The Sheik's Arrangement

by Elizabeth Lennox

  “Wonderful,” she sighed with a confident smile. “In that case, I expect each of you to politely decide which clothes I should see and in what order. Princess Zuri and I will be in the salon having tea, awaiting your beautiful inspirations.” She turned to the butler who stood behind her, beaming with pride. “Would you organize additional refreshments for everyone?” she asked prettily.

  She then smiled at someone right behind Zuri. “Sheik bin Linar, I am so grateful to you for your patience during this process and I promise that I will have everyone out of your house in two hours.” She swept over the designers with her eyes. “Not a moment longer,” she warned.

  Everyone stiffened with surprise, but Ilara nodded again, then stepped through to the salon.

  “Bra-Vo!” Zuri whispered.

  “I agree,” Tarin mumbled so that only Zuri could hear. “She’s going to be a force!” He paused, his hands resting on Zuri’s hips. “She’s an extraordinary woman, don’t you think?”

  Jealousy, white hot and unexpected singed Zuri’s heart.

  She spun around, glaring up at Tarin. “She’s married to my brother,” she snapped angrily. “It would be best if you remembered that.” And then she huffed off, following Ilara in a much less dignified manner.

  As soon as she was about five feet away from Tarin, she froze, realizing what she’d just said. To Tarin! Glancing back over her shoulder at him, she cringed when she saw the triumphant light in his eyes. He didn’t say a word though. Instead, he stepped back into his office, away from the insanity cluttering his home.

  Walking into the salon, she sat down next to Ilara, accepting the cup of tea that Ilara had already poured for her. Unfortunately, the delicate bone china rattled a bit as shock over what she’d just revealed to Tarin hit her.

  “Are you okay?” Ilara whispered, pretending to lean over to select a small cookie.

  “Give me a moment and I will be,” Zuri replied, doing the same thing. She popped a cookie into her mouth, savoring the treat, which she rarely allowed herself. She had enough trouble keeping her hips from becoming too round. Adding decadent desserts would not help!

  Ilara frowned thoughtfully at her, her own cookie forgotten in mid-air.

  “What?” Zuri asked, taking another cookie.

  “You’re eating sugar,” Ilara gasped.

  Zuri froze, staring at the plate cookies. Her mouth was open, ready to devour another sweet treat. But when she realized what she was doing, she closed her mouth and put the cookie on the edge of her tea cup plate. “I just…”

  “You’re frazzled,” Ilara exclaimed and turned around, staring at something behind her. When Ilara turned back to look at Zuri, her expression was confused. “Are you upset about something? Did Tarin say something to bother you?”

  Zuri didn’t want to admit what had just happened, so she shrugged and set her still-rattling teacup down on the coffee table in front of her. “I’m fine,” she lied, folding her hands over her knees in a lady-like manner, trying to hide that she was still trembling with anger, confusion, and…jealousy.

  Oh, how she hated the feeling of being jealous! It seemed so petty and…childish! Zuri knew that the woman wasn’t just beautiful, she was kind, intelligent, brilliant, diplomatic, and…well, just perfect! No wonder her brother loved her so completely! Jabril doted on Ilara and Ilara loved Jabril just as thoroughly.

  Zuri wasn’t so gentle or compassionate. Nor was she patient enough to wait for things to get better. Zuri had her charities and wanted things fixed fast. Faster than was humanly possible. Zuri seethed with fury when something went wrong, when her people suffered. And she wanted so much for things to get better.

  “We’re ready, Your Highness,” one of the designers announced, drawing Ilara and Zuri’s attention. Thankfully! Zuri didn’t want to dwell on her emotions. She’d been preoccupied with trying to figure out herself and Tarin for the past couple of weeks and she’d made no progress.

  Apparently, the designers had organized themselves and the fashion show started quickly, each of the designers wanting their offerings to be shown and, hopefully, purchased by the ladies. Designers knew that a world leader wearing their fashions was better than the most expensive and effective advertising campaign, and they vied for leaders or the wives of leaders to promote their brand.

  Ninety minutes later, all the designers were packing up, everyone happy with their sales. Zuri had encouraged Ilara to buy much more than she’d anticipated, but there would be so many instances where the princess leader would need to be seen and taken seriously. Thankfully, several of the outfits could be mixed and matched for additional looks, with different accessories. There were evening gowns that Ilara initially resisted, but Zuri encouraged her to choose several so that she could impress visiting dignitaries.

  Once they were finally alone, she wilted into the soft, comfy cushions of Tarin’s teal and gold salon. “Whew!” Ilara sighed, feeling the tension drain slowly from her body. “I’m so glad that’s over with! And I know you’re right, but I don’t even want to look at the amount I spent!”

  Zuri laughed, leaning back as well. “I know. It seems like a lot of money spent, but I guarantee that it will be worth it in the end.”

  Ilara turned her head. “Just a few weeks ago, I bought all of my clothes at either second hand shops or in the deep discounted stores where most of the clothes were from the previous season’s department store lines.”

  “Yes, I know. But those days are over. You have to portray an image of a prosperous and thriving country.” She leaned forward and sipped the last of her tea. “Fake it ‘til you make it,” she quipped.

  “What are you faking, my dear?” a deep voice asked.

  It took all of her concentration not to spew the tea out onto the lovely coffee table as Tarin stepped through the side door. He settled into a chair opposite, watching Zuri carefully.

  “Are you ladies fully outfitted for the next few months?” he asked, ostensibly talking to both of them but looking directly at Zuri.

  “I think we’re ready,” Ilara sighed. “Do you really think that I’ll…?”

  “Yes,” Zuri replied gently but firmly before her sister-in-law could finish the question. “You’re definitely going to need everything you bought, plus more.”

  The woman sighed, rubbing her forehead. “Well, if you say so.” She stood up. “If you don’t mind,” she turned to look at Zuri and then at Tarin, “I’m exhausted. I was up late last night in a meeting and we left early this morning to fly here for this showing.”

  “Go ahead and rest. I’ll wake you up when it’s time to head out for our night on the town.”

  Ilara groaned. “Right. I’m not done yet, am I?”

  “Not by a long shot,” Zuri said but not without compassion for the woman who was valiantly trying to navigate the political world into which she’d been thrown. Ilara might have been raised to be a princess, but she’d never been raised to rule the country and, after Ilara had gone off to school six years ago, she’d completely dismissed the idea of ruling her country from her mind, assuming that her uncle would rule. Too bad he’d been a horrible person and a tyrant, Zuri thought.

  Ilara sighed again and walked out, waving slightly as she headed up the stairs.

  Once the door closed, that horrible tension increased. “She’s taken,” Zuri snapped and stood up, remembering why she’d been so flustered earlier.

  Zuri had just reached the door when she heard Tarin’s laughter. A moment later, she felt the heat of his chest. He was close, but not touching her.

  “I have no feelings for Princess Ilara other than respect, Zuri,” he explained. A moment later, his arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. At the same time, he nuzzled her ear and neck, causing her to gasp in surprise.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, her fingers grabbing onto his arm, holding on for balance as she leaned her head back, giving him easier access.

  “If you don’t understand what I�
��m doing, then I’m definitely not going to explain it to you. It’s much more effective if I just show you.” And then he nipped her earlobe. It wasn’t a hard nip, but enough to gain her attention, and her body reacted almost violently, jerking slightly then pressing back against him.

  “Tarin, we’re not…!”

  Before she could tell him what they ‘weren’t’ going to do, his hand slipped under her blouse. How had it come untucked form her slacks? She grabbed his hand, prepared to pull it away. But instead, she found herself lifting his hand to her breasts. Zuri’s whole body ached for him to make love to her. She’d denied it for weeks now, but…with him touching her like this, her willpower crumbled.

  Spinning around, she pressed herself against him. Thankfully, she didn’t need to do or say anything else. He took control, carrying her over to the sofa that she’d so recently vacated.

  “We can’t do this here,” she gasped, even as she pulled his shirt open, popping the buttons in her haste. When he was bared to her desperate eyes, her hands explored, touching him everywhere and anywhere.

  “Zuri!” he groaned, shifting her body so that she straddled his hips. Then his hands moved to her hips and he shifted her body so that they were more perfectly aligned.

  “Tarin!” she gasped, pressing against his erection that was pushing perfectly on that sensitive nub.

  While she focused on that, Tarin unbuttoned her blouse, pulling it open. But then the lace of her bra was in his way. Instead of unclasping the bra, he simply pulled the lace down, exposing her breasts so his mouth could latch onto a sensitive tip.

  She gasped and shook her head, her body vibrating with need. “Tarin…I’m going to…”

  Tarin stood her up and swiftly pulled her slacks down so they pooled around her feet. Then he lifted her back up so that she once more straddled his hips, but this time, there wasn’t anything in the way to hinder her pleasure.

  Zuri fumbled with the zipper of his slacks, crying out when she finally freed him. But there wasn’t time! Zuri couldn’t slow down. “I need you,” she cried and positioned herself so that he was right at her opening. Before she could lower herself onto his quivering shaft, his mouth closed over her nipple again, his teeth and tongue lashing the tip.

  It was all too much. Too long since she’d been with him, too many sensations and stimulation. Even as she lowered herself onto his erection, she felt her body splintering apart. As he moved, gripping her hips, her body was already in the throes of a mind-blowing climax.

  Over and over, he lifted his hips, pressing her body down against his. And Zuri couldn’t stop when another orgasm built up, her body climbing and then…when she felt his shaft expand, she exploded once more. All she could do was hold onto Tarin as pleasure surged through her.

  When it was all over, she collapsed against him, her breathing ragged and her mind numb with happiness and pleasure. She hadn’t thought it could get better, but feeling him like this, she knew that she’d been wrong. So completely, absolutely wrong!

  His hands moved soothingly up and down her back while her legs shivered with aftershocks.

  “Are you breathing, honey?” he asked gently.

  “No need,” she sighed, turning so that she could breathe in his scent, her nose nestled against his skin.

  His laughter caused her to smile, but she didn’t want to move yet. All he had to do was touch her and everything was perfect. All questions, reservations, and insecurities were far, far away. Banished to another realm. Right now, her world consisted of his scent, his warm hands moving up and down her naked back, and…

  Naked?

  Suddenly, Zuri lifted her head, looking around. “We’re…uh…we’re in your sitting room,” she gasped in horror.

  “Your powers of observation are extraordinary,” he teased.

  “No…Tarin, we’re in your sitting room!” she stated firmly again. Pushing his hands away, she stood up, cringing at the pull of her inner thigh muscles and…well, a few other muscles. Sex with Tarin was a very physical activity.

  She grabbed several tissues, cleaning herself as the blush stole up her cheeks, heating her skin in a much less comfortable manner.

  “Get dressed!” she hissed, grabbing her clothes, frantically tugging them on. “By the way, why I am completely naked while you…” she stopped when he lifted a dark eyebrow.

  “While I…?”

  “Never mind,” she groaned, turning away as she pulled the straps of her bra back up. She wasn’t completely naked since he hadn’t bothered with removing her bra, just pulled the straps and the lacy cups out of the way. Everything else had been stripped off though.

  “I love the way you look,” he told her, his voice deep and husky and very near to her ear. She shivered and leaned back ever so slightly to feel his heat. Just for a moment, she promised herself. But his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her against him more thoroughly. “In fact, I think we should go upstairs and try that all over again, but more slowly this time.

  Zuri closed her eyes as images of doing just that flashed through her mind.

  Then she remembered that this was just sex for him. It was so much more to her, even though she wanted it to be a simple act of sex. It couldn’t be with this man. And no other man had ever tempted her. Always Tarin.

  “Why would we do that?” she asked, holding her breath as she waited anxiously for his answer. Please, please say something sweet! Say something like, “I want to spend time with you.” Or maybe even, “Because you make me feel good.” Anything other than….!

  “Zuri, you and I both know that the chemistry between us is hotter than I’d thought possible.”

  Disappointment speared her like a fiery-hot, steel knife through her heart!

  “Right,” she whispered, her lips forming the word even though her heart wanted to lash out at him so that he could share her sense of rejection. Instead of saying something that might wound, she pulled out of his arms.

  “I need to help Ilara,” she muttered and reached out to grab her shoes, slipping them on before taking a deep breath. Turning to face him, she hoped that her hair was presentable. “Thank you for your hospitality,” she told him.

  She refused to look up at him as she stepped around him. “We have appointments,” she told him.

  “Right. Appointments. With who?”

  Zuri heard something strange in his voice. Was that…turning, she looked up into his dark eyes hopefully. Was that jealousy? Could Tarin….care? Just a little?

  But when she looked up at him, his arrogance was firmly in place. Those big, muscular arms crossed over his chest, eyes narrowed and feet braced apart.

  “You’ll be back?”

  Zuri tried to understand him, to read his expression, she really did. But the man was such a mystery, she couldn’t. “Why do you care?”

  “Because…!” he began but stopped himself, “Zuri, what game are you playing?”

  She frowned at him with both curiosity and resignation. “I’m not playing a game. Exactly the opposite, in fact.”

  “Then why the hell won’t you set a date for our wedding? Why do you spend time helping your brother, Princess Ilara, all of your charities and yet, you barely make time for me? What do I have to do to get a bit of your attention?”

  Had she misread him? Or was she so desperate for an emotion, any emotion from him, that she was creating intentions that weren’t there? Because right at this moment, it seemed as if he…wanted her here? Could he truly care if she came back to his beautiful house? Or was she simply another possession to him? Was he asking her to care about him? To spend time with him?

  “What do you need from me?” she asked.

  She was such a damn mystery with her gorgeous, silky hair and the wild way she responded to him every time they touched. That had to mean something, didn’t it? It had to mean that, at a minimum, he touched her body in ways that she enjoyed. But how the hell could he touch her heart? What did she want? What could he give her that she couldn’t buy
herself?

  Any other woman from his past, he understood. His relationships with women in the past might not have been long term, but he understood what they wanted from him. Not Zuri. Never Zuri!

  “Would it be possible to have dinner tonight? Just the two of us?” he asked, feeling like an idiot for asking. Hell, he just wanted her company. He wanted to talk to her, get to know her, listen to her pretty voice as she described…anything. He didn’t care if they talked about dirt and bugs…he just wanted to talk with her.

  “Ilara needs help with some banquet tonight,” Zuri explained softly, but she stopped inching towards the door.

  “After?” he asked hopefully.

  As he watched, her full lips curled up ever so slightly. Also, that wary look in her dark eyes eased a bit. She was still anxious, but the smile was progress, he told himself.

  “Yes. Once we come back, I’ll find you.”

  Success! “I’ll look forward to that,” he replied, lifting her hand to his lips. And just because he needed one more indication that he was more to her than just some other chump desperate for one of her beautiful smiles, he turned her hand over, pressing a kiss to the pulse on her wrist. Immediately, he felt the pulse speed up and heard the hitch in her breathing. Exactly what he hoped for.

  She pulled back, but he noticed the heat in her cheeks and loved the way she looked confused again.

  “Until later,” he bowed ever so slightly. With that, she turned and walked out of the room, almost running up the stairs. Damn, she was beautiful, he thought.

  Then he smacked his forehead. “Wedding date! Damn, she got out of here without setting a wedding date!”

  Chapter 7

  “Come in!” Ilara called out.

  Zuri stepped into the bedroom and looked around, impressed with the lovely, soft green colors of the room. It was soothing and extraordinarily luxurious. But she wouldn’t expect anything less from Tarin. He expected the best of his people and his advisors. Would it be the same for her? Would he expect things of her during their marriage that…well, that she might not be able to provide?