They entered a final corridor and the man guiding her stopped outside a door. He bowed to her and then turned to face the other direction, obviously standing guard.
There was another African man on the other side of the double doors. She assumed these doors led to the apartment of Farima’s husband. Lara pushed the door open, hoping she wasn't supposed to knock first. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but the quarters were like a series of suites in a luxurious hotel. She wandered through the rooms, which were empty except for the occasional guard standing in the shadows. She found an enormous private bathing pavilion, lounging rooms, various bedchambers, and finally a large private dining room. Upon the low table, Lara found a banquet of fragrant pilaf, roasted meat—lamb perhaps—platters of sliced vegetables decorated with olives, arugula and feta cheese.
She glanced around nervously. Was this for her? She was hungry, but more than that, her tongue felt like a salted slug within her mouth. She could really use a drink.
Lara sat at the table and one of the servants fil ed her plate with food and her goblets with water and wine. One of the eunuchs stepped beside her and took a drink of her water before she could start chugging it down. He hesitated before reaching for her wine and sampling that as well. Lara was too stunned to cuss him out. What kind of rude person drank from another’s glass? He then began tasting the food on her plate.
She could not believe his audacity until after taking a bite of every dish on the table, he nodded and went to stand by the wall again. She realized he was making sure she hadn’t been poisoned. Heart thudding, Lara reached for her glass of water, watching to make sure the man who’d tested her food didn’t start frothing at the mouth before she took a timid sip. Her thirst won in the end and she downed the entire glass before moving on to the heavenly smelling dishes on her plate. The exotic flavors delighted her taste buds and she sampled each available dish, deciding the pilaf was her favorite though the succulent lamb was a close second.
When she’d had her fil , she leaned back into the comfortable cushions and covered her belly with one hand. The dishes she'd been using vanished from the table within seconds, carried by a lovely dark-skinned woman dressed in little more than gauzy scarves. Understandable since air conditioning had yet to be invented. The young woman smiled at her with familiarity. Lara smiled back. Lara didn’t know who the girl was, but Farima did. Lara could feel Farima’s affection for the servant and her happiness at seeing her. Now full and no longer thirsty, Lara stood to wander the apartments. She was surprised when she found Reece standing before one of the bedchamber doors.
“What are you doing here?” she asked in a harsh whisper. He was bare-chested, wearing nothing but a pair of loose-fitting pants and golden bracelets around his nicely shaped upper arms. The right cuff drew her attention to the tribal tattoo on his shoulder.
She suddenly wanted to trace it with her tongue.
“Apparently, I'm supposed to keep an eye on a troublesome princess until her husband returns.”
“Poor, Farima. I think she's in love with Nasir.”
“What's not to love? A pretty boy with no nuts. Isn't that what every woman wants?” Lara slapped him in the arm. “Be nice.”
She entered the suite of rooms that were to be hers. “You know, I could get used to a place like this if I wasn't treated like a prisoner in my own home.”
“I was instructed to keep the other harem women away from you, never let you out of my sight and exist with you in seclusion. Apparently, this includes pampering you, bathing you and seeing you naked. Not a bad trade off for a slightly used pair of—what did you call them? Weebles?”
“Woobles,” she supplied. “A bath does sound lovely. Those Vikings weren't the cleanest of people and that cold bath in England didn't do much for my hygiene either.” She crossed the sitting room and opened a door, finding a bedchamber fit for a princess. The other set of doors led to the enormous bathing pavilion, which was empty at the moment.
“Yes,” she sighed. She took several running steps towards the pool of water. She had a mind to jump into the crystal-clear water fully clothed.
“Allow me to assist you, princess,” Reece said from behind her. The husky timber in his voice had various parts of her anatomy throbbing.
“Are you certain that's necessary?”
“One hundred percent certain. It is my duty.”
He began to unwind the various red cloths from her body. Gold adornments jingled when he turned her to face him.
“And I thought you looked hot in that Viking dress and that wedding gown. This outfit will be the death of me.”
“I think you should close your eyes until I'm in the water,” she said, folding her arms over her bare midriff. “Farima is a married woman.”
“Not a chance. Besides, I don’t see her. I see you. And you are mine, Lara Kensington.” He gently removed the bangles from her arms, her gold necklaces, anklets, and the belt with the coin-shaped, gold charms dangling from it. He removed the slender golden headband from her forehead and then moved closer to remove what little remained of her clothing.
“Are you sure this is appropriate?” she asked breathlessly.
“Don't interfere with my job,” he said.
“I thought you were my guard.”
“A guard with benefits.”
He carefully pushed the transparent sleeves of her top down her arms. His hands skimmed over her skin as he drew her hands out of the sleeves and then moved to push the bodice down. His thumbs brushed over her taut nipples as he lowered the fabric to expose her breasts. Her body tensed and her knees buckled. She laid a hand on his arm to steady herself. She didn't try to stop him when he lowered his head and flicked his tongue over one eager nipple. She gasped with need. He dropped to his knees and ran his hands up her back, releasing the clasp of her top and letting it fall away.
She looked down at him to find him staring up at her. He smiled deviously and dipped his tongue in her navel. She gasped. His hands moved over her buttocks as he pushed her underclothes down. He slid his hands slowly down her thighs, her legs, and calves until she obediently lifted one foot at a time. He slipped off her slippers and the last shred of her clothes.
Her breath caught as she gazed down at Reece who was still on his knees between her legs. She buried her hands in his hair and subconsciously beckoned him closer. He leaned forward and nuzzled the thatch of hair between her thighs. His tongue darted out to sample the juices he found there. He ran his tongue along the inside of one swollen lip and then the other before offering a playful flick of his tongue to that glorious pleasure center in the middle.
“Reece,” she gasped.
He moved away and climbed to his feet. “Time for your bath, princess.” Her legs were wobbly, so she dared not take a step. Reece lifted her into his strong arms and headed for the enormous bath, which was more like a multi-tiered swimming pool. There was one large central pool, several alcoves along a high wall and three or four more shal ow basins that spread out along the far edge. Reece waded in, pants and all, and slowly lowered her into the cool water.
She gasped when the water washed over her. She floated lazily in his arms as he continued to wade through the waist-deep water. She couldn’t fathom what an expense it must be to have such a luxurious bath in the middle of the desert. The palace must have been built around an oasis. They entered a smal alcove, where water poured into the pool from above like a gentle waterfall. He moved her so that her back was to the wall and the water was cascading over her head and shoulders, teasing her nipples, driving her to near madness. After the heat of the desert, the cool water felt like heaven against her skin.
Here in the semi-privacy offered by the high wall of the alcove, Reece kissed her with hot, reckless abandon. She opened up to him, and he explored the recess of her mouth with his eager tongue. She wrapped her legs around his hips, drawing his thick erection against the sensitive, throbbing flesh between her thighs. She was pleased to know that eunuch or not, Ree
ce could definitely get hard. Rock hard. Lara cursed his pants, wanting him to thrust into her, to satisfy that aching emptiness within her she felt only he could fil .
She rocked against him, knowing only a layer of cloth separated her from what she ultimately wanted.
“Reece,” she panted into his mouth.
He broke the kiss, breathing hard. His hazel eyes glazed with lust as he looked at her. “My God, woman, what are you doing to me?”
“Please,” she whispered.