Midnight Under The Stars: Woman in a Sheikh's World

‘When I hear that from a professional I will be reassured. If you go through to the master bedroom, he will examine you. And try not to take your frustration out on the doctor. He’s an innocent party.’

‘You think I’m frustrated?’

‘I truly hope so. But we’ll talk about this later.’ Maddeningly cool, Mal strolled towards the bedroom and opened the doors and her heart skidded in her chest because there in the centre was the hand-crafted bed that had witnessed the shift in their relationship from friends to lovers.

The sensual, unashamed luxury of the suite unsettled her as much as the look in his eyes.

‘What’s the doctor supposed to do? Declare me fit for action?’ Her response was flippant and she realised that she hadn’t thought about the scorpion bite for hours. She’d been too caught up in all the drama and the swirling mess of her own feelings. She’d been too busy thinking about him.

And he knew it.

He hovered while the doctor examined her and Avery almost felt sorry for the man as Mal subjected him to a volley of cross-questioning until finally he was satisfied.

Exhausted, she flopped back against the pillows. ‘You terrified that poor man. His hands were shaking. For God’s sake, Mal, ease up on people, will you?’

‘I just wanted to make sure he was thorough.’

The room was the ultimate in sophistication. Decorated with elaborate woven rugs and antique furniture, the doors opened onto an uninterrupted view of the desert. Last time she was here with him she’d taken a picture of the same view at sunset and made it her screen saver. Seeing it again now made her heart lift and ache at the same time because it brought back memories of a time when life had been close to perfect.

The mattress dipped slightly as Mal sat down next to her. ‘You are thinking about the last time we were here.’

‘No. I don’t do that sort of thing. If you wanted sentimental then you picked the wrong woman. But you discovered that a while ago.’ Sliding away from him, Avery sprang from the bed. ‘What I was actually thinking is that I need a shower. My hair is full of sand. My clothes are full of sand. Right now I’m more camel than human.’ She shot towards the bathroom because it was the only room with a lock on the door, but he caught her easily and pulled her firmly back towards him.

‘There is nowhere to run. It’s just you and me, habibti.’

‘And you only have yourself to blame for that. I told you you’d regret it.’

‘Do I look as if I’m regretting it?’ Smiling slightly, he slid his hands either side of her face, tilting her head. ‘Do you really want to fight? Because I’ll fight if that’s what you want. Or you could listen to an alternative suggestion as to how we can spend this time we have together.’

‘No.’ The word was meant to be firm and decisive. Instead it sounded more like a pathetic plea and he frowned, the smile fading from his eyes.

‘How long are you going to keep pretending this isn’t what you want?’

‘As long as it takes for you to get the message. What I want is a shower.’ Her voice was croaky. And she was terrified. Terrified of the thought of doing this again. Of risking everything. Of being hurt.

‘Shower first?’ He lifted his hand and freed her hair.

‘First?’

‘I thought you might be hungry.’

‘Shower sounds good. But I don’t have clothes to change into. You should have thought of that before you kidnapped me.’

His fingers lingered on her hair. ‘I can solve that, too.’

‘How?’

‘Sometimes being a Prince has its advantages.’

Her heart was beating fast but whether it was the fact that he was touching her or the fact that he was standing so close to her, she didn’t know. ‘So you’ve been shamelessly using your position and influence to coerce people.’

‘Something like that.’

‘I’m not impressed. It doesn’t work on me.’

‘It never did. But you do want me. Are you going to admit it?’

‘Not until all the sand has blown from the desert.’

His eyes glittered dark. ‘Then I’ll have to use other means to get the truth from you.’

‘You resort to violence now?’

His mouth twisted. ‘Not violence. But you will be honest because I am finished with games.’

They were talking, but words were only part of the communication between them. There was the subtle brush of his hand against her cheek. The meaningful look. The sudden rapid sprint of her heart as it hammered against her ribs. It was useless to pretend he had no effect on her. That she was immune. She was as susceptible now as she always had been. And he knew it. And the fact that he knew it made her furious. Furious with herself. Even more furious with him.

Avery pulled away and stalked over to the bathroom that adjoined the master suite. She knew her way. Had been there before. But even here the memories followed her because they’d used this room for more than a shower. ‘You’re crowding me and I need time to think. Don’t follow me, Mal.’

And because she didn’t trust him not to do that, she locked the door. And then spent several minutes just staring at it, knowing he was on the other side and discovering that a locked door wasn’t enough to keep the feelings away. And that was because he wasn’t the problem, was he? The problem was her.

She stripped off her clothes, then walked into the shower and stood under the sharp needles of hot water, washing away two days of hot, sticky travelling in the desert. She lathered her hair in expensive shampoo that smelt like lotus flowers, massaged conditioner and then stood for ages with her eyes closed while the water washed over her.

But she couldn’t stay in the shower for ever.

Reluctantly, she turned off the flow of water and wrapped herself in one of the large fluffy towels that were stacked inside a glass cabinet.

Then she turned and found him standing there.

‘You forgot that the bathroom has two entrances. You only locked one door.’

‘Another man would have taken that as a hint.’

‘And you know that how?’ His ebony hair glistened dark and his broad shoulders were still damp from the shower he’d clearly taken in another bathroom. He was in the process of knotting the towel around his hips. ‘Have you had other lovers in the time we’ve been apart?’

Other lovers? The question would have made her laugh if it hadn’t hurt so much. He didn’t have a clue what he’d done to her.

She was distracted by the flat planes of his abdomen, as hard as a board and with a tantalising line of dark hair vanishing beneath the towel. ‘Of course I had other lovers. Why do you ask? Did you think I’d been pining for you?’

‘Be grateful that I know you’re lying. And I take it as a good sign that you’re trying to protect yourself.’

‘Well, if you think you know so much about me, why ask?’

‘Because I want you to admit how you feel.’

‘Right now? Pretty annoyed. You’re in my personal space.’

‘You think I’m in your personal space? Try this—’ He moved so fast that she didn’t see it coming and before she could even murmur his name his mouth was on hers and the chemistry was instantaneous and as powerful as ever. Everything they’d been holding back came rushing straight at them. His hands were on her hips, tugging away the towel and hers were doing the same to his until they were both naked and the only sounds in the room were his harsh breathing and her soft gasps. Abstinence bred desperation and desperation had him scooping her into his arms and carrying her to the bedroom, still kissing, their mouths hungry and demanding as they made up for lost time.