himself on his elbows, Rahim drew one velvety tip into his mouth. Her groan was so intoxicating he repeated the act, then again on her other breast.
‘Oh, Rahim,’ she choked out.
‘You like that?’
Her nostrils quivered delicately as she inhaled. ‘Yes,’ she breathed.
‘You want more?’ he demanded, a keen desire to see her completely undone overcoming him.
At her eager nod, he flicked his tongue against her, then caught the wet, pebbled flesh between his teeth. Her nails scored his shoulders and she arched her back.
Rahim clawed at his fraying control, warning himself that this was just a means of sating his lust. Of taking what she was freely offering and perhaps teaching her a lesson in the process. There was no need for this to be something else, something alien that scrabbled at a place he’d sealed off a long time ago. A place that reeked of loneliness and neglect. A place that reminded him too much of his adolescent years.
He wasn’t lonely. Or desperate for the connection that had been missing in his life for longer than he cared to recall. He’d learned to do without it. He’d found other, more fruitful ways to find the closure that had eluded him. By taking his rightful place on the throne as all Al-Hadis had done in the past, and vowing to care for his people, he’d sealed off that part of himself that wanted closure.
He didn’t need closure if he intended to take up the mantle destiny had handed him.
He certainly didn’t need the warm, vibrant woman beneath him, not even for one single night the way his senses were tricking him into believing. This would be a brief, if thoroughly pleasurable, coupling before he sent her on her way.
That was all it would ever be.
‘Rahim?’ Her sultry voice centred his attention back on her and he happily abandoned his unsettling thoughts.
‘Yes, habibi? Tell me what you want.’
Her back arched higher, seeking his attention. ‘More, please?’
Squeezing the perfect globes, he lowered his head. ‘It’ll be my pleasure.’
* * *
Allegra almost cried in relief when his mouth closed over her again. For a moment, she’d feared he would stop. Certainly the bleakness that had clouded his eyes and stolen his focus had sent a cold shiver through her, the brief glimpse of pain momentarily stopping her desire in its tracks.
Curiously, in that moment, she hadn’t felt a loss at his lack of attention. Watching emotions she recognised in herself flit over his face had evoked a surprising affinity. One she’d quickly banished because she knew in her deepest heart that Rahim wouldn’t welcome such a connection.
Lust and sex were more acceptable to him.
And with the touch of his lips, everything besides the feverish sensations firing up her body melted away. Including the cautionary voice that questioned what on earth she was doing.
She was living. She was providing her soul with much-needed sustenance even she hadn’t known was missing until she’d touched Rahim. She was absolutely certain this would be a one-time thing, so she staunched the voice and gave herself over completely to the bliss rampaging through her. Dug her nails deeper into his shoulders, arched her back higher and vocalised her groans.
He tugged on her negligee, his movements a touch rougher than they had been a moment ago. Allegra watched the firelight dance over his sculpted features as he pulled down her garment and flung it away. Her panties quickly followed.
Being naked with a man for the first time in a very long time drew a well of self-consciousness within her. And the way Rahim’s gaze scoured her, leaving no inch untouched, made her squirm harder, his scrutiny almost a living thing on her skin.
Unconsciously, her arms started to move to cover herself. He captured them and pinned them down beside her hips. ‘Don’t deny me, Allegra. Stay,’ he commanded gutturally. ‘Let me look and have my fill.’
He let go of her, staggered away for a handful of seconds and returned with a condom. Dropping to his knees, he framed her body with his hands. From neck to thigh, he caressed her while his eyes devoured her. By the time he hooked his hands behind her knees and parted her, Allegra had forgotten what it felt like to breathe. Each caress pushed her higher on a plane of pure heart-pounding desire, where plea-filled words crowded her brain, ready to fall should he keep her waiting a moment longer.
As if he knew the depth of her desperation, he crashed forward, took her mouth in another voracious kiss. Their tongues duelled, their mouths melding in bruising kiss after bruising kiss, until with a groan he yanked his towel free, donned the protection and positioned himself between her thighs.
With one hand locked in her hair, he tilted her head up. ‘Look at me.’ Lust throbbed in his voice, but there was also a tinge of anger.
And when she lifted lust-drugged eyes to his, she witnessed a sliver of cruelty in there. Not enough to stop her though. She exhaled as she felt him, solid and strong, against her core. ‘Open wider for me.’
She complied with a helpless groan, then whimpered when he still hesitated. ‘Rahim, please.’
A fevered flush flared across his cheekbones, a sheen of sweat coating his upper lip as he gritted out, ‘Tell me again that this is what you want.’
Allegra angled her hips, desperately bringing herself closer to the promise of oblivion. ‘Yes. I want you, please. Take me— Oh!’
Rahim drove into her, his penetration sure and powerful and complete enough to drive her breath from her lungs. On the heels of his uncompromising possession came a surge of pleasure so amazing Allegra could only stare up at him in wonder.
Then he moved.
Hot, guttural Dar-Amanian words fell from his lips and a visible shudder shook his frame as he slammed back in, then held himself deep and solid inside her.
‘Heaven above, you feel incredible,’ he groaned when he moved again.
Allegra couldn’t find words, so she held on tight as he increased his scorching rhythm, taking her with a mastery that heaped pleasure on top of pleasure with each thrust. Somewhere along the line, he released his grip on her hair, and transferred his hold to her hip. Holding her steady, he took her higher, deeper still, all the while kissing her, and muttering indecipherable words against her skin when he drew away.
The raw beauty of the act seared her soul, and when the pressure got too much, tears filled her eyes.
‘Rahim...’ Allegra didn’t know what she wanted. All she knew was that the feeling inside her was too much to contain. Sliding her hands up his jaw to his cheeks, she cradled his face in her hands, stared deep into his eyes as her world exploded into flames and ecstasy buffeted her in relentless waves.
His own scorching release followed swiftly on the heels of hers. Allegra watched in awe as he threw back his arrogant head, gave a hoarse cry before a series of deep shudders raked his frame. He collapsed on top of her, and their breaths mingled as their racing hearts began to calm.
Minutes passed by before Rahim rose on one elbow and brushed her hair away
