Bella and the Merciless Sheikh

She rode into the camp just a few seconds behind him, the heat closing in on her and her mouth dry from the dust. Sliding off the mare, she patted her and took her across to the water.

Almost immediately she felt Zafiq behind her. His strong hands closed over her hips and he wrenched off her tunic and trousers, his mouth on her neck as he stripped her naked.

‘I have been waiting to do this all evening. Watching you on the horse has been driving me mad.’

Bella gasped, liquid heat pouring through her body and pooling low in her pelvis. Her knees buckled and she felt a rush of embarrassment because she wanted him so badly and she knew she shouldn’t. She turned in his arms and kissed him hungrily, her hands sliding over his bare torso, her mouth locked against the fierce demand of his. They fell to the ground, onto the rug that still held the remains of their earlier meal, not even bothering to make it the last few metres to the tent.

In the back ground Bella could hear the horses drinking and a faint splash as something fell and disturbed the stillness of the pool. Somehow the sounds of the open air were more evocative than any romantic music had ever been.

I’m never going to forget the desert, was her last coherent though before he sank into her in a single determined thrust that joined them completely.

She groaned his name and his hand cupped her face.

‘Look at me,’ he demanded huskily, and Bella stared up into his eyes and realised she’d never experienced intimacy before this moment. Never before had she stared into a man’s eyes as he made love to her, never before had she felt what she was feeling now. It was so real.

And yet how could it be real when they both had to return to their real lives?

How could it be real when he didn’t even know who she really was?

Zafiq stood with the satellite phone to his ear, listening to the panic in his younger brother’s voice. After making a few soothing noises, he sorted out each problem one at a time, issuing instructions and commands with cool authority. Only once did he falter and that was when his brother asked if he could cut his trip short by a day and return home early.

Zafiq’s hand tightened on the phone, the fact that he didn’t want to cut it short saying a great deal about his current state of mind.

Weakness, he thought grimly, cutting the connection and staring at the white canvas of the tent. The fact that he’d succumbed to her in the first place was a sign of weakness.

‘Who were you talking to?’

Her voice came from behind him and Zafiq felt a stab of guilt as he turned.

She was standing in the opening of the tent, watching him with a smile.

The fact that her smile made him want to strip off her tunic and flatten her to the bed reinforced the decision he’d made.

‘My brother needed to speak to me urgently.’ He knew he was going to hurt her and he was surprised by how badly he didn’t want to do that.

‘What about? Is something wrong?’ She strolled across to him, her feet bare, the dampness of her hair telling him she’d been enjoying the pool while he’d been on the phone. She slid her arms around his waist and Zafiq felt his body respond with predictable force. Heat erupted through him and he closed his hands around her arms and lowered his head.

Staring into those gorgeous blue eyes, something hard and uncomfortable formed inside him.

Was this how it had been for his father?

With a rough curse he put her away from him, like an addict denying a fix.

‘Zafiq? What’s happening? Why are you looking at me like that?’

‘You’ve achieved your wish.’ Stunned by the need gnawing at him, Zafiq reached for his robe and drew it over his head, forcing himself to ignore the urge to tumble her back onto the bed. ‘I’m taking you back to civilization, habibiti.’