Fighting With the Infuriating Prince (6 page)

She found him pacing back and forth, wearing a pair of jeans that rode very low on his hips.  When he saw her, his eyes widened slightly.

“You didn’t know about the secret passageways?” she asked, leaning against the door.  Almost as if she weren’t fully committed to being here.

“I knew about them.  It was why I told you to come through them.  I just didn’t think you’d come tonight.”

She leaned against the secret door, her body shivering with nerves and anticipation.  “Your offer was a bit too compelling,” she finally told him.  Her eyes drifted down, skimming across his chest and he smiled, eager for whatever she might be doing to him tonight. 

He didn’t move, just stood there, waiting for her. 

“What do I do?” she finally asked. 

He shrugged one of those massive shoulders.  “You tell me,” he dared her.  “You’re in charge, princess.”

She smiled as she licked her lips.  “Totally in charge?” she asked, stepping away from the secret doorway. 

“Completely in charge,” he assured her.  “Just tell me what you want me to do.”

She stepped closer, not really sure what she wanted.  Except to touch him, she thought.  Moving across the floor on almost silent feet, she stepped closer to him, her hands moving to his chest.  “I can touch you all I want?”

“And anywhere you want,” he assured her, looking down at her and his body was instantly hard and aching.  That look in her eyes told him that she was extremely turned on by the idea and he loved this about her.  He instantly knew that he was in trouble…and was going to love every moment of it. 

When her soft fingers first touched his chest, he grunted as if he were in pain.  And, in a way, he was in pain.  He wanted to lift her up into his arms and carry her over to his bed.  Every instinct within him wanted to take charge, to make love to her until she was screaming out his name. 

But he wanted all of her.  Including her admission that she liked what they did to each other.  If he could get her to admit that, he suspected he might get her agreement to marry him.  Why this was so important, he wasn’t even thinking about.  All he knew was that he wanted her.  Forever!

Jalayla ran her fingers over every inch of his chest, her fingers sliding against the textured skin that was so different from her own.  She was fascinated by his skin that was so much darker than hers.  When her fingers slid over his flat, male nipple, she heard him hiss through his teeth and she liked that sound.  So she did it again, garnering the same results.  Remembering the way he’d tortured her breasts earlier today, she moved her head closer, her lips capturing his nipple and tormenting it mercilessly. 

When she felt his hands on her hips, she looked up at him, trying to be stern.  “Take your hands off of me,” she told him.

He stared at her for a long moment, considering just ignoring her order.  But in the end, he reminded himself of the long-term goal and his hands slid off of her hips, hanging next to his hips. 

Jalayla smiled and went back to her exploration.  She moved over his chest and stomach, stopping when she reached the waistband of his jeans.  Her fingers slid underneath the material as if she were about to unsnap, but when she felt his stomach muscles tighten, she pulled back and moved around to the back of him.  She gave the muscles in his back equal time and found several spots that were almost as reactive as the front of him. 

When she came back around to the front, she wanted very badly for him to lift her up into his arms and carry her over to the enormous bed, to make love to her like he had earlier this morning.  But she remembered that she was in charge and bit her lower lip.  “Take off your jeans and go lie down,” she told him.

His jeans were gone swiftly and he wasn’t wearing anything else underneath.  When he walked stiffly over to the bed, he laid on his back, his feet on the floor.  “Now what, princess?” he asked, his eyes almost taunting her.

She climbed onto the mattress and looked down at him, her mouth watering at all of the ideas running through her mind.  But instead of acting on any of them, she stood up and slid her nightgown off of herself.  She smiled when Tasir lifted his head up, his dark eyes taking in her now-naked body.  She wasn’t aware of how his eyes followed her because she was too intent on following him down onto the bed.  She was still shy, but fighting that part of herself.  As she sat down beside him, her hands moved to cover her breasts. 

“You can’t do that,” he cautioned her.

Jalayla looked up, startled. 

“Cover yourself,” he said, nodding to her arms that were crossed over her chest.  “If you’re in charge, you have to be sure of yourself.”

She shook her head, unaware of the way her dark hair drifted over her shoulders.  “I can do whatever I want,” she came right back.  “I’m in charge, right?”

He sighed and leaned back down.  “Okay, so what’s your next step?” he teased, enjoying her excitement even if this was moving too slowly for his taste. 

She looked up and down his body, not sure what she wanted to do.  So she simply leaned down and started the same process she’d done earlier today but this time, she kept her hands on his wrists, refusing to let him touch her for fear that he would stop her again. 

She kissed him and enjoyed experimenting, tasting and feeling him against her skin. 

She almost laughed out loud with delight when she heard him moan.  “Jalayla, I can’t take much more,” he told her, his voice sounding harsh.  She looked up and realized that he was still laying on his back but his body was rigid, sweat breaking out on his forehead as he tried to control himself. 

She took pity on him and moved higher up on his body.  When she was straddling him once again, she took him into her body, feeling all of him inside of her and loving it.  “Okay, I’m releasing control.  Please…” she started to say something but she was flipped over onto her back and he was pressing himself into her.  It was so powerful, she screamed out, her body arching up into his.  It didn’t take long before she was splintering apart and his climax quickly followed. 

She was still breathing heavily when he pulled her higher up onto the bed, his arm curling around her as he pulled her closer against him.  He tried to form words, but nothing would come out.  A few moments later, he felt her breathing settle down and he knew that she was asleep. 

Unwilling to be separated from her for even a moment, he reached out with his arm and turned off the light.  He’d have to wake her before dawn so that she could go back to her own room, but until then, she was his.  And he would keep her close to him for as long as he possibly could.

Jalayla watched Tasir breathe in and out, admiring his astonishing chest, all those delicious muscles as well as the way his long lashes looked against his tanned skin.  He really was an amazingly handsome man, she thought.  All arrogance aside, he was a good man.  And while he was sleeping, she could admit that she liked him.  Well, more than liked him.  She felt something for the man that…it didn’t make sense.  She’d known him for too short a time and…Jalayla shook her head.  Her feelings didn’t make sense.  They were too strong, too…she didn’t want to feel this way towards Tasir. 

It was too bad that she would have to leave.  She wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed and curl up against him once more. 

But it was time, she knew.  It was time to head home, to face reality. 

Their time together had been nothing more than a dare, a time where they explored each other’s bodies.  He taught her about sensuality and she taught him…well, perhaps she’d taught him a few manners along the way.  She wasn’t completely sure of that, but it made her feel better to think it was true. 

She jerked out of her reverie when Tasir rolled over, his arm reaching out, obviously looking for her.  Jalayla knew she had to hurry.  He’d woken her up several times last night, making love to her and then, after their bodies were sated once again, talking about their lives and what they wanted for each of their countries.  They even discussed the unexplainable increasing tensions between their countries which had been allies for so long.  Neither of them understood what was going on or why there was so much unrest.  But they both wanted to do what they could to ease the tensions.

As she slipped through the secret door and made her way back to her room, she thought that it was almost as if they were both thinking the same way, wanting the same things for their countries and willing to do whatever they could to make their countries better. 

Unfortunately, their time together was not permanent.  They’d both known that going into this affair.  She’d understood the parameters of their relationship before she’d even left her room last night. 

Now she had to face the world – although she would do it with different eyes.  Tasir might have only made love to her, but she felt different.  The world felt different this morning.

She slipped into the dining room and caught her father just as he was finishing up his breakfast.  “We’re leaving, my dear,” he said and wiped his mouth with a napkin. 

“I suspected as much,” she said as she poured herself a cup of coffee.  She couldn’t eat breakfast since her stomach was in knots.  She didn’t want to leave Tasir, but she knew that he had things he had to do, responsibilities that didn’t include her.  “I’m already packed.”

Her father nodded and she thought that he looked angry for some reason.  “Is everything okay?” she asked, laying a hand on his arm. 

He sighed and patted her hand.  “Yes.  Things just didn’t go as smoothly this week as I’d hoped.  We were supposed to stay for further discussions.”  He shook his head and started to say something but stopped himself.  “Something is wrong, Jalayla.  And the tensions are not getting better.”

Her eyes widened slightly.  “Are you talking about the attacks in the south?

He nodded his head, his expression grim.  “There is evidence that,” his eyes glanced to the right and left, worried that they might be overheard. “Well, that the violence is escalating and it is coming from either Lurasa or Altair.  We’re not exactly sure.  We’re still sifting through the information.”

Jalayla shivered. “It wasn’t from Lurasa,” she told him, sure about that after her late night conversations with Tasir.

Her father’s eyes swiveled around to her.  “How do you know?”

She shrugged, looking down at her hands because she wasn’t able to look her father in the eyes. “I’ve been talking with Prince Tasir.  And I know that he’s just as confounded as you are.”

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.  “Then his father is telling the truth,” he said and his shoulders seemed tense.  “Let’s go home, my dear.  Maybe there is more information that we can look at that will make this whole problem seem sensible.”

An hour later, she walked out on his arm, her eyes searching the hallways for one more look at Tasir.  She wanted to say goodbye to him, but she wasn’t sure if she should.  Maybe it was better to just leave, to end the short-lived relationship quickly.  Sort of like ripping off a Band-Aid.  Better to do it fast, with just a little pain than to make it go on and on. 

So she walked out of the Fortress of the Guards behind her father, stepping into the armored limousine and wishing that things could be different.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the marriage she’d been dreading for so long could be with Tasir instead of some unknown stranger? 

Such was not her lot in life, she reminded herself as the vehicle pulled away, heading back out of the fortress towards home. 

Jalayla pushed herself up off of the toilet, grabbing a washcloth and trying to cool off her cheeks.  This nausea was…terrifying!  Every morning she felt horrible but, so far, she refused to contemplate the reason behind her morning need to rush to the bathroom. 

When she felt somewhat human again, she grabbed her toothbrush and brushed her teeth, hoping that the minty taste might calm her stomach. 

She’d been away from Tasir for six weeks now.  Six long weeks of loneliness and avoiding his calls.  Why answer them?  There was nothing either of them could do! 

Well, that’s the way she’d thought about it for the previous five weeks.  For the past five or six days, she’d started to consider other options. 

A knock on the door startled her and she had to grab the edge of the countertop to try and keep her stomach settled.  “Yes?” she called out, knowing it was her maid coming to check on her.  She’d been doing that a lot lately. 

“I’m sorry to disturb you, Your Highness,” her maid called through the door, “But your father has requested your presence in his office.”

Jalayla closed her eyes for a moment.  “When?” she asked when she could form the words. 

“He asked for you to come to him immediately.”

Jalayla almost groaned out loud.  Her father had been looking at her strangely lately.  She knew what was going to happen and she didn’t want to face that future!  She just knew that he’d arranged her marriage.  Maybe it was to that weak boy in Dubai, the one that used to sneeze a lot.  Or perhaps her father wanted her marry her off to that irritating prince that lived in New York now.  She couldn’t even remember what country he was supposed to be from.  Did it really matter? 

She wanted to see Tasir!  She wanted to feel his arms around her, to argue with him and defy him and laugh with him!  She didn’t want any of those annoying, weak and insipid boys that didn’t know what being a man was all about.  Tasir did!  Tasir was the man she wanted. 

Goodness, how her story had changed now that she’d been away from him for so long.  She missed him terribly.  Well, to be honest, she’d missed him horribly from the first moment they’d parted, but she’d cried herself to sleep at night, telling herself that it was for the best. 

Now she wasn’t so sure. 

“My lady?” her maid called out again.

Jalayla realized she’d been sitting silently in the bathroom, contemplating how much she missed the man. 

“I’ll be right there,” she called back. 

Straightening once more, she smoothed her hair and her dress, took a deep breath, then stepped out of the bathroom.  She smiled politely at her maid as she walked out of her room and made her way towards her father’s office. 

Maybe her father only wanted to see her because she’d been avoiding him more and more lately.  If she didn’t speak to him, she didn’t have to hear about the man she’d have to spend the rest of her life with.

The guard outside her father’s office opened the heavy wooden door immediately.  Jalayla stepped inside, her knees shaking a bit as she approached his desk. 

“You wanted to see me?” she asked, noticing how angry he looked all of a sudden. 

Her father’s bushy eyebrows were pressed low over his eyes and his lips were compressed as he watched her come closer.  “What have you done?” he demanded.

Jalayla bowed her head.  “I’m…”

He didn’t want to hear her explanations because nothing could explain away her behavior.  “You’ve ruined everything!  Do you have any idea how your actions are going to affect this country?  The people here love you!  They will fight for your honor!  And you’ve…”

How could her father know about her affair with Tasir and her pregnancy?  Goodness, he was furious with her! 

“That’s enough!” a deep voice said from behind her.

Jalayla swung around, her hungry eyes searching for Tasir.  Was he really here?  When she spotted him, she didn’t stop to think about anything.  Her feet were moving before her brain cautioned her against the action.  Within moments, her legs had carried her over to him and she flung herself into his arms.  It wasn’t until she was inches away from him that she remembered that she’d ignored so many of his calls and he might not feel the same way about her.  But as his strong arms closed around her, she breathed much more easily. 

“You are in so much trouble, woman,” he whispered in her ear as he hugged her, squeezing her until he realized what he was doing and that he might hurt her. 

“I can’t believe you’re here,” she said, blinking hard to fight back the tears. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t return your calls.  I was being an idiot.”

He pulled back, just enough so that he could look at her beautiful features.  “Don’t let it happen again,” he told her, his hand coming up to cup her cheek, a thumb reaching out and capturing the tear that spilled over her dark lashes.  “You have some explaining to do, my love.”

She laughed at his tenderness because she knew that it was reserved only for her.  “I know.”

“Just tell me you love me and it will all be worth it.”

She laughed again, dropping her head against his chest.  “Arrogant to the last, aren’t you?” she asked.  “But yes.  I love you.  And I can’t believe how much I missed you.”

“I love you too.  But we have a pretty big mess that we need to clear up.”

Her smile brightened now that she was back in his arms.  “Anything can be fixed now.  I can’t believe I left that morning.  I never should have gone back to my room.”  She wrapped her arms around his lean waist, reveling in how good he felt.  And smelled!  Oh my how she loved the way he smelled!  It was all man, all Tasir!

“Jalayla!” she heard her father snap behind her. 

She swung around, but Tasir kept her pinned against his side, not letting her move away from him. 

“Sorry, Father,” she said but kept her arm around his waist as well. “I guess there are a lot of things I need to explain.”

Her father’s furious eyes glanced between the two of them. “I believe this man has explained a great deal, just by showing up.  What I’d like to know is how you so completely lost your sense of who you are and the responsibilities you have to Tularia to allow any of this to happen!”

Jalayla cringed, never having seen her father this angry before.  And he didn’t even know all of it.  She hadn’t told anyone that she was pregnant and she was fairly certain that her father didn’t know all that she and Tasir had done at the fortress.  He only knew that she loved Tasir.  Nothing more though.  At least, she hoped that was all he knew.  “I’m not sure I can really explain it either.”  She glanced up at the man she loved so much.  “When I first met him, I thought he was the worst sort of man.  But as I got to know him, I…”

When she couldn’t finish, Tasir stepped in.  “It’s my fault, Your Highness.  She behaved with complete dignity and I’m the one who acted inappropriately.”

Jalayla’s father rolled his eyes.  “I doubt it.  I know my daughter too well.  She probably…” he threw his hands up in the air.  “It doesn’t matter.  What’s done is done.  We’ll just…”  He rubbed the space between his eyes as if he were trying to fight off a headache. 

Tasir stepped into the silence.  “The contracts will have to be destroyed.”

Jalayla looked up at him, not sure what was going on.  He turned back to her and explained, “My father arranged for me to marry Princess Ciara.”

Jalayla couldn’t believe the stab of jealousy she felt that her friend might be marrying this man.  “No!”

“And you’re supposed to be marrying Prince Zoran next month,” he continued.

She pulled back a bit more, confused now.  “And yet….”  Her hand fluttered to her stomach unconsciously.  She couldn’t say a word about the pregnancy now.  In fact, she was more confused at this moment than she was before she’d walked in here.  What was going on?  A marriage contract that her father hadn’t spoken to her about?  How could he have done something like that?  They always talked about important issues and she’d known that she would have to marry in a political union. 

Tasir saw the confusion and panic in her eyes and tried to reassure her.  “I know.  It’s all a horrible mix-up.  The problem is more about how the people will perceive this rather than anything else.  There won’t be any hard feelings involved from our end.”  He turned to Jalayla’s father.  “We can work out the details.”

Jalayla turned to look at her father.  He suddenly seemed older than his years.  “The contracts are all set in place.  The negotiations have been finalized.”

Tasir’s arm tightened on Jalayla’s waist.  “Then we’ll have to renegotiate.  It won’t be the first time a contract has been set aside when new facts were discovered.  Besides, a union with Lurasa would be much more beneficial to your country than one with Larcatia.  There are significant benefits that need to be examined, Your Highness.”

Jalayla stepped into the conversation, citing all of the issues between the four countries and why it would be better to be aligned with Lurasa versus Larcatia.  They all sat down together, keeping the sheik’s advisors out of the conversation.  This was just between the three of them for now. 

Tasir conferenced in his father, who had already been apprised of the situation.  Between the four of them, they all agreed to broach the possibility of canceling the arranged marriages with Larcatia and Altair.

“But it will have to be done carefully,” Jalayla’s father cautioned at the end of the discussion.  “And you have to leave.  There can be no hint of this until it is a done deal,” he told Tasir.

As much as he wanted to argue about it, Tasir knew that her father was right.  He looked down at Jalayla.  “Are you going to be okay?” he asked her gently. 

She smiled up at him, all the love she felt for this man shining through in her eyes.  “Absolutely.  Just get the discussions moving quickly.”

Her father nodded.  “We can start the conversations next week.  I believe Princess Ciara is out of the country anyway, so she hasn’t been told about the marriage contract.  And Prince Zoran,” her father sighed.  “Well, thankfully, he’s on his annual hiking vacation.”  He shook his head.  “The man goes out into the woods for a week every year.  Each time I hear about it, I always think it is crazy.  But at this point in time, I would love to change places with him.”  Her father was walking out of his office.  “I’d rather be anywhere than here,” he said and left them alone.

Jalayla turned when the door to her father’s office door closed, looking up at Tasir.  “Thank you for coming for me,” she whispered, overawed by his tenacity. 

He pulled her closer.  “Never doubt the extent of my arrogance,” he teased.

She laughed and laid her head against his muscular chest.  “I never did,” she came right back.  “It’s that arrogance that is going to give us our happily ever after.”

He kissed her then.  “I have to go.  I’ll get with Zoran as soon as he’s back from the woods.  He and I have been friends for a long time.  I’m sure this can be worked out.”

“I’ll call Ciara as soon as I find out where she’s gone.  I know she probably doesn’t want to marry you anyway.  You’re all mine.”

News Flash:  More tensions on the borders, a report said.  The fighting is intensifying and villagers are starting to take sides.

News Flash:  The annual festival celebrating the culture of the regions has been canceled.  Officials cite rising levels of threats as well as lower interest.  Suspicions between border villages are to blame. 

News Flash:  A large contingent of soldiers was seen on the southern border earlier tonight.  The forces seem to be practicing but government officials are worried about the presence of military personnel so close to the border, which had previously been quiet. 

If you enjoyed this story, look for the next installment in The War, Love, & Harmony Series:  Dancing with the Dangerous Prince.  It will be available May 1
st
on ElizabethLennox.com and your favorite e-book retailer.  Following that story, there will be four additional books in the series:

The Sheik’s Secret Bride

The Sheik’s Angry Bride

The Sheik’s Blackmailed Bride

The Sheik’s Convenient Bride

In the next chapter, find an excerpt from Dancing with the Dangerous Prince.