by Cara Albany
What had she done? She'd given up a perfectly sensible chance to go home. That was what she had just done. Nicole knew that if she'd asked, her mother would probably have arranged for something like a military helicopter to come and collect her. She'd be back in Qazhar city within hours.
But she'd turned down the chance to do that.
She knew why.
Nicole wondered where Rashid was. She figured he might be worried she would have arranged to leave.
Nicole thought about the decision she'd just made. It hadn't been made with her mind. Like everything she ever did, this decision had been driven by her heart.
She just hoped that this one wouldn't turn out like all the others.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Later that evening, Rashid looked at his watch as he paced the terrace.
It was half past eight. Nicole was late.
She was making him wait. He smiled, realizing that, surprisingly, he liked how that made him feel. Maybe she was trying to tell him something. There wouldn't be any other reason to keep him waiting other than to send him some kind of signal. Would there?
She wanted to play games with Rashid. Just like she'd been doing since he'd brought her to the palace.
Once more, that thought made him smile. Tonight promised much. At a minimum, he'd get to enjoy being with Nicole; get a chance to play the grateful host; be able to look across the dinner table and enjoy the sight of this beautiful woman who had made such an impression on him.
It was dark, but the night air was still warm with the remnants of the day's heat. The sky was clear, star-filled, and the moon was bright, casting a silvery light over everything. It couldn't have been more romantic if he'd designed it himself, he thought.
He'd checked with Raina who'd told Rashid that Nicole was taking a little bit of extra time preparing herself for the dinner date.
Because that was what it was.
A date.
Just the like the many other dinner dates he'd had over the years.
He frowned. Who was he kidding? This wasn't anything like the dates he'd had with women back in the city. Nicole was different. This evening promised to be unlike any other night.
All he'd been able to think of during the day was Nicole. Even though they'd spent only a short time together during the morning, it had left a powerful impression on Rashid.
He'd never experienced anything resembling what he'd felt while being with Nicole this past twenty-four hours. Had it only been a day? He knew about the fantasy of instant attraction, but he'd never experienced it himself. He'd always dismissed the idea of instant attraction as something imaginary, a foolishness reserved for the very young.
But, there was no denying what had happened between him and Nicole. It was real.
Every one of his previous relationships had lacked the sharpness of instant desire he felt when he was close to Nicole.
This woman made him feel a fresh, new excitement, a vitality which had been missing from his life for years. She was unique. Most noticeable of all, she triggered long dormant desires, passions around which he'd built an impenetrable, enclosing wall. A wall he'd been sure would never be breached.
Well, he'd been wrong about that.
Nicole had already started to dismantle that wall. Piece by piece. Moment by moment. And Rashid wasn't about to complain. Not for one moment.
Rashid paused at the long table which had been set out on the wide terrace. He lifted a glass of mineral water and drained it. Why did he feel this apprehension? He'd never felt this nervous about a date. Barely restrained desire had unsettled Rashid today. It had almost driven him mad with impatience?
In a way, it had been a relief to give Nicole some space, to keep his distance from her. While she had been making the call to her mother, Rashid had removed himself to another part of the palace. He'd been determined to show Nicole that he had no intention of listening in on the call. He respected Nicole's privacy, especially when it came to her talking with her mother. That was a sacred family right. It demanded honorable conduct from Rashid.
He would have expected the same from Nicole. If he had been in a position to share with his parents. A familiar soft melancholy flickered at his emotions when he thought of them. Of course, that was all in the past for him.
When Nicole had eventually found him after the call, she'd told him some of what she'd said to her mother. He'd hidden any sign of his pleasure when Nicole had told him she'd refused the offer of her mother's help to return home earlier than she and Rashid had agreed.
She'd decided to stay. That made him content for the rest of the afternoon. Calmed him inexplicably.
Now, he was waiting for her.
He'd supervised the staff, ensuring they understood exactly how he wanted the food prepared. He'd instructed them to be sensitive to Nicole's preferences. This was all new to her, and he didn't want anything making her feel the slightest discomfort. And he'd reminded them that, once the meal was over, he and Nicole were to be left completely alone.
Rashid heard the sound of heels on marble. He turned and saw Nicole walking into the room which led out onto the terrace. She looked stunning. Her hair had been tied up in a simple but elegant fashion. She still wore the plain blouse and pants. But she looked gorgeous. She wasn't wearing a lot of makeup, especially around her eyes. But that didn't matter. Nicole had a natural beauty that didn't need anything extra. In fact, Rashid realized he found her beauty even more compelling because she looked so natural.
He suddenly felt overdressed in his sharply pressed white shirt and freshly ironed pants.
Nicole smiled at him as she stepped out onto the terrace. "Sorry I kept you waiting," she said.
"Isn't that a woman's prerogative?"
Nicole lifted a brow. "To be late?"
"Amongst many others," he responded.
"What others did you have in mind?" she teased.
Rashid grinned and pulled the chair out from the table. "Aren't you hungry?"
Nicole squinted at him. "I heard my tummy rumbling on the way down here," she said sliding down onto the chair. Catching the sweet scent of her freshly washed hair, he paused for a moment as she made herself comfortable. He couldn't resist savoring the sight of her shoulders and her graceful neck.
Nicole glanced up at him. "Enjoying yourself there?" she joked.
Rashid grinned. "Of course," he murmured. For a moment their eyes met, an understanding exchanged in that glance.
She was no fool, he told himself. She was already teasing him in that way which was completely unique to her. He smiled and took his place on the other side of the table.
"I hope you like the food," he said.
"Right now, any food is a good idea, as far as I'm concerned."
Over the next hour, plate after plate was brought. The usual combination of small snacks and main courses. Some of the food had to be unfamiliar to Nicole, but she didn't hesitate to try everything, commenting on the perfection of the lamb, the bewildering variety of side dishes. He was worried it might be too spicy for her, but she'd been in Qazhar long enough to get used to the food. Rashid took pleasure in seeing how much she enjoyed trying the dishes.
They talked throughout the dinner. She told him more about her life back in America. Growing up, she'd always been a bit of a tearaway. He didn't find that hard to believe. Not one bit.
Apparently, ever since she'd been young, she'd always found some way to get into one scrape after another. The feisty look in her eyes confirmed Rashid's impression that Nicole had pretty clear ideas about how she wanted to live her life.
Nicole pressed him for more details about his past and, for the first time in years, he found himself opening up, recounting parts of his childhood, some of which he'd never shared with anyone before.
He wondered why he'd felt comfortable doing that. Then he realized it was because of Nicole's openness about her own life. It was as if, with every passing moment, she was drawing him back out into the world, returning him t
o life.
Throughout the meal, Rashid kept asking himself one question. Why did this American woman have the ability to make him feel so different? So alive.
The evening seemed to pass as if in a dream. To Rashid it went too fast. Before he knew it, they were finishing the coffee and rising from the table. He offered to get a wrap to place round her shoulders in case she was beginning to feel the coolness of the night air, but she declined his offer.
The terrace stretched the whole length of this side of the palace. They started to walk along the marble tiled terrace with the bright lights of the palace on one side and the dimly lit garden on the other.
Rashid saw Nicole gazing up at the inky black sky and the scattering of diamond bright stars. He heard her sigh softly, obviously content, and smiled to himself.
They moved in silence for a short time. The conversation at the dinner table seemed to have, temporarily, drained them both. Now it seemed like the most natural thing in the world for them to enjoy these moments.
Finally, they halted and stood side by side, gazing out into the night desert beyond the palace walls.
"It looks so mysterious," she observed.
"It has its own magic. And its own dangers," he replied.
"You must feel that you never want to be away from this place," she said.
"It is a part of me," he admitted. "Part of my soul."
Nicole smiled gently and leaned against the marble balustrade. Rashid leaned next to her. He saw her glance at him as he moved closer, but she did nothing to make him think she didn't want him to be close to her. He took encouragement from that, but hesitated. This moment was too important for Rashid to ruin by being too forward.
Nicole tilted her head. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
Her brows furrowed slightly. "You've been up here all alone for a long time."
Rashid nodded. "It was what I chose to do."
Nicole peered up at him. "Wasn't there anyone special?"
Rashid narrowed his eyes. "Here?"
Nicole nodded.
Rashid shook his head."If you mean has any woman ever lived here with me, then the answer is no," he said.
Nicole nodded and said nothing immediately. She looked suddenly thoughtful. "Has there been any reason for that?"
"Like what?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. Was there ever someone?"
Rashid drew himself up to his full height. "There have been women. I would be telling you a lie if I pretended otherwise."
"Of course," she said turning away from him slightly.
"I did live down in Qazhar at various times," he explained. "When my parents lived there. During those years, you could say I enjoyed myself. Like any other young man."
Had that sounded too harsh, too clinical? But, it was the truth. When he'd been younger, there had been many women, but none had affected him the way this beautiful woman had done. He felt she needed to know that he was not entirely inexperienced in the ways of women. That was really what she'd been asking him.
Rashid leaned closer to her. "I was a different person then," he said.
"We were all different when we were young," she said.
Nicole's eyes were bright as she looked up at him. Her mouth was slightly open, her lips full and moist. He wanted to reach out and trace his thumb along the length of her lower lip. He imagined how soft her lip would feel against the hardness of his skin.
Rashid felt his heart quicken. Being so close to Nicole reminded him of how he'd felt that morning. The soft desert breeze brought her scent to him. He inhaled it deeply and slowly, savoring the delight.
Nicole seemed to sense his growing desire because he saw her cheeks flush a subtle, beautiful pink. Rashid moved closer, mere inches, but it felt as if he'd crossed an enormous divide. Nicole didn't move away from him. He took that as the only encouragement he would need.
Rashid slid his hand along the balustrade and curled his fingers over Nicole's hand. She didn't pull her hand away from his. Instead, she glanced down, and he saw the corner of her mouth crease with the hint of a smile. Her gaze lifted to him. There was no refusal in that gaze. Rashid had waited long enough, and there was no denying the need which had risen up within him.
He slid his hand around Nicole's waist and gently eased her toward him. Nicole lifted her chin, and for a moment he thought there was a suggestion of defiance in that movement. He had one final moment of doubt, worrying that he'd been premature.
But then she smiled at him, and Rashid knew that, in the next moments, he would claim what he had been obsessing about all afternoon.
Being so close to the her lips ignited instant desire in him.
His head dipped and his lips crashed down on hers, devouring her with a sudden, fierce hunger. She gasped quietly as he pulled her body against his. He felt her soften against him, pressing herself eagerly on him.
Sensation flamed through Rashid, as he crushed his firmness against her.
Her lips tasted sweet. Rashid felt Nicole lift her head slightly, seeking him out, inviting him to kiss her even more firmly. Her need felt as strong as his. He felt as if he'd crossed a barrier and entered a new place, somewhere he'd left behind a long time ago.
Nicole's breath quickened as he wrapped his arms around her. His embrace was hungry with need. Her scent was intoxicating. The warmth of her body merely added to his own heat.
Nicole turned and leaned back against the balustrade. He felt her knees part and he pressed his need against her middle. Her low moan merely encouraged Rashid even more.
He felt her trace a hand up into his hair, snaking her fingers through the locks. The touch of her fingers felt exciting. Exquisite. His heart was pounding as he slid his hands down her side, resting them on her hips. He drew her nearer to him, needing to feel her close, wanting more of this delicious sensation.
When Rashid probed her mouth with his tongue, Nicole breathed heavily. He sensed her pleasure, her approval. Every movement of his tongue brought signs of a tightening desire from Nicole. There was no going back, now.
Feral, urgent want fired up within him. He felt every nerve in his body ignite with desperate desire.
Nicole's hands slid down to his back and he felt her fingers dig into his muscles, as if she wanted to take possession of his flesh. He gasped with the sharp, exquisite discomfort. He lifted his head back, feeling the separation of their mouths as a sudden, harsh absence.
Rashid peered urgently into Nicole's eyes. She smiled back at him. Her gaze spoke volumes to him. He quirked a brow at her and her gaze lowered, taking in the sight of his chest, watching his shoulders rise and fall with his urgent breathing.
Then Rashid slid his hands further down to the side of her hips. He lifted her up suddenly and she squealed, surprised at his sudden move. She felt light as he raised her up and sat her on the balustrade.
As if knowing what he wanted, she parted her legs and he moved in between them, pressing his need against her core. She groaned and he thrust himself forward, his head straining forward, his lips burning with the need to reclaim her mouth.
This time the kiss felt like he had come home to something familiar, something he knew he would always need. His tongue teased her mouth and she gasped. Sensation ripped through him as her hand raced up his back and onto his head again. This time she tugged at his hair. He could feel her grasping it in her fingers. When she pulled on his hair, he refused to move, determined that his lips would not be parted from hers.
Somewhere in the back of his mind he said to himself, that nothing would drag him away from this woman. The taste of her lips, the feel of her body, the heat he felt from her; he wouldn't give this up for anything. For anyone.
Rashid felt Nicole slide forward on the flat surface of the balustrade. She pressed her core against his firmness. In response he couldn't resist instinctively shifting so that he was hard against her. His pulse beat mercilessly and he could sense that Nicole's was tormenting her.
Rash
id leaned into Nicole. There was nowhere else in the world he wanted to be except here. Lost in sensation, as far as Rashid was concerned, the world had ceased to exist. There was only Nicole and her heat, her desire, her need for him.
Something in his soul began to awaken, something which had been clasped in cold, unforgiving hands a long time ago. Now it was being freed. At last. Warmth spread throughout his entire being.
Rashid opened his eyes, hoping to see the desire on Nicole's face. He had to be sure that she felt as he did.
He lifted his lips away from her mouth and gazed at her. She'd closed her eyes, and her face was wonderfully bright with the color of desire. Nicole opened her eyes slowly and gazed at him. Pools of desire looked back at him and he felt determination firm within him.
Rashid felt a moment of relief sweep through him. He hadn't been wrong. She felt as he did; wanted what he did.
Inexplicably. Wonderfully.
Just as he started to open his mouth to say the words he knew would take them inside the palace and into a world they both wanted, his attention was caught by the flicker of a light. He gazed over Nicole's shoulder and into the depths of the desert night. He felt his heart stop for a moment. His body stiffened.
Light. The flickering light of a campfire out past the palace walls.
Rashid saw Nicole's brows furrow. "What is it, Rashid?" she asked, her voice slightly breathless.
He didn't want to worry her. He shook his head and looked into her eyes, forcing himself to smile. "Nothing, Nicole," murmured hesitantly.
As he said that, there was a treacherous voice in his mind that cursed the sight of the dim light out there in the desert. It could only be one thing. Hakim or some of his men were out there. Watching. Waiting.
That knowledge had poured cold ice over Rashid's desire. It was unlikely that anyone could see him and Nicole. He gritted his teeth even thinking about that.
But he wasn't prepared to take a chance that these moments had been contaminated by the scrutiny of outsiders. They were too special for him to allow that to happen.
Nicole started to turn her head to see what he had been looking at, but Rashid took her chin gently and moved her gaze back to him. He smiled at her. There was flicker of confusion in her eyes. Rashid moved his head closer and kissed her, this time more softly than before.
