ROMANCE: THE SHEIKH'S GAMES: A Sheikh Romance (64 page)

He was at her door in less than a minute. “Hey, you.”

She looked up and her smile took his breath away. “Hey, boss. I was just going to call you…we have the data from the focus groups now and—”

“Have you eaten?” He interrupted her with a smile, and she blinked before shaking her head. “Good. Let’s go.”

She was about to object then shrugged. “Actually, I’m starving, thanks. But can I ask two favors first?”

“As long as neither have to do with you working late today.”

She smiled gratefully, reaching over to grab her shoes. “No…just, can I go home and change first…and can we grab something somewhere…how can I put this…not too exclusive? I need to slob out and relax.”

“You read my mind. Pizza and beer?” He held his hand up so she could high-five it. “Come on, let me grab some clothes and I’ll give you a lift home.”

***

Norah shoved the last piece of pizza crust into her mouth and sat back, chewing and moaning happily. Jay grinned at her as she rubbed her belly. “Good?”

She swallowed her mouthful and sighed. “Very. Sorry you had to witness that feeding frenzy.”

“It was rather like watching Jaws with a bucket of chum.”

She giggles. “It’s how I maintain my sylph-like figure.”

Jay’s eyes moved slowly up and down her body in a way that made her cheeks flush and her breath hitch and falter. Abruptly, the atmosphere between them changed, became charged with electricity. The pizza place was emptying out now, the evening crowd moving onto the bars and clubs. Jay slid next to her and she began to tremble at the look in his eyes.
Desire.

Jay pulled her body close, his huge arms wrapped around her waist, his fingers splaying on her back, tangling in her hair.

“God, I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” he groaned and was rewarded by her arms tightening around him. His mouth covered hers hungrily, wanting to sink into her. She was breathless when they broke apart.

“Jay…”

He shook his head, locking his gaze onto hers. “Norah….don’t say anything except one word…yes or no. I want you to answer honestly and whatever your answer, I will respect that. I want to take you home, back to mine, and peel every piece of clothing from that glorious body of yours and take you to bed, kiss every inch of you, make love to you. Right now, Norah. Yes or no?”

Inside him, there was an explosion of emotion, want, desire, exhilaration as she looked up at him from beneath those thick, dark lashes, a deep pink flush in her cheeks, her lips dark crimson and sore from his kiss and said one word.

“Yes.”

***

Norah argued with herself the whole ride up in the elevator.
You shouldn’t be doing this…
But, the way he was kissing her, trailing his lips across her jaw down to her throat, murmuring her name, his hands cupping her face gently. She was pressed up hard against the wall of the elevator, his massive body towering over hers, his form chest hard against her breasts. Her hands were on his face then her fingers tangled in his short dark curls. A moan of desire escaped her and Jay almost growled as his kiss became fiercer.

“Norah, when you make that sound…”

Somehow, they made it out of the elevator, into his penthouse and into his bedroom. He was right about her clothes; in seconds they were on the floor and her trembling fingers were unbuttoning his shirt —
trying
to unbutton his shirt. She was so nervous that when Jay’s hands came up to cover hers, she looked up at him, almost teary. He smiled down at her.

“It’s okay,” he said, softly. “Don’t be scared.” He let go of her hands and pulled his shirt off over his head before gathering her to him. His large hands drifted down her back, cupping her butt, his long fingers stroking her gently. “You’re beautiful.”

Jay laughed softly and scooped her onto the bed, covering her body with his. He kissed her again, deeply, his tongue massaging hers, exploring her mouth until she was gasping for air. His hands moved lower and stroked her most sensitive parts. He pressed his lips to her throat, her collarbone then his mouth was on her breasts, tasting and sucking, making them unbelievably sensitive and tender. Jay looked up at her, his green eyes dark and heavy with desire.

“Do you want me, Norah? Because I want you, I’ve always wanted you…”

Her legs curled around his hips, seemingly of their own accord and she reached down to free him from his pants, already so ready for her. She stroked him gently, reveling in his groan of pleasure. She lifted her lips to his.

“Yes, I want you, Jay, I want you so badly.”

Jay kissed her again and he shifted so he could enter her, easing himself deep inside as she tightened her legs around him. His fingers entwined with hers as he pressed her hands down onto the bed, his gaze locked onto hers. Norah gasped as he slid inside her; his sex perfectly proportioned to his massive frame and a wave of certainty flooded through her.
This is where I belong. In Jay’s arms.

She stared up at him as they made love, wanting to drink everything about his gorgeous face in; the deep green of his eyes, so intense, so fierce with passion, the finely honed features, the scattered pattern of freckles and moles on his cheek, the full mouth which molded so perfectly to her own. Jay was kissing her, rubbing his nose against hers so lovingly she wanted to cry.

“Norah…stay with me….” Norah felt her orgasm building, her skin on fire as Jay began to thrust harder, faster, deeper. She came with a long moan of pleasure as he did, shuddering together to a halt and collapsing into each other’s arms. They lay, limbs entangled, catching their breath.

After a while, Jay pressed his lips to hers. “Wow.”

Norah laughed, her cheeks turning scarlet. “You can say that again.”

Jay pretended to consider. “Okay, I will. Wow.”

Norah kissed him quickly, firmly. “Loon.”

He shrugged. “If you like but hey, this loon thinks that was amazing.” He let a fingertip drift down her cheek. “You kept me waiting two months, Norah Quinn.”

She smiled. “To be honest…I was beginning to think you’d lost interest.”

“You really have no idea, do you? Norah, I’ve wanted you from the first moment you threw yourself onto the hood of my car.” He grinned and was gratified by her smile.

“Those stuntwoman classes really paid off then,” she quipped and kissed him but he could see she was still unsure of him, of herself.

“What is it, Norah? Just ask.”

She drew in a deep breath. “Did you give me the job because…”

Jay smiled, having already guessed her question. “Yes.”

Norah paled and he quickly took her face in his hands. “
Kidding
. Do you honestly think I run a billion dollar corporation on the whim of my
cajones
? No, you got the job because we needed someone exactly like you; bright, motivated, articulate. And I was right. Even Sloan thinks so.”

Norah wriggled onto her side. “Sloan thinks we’re sleeping together.”

“We are.” He grinned as she rolled her eyes.

“I meant before. And we’ve only slept together once.”

Jay pushed her gently back onto the bed. “I don’t care what Sloan thinks. And we’re about to make that twice.”

She sighed happily and wound her arms around his neck. “That’s fine by me, boss.” Jay kissed her then smiled again.

“And just so you know, business talk is banned from our bed from now on.” He kissed a line from her throat, down the valley between her breasts to her belly. He traced the deep hollow of her navel with his tongue then grinned up at her. She stroked his face.

“From now on?” Her voice was, loving, intimate and he nodded, his eyes soft.

“You bet, sweetheart, because from now on, it’s you and me.”

***

Norah carried her overflowing cup of coffee to her desk. She was tired but for once it was a good feeling. She and Jay had made love for most of the night. They forgot about work, forgot about the rest of the world. The ecstasy of being together was overwhelming. When they weren’t making love, they were talking about the future. Jay told her his plan for buying a new home in the French Quarter and asked if she would come with him to look at some land. At three o’clock in the morning, famished, they made toast and sat in the kitchen, grinning at each other. When she got up to wash their plates, he had stood behind her, kissing her neck, running his hands under her robe, between her legs. She had melted at his touch and they fell to the kitchen floor, tangled limbs, laughing. She straddled him and he smiled as she took charge. She moved on top of him until Jay was helpless under her touch, his big hands circling her waist, his thumbs stroking her belly.

A knock at the door woke her from her reveries. Sloan, dressed in a short turquoise shift dress, half-smiled at her. “Morning. You get my email about the presentation this afternoon?”

“Just getting to it.” Norah looked at Sloan and smiled. “I love that color on you.”

Sloan looked surprised. “Thanks. You too, you look…” She stared at Norah and Norah was suddenly aware of the high color of her own cheeks, the glow that still shone from her eyes and knew what Sloan was seeing. Her boss’s expression seemed to shut down and Norah frowned.

“Is something wrong?”

Sloan shook her head. “No. I didn’t realize you and…never mind, none of my business.” She turned to leave then turned back. “It’s just…be careful, Norah. People are already talking and what with Jay’s reputation…”

Norah met Sloan’s gaze evenly. “I’m a big girl, Sloan. I think I can handle it.”

Sloan smiled bitterly. “You’ve known him two months. I’ve known him thirty years. That’s all.”

After she’d gone, Norah realized Sloan had managed to burst her bubble of happiness. She chewed her lips and answered her phone absentmindedly.

“Hey, beautiful.” Jay.

“Hey, yourself.”

“Are you free this evening?”

She smiled down the phone but sighed. “I can’t. Not tonight. Raincheck until tomorrow?”

There was a long pause. “What do you do every Tuesday and Thursday?”

Norah’s eyebrows shot up. “You been spying on me?”

Jay laughed, the sound warm and amused. “No, just when someone does something so regularly, it gets noticed.”

Irritation flickered through her. “Sloan. Do you get her to do your spying for you?”

“Hey now,” Jay’s tone was serious now, “No-one’s spying on you. I was just asking, is all.”

She hesitated, closing her eyes. “I’m…I’m not ready to share that with you just yet.”

“I see.”

She hated the hurt in his voice. “It’s nothing you should worry about, Jay, just something personal.

“Is there someone else?”

She gaped down the phone. “Well, if that’s what you think of me…”

“Wait, wait, wait, how did we end up arguing? Look, forget it, I’m sorry. Of course, I trust you to tell me if…well, we’re getting heavy here.”

She sighed, rubbing her face. “Hey, no, I’m sorry. Over-sensitive. Sloan just…well, she let me know just how little time we’ve know each other and I think it got to me. Especially after last night. I’m probably just tired.”

She heard Jay’s soft laugh and felt the tension drain from her. “Best night of my life,” he said softly. “I’d like to tire you out again some night soon.”

She glanced at her clock, figuring out something in her head. “I can come over later but it will be late — I mean, past eleven.”

His laugh, this time, was pure filthy anticipation. “Don’t break that promise, beautiful. I’ll be waiting.”

Outside Norah’s office, Sloan Farmer smiled to herself. She knew what she had to do now she knew that Norah was hiding something from her new lover. Sloan’s best friend. The man she’d been in love with for thirty years. Norah Quinn wasn’t going to take Sloan’s future away from her. She’d see to that.

Sloan walked quickly back to her office and shut the door. She flicked through the contacts on her phone until she found the one she wanted and pressed the call button. A few seconds later, she smiled as she spoke into the phone.

“Derek? It’s Sloan Farmer…listen, I wonder if you do something for me…?”

***

Norah kissed her mother’s temple softly and crept out of the room. Her mother was even more distant than ever, talking about Norah’s father as if he was still alive and young and coming to court her. Norah had let her talk, fascinated about her parent’s life before she had come along. They had been older first-time parents, late in their forties and she always felt unconnected to that part of their lives. This evening, her mother had been reliving their honeymoon and the first home they’d had.

“Of course,” said her mother blithely, “Our families were at us to start a family. I kept telling them, neither of us wants children, but of course, they never believed us. But we showed them.”

The hurt that ripped through Norah at her mother’s words made her stomach clenched and she winced, only smoothing out her expression when her mother looked at her. It was like the disease had wiped Norah’s existence from the planet.

Now, walking out of the care facility, Norah let a few tears come. The doctor she’d talked to earlier had said the lucid periods were becoming fewer and fewer. The mother she’d loved and been loved by was gone.

Norah walked quickly to the cab she’d ordered, needing now to get to Jay, get away from the feeling that she no longer mattered. She didn’t notice the dark sedan with the blacked out windows parked across the street.

***

Jay saw her reddened eyes but said nothing, just took her in his arms, bending his head to kiss her. “Hey, beautiful.”

She sank into the kiss and then laughed as he lifted her off her feet and spun her around.

“I ordered pizza,” he hitched her legs around him and walked toward the bedroom, “for midnight…this is why I love the city.”

“Midnight, huh?” She was smiling genuinely now, wrapping her arms around his neck.

He dropped her onto the bed and peeled his t-shirt off in one smooth move. Norah reached up to run her hands over his taut stomach. “Now, this is worth coming home to,” she said then flushed when she realized what she had said. Jay put her hand over his heart, covering it with his large, warm palm. “Damn right,” he said softly, “welcome home, beautiful.”