The Sheik's Arranged Marriage

by Mallery, Susan

  “Jamal? What is it?”

  “Nothing,” he murmured even as he began to kiss her neck.

  She laughed softly. “Hmm. Something rather hard and impressive is poking my thigh. It doesn’t feel like nothing.”

  She moved closer and slipped her leg over his hips, bringing her center against his arousal.

  He shuddered. “You don’t know what you do to me.”

  “Tell me.”

  He looked at her in the darkness, barely able to make out the details of her face. “I want you again.”

  He saw her smile. “You know, I sort of guessed that. The funny thing is, I want you, too.”

  Heidi woke to a sun-filled room. She knew without glancing at the clock that it was already midmorning. She also knew she was alone.

  Sometime early she’d sensed more than heard Jamal get up to start his day. He’d held her and kissed her, then had urged her to go back to sleep. That he would see her later.

  She sat up and stretched, then smiled when she saw the single red rose resting on the pillow beside her. Jamal was an incredible lover, she thought as she picked up the flower and sniffed its lovely scent. Thoughtful, caring and very skilled. The second time they’d made love had been even better than the first. He’d used his fingers on her again and she’d climaxed even more quickly. Then, when he’d been inside of her, she’d felt herself getting close to her release.

  Soon, he’d promised her. She would know that particular pleasure very, very soon.

  “I don’t want to wait,” Heidi said to herself as she slid out of bed and made her way back to her own room. To be honest, she wanted it all and she wanted it now! In less than a night, she’d grown greedy.

  The thought delighted her, as did her knowledge that she and Jamal had fit well together. She’d enjoyed being in his arms and having him close to her. She smiled. When she’d first read the books Fatima had given her, she’d been shocked and embarrassed. Now the thought of doing all those things with Jamal excited her. Maybe she should show him some of the pictures and find out what he preferred. Maybe—

  She stepped into her bedroom and came to a stop. Sitting in the center of the bed was a paper-wrapped package. The same package Madam Monique had given her the previous afternoon. Her veils. Veils that she would wear as Honey.

  There was no Dance of the Seven Veils, which Jamal probably knew. But in the movies, the dance was a slow seduction with the sheer layers being removed one by one. The message was clear. Her husband wanted to be seduced…but not by her.

  “But I am Honey,” she whispered into the empty room. “So he does want me to seduce him.”

  Except Jamal didn’t know she was Honey, which meant he was sexually interested in another woman. Which made her want to kill him.

  To make everything even more confusing, there was a part of her that was excited about doing the dance. She thought it would be sexy and fun, and she longed to feel her feminine power, perhaps for the first time in her life. Was that wrong?

  Heidi pressed her lips together. There were too many questions and not enough answers. The situation had just gotten too complicated for her. She needed expert help.

  Thirty minutes later she stepped into Dora’s office and sank onto one of the plush sofas in the corner. Her sister-in-law settled next to her.

  “You look radiant and worried,” Dora said, angling toward her on the cushion. “It’s an interesting combination.”

  “Radiant, huh?”

  Heidi was pleased. She’d had a feeling that the lovemaking showed on her face, but she hadn’t been sure.

  “Absolutely. And while that’s nice, I’m more concerned about the worried part. What’s wrong?”

  It was a simple question. One Heidi had been asking herself. The problem was she still didn’t have any answers. “I hate that Jamal has a mistress,” she said slowly. “Yet, I’m the mistress, so what does it matter, right? I mean, he’s seeing another woman, but that woman is me, so he’s obviously attracted to me in different ways. But I hate that he sees her, even if it’s me.”

  Dora frowned. Her brown eyes regarded Heidi thoughtfully. “Excuse me for saying it this way, but you’ve got yourself in a hell of a mess.”

  Heidi sighed. “Tell me about it. How do I fix the problem?”

  Her sister-in-law smiled. “I have no idea. I don’t have any answers. But I do have another question for you. What do you want?”

  “Fatima asked me that when this all started,” Heidi said slowly.

  “And you didn’t have an answer then. Do you now?”

  What did she want? Heidi thought about her life—all the changes since she’d returned to El Bahar. She had her work, which she loved, a place in the palace, a husband who…who…She had a husband who had the potential to be her whole world. Jamal was good and kind and fun to be with and very sexy and…

  “I love him,” she said, her voice filled with wonder. Of course. Why hadn’t she seen it before? “I love him, and I want to be with him always. I want him to love me back.”

  “Then come clean and tell him the truth. Take it from there.”

  The truth? Heidi wasn’t so sure. Would Jamal appreciate why she’d pretended to be someone else? Would he be angry? They’d only become lovers last night; she wasn’t sure she wanted to disrupt their honeymoon so soon. Besides, telling him about her deception was not going to make him receptive to hearing that she loved him.

  “You’re hesitating,” Dora observed. “You don’t want to tell him?”

  “I don’t know. We’re just starting to figure out the marriage. I’m not sure I’m ready to drop the bombshell.”

  There was also the matter of Yasmin, Heidi thought, even though she wasn’t about to share that with her sister-in-law. If she could continue to be with Jamal intimately and things were good between them, perhaps she had a chance at winning a small piece of his heart. She knew that he would always love his late wife, but she didn’t mind that, as long as he loved her, too.

  But would he see it that way? Would he think she’d been trying to trick him into loving only her?

  “When do you see him again with you being Honey?” Dora asked.

  “In two days.” Heidi looked at her and smiled shyly. “I’m supposed to do a veil dance for him.”

  “Oh, really. Sounds interesting.”

  Heidi nodded. “Oddly enough, I’m sort of excited about doing it for him. Which is part of what makes everything so confusing. How can I want him to give up Honey when I like being her?”

  “Why don’t you do the dance and see how it goes?” Dora suggested. “If you still like being the mistress and the wife, then keep the secret a little longer. If you can’t keep up the pretense, then come clean.”

  “You have a point,” Heidi said. “If I don’t know what I want to do, the best course of action is to wait and decide later.”

  She and Dora chatted for a few more minutes, then Heidi left and headed for her own office. Realizing she loved her husband had changed everything. It made their lovemaking more precious, but it made everything else more difficult. How angry would he be when he found out she’d tricked him with Honey? What if he never forgave her? What if he liked Honey more? What if—

  “Stop,” she told herself as she pushed open the door to her office. “You’re making yourself crazy.”

  And the proof was right in front of her, she thought as she stared in amazement. Where just the day before had been furniture and files and bookcases stood an empty room.

  “Princess Heidi,” one of the secretaries said, walking into the room. “I’m sorry I didn’t see you arrive. I’ve been watching for you, but I had a phone call. Please forgive me.”

  Heidi gave the young woman a quick smile. “Sure, no problem. But maybe you could tell me where my office went?”

  The woman laughed. “It’s just down the hall. Please follow me.”

  Heidi was still shaking her head as she trailed after the secretary. She’d been moved? But why? It didn’t make
any sense. “Did the king come by?” she asked. “Am I taking up too much room. Does someone else need it more and should I…”

  Her voice trailed off as they came to a stop in front of double doors. The secretary pushed open the right one and Heidi stepped into a large, bright office. She recognized her rather worn furniture, pieces she’d picked out herself from the storeroom. Her files were in place, as were her books. The only thing different was the large picture window at a right angle to her chair.

  Instead of a view of the back gardens, she could now see to the edge of the world. Blue ocean twinkled at her over the tops of the trees. The sky was an even deeper color, clear and endless.

  “I don’t understand,” she whispered. “Why was I moved here?”

  The woman smiled and motioned to the spray of flowers sitting in the center of her desk. A small card had been tucked between two white orchids.

  For my princess, who longs for a window overlooking the ocean. The note was signed with the letter J.

  “Jamal,” she breathed.

  “Yes, Your Highness. It’s so romantic. He showed up early this morning with a crew of men and arranged to have everything moved. We were very careful to put things back where you left them so nothing should be out of place.”

  Heidi glanced at her. “Thank you so much for telling me,” she said.

  The woman nodded and left.

  Heidi made her way around the large space. She touched her desk, the back of her chair, then walked to the window. She remembered her pitiful lie about working in her bedroom because she’d wanted to be able to see the water. Jamal had listened and moved her here as a lovely surprise.

  She clutched his note to her chest and gave a little laugh. Surely his wonderful gesture meant that he cared about her. It probably wasn’t love, but it was a start. If she was very lucky, she might just be able to win her handsome husband for her very own. With time, he might start to love her back.

  But not if he found out she was lying to him. So she had to be very careful and make sure he never learned she was the mysterious Honey Martin who planned to seduce him with her own version of the Dance of the Seven Veils.

  Heidi moved slowly in the center of the room. The portable CD player in the corner pulsed with the sound of drums and bells. The steady beat had already started to increase as she shook her hips.

  Jamal sat on the sofa and told himself no matter what happened, he wouldn’t smile. He knew that she wouldn’t understand that he was as charmed as he’d ever been and instead might think he was laughing at her.

  His wife was many wonderful things, but she wasn’t a dancer, he thought as he followed her movements. She was awkward and unfamiliar with the steps of the dance. He saw where she had to pause to remember and then improvised to catch up with the music. But none of that mattered. To him, she was a mysteriously beautiful creature, and he was grateful to have her in his life.

  Sunlight spilled in through the French doors of the suite, illuminating her pale skin. She wore her hair long. There weren’t curls today. Veils covered her body, but they were sheer enough that he could see the beaded bra and panties underneath. She danced for him, barefoot, smiling, and she was the most erotic vision he’d ever seen.

  He wanted her with a desperation he’d never allowed himself before. The urge to take her right there, to grab her and pull her down onto the sofa, nearly overwhelmed him. He forced himself to stay still, to hold his desire in check. Because he wanted her to think she’d won him on her own. Because she was the courtesan, not because she was his wife. This was her game and he was determined that she would win.

  Talk about a mistake, Heidi thought grimly as she held her hands above her head and spun until the room seemed to tilt. She hated the silly dance and she’d never felt more ridiculous in her life. What was wrong with her? She could only pray she didn’t look as stupid as she felt.

  She blinked several times and was shocked when she realized she was holding back tears. Why on earth was she crying? She wasn’t upset. She was having a good time, wasn’t she? Hadn’t she been the one to decide to do the routine? Hadn’t she thought it would be fun? She’d enjoyed learning the dance, making her own modifications. She’d even liked practicing. But now, in front of Jamal, everything was different.

  Her chest hurt, she thought as she dipped toward him and reached for the first veil. Tightness around her ribs made it hard to breathe. Some of it, she admitted, was the fact that although they’d only been intimate for a few days, she still recognized that look of desire in Jamal’s eyes. He wanted her. Except the her that he wanted was another woman. How could he have made love with her last night and sit here now, lusting after someone else?

  Involuntarily her gaze lowered to his lap. She stumbled when she saw the ridge of his desire pressing against his fly. He was aroused!

  The realization sent a jolt of fire through her body. She nearly stopped her dance and went to him, but then she remembered that this arousal wasn’t about her. It was too confusing, she thought, wishing she’d never started this particular game. She wanted to stop and tell him the truth, except she was afraid to. She didn’t want him to misunderstand what she’d done or why.

  How could he be doing this to her? How dare he be with another woman? And what if instead of falling in love with her, he fell in love with Honey? What if he wanted Honey more?

  She spun around to confront him. She was going to tell him the truth and damn the consequences. But as she turned, her foot caught against the leg of the coffee table and she stumbled. For a second, she nearly caught her balance again, but then she lost it and fell to the floor.

  Several large cushions broke her fall, but her ankle twisted painfully in the process and she gasped as her butt thudded onto the marble. Jamal was at her side in an instant.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, his voice low and concerned. “Does anything hurt? Should I call for a doctor?”

  He looked worried, she thought as she stared at his familiar face—a face she’d touched just that morning in their bed. This man had held her and caressed her and made love with her. He’d murmured that she was lovely and told her he wanted her. How could he be with someone else?

  “I—I’m fine,” she said.

  “No, you’re not. I can tell you’re in pain. Where does it hurt?”

  Everywhere, she thought. Mostly in her heart. But she couldn’t say that. Instead, she pointed to her ankle. “I think I twisted it a little. It’s not sprained or anything. I just need a minute to catch my breath.”

  Without responding, he slipped an arm around her back and another under her thighs. Then he lifted her and carried her to the dining-room table where he set her on the glass surface.

  “Let’s take a look at that ankle,” he said and bent to examine the area. His fingers were gentle but sure as he moved over the bone. “There’s no immediate swelling. That’s good. Can you wiggle your toes?”

  She did as he requested. He glanced up at her face and smiled. “They’re very nice toes.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered, knowing he was trying to be kind. She started to say more, then found herself resisting the urge to burst into tears. To her horror, a single tear crept down her cheek.

  “Honey, what’s wrong?” Jamal asked. He stepped between her thighs and pulled her close. “Are you injured somewhere else?”

  “No,” she sniffed, savoring the feel of having him hold her like this. As if she were precious…as if she mattered.

  Her feelings confused her. She hated that he was with Honey, and she loved that he’d taken her in his arms. She needed to be next to him. She wanted to make love with him. But not now, not like this.

  Yet when he lowered his head and brushed her mouth with his, she couldn’t resist him. She opened to admit him, accepting the intimate kiss even as more tears rolled down her cheeks.

  It was six kinds of heaven, but seven kinds of hell, she thought as their tongues brushed against each other, and his hands began to explore her.
She told herself to stop him, but she couldn’t. Already the liquid heat moved through her, melting her bones and robbing her of her will. It was too amazing, too much of what she wanted. Jamal. Always Jamal. He was her husband, the man she loved. She could no more resist him than she could stop breathing.

  The tone of his kiss changed as their tongues continued to dance with each other. His passion grew. She felt the fire race through him. It caught her in its grip, making her cling to him. Even the sheer veils and brief costume were too much for her to be wearing. She wanted to be naked right there on the table.

  He nipped at her mouth then trailed kisses down her neck. She arched to let him have his way with her. Then she drew him back. She kissed him—offering nibbling kisses of her own. She nipped at his lips and his tongue, all the while dragging her nails across his back.

  He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her up against him. His hardness fit perfectly against her waiting dampness. She felt herself preparing to climax, and he hadn’t even touched her yet.

  “Wrap your legs around me,” he told her, his voice low and hoarse.

  She did as he instructed and found that they fit together even better than they had last night. He rocked against her, teasing her center with his arousal, making her writhe. Even as his mouth kept contact with hers, he began to unfasten her veils, tugging them off her, removing her bra until she was topless.

  There was no slow seduction like the first time they’d made love, she thought hazily. Perhaps he thought Honey didn’t need it because she was experienced. Heidi didn’t mind. She was already wet and ready. Her breath came in short pants, and she knew she was going to die if he didn’t start touching her soon.

  Jamal broke their kiss long enough to pull off her panties. When she was naked, he hurriedly shrugged out of his shirt, then tossed it onto the table behind her. As if he’d read her mind, he lowered her onto the soft fabric, still warm from his body, and began to caress her breasts.

  He knew exactly how to touch her, she thought hazily. He cupped both her breasts in his hands, then teased the tight nipples. He took those tight buds between his forefinger and thumb and tweaked them until ribbons of pleasure wove their way to her most feminine core.