by Leslie North
“It does occasionally snow here,” he murmured as he pressed his lips to her neck. “I imagine they get a lot more of it in New York.”
“Yes, we do. And I hate it. Now, I hate it even more. The airport called. All flights are grounded because this is just the beginning. It’s going to snow all day. All day,” she moaned. “We’re not going to be able to leave. You should have taken another flight yesterday. I should have ignored Sebastian. I don’t even understand why he shipped the crates here. Why didn’t he ship them to Syria? Why can’t I call him?”
“Habibti.” He forced her to turn around and kissed her. Just like that, she melted into him. He had this amazing ability to make all her troubles seem far far away. “Just breathe. You still have time to get there on time. Tessa can take care of everything until then.”
Closing her eyes, she rested her forehead on his chest. “I’m worried about my brother,” she whispered.
“I know.” His arms wrapped around her, and he tightened his hold on her. “But you have to believe that if something had happened to him, someone would have called you by now.”
It made sense. Sebastian was never alone, but it didn’t do anything to ease the feeling that something was wrong. The problems just kept piling up, and it looked like fate was working against her.
“At this rate, Christmas is not going to happen this year,” she said with a heavy heart. She was only one person, and it looked like she wasn’t going to be enough.
Jarik put his hand under her chin and lifted her face to his. His eyes searched her, and he finally leaned down and kissed here again. His lips were soft and comforting. “I’m sorry. If I could, I’d do the very thing that you hate and throw all my money at the problem to make it go away.”
Maria couldn’t help but chuckle. “Unfortunately, I don’t think the snow has any use for your riches. But, and I can’t believe that I’m about to say this, I do appreciate your willingness to help.”
“What I can buy is breakfast. Want to go out or order in?”
“My stomach is in knots. I don’t think that I could eat. I just want a cup of coffee and to head out to the hangar before the snow gets too bad to at least make sure that the new crates are accounted for.”
“Okay. Why don’t you get us that coffee while I finish getting dressed. I’ll call for a taxi.”
Stepping out of his arms took more strength than she wanted to admit. She almost hated how nice he was being to her. It was hard to resist him when he was trying to seduce her, but this sweet side of him?
It may be her undoing.
Grabbing her wallet, she practically ran from their hotel room. She didn’t have the energy or the time to deal with the likes of Jarik Shadid. She needed to focus on Christmas Crates and forget all about the sexy Sheikh who had made her scream in ecstasy last night.
He hadn’t even taken his own pleasure. It was overwhelming. And if what she’d felt last night was any indication of how she’d feel when he buried himself in her, she knew without a doubt that it would be the best sex of her life.
Hot sex. Steamy sex. Dirty sex.
Distracting sex.
“Coffee,” she muttered. “You’ll feel more in control after coffee.”
There was a cafe and bakery in the lobby. She paid for two large black coffees and grabbed a muffin for Jarik. She couldn’t help but feel the eyes of the employees staring at her as she made her way back to the elevator. She knew what they were thinking.
Black cargo pants. A simple green sweater. No make-up. Boots. She hardly fit the profile of the standard guests that stayed here. None of those people would dare to step foot out the door without wearing something outrageously expensive. Her whole outfit was probably cheaper than a single meal here.
When the doors closed, she leaned against the wall and carefully balanced the drink carrier in her hand. The hotel was a cold reminder of why she shouldn’t be concerned about a future with Jarik. She would never fit in with his life.
But, for the time being, they were stuck together. Would it be that bad if she simply enjoyed him while he was here?
It wasn’t like her to argue with herself. If she kept it up, she was going to drive herself insane.
When she opened the door to their room, Jarik was still buttoning up his shirt. He wore a lazy smile that made her stomach flip-flop.
“Why are you smiling?” she grumbled. “It’s not like you’re going anywhere either.”
“Maybe it’s the coffee.” He reached over and plucked the cup from the tray. “Maybe it’s just you.”
Maria danced out of his reach. “Speaking of, I think that maybe we should talk about last night before this goes any further.”
“Maria…”
She immediately held up her hand. “Please. Let me get this out. I don’t usually have to have conversations like this. Jarik, I can’t deny the chemistry between us. Not after last night, but just because it’s there doesn’t mean that we have to pursue it.”
“Give me one good reason why we shouldn’t,” he challenged as he narrowed his eyes.
“It’s going to end, and I think it’s not going to end well,” she muttered. Thrusting out the muffin, she turned her head so she wasn’t looking directly at him. When he reached out to grab the package, his fingers circled her wrist.
“The only way that it would end badly is if feelings get involved. Intense passion can lead to jealousy. Attachments. The desire for more,” he murmured in a low voice.
He wasn’t wrong, but she wasn’t about to admit to any of that. “Eat your muffin. I want to go check on my plane.”
Laughing, he pulled the muffin out of the bag and took a big bite. Knowing she’d lost the battle, Maria could only shake her head as she grabbed her jacket. “Take your bag too,” Jarik said suddenly.
“Take my bag? Why? We can’t go anywhere.”
“Do you have to question everything? Just trust me.”
Trust him? Straightening slowly, she searched his face for a clue. “I only question things that don’t make sense.” Still, she grabbed her bag and turned to the door.
Jarik’s hand settled on the small of her back, and she stiffened. It wasn’t that she was uncomfortable with the move. The truth was that she’d been aching for his touch.
That made her uncomfortable.
The team that he’d hired were still standing guard around the plane when they got there. Maria gasped and hurried forward, but Jarik grabbed her hand. “Whoa. Don’t panic. They’re a security detail that I hired to keep an eye on things. I know you were worried about the crates.”
“You hired security without telling me?” Anger flashed across her face, but then it melted away. “Normally, I would hate this, but those crates are everything right now. Thank you.”
Was that honest gratitude on her face? Jarik responded to it almost violently. Suddenly, he wanted to see that look on her face all the time. Peace and relief.
He wanted to make Maria Walken a very happy woman.
“Check on your crates, and then I have another surprise for you.”
“Another surprise?”
He reached out and took her hand. “I can’t do anything about the snow, and I can’t get your crates to Syria, but I can do this for you. And since you have nothing to do for the next twenty hours, you can’t object.”
Maria raised an eyebrow. “That depends entirely on what this surprise is.”
“It’s a very good surprise. I have a donor for your charity. I can help make this the very best Christmas for Christmas Crates.”
“A donor?” A huge smile crossed her face. “Here in Riyadh?”
“No, we have to fly to the coast.”
Maria blinked and stared at him. “Fly? Jarik, that’s the reason that we’re stuck here. We can’t fly anywhere.”
“The planes are grounded, but I called in a favor. How do you feel about helicopters?”
“Helicopters? If you could take a helicopter, then what are you doing here with me?”
Jarik reached out and took her duffel bag from her. “Someone needs to keep an eye on you. Now, go check and make sure that the crates are loaded. Then we’ll head out.”
Her eyes were lit with excitement, and for a moment, she looked like a kid. Jarik felt his heart pick up speed as she practically skipped to her plane. Waving his fingers slightly, he nodded to the security to let her through. Relaxing, he watched amused as she scurried from crate to crate, checking the numbers with the inventory list. The cold air bit at his nose, and he wrapped his jacket tighter around him.
His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out to look at the caller ID.
“Melka? What the hell has Samir done now?” Jarik growled after he tapped to answer.
“Nice to hear from you too, brother,” Samir said dryly. “What’s this I hear about you visiting Kivi?”
“Samir,” Jarik sighed. “I’ve told you before that Kivi is none of your business.”
“Relax. I’m not here to pick a fight with you. Where are you exactly?”
Jarik hesitated. “Actually, I’m on my way to Syria.”
“Syria? That’s a dangerous place for you to be.”
“Minor detour,” Jarik said smoothly. “But I can’t talk long. What do you need? Bail money?”
“No. I was actually wondering if you spoke to father recently.”
“Nothing other than a few business memos last week. Why? Is something wrong?”
“I’m not sure. I spoke to him yesterday, and he didn’t seem well.”
“Like, he was ill?”
“No. Like he was upset about something. He mentioned that he wanted to see us all together before the end of the year.”
“All of us? Together?” Jarik couldn’t believe his father was asking this. Samir must have heard wrong.
“My thoughts exactly.” From his tone, Jarik knew he was just as surprised.
“I’ll talk to him and see what’s going on,” Jarik promised. “Where are you?”
“Nowhere in particular.” Jarik already knew where he was, why would he evade the answer? Before he could ask, Samir told him, “Stay safe, brother,” and then disconnected the call.
Jarik decided to call Kashif. “Best to get it over with now,” he told himself as he stamped his feet in the cold, shaking off Samir’s call. Getting Kashif’s voicemail, he left him a quick message before pocketing his phone.
What could possibly be wrong with father? He didn’t have time to call him now and he worried that if he did, his father would know that he was going to Lebanon and would force him to return home. That wasn’t going to happen. Not now.
He watched Maria finish up in the plane. When he had called his friend about the use of the helicopter, he didn’t even think twice about granting his wish, and soon, Jarik really would be able to see what pure bliss looked like on Maria’s face.
And he’d have her. Her resistance was waning, and he could see the desire in her eyes. The taste that he’d given her last night wasn’t nearly enough for her.
God knows that it wasn’t enough for him. He wouldn’t be satisfied until she was under him again, writhing in pleasure.
Gasping his name again.
9
Maria’s jaw dropped as they stepped away from the helicopter. For the second time that day, she was in awe. “I don’t believe this.” After an hour flight, she could only stare down at the scene below her. The blades from the copter whipped her hair around, and the sound was deafening, but she was frozen in her spot.
They’d just left a freezing snowfall only to land on the edge of a gorgeous sunny beach. The sun warmed her skin, and the lapping of the Persian Gulf beckoned her.
“Come on,” Jarik yelled in her ear as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her away. When they were clear, he raised his hand and waved as the pilot raised the large machine into the air. “He’ll be back in the morning to take us back to the airport.”
“In the morning?” Excitement bloomed in her chest. “You mean we’re going to stay here at the beach all day and all night?”
“You said that you wanted to spend Christmas on a sunny beach. Here you go.”
“Oh.” She put her hands over her chest and beamed at him. “This is amazing, but I have so much to do. I feel awful about enjoying time on the beach when Tessa is struggling to keep things together.”
“Maria, you deserve a chance to relax. I called Tessa this morning to make sure that she didn’t need anything. She gave me a list, and I’ve gotten it taken care of. Her exact words were, ‘Tell Maria to let her hair down and actually have a good fucking time for once.’ We will get to Syria tomorrow evening, in time for Christmas. Everything is going to be fine, so, for today, relax and enjoy yourself.”
Relax? She couldn’t remember the last time that she’d been able to relax. She couldn’t get a hold of Sebastian. The entire charity was riding on this trip to Syria. And Jarik wanted her to relax?
Hesitantly, she looked over her shoulder and closed her eyes. She hadn’t been to the beach or felt the sand between her toes since high school. The water called to her.
“Okay,” she whispered. When the words were out, she laughed. “Okay. Let’s do it!”
“Excellent.” Jarik clapped his hands and rubbed them together. There was a mischievous smile on his face. “Let’s get you in the proper attire.”
Proper attire? She glanced down at her pants, sweater, and jacket. It was definitely not beachwear. Jarik grabbed her hand, and she didn’t even think twice about taking it. Not wanting to miss a single second of her impromptu vacation, she raced to the roof access. The sooner she changed, the sooner she could soak up some rays.
An hour later, she was in a floral skirt and a low-cut white tank top. Slipping out of her sandals, she sighed in pleasure as her feet sank into the hot grains of sand. Twenty feet in front of her, the waters lapped quietly on the shoreline.
Jarik came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Nuzzling her neck, his hands slipped under her shirt against her stomach. “Happy?” he whispered.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she leaned back and sighed. “I think so,” she murmured. “I certainly never expected this when I met you.”
“Believe me, I never expected this either.” He pressed a kiss to her ear and moved away to take her hand. “Come on. This is a private beach, so we have it all to ourselves.”
“A private beach? Who owns it?” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she closed her eyes and sighed. “Let me guess. It’s yours.”
“I can already see the wheels in your head turning,” he chuckled as he led her towards the rocky barrier. “It is family property. We used to vacation here when I was younger, although I never appreciated it then as much as I do now. Must be the company. Come on.”
Jarik climbed up the wet boulder and turned to her. “Take my hand. I promise the view is magnificent on this side, but the rocks are slick.”
Feeling strange, she reached out to take his hand. His grip was warm and strong, and she knew that he wouldn’t let her go.
Physically and emotionally.
Her sandals slipped every now and then, but he caught her each time, and soon they were across. He gripped her hips and set her down gently. Looking over her shoulder, she gasped.
Unlike the other side of the rocks, this one was shaded with trees, and the sand was almost white. It was breathtaking.
“The property had already been developed on that side when my grandfather bought it, but this side of the rocks were still untouched, so we left it that way. No restaurants or shops over here.”
“Just paradise,” she whispered. “Jarik, this is absolutely amazing.”
“Today, it’s just for you.”
Maria bit her bottom lip and glanced down. It wasn’t luxury. It was nature, and yet it was something that she could never have attained without Jarik’s money.
But today, she was going to enjoy it. She could deal with the guilt later.
“Sun or shade?”
“Hmm?” Maria tore her gaze from the water and smiled. “Sun, for now. Who knows when I’ll get to enjoy it again like this!”
Jarik spread the blanket over the sand. Maria felt almost shy when she sat down on it. He didn’t seem to have the same issues as her. Instead, he stripped off his shirt and reached for the button of his shorts.
“What are you doing?” Maria asked, quickly averting her eyes.
“We’re at the beach. I’m going for a swim!” She could hear the amusement in his voice, but she still didn’t look back up until she could hear him splashing in the water. When she raised her head, the air escaped her lungs.
Oh. God. Although he was waist deep in the water, he looked mouth-wateringly good. The water rubbed against his chiseled chest, and she couldn’t help but stare as the rivulets ran from his shoulders and down his body.
Heaven help her, she wanted to press her mouth to his skin and lick that very same path.
“Come, join me,” he said in a tantalizing voice.
“I just bought this outfit,” she argued weakly. “I don’t want to get it wet. This shirt is white!”
“I wouldn’t mind seeing that,” Jarik admitted. “But if you would rather not get your new clothes wet, you can always take them off.”
Maria had never been skinny-dipping in her entire life. She was an adult. Surely, she was not going to start now? And certainly not with Jarik. She opened her mouth to tell him, but he took a few steps toward her, and as the water dipped lower and lower on his body, she stared as more skin emerged.
“Come on, Maria. Let go. Have a little fun,” he coaxed gently.
“Tempting.”
He stopped just short of revealing his cock, and she almost moaned in frustration. “Shy?” He laughed and slowly turned his back to her. “I won’t see a thing.”
Her body didn’t feel like her own as she stood and slowly pulled her shirt up. Despite everything she had said earlier this morning, she knew that desire was winning out. Shimmying out of her skirt, she reached for the clasp of her bra.