by Kristi Gold
He leaned back and grinned. “I believe you forgot something, or perhaps you were prepared for this.”
“None of the above. I was trying to avoid unsightly lines.”
“I am disappointed it was not the latter.”
“Although I wasn’t thinking about it at the time, it is very convenient.”
His dark gaze bore through any resistance she might still retain. “I want to touch you, yet I will not do so unless you convince me you want this, too.”
She swallowed hard. “Yes, I want this.”
“No regrets if we proceed?”
Maybe a few, but she didn’t want to consider that now. “No regrets.”
“Then show me exactly where you want me to touch you.”
Kira suddenly felt self-conscious. “Here in wide open spaces?”
“Yes.”
Maybe if they were completely alone... “What about Max?”
“He is piloting the boat. He cannot see us unless he decides to drive in reverse back to the port.”
True, since they were at the rear of the yacht. But still... “Aren’t you just a bit concerned about passing watercraft?”
He briefly kissed her again. “The possibility of discovery only increases the desire. You did say you wanted to be daring.”
Kira couldn’t believe how often her words had come back to bite her. She also couldn’t believe the sudden surge of bravery she experienced at that second. The absolute high she felt when she shifted his hand between her thighs. The unquestionable heat and dampness when he began to stroke gently. For a moment, she felt as though her legs might not hold her, and as if Tarek sensed that, he circled his arm around her waist to provide support.
As the climax began to build, she tipped her forehead against his chest and let the orgasm take hold, riding it out until every last spasm dissipated. She trembled in the aftermath, even after her respiration and heart rate returned to normal.
Tarek lifted her chin and covered her face with kisses. “You were obviously ready.”
No kidding. “Obviously.”
“Would you wish to go back inside now?”
Oh, yes. “As long as there is a bed available so we can finish this.”
He seemed surprised by the comment. “As long as you are pleased, that is not necessary.”
How dare he work her into a sexual frenzy and attempt to leave her high and not exactly dry. “Actually, it is necessary. I want to make love with you again completely.”
His expression displayed his pleasure over her declaration. “If you are certain, I would like nothing better.”
“I am.” And strangely, she was, even knowing that inviting this kind of intimacy probably wasn’t wise.
“Then we do not require a bed,” he said in a low, deep voice that could convince a middle-aged spinster to hand over her virtue to him.
Kira started to argue that standing against the rail wasn’t a banner idea, particularly in her condition, when he clasped her hand and guided her to a sectional sofa covered in blue stripes. He let her go, shrugged out of his jacket and set it aside, all while she awaited further instruction with barely controlled excitement.
“During our last interlude, we failed to use a condom in the heat of passion,” he added, his hand poised on his zipper. “Although you did assure me you were protected against pregnancy, would you prefer we use one now to provide peace of mind?”
If she had known what she knew now, she would have insisted on it back then. If he knew what she knew now, this would all be over before it had begun. “I can promise you the pregnancy issue isn’t a problem, as long as I can trust you’re still okay on the safety front.”
“As I told you that night, I have been judicious when it comes to my health. I would never put you in danger.”
The conviction in his tone helped ease her concerns. “Then I suppose we should do what comes naturally.”
His smile arrived slowly. “Then so we shall.”
After he pushed his pants and underwear down to his thighs, he held out both hands. “Come to me.”
Shades of the last time they made love. If she’d learned nothing else, she now knew Tarek’s preference when it came to positions. She also questioned whether this aided him in avoiding too much intimacy.
Kira kicked off her heels, hiked up her dress, and straddled his lap. She guided him inside her, all the while keeping her gaze leveled on his. She recalled how good this had felt the first time, acknowledged how good he felt now. The guilt monster tried to rear its head, but she beat it down, determined to enjoy this.
She definitely enjoyed watching his face as he clasped her hips while she moved slowly, surely. His efforts at maintaining control showed in the tight set of his jaw and the way his brows furrowed.
Kira wanted him in that powerless state, so she took him deeper and witnessed when his fortress of self-control began to crumble. She was also primed for surrender when he slowed the pace.
“I want this to last,” he told her in a harsh whisper. “I refuse to let it end too quickly.”
“Are you strong enough to resist, Tarek?” she asked as she wriggled her hips.
“I have always been strong enough. Before you.”
Kira had to admit that made her feel somewhat special, and empowered.
They engaged in a sensual war of wills, seeing who would give in first as they shared a smile and soft kisses. She so wished they could be closer, not physically but emotionally. She so wanted to mean more to him than only this. She didn’t dare put any stock in that unless she wanted to set herself up for the ultimate disappointment.
A few minutes later, Tarek’s respiration grew ragged while moisture beaded his forehead and finally, he closed his eyes. Every muscle in his body seemed to tense beneath her before he bowed his head, signaling his own climax wasn’t far way. And then came the low groan followed by a long breath and few crude words muttered in Arabic that she understood well, thanks to being around the Mehdi brothers during her formative years.
He tipped his head back, his eyes still closed. “You win, yet I have never been so happy in losing.”
Smiling, Kira laid her cheek against his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart while he softly rubbed her back. Perhaps making love on a boat deck would be deemed casual and unconventional, but she felt no less in tune with him. She waited for the remorse, for the internal lectures over letting this happen, and actively participating, yet they didn’t come. No matter what transpired between them in the days ahead, or if he disappeared from her life for good after learning the truth, she would cherish the memories. And in a perfect world, when their child asked if they ever loved each other, she wished she could honestly say they did. Regretfully, she knew all too well a perfect world didn’t exist.
* * *
Tarek had never been in love before, and he had no intention of traveling that road. Yet as he watched Kira, curled up beside him on the bed, her hands resting on the pillow beneath her cheek, eyes closed and face slack with sleep, he experienced emotions he had never welcomed, nor felt, until now.
In his life, love had come with betrayal. Betrayed by his mother and the man he had known as his father. Betrayed by a monarch who had denied him. Deep in his soul, he believed Kira to be different. She demanded honesty and he felt as if he could place his faith in her. Yet he also believed he could not offer her a long-term future.
Tomorrow morning, his first order of business for the day involved a request that would allow them more time together for however long they had left. If all went as planned, she would assist him in overseeing the completion of the resort. He would gladly offer her an opportunity to expand her expertise, even if he could not offer her more, provided she did not refuse him.
Seven
“That’s impossibl
e.” And unrealistic for Tarek to assume she could extend her time in Cyprus and ignore her responsibilities to the royal family.
He scooted up against the headboard, giving Kira a bird’s-eye view of his bare chest, which didn’t help her concentration. “You would only be required to remain for another week to ten days,” he said.
She pulled the covers up to her neck and sighed. “Rafiq would never agree to that.”
“He already has.”
She rolled to her side, her mouth agape. “You asked him before you asked me?”
“Yes. I had to make certain I had his permission before I spoke with you. He claims that Miss Battelli is thoroughly enjoying resuming her duties for the time being.”
Elena would never let on if she wasn’t. Then again, Kira might be out of a job when she returned. “At any rate, it’s not fair to her to interrupt her well-deserved retirement just so I can continue to frolic about with you for another two weeks.”
“I do not frolic.”
She had inadvertently trampled on his manhood. “You know what I mean, so don’t get your ego in a tangle.”
He shifted to his side and extracted her grip from the gold Egyptian cotton sheet. “You would gain great experience overseeing the project.” He rolled her hand over and kissed her wrist. “You would gain great pleasure spending more nights with me.”
The memories of their lovemaking, both on the deck and in the bed at dawn, fogged her already hazy mind. The boat hadn’t been the only thing rocking last night. “I don’t have the experience Athena has.”
“Perhaps, yet your talents are more far reaching than Athena’s.” He slid his palm across her belly, causing her to shiver slightly. “That does not include only your business acumen.”
She should push that wicked hand away, but she didn’t want to. “You’re not playing fair.”
He stroked the inside of her thigh with his knuckles. “You were not complaining about fairness this morning when I woke you.”
No. She had mostly been moaning. “You’re insatiable.”
“You are responsible for that,” he said as he made his way to his favorite target.
If he kept touching her, she couldn’t be responsible for anything she might do next. “If we’re going to get some significant work done today, we’re going to have to get out of the bed at some point in time.”
“Eventually.” He nuzzled his face against her shoulder. “It is still early.”
Kira glanced toward the nightstand to search for a clock but instead found a picture of a little girl who looked to be around five years old. She reached for the frame and turned it toward him. “Who is this?”
He immediately removed his hand and shifted to his back, one arm lodged behind his head. “Her name is Yasmin.”
“Is she a relative’s child?”
“She is no one’s child.”
This was both sad and confusing to Kira. “I don’t understand.”
“She is an orphan in Morocco. I learned about her from a business associate and agreed to be her guardian. She resides at my home in Marrakech.”
Only one more surprising aspect of Tarek Azzmar’s life. “I assume she doesn’t live there alone.”
“Of course not. I have a well-qualified French au pair and a very accommodating staff.”
And a well-kept secret. “Why have you never mentioned her before?”
“As I have said, I prefer to maintain a certain standard of privacy.”
The understatement of the century. “What is your role in her care, Tarek? Do you have an attachment to her, or are you only her benefactor?”
“I am very fond of Yasmin. I place a call to her every evening.”
One mystery solved. “But you don’t care enough to be a real father to her.”
He flashed a look of anger before he left the bed to put on the robe draped on the chrome footboard. He then crossed to the window to stare out at the view, keeping his back to her. “This is why I did not mention Yasmin to you, or to anyone, for that matter. I assumed people would not understand, and clearly I have been correct in those assumptions.”
Oh, but she did understand. Much more than he realized. The time had come to go quid pro quo and share a part of her past. First, she sat up and pulled her knees to her chest, taking care to remain completely covered. “I understand what it’s like to be abandoned, Tarek.”
The painful admission sent him around to face her. “Are you referring to your ex-fiancé?”
“I’m referring to my biological parents. I’m adopted. My mother couldn’t have children.”
He returned to the bed and perched on the mattress. “Obviously I have not been the only one withholding information.”
If he only knew what she still withheld from him. But this newfound knowledge could be a good lead-in to telling him about the baby. “I personally haven’t mentioned it to very many people because I consider my adoptive parents my real parents. They’ve been the greatest positive influence on me.”
He sent her a fast glance before returning his attention to some unknown focal point across the yacht’s cabin. “Do you know your biological parents’ identities?”
“Yes. They were both Canadian and fifteen years old when I was born. Like Yasmin, I came to them through a personal connection. My parents were friends with a relative of my biological grandmother, who happens to be an attorney. She assisted in the arrangements for a private adoption.”
He finally shifted so she could see his face. “Have you had contact with your birth mother?”
She shook her head. “No. It was a closed adoption, although I did locate my birth mother a few years back. She declined speaking with me by phone or in person because apparently she hadn’t told her current husband and children that I even existed. She did send an email though.”
The fury returned to his features. “Does this not anger you, knowing you have siblings you have never met and a mother who cared so little about knowing you?”
Disappointed would be much more accurate. “Actually, it did bother me a bit at first, but I respect her decision to maintain her privacy. I also called off the search for my birth father.”
“Why?”
“Because I saw no use in bothering him when it’s probable he doesn’t want to be located, either. Besides, I grew up in a loving home with two wonderful, encouraging people. I came to the conclusion that those responsible for my birth played a very small role in who I am today. My mama and papa are completely responsible for giving me the foundation I needed to succeed, and that’s all that matters.”
Tarek pushed off the bed and began to pace. “I would be enraged if I were you. Everyone has the right to learn about those who have brought them into this world.”
She was taken aback by the strength of his animosity. “Getting angry gets you nowhere, Tarek. You couldn’t begin to understand unless you’ve been there.”
He spun toward her. “Anger can be a motivator to succeed.”
“Not in this case. Anger only makes you bitter if you remain rooted in past recriminations.” She suddenly realized they’d gone completely off topic in terms of the little girl. “Now back to Yasmin. Apparently you have fond feelings for her or you wouldn’t have a photo at your bedside.”
“Yes, I care for her, but my time is limited due to my career. That is why I have carefully chosen people who can give her what I cannot.”
Kira found his apathy discouraging. “You mean all you have to offer is money? Anyone can provide monetarily for a child, but nurturing is more important.”
“She receives ample attention.”
He didn’t quite get it, and possibly never would. “But does she have enough emotional support? You may think you’ve saved her from a life of loneliness, but if she is attached to you in any way, then you are n
ot saving her from anything every time you leave her behind.”
He returned to the edge of the bed and ran both hands through his ruffled dark hair. “It is the only way at this time.”
“Then why did you take her in?”
“She was a child in need. An innocent without a family.”
Kira was slowly coming to the conclusion that perhaps he wasn’t cut out for fatherhood. “I hope that you’ll think about spending more time with her while she’s still young. She needs a father, not a stranger looking after her.”
He abruptly stood and headed toward the en suite bath. “We must ready for the day since it is growing late.”
Kira worried it might be too late for Tarek to change.
* * *
Upon arrival at the resort, Tarek dove into the activity that normally gave him the most solace. Yet as he cut the stone for the wall, his mind kept turning to his conversation with Kira that morning. He had not been able to express how much Yasmin meant to him. Each time he left the child, he had to steel his heart in order not to stay with her. Perhaps he had done a disservice by taking her in. Perhaps he was still doing that by keeping her. Still, he could not fathom giving her away after two years.
For the first time in quite a while, someone had forced him to take a hard look at his choices. That same someone had caused him to question his decisions on several levels. Kira Darzin remained unaware of how much she had affected him in ways he had not anticipated.
“Looks like you’re almost finished with that.”
Tarek peered up from his handiwork to find the woman who constantly invaded this thoughts and dreams standing nearby. “I still have much to do to make certain it is perfect.”
Kira dropped onto a nearby bench and adjusted the hem of her aqua dress to her knees, as if she had been overcome with modesty. “At times, the beauty is in the imperfections.”
He considered her absolute perfection, especially her haunting cobalt eyes that looked much lighter reflecting the noon sun. “Perhaps, but I am at times a perfectionist.”