Something bleak had passed his eyes. He’d muttered something explosive in Arabic, pressed a kiss to her mouth and then began moving inside her again.
A couple of times, she imagined she’d glimpsed a shadow of pain in his gaze but then he would kiss her as though he couldn’t breathe and she forgot all about it. Having learned so much about his childhood, she didn’t expect some grand declaration of love from him.
His actions and his commitment to her and their child meant more than anything to her. The tenderness in his eyes when he glanced at her growing bump meant more than words.
But, her mind being the only place she had any sort of privacy left in her new life, she retreated to it often and there was no hiding from truth.
She had fallen in love with him. And the realization didn’t come about like a flash of lightning like she had always imagined.
It crept up on her in the middle of a small gathering, one she’d had Abdul arrange, in cahoots with a reluctant Arif and Farrah, Ahmed and Huma and a few other staff that she’d been told had a friendly relationship with Zafir.
The small gathering waited in her quarters, both awkward and excited.
Please don’t be distant, she’d been muttering to herself. Please don’t let this be a horrible idea that only pains him more.
And then there he was pushing the wide doors open and striding inside with that prowling gait and they were all yelling, “Surprise!”
Thunder danced in his gaze.
The cheers they had practiced went from excited to a stunned silence as Zafir searched the crowd, his gaze still serious.
Finally, it fell on her.
Pulse thudding, somehow Lauren had covered the little distance between them.
Still, he stared at her, shock set into his features. “I was told you needed my attention urgently.”
She didn’t care for his tone. “I made sure it wasn’t some super important meeting that we interrupted.”
“But you made me think something had happened. To you.”
“Oh...but, you can see, I’m fine.” She rose up on her toes and kissed his unshaven cheek. Felt his lean frame tremble under her. “Happy birthday, Zafir.”
His fingers snuck into her hair and pulled her closer.
Arabic fell from his mouth, like a clap of thunder. Within minutes, the room cleared out, leaving just them.
Stunned, Lauren turned back, swatted Zafir in the shoulder. “How could you?”
“Easily. I’m their sheikh.”
She pouted. “They all wanted to wish you happy birthday and I’ll have you know I went to a lot of trouble. It’s not easy planning a surprise party for the man who has—”
She never finished her sentence because he picked her up. Her hands went around his nape, her heart thudded but she tried to keep the smile from her mouth.
“I wanted to be alone with my wife,” he growled then.
Long strides carried her past the sitting area to the bedroom. He put her down on the bed with a tenderness that caught her breath. And then his hands were on her bodice. When the silk didn’t cooperate, he ripped it with his hands, pushed away the silk of her bra and closed his abrasive palm against one plump breast.
“Zafir...” She threw her head back and moaned as he buried his mouth in her throat. Traced a searing path down her chest to her breast, licked the engorged tip. “Wait, I...”
“No, no waiting.” Then his mouth closed over her nipple, licking and suckling, and then there were teeth. “Now, habeebti. I need this now.”
A whimper fell from Lauren’s mouth, her spine arching, her body bowing under the pleasure. Pulling her to the edge of the bed, he shoved her dress to her thighs, pulled her panties down and entered her in one long, smooth thrust.
Silk and steel, velvet hardness against wet heat, their bodies built up into a perfect rhythm, beautiful and raw, earthy and something out of this world, at the same time.
With soothing words, he bent her over his arm, and took her breast in his mouth.
Hands in his hair, Lauren rode him shamelessly, shuddering and splintering until they reached the peak together, and crashed down to earth again.
“I can’t believe...” She flushed and hid her damp face in his chest, pulled in a much-needed breath and looked up again. “You were not supposed to do that.”
His thumb brushing her cheek, he frowned down at her. “What? Not touch my lovely wife on my birthday?”
“No, turn the evening into...this. I mean, yes, but we could have waited.”
“And you know when it comes to you and being inside of you,” he said, nibbling at her throat again, “that I can never wait.”
Looking down, she flushed, and held the edges of her torn bodice up. “I wanted to spend an evening with you. Outside of bed.” It was hard to sound miffed when he looked at her with such hunger in his eyes. “Talk about what’s going on with you and such. I know the weight of Behraat lies on your shoulders, but I...”