She laughed, rolling her eyes. “Right.”
“You never know,” he pressed the button on the elevator. “I’m a pretty good teacher.”
A half hour later, Rachel had to agree. “Keep your stance loose,” he repeated. “Don’t tense up in a dangerous situation.” He moved closer, circling her. “Okay, come at me.”
“No,” she groaned, shaking her head for emphasis.
“Rachel, you’re never going to learn to take down someone bigger than you if you don’t keep practicing.”
She’d been practicing. For the past thirty plus minutes, she’d been trying to take him down with the arm-twisting method he’d shown her. But he was a foot taller than her and probably more than a hundred pounds heavier, all of it muscle. Now that she was with him and he wasn’t in one of his yummy, sexy business suits, she could more clearly see each and every one of those hard-packed muscles. And…wow! Just wow!
“Come on, Rachel, you’re not concentrating.”
She sighed. She was concentrating all right. Just not on trying to take him down.
Suddenly, he stood up. “How about if we concentrate on something else?”
That was probably a good idea. “Like what?” she asked, thinking coffee would be an excellent thing to concentrate on. Yep, she could really concentrate on a cup of coffee.
“Instead of trying to flip me, how about if we work on close-in attacks?”
That didn’t sound like coffee. “What do you mean?”
He moved behind her and she knew this wasn’t a good idea. Definitely not good!
“I’ve been trying to show you how to stop someone coming at you with a direct attack. What would you do if I came up from behind like this?” he asked, wrapping his strong, incredibly wonderful, and oh-so hard arms around her shoulders. “What would you do?”
Besides lean back against him? Oh. Right. Defend herself. Nope, leaning back against her attacker wasn’t a good idea. But…yes, it would be lovely if her attacker was Tarin. Especially if he had a cup of coffee!
“Well, I’d probably…” she stopped, realizing she wasn’t sure what to do. “Scream really loud?” she offered weakly. Rachel blamed her lack of inspiration on a lack of coffee and not on the fact that this man had done this to her in her dreams last night, but with a completely different ending in mind.
“You’re not concentrating,” he said, his lips brushing her ear. “You’re distracted and that’s going to put you in a vulnerable situation. You have to be aware of your surroundings and know what to do.”
She wiggled, unaware of the impact her movement had on his body. “Maybe…pretend to faint?”
She felt his smile as his arms tightened. “Then you’re just a heap on the ground and in a more vulnerable position.”
Frantically, Rachel tried to remember what that one self-defense class had taught her way back in high school. Of course, in high school, she hadn’t been addicted to the beauty of coffee, so she’d been paying more attention.
“Isn’t there something about the inside of a person’s foot?”
“Yes. What is it?” he asked, his arm tightening as he pulled her against his chest.
“Um…shouldn’t I stomp on it?”
“Yes. Five minutes ago. Or you could reach up and poke at my eyes,” he suggested, his arm moving slightly. His hold felt more…sensuous now. Not at all threatening.
“Or your groin?”
He laughed. “Yeah. The groin on a man is pretty important. A good target, but you can’t really reach my groin easily in this position. So, what are you going to do?”
Licking her lips, she frantically fought the fog of desire that was overwhelming her thoughts. “I have no idea, Your Highness,” she finally admitted.
“Why don’t you use your elbow?”
She thought about that, but shook her head. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
He laughed, his arm tightening, but again, it didn’t feel scary. It felt…really good! She loved being held like this. If she closed her eyes, she could pretend that he was her lover and he’d just come up behind her and…maybe he would kiss her neck. Or nibble on her ear. And slide his hand around to her stomach and…
Jerking upright, she spun around, pulling out of his arms. “I’m sorry!” she gasped.
“For what?”
She blinked at him, then looked around at the others in the gym. There were only two other people in the gym, both running on treadmills. “Um…well, I guess I wasn’t paying attention.”
He moved closer. “You were on the right track. How about if we try again tomorrow and I’ll show you more basic moves?”
She nodded. “Right. Tomorrow. Basic.” She nodded stupidly, then turned around, almost tripping over her feet. She righted herself, glanced back at him, then hurriedly walked away, terrified that he’d notice the blush staining her cheeks.
Back up in the suite, she sighed with happiness when she spotted the coffee tray that had been delivered while they were working out.
“Good morning, Ms. Morris,” a voice called out from behind her.
Rachel was so intent on pouring herself a cup of coffee that she shrieked and spun around, startled. That’s when she spotted the other woman, who was just as surprised. After a brief moment, they shared a rueful laugh.
“You okay?” Tarin demanded, bursting into the room.
“I’m fine,” Rachel said. “I just…” she waved towards the other woman.
“My apologies, Your Highness. I’m the housekeeper and cook. I stepped out to ask Ms. Morris if she wanted something for breakfast and didn’t announce myself properly.”
Rachel shook her head. “No, it was my fault. I’d been down with the big guy,” she said, pointing her thumb towards Tarin, “and wasn’t concentrating on anything other than getting a cup of coffee.”
Tarin frowned at her and she could almost read his mind. “I know!” she sighed. “You were just warning me to always be aware of my surroundings.” She lifted her cup of coffee. “I was completely aware. Of the scent of coffee!” she explained. Feeling foolish, Rachel cradled her cup of coffee and headed for her bedroom.
Tarin watched Rachel leave, appreciating the view of her remarkably fine derriere outlined by the tight leggings. He didn’t have to hide his lust since she wasn’t paying attention. Her entire focus was on her coffee. The woman had zero situational awareness.
Frustration was like a burn along his entire body. Tarin suddenly remembered the presence of the housekeeper. “Thank you, we’ll have breakfast in about thirty minutes.”
The woman nodded. “Very good, Your Highness,” she replied with a dip of her head, then backed out of the room.
Tarin walked over to the silver coffee urn and poured himself a cup of coffee, then took it to his room, thinking that he needed a cold shower. His idea of giving Rachel lessons in self-defense had been a good one, initially. It would help her get to know him better and he would be free to touch her while giving her very valuable information.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t counted on desire surging through him every time he touched her or the soft, sexy way she wiggled against him when she was trying to figure out how to get out of whatever hold he’d put her in. Wrapping his arms around her had been a mixture of heaven and hell.
Turning on the shower, he switched the water temperature over to cold in an effort to get his body back under control.
A half hour later, he felt mildly better. That is, until he walked out and spotted Rachel in another one of those flouncy, flowered dresses. This one was a soft green that echoed the color of her eyes. The huge, pink flowers brought out the red highlights in her hair and the V neckline reminded him how much he liked her breasts!
He almost snorted at that last thought. As if he’d ever forgotten how much he liked her breasts! Hell, they’d been pressed against his arm yesterday while on the tower and several times over the course of the afternoon, he’d seen glimpses of her red bra. Why she’d worn a red bra yesterday while wearing
a navy dress, he had no clue. But it had been on his mind all day.
Now, he wondered what color bra and panties she wore today. Would they be pink like the flowers on her dress? Or had she chosen a contrasting color, such as she’d done yesterday?
The mystery was going to drive him crazy!
“Good morning,” she called to him, bright and sunny now that she’d had a couple cups of coffee. Meanwhile, he was grouchy and irritable since the cold shower had barely clamped down on his raging libido. And the image of her in that moss-green dress had completely obliterated the effects of that damn, cold shower.
Thankfully, the work day started and, because they weren’t touring the city, it was easier to concentrate. They met with two architectural firms that day and three construction firms. He also got to sit with her during meals to discuss the contractors, listen to her opinion as well as her impressions, and Tarin was impressed with her insights.
Rachel walked into the beautiful hotel, exhausted and ready to curl up with a good book, then fall asleep. Because of her earlier than normal wake up call, the extra energy exerted during their morning self-defense class, plus working so hard today, she was wiped out! Completely mentally trashed!
“Are you hungry?” he asked as he followed her into the suite.
Rachel turned to look up at him, then quickly away when he tugged at the tie knot, revealing that sexy Adam’s apple. “Not really.” What in the world? A man’s Adam’s apple wasn’t sexy!
Tarin pressed a few buttons on a screen and music flowed through the room. “Better?” he asked.
Rachel closed her eyes as the soft, lilting music soothed her exhausted soul. “Yes!” she sighed.
“Come. Let’s dance,” he reached for her hand.
Rachel hesitated. “Dance?”
He hauled her out of the chair she’d slumped into. “Of course. You know the basics of the fox trot. What better way to unwind at the end of a long day?”
With a smoothness that seemed at odds with his height and brawn, he pulled her into his arms, one hand on her waist and the other held her fingers lightly.
“I don’t think we should…”
His voice was husky as he murmured, “Don’t think, Rachel. Just feel.” And he spun her before pulling her close again and Rachel’s heart pulsed with happiness and awareness.
Gliding around the suite, Rachel’s nervousness melted away as she moved through the steps. His lead was strong enough that she knew what he would do almost before he indicated the next move.
“Just relax,” he soothed when she stumbled slightly on a turn. “Let your instincts take over. Stop thinking.”
She laughed slightly, trying to pretend that her stumble was caused by her ineptitude and not because she’d felt his chest brush against her breasts.
The music changed and she looked up into his hazel eyes, wondering…a lot of things. Like what it would be like to kiss him. Was his chest as hard as it looked? Yes, from this morning’s lessons, she knew with absolute certainty that it was, but she wanted to touch it again. Although, this time with her hands. What would he do if she asked to touch him…No, she couldn’t do that. Never!
“What are you thinking about?”
Rachel stumbled over his feet, but his hands tightened, holding her steady.
“Must be something interesting,” he teased.
She blinked, her heart racing. “I was just…”
“Just?”
She shook her head. “It wasn’t anything important,” she whispered back, but her gaze dropped to his lips, her breath catching in her throat.
He paused for a moment, not in the dancing, but the pause was there in his eyes and Rachel was transfixed. Mesmerized.
“I suspect that your thoughts are very important, Rachel,” he replied softly.
His words, combined with the heated look in his eyes, warmed a small piece of her soul. Too many times, her thoughts or opinions had been mocked. It hadn’t been until she’d moved to Izara that she’d started to feel valuable. Now, in Tarin’s arms, small, fluttery wings opened a bit. Those wings fluttered, tentatively feeling the warmth of his pleasure.
“Thank you.”
His eyes widened slightly as they moved around the room, seeming to float as their bodies moved in perfect synchronization. “For what?”
She shrugged. “Just…thank you.” Rachel didn’t want to tell him that she was grateful for his belief in her. Or for valuing her. Those were words that he wouldn’t understand, coming from his background. So instead, she stopped thinking and simply allowed herself to lose herself in the music.
Chapter 8
Rachel stepped into the suite in San Francisco, looking around warily. She’d left Tarin talking with the architects, saying she had some personal errands she needed to get done. He’d eyed her curiously, but had nodded, so she’d taken a taxi back to the hotel.
Listening to the blissful silence, she moved slowly towards her bedroom, wanting to just…not move! After almost two weeks in Tarin’s presence, with early morning self-defense classes and evening dancing lessons, she was sore in ways she’d never known possible!
Not to mention, the whole trip had been a long series of sexual frustration. Tarin’s touch was too much for her these days. She couldn’t take more of it before she exploded and begged him to…what? Make love to her?
For a long moment, she considered. Would he? There had been long, powerful moments when he’d looked at her as if he felt the pulse-pounding desire as well. But was she imagining it?
“Probably not,” she muttered as she slipped off her heels and hobbled across the lush carpet.
That was another thing! She hated hotel rooms! They’d traveled to Paris, London, New York City, Dallas, and were now in San Francisco. Rachel had traveled with Princess Talia plenty of times. But their trips had been one or two cities at a time, not a marathon tour of five or six! The tedious series of lovely hotel suites that were all beginning to blur together. All of the airports definitely looked too similar for her to remember where they were, and she now understood why airport terminals had the name of the city in huge letters somewhere easy to see. It was for travelers like them, who’d been in too many cities and needed the reminder.
She wanted to go home, she thought wistfully.
“What’s wrong?”
Rachel spun around, startled when she heard Tarin’s deep voice. “I thought you were going out to dinner with the architects,” she said, not even trying to hide her irritation. She had been looking forward to a hot bath to soothe her sore muscles. If he were here, she couldn’t have that bath! He’d want do something active, something that would require use of her muscles!
He moved deeper into the room. “I watched the way you walked out of the building and canceled the dinner. Something is wrong!”
He peered down at her, obviously concerned. “Tell me what’s wrong. Are you sick?” he asked, pressing his palm to her forehead.
“I’m not sick,” she said, pulling back but he only pressed his other hand to the back of her neck, still taking her temperature with his hand. “I don’t have a fever, I’m just...”
Rachel pressed her lips together, utterly frustrated. She wanted to be strong and capable and to keep up with him. But right now, all she wanted was an hour to herself, neck deep in the tub.
His eyes narrowed at her hesitation. “Just what? What’s going on?”
“I’m sore!” she snapped, losing her grip on her temper. “You’re all…” she waved her hand in the air, “physical and moving around all the time, and I’m more of a home body. Normally, I come home from work and I curl up in a chair to read or sew or just relax. There’s no relaxing with you!” she finished, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation.
He blinked at her for a long, stunned moment, then threw back his head, laughing. He pulled her into his arms and Rachel leaned into him, inhaling the clean, masculine scent of him. Goodness, he smelled good and felt good and sounded sexy as hell! For a prec
ious moment, she closed her eyes, leaning into his hard chest, reveling in the moment.
“You need a massage,” he told her softly.
Jerking away, she shook her head. “Nope! No massage,” she told him firmly.
He lifted a dark eyebrow as he looked down at her. “You don’t like massages?”
She shivered at the intensity in those eyes of his, but wrapped her arms over her stomach defensively. “Um…I’ve never had one before,” Rachel admitted. At his astonished look, she continued, “The idea of being naked while a stranger touches me is…” Rachel stopped abruptly, realizing where that statement was going. She grimaced when she looked up at his raised eyebrows. “Okay, that sounded weird.”
He laughed softly, moving forward. “I’ve pushed you much harder this week than you’re used to, haven’t I?”
She leaned back against the wall behind her. “Yes. But that’s okay.”
He moved closer, standing directly in front of her. “Now you’re sore and achy…and afraid of a massage.”
Her body stiffened at his charge, but since she really was sore, the effort only caused her muscles to protest. It was worse when he reached out to slide a finger along her jawline. “Will you let me make it better?”
Rachel closed her eyes, leaning into that touch. Just for a moment, she promised. Just for the sheer pleasure that it gave to her tired, aching body. Then she realized what she was doing and her eyes flew open, her lungs filled with air, and she tried to pull back. But he realized what she’d done! Looking into his eyes, they were…heated?
“I’m fine,” she told him, trying to pretend as if that moment hadn’t happened.
“You’re more than fine,” he replied, his voice rough and low. His legs now touched hers and the skirt of her dress danced around his slacks. Their clothing was a barely adequate barrier to the tension vibrating around them.
But then he stepped back abruptly, turning away from her. “A massage will fix your aching muscles. Pressing the lactic acid out will release it and help ease the pain and it will also help them heal.” He walked to the bar. “I’ll get you a glass of wine while the massage table is brought up to your room.” With that, he poured a glass of scotch for himself and white wine for her.
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