Page 32 of His Wicked Embrace
They lay cocooned together, their bodies entwined. Lawrence traced a fingertip along the faint scar that ran just above her collarbone. The scar that Al-Zahrani had left her, a reminder of who she belonged to. Sheshivered.
I am not his. I will die before I suffer him everagain.
“How did you get this?” heasked.
Her lashes lowered. “When my parents were killed, I fled, as you know, but…” She paused, drawing in a deep breath. “The man who betrayed my father, who cut him down, was an Arabian named Samir Al-Zahrani. He took me captive as I fled. I thought he was helping me, but I soon learned the truth. Another shah wanted to take over our lands, and I was Al-Zahrani’s payment in exchange for betraying my father. I was to become part of hisharem.”
“He hurt you?” Lawrence’s voice was quiet, but there was an edge to it that would have scared her had he been directing his tone ather.
“Yes, more than once, but he never took me. He thought he had the rest of my life to torture me with the promise of sharing his bed. Instead, he spent a week punishing me for what he called my ‘insolence.’ Striking me with his hand at first, then later the sting of a whip, and finally he cut me with a small blade. All I did was argue for myfreedom.”
Lawrence’s arms tightened around her, and he closed his eyes, his lips pressed in a firm line. “If I ever have the fortune of meeting this man, I will killhim.”
She gasped, cupping his chin and forcing him to look at her. “No! You must never say that. He’s a brutal man without honor. He would kill you for simply being in the same room as me.” She wanted to warn him that Al-Zahrani was still looking for her, but if she told Lawrence this, she feared he would move heaven and earth to find the man and try to kill him. She couldn’t have him put his life atrisk.
“I never want you to fear that man again. But he’s not here. You’re far away from him. You’re safe,” Lawrencepromised.
If only it were true…But she feared the demon-hearted man was walking the streets of London right now and Lawrence didn’t know,couldn’tknow. She tucked her hand against his chest and closed her eyes, focusing on the beating of hisheart.
“My mother once said that when you lie with a man, you grow close in body and mind, close enough to share each other’s dreams.” She drew a fingertip between his pectoral muscles, imagining her mind and body connecting to his. “Do you think that ispossible?”
Lawrence moved one of his hands up and down her lower back in a gentle motion, one that would lull her into a deep sleep if she letit.
“Possible, I suppose. I’ve never really spent much time sleeping with other women. I suppose I shouldn’t admit that, the part about other women…” His voice trailed off, and shechuckled.
“You are allowed to have a past, Lawrence, as am I. I do not judge you for the women you have loved beforeme.”
“I cannot say I loved them,” he said, his voice distant. “It was always for a bit of fun, you know, scratching the old proverbialitch.”
She giggled. “More silly words.” She lifted her head to rest her chin on his chest and watched him, grinning at his obvious discomfort at theirdiscussion.
His eyes narrowed as if he didn’t believe her. “You really don’t mind, about the otherwomen?”
“No. Those other women made you the wonderful lover you are today. I benefit from theirguidance.”
With a soft laugh, he gave her bottom a little pat. “Indeed. They taught me many things…” Then he slid his fingers between the cleft of her bottom and down to her folds, pushing his fingers into her lightly. She moaned at his touch, feeling the sensitive nerves spring back to life. He played with her for a long moment, making sure she was wet and hungry for him, then lifted one of her legs over his hip and brought her closer. He pushed into her slower this time, gently, their bodies rocking as they lay on their sides, facing one another. It was somehow more intimate than before, more tender and sweet, even as he possessed her in every possibleway.
I belong to him. I will always belong to this sweet, seductiveman…
The thought made her throat tighten, and she leaned into him, kissing him desperately as they climaxedtogether.
Lawrence held her close, his breath uneven in her ear as he struggled to recover. Neither of them spoke for many long minutes. They simply existed together in the same space, bodies, hearts, and minds connected in a way Zehra didn’t fully understand but had longed for ever since she had learned such a thing waspossible.
After several long minutes, Lawrence heaved a sigh. “I should hate to leave this bed, but I’m famished. You must be as well. I’ll fetch us our food. The lads should have it ready bynow.”
Zehra didn’t like the thought of him leaving her or the thought of them separating, but she reluctantly let go of him, and he withdrew from the bed. When he stood, his dark red hair was tousled from where her hands had run through the strands. It was a simple marking, but a marking nonetheless. She bit back a proudsmile.
“You look like a cat who’s fed on the cream,” he said with achuckle.
“Even more silly words, though these I understand.” She wrinkled her nose. “Is that supposed to be a badthing?”
He tapped her under the chin, still grinning. “Not at all. I like to see you smile. It makes your eyes shine likesapphires.”
His praise should not affect her as strongly as it did. Yet she could not stop smiling even if shetried.
“Your chemise should be dry by now.” He walked over to the fire, completely naked. She had a chance to admire his firm buttocks and the lean lines of his muscled legs. Her body was exhausted, but she still burned with arousal. He removed the delicate chemise from the fire grating and walked back toher.
Lawrence held it out to her and she accepted it, loving the way the fire’s heat clung to the fabric. She pressed it to her bare chest for a moment, sighing in pleasure before she slipped it over her head and sat back on the bed while hedressed.
