The Sheik's Beautiful Intruder (The Friendship Series) (8 page)

One dark eyebrow went up and a slight smile formed on those hard lips.  “You mean besides you in my bed, writhing underneath me as I fill you up with…” he couldn’t finish since her hand was covering his mouth.  He chuckled and pulled her hand away.  “Since you don’t want to hear about that, how about a challenge?”

She pushed back, scooting higher up onto the bed so her back was leaning against the headboard, and she wasn’t so close to him.  “What did you have in mind?” she asked warily. 

His eyes moved slowly down her figure underneath the silk sheet, then back to hers with an intense heat as he looked down at her.  “I will take you to your friend.  And I guarantee that she is safe and sound.”

Her eyes lit up but she could instantly tell that there was a catch.  Her body curled back as if bracing for a hit of some kind.  “But?” she prompted.

He smiled slightly, his hand reaching down to smooth along her calf.  “But you have to do something for me.”  The fabric should have protected her from the intensity of his touch, but actually, the reverse happened.  The light touch against the silk and her skin only caused more shivers to race through her body. 

And then his words hit her, anger tamping down the desire she’d been feeling.  “I’m not sleeping with you.”

He chuckled again.  “That is actually a foregone conclusion.  It will happen, it is just a matter of when now.  But that’s not what I was offering as a challenge.”

“What?” she asked, not answering his assertion about her sleeping with him, deciding the issue of sex should be avoided at all costs with this man. 

“You said you were afraid of horses,” he started off.

Uh oh.  She definitely didn’t like this topic.  “Yes.  What of it?” she asked, her chin going up defiantly.  “It isn’t a crime to be afraid of horses.  And it isn’t like they are important to my job.”

He stood up and crossed his arms over his massive chest.  He wasn’t really smiling, but there was a look of satisfaction that made her cringe.  “I will take you to your friend as soon as you show me you can ride a horse.”

She gasped, horrified by the mere idea.  “Why?”

His hand moved up to caress her cheek.  “Because I think you will find that horses are wonderful animals.  They are very gentle, very kind and loyal.”  He smiled slightly.  His eye sending her a message she didn’t completely understand.  “Just like me.”

She instantly shook her head.  “No,” she told him firmly. 

One black eyebrow went up with her adamant reply.  “I thought you were willing to do anything to find your friend.”

“Choose something else.”

He chuckled at her stubbornness, but shook his head.  “You learn to ride, and I’ll take you to her.”

She shook her head.  “I can’t,” she pleaded.  “What else can I do?  I’ll do anything else.”

His smile was swift in coming and she shivered at what she knew he was thinking.  “Not that.”

“You’re going to have to face one of your fears, my love.  Either make love with me or learn to ride a horse.”

She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, furious with him for putting her into this kind of a position.  “Why can’t you just let both of us go?  There’s no reason you need to keep both of us captive like this.”

He chuckled at her defense.  “Ah, but there is a very strong reason.  Unfortunately, your friend has stumbled onto something dangerous.”

That broke through her anger and that fear over Bri’s safety came rushing back.  “Is Brianna okay?”

Instantly his features cleared of his amusement and he was quick to reassure her.  “She’s fine.  And she’s actually being protected by a good friend of mine.”

Protected?  By a friend of his?  That didn’t sound…right.  Her eyes narrowed.  “How do I know that? What proof can you offer me?”

He smiled at her intelligence.  “You’re going to have to trust me.  And face up to at least one of your fears.”

She huffed with irritation.  “I’m not learning to ride a horse,” she said obstinately.  His smile was slow and sexy and she shook her head.  “I’m not doing that either!”

He threw back his head and laughed.  “Why don’t you get dressed and I’ll just introduce you to my stables?  You won’t even have to ride a horse today if you don’t feel brave enough,” he assured her. 

She was almost quivering with emotions she didn’t completely understand.  “Why are you so intent on…teaching me to ride?”

He stood up and pulled her into his arms, his hands sliding down her waist to rest against her nearly naked hips.  She still had her underwear, but the thin straps across each side of her hip gave her no protection from the heat of his hands.  “I will answer your unasked question first.  I want you.  And if you were perfectly honest with me, you would admit that you feel the same towards me.”  He put a finger over her lips, effectively silencing her.  “No, I don’t want you to lie and deny it any longer.”  He waited a moment to ensure that she wouldn’t argue back before he continued. 

“I understand you have some trust issues.  I know that learning to ride a horse is a bit like learning to trust a man.  We’re bigger, stronger and I’m probably more intimidating than what you’re used to,” he said, moving closer to her and holding her hips more firmly so she couldn’t back up any more.  “But if you learn to ride, learn that a horse is just like a man,” he explained carefully, looking into her eyes to ensure that she understood his meaning, “then, when the time comes when I can help you with your friend, we will be much better off.”

What he said made sense, but that was probably only because her mind was muddled from his touch and how close he was.  And how tall.  She sighed and tried to pull her hands out of his.  “I can’t think when you’re touching me,” she argued.  “Why don’t you give me some space?”

“Because space isn’t what you need.  You need to learn to trust me.  And how are you going to trust me if you don’t get to know me?” he countered.

She glared up at him.  “Would you at least let me get dressed?” she demanded.

He looked down at her figure, looking all warm and sexy and wanted to tell her no.  But he had bigger plans for her.  “Of course,” he finally said.  “I have a few phone calls to make.  I will meet you after you’ve eaten something.  Will that work?”

She was so surprised by the question, she actually laughed.  “Yes.  I believe that schedule works with mine at the current time,” she responded, teasing him about his formal question and the fact that he was asking her about something she didn’t think she had much choice in. 

He winked down at her before turning and leaving the room. 

An hour later, Nikki felt her skin start to tingle and instantly knew that Nazar was approaching.  Sure enough, she looked up and he was striding in her direction, his dark eyes assessing her as if she might have been wounded at some point.  Or maybe his perusal was more lascivious. 

“You look perfect,” he murmured as he took her hands, lifting her out of her chair so he could more fully look at her figure in the tight fitting riding breeches his staff had provided for her.  It wasn’t as if she’d had a choice.  She’d slipped into the adjoining bathroom of the room where she’d slept and when she’d come out, her tee-shirt, jeans, even her underwear, had disappeared.  The only items of clothing she could find were these riding clothes.  The clothing was one thing.  It was the underwear laid out for her that had widened her eyes with surprise.  And secret delight. 

Which was a bit disconcerting, since she normally wore plain, functional cotton underwear.  The little bits of lace that she’d found waiting for her barely constituted underwear in her mind.  But since it had been all she had, she was wearing it.  She couldn’t complain about the comfort.  The bits of lace were surprisingly comfortable.  But she was painfully conscious of how sexy – and small - the pieces were.  And how they felt against her skin – soft and sensual, making her feel…decadent. 

She didn’t want to spin around, but his hands twisted ever so gently and she was once again turning for him, ending up plastered against his hard muscles.  “Again, did I really have a choice since you took away all my other clothes while I showered?” she asked, irritated that he was getting his way once again.

His eyes brightened as his hands slipped down against her bottom.  Despite trying to grab his wrist, she couldn’t stop him but she knew the exact moment that he’d discovered what kind of underwear she was now wearing.  Or barely wearing, she thought with a shiver.  She couldn’t suppress that shiver when his large, warm hand covered her basically bare bottom. 

His smile told her that he was fully aware of what she was, or wasn’t, wearing.  And he fully approved. “Your clothes were simply taken away to be laundered.  They will be returned to you later.  But for now, let us ride,” he commanded.

Nikki had initially been too overwhelmed by his approach to appreciate his attire, but seeing him now, she realized that he was in riding breeches as well and they hugged his long, muscular legs perfectly.  She had to pull her eyes away for fear that she’d be caught looking at the….well, the wrong parts of his anatomy. 

A few minutes later, they moved from the bright sunshine to the darker interior of the stables.  As they moved through the center of the stable area, the horses poked their heads out of the stalls for a moment before moving back to eating their hay.  The stables smelled musty, earthy, but they didn’t smell like manure as she’d always assumed.  It was a nice smell, she thought.  Almost as nice as…  She stopped herself quickly before Nazar’s scent came to mind and she forced herself to think of chocolate instead. 

“This is Midas,” he explained when a large, black horse poked his head out of one of the stalls.  The horse instantly started nuzzling Nazar’s hand. 

“What’s he doing?” she asked, taking a step backwards. 

“Looking for affection,” Nazar explained, rubbing the horse’s nose and face.  “Come,” he commanded and extended his hand for Nikki.

Instantly she shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest.  “No thanks.  I’ll just appreciate the largeness of the animal from a distance.”

Nazar was having none of that.  “Come,” he commanded again and pulled her closer.  Taking one of her hands, he guided her over to the horse’s nose.  “Feel his nose.  He won’t bite if you put your hand up here.”

She took that to mean he would bite her if she put her hand anywhere else!  Nikki could barely breathe as she watched the horse’s extremely large nostrils flare.  “Why is he doing that?” she asked.

“He’s smelling you,” Nazar explained, moving behind her.  “Just like I enjoy doing,” he said and bent his head to run his nose against her hair.  “You smell delicious,” he teased.  “Midas and I both like your smell.”

“You’re not going to make me ride this horse, are you?” she asked nervously, but her fingers floated higher, feeling the soft nose and bristly whiskers of the horse. 

He chuckled at the thought of a beginner on a stallion.  “No.  Midas is too strong for you.  Maybe when you’re a more experienced rider, I’ll let you try Midas.  But you’ll need to start off on a more gentle horse.” 

Nikki looked at the enormous horse and pulled her hand away.  “I think he’s very kind,” she replied politely, trying to pretend that she wasn’t afraid. 

She spun around, putting several feet between her and both the man as well as the horse.  “You know, I’m also afraid of cooking.  Why don’t I just learn to bake you a cake or cookies?”  She looked up at him hopefully, praying he’d take her up on it.  “How about a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and,” she tried to remember the birthday cake Rachel had baked her on her last birthday, “and that chocolate ganache stuff in the middle?”  She actually had no idea how to cook, preferred buying anything she needed and popping a meal into the microwave if she didn’t feel like cutting up the ingredients for a salad.  But it wasn’t as if she were genuinely afraid of cooking.  Not like she was of horses.  Or this man.

He chuckled.  “That’s fascinating and perhaps we’ll have that for dessert tonight, now that you mention it.  But no.  I love riding and so that means you’re going to have to learn to ride.”

She sighed and leaned against the wall on the opposite side from Midas, watching with an odd sense of jealousy while Nazar stroked the horse’s neck and nose.  “That doesn’t make a lot of sense.  It isn’t like you need me to ride.”

Nazar looked at her and Nikki actually caught her breath at the secret message she saw there.  “What?” she asked, not liking the way he was looking at her. 

He shook his head and gave Midas one more pat, then moved farther down the stable midway.  “Where are we going now?” she asked, her heart pounding simply because he was holding her hand. 

“I’m going to introduce you to your horse,” he explained. 

Nikki watched with both horror and an odd sort of fascination as a brown horse seemed to dance around the corner, led by one of the stable hands. 

“This is Nella,” he explained when the horse stopped right in front of the two of them.  He took the lead rein from the stable hand but didn’t release her hand.  “She’s very sweet and very gentle.  She’ll be the horse you learn to ride on.”

The brown nose and pretty brown eyes looked right back at Nikki.  She wasn’t even aware of pressing her body against Nazar’s side for protection but he knew exactly what she was doing and wrapped his arm around her waist.  “Go ahead and pet her, just like you did with Midas.”

Nikki shook her head and kept her hands right where they were, on his forearms as if she needed him to keep his arms right where they were, like a shield protecting her from the world.  “No.  I’m fine just looking at her.”

The horse wasn’t having any of that.  She moved slightly closer and sniffed, nostrils flaring, whiskers tickling and Nikki held her breath, bracing herself to feel the horrible bite of those enormous teeth or the crush of those hooves on her bones.  When nothing happened but the tickling, she opened her eyes again and looked up.  The brown eyes simply stared right back at her.  Nikki swore if the horse could, it would be smirking back at her.  But since the horse couldn’t, she looked up at Nazar and, sure enough, he was doing the smirking for the animal.