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He kissed the top of her head, savoring once more the smell of her shampoo, then repeated the word using the correct Arabic tones. “Mahbubi. It means my sweet. And you don’t have to try. You never, ever have to try with me. Or anyone else. You are spectacular, just as you are.”
“Aw.” She snuggled closer to him and he put his arm around her “I think I’m a little tipsy from that foam. I don’t drink very often myself and champagne always goes straight to my head.”
“I think I am tipsy too.” Rehaj laughed loud and long, taking in all the wonder around him as if for the first time ever. “And I think I like it.”
“You do?” Ani titled her face to look up at him, her expression so soft and gorgeous it took his breath away. “I like you, Rehaj. Way more than I ever thought I could in such a short time. I feel like you see me. Not the person I pretend to be on the outside, but the real me.” She raised their joined hands and pressed them to the spot over her heart. “In here.”
The heat of her through that thin yellow dress and the press of her breasts against his skin made his knees go weak. Or maybe that was the champagne. Either way, Rehaj knew he needed to get back to his villa soon or risk embarrassing himself on the beach. He brushed a brief kiss on Ani’s lips then stepped back. “Come, let’s return home.”
“To Texas?” She laughed again, the sound lilting through the air like a symphony of chimes around him. “That’s a long ways away.”
“No. To the villas.” They made their way across the beach while the staff behind them cleared away any evidence of their dinner. Rehaj frowned as they approached the flight of steps up to his balcony, his concentration split between navigating the stairs and the sweetness of Ani by his side. He wasn’t sure which was giving him more trouble. “There is no one I wish to be under the influence of more than you, mahbubi.”
Wait? What?
His sluggish mind took a moment to catch up with his words. That hadn’t come out right. He’d meant to say under the influence with. In truth, he had no hold on Ani, nor she on him. Nor did he have the right or the desire to make future claims on her, did he?
No, you don’t.
Yet the thought of another man touching her, holding her, making her cry out in ecstasy filled Rehaj with an anger so fierce it set his blood boiling. He’d never been possessive before, but Ani seemed to bring out that alpha streak in him without even trying. Just the very thought of that idiot she’d mentioned, Marcus who’d hurt her and left her heart battered and scarred, made him want to throttle the man with his bare hands. How dare that worthless piece of camel dung ever think to use and discard a woman so precious, so beautiful, so sweet and kind and generous and…
They’d made it up to his balcony now and stumbled inside his living room to collapse on the sofa. Ani’s warm curves cuddled into Rehaj’s side and he couldn’t remember a time he’d felt more content. It had been so long since he’d allowed himself to feel anything more than brief physical satisfaction with a woman. Thirteen years to be exact. Thirteen years he’d spent in his self-imposed prison, paying for his crimes.
But tonight. Tonight he wanted to live again, if only until the dawn.
If only in this alcohol-drenched, fevered dream.
Speaking of dreams, Ani was his every dream come to life and she was here, warm and safe and so very comfortable in his arms. She giggled again and he felt that happy noise go straight to his groin. Rehaj shifted slightly to relieve pressure off his now-aching cock.
They sat there in companionable silence for a while, Ani’s head nestled under his chin, just the soun
d of the sea and their breathing and his own heartbeat in his ears. Long enough, in fact, that he’d begun to wonder if Ani had fallen asleep.
As if in answer, she wriggled slightly, sliding one leg across his lap then pushing herself upward until she was straddling him. His hardening cock went to full staff, and Rehaj stared up into Ani’s gorgeous face, so close to his now.
“What are you doing?” he asked, though his body already had a pretty good idea.
“What’s it feel like I’m doing,” she said, rocking her heated core against him. She moaned low and he buried his face in her neck, licking and kissing and tasting her once more.
“Ah, Ani, mahbubi.” He groaned pulling her closer against him, surrendering the battle before it started. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”
Her sweet smile grew sultry as she reached one hand between them to stroke his hard length through his trousers. With the other, she reached behind her neck to undo the clasp of her halter-topped dress. The yellow fabric slid down to reveal the most beautiful breasts Rehaj had ever seen in his life. He swallowed hard, his throat dry as the deserts of Djeva. “I’ve got a pretty good idea, my sheikh. Care to prove your point?”
This time, it was Rehaj who laughed, tumbling her beneath him on the sofa and capturing her lips in a searing kiss that left them both breathless before he pulled away. “I thought you’d never ask.”
* * *
“Wait,” Ani said, placing her hand on Rehaj’s chest. His words to her, about being enough just the way she was, meant more to her than she could ever say. If this was going to happen between them tonight—and man oh man, did she want this to happen—she wanted nothing between them but the truth. Difficult as it was to stop Rehaj from touching her and stroking her, and… oh my. He’d cupped her breast, his thumb gently circling her straining nipple. She groaned low and arched so hard beneath him she nearly bucked them both off the sofa. Finally, she managed to wriggle out from beneath him and stand on her wobbly legs.
Rehaj stared up at her, looking like a lost, confused, hurt puppy and it took all her willpower not to crawl back into his arms, but she held out. What she was about to do would change everything for her.
“I’ll be right back. Stay here.” She hurried off to the bathroom and shut the door behind her, leaning back against it to take several deep breaths before moving to stand in front of the mirror. Slowly, she stripped naked then began to remove her makeup. First went the false eyelashes. Next, she scrubbed off all the eyeliner and blush and foundation until her face was clean. Finally, she reached back and removed the clipped in hair extension at the back of her head.
There. He’d said he liked her just as she was. Time to see if he’d truly meant that.
Ani squeezed her eyes shut and opened the door, stepped out and collided with a solid wall of muscle. Rehaj was there, standing outside the bathroom, waiting.
He frowned down at her, his hands on her shoulders to steady her. “What’s wrong? If you want to go, I understand. I have been very forward tonight with my affections and I’m afraid I’m not myself. If you wish to leave, I will walk you back to your place next door to make sure you arrive safely.”
