Delaney's Desert Sheikh (15 page)

Happiness flooded Delaney. “Oh, Jamal.”

“And you are the woman that I want for my princess, Delaney. Please say that you will marry me and come live with me in Tahran. There are a number of Americans in your military and private businesses living close by in Kuwait, and if you get homesick we can always come back here to visit at any time. We can even live in your country half the year and in mine the other half if that pleases you. I see my father being king for a long time, which means I won't I have to live permanently in Tahran for a number of years to come.”

He leaned over and kissed her lips. “Say yes you will marry me so I can be yours exclusively.”

Delaney knew there was no way she could refuse him. Her love for him was too great, and she knew she wanted to be with him for the rest of her life.

“Yes, Jamal. I will marry you.”

Filled with joy of the richest kind, Jamal leaned in closer, and captured her lips with his, feeling a jolt of desire shoot down his spine at the contact. His hand moved to the back of her neck, and he ran his fingers through the thick, glossy curls before holding her neck firmly in place to let his mouth make love to hers, wanting to consume her.

He wanted to be reunited with her taste, and he focused his attention on the bone-melting kiss he was giving her. His tongue explored inside her mouth as he licked everywhere before taking her tongue in his and sucking on it in a way he knew would make her scream.

But he didn't want her to scream, or else he would have to hurt her brothers when they broke the door down to see what was going on. So he gentled the kiss, not quite ready to end it. He wanted to taste her some more. He needed to make sure this was the real thing and not a dream.

Jamal continued to let his tongue mate with hers, reacquainting himself with the pleasures he could find only with her.

 

“What the hell is going on in that bathroom?” Dare asked in a loud, sharp voice as he paced the floor. “I can't believe we're out here and not knocking the damn door down to find out for ourselves what's happening.”

Tara glared at him, the same way she had been glaring at the other three since that man had taken Delaney into the bathroom and locked them in. “You're acting just like Delaney wants you to act, calm and civilized, and not like barbarians. She has a right to privacy.”

“Privacy hell, she was sick,” Stone implored. “And why is he in there taking care of her instead of one of us? We're her brothers.”

Yes, but he is the father of her child, Tara wanted to tell them, now that she had figured things out. She sighed deeply. The least she could do for her friend was to keep her brothers under control. “While the four of you are waiting, can I get you to help me with something? I need help with this piece of exercise equipment I'm trying to put together.”

They looked at her as if she was crazy. “Nice try, Tara, but we're not moving until we know for sure that Laney is okay,” Dare said, smiling at her.

Tara shrugged. “All right. I'm sure it won't be too much longer before they—”

Everyone stopped talking when the bathroom door opened. Everyone who had been sitting down shot up out of their seats. “Laney, are you all right?” Storm asked with a worried look. He glared at Jamal when he saw the man's hand was back around his sister's waist. “I thought you were told about your hands,” Storm said, filled with hostility.

Delaney actually chuckled. “Storm, that is no way to talk to your future brother-in-law.” Before anyone could recover from what she had just implied, she said, “I never got around to making introductions. Everyone, this is Sheikh Jamal Ari Yasir of Tahran. We met last month at the cabin and fell in love. Before we could make plans for our future he had to leave unexpectedly to return home. Now he's back and has asked me to marry him and I've accepted.”

Mixed emotions went around the room. Tara screamed out her excitement, and the Westmoreland brothers stood frozen in shock.

“Marry!” Chase finally found his voice enough to ask, almost in a shout. “Are you nuts! He's not even from this country. Where in the hell will the two of you live?”

Delaney smiled sweetly. “Although we plan to spend a lot of time in America, we will mainly live in Tahran, which is located not far from Kuwait. All of you are welcome to visit anytime.”

“You can't marry him!” Stone stormed.

“She can and she will.” The room suddenly became quiet when Jamal spoke to everyone for the first time. The tone of his voice reflected authority, certainty and invincibility. “I appreciate all the care and concern you have shown to Delaney for the past twenty-five years and I find your actions nothing but admirable. But as my intended bride, the future princess of Tahran, she now becomes my responsibility. At the exact moment that she consented to marry me, she fell under the protection of my country. My father, King Yasir, has given his blessings and—”

“Your father is King Yasir?” Dare asked in total amazement.

Jamal lifted a brow. “Yes, do you know him?”

Dare shook his head, still semishocked at everything. “No, of course I don't know him, at least not personally, anyway. But a few years ago while I was in the Marines stationed near Saudi Arabia, I got the honor of meeting him when I was in charge of security for a political function he attended. That meeting left me very impressed with the way he carried himself and the care, concern and love he bestowed on his people.”

Jamal nodded. “Thank you. I will pass on to him your compliment.” He then studied Dare a moment before asking. “So you have resided in the Middle East?”

“Yes. I was stationed there for two years and I must admit the entire area is beautiful and the Persian Gulf is simply magnificent.”

Jamal smiled. Pleased at the compliment given to his homeland. “You must visit there again. Delaney and I will have private quarters in the palace and as she has indicated, all of you are welcome to visit.”

“Damn,” Storm said. “An actual palace?” He grinned. “That day when you told us those tire tracks belonged to a prince, we thought you were fooling.” He laughed. “Nobody on the squad is going to believe my sister actually nabbed herself a real-live prince. John Carter walked around with his chest poked out when his sister flew to Tampa and married a professional football player. Just wait until I tell them that Laney is going to be a princess.”

Chase frowned at his brother, then turned his full attention to Delaney. Uncertainty and concern were etched in his features. “Are you sure this is what
you
want, Laney? I have to know that this is what
you
want, no matter what
he
wants,” Chase said, looking at Jamal. “Is marrying this guy going to make you happy? What about your career in medicine?”

Delaney glanced around the room at her brothers. The deep love and concern she saw in their eyes touched her. Although she had whined and complained about their overprotectiveness through the years, deep down in her heart she knew they had behaved in such a manner because they loved her and had cared for her well-being.

“Yes,” she whispered softly, yet loud enough for all to hear. She glanced up at Jamal before turning back to everyone. “I love Jamal, and becoming his wife will be my greatest joy.” As well as being the mother of his child, she decided not to add. Her brothers had to adjust to the idea of her getting married. She didn't want to complicate matters with the news that she was pregnant, as well. “And as for my career in medicine, I'm sure it will come in handy in some capacity in Tahran.”

“I'm so happy for you, girlfriend,” Tara said, smiling brightly and going over to Delaney and giving her a fierce hug.

Storm laughed. “Well, I guess that's that.”

Dare shook his head solemnly. “No, that's not that. Thorn doesn't know yet. And, personally, I don't want to be around when he gets in tomorrow and finds out.”

T
hat evening Delaney left her brothers in Tara's care while she and Jamal went out to dinner. Although he had invited everyone to join them, she was grateful they had declined, so she could spend an evening alone with him.

However, they had indicated to Jamal, engaged or not engaged, they expected her to sleep in her bed and
alone
tonight. They had made it clear that until there was a wedding they intended to protect their sister's honor. It had been hard for Delaney to keep a straight face at that one. And eye contact across the room with Tara indicated that her friend had figured out her condition and would keep her secret and would do everything she could to help keep the Westmoreland brothers busy until she returned—which Delaney intended to be rather late.

She nervously bit her bottom lip when she thought about Thorn. He could be rather irrational at times and was more overprotective than the others. She would have to talk to him privately just as soon as he arrived in the morning.

“Are you ready to leave, Delaney?”

Jamal's question broke into her thoughts, and she lovingly gazed across the table at him. Earlier that day, after getting nearly everything straightened out with her brothers, he had left to change clothes and had returned two hours later to take her to dinner.

Tonight he was dressed like a Westerner and looked absolutely stunning in a dark gray suit, white shirt and navy blue tie. She smiled, thinking he was certainly a very handsome man. His dark eyes held her seductively in their gaze and had been doing so all night. “Yes,” she said softly. “But it's early yet. You aren't planning to take me straight home, are you?”

He stood and walked around the table to pull her chair back for her. “No. I thought you might be interested in seeing the town house I've purchased to live in while I'm here.”

Delaney raised a brow. “You've purchased a town house? But you just arrived today.”

He nodded. “Asalum is most efficient when it comes to handling business matters. He took care of all the details and made the necessary arrangements from the jet while we were flying over here.”

Delaney shook her head. She doubted she would ever get used to such extravagance. “Must be nice.”

He chuckled. “It is nice, as you will soon see.” He took her hand in his as they walked out of the restaurant. “And there is another reason I want to take you to my town house.”

Delaney had a good idea just what that other reason was but wanted him to tell her, anyway. “And what reason is that,
Your Highness?
”

Jamal leaned down and whispered in her ear. Even with the darkness of her skin, she actually blushed, then smiled up at him. “Um, I think something like that can be arranged, Prince.”

 

Back at Delaney's apartment the Westmoreland brothers and Tara were involved in a game of bid whist. Tara excused herself from the next game and went into the kitchen to check on the cookies that she had baking in the oven.

They had ordered pizza earlier, and with Stone's complaint of not having anything sweet to eat, she had taken a tube of frozen cookie dough from Delaney's freezer and had baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies.

Tara smiled, inwardly admitting that, now that she was getting to know them better, she liked Delaney's brothers. Although she thought their overprotectiveness was a bit much, it was definitely a show of the love they had for their sister.

She was taking the tray of baked cookies from the oven when Delaney's doorbell sounded. She hoped it wasn't one of the neighbors complaining that too much noise was coming from the apartment. Storm had a tendency to groan rather loudly whenever he lost, which was frequently. She smiled, thinking he was definitely a sore loser.

Back in the living room, Chase got up from the table to open the door. He snatched it open, wondering who would have the nerve to interrupt their card game.

He winced when he saw the person standing there. Damn, all hell is about to break loose, he thought frowning. “Thorn! What are you doing here? We weren't expecting you until the morning.”

Thorn Westmoreland shook his head and looked questioningly beyond Chase to the table where his other brothers sat playing cards. At least they
had
been playing cards. Stone had stopped and sat unmoving, like a “stone” right in the middle of dealing out the cards, and both Dare and Storm looked at him as if he was a Martian.

He frowned, wondering what the hell had everyone spooked. Entering the apartment, he walked into the center of the room. “What the hell is everyone staring at? Do I have mud on my face or something?”

Dare, regaining his wits, returned to shuffling the cards. “We're just surprised to see you tonight.”

“Yeah,” Stone chimed in. “We weren't expecting you until the morning.”

Thorn threw his overnight bag on the sofa. “Yes, that's what I heard, twice already. First from Chase and now you guys. So you're all surprised I showed up tonight. What's going on?”

Chase closed the door and walked across the room to reclaim his seat at the table. “What makes you think something is going on?”

“Because the four of you are looking guilty as sin about something.”

Dare chuckled. “That's just your imagination, bro.” As usual everyone was trying to decipher Thorn's mood and until they did, they weren't making any waves. And they definitely weren't going to say anything about Delaney's engagement. “I take it you got that customer satisfied.”

“Yeah, and got a free flight here on his private jet.” Thorn glanced around the apartment. “Where's Laney?”

Storm threw out a card. “She went out.”

Thorn frowned and checked his watch. It was almost midnight. “She went out where?”

“She didn't say,” Stone said, studying his hand.

Thorn's frown deepened. “When is she coming back?”

“We don't know exactly,” Chase said, watching his brother, knowing that at any minute they would start seeing smoke come from his ears. It didn't take much to set Thorn off when he was in one of his foul moods. Usually this kind of mood meant he was overdue for getting laid, but it was Thorn's own fault for being so damn nitpicky when it came to women.

Thorn slowly walked over to the table. “And just what do you know,
exactly?
”

Dare chuckled. “Trust us, Thorn, you don't want to hear it. At least not from us. Just have a seat and sit tight until Laney comes home. Or better yet, pull up a chair and join the game. My truck needs a new engine so I need to win some money off you.”

Thorn slammed his fist hard on the table, sending cards flying. When he was sure he had everyone's attention he proceeded to say, “I don't know what's going on but I have a feeling it involves Laney. And you guys know how much I hate secrets. So which one of you is going to spill your guts?”

Dare stood. So did Stone, Chase and Storm. Usually it took a combined effort to make Thorn see reason and cut the moody crap. “We aren't telling you anything so sit down and shut up,” Dare said through clenched teeth.

At that moment Tara came charging out of the kitchen. She had heard enough. Thorn Westmoreland had some nerve, barging in here at this late hour and causing problems. Just who did he think he was?

Thorn caught her in his peripheral vision the moment she flew out of the kitchen. She stopped walking when he turned and stared at her.

Tara swallowed, wondering why the air had suddenly left the room, making it almost impossible for her to breathe. Her gaze held the muscular, well-built man who stood so tall she had to stretch her neck to look up at him. Dressed in a pair of jeans—and wearing them in a way she'd never known a man to wear them before—he utterly oozed sexuality and sensuality, all rolled into one. He was without a doubt the most gorgeous hunk of man she had ever laid eyes on.

He was staring at her, and his stare was burning intimate spots all over her body, branding her. She blinked, not appreciating the fact that any man, especially this man with his foul mood, could have this effect on her. She didn't have time for such foolishness. Sexual chemistry was too much bother, too time-consuming. Her job and her career came first. Physical attraction, love, sex, babies…and all the other stuff that went with it…was definitely a low priority on her totem pole.

She inhaled deeply, thinking that the best thing to do would be to say her peace and get the hell of out there, on the fastest legs she had. Once she was safe in her apartment, she would try and figure out what was happening to her and why.

With a deep frown she resumed walking until she stood directly in front of Thorn. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. “How dare you come here causing problems. Just who do you think you are? The Mighty Thorn? All we need is to give the neighbors a reason to complain. So why don't you do like you've been told and sit down and shut up!”

Taking a deep breath, she then turned her attention to the other four brothers. “I put the cookies on a plate in the kitchen. Help yourselves.” After glaring one last time at Thorn, she quickly crossed the room and walked out the door, slamming it behind her.

Thorn forced his gaze away from the whirlwind who had told him off. He slowly turned and looked at his brothers, who for some reason were staring steadfastly at him…with smirks on their faces. “Who the hell is that?”

Dare chuckled as he crossed his arms over his chest. “
That,
Thorn, is
your
challenge.”

 

The same sexual tension that had totally consumed Jamal and Delaney from the moment he had picked her up for dinner increased by umpteen degrees once he had her settled in the warm intimacy of the Mercedes sports car he was driving. Every look they exchanged was hot.

Delaney knew that each time he stopped for a traffic light he took his eyes off the road and turned his gaze to her. Then there was the hand that he simply refused to keep on the steering wheel—the one he preferred to use to caress her legs and thighs instead. And the short dress she had on made her body all that more accessible. It barely covered her thighs.

Her brothers' jaws had almost dropped when she'd walked out of the bedroom wearing it, but thank goodness they hadn't said anything. The look Jamal had given her had been totally different from her brothers' and she had hurriedly ushered him out of her apartment before anyone noticed what seeing her in it had done to a certain part of his body.

“Open.”

Jamal's husky command filled the quiet stillness of the car's interior. Delaney couldn't help but notice his hand had worked its way up her inner thigh. Knowing just what he meant for her to do, she slowly opened her legs while studying his profile intently. His eyes were still on the road but she detected his breathing had shifted from steady to unsteady.

Her eyes fluttered shut when she felt the tenderness of his fingers touch the center of her pantyhose between her legs. Boy, she had missed his fingers. Her dream was nothing compared to the real thing. The man was filling her with a purely sexual rush.

Her breathing became heavy when the tip of his finger worked insistently until it poked a hole in her panty hose, to get to just what it wanted. Tonight her panty hose were serving as both panty and hosiery, so once he found his way past the silky nylon all that was left was bare flesh, and his finger found her hot and wet.

“I can't wait to get you home, Delaney,” he whispered softly, as his busy fingers continued to touch her, tease her and explore her fully. Her body shivered at the intimate contact, and she felt herself getting hotter and wetter. He felt it, too.

Her mind and thoughts concentrated on what he was doing to her when his fingers began a rhythm that made her arch her back against the seat. She opened her legs wider, which made her dress rise higher on her thighs, thankful that the people riding in the car next to them could not see what was happening inside theirs. Her mouth opened, then closed, along with her eyes, unable to get any words out, just moans…excruciating moans.

“When we get to my place, Delaney, I won't be using my finger. Do you know what I'll be using?”

She slowly opened her eyes and looked at him and saw they had come to a traffic light. He leaned over and whispered hotly in her ear, and the only thing she could think to say was, “My goodness.”

Her breath suddenly became shaky and her body began shivering when he began rubbing inside of her harder, increasing the rhythm. The palms of her hands pressed hard against the car's dashboard when everything inside of her exploded, reeling her into a climax. Her body continued to shudder violently.

“Jamal!”

Her head went back and she moaned one final time as pleasure consumed her, slowly leaving her sated, breathless and feeling weak. Once she could get her breathing under control she found the strength to glance over at Jamal. She was too overwhelmed to even feel embarrassed at the fact that he had made her climax in a car while he had been driving with one hand.