Desert Sands. Barbara Jeffs

entrance.

      The doorman was holding the door open for them an impassive look on his face and she belatedly realized he had been an interested spectator to their meeting.

      Chapter 2

      The lobby was as she remembered it, wide and spacious with its marble floor and luxurious furniture.

      “Come on.” Kalim curled his fingers around her arm and strode across the highly polished floor.

      “Will you slow down,” Shannon gasped breathlessly as they crossed the foyer. She was having trouble keeping up with his fast pace. “Your legs are longer than mine.”

      Kalim halted at once and surprised her by laughing, his white teeth flashing against his brown skin. “I had forgotten how tiny you are.” His eyes drifted slowly down her legs and her mouth went dry. “Small and beautiful” His voice thickened. “I remember how they used to wrap around my body and hold me as we made love to each other.”

      His words evoked half forgotten memories and she began to tremble as vivid images of their lovemaking rushed through her mind, their bodies entwined. His hands and lips moving over her body until she was mindless with desire. His thumb softly stroked her arm when he felt her reaction but she was unaware of it, lost in a cascade of emotions.

      “Yes you remember what it was like and want it still as much as I do,” he whispered into her ear his voice so thick it was guttural. “We could not get enough of each other could we?” His breath feathering across her skin made her legs go weak and she knew if he released his hold on her arm she would collapse at his feet. “Why did you leave when we had all that?”

      Several guests had stopped to watch and enjoy the spectacle of the young auburn haired woman and the tall intimidating man conducting a rather intimate conversation in a hotel lobby.

      Neither Kalim nor Shannon was aware of this attention but Hassam was and recognized that he needed to break it up immediately. The thought of a reporter or worse a photographer getting a hold of this story was enough to give him nightmares.

      “Will you two shut up and wait until you get upstairs to finish your conversation.” Both Kalim and Shannon took a step backward as he stepped between them. “You are attracting attention.”

      It was at that moment that their different backgrounds became glaringly apparent.

      Shannon glanced around the lobby and instantly wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole. Heat ran up her throat and into her face and she knew she was blushing bright red.

      Kalim lifted his chin in haughty disdain and completely ignored everyone. He stepped around Hassam clasped her hand in his and strode across to the lift.

      A disjointed male voice floated across to them as they stepped into the lift. “Good luck mate I hope you win.”

      Shannon was incensed when both Kalim and Hassam laughed.

      “Why did you leave Shannon?” Kalim repeated his earlier question as the lift door swished silently closed. “You knew I would search for you.”

      “Of course I knew.” She agreed. “That’s why I severed all ties with my old life and went into hiding.”

      “Yes, you did an excellent job of disappearing.” His harsh laugh grated on her jumpy nerves. “For six months you have managed to evade a whole army of private detectives.” He gave a mocking bow. “I congratulate you.”

      “You hired private detectives?” Shannon was surprised. While she had known that he would try to find her, she had never considered how he would do it.

      “What did you expect me to do? Search for you personally?” He raked his hand through his wet hair. “You know that would have been impossible. That I had to return home.” His lips twisted into a bitter smile. “You should know. You were supposed to come with me.”

      “I couldn’t.”

      Contempt blazed in his eyes. “You are a coward, Shannon. You decided to end our relationship without any regard for what I wanted. You left. You disappeared and left me no choice but to hire strangers in an attempt to find you.” His hands clenched into tight fists. “Do you have any conception of how much I hated having to do that?”

      Actually she could understand his resentment very easily. He was the Crown Prince of Bashram. She doubted if anyone had ever said no to him in his entire life - until now. She was unable to decide if that made her brainless or independent.

      “Kalim, we come from opposite sides of the world, from different cultures.” She waved her hand in a helpless gesture. “You expected me to leave everything that was familiar to me and go with you to a strange country. A country I know nothing about, with unfamiliar customs and a lifestyle unlike any I have ever known before.”

      “I remember what you wrote in your letter.” His jaw tightened into a thin, hard line. “I did not believe your reasons then, and I do not believe them now.” He paused and continued with mocking irony. “You forgot to mention Montoya. That reason was the most stupid one of all.”

      “It isn’t stupid to me.” Shannon shuddered. Just the mention of that madman’s name caused the fear and nausea to rise up into her throat. “He terrifies me.”

      “Montoya has been trying to overthrow my father for ten years.” He sucked down an exasperated breath. “I admit he is dangerous, but his followers are few and we take precautions. We are not stupid.”

      Hassam was not too sure about that last part and when the doors slid open he stepped out pointedly ignoring the pair of them.

      “I’ll be in my room if you need me,” he threw back over his shoulder as he strode along the carpeted corridor and unlocked the door to the suite. “Those two deserve each other,” he growled as he walked into his bedroom and closed the door grateful that the rooms were soundproof. He had a feeling there was going to be one hell of a slanging match between that pair of fools.

      “After you.” Kalim gestured for her to precede him out of the lift. “You know the way.”

      The mockery in his voice made her hand itch and she glared at him then whirled on her heel and walked into the door. The lift had been summoned to another floor and they had been unaware of the door sliding silently closed. She bounced off the door and into his waiting arms.

      He took an involuntary step backward as she cannoned into him, his arms tightening around her and pulling her against him as he righted his balance.

      “Are you all right?” he asked as he turned her to face him.

      Shannon nodded her head. “Yes.”

      Their eyes locked, both of them caught in the web of emotions flowing between them. Emotions that no amount of bitterness, no separation, no regrets could ever change. Emotions of a deep abiding love.

      “Shannon,” he murmured huskily as he untied the cord from under her chin and pushed the hood off of her head. He inhaled sharply as long, silken auburn tresses cascaded around her face and shoulders. “It burns like fire.” His fingers threaded through the loose tresses. “I feared you would have it cut and change its color.”

      Shannon blinked in surprise. The idea had never occurred to her. If it had----

      His lips met hers cutting off her thoughts. Passion flared between them as he gathered her tightly against his spread apart legs, rotating his hips against her trembling body, his arousal throbbing against her thigh. She was burning with desire it swept through her like a flood, and an aching knot twisted her stomach into a tight ball.

      The door slid silently open and an elderly couple prepared to enter the lift. They halted in surprise and stared at the entwined couple in astonishment.

      Kalim reluctantly raised his head and flashed the couple a brilliant smile. “Good afternoon,” he greeted them pleasantly. “Lovely day isn’t it?”

      “We’ll wait for the next lift,”