Mikael’s lips curved, and yet on the inside he grew very still.
My husband, she’d said. Not sarcastically, or angrily. But kindly. Warmly.
It made his chest tighten and ache. He tried very hard to be a good king, but that didn’t make him deserving of a woman like Jemma.
“Be careful,” he said to her, leaning across the table and kissing her gently. “Be careful of wolves in sheep’s clothing.”
She smiled into his eyes as her hand reached up to cup his face. “I know of no sheep. Just wolves. And hawks. And scary desert scorpions and snakes.”
He stared into her eyes an extra moment, taking her in, feeling the impact of her beauty and warmth. “I could very well be one of those poisonous scorpions or snakes.”
“You could.” She rubbed his jaw, fingernails scratching lightly along his stubble before sitting back. “But I don’t think so. I’ve seen who you are. You’re a man determined to restore honor to your country, and preserve tradition. You are protective of women, just look at how you’ve treated me, and provided for my mother.”
“Because I failed to provide for mine.”
“You’re making amends.”
“Too late, though, for her.”
He rose abruptly from the table, unable to sit another moment, and extended his hand to her. “Come with me.”
* * *
He led her to the enormous bed in the Sapphire Chamber, and stripped her of her gown and delicate silk bra and thong before kissing her and making love to her. The lovemaking was slow, sensual, lasting for hours.
Satiated, Jemma remained in Mikael’s arms. He held her closely and Jemma sighed, feeling secure.
He felt right to her. Being with him felt good. The humiliation and shame of the past year couldn’t hurt her when she was in his arms. Damien’s rejection no longer mattered. Damien wasn’t anything but a lousy model, a spineless man. She smiled to herself, feeling safe...content...loved.
Mikael had somehow made her feel whole again, and strong.
Saidia wasn’t home, but Mikael could be. And while he hadn’t said words of love, he’d given her something else. His commitment. His promise.
She trusted his word. She cherished his vows because he was a man of his word, and a man who took his commitments seriously.
This, she thought, wrapping her arms over his, this is what she needed. This is who she wanted. This was her future.
* * *
In the morning, Jemma woke slowly, feeling deliciously lazy, and deeply rested. Eyes still closed, she let herself breathe and float. At least, it felt as if she were floating. Everything inside her was warmth and light. Easy.
The world was good.
Life was better.
Her lashes fluttered, a butterfly kiss, and she opened her eyes, and saw Mikael lying next to her. She smiled with pleasure. She loved sleeping with him, loved having him there with her all night.
She was quite attracted to this man.
“Good morning, laeela,” Mikael said, eyes still closed, his voice deep and husky with sleep.
“You’re awake,” she said, pleased.
“No. I’m still sleeping,” he said, his voice still with that lovely gravelly growl she found enormously sexy. “My eyes are shut.”
“Then how did you know I was awake?” she asked, amused, propping her head on her hand.
“I could feel you watching me.”
“Then you are awake.”
He sighed. His beautiful dark eyes opened, and he looked at her, black eyebrow lifting. “Now I am.”
She grinned. “Hi.”
He sighed again, heavily, but his eyes glinted. “Hello.”
Jemma laughed softly. He was acting put out but he wasn’t really. “How did you sleep?” she asked him.
“Well. And you?”
“Exceedingly well.”
“You like our fresh desert air.”
“No, I like you. Being held by you.” She felt bold, but she didn’t care. How could she be shy around him when he made her feel so beautiful and strong? “That’s three nights you’ve stayed with me, all through the night.”
“I am committed to your pleasure.”
“You most certainly are,” she agreed, hiding her smile as she studied his hard, handsome features. Such a striking face. All strong lines and edges and then that soft curve of lip...lower, upper. He was so nice to look at. “I appreciate your commitment.”
A deep groove formed next to his mouth. His lips quirked. “You are shameless.”
“You’ve only yourself to blame, Your Highness. You’ve made me shameless.”
He reached out to brush long strands of hair from her brow, gently pushing them back from her face, his thumb easing across her forehead in a soft caress. “Have I? How?”
Just that light touch sent shivers through her, and darts of pleasure to her breasts and between her thighs. Senses stirred, she exhaled slowly, carefully, her thoughts tangling. It was hard to think when Mikael touched her. “How can I feel shame when everything we do together makes me feel wonderful, and powerful?”
“Sex makes you feel powerful?”
She frowned. It didn’t sound right, not phrased like that. “I’m sure great sex makes lots of people feel powerful, but I wasn’t referring to sex in general, but sex with you.” She frowned again. Because that didn’t sound right, either. She wasn’t having sex with Mikael. She was making love with Mikael. She was loving Mikael.
She was most definitely in love with Mikael. She wished she could tell him. Wished she knew how to tell him that the pleasure she felt with him wasn’t merely sexual. It wasn’t just physical. Her pleasure was in her heart, and soul.
She looked into his eyes, and she flashed back to that first day on the desert dunes when she’d been melting inside the fur coat and high boots. He’d had the same intense expression in his dark eyes and she’d been afraid...
Now she was afraid again, but for a different reason. She couldn’t imagine being happy without him.
“Kiss me,” she whispered, reaching up to his face, placing her hand against his hard, high cheekbone as she pressed her lips to his. “Possess me. Remind me that I’m your wife and queen.”
* * *
His wife and queen.
Mikael stared blindly out through the glass doors, seeing nothing of his courtyard, and seeing only Jemma’s face.
He, who was so good at creating order, structure, and discipline, hadn’t planned on falling in love with her. He hadn’t planned on wanting her, or needing her, not the way he wanted her and needed her.
He’d married her out of duty and responsibility but suddenly his marriage was one of love. Trust. Respect.
He’d known he was growing fond of her these past few days. He’d known he was getting attached, too. It hadn’t troubled him. At least, he hadn’t let it trouble him. He would only allow himself to think of one thing—doing what was right for Saidia. But now he felt a wash of shame. This was wrong chaining her here, to him. He couldn’t trap her in Saidia. He couldn’t do it to her. She deserved so much better than this.
* * *
Jemma was in her sapphire room, sitting on the floor, painting her toenails when Mikael entered a half hour later.
He didn’t knock. But then, he hadn’t knocked on the door in days, taking it for granted that her room was his. That she was his. He was right. It hadn’t even taken eight days to fall in love with him. She’d given him her heart far earlier...maybe even that first day they’d met, when she’d been modeling on the sand dunes.
He silently watched her paint her pinky toe a foamy mint green. She glanced up at him, smiling. “I remember how much you like the color green.”
“I don’t remember that at all.”
“You said you loved my eyes.”
“Yes, your eyes. Not green toenails.”
Jemma laughed and dipped the brush into the bottle for more polish. “Are you sure that’s what you said? I worry about your memory.”
“I worry about you and facts.”
She grinned, happy. Ridiculously happy. Everything inside her bubbled up warm, and hopeful. Her heart felt good. Mikael made her feel good. And safe. Loved. He might not say the words the way she wanted to hear them, but she felt his love in his actions. She felt his affection and love in the way he touched her, and the warmth and passion with which he kissed her. She saw it in the amusement in his eyes as they talked, teasing, bantering. The fact that he would banter with her, and laugh with her, said it all.
Lips curving, she added a second coat to the pinky toe, before capping the bottle of polish and setting it aside. She tipped her head back to look up into his beautiful face, with those dark, mysterious and oh so sexy eyes. “What can I do for you this beautiful day, my love?”
The hint of amusement died from his eyes, his expression shuttering, his jaw hardening. It was a subtle shift. Someone else might not have picked up on the change, but she did. Jemma had spent so much time studying him these past eight days that even the narrowing of his eyes didn’t go unnoticed.