The Sheik's Unexpected Bride

Her eyes flashed up to his, but she didn’t see derision in his gaze. Just confusion. “Didn’t you?”

“Hell no!” Tasim growled. “I was pulling back from the brink, Luna! I had no idea what I was saying at the moment. And I definitely don’t think our kiss was stupid!” he insisted. “I meant if we continued, I was going to do something stupid! Like toss you over my shoulder and haul you off to my bedroom!” He shook his head, then pulled her in and…!

Kissed her! Right there in the open. He kissed her hard, his mouth pressing against her closed lips, his tongue teasing hers until she opened and reciprocated. And then he didn’t stop because it felt too good. In fact, he pressed her back against a nearby tree, freeing up his hands so that he could explore her body.

“Damn you, Luna! You’re driving me insane!”

Thundering hooves broke through their lust-induced haze, forcing them to stop.

Luna jumped away, smoothing a hand over her hair and her mouth, hoping that she didn’t look as disheveled as she felt.

“Who won?” Elon asked, eyeing the pair sharply as he brought his horse to a stop.

Ignoring her brother’s curious gaze, Luna stepped over to her horse, patting his neck. “I did,” Luna announced coolly, moving several more steps away from Tasim. Her steps were jerky at first, but she eventually pulled herself together and walked over to Stephanie. The event coordinator must have seen them kissing, but had obviously looked away during their incendiary interlude, offering them a bit of privacy.

Luna blushed as the woman smiled politely at her. Forcing Tasim out of her thoughts, she took a deep breath and smiled serenely, determined to resume her hostessing duties and to stay away from Tasim!

“Is everything ready?” Luna asked Stephanie, licking her lips. Could she still taste Tasim on her mouth?

“We’re all set up, Your Highness,” the event planner stated with confidence, leading Luna into the elegant, white tent where an elaborate buffet had been set up on long tables draped in flowing, white tablecloths so the guests could enjoy a leisurely lunch in the shade. “The chef did an excellent job of preparing today’s feast. “And…Your Highness,” Stephanie glanced around, watching the others as they slowly dismounted from their horses, “you might want to tuck in your shirt,” she whispered.

Luna’s hand jerked, moving to her shirt. The front seemed fine as she looked down at herself, just in case.

“In the back,” Stephanie whispered, pretending to straighten the cutlery in front of her.

Luna reached to slide her hand along the back of her shirt and, sure enough, her riding shirt had been pulled out of her riding pants.

Luna glanced over her shoulder to find Tasim watching, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Shooting him a good glare, she turned away from him and hurried over to the chef, even though Stephanie would have already ensured that the food tasted and looked beautiful.

Tasim accepted a cold drink from a passing waiter, not really caring what it was. He was more concerned with Luna. What the hell was going on? After their conversation in the kitchen last night, he’d thought that they might have moved on from their anger towards each other. So, what had she said?

Tasim was still fighting the urge to grab her and haul her off somewhere more private. Because when they were kissing, there wasn’t any anger. Passion, yes, and desire, absolutely…but not anger.

Damn, he liked that!

She fit against him perfectly, the softness of her breasts pressed against his chest and the way her butt felt in his hands! Yeah, he like that a great deal.

What he didn’t like was not finding a satisfying conclusion to kissing her and holding her in his arms. Even now, he had to keep his body very still for fear that his thoughts would be too obvious.

Alleana, she was beautiful.

But what had she said just before he’d pulled her into his arms for a very nice kiss? No, nice wasn’t the right word. That very hot kiss! That steaming, heated kiss that had rocked his world. Last night’s kiss had been soft and gentle. But after the race, after she’d already fired up his blood by ignoring him…that kiss hadn’t been soft or gentle. That kiss had been…possessive!

Which wasn’t a good thing. He couldn’t possess the lovely Luna. She was his future brother-in-law’s sister. She was completely, absolutely, and irrevocably off limits.

So, why was his body throbbing with the need to pull her back into his arms and to hell with diplomacy?!

Because Luna thought that he’d thought their kiss last night was stupid!

“Ya aljahim!” he muttered, their angry conversation after the race washing over him. At the time, he’d been too consumed with lust while watching her cute butt bounce against her saddle. But now that she wasn’t in his arms…wasn’t even in sight…he could think a bit more clearly.

Draining his glass, he looked around, berating himself for his choice of words last night, as well as today.

He should have been more careful. He should have used delicate, flowery words to describe what he was feeling last night.

But he’d been too consumed with lust. Lust and need were not conducive to treating a lady with the gentleness and romance she deserved.

And yet, even as she returned to the tent, he still wanted to toss her over his shoulder and find a quiet, private place where they could explore…everything! This anger that tended to flare up between them no longer seemed to have anything to do with their countries’ animosity. Not anymore. It felt personal now.