Gathering her into his arms, he placed her back in the middle of the bed and joined her there. "How soon can I meet your parents?" he asked her, pulling her into his arms.

"I'm scheduled to be off this weekend so we can go to Atlanta then. I plan on calling them in the morning and telling them our good news."

"Even the news about the baby?"

"No, I want them to get used to the idea of me getting married and moving away before I tell them they will also become grandparents."

Jamal nodded. "I told my father there was a possibility you were carrying my heir."

Delaney raised a brow. "And what did he say?"

Jamal smiled. "Not much at the time but I could tell that the thought pleased him. He will enjoy being a grandfather as much as I'm going to enjoy being a father."

He then placed his body on top of hers, supporting himself on his elbows. "But right now I want to hurry up and become a husband. Your husband, Delaney."

He leaned down and kissed her, wanting to take their kiss to another level like he had that night in the cabin. After tasting her mouth for a few moments, he pulled back. "Stick out your tongue to me."

She blinked, then did what he instructed, knowing what was coming.

"Don't worry," he said huskily. "I won't let you pa.s.s out on me again."

When he captured her tongue in his mouth, she gasped for breath at the intensity of his tongue mating so sensually with hers. She moaned with pleasure when he touched those certain places in her mouth that gave her the greatest s.e.xual gratification. The pleasure was so intense, she began to writhe beneath him and he placed his hands on her hips to keep her still.

He finally let go of her mouth and went to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and paid the same homage there, nibbling, sucking and laving her with his tongue.

"Oh, Jamal."

The sound of his name from her lips was like an aphrodisiac, making him want to taste her everywhere. So he did. The scent of her spiraled him on to new heights, new territory and for both of them, a new adventure.

"I can't get enough of you, Delaney," he whispered against her hot flesh before easing his body upward to enter her. The tightness of her surrounded him, stroking the already-blazing fire within him.

"My Princess," he whispered softly as his body began pumping into her as he held her gaze, forcing her to look at him with each and every stroke into her body.

She wrapped her arms around him and targeted his mouth. "My Sheikh," she whispered before thrusting her tongue inside, intent on taking ownership and making love to his mouth the same way and with the same rhythm that he was using on her body.

Delaney released his mouth to look at him. Each time he thrust into her, his neck strained and the tension etched in his face showed the degree of strength he had. Each time he pulled out her thighs trembled as flesh met flesh. Then suddenly he pushed deeper, nearly touching her womb, holding himself still inside of her, refusing to pull out.

He lowered his face to hers and came close to her lips and kissed her in such a way that made both their bodies simultaneously explode in ecstasy, as he filled her completely with the essence of his release making the three weeks they had spent apart well worth the reunion.

He strained forward, lifting her hips to receive him as their bodies exploded yet again, making them groan out when yet another climax struck.

And moments later, completely sated and totally pleasured, they collapsed in each other's arms.

A few hours later Jamal leaned forward over Delaney, breathed in deeply to inhale her scent, before kissing her awake.

He leaned back and watched as she opened her eyes slowly and smiled at him. "You can wake me up anytime, Your Highness."

Jamal chuckled and ran a finger along her cheek. "It's time for me to take you home. I did promise your brothers that I would have you back at a reasonable hour."

Delaney reached down and caressed him, and her smile widened. "And of course you will want to make love again before you take me home, right?"

"That had been my plan." He grinned, placing his body over hers. "I will love you forever, Delaney."

"And I will love you forever, too. Who would have thought that what was supposed to be a secluded vacation would bring us together? And to think we didn't even like each other at first."

Jamal leaned down and kissed her lips tenderly. "You know what they say, don't you?" he asked, tracing a path with his tongue down her throat.

"No," Delaney whispered, just barely. "What do they say?"

He smiled down at her. "Things are not always as they seem to be." He kissed her again, then said, "But the love that we share is everything we will ever want it to be and more."

Epilogue.

Six Weeks Later "Another marriage ceremony?" Delaney asked Jamal as they captured some stolen moments in the palace courtyard. All around them, the atmosphere of the desert was hot and humid, yet the fragrance of jasmine and gardenias permeated the air, creating a seductive, erotic overtone. "This makes the fourth."

Their first wedding had been a beautiful garden wedding on her parents' lawn three weeks ago in Atlanta. The second ceremony had taken place last week when they arrived at the palace, with the king, queen and other dignitaries and their wives present. The third had been in the town square, arranged by the people of Tahran as a way to welcome the prince and his chosen princess.

A smile tilted the corners of Jamal's lips. "But think of how much fun we have with the wedding nights that follow each one."

Delaney reached out and placed her arms around her husband's neck, leaned up and kissed his lips. "Mmm, that is true."

She then turned in his arms so her back pressed against his front while his hand splayed across her stomach where their child rested. She didn't think she could ever be as happy as she was now.

Upon her arrival at the palace last week, she was immediately summoned to hold a private meeting alone with Jamal's father, King Yasir. At first the king had presented himself as the fierce, dictatorial ruler, and had relentlessly interrogated her about her views and beliefs.

She had answered all of his questions, honestly, truthfully and respectfully. In the end he had told her that her sharp tongue and tough stance reminded him of Queen Fatimah, and that he knew she would have no problem being understood, respected and loved. He had hugged her and accepted her into the family.

Jamal's sisters, Johari and Arielle, had also made her feel welcome and said they did not consider her as their brother's wife but as their sister. But it was Queen Fatimah who had endeared herself to Delaney's heart forever by meeting with her and sharing some of the things she had come up against as a foreigner in her husband's land and how she had set about changing things, in a subtle way.

She had even suggested that Delaney give some thought to using her medical knowledge to educate the women of Tahran about childhood diseases and what they could do to prevent them. As well, she suggested Delaney could practice medicine in the hospital the two of them would convince the king he needed to build.

"Ready to go back inside, Princess?" Jamal asked, leaning down and placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Is there another dinner party we must attend tonight?" she asked, twisting around to face him, suddenly captured by his dark gaze. Her body began feeling achy, hot and hungry. She wondered if there would ever be a time she would not be s.e.xually attracted to her husband.

"No. In fact I thought that we could spend a quiet evening in our apartment," he said reaching down and tracing a finger along her cheek.

"That sounds wonderful, Jamal," she said smiling. They hadn't found a lot of time to spend alone except at night when they finally went to bed. She enjoyed the nights he made love to her, reminding her over and over again just how much she meant to him and just how much she was loved. She would fall asleep in his arms at night and be kissed awake by him each morning.

"Everyone should fall in love, shouldn't they, Jamal?" she asked smiling.

He grinned. "Yes, but I bet you would never convince your brothers of that."

She nodded, knowing that was true. "But they were happy for us, even Thorn, once he got used to the idea that I was indeed getting married."

Jamal shook his head, grinning. Thorn Westmoreland had taken great pleasure in being a thorn in his side. "Yes, but look how long it took him to come around. I almost had to call him out a few times. I've never known anyone so stubborn, man or woman, and that even includes you. I don't envy the woman who tries to capture his heart. I doubt such a thing is possible."

I wouldn't be too sure of that, Delaney thought. She couldn't help but recall how Thorn kept looking at Tara at her wedding when he thought no one was watching. Tara had been her maid of honor, and all her brothers had been openly friendly to her, treating her like a member of the family. But for some reason Thorn had kept his distance. She found that rather interesting.

"What are you thinking, sweetheart?"

"Oh, just that it wouldn't surprise me if there is a woman out there who can capture Thorn's heart. In fact, I have an idea who she is."

Jamal raised a curious brow. "Really? Who?"

Her mouth curved into that smile that he adored. "Um, you'll find out soon enough."

Later that night, after making love to his wife, Jamal slipped from the bed, leaving Delaney sleeping. Putting on his robe, he left the confines of their apartment and walked down the stairs to the courtyard to find a private place to give thanks.

A half hour later on his way back to his apartment he met Asalum lurking in the shadows, always on guard to protect his prince.

Asalum studied Jamal's features. "Is all well with you, Your Highness?"

Jamal nodded. "Yes, my trusted friend and companion, all is well."

Silence filled the s.p.a.ce between them, then a few moments later Jamal asked, "Do you know what I'm feeling now, Asalum?"

A smile curved the older man's lips. He had a good idea but asked anyway. "And what are you feeling, My Prince?"

Suddenly Jamal began to laugh. It was laughter of happiness, joy and contentment, and the rapturous sound punctured the silence of the night and echoed deep into the courtyard.

Moments later Jamal spoke when his laughter subsided. "Exultation."

SEDUCED BY A STRANGER.

Prologue.

"Sheikh Jamal Ari Yasir is on the line, Your Highness."

Turning from the hotel window, Sheikh Rasheed Valdemon nodded before moving across the suite to pick up the phone on the desk. It was the call he'd been expecting. "Has she been found, Jamal?" he asked immediately upon placing the receiver to his ear.

"No, she has not, Monty."

"d.a.m.n," Rasheed muttered. That single word was an American form of swearing, an expression of anger, irritation and contempt. However, at this particular moment, for him it represented infuriation to the nth degree.

Sheikh Jamal Ari Yasir of Tahran was the brother of Rasheed's missing fiancee and a man he had always considered a good friend. Both he and Jamal were heirs to the thrones of their native sheikhdoms, and had met in their teens while attending a private boarding school in France. During those days Rasheed had been called Monty by his friends.

"Jamal, are you sure that she disappeared of her own free will and there was no foul play involved?" Rasheed asked with concern in his voice.

"Yes, Monty, I am sure. Right after she outsmarted her bodyguard and got away from him, she did take time to call Fatimah, my stepmother, to let her know she was safe but needed time to herself. She indicated a need to 'have fun' and would deal with the consequences later."

Rasheed took a deep breath. How dare Johari Nefretiri Yasir, the woman that he had been destined to marry since her birth twenty-four years ago-a marriage that had been arranged by their grandfathers to bring about an allegiance between their two countries-deliberately disappear here in the United States so she could delay her marriage to him and just for the frivolous reason of having fun having fun?

For the past two years Johari had been attending Harvard University and now that she had graduated a week ago, she was to return to her native land of Tahran to begin planning for their wedding, which was to take place at the end of the year. Although they were to marry, he and his fiancee had never met. Such a thing was not unusual in their countries. In his opinion, meeting the day of the wedding would have been soon enough.

"Rasheed? Are you still there?"

His mind had been drifting and he forced himself to focus. "Yes, Jamal."

"I want to a.s.sure you that she will be found."

Rasheed knew Jamal's words to be true. Johari would eventually be found. But when? Based on Jamal's sister's behavior, Rasheed had sufficient grounds to call off the wedding. It was unlikely that many people would begrudge his decision to sever all ties between them. Considering everything, both families would understand and support such a move on his part since Johari's actions and conduct were not befitting the woman who would sit by his side as the future queen of Mowaiti.

"Monty, my family and I will understand if you decided to-"

"No, Jamal. I am committed to marrying your sister. Our grandfathers deemed it would be so and it will be," he quickly cut in to say.

"Are you certain?"

Was he certain? Rasheed breathed in deeply once again, knowing this was his way to bow gracefully out of the arranged marriage if he chose to take it. After all, he was thirty-nine years old and the thought of having to deal with a twenty-four-year-old whose idea of having fun was roaming around the United States unprotected, unsupervised and unchaperoned was a bit daunting and something he really wasn't looking forward to. But his father, King Amin Valdemon, was ready for the heir apparent to take his place of leadership and preferably with a queen. Rasheed breathed in deeply once again, knowing this was his way to bow gracefully out of the arranged marriage if he chose to take it. After all, he was thirty-nine years old and the thought of having to deal with a twenty-four-year-old whose idea of having fun was roaming around the United States unprotected, unsupervised and unchaperoned was a bit daunting and something he really wasn't looking forward to. But his father, King Amin Valdemon, was ready for the heir apparent to take his place of leadership and preferably with a queen.

Since p.u.b.erty Rasheed had enjoyed his choice of women, regardless of race, culture, ethnicity and nationality. And he took pride in the number of mistresses he'd acc.u.mulated over the years. They were women schooled in the art of pleasing a man, which made him a little apprehensive about acquiring a bride who lacked the skills and apt.i.tudes he'd grown accustomed to. It was a good thing that in his country retaining his mistresses was acceptable even with a wife.

"Monty?"

His attention was once again drawn back to his conversation with Jamal. "Yes, Jamal. I'm certain that when this is over I will marry your sister." He paused for a moment and then said, "However, there is one stipulation."

"And what is that?"

"I want you to agree to allow me to use my own resources to locate her and once I have, I want you to let me handle things my way...and without any interference from anyone."

There was a long pause and then, "All right, Monty, considering the circ.u.mstances, I will grant you what you've asked, and will advise my father and stepmother of such."

Rasheed was only vaguely aware of hanging up the phone and moving across the room to retrieve his cell phone out of his jacket. He was well aware of how much Jamal cared for his youngest sister and for him to agree with Rasheed's stipulation meant a substantial amount of trust. But then Rasheed had had given Jamal his word that a wedding would take place regardless. given Jamal his word that a wedding would take place regardless.

Rasheed would decide on how to deal with Johari once he found her. But first, he had to find her and he knew who could discreetly accomplish that task. He punched into his cell phone the number he knew from memory. Earlier that day, he had parted ways with Alex Maxwell after they had both attended the wedding of Luke Madaris and Mackenzie Stand-field.