipped her over and drove inside her like a man possessed. Clutching at the sleeping bag, she pushed back against him, meeting him thrust for thrust as he tightened his grip on her hips. She could barely hold on as everything inside her screamed for release.
With a small cry, she tightened her fists as her entire body went taut, her muscles spasming tightly around him, as his own orgasm released. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her tightly against him, kissing her neck, as she sagged against him.
When it was over, he cuddled her and pressed kisses all over her slick body. It lit the flame of desire again, but they were both too tired. “I’ll figure it out,” he whispered to her as she drifted off to sleep in his arms.
He’ll figure what out, she thought hazily. Before she could put too much thought into it, darkness carried her away.
Chapter Fifteen
“I’m disappointed that we didn’t find anything, but I am so ready for a hot shower,” Fleur announced as she dropped her bags in the foyer of the palace.
Masoud smiled and pulled her close. “I didn’t want to tell you, but you do stink.”
“Hmm.” Grinning wickedly, she rubbed herself on him. “Now you’ll smell like me.”
“From the moment I entered you, I carried your scent around,” he murmured in her ear.
She laughed and pushed him away. “Before I go take that shower, I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate everything. I have no doubt that you’re going to find that diamond, and the world will thank you for it. You’re amazing, Masoud. I would have never gotten this opportunity without you. I can’t wait to rub it in my professors’ faces!”
