Beauty and the Sheikh

by Shelli Stevens

  Soon, the light flirting and long glances escalated into deep kisses and passionate embraces in the shadows. And then, dinner in the exclusive restaurant in his casino…

  “Would you like to go downstairs and play any of the card tables, habiba?” he’d asked.

  “I’m not much of a gambler,” she’d confessed. Except with my heart.

  The night had been so perfect, with their private room and delicious food served by candlelight. And the way Rafiq found reasons to touch her—stroke her hand or push a strand of hair behind her ear—never failed to send her pulse into overdrive.

  He’d leaned down to kiss her, exquisitely gentle in a way that left her body heated and her heart pounding. “Come away with me—I have a vacation home in the French Riviera where we could be alone.”

  She knew what he asked and saw no reason to pretend otherwise. “But what about everybody else?”

  “I have no desire to make love to your manager or photographer, habiba. Only you,” he’d teased, his gaze smoldering.

  She’d laughed softly, even though she’d been so out of her league, and so thoroughly tempted.

  “Consider it, Holly. I have meetings over the next few days about the logistics of a possible photo shoot, but we could spend the weekend together.”

  And then his mouth had found hers again, more thoroughly this time, making her grateful for the privacy of their room within the restaurant.

  “No answer, Holly?”

  Holly blinked, snapping out of the memory. What were they talking about again? Oh, yes, he was accusing her of sneaking into his palace under disguise.

  “I don’t think I should have to answer such a ridiculous accusation.”

  Even if he’d been justified in making it.

  Holly recoiled instinctively as the hostility in his expression increased.

  As he glared down at her with a face that could make even the strongest of men cringe, she could understand why the tabloids loved to paint a frightening picture of the Sheikh. Even if it was rare they’d capture him on film.

  Still, Sheikh Rafiq Hakimi was almost larger than life itself. Intimidating. Powerful. Frightening with the constant scowl and jagged scar that ran from his cheek to his neck, only to disappear beneath his robes. Combine that with his temper, and it was no wonder people often feared him.

  And tonight, knowing she came to beg for a favor from the man who hated her, Holly realized she was no exception.

  Chapter 2

  Rafiq watched the flicker of emotions on Holly’s face and cursed himself for not being able to let her go. There was no threat, no reason to keep his fingers curled around the delicate curve of her shoulder. Except touching her was like breathing air he’d long been denied.

  The soft scent of her perfume, subtle and light, caressed his senses. It was the same one she’d worn two years ago, and just the smell of it sent memories careening into him like a deadly sandstorm.

  How was it possible to have missed something he’d never really had? How could he possibly still want this woman?

  Her tongue darted out, traced over the lush mouth he’d once had the pleasure of claiming. His groin tightened and he bit back a groan. Would he find her body unchanged beneath the burka? Would it still be as flawless as the face he now gazed upon?

  “You have yet to explain to me why you’ve come to Raljahar, Holly.”

  The steel in his tone did little to intimidate her as defiance flickered in her eyes. It was one thing that had initially intrigued him about her. Holly had never recoiled from his appearance, had not been intimidated by him at all in their first meeting.

  “Raljahar is a worldwide tourist destination. Americans are often inclined to visit just as much as those on this continent, Your Majesty.”

  Amusement warred with irritation that she seemed to resent calling him by his title. Did she not even realize how fortunate she was to have gained a personal audience with him? It was rare even citizens of his country received this opportunity. Had he not intervened, she’d be sitting in a jail cell at this moment, awaiting a trial. “So you’re telling me you’ve come on holiday?”

  “Of course not.” Her eyes rounded in horror. She shook her head, her cheeks tingeing a beguiling pink as her tongue swept across her mouth again. “I would never… My journey to Raljahar isn’t for my benefit.”

  Warning bells rang in his head. “Then whose benefit is it for?”

  She swallowed hard and lifted her chin, desperation and naked agony in her gaze. “Andrew Gray. He’s in your prison, and I’m here to beg you to release him.” She choked on the last word. “Please, he’s all I have, Ra—Your Majesty.”

  Rafiq’s world spun out of focus as her words echoed in his head. His heart thumped painfully against his chest and everything inside him clenched with shock. She came here to beg for her lover’s release? The idea of Holly with another man—let alone begging Rafiq to help him—made something dark and resentful build inside him.

  With a growl, he reached down and caught her hand, abruptly pulling up the sleeves of the black garment. Holly gasped, attempting to tug her soft fingers away, but he tightened his hold as he searched her fingers again, looking for the ring that perhaps he’d missed initially.

  “What are you—”

  “You dare come to beg for the release of your lover?”

  “N-no.” Understanding dawned in her eyes and she shook her head. “Andrew’s not my lover. He’s my brother.”

  Rafiq stilled and some of the tension eased, but he wasn’t certain he believed her. Perhaps she would say anything at this rate to save the man. “Your brother? Then why do you not share the same family name?”

  “Winchester was an alias chosen for my modeling career. I ultimately changed it legally.”

  “And Holly?”

  “Is my real name.”

  The fury that had consumed him faded away almost completely. He was inclined to believe her, and all he needed to do was give the word and he could have her story confirmed. Without a doubt he would see it done, would find out if this Andrew was truly not her lover, but her brother.

  “Tell me more about your brother, Holly.” He drew his thumb across the knuckles of her hand, watching as her mouth parted and a shudder racked her body.

  Her gaze slid to his scar, lingering there, and Rafiq’s nostrils flared. His touch and his appearance repulsed her that much, did it? And yet he couldn’t bring himself to release her hand, no matter how unnecessary holding it was.

  There was a fleeting moment in the past where he’d been fooled into believing she enjoyed his touch and had seen beyond his flawed face. Until he’d discovered that not only was the American beauty a top model, but an accomplished actress.

  Holly swallowed visibly and hesitated before answering. “Andrew was arrested last week. He was allegedly caught cheating at a cards table in your casino.”

  “Allegedly?” he mocked, his lips curling. How pitifully naïve she was. Or perhaps she just thought him a fool. “Are you calling into question the level of security at my casino?”

  “No, will you stop twisting my words?” She jerked her hand from his grasp and stumbled backward. “What I’m saying is my brother would never cheat!” But he saw the flicker of doubt in her eyes, and it was compounded by her next words. “Though if he owes any money, I have brought the funds to pay.”

  Watching him, she must’ve realized her words were a mistake, because she lifted a hand to her mouth.

  “You think I need your money, Holly?” He asked the question with a chilling softness he knew would intimidate.

  “No, of course not, but the principle of it—”

  “Your brother ignored principle when he chose to steal from my casino.”

  She flinched and for a moment he saw the tears of desperation in her eyes. “Rafiq, please don’t be so quick to dismiss me. If you have any compassion, you’d consider my request.”

  “If I have any compassion?” Rafiq ground out, unable to believe his ea
rs. The words absolutely preposterous coming from her sensual lips after what she’d done to him. “You, Holly, are a fraud to even speak of compassion.”

  Anger flashed in her eyes and she opened her mouth, appearing as if she were about to curse him to pieces, but then closed it again. Her hands balled into fists at her side, nearly disappearing into the long sleeves of her burka. Her head bowed. “I’m sorry. I haven’t come here to argue with you, Your Majesty. I’ve come to beg for help.”

  Seeing Holly humbled before him sent a stab of satisfaction through him. Though she’d put space between them, he closed it again. His sense of power grew at the sound of the small, nervous breaths escaping her lips and the trembling of her body.

  How was it possible he still wanted her? Wanted her mouth on his. Wanted her beneath him in bed, begging for pleasure and calling his name in abandon.

  “Just what are you willing to do to garner his release?”

  Her head jerked up, sapphire eyes widening with shock and wariness. “What do you mean?”

  Rafiq’s gaze slid to her mouth, so full and currently unadorned with lipstick or gloss and yet so tempting and bewitching. She’d always been uncommonly beautiful, with or without her face painted. The day he’d met her she’d been without makeup, and he’d still been struck dumb by her beauty.

  With lightning-quick movements, Rafiq slid his arm around her waist and drew her body flush against his. Her gasp of shock coincided with her hands flying up to press against his chest.

  “I think you know exactly what I mean.”

  Comprehension dawned in her gaze, followed by something that looked like disgust.

  Pain ripped through him and he clenched his jaw. She made no effort to conceal how repulsive she found him, even when her supposed brother’s future was at stake.

  “What would you do, Holly?” he rasped again, harsher this time as he lightly ran his palm up her back and then down low again, until it rested just above the swell of her buttocks.

  A tremble ripped through her and she shook her head. “You misunderstand. I would never…”

  “Ah, but you could, habiba.” He cupped her face with his free hand and held her head still.

  He wanted to punish her for what she’d done two years ago. And for appearing in his life again when he tried so hard to never think of her—to never think of their passionate moments together.

  But more than that, he wanted to feel her lips beneath his and taste her again. Hear her cries of pleasure, even if they were a lie.

  She must’ve seen the intent in his expression, because her eyes widened with panic and awareness. “No. Please, don’t do this, Rafiq—”

  “Your Majesty,” he ground out, and then claimed her mouth.

  Her lips parted on a cry of protest, allowing his tongue to sweep in and conquer. To demand a surrender he knew Holly would never give willingly.

  Rafiq’s arm around her waist was like a steel band, holding Holly captive to a sea of sensation and memories. His mouth on hers sent her plummeting back to another time. A time where she could’ve had any luxury in the world, but where she craved one man more than anything money could buy.

  She’d been hopelessly naïve with Rafiq back then, and she couldn’t afford to make the same mistake again. Couldn’t afford to give in to the pleasure threatening to overtake her.

  Holly renewed her struggle, shoving against his chest in an attempt to free herself. Her hands encountered the solid wall of muscle beneath his robe, and the realization made the heat and tingling in her body skyrocket. No, she couldn’t let this happen. Couldn’t let him think for one moment she’d come here to exchange this for her brother’s freedom.

  Again she tried to pull her mouth away, but when she twisted, he followed. His tongue coaxed and teased hers, gentling now, until it stroked away her ability to think. Until all she could do was feel. And oh, heaven help her, but did she feel. Her body buzzed with excitement and her breasts swelled as she responded to the sensual assault of his mouth.

  Instead of trying to push him away, Holly curled her fingers into the fabric of his robe. She clung to him as her world spun out of control into a heady vortex of need and hot desire. Only Rafiq had ever made her feel like this. He made her feel so alive, awakened a usually dormant passion inside her.

  She wasn’t even aware he’d lifted his mouth from hers until the loss of sensation slammed into her. A cry of protest spilled from her lips before she realized what it was.

  The silence in the room shocked her back to her senses and brought her right back to reality. Her face grew hot and she squeezed her eyes shut. How quickly she’d lost her mind. Again.

  “You are embarrassed by your body’s response?” Rafiq made a confident stroke of his thumb across her lips, and she jerked her head away as another tremble of awareness slid through her.

  Oh, God, what he must think of her right now—the assumptions he would be making. That he had every right to make because her body betrayed her.

  Very nice, Holly. Way to lose complete control.

  “Women may find my appearance repulsive,” he murmured matter-of-factly, “but in my arms they will still find pleasure.”

  What? Her eyes snapped open, her brows drawing together into a scowl as she glowered up at him. Okay, she wasn’t buying the poor-me bit about women thinking he was ugly. Not for a minute. So he had a scar. It was one flaw on an incredibly sexy man. “If anything is repulsive, it’s your behavior and the way you treat people. Let me go, Rafiq.”

  The smug smile hardened, as did his stare, but he didn’t immediately release her. Had she angered him again by not calling him Your Majesty, or by calling him out on his behavior?

  “I am not familiar with your brother’s case, Holly. But I will look further into the matter this evening.”

  A bloom of hope quickly deflated her anger. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so quick to lash out at him with her tongue. Though the small prickle of guilt inside her made Holly wonder if he was ‘looking further’ into her brother’s situation because of the kiss.

  A kiss that meant nothing, she reminded herself. It was a move to display power. To show he held the cards. And unfortunately, that was painfully undeniable.

  None of this had gone as she’d planned today. But what had she expected? That Rafiq would welcome her back with a smile, eager to accommodate her plea?

  From her research, it seemed Andrew would be imprisoned for almost a decade if she didn’t secure his release. She couldn’t let that happen, couldn’t allow the brother who’d raised her since she was fifteen to sit in a jail cell.

  She hadn’t even realized Andrew had come to Raljahar. Usually if he took a trip to a casino, it was a short flight over to Las Vegas from his home in Portland. Raljahar was a country in the middle of the desert, catering to the wealthy and the privileged. Andrew was neither.

  Maybe once, when she’d been at the height of her modeling career, he’d enjoyed a few more luxuries. But not now. Those elitist circles had closed once she’d left the industry.

  She would have to take Rafiq at his word—trust that he would indeed look into her brother’s case—and go back to her hotel and try to forget this kiss had ever happened.

  She forced aside her unease. “Thank you. I really do appreciate it. I can leave my number for you to contact me when you make a decision. In the meantime, I’ll return to the hotel—”

  “You will stay here.”

  Holly stilled, her stomach sinking. Surely she’d heard wrong. “That won’t be necessary. I have a room booked at the—”

  “There is no need to throw away your money.” He turned and walked to his desk. “I insist you stay in the palace. I have plenty of room.”

  Panic rose inside her as she watched him lift his phone, press a button, and speak in Arabic to someone on the other line.

  No, she couldn’t possibly stay here. Her fingers laced together and she bit her lip, looking around the stylish office, where even the pens looked like they cost a f
ortune. Staying in the palace would be terribly inappropriate. Already Rafiq must have the wrong idea about their kiss—even if he’d been the one to take it.

  And he had taken it. There’d been no softness or slow seduction. There’d been anger, punishment, but with the hint of the passion that ensnared her the first time they’d met. And that’s what she’d responded to—it had to be. Otherwise she’d never have had such an irrational reaction.

  Rafiq replaced the phone receiver and turned back to face her, his smile smug. “You see? It was no trouble at all. Your room is being prepared at this moment.”

  The knot in her stomach grew. Stay here and essentially be his prisoner? She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t accept your generous offer.”

  Rafiq tilted his head and raised one dark brow. “You can if you’d like me to consider your brother’s case.”

  She never should’ve come. Never. There was no reasoning with a man like Rafiq. A man who it seemed earned his reputation for being ruthless and always getting what he wanted.

  The doors to his office opened, and she heard the footsteps of his guards approaching from behind.

  She couldn’t afford to not have Rafiq consider Andrew’s release—to consider accepting the small amount of money she had left to offer. She bit the inside of her cheek as she remembered how different her life had become since their last meeting.

  “Miss Winchester.” A pleasant voice came from behind her. “If you would please follow me.”

  Still, she grasped at straws. “But my luggage is at my hotel.”

  “I’ve already had it sent for.”

  Her eyes widened at Rafiq’s arrogant response. “But how could you possibly know where I’m staying?”

  The smile he gave her was nothing if not patronizing. “Holly, I know everything about what happens in Raljahar.”

  Of course you do. It took all the willpower she had to keep from spitting the words at him. Instead, she dredged up a smile from somewhere deep inside her—hoping it didn’t appear as brittle as it felt—and nodded. “Thank you. Your hospitality is appreciated.”