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Her features flushed slightly as he gazed into her eyes. He held her body tight against his, sensing his growing need. He wanted to act on it. But, he also knew that guests were waiting downstairs.
Frustration twisted in him at the realization that there was nothing they could do to act on their need for each other.
But that didn't stop him from leading her over to the terrace. There was a full moon in the dark sky. He could think of nothing more romantic than kissing his beautiful princess beneath the moon.
Eliana halted by his side and leaned a hand on the marble balustrade. She gazed up at the moon. The silvery light made her smooth skin look translucent. He couldn't resist the temptation to trace his fingertips along the smooth line of her jaw.
Eliana smiled at him. Then he couldn't resist it any longer. He dipped his head and claimed her lips once again. He felt her breath drawn sharply in as he pulled her body against him. This was where he really wanted to spend the entire evening, he told himself. Not down there with a collection of strangers, some of whom would look disapprovingly on the sheikh who presumed he was worthy of the princess.
But he knew he was worthy. Of that he had no doubt. Just holding her like this, feeling the exquisite shape of her curves, sensing her growing need, gave him all the happiness he would want this evening.
He noticed there was none of the hesitation he'd felt in her this afternoon in the garden. Maybe, whatever had troubled her there had faded away, he told himself. Perhaps, like him, she'd had time to reflect on that and come to some kind of understanding. It had been a momentary passion. Nothing more than an expression of his natural desire for her. So why had she reacted like that?
She shifted suddenly and lifted a hand to her tiara. "Careful, you'll knock my tiara off," she said.
He laughed. "Do you realize how ridiculous that sounded?"
She squinted at him and smiled. "But, it's true. You don't know how hard it is to get it back on once it comes off." She shimmied away from him, fussing with the tiara.
"Maybe I'll have to learn how to help you with that," he joked. "Or is that another one of those things you need servants for."
"I couldn't cope without Sayirah," Eliana explained.
Kadeem had seen how much Eliana relied on the the young Zahram servant woman. There was obvious affection between the two of them. They were virtually inseparable. "I think you can look after yourself, pretty well," he replied.
She lifted a brow. "You think so?"
He nodded and moved closer to her. He gazed deeply into her eyes. "Do we really have to go downstairs now?" he asked slowly. He saw temptation flicker momentarily in her eyes.
She furrowed her brows and shook her head. "You really are incorrigible, aren't you?"
He placed a hand on her hip, curving his fingers round her delicious curves. "I know what I want. And I always get what I want," he declared in a low growl. "Or didn't you know that, already," he added with a sly grin.
She lifted a hand and waved a finger at him. "We have guests to attend to," she reminded him. "And the last thing I want anyone thinking is that you and I have been up to anything before coming down to welcome them."
He nodded, feeling disappointed. She was right. They had an obligation to attend to, and there would be no sense in feeding the gossip mill.
He slid his arms around her waist. "Just one more kiss, Ellie," he said softly. "You aren't going to deny me that, are you?"
She smiled and rested her hand on his shoulder. "Of course not," she replied.
And then he kissed her, and it was as exquisite as before.
As they left his room together, he glanced along the corridor. There had been a flash of color somewhere at the far end of the marble corridor. But when his eyes settled on the place where he thought he'd seen something, he saw nothing there. He dismissed it as he took Eliana's hand and started toward the end of the corridor.
"Are you nervous?" she asked glancing at him.
He shook his head. "Why would I be?"
"You're going to be the focus of attention for the whole evening, you know that, don't you," she said.
He shrugged. "I don't care what people think of me. Even if I'm the outsider, that doesn't mean I don't belong here. Especially since I'm here for you."
She smiled. "Some of the same people who will be here tonight are the same people who thought my mother had no right to marry my father."
He frowned. "Prejudice dies hard in Zahram," he observed.
"People have long memories," she said. "And sometimes their opinions never change."
