ROMANCE: THE SHEIKH'S GAMES: A Sheikh Romance

by Knight, Kylie

  “Zadir, no!”

  He looked at her in confusion. “You said I could taste you.”

  “Yeah but, never mind,” she sighed and fell back against the pillow.

  He shrugged and got back to business, licking and sucking at her core until her legs squeezed him tight and she trembled and screamed his name.

  Shala quickly got over her embarrassment when the feeling of his wet tongue against her most private parts, sent a jolt through her so powerful that her body had acted on its own. Up and down his tongue swiped, from her opening to her clit, over and over until her body shook with the force of her impending orgasm. “Zadir, Zadir,” she moaned over and over, his name the only thought in her mind. “Oh!” She screamed out when his tongue slid inside her body and her body felt as though it had been set on fire with tiny earthquakes. Her body moved on its own, absorbing the pleasure and riding the waves out. “Wow,” she whispered when she finally caught her breath and landed safely back on earth.

  He laughed and kissed around the stiffened peak of her nipple. “You look so beautiful when you come, I almost couldn't stop tasting you. I would taste you forever just to see that look on your face.”

  Her mouth froze in a shocked ‘o’. “Well if every time feels like that, I just might let you.” Her hand lay on his stomach, gaining her attention when he flinched at her touch. Her gaze traveled south and when it landed on that hard column of male flesh, her mouth watered. She sat up, looked at Zadir and then at his erection. Shala wrapped her hand around it and squeezed tight. “Sorry,” she muttered when he hissed out a breath.

  “It’s fine. Feels good. Too good.”

  “Okay enough,” he growled, pulling her up and on her back in one quick move. “I need you, Shala. Need you.”

  She nodded and gave him a nervous smile, secretly bracing herself for the pain she heard was nearly unbearable. But Zadir’s kisses had drugged her until she was so boneless and relaxed she couldn’t prepare herself if she tried. “Now, please,” she begged, releasing a grunted “Ow,” when he slid into her in one long thrust.

  Zadir froze when he’d felt himself plow through a barrier that shouldn’t be there. He looked down and saw the wariness on her gaze. Had he forced her into something she wasn’t ready for? Dammit, he cursed himself and began to pull away until a pair of tiny hands squeezed his ass, stopping his movement.

  “Zadir look at me.” She cupped his face to make sure she had his attention. “I want this. Zadir, I want you. Okay?”

  His smile mixed with relief and amazement. She always seemed to get it, to get him and that made him feel good. Really good. He watched her face, saw the disappointment when he began to pull out. He saw her war with herself to keep fighting him or let him go. She chose the latter and he chose that moment to push back into her. The high pitch scream made him harder. “You’re so tight. Wet.” His brain wasn’t capable of regular function as he pounded into her, and complete sentences were out of the question.

  Shala caught the rhythm and rolled her hips against, loving the way she felt something new with each new thrust. Her body wanted what Zadir gave it, but it was enough. “More,” she begged as her hands roamed the muscles of his chest and arms. “You’re so hot,” she panted loving the way his body looked as it worked to bring them both pleasure.

  He grunted at her words and increased his speed, deepened his thrusts. He was used to women saying things about the way he looked, but the way Shala said it felt different. She meant it, but he didn’t like the doubt he heard in her voice. “Shala, tell me you like it.”

  “I can’t, because I love it. I need you, Zadir. More of you.”

  He gave her what she wanted, until they were both sweaty and out of breath. He changed the angle, contorting her body so he could hit that spot again and again until her body tightened like a bow. He didn’t slow down or ease up. “Shala,” he groaned when he felt his own orgasm barreling forward. “Shala!” He screamed her name in her ear, shuddered several times and collapsed on top of her.

  Shala wrapped her arms around him, letting her fingers dance across his muscles while he rode out his own pleasure. Her own core continued to pulse around him, begging for more of his brand of loving. “Zadir that was magnificent,” she whispered and curled her tongue around his ear lobe. A smile crossed her face when he shivered.

  She had never felt so satisfied, so boneless in her entire life. She couldn’t move and her body ached so wonderfully, but she felt so good. Different, but good. Tears pricked at her eyes but she fought them back, refusing to let her emotions and expectations ruin this moment for her. She loved him, so what? Big deal. She knew he didn’t love her back and that this didn’t mean anything more to him than sex. But she also knew that she would give anything, would do anything to feel that way every single day for the rest of her life.

  Too bad it won’t be with you.

  * * *

  Zadir lie in bed, frozen with fear in the aftermath of their lovemaking. He’d been with plenty of women, more than he should probably, and not once had he been affected the way Shala affected him. His orgasm had been powerful. Too powerful. He felt tears prick at his eyes and that was something he didn’t do, not ever.

  And damn, she’d given him the gift of her virginity. That had given him a certain measure of male pride, to know that no man but him had ever been inside her sweet lush body. He also had to acknowledge that it was a big deal for her. But, how big? Did she expect a proposal and a promise of forever or was she in it for the physical release? He couldn’t be sure what her expectations were, but he knew that he liked Shala. He liked her more than he’d ever liked a woman, even Kerri, but he wasn’t sure he was ready for a wife and a family of his own. Eventually he wanted those things, but first he needed to get Alzari Holdings back.

  That had to be his main focus until he was installed as the head of the company. He couldn’t let anyone, not even sweet and innocent Shala, distract him from his goals. Careful not to wake her, Zadir slid out of bed and covered her sleeping body. He needed to get away from Shala and her sweet scent, her curvy body and those understanding eyes. He couldn’t think straight when she was around, and more than ever he needed to think clearly.

  He stepped through the sliding doors, sucking in a lungful of salty ocean air, and decided to walk down to the beach. The warm breeze cooled his still overheated body and the sand sank between his toes. So far this trip had been more successful than he could have ever anticipated. If things went alright with the Sun Energy people, his father would have no choice but to give Alzari Holdings back to him. The chime of his phone interrupted Zadir’s thoughts. “Yeah?”

  “Zadir? It’s Rashid.”

  He rolled his eyes. “What can I do for you, Rashid?” He felt a pang of guilt at the sigh his brother released.

  “I was calling for two reasons. First to congratulate you on The Crown Jewel. I knew you could do it, but the price you paid was unreal! Impressive.”

  Zadir was so shocked he had to take a seat in the sand. Rashid had never offered so much praise, and worst of all, it sounded sincere. “Uh, thank you.”

  Rashid chuckled. “Don’t sound so surprised, Zadir. If you listened you’d hear a lot more. Anyway the other reason I’m calling is because I’d like you to come home next week for a special family dinner.”

  “Aww, Rashid, anything but that.”

  “It’s important, Zadir, please. I really want you here and so does Sabrina. Only for two days.”

  He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Okay yes, I’ll be home next week.”

  “Thanks baby brother!”

  “Seven minutes, Rashid.” He disconnected the call to the sound of his brother laughing. His uptight, always business brother, laughing. At him, no less. Will wonders never cease? He turned his back to the water and walked back to the bungalow. He grabbed a pillow and a sheet, took one last longing look at Shala and went to the sofa.

  * * *

  The next morning dawned earlier th
an Zadir was prepared for as he unfolded his big body from the child-size sofa. He groaned and stretched his body, looking around the room with barely awake eyes. The sun was already shining bright, making the water sparkle like diamonds. He smiled. What a great way to wake up. As much as he loved Jovanbar, his favorite view was the beautiful greenish-blue ocean.

  The bungalow was silent as he crept to his room in hopes of grabbing a shower without disturbing Shala. He didn’t have to worry about that since his bed was empty and her frantically discarded clothing was nowhere to be found. Zadir knew he shouldn’t feel disappointed over that fact, but he did. What did you expect after you abandoned her in your bed, dumbass? Disgusted with the entire situation, he closed himself into the bathroom and took a long, hot shower.

  When he emerged from his bedroom twenty minutes later, the common rooms were still free of Shala’s presence. He couldn’t help but wonder where Shala had disappeared to. Was she still asleep? Did she decide to have breakfast at the hotel? Then he heard it, the sound of her phone ringing. It stopped abruptly, so he knew she was still here, yet she decided to stay in her room. “Good,” he muttered to himself. He needed to focus on Sun Energy and how he would convince them to sell it to him rather than another solar company. He wouldn’t be able to focus with Shala at his side, so he quickly sucked down his coffee and slipped out of the bungalow while she talked on the phone. He felt a pang of unease at his actions, especially after the night they shared. The gift she’d given him.

  But he needed to maintain his focus. That had always been his problem in the past. He was easily distracted, by girls and parties, impromptu vacations, nightclubs and anything shiny and fun. It was why his baby sister ran the company while he had to prove himself. Given all of her hard work to help him, he felt guilty for leaving without a word, but right now she was the distraction. Shala was the reason his head wasn’t in the game and he knew she would understand.

  He hoped she would.

  But as the driver stopped in front of Sun Energy Makers, all thoughts of Shala fled. At least they mostly did. There were times, when he chatted with the important figureheads, that he wished for her research or a small encouraging smile. But he’d left her behind for a reason, so he got down to the business of charming them and selling them.

  “Your Highness, we are worried that your interest in SEM has nothing to do with our product. Thousands of islanders rely on us for their employment.” Their spokesperson was a young Spanish man with good looks and a friendly demeanor called Fernando.

  Zadir sat tall and relaxed into the people across the table from him with a smile. “First, please call me Zadir. I am a businessman first. Now, I understand your concern but you have no reason to worry. I am interested in SEM because of what it produces. It’s no secret Jovanbar doesn’t have endless oil reserves, and my plan is to look to the future, which we are standing in. Solar and wind energy are the future and since I’m not bound to oil, my future is now.” His words seemed to appease the small group gathered today. “Nothing will change except I will have one or two of my people here to oversee operations. So you see, nearly all of the jobs are safe.”

  Fernando stood and gave a sharp look to the others, who quickly vanished. “I think we should tour the facility, yes?”

  Zadir agreed and spent the next two hours learning how solar panels were made, new solar technology and speaking with his future employees. “I like Rafael,” he said as they returned to the conference room. “He seems like a straightforward, capable guy.” He admired hard work and intelligence and based on his input, Rafael had it in abundance.

  “He is the best floor manager we’ve ever had. He’s organized, always thinking about ways to improve productivity without overworking the employees and he’s dedicated to his job.” Fernando clapped his hands once. “So, shall we talk about finalizing this deal?”

  Zadir gave his best satisfied smile and it stayed glued to his face the entire ride back to the bungalow. The contracts were in the hands of the lawyers now, but soon Sun Energy Makers would join the Alzari Holdings family. He couldn’t wait to tell Shala and his father, but her reaction would give him more satisfaction.

  He was still smiling when he opened the door and entered the bungalow. “Shala! I have great news,” he walked into the living room and found it empty. “Where are you, we need to celebrate!” He checked her room and his, the pool area and the beach. Empty.

  Shala wasn’t there.

  * * *

  Shala was angry. She was pissed off and she wanted to scream. It was her own stupid fault for letting her hormones and her feelings get the better of her. She should have kept her clothes on and her legs closed and she wouldn’t feel like a discarded article of clothing. That was the primary source of her aggravation and anger. She’d woken up in the middle of the night and reached across the bed to find it not only empty, but cold. A quick trip to the kitchenette for water and she was surprised to find Zadir asleep on the couch. He hadn’t just fallen asleep, as evidenced by the pillow and sheet. She’d known right then what was happening. Zadir had gotten what he wanted and he was done.

  Well, she was done too. She’d marched back to his room, grabbed her clothes and went to her room where she washed away all traces of his scent. She got rid of every trace of him, except for the aches in her muscles, and fell into a fitful sleep.

  When the pesky sun decided that her closed eyes were the perfect spot to shine, she got up and got dressed for their meeting with Sun Energy Makers. Refusing to have any type of conversation with Zadir, Shala stayed in her room and took a series of calls from the office with an eye on the clock. She’d caught up with her boss and sent the Sheikh a report on their newest acquisitions. Thirty minutes before the meeting she finally exited her bedroom only to find Zadir had already left.

  Without her.

  She shrugged it off and changed into a sundress with canvas shoes and a large brimmed hat. I guess all that time I spent alone in childhood would finally come in handy, she thought as she set about sightseeing on the island. It was a beautiful place, so full of vibrant colors and kind people. She’d eaten lunch at a seafood restaurant where she was befriended by an American couple on vacation, and then strolled through the street market and purchased several trinkets and mementos.

  She hadn’t minded the alone time, only resented the reason behind it. By the time she’d finished walking around, her skin was a toasty brown color and she was feeling sun fatigue, and decided to head back to the bungalow. Her wish for Zadir to be anywhere but the bungalow went unanswered. He sat on the sofa, flipping channels.

  “Shala, where have you been? I’ve been worried.”

  “I was out.” She looked at him and she could admit, to herself at least, that he looked worried. It didn’t matter, not anymore. She was done caring about his feelings, caring about him. She needed to keep it professional because she liked her job, but his actions spoke volumes about what he really thought or felt about her.

  “Out where?”

  “On the island. Why are you asking so many questions?”

  “I came back and you weren’t here.”

  She shrugged and brushed past him. “I had the day off and decided to see the sights.”

  “Oh. Okay.” Zadir followed her to her suite. “We closed the Sun Energy Makers deal! Now it’s up to the lawyers.”

  Her heart ached at the bright smile on his face, seeking approval for a job well done. She wouldn’t disappoint. He was the boss, after all. “Congratulations, Zadir. The Sheikh will be pleased.” She took off her shoes and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for him to speak or leave.

  “Let’s go celebrate!” He stepped inside her room and grabbed her hand, pulling her off the bed and into his arms.

  Shala closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, slowly letting it go. She shouldn’t feel so good, so at home in his arms. But she did, god help her, she did. She took a few seconds to savor the warmth before she pulled back. “No thanks, Zadir. I’ve had a long day
and the sun tired me out. I’m going to relax around here. You go…have fun.” She gently pushed him out of her room and gave him a sad look before she closed the door on him. And let the tears fall.

  Six

  Shala was mad at him and Zadir had no idea why. He couldn’t think of one thing he’d done that would cause such a drastic change in her attitude. Instead of celebrating closing the deal with SEM, he’d sat in front of the TV eating room service, brooding. Five. That’s how many times he stood up and went to Shala’s door intending to knock. Of course he’d knocked a total of zero times. A man had his pride, after all.

  The next morning they rushed around the bungalow in silence, packing in preparation for their flight to Italy. This would be the last stop before he needed to return to Jovanbar for the family dinner. He needed to speak to a few local artisans he’d come across over the years about providing goods for The Crown Jewel resorts. He wanted specialty items that guests wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else. It was all in service to getting what he’d worked for all his life.

  If he had to endure a little tension on his way there, so be it. He had no idea what he’d done wrong, so he refused to apologize to Shala. If she wanted him to be sorry about something, she would have to tell him. As it stood, she said nothing to him other than a few one word answers. He’d offered to order breakfast for two before their flight, but she’d begged off, claiming a need to rush a few press releases about his acquisitions. So he’d eaten alone and in silence, listening to the light tap tap of her keyboard.