A Whisper of Disgrace

‘Which is why I’m giving you the opportunity to walk away.’

‘Walk away?’ Rosa blinked at him. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Leave. Go on. Leave now. Why not? It makes perfect sense. You’ll still get your pay-off—only you’ll get it sooner than you ever anticipated. Because I think I’ve done rather better out of this marriage deal than you.’ He forced himself to say the words—wanting her to hate him, because if she hated him, then she would go. She would go and he wouldn’t have to look into her eyes and realise that she knew his secret and that she had seen his pain. ‘Just think, Rosa—all that money I’m prepared to pay for having taken your virginity. You can walk away now—free and independent, just like you wanted.’

But Rosa didn’t move because she knew exactly what he was doing. He was regretting having confided in her and now he was trying to drive her away. He was offering her money and trying to make her sound like some kind of whore in the process—something she’d emphatically told him she would not tolerate. Hoping that she’d leave here in some kind of rage.

A few hours ago and she might have been tempted, but that had been before he’d taken her to his bed. Before he’d shown her what she was capable of feeling. There was a reason it was called sexual awakening, she realised. Something had happened to her, and it was all down to him. It felt as if she’d been existing in a shadowy place before Kulal had brought her senses to life. And she didn’t want to lose this feeling.

‘Going is the last thing I want,’ she said, and knew she hadn’t imagined the long breath which escaped from his lips.

‘Then what do you want?’

She took the edge of the linen sheet and began to pleat it between her fingers, because that was easier than looking into those piercing black eyes. She recognised that she wasn’t ready to go it alone—at least, not yet. Not when the world outside Sicily still seemed such a big and frightening place. Wasn’t the whole point of this bizarre marriage that Kulal could give her something which nobody else could? Not just the money which was going to buy her independence, but a sexual education which had only just begun. And why should anything be allowed to spoil the best thing that had ever happened to her?

Looking up, she pushed the heavy fall of hair back from her face and the movement caused her heavy breasts to sway. She saw him shift a little and her attention was caught by the growing erection between his thighs and in that moment she felt shy and powerful, all at the same time. ‘I want you to teach me everything you know.’

He stared at her, knowing that he should distance himself from her and yet how could he when she looked so damned gorgeous? How could he force her to leave when he wanted her so much that he felt he could explode with need? He could smell the lingering scent of sex on the air and could feel the erratic beat of his heart as he leaned forward and bent his lips to her neck. ‘Anything specific you have in mind?’ he questioned unevenly. ‘The history of Zahrastan, maybe? Or the new energy proposals I’m setting out next week?’

She tipped her head back. ‘About pleasure,’ she whispered through dry lips. ‘Teach me everything you know about pleasure. I’ll be your wife and one day I will walk out of your life. But in the meantime …’

‘What?

She wriggled again, more impatiently this time. ‘Please?’

He drew back to see the sudden rush of colour to her cheeks and something made him want to show her who was in charge. To show her that, ultimately, he was the one who called all the shots. And perhaps the first lesson she needed to learn was how to articulate her own desires, instead of expecting him to second-guess them. Because only that way would she ever be truly independent. ‘Please, what?’ he prompted softly.

Rosa met the dark gleam of his eyes, and swallowed. ‘Please will you do it to me again?’

CHAPTER NINE

KULAL STROKED HIS fingertips over the silken curtain of dark hair which lay spread all over the pillow and felt the inevitable hardening of his body.

‘I know you’re awake, Rosa,’ he said softly. ‘So why don’t you open your eyes and kiss me?’

Rosa stirred as the sheikh’s voice penetrated her dreamy thoughts and, obediently, she let her eyelashes flutter open. He was lying next to her, propped up on one elbow—deliciously naked and gloriously virile, studying her body as if it was the most beautiful body he’d ever seen, which was what he had told her in the early hours of this morning as he had pulled her hungrily into his arms. Each morning she woke up to a similarly appreciative reaction, but it still took some getting used to.