Evernight Publishing ®
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2014 Doris O’Connor
ISBN: 978-1-77130-997-4
Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs
Editor: Karyn White
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
As ever, thanks to Evernight Publishing, and my fabulous Editor Karyn for helping me make Rashid's and Astrid's story truly shine. And to my readers, thank you for your support. May all your wishes come true.
AWOKEN BY THE SHEIKH
Services to Sisterhood, 1
Doris O’Connor
Copyright © 2014
Chapter One
“Astrid, I am not taking no for an answer.” Lynn fixed her with one of those looks, and Astrid found it hard not to squirm in her seat like a recalcitrant six-year-old. “You’ve been working far too hard. You need a holiday, and I know just the place. Every woman should go at least once in her lifetime. You’ll love it, you’ll see!”
Lynn shoved the brochure across the table at her, and Astrid barely suppressed her groan of disgust. The glossy paper promised white, sandy beaches, tropical weather, one’s every whim catered to, a no-expenses-spared holiday. Too bad it gave Astrid heat rash just from the pictures.
Not again. How can I get out of this?
Astrid forced her lips into a semblance of a smile
“I don’t do fantasies I tell you. What on earth am I going to do there, and how could you afford it anyway?”
Lynn just laughed at her. “Never you mind that. It’s all taken care of. And as for fantasies? You’ll surprise yourself, I’m sure. Look at this as education. You need to loosen up woman, discover your inner sex goddess before you turn into a shriveled up old prune.”
Heat rose in Astrid’s cheek, and she was sure the whole coffee shop stopped to look at their table. “Will you keep your voice down? My sex life is none of your business.”
“Sex life?” Lynn didn’t temper her volume. If anything it increased in decibels, and Astrid feared for the plate glass windows. “Girl, you haven’t got one, and this trip is going to change all that. No, don’t even try to wriggle out of it. It’s all arranged. Call it services to sisterhood.”
“Lynn, this is insane. I can’t just take off. It’s—“
“It’s half term next week, and you most certainly can just take off. I’ll feed your goldfish. I’ll even talk to him, so he doesn’t feel lonely.” Lynn laughed again and shook her head at Astrid. “You do realize how sad that is, right? You’re turning into the proverbial cliché. Only you’re not old, just a spinster, with a goldfish rather than a cat.”
The more Astrid protested, the louder and more insistent Lynn became, until Astrid had no choice but to agree, all too aware of the sniggering around her.
****
Services to sisterhood—what a crock. She was not some sort of sex starved charity case, as Lynn must have made her out to be to get her booked on this thing. And since when was there such a charity anyway? So they booked you on this fantasy getaway to get bonked senseless and then your life would be so much better right? Right. Bull, bull, bull. And fool that she was, she was now stuck on this trip. There was no means to reach the outside world until the holiday was over, and she had presumably been shagged senseless by goodness only knew who.
Astrid clung to the handrail a bit tighter as the speedboat rode another wave. The man in charge of this tiny contraption gave her a wide grin when she couldn’t contain her shriek. Here he went again with the knowing looks that made Astrid all too aware of her own body. That kind of undress her with his eyes look would have earned him a stern dressing down, had she been at home. Out here, however, like the proverbial fish out of water, she had no comeback. Men generally didn’t look at her twice, which was just fine by her, thank you very much.
This one, however? His dark eyes raked her up and down, and a slow grin spread across his face. He looked as though he knew exactly what she was hiding under her sensible and far too hot suit. Yeah, girl, wear a woolen suit to a tropical island. Now that was a brainwave, duh.
The offending suit clung to her skin, and beads of perspiration slid into the valley of her breasts and collected in the small of her back. The heat was getting to her. That was the only explanation for her body’s immediate and frightful response to this man’s latent sexuality. Astrid held onto the rail a bit tighter and shut her eyes to block out the terrifying sight of another wave approaching, as she recalled her first meeting with him.
“Welcome to the island of dreams, beautiful lady.”
Astrid harrumphed at that memory. Beautiful? Her? Yeah, sure, buster. Next he would be offering to show her around personally. Lynn had said the staff was extremely accommodating. Heaven help her if his deep, accented tones hadn’t done strange things to her insides, however. Not that she would ever admit to that or let him see her reaction.
She’d ignored the outstretched hand, which had earned her a chuckle and a raised eyebrow from the infuriating man, and then the speedboat had roared to life. Astrid was going to kill Lynn for insisting that she come to this, this place. Hours on planes, and now this boat, whose swaying movements made her stomach churn. Exhaustion pulled at her, and thanks to the suffocating heat she could barely breathe. Her hair whipped around her face in a tangled, frizzy mess due to the salt air, and she was sure she had sweat stains that would never come out on her suit.
Very beautiful, indeed. What a load of bull designed to make women swoon.
Thinking of Lynn made her groan out loud. Lynn, who was so full of life that Astrid got tired just watching her. This trip was Lynn’s birthday present to her. She couldn’t have just gotten her the latest novel she asked for, oh no.
That would have been easy and helpful, and meant Astrid could have relieved her sexual tension while safely tucked under her covers with the aid of her little purple friend.
“Hold on tight, beautiful lady. This bit gets rather rough.”
Astrid almost jumped at the deep, male voice and rolled her eyes as he threw her another one of those lingering looks. Oh no, you don’t, buster. It would take a lot more than male eye candy served in a white uniform for her to be at all interested.
Wouldn’t it?
Nonetheless Astrid breathed a sigh of relief when the little craft finally pulled up at a small quay. Her torture was almost over. Ignoring the outstretched hand of sailor boy, Chippendale wannabe, she managed to climb off the boat, grateful for the wide, female smile that greeted her.
“Welcome to the island, Miss Griending. I trust that your journey over was not too tiresome and that Pedro behaved himself?” The middle aged woman’s smile deepened at Astrid’s barely suppressed, “Harrumph!”
“I always behave myself, Anna, you know that.” Pedro shot Astrid another one of those looks as he handed her luggage out of the boat. “Unless the lady doesn’t want me to?”
Damn the man. Heat rose in her cheeks, and with one last chuckle the infuriating example of why she normally avoided men at all costs was gone with a burst of speed.
“I bet he says that to all the women he ferries about.” Astrid grumbled the words under her breath.
“Don’t you mind Pedro,” Anna said. “His bark is worse than his bit
e. If you follow me, I will show you to your accommodations so you can settle in. You will feel better once you have freshened up.” Anna picked up Astrid’s bags and set off at a brisk pace.
Astrid had little choice but to follow the petite woman up the winding path. She was so tired by now that she could hardly think straight, and she wasn’t really listening when Anna offered her a choice of huts. Surely one was as good as the other? And why was she asking her about her favorite childhood book? What did that have to do with anything, and why on earth was she smiling at her like that?
If she didn’t know any better she would have thought that welcome drink Anna handed her was spiked, she was so woozy. Oh stop being paranoid, girl. You’re just tired.
She was dimly aware of being shown into a cozy looking beach hut, situated on flawless white sands, before the sight of the hugest bed she had ever seen made her forget all her other worries, and she simply gave herself up to sleep.
Chapter Two
Sunlight streamed into the bedroom and carried with it the sounds of the sea and the delicious smell of coffee. Astrid stretched like a cat and moaned her pleasure at the decadence of satin sheets on her bare skin. This was the life. Judging by the sun streaming in through the open windows and the warm breeze that ruffled the gauze curtains around her bed, she had slept late. When was the last time she had actually done that? Maybe this holiday would be good for her after all. She just had to make sure to keep away from any overconfident males, easy peasy lemon squeezy. Oh and not dream of course.
Sheesh, what a dream that had been…
Heat rose in her cheeks, and her toes curled in sensual awareness as she remembered the most erotic dream she’d ever had. A man’s voice had whispered sweet nothings into her ear in a language she didn't understand. Wetness pooled between her thighs as she recalled the man’s large hands, their skin so much darker than her own. Her dream lover had stroked and kneaded her breasts until they ached with longing. His oh so clever fingers had plundered her pussy, pushed her over that sweet cliff, and pulled one heart stopping orgasm after the other from her. His hot lips had kissed a trail down the sensitive skin of her tummy, lower and lower still, until they’d latched onto her clit and brought her to euphoria once more. The man's strong arms had held her firmly and lifted her up, as though she weighed no more than a feather. Wetness seeped past her labial lips, as she recalled the incredible fullness of his cock pushing into her core until she’d been so filled with him she thought she could take no more, and the whole world tilted on its axis. The sensation of coarse chest hair on her sensitive nipples that had made her cry out for more, more, until release came in the form of a hot male mouth, and his teeth nipped and his tongue stroked, and arousal had surged through her veins.
Astrid stretched again and rubbed her thighs together in a vain effort to release the hot ache in her sex. Her dream had been so vivid. Shame she had to wake up. Real life was definitely not like this. She smiled ruefully as she sat up in her ridiculously large bed. What did they put in the drinks around here? Whatever it was she had to take some home with her.
The sound of running water, interspersed with soft female laughter and the giggle of small children brought her out of her sensual day dream. Children? Surely not! Not on this supposed island of sexual abandon. And what had happened to her hut? The cozy beach hut seemed to have transformed into, well she wasn’t exactly sure what. Some sort of Arabian fantasy, it seemed. The bed was as huge as she remembered, but the voile curtains hadn’t been there last night, she was sure. Assortments of vibrant scarves were artfully arranged around the room. They drifted from ceiling to floor in enticing waves and ripples—the breeze fluttering through them heavy with fragrances Astrid could not decipher. Huge mirrors lined one side of the room, whose walls were papered in rich brocade tones under-laid with gold. Cushions of all shapes and sizes were everywhere, and the thick pile rug on the marble floor just invited her to curl her toes into it.
Okay, I’m clearly still dreaming. This cannot be real. It just can’t. Could it? Next my dream lover will walk through that open door.
Oh shoot! Her heart beat a little faster as she recalled Anna’s question about her favorite childhood book—Aladdin. And this room was just like the ones she had pictured so many times as a child. Innocent imaginings at first, and later on with rampaging teenage hormones and a huge crush on Arabian Nights and the whole forbidden world of harems…
No, no, good God, no.
Astrid watched in helpless fascination as several Arabian beauties glided through the large double doors at the other side of the room. Their loose clothing flowed in the breeze that came with them carrying scents of jasmine and orange blossom. They bowed their heads to Astrid and placed various trays of fruit, bread, cold meats, cheeses, jugs of fruit juice, and coffee on the low table in front of her enormous bed.
The stunningly regal woman that followed them assessed Astrid from under the long lashes of her kohl-accented eyes. “I guess you will do.”
She clapped her hands at the servant girls and issued a string of demands in what Astrid presumed to be Arabic, before she turned her attention back to Astrid, who finally found her voice. “Who the hell are you?”
“I am in charge here, and you would do well to remember that. Get out of that bed so I can see what I have to work with,” the woman said.
“Excuse me, who do you think you are to order me around like this? Get the hell out of my room or—"
“Or what?”
Those dark eyes narrowed as the woman took a step toward her, and Astrid didn’t know where to look. The clothes the woman was wearing were see-through and left nothing to the imagination. Clearly underwear was optional in this place. Come to think of it, where were her own clothes? She was naked under this sheet, too.
“You have been chosen to pleasure Prince Rashid, and it’s my duty to prepare you for your task. We do not have much time, and the prince is an impatient man. He has waited long enough whilst you rested.”
Another clap of the woman’s heavily jeweled hands brought forth two eunuchs, or at least that’s who Astrid assumed they must be. The two men positioned themselves either side of the doors, arms crossed, faces impassive as the older woman once again extended her hand.
“Come, there is no need to be nervous. Prince Rashid extends you a great honor by choosing you over all the others.”
“Others?” Astrid’s voice was a hoarse imitation of its usual self, and she could hardly hear herself over the roaring in her ears. This could not be happening. This was her fantasy? Clearly there was something wrong with her if she had managed to conjure this up, and how the hell was she going to get out of this? Lynn, I really am going to kill you when I get back. No wonder she had been so vague about the specifics of this trip. “I have absolutely no interest in pleasuring this Rashid, whoever he may be, so you can call your hounds off and just leave.”
The deep male voice that drifted in on the summer breeze made the fine hair on her neck stand on end and her clit clench in anticipation. She knew that voice, but surely not…
“Leave us, Layla. I will deal with this myself.”
Chapter Three
“As you wish, Prince Rashid.” Seeing Layla’s immediate submission as she bowed deeply sent a shiver of foreboding down Astrid’s spine. Who on earth was about to come through the door?
The small army of servants glided out of the room as quietly as they had entered. They bowed to the impossibly tall man dressed in western clothing. Layla’s whispered words in Arabic brought a fleeting smile to his harsh features, and Astrid swallowed nervously when the full force of his hazel eyes settled on her. The man was sex-on-legs gorgeous, if you liked that sort of thing. Not that you do, remember. Long, straight black hair framed a strong face, with perfect cheekbones, and a prominent nose. Dark stubble lined his jaw and full lips that promised sinful delights. The faint scar over one eye simply accentuated the air of quiet power and strength in his gaze, which settled entirely on her,
and made her breathing speed up against her will. Apparently she was not as immune to the whole bad boy look as she thought she was. Astrid bit her lip to stop the groan that threatened to rise from deep within her when he moved toward the low table in front of her bed. He picked up one ripe strawberry and popped it into his sensual mouth. His knowing gaze never once left her face.
The simple movement drew her attention toward the subtle play of muscles visible through the tight fit of the plain t-shirt. His biceps strained the fabric surrounding them. Light trousers left little to the imagination, as his thighs flexed under the thin cotton when he straightened up again with the lithe grace of a predator. Astrid had to remind herself to keep breathing. There was no mistaking the bulge in his crotch. She glimpsed it briefly before she forced her eyes back up to his face hastily, lest he had noticed her staring.
I’m still dreaming. I have to be or hallucinating or something. What was in that drink Anna gave me?
Men like this were never interested in her. There was no mistaking the sexual awareness in those ever darkening eyes, however, as his gaze roamed freely over her body. It settled on her embarrassingly erect nipples, which strained against the thin silk sheet she clutched in trembling fingers.
This cannot be happening! She never reacted like this to any man, least of all a perfect stranger.
“You must be hungry, after last night.” His deep, slightly accented voice washed over her. It made her nerve endings tingle and brought a fresh wave of moisture between her thighs, leaving her in no doubt what her body wanted.
“Last night? Nothing happened last night.” She croaked the words, utterly unable to project her voice with any conviction.
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