by Leslie North
The knock on his door was so quiet that at first, he wondered if he’d even heard it. Frowning, he eased it open and stared at Kristy. She’d changed out of her clothes and stood before him in a pair of sexy yoga pants that stretched across her hips and a baby blue lace tank top that showed a clear outline of her perky nipples. She held a bottle of whiskey in one hand and two glass tumblers in the other.
His mouth grew instantly dry, and he knew that anything that he said would come out as a rasp. Instead, he stepped back and widened the door.
Moving slowly, she walked in and cleared her throat. “If you’re getting ready to go to bed, I won’t interrupt. I just thought that the diner wasn’t really the atmosphere for celebration. Maybe a toast to the discovery of the hot springs would be more fitting.”
She wasn’t there for a toast, and they both knew it. Taking the liquor and glasses from her hands, he set them on the table and took her hands in his. Drawing her to the bed, he sat down on the edge and pulled her between his legs. Her breathing grew heavier, but she didn’t say anything to stop him.
Skimming his hands under her shirt, he lifted the material and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to her flat abdomen. She tangled her fingers in his hair and sighed in pleasure.
“I never forgot a single thing about you,” he whispered as he slid the material up and over her breasts. “The way you felt in my arms. The way you tasted. The way you cried out when you came.”
“Kashif,” she whispered. Stepping away from him, she met his gaze and stripped off her shirt.
“The pants too,” he said hoarsely. “I need to see you, Kristy.”
Hooking her thumbs in the waistband, she slowly drew the pants down, bending as she went. Kashif’s rising cock grew instantly hard, and he grunted in appreciation when she straightened.
Everything about her pleased him. When he had first met her, he thought she was perfect as she was but since returning to Mistywood and seeing her after she had Arella, her body could best be described as womanly with her well-rounded breasts that begged for his kiss, slender waist, and hips that he couldn’t wait to wrap his hands around. He watched her walk toward him, her eyes round with arousal. She slowly pushed one knee into the mattress and straddled him.
Dressed only in a tiny blue thong, she settled her body against his erection and rocked gently against him. Kashif cursed and pulled her tighter against him as he drew one nipple into his mouth. Her moan only encouraged him more. There was nothing playful or light about their movements.
She slid against him, harder and faster, and as he raked his teeth over her breasts and gripped her ass cheeks, her moans only grew louder and louder.
“I need you,” she finally admitted. “Right now. Don’t make me wait.”
“Fuck,” he hissed and stood, taking her with him. She wrapped her legs around him, and when he flipped them and pushed her into the mattress, his cock pressed against her, they both panted. Reaching down, they grappled with his pants until her warm hand wrapped around his erection tugging it free.
Pleasure shot through him, and he couldn’t help himself as he pumped his hips and felt her hand slide up and down his cock. “Yes,” he hissed. “Your touch feels so good.”
Finally, he could take no more and pulled her hand away. Pushing the swatch of her thong aside, he pressed his throbbing erection at her entrance when a small cry made them both freeze.
“Momma?”
Arella’s voice filtered down the hall, and Kristy immediately pushed Kashif aside. “I’m sorry,” she muttered as she scrambled for her clothes. “Sometimes she gets a little scared at night.”
Sitting up in bed, he eyed her. The change in her was automatic, and he knew that she wasn’t coming back to him. Whatever had spurned her to seduce him was gone. “Want some help?” he asked softly.
“What? No. No, of course not. Arella isn’t your responsibility. You’re nothing more than a guest here.”
The words stung, and he frowned as she rushed out. It was a strange statement to make, and it was even stranger that it hurt him.
Nothing more than a guest.
Just often did she show up in her guests’ rooms dressed like that? Flopping back on the bed in frustration, he gently stroked his erection. It would be so easy to finish the job himself, but he abstained.
When he did take Kristy, and he would, the wait would simply make it all the more sweeter.
12
Despite what he’d promised Kristy, Kashif couldn’t stay away from Arella. She was a captivating child, and she’d managed to get under his skin. He knew that Kristy and Arella came as a package, but there was something more.
Kristy was busy with her horse riding lessons, and Julia was making dinner. Wandering around the house, he found Arella in the middle of the living room floor with the oldest dogs. There were plastic tiaras on their heads and a tea setting in front of them. The huskies didn’t seem to mind. In fact, they looked so adoringly at Arella that he suspected that there was nowhere else they’d rather be.
“Is this party by private invitation only, or can anyone join?”
Arella giggled. “You’re a prince. You can go where ever you want.”
“Ah,” Kashif said as he bowed. “But you are a princess, and you control who comes to your party.”
“Right. You can come, but you have to share with Dusty.” She pointed to the spot next to the alpha dog, and Kashif stifled a laugh. Sharing a tea cup with an old dog? His brothers would never believe this.
She poured some pretend tea from her purple kettle and held the cup up to him. He dutifully took a sip and moaned in pleasure. “I think this is the best tea, I’ve ever had. What kind is it?”
“Hmm.” Arella screwed her face up in concentration. “It’s purple foam tea!”
“Purple foam tea,” Kashif repeated carefully. “I’m not sure that I’m familiar with that type. Did you create it?”
“I did!” The girl nodded enthusiastically and poured Jane a cup. To his surprise, the dog leaned forward and licked the pretend tea from the cup. He had no doubt that Arella had trained her to do that.
That child had an amazing future ahead of her as a dog trainer. It shouldn’t surprise him. Last time he was here, he’d seen Kristy in action, and she was so talented with the dogs. With her expertise, there would be no stopping him or anyone else who used her dogs to race. Arella had her mother’s good genes and had probably picked up a few things watching both her and Henry.
“Do you like dog sledding?” he asked.
Arella shrugged. “It’s okay. I like the dogs.”
“Well, what do you want to be when you grow up?”
“An ice skater!” Arella jumped up and did a little twirl before striking a pose. “See?”
“That was gorgeous,” Kashif said as he clapped his hands. “Have you ever been ice skating?”
“Once, last year, but I fell down.”
“Everything takes practice. I’m sure with a few lessons; you’ll be gliding around the ice in no time.” The wheels in his mind were already turning. If a few ice skating lessons would put a smile on Arella’s face, then he would make that happen.
Before he could tell the girl the good news, they were interrupted. “Sheikh,” Henry said in a low voice from the doorway. “The dogs are ready if you want to take them around the track.”
“Princess Arella, do I have your permission to take my leave?” he asked formally as he put the tea cup down.
“Yes, Prince Kash. You do.” She put her hand out, and he kissed it dutifully. The little girl giggled, and Kashif pushed his long form off the floor.
“Careful,” Henry warned, raising his eyebrows. “She’s been known to break hearts.”
Kashif smiled. “I fear that may already have happened.”
Following Henry back outside, Kashif immediately went to zip his jacket only to discover that it wasn’t all that cold out. Glancing around, he couldn’t help but notice the rapidly melting snow.
“I d
on’t suppose there’s another blizzard in the forecast?” he asked uneasily.
“No, but the weather can be a bit unpredictable around here,” Henry said with a shrug. “Now, you can choose between two lead pairs. Donna and Dasher have been leading for years, and they’re more than good together. Grant and Garland are the new up and comers. Kristy and I have been working with them this past year, and I know they have potential.
The two pairs were separated into two lots, and Kashif looked them over with a critical eye. Both sets looked healthy and well-formed, but Donna and Dasher were getting up there in years. Grant and Garland had much more eagerness in their eyes.
“Let’s start with Grant and Garland,” he decided. “Maybe tomorrow I’ll try Donna and Dasher.”
“Fair enough,” Henry said with a nod. “But you shouldn’t go back and forth for too long. You want your team to be comfortable with their leads, and that means a few runs.”
“Understood.” Kashif stood back while Henry whistled for the rest of the team. He hooked them up to the sled with obvious ease.
“You’ll normally carry your pack back here. Right now I’ve got a few things in the back so that the dogs can get settled with the weight and you as well. Now, I don’t need to remind you that this isn’t like reining horses. The dogs are going to be moving quickly, but they’re going to wait to get their direction from you. You need to be firm, but you also need to be quick. They’re used to the practice track, but once you pick your team, you want to try them out in the fields so they get used to your commands.”
Kashif nodded and took his place on the sled. It was strange to think that the last time he’d been here was four years ago, but when the reins were in his hands; he felt the usual bubble of excitement.
Henry belted out a command, and the dogs took off. Kashif bent his knees and was ready for that first push. The dogs had no trouble finding their pace, and soon they were sliding on what little bit of snow was left on the ground. Slush flew up into his face, and he yelled with excitement. The wind rushed harshly against his face, but he didn’t care. He needed speed and just a little bit of danger.
It was something that his father and his brothers didn’t understand. When he was racing, jumping, or climbing, he wasn’t the Crown Prince of Al-Harmid, and he wasn’t Sheikh Kashif Shadid. He was simply a man facing the elements the same as everyone else. The challenge invigorated him, and the hint of danger made him feel alive. Responsibilities, duty, and the palace were miles and miles away.
The minutes flew by, and vaguely, he heard Henry yelling commands at him. Adjusting the reins in his hands, he narrowed his eyes and saw the fallen branch in the middle of the track. Guiding the dogs to the left, he flew around it and nearly fell off the sled. Grinning like a fool and whooping with glee, he righted himself and brought the dogs home.
Henry whistled. “Nicely done. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that this was something that you did on a regular basis.”
Kashif shook his head, and water droplets flew from his hair. “Honestly, it felt like four years ago was yesterday. I’d forgotten how much fun this was.”
“That’s good. I like it better when mushers focus on the enjoyment rather than the competition. The dogs pick up on that, and they enjoy it more,” Henry said as he patted the dogs down. Releasing them back into the pen, he rested a foot on the post and watched as they burned off all the extra energy.
“They’ll be well-rested for tomorrow. You can try Donner and Dasher, but honestly, Grant and Garland did well today.”
“How do you choose leads?”
“Kristy can spot ‘em as puppies. She likes for them to have an instant bond and the strength to be alpha. She keeps an eye on them in the first few months, and if her instincts prove correct, and they usually do, she starts training them.”
“Incredible,” Kashif murmured. “Do you think tomorrow you can throw a few more obstacles on the track? That was awesome.”
Henry chuckled and shook his head. “If you hurt yourself, and Kristy finds out that it’s my fault, she’ll have my head. Still, I’ll see what I can do. Looks like it’s about time for dinner.”
“You joining us?”
“No, sir. I have a date.”
Kashif slapped the man on the back and leaned in to scratch one of the dogs behind the ears. Turning back to the house, he realized that he hadn’t seen Kristy all day.
He missed her.
Picking up his step, he whistled as he entered the lodge. The closed sign was already up on the desk. Rounding the corner, he peered in the dining room and found Kristy was the only one at the table.
She looked exhausted. There were dark circles under her eyes, her shoulders were slumped forward, and her hair was a mess. Staring down silently at her plate, she didn’t seem to notice that he’d entered.
“Habibti?” he asked softly.
She jumped like he’d yelled at her, and her eyes flew open. He froze and stared at her. “Were you asleep?”
“No. Yes. I’m not sure.” Leaning back in the chair, she rubbed her hands over her face and took a deep breath. “Julia and Arella ate earlier so they could have a movie night and sleepover at her house. I’ll make you a plate.”
He moved quickly to stop her. “I can get it. You relax.”
Surprisingly, she didn’t even argue. That’s how he knew that she must have been tired. Lifting the lid on the pot of spaghetti, he served himself a healthy portion and grabbed a few slices of bread before sitting down. “You look tired,” he said softly.
Stabbing at the pasta with her fork, she halfheartedly twirled it before lifting the long strands to her mouth. Before it even got halfway, it easily slid off her fork and plopped back down on the plate. “Not tired. Fine,” she mumbled.
“I haven’t seen you all day.”
“There’s a lot to be done around here. Mondays are always busy for me. I have two horseback riding classes plus a dog training class. I tried to move the dog training class to Wednesday a few months ago, but I didn’t have much of a response for the sign-ups, so I had to move it back. And my riders have been riding on Monday for years, so I’m kind of stuck with it.”
“Well, since Arella is spending the night with your aunt, I think maybe you should relax.”
“I’d love that, but there are still a few things I need to do after dinner. The weathering strip is coming off the door in the back, and too much cold air is seeping in, plus the sink in the barn is clogged, and there’s a loose board on the back porch. Arella likes to play out there, and I don’t want her to trip on it.”
Kashif cocked his head. “I think I can take care of those things for you.”
She snorted. “No offense, but I can’t imagine you actually doing anything handy. I imagine you have more than enough servants to take care of those things for you.”
“True, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not capable. Why don’t you draw yourself a nice hot bubble bath, and I’ll see what I can do. If I can’t fix it, we’ll hire someone tomorrow to do it for you, and you can add it to my tab.”
Kristy pursed her lips as she contemplated his offer. Finally, she nodded her head. “Okay. I think I’m just tired enough to agree to that.”
“Good.”
They chatted quietly about his dog run, but he kept a lot of stuff to himself. He didn’t want to worry her with Arella’s dream to be an ice skater, and he didn’t want to question her on why she’d given up her love of working with the dogs. Henry was great, but he couldn’t stand the idea of her giving up something that had brought her so much joy.
If she would let him help her financially, he could do so much for her. She could train the dogs and leave everything else to her employees.
Except that he wouldn’t be here all that much. He could give her all the money that she’d need, but his time was limited here. Soon, the race would be over, and he’d have to go back home.
Would she come with him?
The thought came out of nowhere, and
he swallowed hard. Kashif had every intention of rekindling their romance, but he hadn’t thought of the future. What did he expect to happen when he left? Was he really going to walk away from her again?
What choice did he have when she’d made it clear that she wasn’t looking for anything long-term?
The notion bothered him more than he wanted to admit.
13
Kristy relaxed in the tub and tried not to think about what was going on downstairs. The warm water soaked through her aching muscles and soon her thoughts about Kashif were less about the mess he was making and more about the way he made her feel last night.
Never in her life had she tried to seduce a man before, and she’d been pleased to discover that it wasn’t all that hard. Kashif had easily seen through her charade, and maybe it was because she couldn’t get the memory of the hot springs out of her head, but the moment he’d touched her, she’d nearly exploded.
She’d seen Arella’s interruption as a sign, but her body throbbed all night long, and she didn’t get much sleep. It had taken all her control not to go to him and ask him to finish the job, but more importantly, she’d been upset when he didn’t come to her.
“Kashif.” She closed her eyes and sank deeper in the water as her hands trailed down her body. “Why did you have to come back?”
Moaning softly, she stroked her clit and thought about the way his cock had felt in her hands. There was so much power there. The power to control him. The power of ecstasy. God, she needed him inside her.
“Now, there’s a sight to see,” Kashif said softly.
With a yelp. Kristy opened her eyes and immediately covered her breasts with her hands. She’d been so lost in her own daydream that she hadn’t even heard him. “What are you doing here?” she whispered.