CAROL MARINELLI - Desert Hearts - Sheikh Without a Heart / Heart of the Desert / The Sheikh's Destiny

He drew her down with him onto the bed. Go slow, he told himself. Go slow …

Her body was hot against his.

Her mouth was soft.

And his erection was so hard it was almost painful.

“Rachel,” he said unsteadily, and she wound her arms around his neck, and somehow, somehow, her nightgown was ruched around her hips and somehow, somehow, his hand was between her thighs and she was wet and hot and slick, and he found that sweet nub that was the essence of her, and when he did she arched against his hand and gave a cry that made him rear back, tear off his clothes and pull open the drawer of the nightstand.

He found a condom. Fumbled with it. And then—

Then he was inside her.

A groan tore from his throat.

Rachel was tight around him, so tight he was afraid he’d hurt her, and he went still, his body trembling with the effort, holding back, letting her stretch to accommodate him. But she wouldn’t let that happen. She was sobbing, moving against him, moving, moving, moving …

She said his name. He could feel her trembling; she was on that razor-thin edge of eternity with him.

Could a man’s entire life have been meant to bring him to this one moment?

He thrust forward, harder, deeper, faster. She whispered his name again and then she screamed in ecstasy.

And Karim let go of everything—the pain of the last weeks, the rigidity of his life—and flew with her along the moonlit path into the heart of the night sky.

He collapsed over her, his body slick with sweat.

His face was buried in the curve of her shoulder, her hair was a silken tangle and he loved the feel of it against his lips. His heart was pounding; so was hers. He could feel it beating hard against his.

He knew he was too heavy for her but he didn’t want to move—not if it meant giving up this moment. Rachel’s skin against his skin, her arms around him, her legs wrapped around his hips …

She gave a little sigh.

He sighed, too, rolled to his side and drew her into his arms.

“Are you all right?” he said softly.

She nodded. “I’m fine.”

“Very fine?” he said, and smiled. He used one hand to tilt her face to his. “Incredibly fine?” he whispered, and kissed her.

Her lips were soft. They clung to his but only for a heartbeat. Then she drew back.

“I—I have to get up,” she whispered.

“Not yet,” he said in a sexy, rough voice as he stroked a lock of hair from her temple and tucked it behind her ear. “Stay with me a little longer.”

“No. Really. I have to—I have to get up.”

A simple request, Karim told himself. She wanted to use the bathroom. A simple, normal request.

But her voice was strained and her eyes darted away from his.

“Rachel?”

She didn’t answer.

“Rachel. Sweetheart—”

“Let me up!”

For a horrible few seconds she was afraid he was going to keep his arms where they were, one around her shoulders, the other draped over her waist, but finally he let her go.

Now the trick was to sit up and not let him see her, because she was naked and, yes, he’d already seen her, he’d more than seen her …

Somehow, she managed to struggle upright and drag the edges of her nightgown together. Then she got to her feet, her back to him.

“Where are you going?”

He didn’t sound sexy anymore. No matter. She would sound brisk and bright.

“To the bathroom.”

Karim sat up. “The bathroom’s behind you.”

“The bathroom in the guest suite.”

“What’s going on, Rachel? You have regrets?”

“Honestly, Karim, I’d think you would know that there’s nothing less appealing than a—a post-sex analysis. So if you don’t mind—”

She turned away from him and started for the door, her posture stiff and unyielding. He grabbed his discarded trousers, pulled them on, got to the door before she did, stood with his back to it, arms folded over his chest, legs slightly apart, face without expression.

“Please,” she said. “Get out of my way.”

“Not until you talk to me.”

“I told you, I have to go to the—”

“You’re running away.”

Her head came up. “The hell I am,” she snapped.

So much for brisk and bright.

“A minute ago you were in my arms. And now—”

“And now it’s over. You got what you wanted.”

She cried out as his hands closed on her shoulders.

“Don’t,” he growled.

“Don’t what? Tell the truth? Dammit, let go of me!”

“We made love. Don’t try to turn it into something ugly.”

“We went to bed.” Her eyes flashed. “Don’t try to turn it into something pretty.”

His mouth twisted.

“Next thing I know,” he said, very softly, “you’re going to claim I forced you.”

“No.” Her chin lifted; color striped her cheekbones. “I’m not. There are already too many—too many lies between us!”

“For instance.”

“For instance— For instance—”

Rachel fell silent. It was one lie, one huge lie, that lay between them, but she couldn’t tell him that. If he knew the truth he’d have all the ammunition he needed to take Ethan from her.

“I’m waiting,” he said coldly. “Exactly what lies are you talking about?”

She looked up. Moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue.

“There’s really no point to this,” she said wearily. “We did—what we did. And now—”

“And now you want to forget it ever happened.”

Yes , she wanted to say, but that would be an even greater lie. She knew she’d never forget being with Karim. Never.

“I just—I just want to move on.”

Karim’s eyes darkened.

“Move on?”

“Yes. You know, this was—it was nice, but—”

He cupped her face, cut off her words with a kiss. She fought it, but only for a second. Then she gave a soft little cry, put her arms around his neck and gave herself up to him.

When he finally took his mouth from hers she was shaking.

“We can’t,” she whispered.

“We already did,” he said. “And I wouldn’t change it for all the riches of the world, sweetheart.” He paused. “And neither would you.” His voice softened. “Tell me that isn’t true and I’ll let you walk away.”

Here was her chance.

He was a man of honor. She knew that already. If she said, What just happened means nothing to me, he would let her turn her back on this—whatever “this” was.

But she couldn’t say those words—couldn’t turn what had been so beautiful into something ugly.

“Karim—”

“I like the way you say my name.”

“You don’t know anything about me.”

He smiled. “I know that you’re hell on my ego. And that’s a lot, coming from a man who’s— What was it you called me? Arrogant. Self-centered. A despot.” Another smile. “Did I leave anything out?”

“We’d just met. And—and I know you won’t believe me, but I don’t do—I don’t do—”

“Do what?” he said solemnly.

Color swept into her face.

“I’m not the woman you think I am.” That, at least, was true. “And I don’t go to bed with—with strange men.”

“I’m strange, huh?”

“No! I didn’t mean—”

“That’s okay,” he said, even more solemnly. “Don’t hold back. Just say what you think.”

There was laughter in his eyes. She could feel a smile trying to form on her lips but there was nothing to smile about—certainly not to laugh about.

“You’re impossible,” she said. “I’m trying to be serious.”

“So am I.” He bent to her, kissed her with a tenderness she knew she didn’t deserve. “You think this is wrong because—because of Rami.”