by Leslie North
“I finished up what I could, and I thought I’d come check on you. Apparently I’m missing out on all the fun.” His eyes roamed over the water, and she flushed. There was no way he didn’t know that she’d been touching herself. “Do you want me to go?”
This was it. Her chance to be risky again. There would be no interruptions, and maybe, just maybe, if she could feel Kashif inside her again, the madness would go away. She’d be able to focus on her own life again.
“No,” she whispered. Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself up and stood naked in front of him as the water ran down her body. “Would you hand me a towel?”
Kashif’s eyes darkened until they were nothing but black pools of lust. Grabbing the towel off the door, he took a step inside the bathroom and held out both ends. His meaning was clear. If she wanted the towel, she’d have to go to him.
Dripping water everywhere, she stepped carefully from the tub and walked towards him. Turning her back, she felt him drape the towel around her shoulders and move it gently back and forth.
Shivering, she stood as still as possible while he dried her off. He rubbed the towel up and down her arms before sliding under them to dry her sides. When the towel dipped over her hips and ran down the back of her legs, she trembled.
“Turn around,” he commanded in a low voice. Her body felt like it wasn’t her own as she turned around. Standing back up, Kashif slid the towel over her shoulder and down her breasts. When he reached her nipples, he circled the fabric over them until darts of pleasure shot through her and she moaned.
Kneeling down, he ran the towel over her tight stomach and down her legs, carefully avoiding where she wanted most to be touched. Finally, he lifted one of her knees up and hooked it over his shoulder. When he pressed the towel against her pussy, she gasped and leaned back on the cabinet to support herself. Soon, Kashif dropped the towel completely and slipped a finger inside her.
“Let’s see if you like this as much as I remembered,” he said wickedly as his tongue darted out to lick at her juices.
Pleasure washed over her, and she dropped her head back and closed her eyes. Dimly, she could remember the first time he’d pleasured her that way her all those years ago. It had been her first time and she swore she saw stars. Although she’d protested when he bent his head between her legs, she couldn’t get enough of his silken tongue. He knew how to drive her higher and higher until she thought she’d die only to stop and make her fall back down again.
Then he’d do it all over again.
“Oh. God,” she moaned as she ran her hands through his hair. “Kash, please.”
“Come for me, Kristy. I need to feel you break apart.”
It didn’t take long. Between his fingers stroking her, and his teeth lightly raking over her clit, Kristy was finished. Crying out as the powerful orgasm took control of her body; she shuddered and nearly slid to the floor.
Kashif caught her easily and kissed her neck. “There’s nothing to stop us now, habibti, so if you don’t want this, you need to tell me.”
“I want you,” she said huskily and lifted her mouth to his. Kashif groaned and kissed her hard as he lifted her up. Scooting the door open with his foot, he walked her down the hall and into his room.
After laying her down on the mattress, he quickly began to undress. In the after haze of her orgasm, Kristy rolled over on her stomach and spread her legs as she watched him. There was something magnificent about watching a gorgeous man strip. Bit by bit, he unveiled his smooth dark skin that covered his taut muscles. He glowed in the moonlight, and by the time he’d freed his cock, she was already wet again.
Watching her intently, he lazily stroked himself, and she knew what he wanted. Crawling to the edge of the bed, she beckoned with her fingers until he stood in front of her. “Mine,” she whispered as she slid her tongue under the base of his erection.
“Fuck, Kristy,” he moaned when she wrapped her lips around the corona and bobbed her head up and down, slowly working her way down the shaft. She loved the way that he trembled as she licked and sucked him. She loved listening to his raspy breath, knowing that his control was slipping away because of her. She would have continued sucking him until she swallowed every bit of his seed, but he pushed her back and lay down on top of her.
“That mouth of yours would drive a sane man to sin,” he grunted as he kissed her. Wrapping her arms around him, she stroked his back, trying to commit every bit of his body to memory. Soon, he’d be gone, and these memories would be the only thing she’d have to keep her warm at night.
His cock nestled in the folds of her pussy, and he stroked over her clit until she twisted under him with need. Her whole body ached for him. “Fuck me, Kash,” she begged. “Please.”
“All night long,” he promised and then he drove into her with a single thrust. She hadn’t had a man since him, and the movement was sharpened by pain, but it quickly dulled as the pleasure took over. “Habibti, you’re so tight,” he gasped.
“More,” she moaned. “Don’t stop. You feel so good.”
He’d always fit her well. Stretching her, stroking over her erogenous zones. His movements were frenzied as he hammered into her, faster and harder. Sweat built on his forehead, and he gripped her hips and rolled her over. “Ride me,” he begged. “I need to feel you deeper.”
Pushing herself up, she straddled his hips tucking her knees against him and began to move. Soon, there was nothing but their desperate sounds of pleasure and their bodies joining as one over and over again. Tension coiled in her body, and she knew that she was going to snap. Digging her nails into his chest, she rode him harder until finally, her whole body began to shake as pleasure rolled through her. If he hadn’t had a hold on her, she thought she might fly away, but Kashif possessed her. Even through her orgasm, he continued to move her hips until his own groan of release filled the air, and they collapsed.
Kashif slept for a few hours. The sound of his phone vibrating woke him, and he was aware of the body curled up next to him. His newly hardened cock pressed against Kristy’s body, and he leaned over to kiss the top of her spine. Wanting more, he slipped his hand over her ass cheeks and gently played with her until she parted her legs in her sleep, and he could slip a finger inside her.
It was several minutes before she woke up, stretched her hands up to grip the pillow, lifted her hips and moaned. “Kash,” she whispered.
“Good morning, habibti. Have I told you how irresistible you are?” he asked as he continued to stroke her. The walls of her pussy shuddered around his finger, and he knew that she was close.
It always amazed him how her body so readily responded to him. Even in sleep, she had easily parted her legs.
Just then, his phone vibrated again, and he groaned. “Hang on, my love. This could be important.”
Reaching across her body, his cock brushed against her ass and she immediately wiggled against him. “Minx,” he growled as he kissed her shoulder. Picking up his phone, he saw a number that he didn’t recognize and a voicemail.
It was an American number, and he was tempted to ignore it, but he pressed play and held the phone up to his ear. After listening to the message, his body tensed.
Kristy must have felt it. “Kash? What’s wrong?”
“That was the coordinator for the Iditarod,” he grunted. “The race has been postponed indefinitely until there’s more snow on the ground.”
“Postponed? Shit. That’s not good. Are you okay? I know how much you were looking forward to the race.”
He had been looking forward to the race, but more importantly, if there wasn’t one, he wouldn’t have an excuse to stay with Kristy.
The thought of leaving her again unsettled him, and he tried to push it from his mind. Instead, he focused on the fact that he was here now, and she was naked and ready beneath him.
“I’m fine,” he muttered as he kneeled behind her. Pulling her hips up roughly, he entered her hard and fast. She welcomed him with a small scream
, and soon, everything else slipped away.
14
“Faster!” Arella yelled. “Faster!”
Kristy woke up in a panic. Her daughter’s muffled voice came from outside, and she couldn’t fathom what Arella was doing up so early in the morning.
Jack-knifing up in bed, she pushed her hair back and looked around in a panic. At first, she couldn’t figure out why she wasn’t in her bedroom until she remembered that she’d spent the night with Kashif.
Groaning, she looked over to his side of the bed and saw that he was already gone. Frantic to check on Arella, she struggled to get out of bed, but last night’s activities had taken a toll on her. The muscles in her thighs were sore, and she winced.
What the hell had she been thinking?
Desperate to orient herself, she glanced at the clock and realized that she’d overslept by two hours. “What?” she gasped as she ran to the window. In the distance, she could see Arella gliding on the frozen pond next to the dog pens.
“Christ, who the hell gave her skates?” she yelped as she struggled to find clothes. Since she’d come to the room naked, the best she could do was a pair of Kashif’s sweat pants and one of his over-sized shirts. Still trying to pull everything on, she practically stumbled down the stairs. “Julia!” she yelled as she pulled out her boots. “Kashif!”
There had to be someone that could reach Arella before her daughter fell through the pond.
Her heart pounding, her memories flashed back to when she’d last ventured out across the pond. Thinking that it was frozen solid, she thought that it’d be fun to take her dog, Betsy, and glide across the ice. Halfway across, she and the dog had fallen through.
Her father had pulled them out just in the nick of time.
She hadn’t been much older than Arella. What if she couldn’t get to her daughter in time? “Kashif,” she screamed again as she burst through the back door and ran across the field.
“Whoa, whoa!” Kashif reached out and snagged her around the waist before she reached the ice. “She’s okay, Kristy. She’s okay.”
“Arella,” she gasped.
“She’s fine. She’s not out there alone. Look.”
Finally able to see more than just her daughter, Kristy realized that there was someone else out there on the pond with her. A stranger had her daughter by the hand and gently pushed her across the ice and instructed her.
Dimly, she realized that Julia and Henry were both staring at her. Knowing how she must look dressed in someone else’s clothes; she wrapped her arms around herself and straightened her back. “Can you please explain this,” she finally said hoarsely when she felt a little calmer.
“Arella told me yesterday that she had no interest in dog sledding. She’d rather be an ice skater, so I found an instructor who could give her a few lessons. She’ll either love it, or she’ll get bored with it after a few weeks,” Kashif murmured in her ear. “And I tested that pond myself to make sure that it was safe. It’s still solid.”
Indignation rose in her. “She is my daughter! You had no right! I can’t afford an instructor. What the hell were you thinking?”
“Consider this my gift to you,” he said soothingly.
She narrowed her eyes. “We had a deal,” she hissed. “You were supposed to leave my daughter alone.”
“Kristy, she’s happy,” he said softly. “What more could you want?”
“And when you leave? How happy will she be then?” Turning her back on him, she glared at Henry. “Well? Don’t you have things to do today?”
“Actually, Kashif took care of the horses and the dogs this morning. Apparently something really energized him last night,” he said with a knowing grin.
“Oh, for God’s sake…” she bit off an oath and started marching back to the lodge. Holding her head high, she tried to maintain as much pride as possible.
Finally inside, she leaned against the door and found herself torn. Part of her was so happy that Kashif was going out of his way to make Arella happy. It made her entertain thoughts that she hadn’t dared think of before, but none of it changed the fact that the Sheikh was only supposed to be here until after the race and with the race postponed, he might be leaving sooner than expected. Once he was gone, things would go back to the way they were before.
Except that it wouldn’t be the same. The first time he left, Kristy had been so innocent and naive. She’d held out hope that things would still work out in her favor, but that wasn’t the case anymore. Kristy knew the truth. This time, she faced the future without any hope.
“What am I doing?” she whispered. “He doesn’t want you. You know this. He’s just looking for a body to warm his bed, and you’re falling right into his trap.”
She could tell him that Arella was his, but there was so much danger. Not only did he have the money and influence to take his daughter away, but he could also decide to stick around. Do the right thing.
But he wouldn’t be staying out of love. He’d be staying out of obligation. His family would probably make things miserable for them.
She was doing the right thing by not telling him, right?
But even she could see that Kashif would love Arella. Maybe he already did.
Suddenly, she wasn’t so sure about anything anymore.
15
Arella, exhausted from her day of ice skating, was already curled up in her bed before dinner. Aunt Julia fussed over her as she read her a story. Kristy poked her head in the door and smiled.
“She enjoyed herself today,” she said softly as she looked adoringly at her daughter.
“Yes, she did, and I think it’s time that you enjoyed tonight as well. I’ll look after Arella. Why don’t you and your man go enjoy a nice dinner out?”
“He’s a guest, Aunty,” Kristy muttered.
Julia gave her a pointed look. “Sweetheart, you ran out of the lodge this morning dressed in his clothes, so we both know what you were doing last night.”
Embarrassed, Kristy shifted from one foot to the other. “It’s not like that. We were just enjoying ourselves.”
“Well, then.” Julia grinned. “By all means, go enjoy yourself!”
Sighing, she turned around and ran right smack into Kashif. Scowling, she put a hand out to keep her balance, but his arms were already encircling her. “So,” he asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “Are you going to take your aunt’s advice?”
“Only because I’m too tired to cook,” she grumbled. “I need to take a quick shower and change. I’m fairly certain that I smell like wet dogs.”
“I didn’t want to say anything,” he teased as he leaned down to kiss her. “But I certainly don’t mind.”
It almost shocked her how comfortable she felt in his arms. She didn’t even pull back when his lips brushed up against her. Instead, she nearly melted into him.
Hastily retreating, she tried to look more confident than she felt. “I’ll meet you downstairs in twenty minutes?”
“A woman who can shower and be ready to go out in twenty minutes? How do you Americans say it, be still my beating heart,” he said as he dramatically pretended to swoon.
Kristy rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but laugh as she left him standing in the hall. Exactly twenty minutes later, she was showered and dressed. The jeans and clingy black sweater looked good on her, but it wasn’t exactly a date outfit, which is why she picked it out.
Keep it casual. After applying only the barest of make-up, she threw her still damp hair up in a messy bun and hurried downstairs to meet him.
Stopping short on the last step, she stared at him. He wore a pair of jeans that did an amazing job showing off his well-formed ass and a tight, dark cashmere sweater. The muscles of his arms flexed as he moved, and she suddenly decided that dinner wasn’t all that important.
She could have him right here on the floor, and based on the way his eyes roamed over her body in appreciation, he was thinking the same thing.
“It might be dangerous if
we stay here too much longer,” he said hoarsely.
Quickly, she grabbed her parka and zipped it up. It still didn’t protect her from the heat of his gaze, and his own leather jacket did nothing to detract from his sexiness.
There weren’t too many choices in the small town, and since she’d already taken him to the diner, there was only one other option. Al’s Italian Eatery was the nicest restaurant they had, but that wasn’t saying much.
The melting slush had turned into dangerous black ice, and they were the only people on the road. In fact, it turned out that they were also the only people in the restaurant.
“Kristy!” Al greeted her warmly and enveloped her in a big hug. “Where is that lovely daughter of yours?”
“She had a big day and is fast asleep,” Kristy said with a smile. She felt Kashif’s hand slip under her jacket to rest on the small of her back in a move that seemed both comforting and possessive.
Al noticed it as well. “Say, weren’t you the lodger that was here several years ago?”
God, did the whole town remember him? It wasn’t like they were lacking in tourists. “Good memory,” she said almost too loudly. Wincing, she cleared her throat. “Al, this is Sheikh Kashif Shadid. He’s back to try his hand at the Iditarod again.”
“Ah, well, who knows if that’s even going to happen. The weather is absolutely ruining everything. Well, I don’t want to take up your time. You, young lovers, pick a booth and relax. I’ll send Dana out shortly to take your order.”
Kristy wanted to deny being his lover, but Kashif was already thanking the man and ushering them to the table. The restaurant was decorated for Christmas. A small tree sat in the corner covered in gaudy ornaments and multi-colored lights. Presents wrapped in shiny paper mirrored the lights giving off a festive hue. There were snowman stickers on the windows, and a red candle flickered in the middle of their table.
“It seems that everyone loves Christmas around here except you,” Kashif murmured with a lifted eyebrow.