Without saying anything, he eased off the bed to remove his pants, meeting her gaze as he slowly slid them down his legs. Next came his briefs. The moment her eyes lowered to his midsection to take in his size, he saw the look of both admiration and uncertainty in her expression. "I won't intentionally hurt you," he said, knowing he had to a.s.sure her. He would not lie and tell her there wouldn't be pain when more than likely there would be. However, he didn't want her to worry about it. Either way, sooner or later, he would make her his in every way possible and he wanted it to be now.

"I believe you, Monty."

He could not help the fact that he became even more aroused by the blatant look of desire in her eyes. There was also a degree of trust, which he knew, considering everything, he really didn't deserve.

He forced that thought to the back of his mind as a shudder of desire rippled through him as he moved back toward her and she automatically crossed the bed to him.

Rasheed reached into his nightstand and pulled out a condom box. Rasheed knew Johari was watching him with keen interest as he tore open the box and pulled out a condom packet. Moments later he covered his aroused shaft in latex, which wasn't an easy thing to do.

"May I do it the next time, Monty?" she asked in a soft voice.

He glanced up at her and smiled. "You certainly may."

And then he reached out and slid his arms around her. And when she tilted her head back, he captured her lips and they both went tumbling back onto the bed.

Johari glanced up at the man who was kneeling over her, straddling her hips with his thick thighs. She took in the dark hair that covered his chest, perfect abs and a handsome face. He was breathtakingly aroused, and just to think she was the one to fill him with such a physical need sent desire riveting all through her body.

His closeness, his position over her, was creating an intense ache between her legs and the way his gaze held hers caused stirring sensations in the pit of her stomach. He slowly lowered his body to her and she breathed in sharply when the length of his shaft pressed close, right at the juncture of her legs, her ruby. It felt like a thick rod of heat touching her, yet at the same time it sent all kinds of emotions rumbling through her.

She loved him. Johari could no longer deny that. And for now she wouldn't. When their affair ended, she would return to her home, marry the man her family had chosen for her, live with him in his sheikhdom, bear his children...and live the rest of her life with these memories.

And when she felt him push forward into her tightness, instinctively she wrapped her legs around him. She was wet for him, which made things a little easier as he continued to push inside of her. She swallowed tightly against the pain, thinking there was no way he would go inside of her all the way.

He stopped moving and leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead. The tip of his tongue lapped off her sweat. "You're okay?" he asked in a husky tone.

"Yes, I'm okay. But I don't think it's going to work."

He lifted his head slightly to smile down at her. "It will. Relax and open your legs a little wider. Inside of you is my home. Let me come home, Jo."

His home. She thought those words coming from him had to be the most romantic a man could say to her. The thought of it sent pleasure racing through her. And when he lowered his head and captured a nipple in his mouth and began sucking on it, her body automatically did what he wanted. On their own accord her legs spread and she could actually feel the increased wetness of her hot, swollen, inflamed ruby. Her inner depth craved relief that only he could give, but first, he had to move past the obstacle of her tightness.

He was trying to be gentle, but she needed him now. Needed to have him fill her to the hilt, needed to know he was deeply embedded inside of her all the way. Needed to know he was home.

"Please do it, Monty. I can't stand to wait any longer."

"I don't want to hurt you," he said in a rough growl, pushing a little more, his hands cupping her bottom tenderly.

"You're hurting me by not making me yours."

He went still and too late she realized what she'd said and just how it sounded. She was well aware it was not his intent to make her his. Their time together did not have the same significance for him as it did for her. To him this was just a s.e.xual act, a way to pa.s.s time. To her, it was a whole lot more.

She swallowed, wondering what she could say to retract her statement. "Monty, I-"

Before she could finish what she was about to say, he sank his mouth down to hers, stealing her words at the same moment he pushed the remaining length of his erection inside of her, swiftly, quickly, absorbing her cry of pain into his mouth as he made it home. Home. Home. She grabbed hold of his broad shoulders, tightened her legs around his waist when he gave her body a chance to absorb the impact of his invasion. She grabbed hold of his broad shoulders, tightened her legs around his waist when he gave her body a chance to absorb the impact of his invasion.

And then he began to move and it seemed when he began pumping in and out of her, gentle at first, she could feel every cell in her body become fragmented, and when he pulled his mouth away her whimper was one of both protest and pleasure.

"I want to look into your eyes when you come this time, Jo," he whispered softly as he continued to thrust in and out of her, letting her feel his heat and at the same time absorb his hardness. She arched her back, lifted her hips each time he came down, went inside of her slowly, easily, penetrating her deeply. And when he pulled out, she tightened her legs around him and gripped his shoulders to make sure he returned.

He always did and the feel of him moving in and out, back and forth, sent sensuous shivers of pleasure all through her. Instinctively, her inner muscles clenched, pulled, milked, needing something from him that she knew would push them over the top as well as over the edge. With each downward thrust her body stretched for him, then automatically tightened, the rhythm inflaming her senses. He continued thrusting with slow, easy strokes and then suddenly the tempo increased and she held on.

"Ahh."

His long and deep, satisfied growl radiated through the air surrounding them, and automatically her hips arched upward when he moved to the hilt.

And then another hoa.r.s.e moan tore from his lips at the exact moment his body bucked in an explosion that triggered her own explosion.

She screamed, her control shattered, overtaken by ecstasy. The only thing that ruled her mind was pleasure, pure unadulterated pleasure, as her body shuddered with the force of her o.r.g.a.s.m.

Her hands dug into his shoulders and when his mouth lowered to hers she knew she would love him forever. No matter what.

Chapter 11.

Rasheed eased out of bed and, without bothering to put his clothes back on, strolled over to the window. He always thought the ocean looked beautiful at night but glancing back over his shoulder at the naked woman asleep in his bed on top of the covers, he quickly came to the conclusion that nothing looked as beautiful as she did at that very moment.

She had been an innocent yet, in her very own way, a natural. It seemed that Johari and everything about her had been created just for him. She had responded to him in a way no other woman had before. He had been the one who was supposed to teach her a few things and in the end, tonight, she had been the teacher and he the student.

A frown dented his brow at the memory of the exact moment he had gone inside her body, the brave look in her eyes when he had done so, the flash of pain that crossed her face, which she had tried to hide, and then the look of pleasure that had infused her features. That look had been his undoing. It had touched him in a way that even now he hadn't recovered.

He breathed in deeply as he turned to look back out the window. His jaw tensed at the thought that, with one single act of lovemaking, Johari had stolen his soul and now at that very moment was working on his heart.

He momentarily closed his eyes against the thought of anything so foolish as that happening. His heart, he tried a.s.suring himself, had nothing to do with it. What he'd done for the past hour or so was solely about the physical. It didn't connect emotionally to his heart, just a certain other body part that even now was throbbing with wanting her again. But that wasn't the point. His erection had throbbed before, several times for other women. It was a primal habit. No big deal. Nothing more than an automatic reaction to the sight of a nice and enticing piece of feminine flesh. But why was something as basic to him as s.e.xual satisfaction, something that had never caused him pause before, something as natural as eating or sleeping, now consuming his mind?

And why was a twenty-four-year-old woman who had never been touched by a man before responsible?

He was smitten with everything about her-her taste, her scent, her voice, even the sounds she made when he was tasting her captivated him. He wanted her again and the intensity with which he did stunned him. He turned again and stared at her for a long moment before finally turning once again to stare out the window.

Rasheed was not at all happy that he was letting such a thing get the best of him, letting what happened in his bed rule his senses. He was irritated, slightly perturbed, but not angry. He couldn't imagine gnashing his teeth about something that even now had his entire body thrumming with antic.i.p.ation of her waking up so that he could make love to her again. The eagerness and the hunger were things he could handle. The thoughts swirling around inside of him, thoughts that were messing around with emotions he'd never felt before, were sentiments that he could not handle.

He heard the sound of a body shifting and turned around. His gaze connected to Johari. Suddenly, he felt them again, those turbulent sensations he was trying so hard to fight, trying with all his power to resist. He breathed in deeply and made a frantic attempt to stay in control, but she seemed hypnotic, drawing him in.

Rasheed moved toward her, not accustomed to giving in to any woman's wants and desires. But tonight was an exception. Johari was an exception. Tonight her unexplainable hold on him was too strong and there was no point trying to fight it. And if he were to be totally honest with himself he would admit he had no desire to fight it. As he moved closer to her, he watched desire light her face, shine in her eyes and the sight made his heart beat faster in his chest. He inwardly told himself that it was all right to want her this much, that the novelty would wear off soon and she would be nothing more than the woman he was destined to marry. Her place was by his side as his queen, to bear his children. There would always be other women for him to indulge himself, and nothing she said or did would change that. And for now he was satisfied just to want her. But no matter how intense the wanting, it would not complicate the issue.

That thought was solidified in his mind until the moment he slipped into bed beside her and she willingly came into his arms. Her body felt undeniably right. Perfect in every way. And when his pa.s.sion once again flared to unprecedented heights, he captured her mouth and for the faintest instant, he imagined he was in a world where only he and Johari existed.

For the first time in her life Johari awakened in bed with a man. But not just any man, he was a very naked man. But then she was naked, as well. And her body was spooned to his in a way that the back of her head rested against his chest. One of his legs was entwined with hers, his hand resting on her stomach, and her backside was fitting snug against his front. She could feel him. He was long and hard, yet the sound of his even breathing warm against her neck indicated he was sleeping. Was it normal for a man to sleep aroused? Was he really asleep?

All she needed was to tilt her head to find out, but she didn't have the inclination to do that right now. All she wanted to do was to lie there and relive the pleasures of last night, every wonderful moment. Even now her b.r.e.a.s.t.s felt tender from his mouth being on them so much and the area between her legs was still sore from his kisses and his thrusts. And considering his size, she had wondered if she would able be able to walk again. But miraculously they had fit, and so perfectly it nearly brought tears to her eyes thinking about it. And once the pain had pa.s.sed, the pleasure began and it had remained constant, throwing her into one o.r.g.a.s.m after another until she had finally drifted to sleep.

Monty was a very gifted, skillful and considerate lover who had made her first time very special. After their first joining, he had gone into the bathroom to return with a washcloth and basin of warm water to soothe away her soreness. It had been a very personal act, a very intimate one, and it had made her so aware of what a wonderful and caring person he was.

She closed her eyes when the full reality of her situation pressed down upon her. What had she gotten herself into? And more importantly, how was she going to get herself out of it? But the main problem was that she didn't want to get out of it. As crazy as it sounded, she had fallen in love, but not with the man she was destined to marry.

Sadly, Sheikh Rasheed Valdemon was not the one responsible for the warm rush of total feminine satisfaction she was now feeling, or the glow she knew was probably showing in her features. It was a man she had miraculously met, a man who not only was showing her how to have fun but had introduced her to a world of pleasure, as well.

Any woman would be overwhelmed by the essence of his sensuality. He was a man that dreams were made of-handsome, wealthy, powerful and, she thought with a smile, almost s.e.xually inexhaustible. A man who even now was sharing his heat with her, holding her close to him while he slept so she could be right there with him when he woke up.

She felt secure and protected and at that moment would give anything to feel loved by him. She knew that was asking for a lot. To be honest it was asking for the impossible. She shuddered at the tongue-lashing she would get when she returned to Tahran. Her father and brother would ask questions, demand answers. But she would tell them nothing, especially about this. This part of her life would be always be her secret, to keep her warm during those cold nights when she shared a bed with a man who would not have her heart.

"Cold?"

The murmur of the warm, s.e.xy voice broke through the silence of the night, the stillness of the bedroom. The sound was a balmy stroke against her neck. "What makes you think I'm cold?" she asked quietly, when at that very moment heat was flaring through her, along every nerve ending she possessed. She decided not to turn around and look at him now. She would probably burn to a crisp if she did. Whether he had wanted to or not he had made her his in a way her future sheikh could not.

"You shivered. That's how I knew you were awake. I've been waiting for you for almost an hour now."

She raised an arched brow. So he had been awake. And as to the reason he had been waiting for her, she didn't have to ask, especially when the erection resting snugly against her backside began to get larger, harder, hotter.

She flipped on her back the same exact moment he leaned up to support himself on his arm to look down at her. Her heart caught in her chest as she stared into a pair of beautiful dark eyes. An unruly mane of hair, just as long as her own, flowed around his shoulders and the depth of his handsomeness actually shook her senses, sent a throb through her body and intensified the strong emotions that had settled deep in her heart.

The thought that she was probably just another in a long line of conquests he had made didn't bother her, although the fact that the next nine days were all they had left together actually did.

But she would survive.

Chapter 12.

Over the next week Monty discovered that Johari had a way of getting to him on every level. She had an innocence about her that he found totally refreshing and a sensuality he could not ignore. Nor had he wanted to.

She had the ability to make him smile, laugh and have fun in ways he'd never had fun before. They played checkers, chess and strip poker. They went swimming together every morning and took walks every afternoon. On occasion they would go horseback riding or play tennis and he even showed her how to operate his race car...within limits.

Another thing he discovered was that she had a sophistication far beyond her years and an ingrained sense of what was fair that some people never grasped. Over the dinner table they talked endlessly on many topics, always careful not to divulge too-personal information about themselves. She would tell him about her childhood but kept from providing specifics.

He knew that although she had defied her family's wishes by not returning home after she'd graduated from Harvard that she was close to her parents and totally adored her brother and sister and thought her sister-in-law was simply fabulous. Johari had admitted that as the youngest sibling she had been pampered. Yet he could tell from their conversations that she had a respect for mankind and humanity.

They had left the island off the coast of Brazil and had flown to Vanuatu, a beautiful island in the South Pacific. They would be staying here for several days before flying to his villa in the Greek Islands. Once there he intended to take her shopping in Athens and cruising along the waterways.

Nothing had changed since coming to Vanuatu. He continued to enjoy Johari's company immensely both in and out of bed. He looked forward to their nightly bedroom lessons and how proficient she was in everything he taught her. Just as he'd done before arriving in Brazil, he had notified his household staff and instructed them regarding what to call him while he was there. Under no circ.u.mstance did he want Johari to discover his true ident.i.ty.

Considering everything, he couldn't help wondering how she would feel once she discovered the truth. Was Santini right? Would she feel betrayed, used and taken advantage of? Before, he had dismissed Santini's words as irrelevant but now the thought of her feeling that way bothered him more than it should have.

Yet, despite his concern for her feelings, he couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth. He intended to stay with his original plan and tell her when they returned to New York, just before putting her on the plane that would return her to her family.

He stood at the window in his bedroom in Vanuatu, glancing out at the beach in deep thought. The view outside the window was breathtaking. He had bought the villa a few years ago for that very reason. Even with the waves pounding the seawall, giving it one fierce beating, the view always managed to bring a tranquil calmness to his world.

His estate sat on a high cliff, which proved to have the fort.i.tude of a fortress. It would not have been an easy task to invade his private sanctuary because of the seawall, not to mention the wrought-iron gate surrounding his villa. It was impenetrable against all intruders.

A smile touched his lips as he immediately recalled that one man had had done the impossible and invaded the grounds of the villa, going over the seawall and bypa.s.sing the security of the gates...and all in the name of love. Alex Maxwell had shown just how far a man would go for love when he had come here to rescue Christy Madaris. It had been a daring, dangerous and very successful undertaking. done the impossible and invaded the grounds of the villa, going over the seawall and bypa.s.sing the security of the gates...and all in the name of love. Alex Maxwell had shown just how far a man would go for love when he had come here to rescue Christy Madaris. It had been a daring, dangerous and very successful undertaking.

Rasheed knew at that very moment that if Johari had been Christy Madaris and placed in harm's way, as Christy had been, he would have done everything in his power to get her back safely. He would have turned this world upside down in his search if he had to. But it would have been possession and not love that would have driven him.

Just then, Rasheed turned at the sound of his bedroom door opening and couldn't help the smile that touched his lips or the unexplainable joy that filled his heart when Johari slipped inside and closed the door behind her and leaned against it, looking more beautiful than any woman had a right to look. She was perfect in every way and possessed a body that had the ability to arouse him no matter what she was wearing.

Today she was dressed in a blouse that hung off her shoulders and a full-length skirt that flowed to her ankles. The print of the outfit was multicolor and gave her an exotic look. With her hair flowing around her shoulders and a beautiful white orchid in her hair, she could pa.s.s for an island girl-a very s.e.xy one at that.

She had spent the morning in his private spa, pampered by the best ma.s.seuse and spa staff that money could buy. He could just imagine all the wonderful things she'd had done to her body. She looked relaxed, rejuvenated and totally s.e.xy.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he simply stared at her. The eyes staring back at him were filled with a degree of desire that sent a rush of heat through his body that made him want her right then. Right there. At that very moment. Regardless of the fact that it was the middle of the day and his staff was in residence. What mattered to him was that he had put that look in her eyes.

He had been the one to initiate her need. Intensify it. The one who over the past several days had taught her a number of naughty things, things that made his erection engorged just thinking about them. Under his teachings she had become a temptress, a seductive vixen. A woman who was learning how to please a man and getting very good at it.

A woman he wanted.

His nostrils flared. Hot blood rushed through his veins. And without further thought, he began removing his clothes. She took his cue and began removing hers. But there was something about her movements-the way she shimmied the skirt past her tiny waist with little modesty, baring hips he had ridden last night-that caused him to pause, freeze in place and just watch her. An intense shudder pa.s.sed through him, and he felt it all the way to his core. He swallowed. Mesmerized.

She dispensed with her blouse and her hands went to the front clasp of her bra. Before he could blink her twin mounds were freed from confinement. He studied her nipples, watched them harden before his eyes. He could imagine his fingers moving across them, his thumb touching them lightly, and followed by the touch of this mouth, the heated tip of his tongue licking them gently before his mouth began sucking, taking them with a hunger he felt all the way in his gut.

As some of the potent arousal pumped through his bloodstream, he tilted his head and a guttural groan eased from his lips. Even from across the room he could feel her responding to his sensuous mating call and her body answered in the most provocative way. While her gaze held his she eased her last remaining piece of clothing, a pair of black panties, down a pair of gorgeous legs. She moved her legs apart in a stance that was as tempting and as s.e.xy as anything he had ever seen.

And the area between her thighs was as s.e.xy as anything he'd seen, as well. It was beautiful, smooth, deliciously waxed. At that moment he couldn't think, he could just feel, and what he was feeling was a need so gigantic and voracious, it was growing hard and fast, which was why his swelled shaft was pressing hard against the zipper of his pants.

He resumed the process of removing his clothes, thinking he couldn't get down to his bare skin fast enough, and when he finally did he released another guttural groan as he crossed the room to her.

She met him halfway and he knew there was nothing he wanted so badly as Johari at that very moment. Every part of him was hypersensitive, awareness was so keen even the hairs on his chest felt receptive to her very presence. And when he reached her and swept her into his arms and carried her over to the bed, a burning need took over his entire body and soul.

Not for the first time he asked himself what was there about her that made him want to be unrestrained, want to package the pleasure they shared as theirs and theirs alone? Making love to her again was all he could think about at that moment, getting deep inside her body where they were as connected as any two bodies could get. And as crazy as it sounded, he wanted to release his seed inside of her. Here. Now. He wanted to get her with child and not wait until the wedding. He planned on moving the date for that up anyway. He intended that there be a wedding as soon as she returned home.

"Monty?"

He was on the bed with her beneath him, the softness of her body under the hardness of his. His thighs were pressing into hers and her scent had him staring at her with sensually aroused eyes.

"How do I have the ability to pleasure you so? Make you want me this much?" Johari said.

Wonder. Astonishment. He heard both in her voice and knew why she was asking. In the days they'd spent together since leaving New York, all it took was a look or an innocent touch from her to send blood pounding through him with a need and desire that left him shaking. He was breathing harder just thinking about it. Multiple o.r.g.a.s.ms were common for them and when they occurred he didn't hesitate to let her know how he felt as he was buried deep within her body. He would let her know just what she was doing to him. Just how much she was pleasuring him.

That was information he would not have shared with another woman, but he felt right in sharing it with her. She needed to know and understand when the time came after their marriage and he did take a mistress it had nothing to do with her, but that was just the way things were.

Knowing he had to be as honest with her as he could in answering her question, he pulled in a deep breath. No other woman had ever asked him such a question because no other woman would have dared. But he wasn't dealing with any woman. Johari was someone who'd proved she didn't adhere to protocol. Nor did she stick to doing what most would consider politically correct. And because of it, he would tell her things he had never told another woman.

"Because the moment my tongue tasted your b.r.e.a.s.t.s, the juncture of your legs as well as your lips, I knew that I had to have you. I had to be the one to spread your thighs and go inside you, give you something you've never had before." And there was no need to tell her at the same time she had given him something he'd never had before, as well. Her absolute trust. She had trusted him, a total stranger. A man who wanted her so much he ached.