Tess Awakening (18 page)

“Are you sure you want to ride Achilles,
Tess? He can be difficult at times.”

Tess did not reply; she was busy examining
the splendid beast. He had all of the ideal characteristics of a
fine Arabian horse: a refined, wedge-shaped head, a broad forehead,
large eyes, large nostrils, and a small muzzle. Achilles also had a
slight forehead bulge between his eyes that added sinus capacity.
The horse also had another breed characteristic: an arched neck
with a large, well-set windpipe set on a refined, clean
throatlatch, allowing flexibility in the bridle and room for the
windpipe. As a well-bred Arabian, the horse had deep, well-angled
hips and a well laid-back shoulder.

“This horse is truly magnificent, Amir.” Tess
kept stroking the head and neck of the noble beast. Achilles
snorted and shook his head again, but Tess continued to touch him
to make him comfortable with her presence. She did not attempt to
mount him until she felt they were properly acquainted. She
patiently maintained contact with him until the horse calmed
down.

Tess put her cheek on the horse’s neck and
gave him a final caress on his snout. “You must make love to a
horse before you mount him.”

Amir was almost shocked by her statement, so
subject to interpretation. ‘She is an immensely capable woman full
of surprises; nothing about her is ordinary. My heart is bursting
with desire.’ His Cambridge education sometimes influenced him to
use old fashioned Victorian phases to express thoughts of love and
lust.

Tess got on the saddle. “A noble beast does
not let just anyone ride him; he needs to develop confidence that
the rider understands and appreciates him.”

Amir mounted a beautiful black horse and
joined Tess at a trot.

“I was trained to do dressage,” Tess shared.
“I learned how to develop a horse’s flexibility and responsiveness.
This makes the horse stronger and more pleasant to ride. I always
competed against myself first and against others taking the test.
We all pursued the goal in the competition, which is always to
improve on our own score.”

They reached an open field. Tess threw a
challenge at Amir. “I’ll race you to that large tree over
there.”

“As you wish, my lady.” He tipped his hat and
slapped the horse’s haunches. They both started racing at the same
time and careened through the meadow as fast as their horses could
go. Amir was a superb rider. He had horses in his blood and he rode
with remarkable expertise like an ancient warrior. The animals were
truly magnificent, elatedly racing through the countryside. Amir
and Tess accelerated as if they were mounted dragoons charging
against the enemy’s cannons. He reached the tree first by mere
seconds.

They dismounted, and sat under the tree
catching their breath.

“Congratulations, Amir. I am impressed that
you didn’t let me win. I would have known if you did, and I would
not have liked it.”

“You ride beautifully, Tess. I suspect that
next time the warrior in you will find a way to win.”

“I really mean it, Amir. You are a marvelous
rider. I usually don’t lose a horse race.”

“I wonder why I am not surprised.”

The looked into each other eyes with a
renewed sense of respect for each other’s abilities. Amir turned
toward her, touched her chin and put his lips on hers. Tess felt a
jolt in her body; it was not rejection, but desire. She opened her
lips. Amir kissed her passionately, moving his hands to her waist,
savoring the magic of two bodies coming close.

Tess stood up, shaken. “Amir, we can’t do
this. Let’s go back.”

They mounted their horses and returned to the
stables without saying a word. Riding behind Tess, Amir smiled.

Chapter 26

Tess called her father back in the States
for their usual monthly chat.

“Tess, where have you been? I have been
trying to get a hold of you. Are you all right?”

“I am fine, Dad. I have been doing some
travel in Europe.”

“Tess, your CO Colonel Reynolds and one of
your colleagues, Jake Vickers have been calling. Reynolds wants you
to return to your unit ASAP. Things in Iraq are going from bad to
worse. We just don’t have enough troops to put down the
insurgency.”

“Yes, I have heard about that Dad, but I
needed some time off.”

“I can understand that you needed that after
what you went through, but apparently you are now okay. If you
don’t go back, you risk being deactivated. Of course, if that is
what you want to do, I will understand.”

“No, I want to go back; I just need another
week.”

“Okay. I will call Reynolds and tell him you
are on your way. Anything else I need to know? Are you really
okay?”

“I am okay dad. I will keep you posted. I
need to go now.”

“Fine, Tess. Don’t be a stranger, please?
Love you.”

“I love you, dad.” Tess hung up the
phone.

Conversations with her father were always
short and business-like. Tess rarely opened up when talking with
him and the focus of their chats inevitably found its way back to
her career.

***

Tess met Amir for dinner. “Fadime is not
feeling well tonight,” he said. “She will eat in her room.”

The meal as usual was superb, after which
they retired to the balcony. The weather was perfect; the plants in
the garden were tastefully lit, and an owl was perching on one of
the trees.

Tess got to the point. “Amir, I am being
called back to the army. I have to leave tomorrow.”

“Tess, you don’t have to do that. By now you
have seen that there is a world of other possibilities for you
here. I would like very much for you to stay.”

‘I have worked hard for my career; I just
can’t throw it away.”

Amir took a sip of Cognac. “Tess, our
agreement was that you would spend a month with me and Aara. It’s
only been two weeks. You must admit that so far I have met my part
of the bargain. I expect that you do the same.”

“Amir, I need to go and I want to bring Aara
with me. I will make arrangements for her to stay with my cousin
Jane, who has two children of her own. She will be well taken care
of until I return from Iraq.”

“You are not honoring our agreement.
Therefore I cannot agree to what you propose. If you insist on
leaving now, Aara stays with me.”

Tess could not conceive of being away from a
child that she now loved. She had become very close to her and
couldn’t bear the thought of not having her in her life.

“Amir, what do I have to do to change your
mind?”

“You know what I want. I want you to fall in
love with me and to become mine. I love you Tess, and I want us to
have a life together.”

“Amir, I can’t do that. We are from different
worlds. Yes, your world is very seductive, and I admit that you are
a remarkable and attractive man. But, this is not for me. I cannot
be a pampered woman where everything is done for her. I need more
control in my life.”

“Very well; I propose a compromise. You come
to me tonight and afterward you can have the girl.”

“Amir, again, how can you possibly want a
woman that does not want you?!”

“I think I know you, Tess. When I see you
with the child, you show a tenderness that was not there before.
You have softened as a woman, as it should be. This afternoon, when
we kissed, you responded. I think you want to love me as well.”

Tess wanted to cry. She felt cornered, with
no other option but to accede to his desires. “I made a solemn
promise to a dying woman that that I would not allow Aara to grow
up with you.”

Amir’s anger flared up. “Don’t forget that
Kejal died because of you!”

“It was your men that killed her.”

“It would not have happened if you had not
tried to escape.”

Tess, in her despair, realized that she was
against a brick wall. There was only one option. “Fine, Amir. I
accept your conditions. I will come to you tonight, and tomorrow I
will leave with the child.”

Tess walked to the large picture window
facing the gardens. “You leave me no choice.” Tess started to cry.
She hadn’t done so since she was a girl, and the sense of despair
was wrenching. She made a promise. She had to do this.

Amir stood up, gently put his hands on her
waist, and put his lips on hers. He kissed her softly with a
gentleness that surprised her. He felt her trembling. He knew he
would soon have what he craved.

“I have dismissed all the servants for the
night. I will wait for you in my suite.”

Chapter 27

Tess went back to her bedroom, trembling.
‘What is happening to me? I can no longer control my emotions. I
don’t know what is going on with my body. I feel an irresistible
hunger in my womb. I have never wanted so much to have a man inside
me. Amir somehow knows how I feel; he is breaking down my will bit
by bit, and I can’t help being drawn to him.’

Tess hit the bottle again, trying to steady
her nerves. ‘That bastard Amir is a force of nature. He is just
like me. He knows what he wants; he goes after it with relentless
fervor and determination. Damn, he is also sexy as hell.’

She poured another drink to anesthetize
herself, hoping that she could manage to retain a measure of
self-respect after Amir was through with her. Aara’s big black eyes
flashed in front of her. ‘I need to do it for her.’

Tess took a bath even though she did not need
to do so. Soaking in the hot water, she tried to suppress the
craving inside her body. It didn’t work.

She dried herself and scrutinized her naked
body in the full-length mirror. She had always looked at her body
as if it was a weapon. The years of physical training had created a
creature of steel inside a beautiful woman’s body. But the steel
was no longer hard, she feared; it was becoming brittle. She felt
desire for Amir. Becoming a real woman made her feel weak.

She put on a little makeup to cover the
evidence of her distress and slipped on just a silk robe. No need
for anything else. She walked toward Amir’s bedroom.

Amir was sitting on a chair with a drink in
hand. He was determined to make his encounter with Tess work. The
courtesans that instructed him in the arts of love impressed upon
him that when making love to a woman, a man must forget his own
needs. His sole focus should be to understand what
her
needs
are. Women are complex creatures; find the best way to give her
pleasure, and she will more than fulfill your desire in the
end.

Tess walked in through the open door. Amir
looked at her appraisingly, trying to conceal his excitement. He
stood up and went to her. He took her hand and slowly walked her to
the bed. He looked at her silently and feasted his eyes on the
object of his desire. Finally, he would have her.

Tess kept standing, trembling, and betraying
her desire. Amir came closer, looking at her appraisingly. He could
feel her desire to resist, and that is how he liked it. But, he
also sensed that she now wanted him. It would make the conquest
that much sweeter and satisfying.

He slowly removed her robe and then his,
dropping the garments on the floor. “You are sublime, Tess. You are
a beautiful tiger that has captured my heart.”

Tess felt herself trembling with a
combination of desire and hatred for being forced to submit to him.
Amir moved behind her and breathed on her neck, inhaling her
intoxicating perfume. He placed his hands on her shoulders, down
her arms and to her waist. “You are exquisite, my love. You have
beautiful soft skin, but underneath you are made of powerful,
strong flesh and bone. I have never made love to anyone the likes
of you.”

He walked around her, still scrutinizing,
using his fingers to touch her lightly on the shoulders and down
her back, over her buttocks. Behind her, he touched the bottom of
her breasts. He moved to face her and kissed her lips, pressing his
hard erection against her belly. He continued kissing her with
gentle urgency, embracing her with growing ardor.

Tess felt like crumbling to the floor. “Amir,
let’s lie down.”

Amir picked her up in his arms and laid her
down on the bed. He feasted his eyes, inspecting her body as she
lied on her back and suppressed an urgent need to take her. He had
to remind himself once more that to have her’ he must find a way to
please her first.

He lay down next to her and kissed her softly
on one breast. “Tell me, Tess, what is your will? How can I fulfill
you every desire?”

Amir’s archaic language made Tess smile. “You
think you are in a seraglio, Amir? Is that where you want to
be?”

Amir kissed her tight belly. “I am your
slave, not a Sultan, my love. I am here to offer you pleasure. What
do you wish? How can I bring you heavenly bliss?”

Tess laughed at Amir’s playacting. She seized
his swollen penis. He jolted, surprised. “How about we get things
going and let’s see what happens?”

Amir raised himself on his knees, staring at
her; stretched on her back, her beauty on full display. She looked
at him, her green eyes barely open, her body moving impatiently.
She seemed like a leopard ready to jump from her lair.

He resumed touching her lightly. His fingers
slowly moved from the ridge of her nose to her lips and her neck.
He touched her clavicles, the bones clearly visible.

Tess closed her eyes. “Are you inspecting me,
Amir? Do you want to check my mouth and teeth as well? Are you
going to buy me like a camel at the bazaar?”

“Ah, yes, my love. I am indeed appraising my
treasures. I marvel at the fortune that bestowed such delights to
me.” He kept moving his fingers—touching her breasts, the nipples,
the ribs in her chest, her tight stomach and her hard belly.

“Mons Veneris.” He stopped and encapsulated
her pubic mound with his hand as if it was a large jewel. “The
Romans called this the mount of Venus. Not all women are blessed
with such a prominent doorway to love. In my culture, we believe
that Allah bestows such a treasure on only a few fortunate men.” He
gently touched her labia.