Eyes opening, she stared at him. Those eyes of his really were amazing. Tawny like a lion's eyes, the pupils so huge right now she felt she could get lost in their depths. Heat flashed over her skin and left her breathing shallow. She'd never been the type to jump into bed with any man, but something about this guy was getting under her skin.
She lay back, but Tarek rolled her onto her stomach and put those strong hands and fingers of his on her back.
She gave another moan and muttered, "You missed your calling. You could make a fortune in a massage parlor."
He gave a low laugh. "I already have a fortune."
She hummed. Her tunic had bunched at her waist, and his fingers brushed her bare skin. That did it. She wanted him. She needed that soul-baring connection to someone living and vibrant. She hadn't died, and it was time to celebrate that.
Rolling over, she sat up. Tarek didn't move from where he sat on the edge of her bed. She put a hand on his shoulder, on all that good muscle that had started draining the last fears and tension out of her.
"Stay?" She made it a question. She was pretty sure you weren't supposed to order a sheikh around. "I don't want to be alone."
His mouth quirked again, and he touched a finger to her cheek. "I will have a guard posted outside your room, and your maid will check on you every few hours."
"Maid?" She scooted forward and touched her lips to his. "That's not what I want. Not what I need." He put his hand on her waist, and she let out a sigh. "I'm asking for sex." She licked her lips and tried to frame this in a way a guy would think was okay. "Just a good, hard fuck, and we both forget about it in the morning."
That one dark eyebrow flew up again. "You think I could ever forget you, Tess Angel?"
She smiled now and stroked his beard. It was softer than she'd thought it would be. "Okay, so we make this a moment outside of time. I…I really don't want to be alone. Phil almost died. I almost…if you hadn't been there, we…am I really still alive?"
He put a finger to her lips. "I will show you how alive you are." He kissed her then. His mouth covered hers, and his tongue licked at her lips and she opened for him. God, how she wanted this. She wanted the feel of skin on skin. She needed to hear her heart pounding hard and to wrap herself around him and finish coming back to life. It really had been too damn close. The spark between them flared hotter. Her muscles gave a twinge as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders—he was so damn big. And then she wanted their clothes gone.
Wiggling around, hating to break that searing kiss, she pushed the robe off her shoulders, got her tunic over her head and started working on his shirt. Damn buttons. He put his hands on hers and simply pulled at the fabric making the buttons go flying. She giggled.
Pulling back, he shook his head. "This is funny now?"
"Oh, the whole day's nearly hysterical. I'm having trouble processing I'm in a royal palace with a sheikh."
He stood and unfastened his trousers. Tess watched, her lower lip caught between her teeth. Light from the sitting room showed off the broad chest and flat abs and turned his shoulders golden. She wanted her hands on him again, so she rolled up to her knees and put her palms on his chest. He had only a little hair low on his belly, arrowing down like a pointer to what she really wanted. He smiled and shucked off his shoes and pants, leaving himself bare-ass naked. "Are you not Hollywood royalty, Tess Angel? That would make you a princess in my world."
"Right now, for the next few hours, I'm yours."
With a growl, he put his hands over her breasts. "Be careful with your words—that could get you married in my country."
"I don't want married. I want—"
"A good, hard fuck." His words, that deep voice of his, had her nipples hardening. An ache bloomed deep inside. She nodded unable to talk right now.
He pushed her back on the bed, dragged the loose trousers from her hips. Lifting one leg, he pulled the sandal from her foot and kissed her toes. She moaned. He did the same for the other foot and then put himself between her legs. For a moment, he cursed. She frowned a question at him, but he shook his head.
Moving away from her, he headed into the bathroom. He had long legs and a smooth, tight ass, and the sight of it left her mouth dry.
He came back, rolling a condom onto an impressive erection—he wasn't only long, he was thick, too. Tess's heart skipped a beat and settled into a fast staccato. "I like a man who's prepared."
She lay back on the bed, legs spread wide. The scent of her arousal filled the room, elemental and undeniable. She was aching for him. She'd never wanted any man as much as she wanted him right now.
Tarek knelt on the bed between her legs, his hands on her thighs, stroking her skin with his fingertips, which left her ready to grab him and drag him down to her. "Are you certain?"
Tess nodded. The truth really was crashing down on her. "Every time I close my eyes, I think I hear metal tearing again. My head's still pounding. I want…I need to feel something good." She put a hand on his hard belly and trailed her fingers down to his even harder erection. "Please, follow your instincts. It's just sex."
It's just us.
She didn't say the words, but they were true. She knew it in her heart and in her bones. This guy was different. This guy was special. And she couldn't pass up the chance to be with him, even if they had lives on different continents and no possible future together. He seemed to understand.
Leaning over her, he put his mouth on her nipple, swiped his tongue over the tip, then bit lightly and sucked hard. Tess threw her head back and her hips bucked on their own. Tarek sat up again, and she managed to grab hold of his strong thighs.
"Please?" The word came out husky and needy, and she was close to begging now.