by Cara Albany
And, to be fair to Malik, not once during their long conversation did he ever try to make the move on Lana that she had prepared herself for.
Was that a good thing? She wasn't sure she liked the frequent stabs of disappointment that came to her, completely unwanted, utterly unbidden. Why on earth was she feeling even the slightest tug of disappointment that Malik hadn't at least tried to make a move to kiss her the way he'd kissed her before? Was it that they were here, in his private space?
The hours wore on, and the sun started to sink toward the horizon. The sky was beginning to turn a beautiful shade of orange. Malik suddenly leapt up from the sofa and extended a hand down to Lana.
"Please, come with me," he ordered.
Lana felt her throat tighten. Where was he taking her? Was this how he did things with other women? Did he simply take them to his room without so much as a request? Well, it wasn't going to be that easy, Lana told herself, starting to prepare a barbed reply.
"I have a surprise for you," Malik announced.
Lana stood and let Malik lead her toward the lift. He opened the lift and guided Lana inside, following her in. The doors closed and Lana felt a surge as the lift moved up again. She gave Malik a puzzled look, but he said nothing.
The lift doors opened, and Lana felt a rush of fresh air. She looked out upon the roof of the building. Malik led her out, and the lift doors closed behind them.
A loud metallic whirring sound filled Lana's ears. She turned and froze on the spot.
A helicopter stood a few yards away, its rotor blades already spinning. Lana looked at Malik. He smiled at her and took her hand. "I hope you're not frightened of flying in helicopters," he said with a grin.
The noise from the rotors was louder now, so Lana had to raise her voice. "I've never been in one."
Malik gazed off toward the distant setting sun. "I thought we'd take a spin and just enjoy the sunset in a different way."
Lana gave Malik a disbelieving look. "Really?"
Malik nodded, and she could tell he was excited.
"Do you want to do it?" Malik asked.
Lana paused, glancing toward the helicopter. She raised a hand to her blonde hair which threatened to completely cover her face. Also, it didn't help that her dress was blowing wildly around her legs. She saw Malik glance down at her body. It was the first time he'd looked at her like that since they'd arrived at his apartment. But, the way the fabric of her dress was clinging to her body was obviously affecting Malik in a way he couldn't control.
Lana nodded and smiled. "Okay. I'll be brave."
Malik grinned. "I knew you would be," he said above the roar of the helicopter's rotor blades.
Malik escorted Lana safely into the helicopter, strapping her into the seat. The pilot watched until Malik slid the door closed behind himself and took his place next to Lana. Malik nodded to the pilot, and Lana felt a sudden surge to one side as the helicopter lifted off and swung out over the edge of the tall building. She felt her stomach sink, and she gripped the side of her seat. Lana saw Malik look at her, concern visible in his gaze.
Lana nodded at Malik silently answering his unspoken question.
Lana gazed out the window and saw the city slide below them. The sense of movement was intense, but somehow having Malik next to her made Lana feel a curious sense of safety.
The helicopter headed out across the city. Lana glanced at Malik and saw him calmly observing the scene below. He looked comfortable, in his element, and it was even as if he surveyed the city below them with a sense of ownership, an aura of possession. She didn't know how much of what they could see below he actually owned, but she guessed it was probably quite a lot.
For one moment the helicopter shifted in a current of air, and it caused a sudden, sharp movement. Lana squealed involuntarily, and Malik quickly reached out and took Lana's hand. She felt his strong fingers wrap protectively around her much smaller hand. There was a comforting firmness about that grasp, a tenderness that contained just a hint of desire.
Lana glanced at Malik as if to excuse her sudden loss of composure, but she saw that he had turned away from her. There was a strange sense of contentment, even inevitability about the fact that he was holding her hand like this. Lana briefly considered gently removing her hand from his, but quickly concluded that it would seem churlish, even ungrateful. That wouldn't fit with the tone of what they had shared these past few hours, she told herself.
The helicopter headed out toward the distant ocean. After a few minutes, they were hovering above a long beach that seemed to stretch for miles into the distance. Lana could see that it was utterly deserted. Behind them the city seemed like such a long way away. Here, it would be just them.
So, he'd had a plan all along, she concluded.
The helicopter eased down, and the rotors slowed to a quiet, easy turning. Malik opened the door and stepped out. He turned and extended his hand to Lana, helping her out. Her feet sank into the deep sand. It felt good to be back on solid ground again. The sound of the waves easing onto the beach was immediately hypnotic. Lana hadn't been on a beach in a very long time, and now she was here, having been transported by helicopter by one of the richest men in the kingdom. It seemed suddenly unreal, but she still allowed Malik to lead her by the hand toward the nearby waves.
They halted by the edge of the water. Away to the West, she could see the large ball of the sun sinking toward the horizon. The sky was aflame with color. The gentle wind from the sea cooled her skin.
So this was paradise, she thought suddenly. She wondered where that thought had come from.
Malik's gaze was on the distant horizon. She looked up at him, seeing him somehow in a different light from how she had viewed him back at the club, back in his apartment. Here, he seemed strangely at ease, less anxious to make an impression. His shoulders were more relaxed, and his jaw line had softened.
Suddenly he turned to Lana, catching her by surprise. His eyes were filled with emotion, similar to what she'd seen before and she instantly knew what he intended to do. And here, right now in this place, the last thing she wanted to do was refuse. The thought of rejecting him was pushed firmly away, so that when his head dipped, and his lips eased down upon hers, she let her entire being be consumed by him.
Somehow, here on this beach with this man, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to submit. And that was exactly what she did. Lana reached up and grasped his powerful shoulders, feeling the taut muscle beneath the fabric of his dark shirt.
His lips took possession of her, drove every nerve in her body into a state of urgent need. He tasted delicious, and his tongue was more insistent than it had been before. She felt his arm snake around her body, and he drew her in, driving her hard against him. There was a desperation about his touch which she hadn't felt before. This kiss was different than the previous ones. It had an urgency about which shocked her.
But still, she wanted him, and that simple thought took her by surprise. What had changed that would have caused that feeling to surge through her body? She tightened her grip on his flesh, and he responded by drawing her even closer, so that now there was no space, no distance between them. They were pressed against each other, here in this idyllic place, lost in a dream-like moment that she hadn't expected.
Who was she kidding! Of course, she had been expecting this. Why else had she agreed to come with him? Why else would she have consented to be shown his private world, his personal domain of power and control?
Right now, there was one thing about which there was serious doubt, and that was Malik's self-control. He had suddenly been transformed into a ravenous animal, and he was consuming her, triggering wave upon wave of violent sensation throughout her nervous system.
They both gasped, and she felt her control beginning to slip away, thoughts of consequences becoming almost irrelevant. This was danger, and she knew it.
Then she realized they were not alone. The pilot was still sitting in the helicopter, no doub
t doing his best to mind his own business. Maybe he'd seen it all before, she thought. Perhaps these romantic helicopter rides were all part of Malik's regular routine.
That thought caused a rebellious jolt to freeze her nerves. She pulled away from Malik, and she saw the fury in his eyes, the consternation furrowing his dark brows. His gaze burned into her.
Lana pushed at Malik's chest, and she took a few steps back, tucking her disheveled hair behind her ears and folding her arms.
There was no doubt, she thought, trying to distract herself. This was a beautiful place. The sunset was gorgeous. The beach was as romantic as you could conceive. But, suddenly it all seemed so contrived, so predictable.
Malik stepped toward her, but he halted when he saw the look in her eyes.
Lana pursed her lips, trying to contain the sudden surge of emotion. After a moment, she spoke. "I'd like to go back, please," she said firmly.
"But..." Malik started to reply. She heard his words freeze on his lips as she turned to him. She felt the fury in her gaze and saw that he sensed it clearly and unequivocally.
She saw Malik's shoulders slump and forced her attention back to the sunset, which now didn't seem quite so romantic.
A long silence passed between them until eventually they both turned and started toward the helicopter.
Lana strapped herself into the seat, averting her gaze from Malik. And, when the helicopter lifted away from the beach, Lana gazed down at the trail of footprints they'd left in the sand and wondered if that was the only trace that would be left of her time with Malik.
That and the memories of those searing, passionate kisses, and the feel of being held in the arms of the powerful, undeniably handsome, but untrustworthy sheikh.
CHAPTER EIGHT
It was going to be a long night, Malik thought, as he stepped out of the lift and back into his apartment. The place seemed colder than usual, more empty than he'd ever known it. Malik sighed and headed for the kitchen.
He'd just watched the limo that would take Lana back to his brother's palace head off into the night. She hadn't even said goodnight, hadn't even looked at him before she had ducked her head and stepped inside the limo. He knew something was wrong, had felt it all the way back during the helicopter ride back to the rooftop. She hadn't responded to his one attempt at asking her what had caused the sudden change in her demeanor.
Malik made himself a small, bitter coffee and sipped at the tiny cup while standing in front of the window. He looked out over the cityscape, relishing the sight of the glowing lights, the steady movement of cars. He felt the excitement of the city reach up to him from below, sensed the familiar urge within him to seize the opportunity for one last night, one final wild experience before it all came crashing down. The city called to him, just as it had done for so many years, for so many nights.
So, why did it suddenly feel so empty, so very different? What had changed?
He knew the answer to that.
Lana.
Being with Lana had been so sweet, surprisingly so. He sipped his coffee and savored the memory of Lana sinking into his embrace down there, on the beach. It had felt so good. So right.
There had been times in the past when the beach had felt like the most romantic place on earth. And, tonight had been no different.
Malik had known she would be affected by being with him in such a romantic setting. That particular trick had never failed him before. Never.
And, when he had felt Lana ease into his arms, felt her lips part, seen the way she had grasped at him, her heart thudding against his chest, felt her breath quicken, he had known that some things never failed to impress a woman. Any woman.
But, one thought clawed at his awareness.
Lana wasn't just any woman.
She was special. Very special.
Malik had known that in New York. What had started out as a punishing, challenging kiss, designed to show Lana who was in charge, designed to taunt and tease, had turned out to be a fatal error. Or, at least that was how it was beginning to seem to Malik.
Ever since that kiss, Malik had been troubled by the unsettling effect it had had upon him. He'd been taken completely by surprise by that.
And, when Lana had turned up out of the blue, that effect had only been intensified, made even more intrusive, until now Malik found it almost impossible to get Lana out of his mind.
Not that he wanted to stop thinking about her. Thinking about Lana had become a secret pleasure, one that he hadn't shared with anyone.
Those thoughts had taken on a life of their own, and Malik, for one, wasn't too displeased by that. Three times he had kissed Lana, and three times the consequence for Malik had been an increase in his desire for this feisty, beautiful American woman.
So, why was she resisting him like that? What had Malik done wrong? Hadn't he been a gracious host? Hadn't he treated Lana with the greatest respect? He'd even taken her barbed comments on the chin. He wasn't used to women being so spirited, wasn't used to a woman pushing back against his every move.
But, Lana was different from every one of Malik's previous entanglements. There was a quality about her that he couldn't put his finger on. She was not only willing to face Malik down on every issue, but there was a haunting, slightly tragic sense about her, as if she was hiding a secret. That just made her all the more alluring, even more of a challenge that Malik couldn't resist.
Malik placed the cup down on the table, stood in front of the windows and thrust his hands deep into his pockets. Malik saw his reflection in the darkening windows. For a moment his image was transposed over the sight of the city below, making him look like a giant astride the buildings. He'd never been modest, never suffered from that shallow, weak humility that he saw in so many other men. Malik had always had a strong opinion of himself. And perhaps that had been one of his major faults.
The figure he saw reflected there surprised him. Malik could see himself as others saw him; a proud son of the desert; a strong primal presence, tall and defiant. But there was also a new aspect to Malik that he hadn't seen in his reflection. He gazed closely at himself and saw something new, something surprising.
Malik felt a jolt hammer through his nervous system as a realization crashed upon him.
Malik forced that realization away, rejecting it, denying everything that came with it. He drew in a deep breath, trying to compose himself.
Lana had set him a challenge this evening. He regretted that the evening hadn't gone the way he had planned or hoped. But, he knew that there were three days left until the wedding. Those days would be his last chance to do something that had now assumed the proportions of an imperative.
He had to do one thing and do it as well as he could. Otherwise, he wasn't sure whether he would be able to face the consequences. He'd tried to show one side of his life to Lana. The cosmopolitan, sophisticated side. What now seemed the superficial, empty life that he was being pushed into rejecting; the side his father so objected to and wanted Malik to turn his back on so decisively.
Perhaps, now it was time to show Lana the other side of his life, the other aspect of his inherited legacy. The one Malik himself had been running from for far too long.
Malik turned away from the window, glad not to be staring at the reflection of the man in that darkened glass.
Because, the man he had seen staring back at him had been that most astonishing thing, a creature Malik would never have believed he would ever become.
A sheikh in love.
CHAPTER NINE
Lana awoke with the bright light of the early morning sun flooding in through the partially open blinds on her bedroom's terrace doors. She stretched out on the huge bed and allowed memories of the previous night to filter into her mind.
Beaches, sunsets and another kiss.
Such a kiss!
The memory of his touch; the taste of him; his overpowering presence; the scent that filled her senses. Lana felt her nerves quiver as the recollections took possessio
n of her mind the way that Malik had claimed ownership of her full attention.
Lana shook her head and ran a hand through the messy tumble of her hair. She'd only just awoken and yet was already thinking about Malik. It wasn't a good way to start the day, she told herself.
A cold shower suddenly seemed like a great idea.
She leapt out of bed and raced to the bathroom. She threw herself beneath the healing, frozen water, feeling temporary relief as the unwanted early morning sensations were driven to a distant corner of her awareness.
After drying herself, she got dressed in casual pants and loose fitting shirt. Seized by a sudden desire for fresh air she threw open the French doors and stepped out onto the terrace. It was early morning, and the scent of the garden filled the air. She inhaled deep, filling her lungs, sensing how good it was to be alive, how special this place was. The entire visit was turning out to be momentous and awe-inspiring. Not only was she getting to attend her friend's wedding, but something entirely surprising had happened. She felt as if she'd fallen into a deep well, one that she wasn't sure she'd get out of, one that threatened to overwhelm her.
Malik.
What could she say about the man who had tormented her three times now with his ardent attentions, with a primal ferocity that had almost resulted in Lana completely losing her composure and the control over every aspect of her life?
Malik.
Lana leaned on the cool marble balustrade and gazed out over the garden. Away in the distance, somewhere over there, was the beach.
Last night, in the limo, during the journey back to the palace, Lana had tried to understand just what had caused her to pull away from Malik. After a long soul-searching debate, she had come to one startling realization. It had shocked her, but, on reflection, it seemed almost inevitable, given the incredible circumstances of the evening.
Trust.
How could Lana trust a man who she not only didn't know that well, but a man who had such a reputation as Malik's?
