Christmas with the Yared Sheikhs: The Complete Series

by North, Leslie

  Even in the dim lighting of the park, she could see the desire lighting up his eyes like a torch. There was no question in his words. She knew exactly where he wanted her. His hands found the dip in her waist and tugged so she straddled his lap. She landed softly, giggling, her arms encircling his neck as though she’d done it a hundred times before.

  “This is a great seat,” she whispered, the darkness blurring how close their faces really were. When he spoke, she caught the garlic tang of dinner on his breath. The heady cologne he wore that made her mind spin. That spicy sandalwood scent that was uniquely his.

  “Mm.” The tip of his nose brushed hers, lighting up every inch of her skin as if she’d touched a live current. Excitement tremored inside her; she shouldn’t shy away from this. Not when it promised to be so good. Not when the both of them so clearly needed some fun in their lives.

  And maybe that’s what it was: just a little bit of fun. Something to take the edge off. For Robel, a way to finally break out of that royal mold, the one that kept him trapped. And for her, the way to break up the weight of responsibility and worry. Something to make her lighthearted and happy again, even if it was just for a night.

  The decision was made inside her head before their lips touched; but then the damp heat of his mouth found hers and those lips were against her mouth, and all thoughts dissolved into a noiseless blank slate. All she could do was kiss and kiss and kiss. Their mouths moved together as though they’d been doing this for a lifetime. When his tongue pressed against her lips, she let him inside. Their tongues surged to meet in the middle, crushing together, dancing, forming a rhythm that sent tingles straight to her pussy.

  Her thighs clenched as his hot palm found the hem of her skirt. He smoothed his hand over the thin fabric; she could feel the heat of him on her skin. She shivered through a kiss, making a small noise.

  Good lord, she wanted this man. He pulled back, his breathing heavy.

  “We should stop,” he said quietly, almost uncertainly.

  “Yeah,” she said, palms pressed against his chest. Why was she agreeing? Stopping was not a good idea. Not anymore. Not with him. “But why?”

  “We should stop and go home,” he clarified. And then his meaning was clear. Continue this at home. What a lovely idea. She scooted off him, then helped him to stand. He groaned as he rose, a hand moving between his legs to adjust himself.

  The simple movement made her cheeks flush. It was too hot, seeing the evidence of how she affected him. She took his hand in hers, dragged a damp kiss over his knuckles.

  “I completely agree,” she said, then dragged her tongue along the side of his index finger. He groaned.

  “Dammit, Sondra,” he said, his voice strained. “Get my crutches. We need to go now.”

  9

  The wine made it easy not to think about the consequences. What tomorrow might feel like. Why this was a bad idea. Why the two of them would never work.

  She thought about those things enough during her waking hours; this respite was needed. A chance to just fall backwards into the lap of lust and fun and letting go.

  They both needed it. So badly.

  Sondra’s restraint hinged on Robel. The fact that he used crutches meant that they weren’t a tangled mess of lips and roaming hands on the way to her bedroom; no, they were just two googly-eyed lovers undressing each other with their eyes.

  In a way, it was more fun this way. She could imagine what lay ahead, what might be waiting for her beneath those pants.

  Back at the room, Sondra dismissed the nanny who had been watching over Nessa, then checked on the baby. Sleeping peacefully. She returned to the main bedroom, where Robel had propped his crutches against the wall. He was undoing his watch, his sultry gaze trained on her.

  Nervousness hit her, swift like an uppercut. She stalled, then headed for the far corner of the room.

  “Do you want some tea?” she asked.

  “No.” He tossed his watch onto the night stand. “I want you.”

  A shiver raced up her spine. She couldn’t argue with that. She spun on her heel and went over to him. He sat back on the bed, tugging at her wrists. She stumbled forward between his legs. Her arms went around his neck automatically.

  She pressed her forehead to his forehead and drew a deep breath. She could get used to this. Robel felt secure, safe in a way she didn’t remember feeling before. She tilted her head up to look at him.

  “I want to savor every second of this,” he murmured, running his thumb along her jawline. “You’re too beautiful not to.”

  She rolled her lips inward. Somehow, it was still hard for her to believe that he was into her. It wasn’t the fact that he was handsome—she’d had plenty of handsome lovers in her life—but the fact that he was a sheikh. A prince. Royalty. These were new waters for her. And she was finally ready to wade in.

  “Yeah. We should go slow,” she whispered, dragging her lips along his jawline. “So we don’t forget a single thing.”

  He laughed throatily. “I won’t forget a single thing. Trust me.”

  His words served as the final password that unlocked their lovemaking. Their lips met, slow but sensual kisses emerging. Sondra’s pussy pulsed with anticipation, and his hands roamed over her arms, up her sides, down the front of her shirt. He tugged at the fabric, loosening it from the waist of her pants, then tugged it up and over her head. He tossed it aside, his gaze gobbling her up.

  “This.” He ran his fingers down the silken strap of her bra, dancing lightly over her the full cups of her breasts. Her head tilted back, a slight sigh escaping her. She knew what he meant. She’d been wanting this just as long as he had.

  He issued a low growl as his thumbs tweaked each nipple through the fabric of her bra. Then he tugged the cups down, allowing her breasts to spill free. She gasped, eyes jerking open as he took each nipple between his lips in turn.

  “Ohhhh, Robel,” she whispered, her hands finding his black, neatly trimmed hair. He made a small noise as he licked and lavished attention on each breast. One of his hands drifted down the side of her body, over the expanse of her hip. Then he was gathering the loose fabric of her skirt in one hand, tugging it up so his hand could fish its way beneath.

  “This is what I think needs the most attention,” he whispered, his hand meeting her inner thigh. Her breath hitched as his fingers skimmed up, up, up toward the crease of her pussy. She nearly stopped breathing once his fingertips brushed the damp crotch of her panties.

  “Y-y-yes,” she said, voice shuddery. She dug her fingernails into his shoulders, too afraid to move, in case he stopped and somehow this all turned out to be a dream. God help her, she was getting laid by a sheikh tonight. Or at the very least fingered.

  “You like that,” he murmured, more statement than question. His thumb made a lazy circle around the tight nub of her clit. Her knees shook as he teased her. He steadied her with his other hand, his dark gaze grounding her as he stared up at her. “We’re just getting started,” he said, brushing his lips against her collarbone at the same time his thumb nicked her clit.

  She crumbled then, knees giving out. He caught her, the grin on his face so devilish she thought she might come just from looking at him.

  “Please,” she whispered. But that’s all she could say. Robel pinched the fat peak of her clit, and she wilted once more, clinging to him for dear life.

  He chuckled into the side of her neck, then kissed her. “This is going to be fun.”

  She swallowed, anticipation and need and desperation pooling inside her. “Yeah, among other things.” He pinched her clit again, and she sucked in a sharp breath. “You tease.”

  His throaty laugh sent her knees buckling again. Robel must have taken pity on her, because he said, “Climb on top of me.”

  She did as she was told, folding herself on top of him, straddling him like the most anticipated ride of her life. His warm palms skated up over her hips, then jerked her down onto his lap. She crashed against him, gasp
ing.

  “Special circumstances have me slightly limited, as you know.” Even talk about his fractured ankle sounded hot. “But trust me. It won’t impede my performance.”

  “I wasn’t worried,” she said, giggling as he cupped the roundness of her ass and squeezed. Hard. He grunted.

  “I’ve been wanting to do that for so long.”

  “Oh yeah?” She dragged her lips along his jawline, tracing that stern, hard edge with her mouth. “How long?”

  “Since the day I laid eyes on you.”

  He spoke so softly she thought she imagined it. Warmth spread through her, tingling and fast. So she hadn’t been imagining it. This attraction had been just as pulsing and real on his end since the beginning.

  “Coulda fooled me,” she whispered, then tugged at his earlobe with her teeth. His grip on her ass tightened.

  “That was the point.” Heat radiated off him, sending her mind spinning. She could have stayed liked this all night; perched on top of his reassuring solidness, tight in his grip, drunk on the citrusy sandalwood of his cologne. “I couldn’t put you right here on top of me until I was sure you could handle it.”

  She laughed, but the sound dissipated quickly once his hand wandered between her legs again. He pushed aside the scrap of her panties, stroking her swollen lips. And then he pushed his middle finger inside her.

  Sondra gasped as it slid inside easily. It felt great, but she needed more. She needed all of him inside her.

  “Robel,” she breathed, bucking against him. Her eyes drifted shut as his finger pumped in and out of her. Followed by a second. Then a third. A strangled moan escaped her.

  “Please,” she whimpered.

  Robel grunted, pushing at her hips, urging her off to the side. She collapsed on the bed beside him as he stood, his cock making the linen pants tent impressively. He dug out a condom from his pocket, then pushed his pants down. Beneath, his dick made an even bigger spectacle out of his briefs. She gulped, propping her head up on an elbow.

  “Enjoying the show?” Robel smirked.

  “Yes,” she said, her fingers wandering automatically between her legs. She froze when his gaze slid over to her hand.

  Robel wet his bottom lip, grabbing the stiff bulge in his briefs. “Normally I’d say that’s my job. But somehow I can’t bring myself to.”

  She relaxed a little, anticipation prickling through the air. His attention scorched through her. He liked what he saw. She stroked herself lightly. Tentatively. To see if she had as much courage as she thought.

  “Mmmm.” Robel pushed down his briefs, and his cock sprang free. He fisted himself, his big hand wrapping around his thick, dark shaft. His gaze stayed steady on her as her fingers danced over the crotch of her panties.

  She slipped her fingers underneath her panties, fingertips pushing into herself for a brief second before swirling up to find her clit. She jolted. Fingering herself never felt this good, but Robel’s steely gaze had an undercurrent of eroticism. She bit at her bottom lip, legs splaying open.

  “Sondra,” Robel said, his voice strained. He groaned, fisting himself again before shoving his pants down as far as they would go without taking them off over the cast. Then he sat back on the bed. “I need to be inside you.”

  “Yes. Immediately,” she blurted, popping off the bed. She tore her skirt off, followed by all the remnants of her clothes. The cool air of the room made her nipples stand at attention. Robel sighed appreciatively, palming the arc of her hip.

  He pressed his lips to the swell of her lower belly. His eyes never left hers. The depths in his gaze made her shiver. This man wasn’t pure tradition and duty. No, he had a dark side. A naughty side. He knew exactly how to do the things that defied tradition and duty.

  “Fuck this ankle,” he murmured against her hip. He dragged his lips over her mons. “I want you up against the wall.”

  A shiver coursed through her; her head dropped back. “Maybe next time. After it heals.”

  Her words hung heavy and strange in the air, and the overanalytical part of her caught up with the meaning. This could only be a one-night-stand. Men like him didn’t keep women. And if he did, not for long.

  Before she could wither from regret and embarrassment, he said, “Or maybe I won’t forget to take my pills next time, and I’ll do it anyway.”

  She giggled as he tugged her forward, making her straddle him once more. This time, the velvet heat of his cockhead brushed the damp folds of her pussy. Her skin prickled as a low moan escaped him.

  “I’d have you every way possible,” he murmured, his gaze skating up and down her body as he jerked her into place above him. He ground upward, his cock making contact with her clit. She inhaled sharply. “And for so long that you might need crutches afterward too.”

  She laughed, but it faded once his cock nudged for entrance. She wanted to sink down on him, to take every last inch of him. She nuzzled into his neck.

  “Put that condom on,” she said, tugging at his lobe with her teeth. His biceps flexed as he reached for the condom package and tore it open. A moment later, he was grinning up at her as if he knew the best secret in the world.

  “All ready for you,” he said and then guided her down. Her mouth parted as his slick heat found hers. He breathed softly into her ear, easing her down on top of him, controlling the pace too slowly for her taste.

  But he was big. Way bigger than she’d expected. Slower was better with him. Every new inch prompted a girlish gasp from her lips. She rocked against him, desperate to feel him filling her. He ground his hips in a slow circle, his gaze on her never wavering. There was intensity in his eyes. Passion. Something darker, too, that she wasn’t sure she could unlock.

  Shivers raced up her spine, and she let go. Gave in to the moment, to the heat rushing through her, to the solid steel filling her. Her vision went spotty, and she rolled her head back, a slow, thorough, dizzying rhythm emerging between them.

  He bucked and bumped beneath her in perfect synchrony. His abs crinkled as he thrust against her, those dark eyes never moving from her. His attention sizzled, nearly breaking skin. Like all he could see, feel, breathe was her.

  Her orgasm built quickly. Warning prickles emerged followed by the warm wash of excitement. Robel caught her nipple between his teeth as he ground up into her.

  “Do you have any idea,” he murmured, “how good you feel?”

  A lazy smile crossed her face. “Too much of an idea,” she whispered. “I’m so close, Robel. I’m so close.”

  He pushed his palm over a breast, fire lighting in his gaze. “Me too.” His voice sounded raw. Like it had come from his deepest depths. “You make it impossible for a man to last.”

  She grinned again, but it faded once he gripped her by the hips and drove up into her. Her mouth parted, the surprise maneuver sending her rocketing over the edge. She moaned low, digging nails into his sides as the hot waves of pleasure crashed through her, one after the other.

  Robel grunted a moment later—he must have found his own precipice. She collapsed forward, melting against the reassuring steel of his chest, breathing into his clavicle. She shuddered as the last dregs of pleasure jolted through her. A moment later, she was left in a blissful cloud of Robel’s low hum and his fingertips swishing across her bare back. The up and down of his chest. The sandalwood security.

  This, right here—this was the type of sweet, soft moment that made a girl break in two.

  This was the kind of moment that a girl didn’t forget in a lifetime.

  This was something she could get used to.

  10

  A baby’s cry awoke him early. Robel rolled onto his side, peering through one cracked eyelid. Dawn threatened at the edges of the heavy curtain on the far wall. Sondra rustled in the bed, yawning as she sat up. A waft of her scent reached him, which made him relax back into bed, sleep ready to reclaim him.

  The cry. Again. Sondra shuffled into the adjoining bedroom, and that’s when the pieces fit together. N
essa had been crying.

  Robel yawned, peering over at the bedside clock. Just after five a.m. Not a bad time to start the day, except they’d been awake until almost one having sex in as many positions as his ankle would allow. She rode him on the edge of the bed, and then while he reclined on the bed, and then in a fashion she called “reverse cowgirl,” which had been her personal favorite. A lazy smile crossed his face as his eyes drifted shut.

  The ankle needed to heal. And fast. Because he wasn’t done with Sondra just yet. One night together had been great, but whatever they had couldn’t end now.

  A few moments later, Sondra shuffled back into the bedroom, Nessa in her arms. The little girl whimpered, rubbing at her eyes. Sondra offered him an apologetic smile.

  “She gets up early,” Sondra whispered. “Is it okay if she comes into the bed for a little bit?”

  “Of course.” Robel pushed up onto an arm, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Sondra eased back onto the bed, setting Nessa between them. The little girl blinked up at him, her chipmunk-round cheeks begging for a pinch. He offered her a sleepy grin, then nipped one of those cheeks between his thumb and forefinger.

  “Good morning, Nessa,” he said. The girl didn’t respond, just continued watching him like he was the most interesting—or perhaps the weirdest—thing in the world.

  “I’m sorry to wake you up so early,” Sondra said softly, mimicking Robel’s position in bed, propped on an elbow. She stifled a yawn, watching as Nessa touched the bedsheets. “And after so little sleep, too.”

  “It’s no bother.” Robel brushed his thumb over Sondra’s wrist, which made her smile. “I was fully aware of the consequences of our decisions last night. And this morning. This comes as no surprise.”

  Sondra relaxed a little, rubbing at her eyes, while his own words cycled strangely inside him. He’d been fully aware of the sleep-deprivation consequences—but with Nessa in bed, he was facing other consequences he hadn’t truly wanted to consider.

  Like how seeing her with a baby in her arms reminded him that he wanted the very same thing.