Читать книгу Modern Romance September 2016 Books 5-8 - Natalie Anderson, Carol Marinelli - Страница 14

CHAPTER FOUR

WHERE WAS HE?

A pre-dawn Dubai sky offered no answers as Felicia peered out through the window of her hotel suite. There were yachts lit up on the marina. No doubt there were parties aplenty still happening, and if Kedah was running true to form he might well be down there amongst them.

His butler had just called her to say that there had been no response to his wake-up call.

‘Can you go in and check?’ Felicia had asked, but the butler had explained that because the ‘Do Not Disturb’ light was on he couldn’t, even though it was doubtful Kedah was there.

Apparently the Sheikh had returned to the hotel after midnight, but had been seen heading out again around two a.m.

When Felicia tried his cell phone it was off.

He was always on time, Felicia told herself as she headed into the bathroom and checked her appearance. She would have to change on the plane, as Kedah had told her the dress code was strict in Zazinia, but for now she was wearing a navy shift dress. Before heading out she would add to it a small short-sleeved bolero to cover her arms.

Felicia really needed her concealer this morning, after a night spent pondering their conversation, but she decided to do her make-up on the plane too.

Right now she was too busy ruing the hours she had spent considering getting further involved with Kedah if his reaction was simply to stay out all night.

Hell, yes, she was angry.

She had worked with him for eight weeks and the last four had been spent travelling.

Soon they would be back in London and a safer distance would be easier to maintain.

To think she might have succumbed at the last hurdle!

She wasn’t just cross with Kedah, she was angry with herself as she marched out of her bathroom. She went to put up her hair, but simply didn’t have the upper arm strength or the concentration this morning.

Another thing that could wait for the plane.

There was a knock on the door to her suite, and she opened it to the bellboy who had come to collect her luggage.

‘Has Sheikh Kedah’s luggage been taken down?’ Felicia checked.

‘Not yet,’ the bellboy informed her. ‘We cannot go in if the “Do Not Disturb” light is on.’

‘Even if he’s probably not there?’

‘Even then.’

Felicia let out a tense breath as the door closed and she was again left alone with some choices to make.

She had access to his suite—of course she did. Last night she and the butler had packed his belongings there, leaving the necessaries out for the morning.

All Kedah had had to do was tumble into bed with the requisite blonde and then get up on time.

She headed out to the elevators, but instead of going down to the foyer, where they had arranged to meet, she used her security pass and pressed the button for the royal floor.

A rather worried butler greeted her.

‘The “Do Not Disturb” light is still on. I really cannot go in.’

‘Well, I can.’

The butler was slightly startled at her assertive tone, but she took out the swipe card for the room, gave the door several sharp knocks and then entered.

Please, she begged silently, if he’s in here then let him be alone.

The suite was in darkness. There was the sound of running water and she wondered if he had fallen asleep in the sunken bath. The sound came from the pool, she realised as she saw the drapes gently billowing in the breeze and realised that the huge glass doors were open.

She walked silently over the thick carpet and out to the stunning alfresco area. It truly was an oasis. High in the sky, there was a colourful garden and a large pool that jutted out over the ocean.

It made her dizzy even to think of it, though Kedah told her he swam in it each day.

Felicia walked over. No, he was not practising the breaststroke.

She stepped back from the edge as the warm morning air dusted her cheeks and blew at her hair.

There weren’t any signs of a wild party, though he must have been out here at some point for the doors to be open.

It really was beautiful, Felicia thought. So much so that for a moment she forget her mission to find the missing Sheikh and simply took in the stunning view.

The navy sky was fading and was now dressed in ribbons of silver and various shades of blue as the sun prepared to break into the horizon. Ahead, Felicia could see the island where they had stood yesterday and spoken.

She could stand and bristle with indignation, or she could wrap her arms around herself and try to hold on to the shiver within her that Kedah evoked.

He moved her.

Just that.

He took feelings and memories that were usually guarded and shook them. He jolted awake desires and emotions so that she was standing there feeling as if she was on the top of the world and convincing herself that she could handle it.

That a night or two would surely be worth it, just to have known that bliss.

And there was always the brochure. Yes, she would mope, but only for a week, and then she would circle Mustique and spend time there rehabilitating her heart.

No.

She could not sleep with him and then continue to work for him; she could not pretend it didn’t matter when he discarded her and moved on to the next woman.

And there was no way she would be a filler between drinks.

She actually laughed at the nerve of him.

‘Is everything all right, madam?’

Felicia turned and saw the butler, hovering in the doorway.

‘Everything’s fine.’ She nodded. ‘I’ll just check to see if he’s asleep.’

She headed back inside and with mounting trepidation walked towards the main bedroom in the suite. The double doors were closed and she glanced at the butler, who gave a worried shake of his head as she went to knock. He was certain that their most esteemed guest should not be disturbed.

‘He might be unwell,’ Felicia offered. She didn’t think it for a moment, but it was the excuse she would give to Kedah if he called her out for disturbing him.

‘Kedah!’ Felicia knocked loudly. ‘Kedah, the plane’s scheduled to leave...’

When there was no response she opened the door.

Relief.

She wasn’t disturbing an intimate moment.

He was not there, and yet she could see that he had been—the bed was rumpled and unmade and there were several thick white towels dropped on the floor. And his visit had been a recent one, for the musky, woody scent of his cologne lingered.

Perhaps he had come back from the party and showered and changed before heading out again?

Bedded his date, showered and changed, Felicia thought with a gnawing unease as she closed the door.

She was tired of playing detective, tired of putting the pieces together on his depraved life.

Tired of it all, really.

Especially saying no.

‘I’ll just pack up the last of his things,’ Felicia said to the butler as she turned off the alarm.

She headed to the wardrobe and took out the case she had left. There wasn’t much to pack. Most of it had been done last night, and once the bellboy had come to collect his luggage she headed back down to the foyer.

His vehicle was waiting, the engine purring, and his driver was—as always—on the phone. Felicia was grateful that the doorman didn’t attempt small talk. Instead he handed Felicia her preferred brew in a takeaway cup and she said her thanks and took a grateful sip.

Dawn was breaking and Dubai was now pretty in pink. And then, as transfixing as the sunrise, Kedah appeared, walking slowly as if there was no King or country awaiting his imminent arrival, no jet on the runway ready and primed to carry him there.

She would have loved to say, Look what the cat dragged in—but, as always, he was immaculate. In fact he looked as if he were just leaving for the night rather than arriving back at dawn. He was a sight for Felicia’s sleep-deprived eyes.

‘Good morning,’ he greeted her.

‘You’re late,’ Felicia responded.

‘So?’ His response was surly and brief, and he glanced down at the coffee she held in her hand and then back up to her eyes. ‘May I?’

Felicia handed him her coffee and he drained it, but then pulled a face. ‘Too sweet.’

‘It didn’t stop you, though.’

Actually, last night it had.

Last night his mind had been on Felicia—so much so that he’d dropped his pouting date back at her hotel and returned to his room. Sleep had proved elusive, and a shower had done nothing to temper the urge to call Felicia and summon her to his suite.

The trouble was, he had known she was the one woman who might not take too kindly to his summons, and so instead he had headed onto the balcony and told himself to forget about her—at least for now. There was his trip home to get through first.

Zazinia had to be his priority—though he wasn’t looking forward to this visit in the least. He knew there would be a confrontation with his father, and that there would be a push towards him choosing a bride.

Last night he had hoped to take his mind off his problems in the usual way, but he hadn’t been able to.

Now the reason that he hadn’t smiled back at him.

This morning her hair was worn down, though it was more wavy and unkempt than usual. She didn’t wear a lot of make-up, but she had on none today.

She belonged on his pillow.

‘Are you ready?’ she asked him.

‘Am I?’ he asked. ‘Did you finish my packing?’

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I went into your suite with the butler this morning. He didn’t want to—he was worried we might disturb something.’

‘There was nothing to disturb last night,’ Kedah said. ‘In fact there hasn’t been anything to disturb for quite some time.’

‘I don’t believe you for a moment.’

‘That’s up to you. My theatre date bored me, as did my date last night. Did you get the chocolates?’

‘You know I did.’

‘Did you like the towels?’ he asked. ‘Oh, I apologise—I forgot there are things that bore you to discuss.’

She said nothing.

‘Did you get my note?’

She nodded.

‘And did you?’ he asked.

And then he looked at the shadows under her eyes that were so much darker than before and the slight gritting of her jaw. The answer as to whether she had thought about it was clear.

‘Of course you did.’

She wished she could go back to their first meeting, when she had been sure about never sleeping with him.

But she hadn’t really been sure even then.

On sight she had wanted him, and that feeling remained.

‘I’m going to freshen up,’ Kedah said.

When he had left she stood there, as the driver made small talk and worried about angering Kedah’s father, the King.

She remembered the tingle at the base of her spine at the way he said her name.

She did not mix business with pleasure, but he blurred all the lines.

He wanted the tough woman who had stepped into his office—which she still was—and yet Felicia was also aware that she liked him more than she should for such a relationship to work.

He didn’t need to know that.

More than anyone, Felicia knew how to hold onto her heart.

‘How long did he say?’ the driver asked now. ‘Apparently they’re furious at the palace that he’s so late. The captain’s trying to sort out a flight path to make up the time...’

‘He shouldn’t be too long,’ Felicia replied. ‘I’ll just go and see.’

She should text him, really.

It would be far safer.

Instead, just a few moments later, she stood at the door of his hotel suite.

She had the access card—of course she did—but usually if he was in there she’d knock first.

This morning she didn’t.

She stepped into the entrance hall and saw Kedah was emptying his safe.

‘You forgot my diamond.’

‘Sorry.’

‘Attention to detail, Felicia,’ he said, and wagged his finger in a small scold.

‘I told you on the first day that I would not make a good PA.’

‘You did.’

He closed the safe and pocketed the stone, but made no move to walk towards her.

‘You need to hurry up.’

His eyes met hers. ‘Says who?’

‘Word from the palace is that the King is concerned you haven’t left yet. The pilot is going to try to make up the time...’ All this was said as he walked towards her, and her voice was breathless.

‘Oh, well.’ He shrugged.

And now he stood right in front of her, and Felicia looked at his mouth and wondered what the rest of her life would feel like should she never taste it.

‘Did you think about it?’

‘Yes.’

It was pointless to lie, and the fact that she stood there rather than stepped back, that she met his beautiful gaze, spoke of the decision she had come to.

‘We have to continue to work together,’ he warned her.

‘I know that. So there are things we need to discuss...’ Felicia attempted, because she would be laying a few ground rules.

‘There’s no time for that now,’ that beautiful mouth said. ‘We can speak on the plane.’

But that was a full twenty-six minutes away, at best. And she looked at the dark pink of his lips and then the black roughness of his jaw. It would be cruel to look back on this moment and regret walking away.

And so she did not turn to go.

Instead she stood as his hand moved to her shoulder and he peeled away the strap of her bag. He placed the bag on an occasional table, and that gesture alone told her of the thoroughness of the kiss to come.

She was shaking—not outwardly, but there was a low tremble that seemed to start at midthigh and inch with every heartbeat nearer to her throat.

‘Kedah,’ Felicia warned again, ‘we have to speak.’

‘First we taste.’

There was no time for this. Kedah knew that. His father’s mood would not be improved by his late arrival, and things were already tense.

And yet he too could not resist.

White-hot, Felicia turned him on. There had been a slow burn as he’d walked towards her. Now he was hard and ready, and he hadn’t even tasted her mouth.

Now he did.

Their flesh, their tongues, finally met, and both were wet and wanting, and both moaned in mutual bliss as eight weeks of want found an outlet.

Their mouths moved slowly and appreciatively at first, relishing the heady taste that they made.

‘That,’ said Kedah, peeling his lips back just a little, ‘was how I wanted to greet you on the first day.’

And there was something terribly freeing about it being a work deal, for she could be as provocative as all hell without being accused of being a tease.

‘This,’ she said, ‘is how I wanted to greet you.’

She kissed him harder still, and Kedah loved it that she did not hold back from revealing her pleasure.

Her body was lithe, and it pressed into his as their tongues met. Provocatively, he ran a hand down her spine until it came to rest on one heart-shaped buttock while the other hand went to the back of her head so that he could kiss her more thoroughly.

It was more of a kiss than she had ever known.

She had a brief wish that their clothes would evaporate, because she knew herself that in that space of time when he removed her clothes common sense would kick in.

And she knew Kedah and where a kiss would lead.

She pulled her face away, and her mouth was wet and swollen, her skin pink and inflamed from the roughness of his jaw.

He was hard against her, and her breasts were aching for his touch, for his mouth, for any contact he cared to bestow.

He kissed her again, but this time his fingers tightened in her hair, and it was the roughest, most thorough kissing of her life.

He held her hips and rubbed her against himself.

She peeled her mouth away and still he held her. He could feel her body trembling as she fought the writhing want within. Her eyes were green and her mouth was open, dragging in air, and he held her hair taut in his hand and fought not to tug it—hard. He fought not to pull back her head and lower his mouth again.

He stroked her where his hand cupped her bottom, and then he pulled her further in so she could feel every generous inch of his hard length against her stomach.

And it was too late to worry about the time, for her fingers had moved to the row of small buttons on his shirt and she’d exposed his muscular chest.

Kedah loved the way her hands were not shy—how, as her mouth still merged with his, she toyed with his flat nipples and then, bored with them, let her hand creep down to the soft snake of silken hair that had entranced her from that first glimpse.

From her bag on the table her phone bleeped with a text message, just as the head of his erection nudged her palm.

‘That will be the driver, telling me to hurry you up.’

‘Hurry me up, then.’

And he felt her smile, for her lips stretched beneath his as he took her hand and ran it the length of his long, hard shaft.

His other hand pressed at her head, and she knew—because this was the kind of man she was choosing to get involved with—that from the direction of the pressure Kedah exerted she should be dropping to her knees—oh, right about now.

But he was in for that shock. For she had needs of her own and it would never be all about him.

‘Kedah,’ she said, and removed her hand as she lifted her head. ‘We really don’t have time for foreplay.’

She watched his eyes flare as she stepped back from his embrace and reached for her bag.

‘Foreplay?’ he checked.

‘It’s when—’

‘I do know what it is, thank you,’ he snapped.

‘Good.’ She smirked. ‘I’ve got news for you, Kedah. I didn’t come up here just to satisfy your needs. I have terms and conditions of my own!’

And she was doing it.

Somehow, against this very powerful man, she was holding her own.

‘We need to get a move on, Kedah. I’ll see you down there.’