ROMANCE: THE SHEIKH'S GAMES: A Sheikh Romance (124 page)

“What else have you been focused on?”

She blinked at the sudden change in conversation. “Excuse me?”

Kalil walked forward and took her hand. “What were you focused on? We rarely talk about you, and now we’re married. Now I want you to talk about you.”

“School, mostly. I like studying and learning new things. The world is always changing.” She was so focused on the conversation that she didn’t even realize that he’d led her to the bed. Jada sat on the edge of it, and Kalil settled behind her. He began to massage her shoulders. “World policies have to be studied to discover a pattern. You can’t just guess what another country is going to do. You have to be prepared and look at the patterns.”

She leaned against him and enjoyed the warmth of his body. His fingers felt like magic as they moved deep into her muscles. “Is that what you studied? Your father just said you focused on general studies.”

“Hmm,” she moaned. “I did start with general studies, but I focused on international politics. When you’re being raised to be a Sheikh’s wife, you want to come prepared. But it wasn’t just about that. I enjoyed it. I loved it.”

“You loved international politics,” he said with a chuckle.

Realizing what she was saying, she immediately tensed. “It’s not that I’m considering getting involved in your affairs,” she muttered.

He ran his hands down her arm and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Jada, you don’t have to worry about me. You don’t have to be nervous. You can be yourself.”

“You keep saying that,” she said with a smile. “I’m on to you. I know you’re trying to get me relaxed for tonight.”

Her head rolled as he pressed his lips to the side of her neck. “Jada, I want you. Not because you’re my wife but because you are beautiful and fascinating. But I’m not going to pressure you to do anything. If you want to wait, I can wait. I want you to be comfortable, Jada. I want you to want this because you want me and not because you feel obligated.”

Taking a deep breath, she reached back and hooked her arm around his head. “I think the thing that makes me most nervous is that I do want you.”

A growl rumbled low in his chest, and he moved his hands from her arm to the tie of the robe. “Are you sure about this?”

The more he touched her, the more she was sure. She’d never felt desire like this. Her body ached for him in a way that it had never ached for anyone.

Turning her head, she took the initiative and pressed her lips to his. Twisting her body so that she was kneeling in front of him, she slowly untied the belt on her robe. Spreading it open, she felt the cool air rush to her naked breasts.

His eyes darkened with lust. “Jada. You are beautiful.” He trailed a finger down her arm and smiled. “Undress me.”

Her hands shook as she reached for his dress robes. Her hands felt swollen and awkward as she stripped him, but he didn’t say a word. Blowing out her breath, she finally traced her hands over his perfect muscles. Defined. Sculpted.

“Damn it,” he muttered suddenly. Before she could blink, he grabbed her and spun them around until he was under her. His weight pressed down on top of her, but she didn’t feel nervous or anxious anymore. She wanted him on top of her. She wanted his hands all over her. Desire coiled within her and threatened to strike at any minute.

His hands raced all over her body, and she gripped the sheets as he neared the part of her that ached the most. She was still wearing a strip of white fabric, and he slid his fingers over her. Moving his head down her body, he slid his lips over her skin until he moved his tongue over her nipples. She gasped and immediately tangled her fingers through his hair. Moaning, she raised her knees and bucked her hips. Pleasure and ecstasy fired through her body, and she shivered in his arms.

“Cold?” he murmured.

“Hardly,” she laughed. “I think I’m on fire.”

“I’m just getting started,” he murmured as he moved his tongue south over the swell of her stomach.

“Kalil,” she said urgently as the tension built inside her. “Kalil, what are you doing? Don’t. Please.” She pushed herself up on her elbows and watched as he pressed his mouth to her hot center. The fabric of her panties rubbed against her clit, and she dropped her head and lost all control. As the climax ripped through her, she shuddered and clamped her legs around his head.

“Are you sure you won’t me to stop? It looks to me like you enjoyed that very much,” he said as he lifted his head and softly massaged her legs.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered as she tried to catch her breath. “That was…unexpected.”

He lifted her hips and slid her panties down her legs. “I hope you enjoyed it because it’s going to happen again before we’re done tonight.”

As her husband pressed his lips to the sensitive spot behind her knee, her eyes drifted shut, and she surrendered herself to him. “Kalil. That feels good.”

Husband. The word didn’t even begin to describe him at the moment. He was her lover, and right now, he was loving her body. Husbands wanted a pretty woman on their arm. Lovers wanted chemistry in the bed, and right now, the chemistry was so hot she thought she was going to explode.

Again.

“I want to touch,” she whispered in the darkness. “Please.”

He moved up her body and kissed her urgently. “So touch.”

Slowly, she pressed her hands against him. His muscles felt strained, and she met his gaze. He was fighting for control. He was fighting for control while she touched him, and she felt a rush of power. She wanted to see him lose control.

Feeling more bold, she reached down to wrap her hands around him. His erection was warm and hard and pulsed at her touch. His body jerked, and he immediately pulled out of her touch. “What did I do?” she asked suddenly. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, baby. If you keep touching me, it’s going to be over before it even begins,” he said hoarsely.

“Kalil.” She reached up and stroked his cheeks. “I’m ready. You don’t have to keep waiting. I want this. I need you.”

Ducking his head, he pressed his lips to the hollow of her throat and reached down to pull her knee up. Slowly, he nudged at her opening. Her whole body was taught, and she couldn’t wait anymore. Pushing his hand aside, she wrapped her legs around him and guided him inside. Inch by inch, she felt him stretch and fill her.

“Jada,” he cried. “Baby, you feel good. You feel good. You feel so good.” Drops of sweat appeared on his forehead, but she couldn’t say anything. She was so overwhelmed by everything between them. He was inside her, and it felt absolutely incredible.

“More,” she urged him. “Please, Kalil. I need more.”

He moved, changed angles, and slid even deeper inside her. All of her nerves screamed for release, and she lost it. Digging her nails into his back, she arched and buried her head in his shoulder.

“Look at me, Jada,” he whispered. “Look at me. I want to see your face when you orgasm.”

Trembling, she pulled back and stared at him as everything inside her broke wide open. The orgasm was stronger, more intense, and more intimate that her first one, and he rode the wave with her. As he anchored himself to her, she felt his own orgasm, and he never broke eye contact. He never let her go, and for the first time since they’d announced their engagement, she felt safe. In his arms, she felt safe.

Instead of collapsing on top of her, he rolled so that she rested on top of him. Feeling almost embarrassed, she pressed her faced to his chest and slowly moved her fingers over his pecs.

“Are you okay?” he murmured as he ran his hands over her bare back.

“Yeah,” she whispered.

“Are you just okay?”

She chuckled and raised her head. “I’m definitely more than okay, but I’ve never done this. I’m not sure what happens after.”

“Well, there are several options. If you’re feeling uneasy, we can talk until you feel better. If you’re tired, we can sleep. If you want go for round two, you’ll have to give me a couple minutes, but I might be up for it.”

Unable to help herself, she laughed. “I couldn’t even begin to go for round two. But I am tired.”

“But you’re also uneasy. And I won’t have my wife feeling uneasy after our wedding night.”

Her heart skipped a beat, and she reached up and kissed him gently. “It wasn’t what I expected, Kalil. I’m just adjusting my expectations, that’s all.”

“Yeah? Is that a good thing?” he said as he studied her.

The truth was that she wasn’t sure if it was a good thing. She’d never expected to feel so intimate with her husband. She never expected to enjoy her husband, and now that her reality was shifting, everything was changing. She was falling love with her husband, and her husband was going to leave soon. And more than anything, she wanted to tell him that she needed more time with him to explore this new reality.

“It just means that I’m going to enjoy my nights a lot more,” she said with a smile before she settled on his chest. He continued to hold her until she finally surrendered herself to the arms of sleep.

Kamal stayed busy through the next few weeks. Jada did her best to keep herself busy, but there was little to do.

Long after the darkness covered the sky, Kamal dragged himself through the door. Jada had stayed up to kiss him goodnight, and she rubbed her eyes and stretched. “It’s very late,” she said softly. “Would you like a drink?”

He looked at her oddly. “What are you still doing up?”

“I was going to warm something up in case you were hungry.” She glanced down at the floor nervously. Was he angry at her?

“I ate in the main kitchen.”

Swinging her legs from the couch, she stood and half bowed. “Very well. I’ll clean up dinner.”

“Dinner?” He reached out and grabbed her wrist as she moved past him. “Jada, did you cook me dinner?”

“I’m your wife, Kamal. I cook you dinner every night.” She tugged her wrist free and went to clean up the small kitchen. The truth was that Kamal went straight to the main kitchens when he got home from work to eat with his father and talk business. Jada knew that, but she also knew that it was her responsibility to take care of her husband. She cooked dinner for him ever night, and when he didn’t eat it, she ate the leftovers the next day.

“I didn’t know. I’m sorry. You don’t have to do that. You have just as much access to the palace staff as I do. Utilize them,” he said in a tired voice. “I will take that drink though.”

Jada tried to pretend that his words didn’t hurt. Ameena ran the household staff. If Jada didn’t at least try and take care of her husband, she wasn’t worth much around the palace. She was little more than a bed warmer.

As she fixed his drink for him, she realized how completely ironic the whole situation was. At first she was afraid that marrying a Sheikh meant she would lose her independence and become little more than a trophy wife. But now that she couldn’t even do menial things around the house, she realized how little she meant to him.

“If there is nothing else, I’ll go to bed,” Jada said stiffly as she handed him her drink. She knew he had a lot on his mind, but surely he remembered that she existed, right?

“Jada.” Kamal reached for his drink and caressed her hands at the same time. She felt a small thrill of excitement race through her. No matter how tired Kamal was, when he wanted her, he was always very attentive.

Very attentive.

“I know we’re still getting used to each other. I know you enjoyed your studies, and I know you’re bored here. You’re welcome to go shopping and do whatever you like to the suite. And if you’d like me to join you for dinner, I will.”

Her heart went out to him. There was nothing but exhaustion in his eyes, but he was trying. He was doing a poor job of it, but at least he was trying.

“I don’t want to do anything to interrupt your routine. You have a lot to do before you leave for America.” Jada hesitated. “If you think it would help, I could come with you.”

She held her breath. It was the first time she had broached the subject of leaving with Kamal, and she waited anxiously for his answer. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe he had intended to bring her with him all along. In the distance, a clock ticked loudly as the silence stretched between them.

“If you’re bored now, think of how bored you’ll be in America,” Kamal said finally. “You’ll have no friends and family, and I’ll barely be home. It’s probably best that you stay here.”

Her hope deflated as he took his drink into the office. She desperately wanted to call back out to him and tell him that she could explore. She would learn new things. But that, no doubt, was not what he wanted his wife to hear.

Shoving her anger and despair down, she turned and headed for the bedroom. Her hands shook as she wiped away her make-up and slowly unbraided her hair. By the time she slid between the satin sheets, she was too tired to care about anything.

But when he joined her hours later and slid a hand along her bare thigh, she awoke and turned to him. At least, if nothing else, she could give him this. It almost felt like she had nothing else to give.

* * *

Kamal spent the next evening eyeballing his parents. They sat stiffly at the table, and while Nahid carefully avoided his wife’s gaze, Ameena openly glared at him. He tried to ignore the strange tense atmosphere, but finally he could take it no longer. He already had enough pressure on his shoulders to make this expansion work.

Putting down his fork, he wiped his mouth and faced his parents. “Is there something you two would like to discuss?” he asked politely.

“No,” Nahid said hastily.

At the same time, his mother swung her angry gaze at him. “Eat your dinner,” she snapped.

Blinking, Kamal leaned back and crossed his arms. “Mother, it’s not like you to be up this late. What’s going on?”

“You two continue to sneak in late at night. I know it’s not because you’re avoiding me,” Ameena said. Her words were dripping with sugar, but her eyes were angry.

Kamal couldn’t, for the life of him, figure out why his mother was so angry. “We’re working, Mother. Of course we’re not avoiding you.”

“Speak for yourself,” Nahid muttered under his breath.