Annie West - Royals Untamed!

He’d proved his point. It didn’t matter how much she protested, she wanted him. She was his. He should stop now, should pull back and let her know he’d won, but he couldn’t. He didn’t want to. Hot need for her was rushing through him and as she sighed against his lips once more, pressing her body harder against him, he knew he was lost.

‘How can this be so right when everything else is wrong?’ she whispered as she pulled back to look up at him, her breathing hard and fast, her eyes like molten gold and heavy with desire.

He couldn’t answer her, not when he didn’t even know why himself. He’d never known such an overwhelming need before, such all consuming passion that had the power to render anything else inconsequential. ‘All that matters at the moment is kissing you,’ he said in a hoarse whisper as he ran his fingers once again through her hair before angling her head so that he could kiss her deeper and harder than ever. ‘I don’t care about duty, the wind or the rebels. All I care about is kissing you.’

Amber was intoxicating and Kazim was well and truly lost. Could it be that he was hers, that he would for ever be hers?

‘Kazim, I...’ Her voice was barely above a whisper as she looked up at him, her brown eyes full of the same desire that thudded in his veins. ‘I can’t...we mustn’t.’

‘We should,’ he said in a low rumble, unable to deny his need for her any longer. ‘And we will.’

With that he moved her towards the low bed, laid her down against the array of cushions and covered her body with his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her, all protest and fight gone from her glorious body.

‘We shouldn’t,’ she said in a husky whisper as she spread her palms against his back, which only increased the heated hardness of his body. The very fact that she still wanted him, that, despite her protests, she couldn’t stop kissing and touching him, made him want her all the more.

* * *

Urgency filled Amber’s kiss as she pulled him down closer to her. She wanted him. She knew that doing this would only make it harder to leave, but she was powerless to resist. She shouldn’t, but she couldn’t help herself. It was madness—total madness.

Kazim’s hands deftly worked to remove the daring red abaya she’d dressed in until she lay on a bed of red silk, totally naked to his gaze, her whole body on fire. Eagerly he pulled his robe off, towering above her as he knelt among the cushions. He was magnificent; every honed muscle made her quiver with desire.

‘Do you still think we shouldn’t?’ His deep voice, now a hoarse whisper, sent a shiver of anticipation racing down her spine.

She shook her head and licked her dry lips as his dark-skinned nakedness was revealed, her eyes drawn down to the evidence that, if nothing else, he desired her.

Warmth pooled between her legs and she reached out to touch him, enjoying the sudden power as he closed his eyes and groaned in pleasure. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted more—much more.

As if sensing her desire, he moved and once again covered her body, this time the heat of his scorching hers. Then, with frantic need, more powerful than she’d ever experienced before, she wrapped her legs around him, encouraging him deep inside her. She lifted her hips, moving with him as a tidal wave of passion submerged them. She cried out, hearing him cry out too.

Passion slipped away and she lay naked against him, the wind blowing less wildly against the tent. Kazim had been right. The storm had blown itself out and, like the wind, her heart rate slowly became more normal.

She shouldn’t have done that, shouldn’t have given into the carnal lust that just one touch from him could spark. How could she leave and go back to her old life after a moment like that?

CHAPTER ELEVEN

THE JOURNEY BACK to the palace had been strained, the week in the desert abandoned. The tension had pulled them almost to breaking point. Amber still couldn’t understand how they had ended up making love the previous night. Had Kazim been proving a point to her or himself? If so, what was it?

Did he want her to admit she was unable to resist him? Or was it that he could share such a moment without uttering a single word of love? He’d made it perfectly clear that love wasn’t and never would be on his agenda. It was only ever going to be about duty.

As she’d argued her point last night she’d been sure she wanted to leave, but now, as the hot sun shone down on the peace of the palace gardens, she didn’t know what she wanted any more. She had fallen more deeply in love with him with each passing day and, whilst she craved love, she couldn’t imagine a future without him.

‘I was told I’d find you here.’ Kazim’s deep, sexy voice broke through her tumultuous thoughts and she looked up, shielding her eyes against the sun, watching him approach.

Her heart hammered in her chest as her stomach turned over. The image he created in his white robes and headdress was overwhelming. His tanned face was so handsome her fingers itched to touch him, to caress his face and feel the slight roughness of his stubble.

But she couldn’t. In that moment she realised she would be fooling herself if she stayed. She had to leave this place and this marriage, in order to keep her sanity. Her reaction to just seeing him now proved this beyond any doubt. And now was the moment to tell him. The inevitable had been delayed long enough.

She stood up, not wanting to have him tower over her, reminding her of his power. ‘I must leave Barazbin. I need to go back to Paris.’ She kept her voice hard and determined. The previous night in the desert had proved just how easily he could derail her.

He looked at her, his eyes searching her face, then he crossed his arms over his chest and took in a deep breath. Those seconds she waited for his response seemed like for ever.

‘As you wish.’ His tone was curt and his eyes sharp as he looked into hers.

Had he just agreed? Just like that, she was free? Relief washed over her and she took in a deep ragged breath, amazed how easy it had been. Then hurt rattled in. He thought so little of her he was willing to let her go, to leave for good.

‘I need to be back in Paris for when Annie and Claude arrive home.’ She pressed her palm hard against her collarbone, as if doing so would keep in all the hurt that threatened to escape, to make itself known to him.

She saw his jaw clench. ‘Will you stay in Paris?’ His voice was a guttural growl, reminding her of the first rumbles of thunder.

Was he asking if she intended ever to return to Barazbin? Was that why he’d accepted her request so calmly, because he thought it would be a visit? Whatever the reason, she had to make it clear.

‘Yes, Kazim,’ she said, hating the slight falter in her voice. ‘I will be staying in Paris—for good.’ She looked into his eyes and again the seconds ticked by, but she couldn’t remain like that and she lowered her gaze, breaking the connection.

He pressed his lips together and nodded in acceptance of what she’d just said. The sun hurt her eyes and she had trouble seeing his face clearly, unable to read his expression. Why, after all that had happened in the desert, was he allowing her to walk out on him?

She hadn’t expected this, but it hurt. She loved him—so much it was painful, and he was totally devoid of any emotion, any reaction to the news that she was leaving him. She swallowed down hard as tears threatened her. Quickly, she used the fierceness of the sun as an excuse. ‘That sun is so bright, I can hardly see you.’

‘I know,’ he said calmly, his eyes never leaving her face.

What did he know? That her heart was breaking just to say those words? That she loved him so much she had to leave? Frantically, she searched for something else to say, anything that would take her mind from the pain of saying goodbye.