Bound by the Sheik's Ring

by Elizabeth Lennox

  Sada stepped off of the elevator and walked down the hallway, but slowed her pace when she heard yelling. Ms. Lotz was furious, screeching her orders at the obviously terrified human resources director.

  “All the resumes should go through me,” she snapped at Fred. “Nothing has changed, despite that idiot woman’s intentions to disrupt a smoothly running operation. I’m still in charge and if you defy me, you’ll never work in this country again! Don’t you dare test me! I’ve been working here for a long time. I know people in so many industries and your reputation will be destroyed!”

  With those denigrating comments, Sada stepped into the office, and stood quietly just inside the doorway.

  “I beg to differ,” Sada announced cheerfully, startling Ms. Lotz who spun around so fast, she unseated her glasses.

  “I was instructing Mr. Barisi to send me the resumes,” Ms. Lotz explained with a defiant lift of her chin. “You’re too busy to have to sift through all of the mindless resumes that are submitted. I’ll review them first and give you the ones that I know are worth your time.”

  Sada knew exactly what the woman was trying to do and wasn’t going to stand for it. “That’s very generous of you,” she lied. “Unfortunately, you did that the last time that Fred compiled a list of appropriate candidates and none of those resumes met my qualifications for the role of my chief of staff. I thank you for your efforts. I know you have many other responsibilities on your shoulders. I won’t add the hiring of my personal staff to your burden.”

  Ms. Lotz shook her head, outraged and trying to come up with a viable reason to maintain her control over the palace hiring process. “It’s no burden, Your Highness.”

  “Obviously, it is a huge burden. The three resumes you gave me two weeks ago weren’t even close to what I was looking for. I’ve spoken to Mr. Barisi and he fully understands the kind of employee I’m looking for. Furthermore,” she moved forward a step, “you are defying a direct order from me.”

  Ms. Lotz smiled tightly. Ignoring the comment about her defiance, she continued to try to amend the situation. “Then we should sit down and discuss your requirements so I more thoroughly understand the kind of employee you are looking for. I wouldn’t want to hire someone who is under qualified, Your Highness.”

  Sada suspected that was exactly what the old bat was trying to do, but kept her expression bland. “That’s very kind of you, but I’ve already instructed Fred on my requirements. I’ve also told him to report directly to me with the resumes he finds so I can review them. There’s absolutely no reason for you to go through them yourself. But thank you for the offer.” In order to avoid any further attempts to circumvent Sada’s instructions, she turned and spoke directly to Fred. “Do you have any resumes ready for my review yet?”

  Fred grabbed a stack of about ten resumes that he’d printed out. “I’ve pulled these already, but I haven’t checked their references. We usually do that before we give them to the potential supervisor, but under the circumstances, why not take them first and review them? If any of those candidates stand out, I’ll contact their references immediately and verify their employment. Any final person will need to go through a background check with the security office though.”

  Sada took the file folder filled with resumes and beamed. “This is amazing! Thank you for being so diligent in your search. I’ll review these tonight and will get back to you with names tomorrow morning. If any others seem to be a good match, send them to me via e-mail.” With that, she left the administrative offices, feeling as if she’d just won a major battle. She didn’t even glance at Ms. Lotz, further infuriating the woman.

  Two down, one major battle to go, she told herself as she headed back towards her suite.

  Chapter 12

  “Hold it right there!”

  Sada cringed and slowly turned to face Zahir. She’d been avoiding him whenever possible, coming to bed late and leaving before he woke up and Zahir knew why. He’d been too rough with their lovemaking lately. He’d tried to control the passion he felt whenever he saw her, but just one look, one touch from her sweet fingers and he wanted to ravish her!

  “Are you feeling better?” Zahir asked, eyeing Sada carefully. She smiled, but there was a wariness in her eyes. Mentally, he cursed himself for giving her that fear. Obviously, he wasn’t controlling his desire for her well enough if she was pulling back like this, not to mention avoiding him. He would control this lust, damn it!

  And yet, even as he made that vow, her soft lips curled into a welcoming smile. His eyes moved up and down her figure, noting that she was wearing a simple pink dress that made her skin look soft and creamy, her blue eyes brighter than he’d ever seen them.

  He loved her. He’d loved her for so long. Not as a sister, as he’d tried to convince himself for years. But as his lover. A lover he hadn’t protected.

  Hell, he took great pride in how he protected his country, and yet the woman he cherished above all others had been hurt by his careless abuse. In his mind, he kept picturing her raw skin, hating himself for being the culprit who had done that to her.

  And yet, even as she stood in front of him and he vowed not to release the passion he felt for her, he could feel it growing inside of him. He’d never felt this way about another woman, but he was determined to not hurt her again. Curling his hands into a fist, he pulled back from the need to walk over to her and pull her into his arms. He wouldn’t do that again, he promised. He would control this. He’d already gotten into the habit of shaving after dinner so his face was smooth. No more stubble when he came to her at night.

  Now, he just had to figure out how to keep himself from tearing her clothes off of her delectable body and controlling the need to hear her scream his name. She hadn’t told him that he’d hurt her over the past few weeks, but she was sweet and kind, generous to a fault, and wouldn’t tell him if he’d hurt her. Just as she had tried to hide the scrapes from his stubble, he doubted she would tell him if he hurt her accidentally.

  Never again! This was his woman and he had to treat her gently. Carefully!

  “Rough day?” she asked. He fought to keep himself in check as she rested a soft, delicate hand against his chest.

  No tearing of clothing, he reminded himself. He couldn’t pick her up and toss her into the bed to devour her. He would be slow and careful. Controlled!

  “No worse than others,” he replied, covering her hand with his own. “How about yours?” he asked, tucking a loose strand of hair gently behind her ear.

  “It was fine.”

  “Ms. Lotz mentioned you rejected all of the resumes for your assistant. She’s going to find more for you.”

  Her lips pressed together. He knew he needed to figure out what she was not telling him.

  “Ms. Lotz is an efficient woman,” Sada said carefully. “But I don’t think she fully understands the requirements I’m looking for in my chief of staff.”

  He chuckled. “You need a chief of staff versus just an assistant?”

  The anger that lit her eyes told him he’d said the wrong thing. His amusement intensified and he remembered all of the times he’d baited her over dinners throughout the years. Damn, he loved it when her eyes gave him the, “you’ll regret that comment” look, which was one of the reasons he’d teased her so much over the years. Although, admittedly, tonight he hadn’t been trying to torment her. He’d been asking a simple question. No, tormenting her, seeing that spark in her eyes, wasn’t a good way to start his “careful” plan. It sparked an answering burn in him, making his blood heat up to dangerous levels, where he was likely to tear her dress to pieces in an effort to get her naked.

  Pulling back, he moved around her so that his chest was to her back. He couldn’t see her eyes from this angle, and told himself that was a good thing. “Tell me why you want a chief of staff,” he requested as he carefully, slowly slid the zipper down her back. No tearing, he reminded himself when he saw the delicate skin on her back. Slow and gentle.

&nb
sp; He nuzzled her neck, finding those spots just underneath her ear that caused her to shiver. She leaned against him and that gesture of trust reinforced that he had to be careful. He had to be slow and gentle.

  “I need a full staff to help me out. An assistant wouldn’t be anywhere near enough help,” she told him and he noticed that her voice was a bit breathy. She said something else, but he was pushing the pink dress lower, inching it down over her hips.

  He wasn’t paying attention to her words now. He was focused on his control as she leaned against him, arching her back to showcase the tiny scraps of lace covering her nipples. The thigh high stockings with the pretty lace tops that caused him to groan. Damn, he loved her lingerie!

  Instead of pulling the straps of her bra down and cupping her breasts, he moved his hands up her waist and carefully unsnapped the back, tossing the bit of nothing onto the floor. His erection pressed against her soft bottom, but he still held back, keeping his clothes on until he’d given her at least one orgasm. She deserved that from him.

  Slowly, he moved lower and pulled her lace panties down. He thought about leaving her lace thigh highs on, but knew that he couldn’t handle making love to her while feeling the lace against his skin. That would just send him over the edge once more. So he pulled them down as well, then held her hips as he helped her step out of them. Because he was focused on not destroying her clothes, he didn’t see the surprise on her face when she looked down at him. Or the disappointment.

  He stood up slowly, allowing his fingers to trail along her skin before retaking his place behind her. “Hold on to this,” he instructed gently, placing her hands against the marble column in front of her. Then, very slowly, he cupped her breasts, rubbing his thumbs over the sensitive tips, but not pinching this time. He knew that she liked that, and maybe he’d get to the point where he could do it without losing his control, but until that point returned, he’d refrain, focusing on being gentle and careful.

  He felt her turn her head and knew that she wanted to see him, but he couldn’t look into her eyes. Control, he reminded himself. She deserved his control.

  Slowly, he moved one hand lower, stroking her soft skin as he moved even lower. “Spread your legs slightly, Sada,” he ordered in a gruff voice. When she did, his fingers carefully moved between them, exploring the wetness between her thighs. So wet! She was hot, soft, and wet for him. Carefully, his fingers moved through that wetness, finding the nub and stroking. Slowly at first, but with more pressure as she got closer and closer. He felt her body tense and, he pressed her nipple between his thumb and forefinger. That was all it took and she shattered! He held her steady until her climax receded, his own body aching to join her but Zahir also wanted to savor this moment with her like this.

  Slowly, her breathing calmed and her body stopped convulsing, but he continued to hold her in his strong arms until she sighed, her forehead resting against the column as her climax subsided.

  Only then, did he carry her to the bed. Laying her down gently, he stripped his own clothes off.

  When he was completely naked, he joined her on the bed. Very carefully, very slowly, he pressed into her heat. Zahir watched her eyes and stopped when they widened. “Are you okay?” he asked, pulling back.

  She dug her nails into his hips slightly. “I’m fine. Please, don’t stop,” she begged, grinding against him.

  With that reassurance, he pressed deeper into her heat, moving slowly back and forth. Gently, he stroked her from the inside, not moving fast, but going at a pace that made her mouth fall open. Over and over, he thrust into her with careful strokes, sweat breaking out on his forehead as he pulled back even more. When she struggled to find her climax this time, he reached between their bodies and teased that nub, smiling with relief when he felt her inner muscles tighten in one more climax. Only then would he allow himself to move faster and find his own release.

  Afterwards, he pulled her carefully against his side. Moments later, he was asleep, feeling proud of himself for not hurting her this time.

  Sada blinked back tears, not wanting Zahir to notice. Only when she heard his soft, steady breathing, did she slip out of the bed. Grabbing her robe, she wrapped it around her and stared at him. He looked amazing but…why had he made love to her like that? Yes, she’d reached a climax. Twice! But the whole process had been so…clinical. Contrived even. She hadn’t felt his passion. She hadn’t felt him losing control for her the way he had the previous nights.

  Overall, it had been incredibly unsatisfying. One couldn’t have decadent desserts every night and then go back to crackers. After having him ravish her those first few nights, the careful…manipulation of her body seemed…wrong.

  And yet, she felt silly for even thinking that. She’d climaxed, Sada told herself. She’d read so many articles over the years talking about women who couldn’t climax during sex. She should feel lucky that he took the time to know her body, to know what would help her find that release.

  Instead, she wanted to burst into tears. Gone was the heady passion and in its place was a mechanical, uninspiring encounter.

  Walking into the bathroom, she washed her face, hiding the evidence of her tears, and brushed her teeth. When that didn’t make her feel better, she shrugged off the robe and stepped into the shower, needing to feel…something. The warm water helped but couldn’t dissipate the icy sensation in the center of her chest.

  Did he not want her anymore? Did her touch not set him on fire the same way his touch did for her? She’d loved him for so long! Was she losing him before she’d really even had him close?

  Sobbing silently, she curled up on the floor of the shower, hating herself for putting herself into this situation. And hating him for not wanting her any more. She wanted to scream at him, to yell and beg him to make love to her the way he had initially. If she couldn’t have that, then she didn’t want any of it. But asking him to stop making love to her wasn’t an option. He needed an heir.

  And in that stupid moment of hope, she’d agreed to be that vessel for his heir.

  What a fool she’d been! What a hopeful, pathetic idiot!

  For a long time, she sat under the warm spray of water crying, trying to figure out how to make this right, how to fix something that seemed so broken when, from an objective point of view, nothing was wrong. On paper, Zahir was every woman’s dream lover. In reality, she didn’t like him touching her now. She wanted the old Zahir. She wanted the passion, the tearing off of her clothes and the mind-bending lovemaking that had felt out of control.

  That time was gone, obviously. She needed to accept that her dreams were dead and gone. She should accept her life and move on.

  After a long time, she stood up and forced the tears to stop. “This is silly!” she told herself, grabbing the soap. Sada ruthlessly scrubbed herself clean, trying to banish the memory of his mechanical touch.

  Shutting off the shower, she wrapped herself up in a big, fluffy towel, ignoring the silk robe lying on the floor. In her closet, she shoved the pretty clothes out of the way, ignored the satin and silk nightgowns that she’d bought and normally loved to wear. No, tonight, she wanted to be as anti-sexual as possible. When she found the big, soft sweatshirt in the back of her closet, she sighed with relief. A pair of flannel pajama bottoms that she’d loved came next. And a sports bra! Perfect! This was what she needed!

  Pulling on the clothes, she glanced over to make sure that Zahir was still sleeping, and headed into the sitting room. Curling up on the sofa, she grabbed a book. She didn’t care what it was about, she just needed to banish the past few hours from her mind.

  Zahir woke up with the feeling that something was wrong. He looked around and realized Sada wasn’t in his arms. Had he hurt her again?

  Standing up, he moved swiftly through the room, searching for her. She wasn’t in the bathroom or the bedroom. When he stepped out of the bedroom, his eyes fell on the small figure curled up under the warm light from a side table. Walking over to her, he bent down,
unconcerned with his naked state. Why was she out here? Had she slept badly? He’d felt her climax in his arms, knew that she’d been satisfied the night before. But had he still been too rough?

  Lifting her into his arms, he carried her back to their bed. He discarded the horrible flannel pajama bottoms, but couldn’t get the sweatshirt off of her without waking her up. So he pulled her into his arms with the sweatshirt on, mentally grumbling. But at least she was here in his arms. A moment later, he was sound asleep with her soft, sweet breath rhythmically moving against his skin. All was right in the world once more, he thought.

  Chapter 13

  Sada sat stiffly at the breakfast table, sipping her coffee and trying to figure out what had gone wrong last night. Had she offended Zahir? Had he gotten enough of her? She didn’t know and…yes, she should go talk to him. But she was scared.

  What if he didn’t want her anymore? What if their sexual passion was gone on his side? What if he was only going through the motions of making love to her because it was his responsibility?

  She’d prefer to savor the possibility that he might come to love her for a while longer.

  “The car is ready, Your Highness,” one of her guards announced.

  Sada smiled up at him, but knew that her usual warmth wasn’t in her expression. She was still feeling cold after last night and wondering how to avoid going through that kind of lovemaking again.

  “Thank you,” she replied, standing up, ignoring the breakfast she’d served herself, but couldn’t stomach eating. “We should get going if we’re to stay on schedule.”

  The guard stepped back, allowing Sada to lead the way towards the caravan. She stepped into the center vehicle, her guards in the front seat and in the vehicles ahead and behind. A moment later, they were off.