Beauty and the Sheikh (3 page)

Seeing Holly humbled before him sent a stab of satisfaction through him. Though she’d put space between them, he closed it again. His sense of power grew at the sound of the small, nervous breaths escaping her lips and the trembling of her body.

How was it possible he still wanted her? Wanted her mouth on his. Wanted her beneath him in bed, begging for pleasure and calling his name in abandon.

“Just what are you willing to do to garner his release?” 

Her head jerked up, sapphire eyes widening with shock and wariness. “What do you mean?”

Rafiq’s gaze slid to her mouth, so full and currently unadorned with lipstick or gloss and yet so tempting and bewitching. She’d always been uncommonly beautiful, with or without her face painted. The day he’d met her she’d been without makeup, and he’d still been struck dumb by her beauty.

With lightning-quick movements, Rafiq slid his arm around her waist and drew her body flush against his. Her gasp of shock coincided with her hands flying up to press against his chest.

“I think you know exactly what I mean.”

Comprehension dawned in her gaze, followed by something that looked like disgust. 

Pain ripped through him and he clenched his jaw. She made no effort to conceal how repulsive she found him, even when her supposed brother’s future was at stake.

“What would you do, Holly?” he rasped again, harsher this time as he lightly ran his palm up her back and then down low again, until it rested just above the swell of her buttocks.

 A tremble ripped through her and she shook her head. “You misunderstand. I would never…”

“Ah, but you could,
habiba
.” He cupped her face with his free hand and held her head still.

He wanted to punish her for what she’d done two years ago. And for appearing in his life again when he tried so hard to never think of her—to never think of their passionate moments together.

But more than that, he wanted to feel her lips beneath his and taste her again. Hear her cries of pleasure, even if they were a lie. 

She must’ve seen the intent in his expression, because her eyes widened with panic and awareness. “No. Please, don’t do this, Rafiq—”

“Your Majesty,” he ground out, and then claimed her mouth.

Her lips parted on a cry of protest, allowing his tongue to sweep in and conquer. To demand a surrender he knew Holly would never give willingly. 

Rafiq’s arm around her waist was like a steel band, holding Holly captive to a sea of sensation and memories. His mouth on hers sent her plummeting back to another time. A time where she could’ve had any luxury in the world, but where she craved one man more than anything money could buy. 

She’d been hopelessly naïve with Rafiq back then, and she couldn’t afford to make the same mistake again. Couldn’t afford to give in to the pleasure threatening to overtake her.

Holly renewed her struggle, shoving against his chest in an attempt to free herself. Her hands encountered the solid wall of muscle beneath his robe, and the realization made the heat and tingling in her body skyrocket. No, she couldn’t let this happen. Couldn’t let him think for one moment she’d come here to exchange
this
for her brother’s freedom.

Again she tried to pull her mouth away, but when she twisted, he followed. His tongue coaxed and teased hers, gentling now, until it stroked away her ability to think. Until all she could do was feel. And oh, heaven help her, but did she feel. Her body buzzed with excitement and her breasts swelled as she responded to the sensual assault of his mouth. 

Instead of trying to push him away, Holly curled her fingers into the fabric of his robe. She clung to him as her world spun out of control into a heady vortex of need and hot desire. Only Rafiq had ever made her feel like this. He made her feel so alive, awakened a usually dormant passion inside her.

She wasn’t even aware he’d lifted his mouth from hers until the loss of sensation slammed into her. A cry of protest spilled from her lips before she realized what it was.

The silence in the room shocked her back to her senses and brought her right back to reality. Her face grew hot and she squeezed her eyes shut. How quickly she’d lost her mind. Again. 

“You are embarrassed by your body’s response?” Rafiq made a confident stroke of his thumb across her lips, and she jerked her head away as another tremble of awareness slid through her.

Oh, God, what he must think of her right now—the assumptions he would be making. That he had every right to make because her body betrayed her.

Very nice, Holly. Way to lose complete control.

“Women may find my appearance repulsive,” he murmured matter-of-factly, “but in my arms they will still find pleasure.”

What
? Her eyes snapped open, her brows drawing together into a scowl as she glowered up at him. Okay, she wasn’t buying the
poor-me
bit about women thinking he was ugly. Not for a minute. So he had a scar. It was one flaw on an incredibly sexy man. “If anything is repulsive, it’s your behavior and the way you treat people. Let me go, Rafiq.”

The smug smile hardened, as did his stare, but he didn’t immediately release her. Had she angered him again by not calling him
Your Majesty
, or by calling him out on his behavior? 

“I am not familiar with your brother’s case, Holly. But I will look further into the matter this evening.”

A bloom of hope quickly deflated her anger. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so quick to lash out at him with her tongue. Though the small prickle of guilt inside her made Holly wonder if he was ‘looking further’ into her brother’s situation because of the kiss. 

A kiss that meant nothing, she reminded herself. It was a move to display power. To show he held the cards. And unfortunately, that was painfully undeniable. 

None of this had gone as she’d planned today. But what had she expected? That Rafiq would welcome her back with a smile, eager to accommodate her plea? 

From her research, it seemed Andrew would be imprisoned for almost a decade if she didn’t secure his release. She couldn’t let that happen, couldn’t allow the brother who’d raised her since she was fifteen to sit in a jail cell.

She hadn’t even realized Andrew had come to Raljahar. Usually if he took a trip to a casino, it was a short flight over to Las Vegas from his home in Portland. Raljahar was a country in the middle of the desert, catering to the wealthy and the privileged. Andrew was neither.

Maybe once, when she’d been at the height of her modeling career, he’d enjoyed a few more luxuries. But not now. Those elitist circles had closed once she’d left the industry. 

She would have to take Rafiq at his word—trust that he would indeed look into her brother’s case—and go back to her hotel and try to forget this kiss had ever happened. 

She forced aside her unease. “Thank you. I really do appreciate it. I can leave my number for you to contact me when you make a decision. In the meantime, I’ll return to the hotel—”

“You will stay here.”

Holly stilled, her stomach sinking. Surely she’d heard wrong. “That won’t be necessary. I have a room booked at the—”

“There is no need to throw away your money.” He turned and walked to his desk. “I insist you stay in the palace. I have plenty of room.” 

Panic rose inside her as she watched him lift his phone, press a button, and speak in Arabic to someone on the other line. 

No, she couldn’t possibly stay here. Her fingers laced together and she bit her lip, looking around the stylish office, where even the pens looked like they cost a fortune. Staying in the palace would be terribly inappropriate. Already Rafiq must have the wrong idea about their kiss—even if he’d been the one to take it.

And he
had
taken it. There’d been no softness or slow seduction. There’d been anger, punishment, but with the hint of the passion that ensnared her the first time they’d met. And that’s what she’d responded to—it had to be. Otherwise she’d never have had such an irrational reaction.

Rafiq replaced the phone receiver and turned back to face her, his smile smug. “You see? It was no trouble at all. Your room is being prepared at this moment.”

The knot in her stomach grew. Stay here and essentially be his prisoner? She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t accept your generous offer.”

Rafiq tilted his head and raised one dark brow. “You can if you’d like me to consider your brother’s case.”

She never should’ve come. Never. There was no reasoning with a man like Rafiq. A man who it seemed earned his reputation for being ruthless and always getting what he wanted.

The doors to his office opened, and she heard the footsteps of his guards approaching from behind. 

She couldn’t afford to not have Rafiq consider Andrew’s release—to consider accepting the small amount of money she had left to offer. She bit the inside of her cheek as she remembered how different her life had become since their last meeting.

“Miss Winchester.” A pleasant voice came from behind her. “If you would please follow me.”

Still, she grasped at straws. “But my luggage is at my hotel.”

“I’ve already had it sent for.”

Her eyes widened at Rafiq’s arrogant response. “But how could you possibly know where I’m staying?”

The smile he gave her was nothing if not patronizing. “Holly, I know everything about what happens in Raljahar.”

Of course you do.
It took all the willpower she had to keep from spitting the words at him. Instead, she dredged up a smile from somewhere deep inside her—hoping it didn’t appear as brittle as it felt—and nodded. “Thank you. Your hospitality is appreciated.”

When his expression only grew more amused, she spun away, cursing silently as she followed the guards to her room.

“And Holly?”

She froze as her name slashed through the silence. “Yes?”

“I will send someone for you early in the morning for breakfast. So try to have a good night’s rest.”

Right. Fat chance that was going to happen, and the jerk probably knew it. 

No, being under the same roof as the Sheikh was going to prove for a restless night.

Chapter 3

Rafiq’s smile, and amusement, faded as Holly walked stiffly—and yet with that trademark grace—from the room.

Your hospitality is appreciated.

Doubtful. It was quite obvious she’d resented both the offer and feeling forced to accept it. He hadn’t lied. Of course he would review the footage of the casino the night in question, because the last thing he wanted to do was convict an innocent man. But if it showed illegal activity, and he suspected it would, then Andrew Gray would have to serve out his sentence.

Rafiq stared at the doors Holly had just exited through. Truthfully, there was no reason to keep her here in his palace. No reason other than hating the idea of her walking out of the palace doors, and possibly his life, again.

He couldn’t allow it, not with the sweet taste of her kiss still on his lips.

What was wrong with him? He’d never hungered for a woman so fiercely. She was the craving he’d once denied himself, because he could’ve had her. And now she’d returned and was again within his reach. 

“Your Majesty?”

Rafiq glanced up as Amjad appeared in the doorway. “What is it?” he asked, hit by a fatigue that seemed to have crept up on him.

“I have made a request for the video footage you requested and for the background check on Mr. Gray.”

“Thank you.” 

Amjad hesitated and then cleared his throat. “Your Majesty, if I might remind you about another matter?”

“Of course.”

“The proposed dinner with the King of Kepdaer’s daughter.”

A weight settled on Rafiq’s shoulders as he nodded absently, thinking of the letter that had been placed on his desk earlier this morning. 

Dinner with Princess Hadiyyah sounded like more of a chore than pleasure. She was just one of the many potential women who could be a candidate to become his wife. He knew exactly how the night would progress. With panicked glances from the woman, forced conversation, and an overall impression she’d rather be anywhere but with him.

And yet, it was a necessary part of his life. Already, at thirty-two, he was overdue for choosing a wife. He’d put it off for years. But it couldn’t be avoided. Soon, he would be urged to take a proper wife who’d bear him a child. 

Heaviness settled on his chest as he gave a terse nod. “Tell the King that now is not a suitable time, and I will be in contact.”

“Of course.”

“And please, Amjad, bring me the video when it arrives.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Amjad disappeared, leaving him once again alone. Rafiq turned to walk back to the office window and stare out at the late night view.

There had never been a woman who stirred his blood the way Holly did. The way she did tonight, and the way she had when she’d arrived in Raljahar two years ago. 

He’d wanted her the first moment he’d seen her. When she’d sauntered into the country with her entourage of photographers, manager, and countless other faces. Their request had been the same as many others. To use beautiful, sacred grounds in his country to take photographs of half-naked women.

His lips twisted derisively.

Never had he granted permission. But he’d entertained the possibility with Holly, because he’d been so enchanted by her. He’d invited her and her people to spend the week in the palace as he considered their request, never imagining she’d agree. But she had.

There’d been a captivating shyness about Holly, and unlike the women of his kingdom, she’d never seemed to judge him by his flawed appearance. Quite surprising, and refreshing, for someone whose entire world had been based around beauty.

He’d initially been wary of her, but with each day she’d spent in his company his trust in her had grown. And so had his desire for her. He’d seen nothing but goodness, beauty, and innocence in Holly…an uncommon combination. 

He closed his eyes, remembering the day they’d swum in his lavish pool, surrounded by palm trees that overlooked the desert.