She shivered. She actually shivered, and a little moan slipped into his mouth.
Issam felt his self-control shredding. He wanted to tear her little suit jacket right off her, but…he shouldn’t. It was too soon. It was too soon, and after the day they’d had, nobody was thinking clearly. How could he think clearly, tasting her? Sweetness and fire all in one?
Mackenzie bit his bottom lip, and the aching pleasure nearly undid him.
They broke the kiss, Mackenzie still standing between his legs, still twining her arms around his neck, and he saw in her eyes that she had needed this release as much as he had. He saw that the door was open. They could take this farther. They could, right now. Nobody was watching.
Slowly, she pulled her hands from his neck and stepped back, breathing in deeply. She touched her lips, swollen from his kiss, and her eyes fluttered shut for a brief moment as she collected herself. Issam badly wanted to see what she was like when she lost control. He wanted to make her lose control. But Mackenzie—she had a power all her own. And when she opened her eyes again, he could see that she had wrapped her fists around her impulses.
When she met his gaze, her brown eyes held a challenge.
Oh, Issam thought. This won’t be as simple as I imagined. He had a fleeting realization that Kyril hadn’t been bluffing after all. He could even see, for a brief moment, how the aforementioned “compromises” would play out.
In the bedroom.
Under the sheets.
Mackenzie’s lithe body underneath his own. She might be the kind of woman who liked to be coaxed a little in bed, a playful submission.
She grinned at him, then arranged her expression into something more serious. “See? My standards are very high.” Mackenzie turned and flounced toward the windows overlooking the city, stretching her arms above her head. “And if you’re lucky, you’ll get to see the true extent of my skills.”
7
She had cheated death, and the new day dawned bright and clean and fresh.
Mackenzie had slept with the curtains open, and the moment the sun rose above the city, she leapt out of bed.
It was too bad Issam wasn’t there with her.
After that kiss, he’d wished her a good night and retreated to his own rooms. He was so honorable. Or perhaps he wasn’t, and the kiss hadn’t interested him.
No. She had felt the way he responded, when she was standing between his legs. He was very interested.
He was so interested that Mackenzie was terribly intrigued by certain aspects of Issam’s body. Had things gone much further, she would have unzipped his pants for him. One thing was for certain—he was very large.
Her pussy heated at the thought of it. She’d spent an hour last night with her hand between her legs, stealing orgasm after orgasm. It was a combination of everything that had made her feel that way. Issam. His muscular body. The way he held her in his arms. The way he’d saved her life. The way she was still alive, still alive, still alive.
It had been a narrow escape, no matter how brave a face Mackenzie had put on it, and when she was alone in the dark, the full magnitude of her survival had hit her full force. She wanted every sensation possible, all of them, and even if Issam wasn’t going to give them to her yet, she couldn’t wait.
She took a deep breath and looked out over the city. It was gorgeous, truly, the ancient stone warming in the sunrise. And here she was, engaged to be married to one of its rulers. Mackenzie lifted her hands, pretending to hold the city in her palms.
It would be hers soon, too.
But now it was time for business.
She showered in the bathroom, which was a luxury all its own. The floor was tiled in a delicate pattern, red flowers against white, a gleaming walled-in shower lit by the morning sun. It was fully stocked with brand-new shampoos and soaps. It seemed like a long time since her last shower, though it had only been yesterday, and she lingered under the hot water as long as her excitement would allow. She dried and styled her hair, putting it in a twist at the back of her head, then went into the walk-in closet.
She had no expectations of what she’d find there but was pleasantly surprised to discover a selection of new clothes in her size. Mackenzie also found what she was looking for specifically—her lucky suit. Someone had arranged for her suitcase to be brought from her hotel, and everything in it had been cleaned, pressed, and hung.
She put on the navy-blue suit and a cream blouse underneath. Matching heels. A smart necklace. She took the folder with her research and negotiating points from the outside pocket of her bag.
There. She was ready.
Mackenzie headed out into the hallway, which was busier this morning. Servants went quickly from one end to the other, and she flagged down one of the women. “I’m looking for my fiancé’s offices. Do you know where they are?”
The woman grinned at her, then gave her directions to another wing of the palace.
It was easy to find—an even busier hallway in a different wing. With every step, Mackenzie felt more and more confident. This would be the day she could finally get something done.