The pulse of his orgasm, of his thumb against her clit, sent her over the edge. She lost it, let her hips buck, her inner muscles clamp down and milk him. He held still except for the pulse of his cock inside her.
She went limp, and for a moment, she could only stare up at that strong face, the prominent nose, those amber eyes now half closed.
I love you.
The words wanted to push their way out, but she couldn't say them. They were from two different worlds, and she couldn't see a way forward. Tarek was still inside her, and she wished he could stay there forever. But maybe he'd been right all along. This wasn't a world where wishes came true and fate gave a helping hand to lovers.
Chapter Eleven
Tarek propped his head on one hand and watched Tess sleep. They'd spent the night at the oasis, alternately snacking on the food and each other. Tess smelled of the frankincense oil he'd massaged into her skin—a woody, sweet, citrusy scent—and of the spices they'd eaten. He'd had her in every way possible—gently, with rough play, and then so sweetly that he'd ached afterwards. He had done it—spent the night and gotten her out of his system.
She could leave now, and he would go back to being the rational man he had been before she had dropped into his life.
Why did such an idea no longer appeal?
Frowning, he knew he should wake her. Dawn lightened the sky. The night had drained the heat from the desert, but already the day began to warm. He forced himself from her side, dressed, and heard the hum of an engine.
Stepping out of the tent, he unrolled the canvas sides to give Tess her privacy and waited for the two black SUVs he could see in the distance. That was what he needed now—distance. He crossed his arms.
She was no different than any other woman he'd ever had.
Oh, that was such a lie.
Very well—she was different, but now she would go on with her life, and he would get back to his duties, which seemed to be approaching faster than he liked.
The SUVs pulled up in a cloud of dust. His cousin Nasim jumped out, and Tarek almost groaned. If Nasim thought it worth bothering him when he was with a woman, things were bad.
"There's been an incident at the airport,” Nasim said. “A water main broke and flooded the passenger terminal. It's a mess, and we have two ministers claiming it's sabotage and four others swearing there's no budget for repairs."
Tarek looked at the man, thoughts spinning through his head. The urge to turn around and go back to Tess's arms arose, but he was not a man who gave into urges. No, he had put that aside the same way he was putting Tess aside.
"Was anyone hurt?"
Nasim shook his head. He'd dressed in jeans and a loose shirt, which showed how agitated he was. Nasim was usually the sharpest dresser in Zahkim. "But the terminal is without water, and the airlines are screaming about it."
Tarek pressed his lips tight. Well, this was as good a way as any to remember where his duties lay—Zahkim, not the woman in the tent behind him. "I will head back at once, tour the damaged area, and—"
"Kick some ass?" Nasim grinned.
Tarek shook his head. "In a kingly way. Will you see to Tess?" Nasim started to smile, and Tarek put a subduing hand on his arm. "And I mean in a cousinly way."
Nasim's eyes widened. "Is that how it is for you and her?"
Dropping his hand, Tarek started for the first SUV. "It is not any way. See she gets back to the palace, and please give her my regrets. And give her time to dress in private. If I learn it has been otherwise, I may go back to the old laws that would require me to behead you."
With that he turned his back on Tess and what must be their last time together. His shoulders slumped, and a knot tightened in his stomach, but he ignored it. He was very good at that.
Chapter Twelve
Wonderful! Everything is settled then," Tess said into the webcam. Julie had more than come through, heading to India to meet with Riya and get the deal done in person. Riya looked relieved to have the financial backing she'd needed, and Julie looked like she was gritting her teeth at having to travel; long flights tended to leave Julie with the jitters, but she'd sucked it up and had gotten her ass to Mumbai. Tess wished she could offer Julie a slow boat back home, but that wasn't possible. She settled for a huge grin, signed off, and sat staring at her laptop.
The deal was done, and Phil was due to be released this afternoon. She supposed she had no real reason to stay in Zahkim much longer. Tarek seemed to be avoiding her. She hadn't seen him in days, and every time she'd asked about him, the answer had been the same—government business was keeping him busy.
If she stopped to think about it, that was a perfectly reasonable answer. He had a country to rule, but she hadn't even been able to have coffee with him. Being ghosted by someone whose house she lived in was a new experience for her. She sighed. Taking up a pen, she started to play with some song lyrics. Why not—she had the beginnings of a broken heart that would go perfectly with some minor chords.
Oh, stop it—you knew it could never be anything lasting.
She did. But logic wasn't helping right now. Maybe talking through things with someone would help. She'd go see Phil, maybe bring him back to the palace with her before they booked a flight out. She'd heard the airport was open—no idea if it was running smoothly—but Tarek at least seemed to be getting things done. Having Phil around would make a nice change from staff who bowed and seemed to be going out of their way to avoid her, too.