Page 29 of The Geek and the Sheikh

Her lower lip trembled and he followed the movement of her slender throat as she swallowed. Ever so slowly, the ice melted and her body once again moved with a fluid motion that matched her thoughts.

It was the beautiful little smile that curved her lips, though, that took his breath away and made him smile. He settled back against the pillows, enjoying observing her as she worked. Ten minutes later, his mind swirling and his pulse not quite steady, he came to another realization.

I’ve found my Almukhtar. Junebug Rainbow Rain is my Chosen.

Eight

Jameel could feel the smile on his lips the next morning before he opened his eyes. The soft, warm body he was partially covering had still somehow managed to continue wiggling even with his arm and one leg trapping her. He had discovered that Junebug was perpetual motion—even in her sleep.

Surprisingly enough, he had slept sounder than he could remember. Considering that they were in danger, that had taken him aback. He forced himself to remain relaxed when Junebug wiggled again in her sleep, pressing her soft buttocks into his early morning arousal.

Jeans. I need to find me a pair of fucking jeans,he silently thought.

Gritting his teeth, he lifted his arm far enough to look at his watch. It was almost seven. Junebug hadn’t come to bed until almost four. He hadn’t realized that he had fallen asleep watching her until he felt her wiggle closer to him. She had grabbed his arm, wrapped it around her, threaded her fingers through his, and tucked their entwined hands between her breasts. Within seconds, she was fast asleep.

Now she was sprawled mostly on her stomach with her hair spread like a fisherman’s net across the pillows. She was also snoring. Not a loud, chainsaw snore, more of a soft, kitten one. A light knock on the bedroom door told him his rest time was over.

He gently disentangled himself from Junebug and slid from the bed, taking a moment to make sure she was covered against the chill before he picked up his shoes and padded to the bedroom door. Opening the door, he motioned for James to move to the side.

“I apologize for disturbing you, sire, but two gentlemen have arrived. Your brother sent them,” James informed him.

“Thanks. I’m sorry about crashing on you last night,” he said, running his hand over his disheveled hair.

“No need to apologize, sire. This house is a fortress. No one enters the property without an alert. Would you like something to eat?” James asked.

“Yes, food would be great,” he replied. "And my bag is in the car."

“Your bag is in the room across the hall. Should I tell the two men that you will be down shortly?” James inquired.

“Please. I’m going to grab a quick shower and change.”

“Yes, sire.”

Jameel walked across the hall to the bedroom where James had placed his overnight bag. He sighed with relief when he noticed his jeans, t-shirt, and jacket were on top. His brothers might be okay with wearing a suit all day, but he much preferred a more casual lifestyle.

He gathered his clothing and headed for the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, he felt refreshed and ready to tackle the issues ahead. His priority was getting Junebug to safety.

He exited the room and crossed the hall again to check on Junebug. His plan was to peek in on her, make sure she was getting some rest, and head downstairs. Instead, he felt himself drawn farther into the bedroom where he stood gazing down at her with a multitude of complex emotions that he knew he was going to need to unravel.

My Almukhtar.

Was she really his Chosen? His soulmate? He had never really believed the hocus-pocus about a man and woman being destined to belong together. How the hell was that supposed to happen with almost eight billion people on the planet? Through fate? That was about as real as anAlmukhtar.

His parents swore by it. It didn’t matter that they had been living in the same country and their families had known each other and their marriage had been planned before they were born. No, they had been bound by fate, they said, and now Jameel could feel it, too. It was downright spooky.

He thought about their chance meeting online, him and Bugs. Two souls that lived half a world away from each other and loved doing the same thing. Over the last six years, he had fantasized about the day they would meet. He had wondered what she would look like. Would she be the same in person as she was online? Would she really be the woman he had slowly become infatuated with over the years?

She’s even better.

She was lying on her back, her arms spread wide as if she didn’t have a care in the world. Her face was obscured by her tangle of blonde hair. Her low snore made him grin. Her t-shirt had ridden up, but the covers he had tucked around her kept her modest. His eyes moved to her fingers. Even in her sleep, they moved as if typing out some mysterious code that only she understood.

He reluctantly stepped away from the bed. She needed her rest and he needed to keep her safe. Quietly retreating, he closed the door behind him.

Jameel descended the staircase to the lower section of the brownstone. The quiet murmur of voices alerted him that the men were in the kitchen. The fragrant aroma of fresh coffee, eggs, and toast made his stomach growl. Except for his overindulgence in chocolate filled marshmallows last night, he hadn’t eaten since the previous afternoon.

The three men sitting at the table stood when he entered the kitchen. He waved his hand at them to sit back down. Walking over to the kitchen island, he poured himself a cup of coffee. His eyes lit with delight when he saw the pan of scrambled eggs, croissant rolls, and fresh fruit.

“Where’d you find food in this place?” he asked, preparing a plate that had been left out on the counter.

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