The Sheik's Arranged Marriage (11 page)

Fatima
did not look convinced. “Something must have happened to get you two off on the wrong foot. However, now you can go about fixing things. In the meantime, show her how desirable she is.”

“So you think I should go along with her?”

Fatima
smiled.
“Only if you’re in the mood to be seduced.”

Jamal thought he might be willing to put up with that, especially if Heidi was the seducer. However, he had his doubts about her ability to figure out what to do. He would probably have to give her a few subtle cues now and then.

Fatima
set her teacup on the table. “Be gentle, Jamal. Heidi is wonderfully strong in many areas, but not this one. I don’t want you to hurt her. In my experiences, very few marriages of convenience start out with a bride so very determined to win her husband’s affections. That is in your favor.”

“I’ll remember.”

She leaned forward and touched his arm. “I know that your marriage to Yasmin was a disaster. You kept most of the details to yourself, but we were all aware that she did nothing to make you happy.”
Fatima
paused, as if searching for words.

“Don’t let the sorrow of the past keep you from enjoying the promise of the present,” she continued. “Don’t turn your back on what Heidi is offering because you’ve made yourself a silly promise not to fall in love again.”

Jamal didn’t respond because he didn’t know what to say.
Fatima
was right on both counts. No one in his family knew the truth about what had happened in his marriage, and he had promised himself that he would never risk falling in love again.

“Loving or not loving Heidi is the least of my problems,” he said lightly. “First I have to figure out how I’m supposed to get in touch with the luminous Honey Martin.”

Fatima
smiled. “I believe you will find her registered at the hotel you went to yesterday. Simply ask for her room, and she will pick up the phone.”

He stared at her. “But she’s not at the hotel.”

“I know. Isn’t modern technology wonderful?”

“There was a recent article in Fortune magazine on the power behind the power,” “Honey” said the next day as they waited for their lunch to be served in her hotel suite.

Jamal leaned back into the comfortable white sofa and surveyed the woman who was his wife. Yesterday she’d worn red, while today she matched her white-on-white living room. Instead of a dress, she’d put on pants and a shirt. In theory, the outfits were completely different. In practice, they were exactly the same. Both had been designed to reduce a man to a drooling, quivering mass of need.

Honey sat on the sofa opposite his. Her slacks were fairly normal in that they started somewhere near her waist and covered her to her ankles. However, they didn’t start exactly at her waist. Instead, they hovered a couple of inches below her belly button—a delightful “inny” decorated with a tiny gold hoop. Her shirt—a stretchy material that dipped low enough to show cleavage and ended just below her bra—had cutouts where the shoulders were supposed to be, so there were wide straps, bare skin, then the rest of her sleeves.

The combination of exposed skin and covered parts distracted him, although not as much as the red curls piled on the top of her head. The slightly messy hairstyle made her look as if she’d just tumbled out of bed and pulled on whatever was closest. She seemed to be adjusting to her contacts better—or she’d stopped flirting—because there was a lot less blinking today.

She teased and delighted without even trying. When he’d first walked into the suite, it had been all he could do not to pull her into his arms and start kissing her. He adored her for caring enough to want to do this for him, and he was determined to respond exactly the way she wanted him to.

“You’re not listening,” she complained and pouted. The lipstick made her mouth look full and lush.

“Of course I am. You were talking about the power behind the power,” he said.

“Lucky guess.”

It wasn’t at all. Not only had he heard her, but he’d read that exact article last week, along with the rest of the magazine, then had left the periodical in the suite living room. Obviously Heidi had picked it up and read it as well. Was she trying to impress him with her business acumen? He would much rather talk about something more personal.

“How do you like El Bahar?” he asked.

“It’s lovely. I haven’t had a chance to see all that I would like, but it’s very beautiful.
The contrast of the sea and the desert, not to mention the combination of old and new in the city.
I especially like the financial district and how elegant yet functional that area turned out to be.”

She made her last statement while staring at him from under her lashes. He nearly laughed. As Honey, she was simply being a tourist. As Heidi, she knew very well he’d had a large hand in the development of El Bahar as a financial power in the
Middle East
and the world.

“I’m glad you’re impressed,” he said. “Do you travel much?”

“Oh, not too much,” she said without thinking. “I’ve been pretty busy with…” Her voice trailed off, as if she remembered who she was supposed to be. “That is to say I do travel a lot. I adore being in different places at different times of the year.
Paris
,
London
,
Los Angeles
.” She offered a quick smile, then dived for her glass of soda and clutched it as if it were a lifeline.

Jamal nodded. “I see. Your family must miss you when you’re gone.”

“Some,” she agreed. “But my brothers are home.”

“Are they married?”

She swallowed. “Do you really want to talk about my family?” she
asked,
her voice low and sultry. She often forgot she was supposed to keep it that way, so the tone varied from seductive to normal and back. “Wouldn’t you rather talk about…us?”

“There’s
an us
?” he asked before he could stop himself.

She sat on the sofa across from his. Now she set her drink back on the table and shifted forward until her knees were pressed against the glass coffee table. “Wouldn’t you like there to be?”

“Actually I would,” he said sincerely. “Although I think we need to get to know each other a little better first. Perhaps if you told me about the kind of man you prefer.”

She blinked several times.
“Kind of man?”

“Yes. Do you have a physical preference?
Height, coloring, that sort of thing?”
He stretched out his arms along the back of the sofa. “Tell me, Honey, what do you look for in a lover?”

“What do I look for?” She bit her lower lip, then slipped back on the sofa and folded her arms over her chest. “Gee, I don’t think there’s any one thing that matters more than another.
Someone nice, of course.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Nice?”

“Is that bad?”

“I don’t know. They’re your lovers.”

“Okay. Nice and well—” She made a vague gesture with her hand. “You know.”

“Actually, I don’t.” He paused. “Maybe the question is too general. Why don’t you tell me about your last
lover.
Or do you have one now?”

“No, I’m really sorta between men,” she said, her voice a little strained.

Jamal didn’t want to push her too far, but he couldn’t help teasing her. Besides, he wouldn’t mind knowing what she liked in a man.

“Good,” he said meaningfully. “I’m very pleased you’re unattached.”

“Oh, yeah, me, too,” she muttered,
then
sighed. “Okay, my last lover. He was Italian. His name is Jacque.”

“Jacque? Isn’t that French?”

“Yes.” She paused. “Did I say he was Italian?”

He nodded.

“Oh. I
mean,
good. I meant that. His mother is French, though, and he’s named after her side of the family. An uncle, I believe.”

“Where did you meet?”

She paused again.
“Skiing.
Jacque is a ski instructor.” She shrugged. “It was one of those vacation flings.”

“Ah, Gstaad?”

“Who?”

“The skiing town.
Did you meet in Gstaad?”

“Oh, sure.
Where else?”

She bounced to her feet and motioned to the bottle of wine sitting in an ice bucket by the set table. “Room service sure is slow,” she said brightly. “Should I open the wine, or maybe call them and see what’s taking so long?”

This time Jamal didn’t hide his smile. “They’re not taking too long. I asked them to delay serving us our lunch so that we could have a chance to…talk.”

“Ah. I see.” She blinked again. “So your family can drink liquor, huh? That’s nice.”

He nodded. “El Bahar is a country of many faiths, and all of those religions are respected.”

“Great.”

She shifted her weight from foot to foot, which was a mistake because she was wearing high heels again, and her balance was pretty shaky. She swayed,
then
caught herself, obviously unsure if she should sit down or remain standing to simply run out of the room.

He decided to help her out. He leaned over and patted the cushion next to himself. “Come and sit here, Honey,” he said.

Her eyes widened,
then
she blinked frantically, as if one of her contacts had slipped out of place. “There?”

“Right next to me.”

“Oh.
Um, sure.
I was going to do that anyway.” She laughed nervously and started around the coffee table.

If she had been anyone else, he would have assumed what happened next was planned. But this was Heidi, and she was as innocent in the ways of the world as she had been when she’d been born. So he assumed that when her heel caught on the throw rug that it was a genuine accident. Her subsequent tumble had her falling across his lap, her curvy behind nestling perfectly against his thighs.

“Oops,” she whispered as her gaze met his. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

“I know. It was a most fortuitous accident.”

“Fortuitous? Why?”

Rather than answering, he decided to show her. He drew her up in his arms and gently lowered his mouth to hers.

Heidi had been thinking of scrambling out of Jamal’s lap…right up until he started to kiss her. But the moment he lowered his head to hers and brushed his firm lips against her suddenly trembling mouth, she never wanted to move again.

Odd how in a matter of seconds what had felt so awkward, suddenly felt so right. Without thinking, she put her arms around his neck and drew herself up against him. He wrapped his arms around her until they were locked in a passionate embrace.

This kiss was even better than the first one, which she hadn’t thought possible. And she’d been reliving it enough times to remember it in exquisite detail. This time she knew enough not to be so nervous. When his lips brushed back and forth against hers, she softened her mouth to accommodate him. Tiny shivers began low in her stomach and moved outward until her toes curled in her teal-colored pumps. She felt both hot and cold at the same time.

There was too much to take in, she thought, not sure if she should concentrate on the way his strong hands held her so close and so tenderly or if she should focus on the incredibly erotic movement of his lips. Before she could make up her mind, she felt his tongue brush against the seam of her mouth. She parted instantly to admit him, nearly whimpering in anticipation of the pleasure that was to come.

His tongue slipped into her mouth. It was as if the contact between their tongues had a direct line to her breasts and that secret place between her legs. Both began to tingle in a way she’d never experienced before. She pressed her thighs tightly together but that didn’t help alleviate the sensation. If anything, it made the feeling more intense. She had the strong sense of wanting something, but didn’t know what that was.

Even as his tongue continued to dance with her, lighting tiny fires all through her, he began to move his hands up and down her back. Suddenly the cropped shirt and low-slung pants, which she’d felt so awkward about wearing just a couple of hours before, offered all kinds of possibilities. When his fingers trailed below her top to brush against bare skin, she exhaled suddenly and gave a small cry of pleasure.

He stroked her skin slowly and gently, rubbing along her spine. With his other hand he circled around to her front and teased her belly button.

Heidi jumped,
then
laughed. “What are you doing?” she asked.

Jamal grinned.
“Nothing.”

“That wasn’t
nothing
. You were tickling me.”

“Didn’t you like it?”

He was so close that she could see the various shades of brown, black and green that made up his dark irises. His tanned skin looked smooth from a recent shaving, although she could see the line where the stubble would start later in the day.

Not sure it was allowed, not sure if she had the courage, she slowly reached up and pressed her palm against his cheek. He turned into her touch and pressed a kiss against her palm.

“Who are you, Honey Martin?” he
asked,
his voice low and husky. “What are you doing in my life?”

She smiled slightly. “I don’t know.”

“What will I do with you now that I have you?”

Another shiver rippled through her. “Do you have me?”

“Not yet, but I think I will.”

She couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. It was so grown-up and flirty and sexy, and she never wanted it to end. She loved how being in Jamal’s arms made her feel. It didn’t matter that she felt unsure of what to do, or awkward about putting a foot wrong. So far he hadn’t
seem
to notice her trepidation or her innocence. Thank goodness.

He lowered his mouth again. This time she parted her lips as soon as their lips touched. He cupped the back of her head, as if holding her still,
then
plunged inside of her. She wanted him plunging into her. She brushed against him, then followed him back to his mouth and did the same to him.

The heat inside of her increased as did the strange tension.
When he touched her belly button again, it didn’t tickle anymore. Instead, the shivering increased and that place between her legs seemed to swell and tighten.

His fingers trailed up her bare belly to the bottom of her fitted shirt. Her breath seemed to catch in her throat in anticipation. Was he going to stop there, or was he going to keep going? Her nipples swelled. She felt a dull ache that was more pleasure than pain, but still uncomfortable.

Oh, please, she thought as he continued to move higher and higher. She couldn’t think about their kissing, couldn’t respond to anything but his touch. Closer…closer…

His hand closed over her left breast. He cupped the virgin curve, holding it gently. Pleasure rippled through her with an intensity that nearly made her weep. She hadn’t known touching like this could be so incredible. Without thinking she clamped her lips around his tongue and sucked. Jamal responded by taking her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, then gently rubbing the tight bud.

A small explosion of intense perfect pleasure filled her chest. Between her legs she felt a sudden spurt of wetness. This couldn’t be really happening to her. Why hadn’t she known all this was possible? She was drowning, and it was the best experience of her life.

Jamal pulled his hand away and broke their kiss. She wanted to grab his fingers and put them back on her, but she wasn’t sure that was allowed.

“Thank you,” he said.

“What?”

Before she realized what he was doing, he’d helped her up into a sitting position,
then
eased her off his lap.

“I don’t understand,” she said, sitting next to him rather than risking a standing position. Between her quivering thighs and her high heels, she was a fall waiting to happen.

He cupped her face,
then
briefly kissed her mouth. “I need to get back to the palace,” he said.

“You’re leaving?” He was leaving? But…but…weren’t they going to kiss anymore?
Although she wasn’t about to ask that question.
“Um, what about lunch?”

“I didn’t come here for lunch,” he told her as he got to his feet. “I came here to see you.”

“Oh.” What on earth was she supposed to say to that? “Will I see you again?”

“Of course.”
He kissed her forehead,
then
rose to his feet. Before she knew what was happening, he was gone.

Heidi stared after him, then kicked off her shoes and walked barefoot to the floor-to-ceiling windows. From there she could see the street below. Several minutes later a silver Lamborghini pulled out and started moving in the direction of the palace.

“Now what?” she asked herself, more confused than ever.

The plan was working. Jamal was attracted to Honey—his kiss proved that. And what a kiss! She pressed her fingers to her lips, which were still swollen. He’d made her feel things she’d never felt before. He’d touched her in ways no one else ever had—and she’d liked it. She’d wanted more.

Except…

Heidi sighed and turned away from the windows.
Except Jamal was interested in a woman who wasn’t his wife.
Sort of.
She was the other woman, but he didn’t know that, so he was cheating on her…with her.

“I can’t figure out if I’ve made progress or messed up the entire process,” Heidi said to herself as she headed for the bedroom where she would change back into her normal clothes.

Still, his passionate response gave her hope. He wasn’t completely caught up in the past. At least she hoped he wasn’t. Maybe he’d been faking the whole thing. Maybe—

“Stop it,” she said aloud as she moved into the large marble bath off the master bedroom. “He kissed you, you liked it. End of story.”

For now she would stop speculating, at least until she had more information. One thing was sure—this secret-life stuff sure made for an interesting afternoon, she thought with a smile. And she’d married a man who knew how to kiss. All in all, it had been a very nice day.

Three days later Heidi sat on her bed in the palace and studied the papers in front of her. Usually she was able to concentrate on her work with no problem, but lately she was having a little trouble. She wasn’t sure how much of the cause was her new location and how much was her changing relationship with her husband.

She put down her copies of the ancient documents. She hadn’t wanted to carry the fragile papers across the palace and keep them in her room. But her current situation didn’t let her work in her office. After all, she wanted to be available to talk with Jamal if he called “Honey,” and the private phone
Fatima
had arranged only rang in her dressing room. They’d discussed putting an extension in her office, but Heidi had been afraid there would be too many questions. After all, why would her work require a private line that didn’t go through the office receptionist?

So here she was, working on her bed instead. She felt as if she was back in high school waiting for a boy she had a crush on to call. Well, she’d never had a crush on a boy in high school, mostly because she hadn’t known many. Her all-girls boarding school had been strict with its policy of fraternization between the genders. But she imagined this is how it must have been for other women living through that time. She had trouble concentrating on anything but the call. When the phone rang, she got all fluttery inside, and after he called, she couldn’t stop smiling.

At least Jamal had been playing into her fantasies by phoning every day. And they had another lunch date at the end of the week. This time he’d promised to actually stay and eat food. Although the way her nerves were firing at the thought of being with him again and maybe kissing him, she wasn’t sure she would be able to choke down a meal. But he hadn’t called yet that day, so she was stuck working in her bedroom.

One nice thing that had happened out of all this was that she’d learned to—

“What are you doing here?”

Heidi glanced up then jumped when she saw Jamal had entered her bedroom. She looked around guiltily to make sure she hadn’t left out any “Honey” clues.

“Nothing,” she said quickly.
“Just working.”

“In your bedroom?
Don’t you like your office?”

He lounged in the doorway of the bedroom, a tall, handsome man in a perfectly tailored suit. The gray material emphasized the gleaming darkness of his hair, while his white shirt made his tan seem deeper.

She’d always thought he was nice-looking, but now that she knew how it felt to be in his arms, to have his hand on her breast, she found herself responding even more strongly than usual. Her heart rate increased, and if she’d been standing, she would have felt a definite weakness in her knees.

“The office is very nice,” she said, answering his question and hoping she didn’t sound too stupid.

“So why are you working here?”

She glanced toward her dressing room and prayed the secret phone wouldn’t ring. Then she remembered that if Jamal was standing in front of her, he wasn’t about to be calling his mistress.

So why was she working here? Heidi hadn’t expected him to come looking for her, so she didn’t have an excuse prepared. She also wasn’t much of a liar, so she would have to think quickly.

“I, um, really like, the um, view,” she said feebly. “You
know,
the ocean and all that. It, uh, helps me think.”

Jamal took a step toward her,
then
glanced around. “Heidi, your window faces the garden.”

She looked to her left and saw that he was right. Argh! “Oh, not in here,” she amended. “When I need a break, I walk into the living room and look from there.”

Feeble, she thought to herself. That was one pitiful excuse.

He didn’t say anything for a long time. Then he shrugged in what she hoped was confused acceptance of her tale.

“I have something for you,” he said, then reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a computer disk. “Do you remember that general you were talking about?
The one who was away from his pregnant wife?”

Heidi put down her papers and sat up straighter.
“Of course.
I’ve been through dozens of documents, but I can’t find anything more about him.”

He waved the disk at her. “Turns out the defense department
has
been interested in preserving El Baharian history as well. They’ve already started a computerized archive file for historical military figures. Your general is in the database.” He smiled and held out the disk.

“I can’t believe it,” Heidi said.

“You should. He did make it home to see his wife and was there for the birth of the first of his eight sons. In fact, his oldest granddaughter married a prince of the royal family. I don’t have all the details yet, but I suspect he’s a distant relative.”

She didn’t know what to say. His warm, caring gesture touched her deeply. Not only that he remembered what they’d talked about, but that he’d taken the time to find out the information.

“Thank you,” she said sincerely as she took the disk and turned it over in her hands. “You’re very thoughtful, and I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome. I was happy to do that for you.”