ROMANCE: THE SHEIKH'S GAMES: A Sheikh Romance (104 page)

But it was more than her hot little body pressed up against his and it was more than how she tasted. She believed in him, for what reason he didn’t know, and he thanked the heavens every single day that she did. He’d won over the French siblings and they’d made a deal. The Crown Jewels now belonged to Alzari Holdings, well it would once the lawyers sorted everything out. It had been a great trip for so many reasons. They were now on their way to Mallorca where he would purchase a soon to be bankrupt solar panel manufacturer. Jovanbar wasn’t oil rich like many of her neighbors, so Zadir wanted to make sure they profited heavily once the world realized where the future of energy would be.

He was so pumped up after making the deal for The Crown Jewels that he couldn’t wait to negotiate the solar plant. Deciding to let Shala sleep, he pulled out his tablet and did as she’d suggested. He did his homework, making sure knew everything there was to know about Sun Energy Makers. He hadn’t found much, but they would land in an hour and he could get more information then. Sitting back in his seat, Zadir thought about this part of the job. The preparation it took just to
start
negotiations was incredible. It was a part of the CEO’s job he’d never contemplated, but it was turning out to be far more important than he’d realized.

“I have more intel for you, let me just grab my bag.”

Zadir looked over at the sleepy brown eyes smiling up at him, but instead he was damn near eye level with her luscious round rump. She was stretched so far to reach for her bag in the seat across the aisle that she was giving him quite a show as her skirt rode higher and higher on her thighs. “Shala,” he groaned.

“Here we go,” she said with a triumphant smile. A few swipes and taps later, and she’d sent him an entire e-dossier on Sun Energy.

“Wow, this is extensive.”

“Now you see why I asked so many questions when you sent the itinerary,” she asked playfully.

He nodded. She really was spectacularly organized and her intelligence gathering would rival any nation’s intelligence gathering agencies. Zadir realized he wanted Shala on his team
and
in his bed. “You left no stone unturned.” He shivered thinking of what she could dig up on him if she chose to.

She shrugged. “We have a large security company on retainer at AH, may as well make them earn every cent.”

“When did you get so feisty? I like it!” He laughed at her bewildered expression. “Face it, Shala. You’re no longer the quiet little thing you used to be. You’re witty and sarcastic, got a major case of bad attitude sometimes that you cover with your good girl persona.”

“I
am
a good girl.”

“Yes, but you can be a very naughty girl as well. Can’t you?”

Could she?
She’d never stepped into the role of bad girl. She couldn’t even believe that’s how Zadir saw her. No one saw her like that, ever. “I don’t know.”

“Well I guess we can find out together.”

“This place is spectacular,” she whispered, awestruck at the sight of Mallorca as they approached the largest of the Balearic Islands from the air. In contrast to Jovanbar, the island was a rich collage of greens and blues, with small patches of vibrant flowers giving a truly tropical flair. Shala was entranced by the beauty of Spain from the air and she was eager to see up close, to touch that kind of beauty and absorb it.

“This is a great place to holiday. It’s tropical, the food is light and delicious and there are so many resorts that there’s always a party to be had.” Zadir had enjoyed more than a few lost weekends on this beautiful island.

“Seems like the perfect place for your American style Spring Break.” Shala wished she’d had the chance to let go and have fun like that. Her strict upbringing meant she’d gone to university close to home and was, therefore, unable to let loose as many of her classmates had. Most of her time was spent studying so her people skills weren’t the best unless it had to do with her job. It was an ironic twist that never failed to amuse her.

Zadir smiled. “I can’t deny it. The Americans definitely know how to have reckless fun.” And he’d lapped it all up and took it to the next level. And that was why he was out on the road, trying to convince his father that he was ready to take over the family business.

“You know, I was surprised that you weren’t looking at any other resorts on one of these islands.”

“We own enough of the resorts here. But since we can’t rely on oil like many of our neighbors, securing Sun Energy Makers for a song will set us up for the future of energy.” Her smile knocked the breath out of him.

“Exactly. You should hear my father bemoan our lack of oil without any regard for the fact that it is finite.” She shook her head, remembering the tense arguments they had about it.

“My father would never have a conversation like that with me, it’s more of a Rashid conversation even though he’s not the one in charge of the company.” The helicopter he commissioned to take them to
Cabo
Blanco had just touched down and they waited for it to come to a full stop.

Shala heard the tight tone in his voice and she realized there was a lot of animosity between the royal twins. “Tell me about it. There’s something special about the first born. Us seconds will never get it, even if it is different for you.”

“Because I’m a royal?”

She shook her head. “No, because you’re a twin. I’m the second born by a couple years but for you, it’s just minutes that deprive you of it.”

He muttered a string of curses. “Damn you’re observant.” He shook his head, almost amused by his own reaction.

She nodded with a sad smile. “It’s the one benefit of being invisible your entire life.” She held up a hand to stop his attempts to convince her otherwise. He would fail, she knew, but he was the one person she’d always wanted to notice her but never had.

“Not like you have that problem anymore.”

“True, but now people just notice me for the wrong reasons.”

Zadir shook his head and twined a lock of hair around one finger. “If that’s true it’s only because you don’t let anyone close enough to like you for the right reasons.”

Had she been doing that? She didn’t think it was true. The men she met as an adult were interested in her because of her father’s business or her curves. Either way they weren’t interested in
her
. So maybe she had built up armor around her and protected that armor with a ten-foot tall brick wall. “I’ve found that men who want more than sex are willing to work a little harder.” At least she hoped they were.

“So how am I doing?”

She looked up at that naughty grin of his, the one that told a girl that he already knew all her secrets down to the style and color of her lingerie. “Better than expected.”

Zadir leaned in and whispered in her ear. “Then I’m way ahead of the class.”

* * *

“You really planned all this?” She couldn’t believe it even now, halfway through dinner, that Zadir had gone through all this trouble for her.

Zadir nodded, a proud and predatory gaze in his eyes. “I did. While you got settled, made phone calls and freshened up, I was busy making my own calls to get the table set up, the food cooked and delivered.” He couldn’t remember a time when he’d done more than spend a bit of cash to make a woman happy. He didn’t need to be thoughtful because he was good looking and rich. But with Shala he wanted to go through the effort. Wanted to show that she was worth the effort.

Her brow crinkled and her nose scrunched up in confusion. “But…why?”

He looked at her and saw total confusion written on her beautiful face. If it were any other woman he would think she was fishing for compliments but he sensed Shala really wanted to know. “I like you.”

“Just that simple?”

He smiled and gave a careless shrug. “You are..... sexy, I love the way your mind processes information and your laugh makes me hard. I like you.” He hoped that was enough, he wasn’t good at being sincere.

Her honey brown eyes held his for a long, charged moment, then one side of her mouth kicked up into a smile. “Thanks, Zadir. I like you too,” she added shyly.

A deep rumble of laughter burst from his chest, surprising both of them. She joined in and he could tell the moment she remembered what he’d said about her laugh because she blushed until her entire face was pink. He laughed again, harder than the last time. “See? You really do make me laugh.”

She swatted at him playfully, trying to hide the smile crossing her face. Normally she would have assumed he was making fun of her, but she could relax enough around him to distinguish playfulness from intentional cruelty. “Glad I could entertain you.” She wasn’t mad. Not at all. Zadir had set quite a romantic scene, with a small candlelit table with a gauzy white tablecloth overlooking a private slice of beach just feet from the terrace. A bowl of fresh fruit looked more like art than food and the scent of slightly chargrilled fish made the night just about perfect. And Zadir, she sighed, he looked good enough to eat in a lightweight cotton shirt and pants, highlighting his bronze skin. Watching him smile at her with the gorgeous backdrop of the setting sun, splashing the sky with shades of pink, orange and cold, that was absolutely perfect.

“You entertain all of me, Shala.”

She shivered at the way her name sounded on his lips and took a long sip of wine to gather her thoughts. “I don’t know how to respond to that.”

Zadir’s laugh was low and seductive. “I already saw your response.” He laughed again when a flush rose up her body.

She stood and turned to the balcony, leaning forward to get a good look at the waves crashing below. She tensed briefly when Zadir’s arms wrapped around her waist, before relaxing into him. “Let’s go for a walk on the beach.” Her shoulders sagged in disappointment when he pulled back. Had she asked for too much? She turned slowly, trying to hide the disappointment she was sure reflected in her eyes. He sat back down and was, “Taking off your shoes?”

He looked at her strangely. “So I don’t get sand in my socks and shoes?”

“Right,” she said trying not to look
too
happy that he was taking her on a walk. A moonlit beach walk.

Zadir stood and grabbed the newly opened bottle of wine. “To ward off the chill,” he smiled and pulled her along with his other free hand.

Shala followed him down the steps and along a stoned paved path that ended where the sand began. The warmth of his strong hand made her body respond in all kinds of surprising ways. She tried to ignore her body’s response to him and simply enjoy the moment. Destroying the moment by asking for more than he was willing to give was not her idea of a good time. She would keep all of that buried so she was present enough to memorize every detail of this night. “This place is so gorgeous and so different from home. The colors are different and even the vibe is different.

“Vibe? I think you’ve been watching too much American television, Shala.”

She tilted her head defiantly, “I love American television and there’s no such thing as
too much
.” She stuck her tongue out at him and stole the bottle of wine, walking several feet away until her feet were in the warm water. She sought out his gaze as the moon spotlighted him for her and took a long sip from the bottle.

Zadir groaned when her tongue snaked out to get a stray deep red drop of wine. Fists and jaws clenched tightly, he fought for control and he’d gotten it. Until he spotted another stray drop at the corner of her mouth. “Shala,” he growled just seconds before cupping her face and angling her head until their mouths were fused together.

There was something different about the kiss but Shala couldn’t pinpoint it. The obvious answer was that the kiss was hotter and more intense than any of their other kisses. Her nipples were sensitive and stung a little from the pressure of their bodies pressed together tightly. She felt moisture gathering at the juncture of her thighs and her senses were all firing. All she could see or hear, taste or smell, was Zadir. He was where her universe started and ended in this moment. Nothing mattered but him, but
them
, as their mouths battled to seek and give pleasure. Eyes closed and bent over his arm, a loud groan escaped but Zadir swallowed it, making her body pull even tighter. She pushed at his chest until their mouths were two separate entities again. “Zadir,” she panted, then smiled as her fingers touched on her kiss swollen lips.

“Do I need to apologize?” He prepared for the sting of rejection, the pain of ignoring the built up passion.

Shala shook her head, still gasping for air. “If you do, I’ll punch you. Hard.”

He chuckled and leaned in again. “Good,” he said and took her mouth again in a softer but just as hot version of their earlier kiss. “Because the only thing I’m sorry about is that we’re not somewhere I can do what I really want to do.” He felt her shiver but Zadir also held his breath, hoping his words hadn’t offended her.

She looked up into those green eyes the color of a dark, dense forest and just as dangerous. She knew there was no use pretending she didn’t want this, didn’t want him. She did. Her body wouldn’t allow her to lie about that. She wanted Zadir more than she’d ever wanted any man, and she wanted him to be the one to take her where no one had.
If I do this, I can’t let my heart get more involved.
She knew it was a pointless argument, she was still in love with him, only this time she was in love with who he really was. Not some fun party boy with a charming smile, but the intelligent and funny and sweet man who would do his family proud if given the chance.
If I give him my body and my heart, how will I ever get over him?
Because she knew there was no future for them. He wanted her. He liked her, sure, but he also lusted after her and that’s what was driving this. She couldn’t lie to herself about that. She was going to do this tonight, with the only man she had ever loved. And she would have to be okay when he walked away. Shala looked up at Zadir and saw his nervousness. A smile crept up the corners of her mouth. “Then maybe we should go find that
somewhere
so you can.”

Zadir searched her face, looking for any sign that she wasn’t sure. They’d finished off a bottle of wine earlier but he didn’t think she was drunk. He wanted her, more than he’d wanted a woman since Kerri. He saw his own desire reflected back in her golden gaze and the little pulse at the hollow of her throat said her heart was racing the same as his. She wanted this. He wanted it too, but could he really give her more than a good time? Zadir didn’t know, but when she licked her lips, he groaned and knew he would take this night with her. He had to.