The Sheikh’s Tempted Prisoner by Holly Rayner Page 0,25

resting the palm of his hand behind her head. Their breath mingled as they fought one last battle not to give in to their emotions. When Atnan realized Lily wasn’t pulling away, his eyes landed on her lips and he resisted no longer.

Pressing his lips against hers, he planted a soft kiss on her mouth. Lily responded by kissing him back firmly, and she soon lost control to her passion as she clung to him. Atnan deepened the kiss, lifting her into his arms as he kissed her into deliriousness. She cradled his face in her hands as he walked, quite skillfully, back down the hallway. He planted her feet back down in front of a doorway.

“This is me,” he said quietly, pressing his forehead against hers. “Lily, I…”

She pressed her fingers against his lips and reached past him with her other hand to open the door, giving him her answer without words. He pulled her to him again, dragging them both into his room and closing the door behind them, even though no one was there to disturb them.

It was a night neither of them would soon forget.

Chapter Eleven

Images of the previous evening danced behind Lily’s eyes as she slowly awoke. She kept her eyes closed, savoring the sensation of waking up in a comfortable bed, wrapped in the arms of a handsome and wonderful man. His arm was draped around her middle, bent upward so that his palm nearly cradled her face.

Behind her, she could feel him breathing, his bare chest pressing against her back before pulling away ever so slightly with each inhale and exhale. Lily smiled.

It had been five days since she’d had her car accident and Atnan had come to the rescue. In that moment, she had to admit that they had been five of the best days of her life. They had discussed literature and cuisine, and he had taught her so much about his culture and himself. Was it possible that they could simply stay there in that musty old palace forever?

Atnan shifted, and Lily turned in the circle of his arms to find him awake, his brown eyes shining in the light that filtered through his draped window.

“Good morning,” he murmured.

Lily beamed up at him.

“Hi,” she said, placing her hands on his bare chest. “Fancy meeting you here.”

He chuckled, repositioning himself so he could hold her closer.

“Do you come here often?”

Lily laughed, and for a moment she thought she saw the Sheikh blush.

“This would be a first, though I hear there this palace has one of the best chefs in the country.”

His grin stayed in place as he ran his fingers through her hair, staring at her as though trying to memorize her face and capture the moment forever. At least, she hoped that was what he was thinking.

“I’ve heard that, too,” he said, and she scoffed.

“Humble to a fault, you are.”

He lifted his hands in defense.

“Hey, you’re the one dealing out compliments. I’m just not disagreeing with them.”

“Uh-huh,” she said, cuddling deeper into his arms.

While it was true that she was famished, the idea of ever leaving that exact spot held little to no appeal for her.

“While we’re giving out compliments, I should tell you that you look exquisite first thing in the morning.”

Lily blushed as she looked into his eyes. He watched her with a ravenous hunger, his eyes fully planted on her lips before his own captured them and reignited the passion that they had so enjoyed the night before.

After another slow, delicious love-making session, the two of them hopped into Atnan’s enormous shower. Playful and not-so-playful kisses ensued before the hot water finally ran out and they were forced to dress and begin their day.

Lily slipped into the clothes she had put on the day before and braided her wet hair before facing Atnan, who had dressed in a simple white button-down shirt and a pair of slacks.

“Seriously, though, have you ever worn jeans?” she asked, sitting on the bed to watch him finish dressing.

He turned, rolling up one of his shirtsleeves.

“I suppose I have. Once, when I was visiting America, we went to a thing called a rodeo, and jeans were strictly the dress code for that.”

Lily laughed.

“How did you find the rodeo? Did you like it?”

He shook his head, his lip curling slightly in distaste.

“I found it a bit cruel for my tastes, but to each his own, I suppose.”

“I went to a ton of those when I was a kid. When I was very little,