“Perhaps you will. But I doubt it. I’m not cruel, Emily. I never make promises. Any woman who gets involved with me knows that a long-term relationship is not on the menu.”
He always made that clear, and yet he knew they didn’t always believe it.
She lay down again and he heard her yawn. “I’m sure you’re right. Poor things.”
He wanted to keep talking, but he didn’t know what else to say. Soon, her breathing deepened and he knew she was asleep. He was alone, as always, with his thoughts.
Or maybe he was just alone.
CHAPTER NINE
EMILY SLEPT LIKE the dead. And then she awoke as sunlight filtered through the shutters and crept across the bed to caress her face. She was warm and content. And for a moment at least, uncertain where she was. It wasn’t unusual to wake up disoriented when working for Prince Kadir al-Hassan. You could be in Paris today, Hong Kong tomorrow and Sydney the next day.
But she knew she wasn’t in any of those places. And she knew something was different about this trip. It hit her simultaneously that two things were unusual. First, she was no longer Kadir’s PA and she didn’t have to leap out of bed and tend to his breakfast before waking him.
Second, there was a warm body pressing into hers and an arm slung over her waist. That was not at all correct. She hadn’t been in the same bed with another human being in a very long time—unless she’d gotten drunk last night and picked up a stranger. She turned her head slowly, her heart beginning to pump harder. Because she knew the truth before her gaze landed on the face of the man whose body was curled around hers.
Kadir.
Emily’s heart rocketed. She barely managed not to squeal. Her fingers wrapped around his hand and she started to lift it so she could slide out from under his grip. But his eyes snapped open and she found herself staring into his clear gray gaze.
He moved slightly and she felt the hard press of his erection against her bottom. Emily gasped as blood flooded her cheeks. It was followed by an answering wetness in her feminine core that both shocked and dismayed her.
“Salaam, habibti.”
“You crossed the line,” she accused. “You promised you wouldn’t.”
One of his eyebrows arched. “Did I?” He lifted his head to peek over her body. And then he lay on the pillow again. “I believe you need to look to your left.”
Emily did so—and felt the burn of embarrassment grow even hotter than it already was. The pillow line was still there and she was facing it. Kadir had not crossed her barrier; she had.
“I must have been cold,” she sniffed. “You turned the air-conditioning up so high.”
“Because you told me to, if you will recall.”
She tried to move away, but his arm tightened slightly. “Kadir—”
“You have to admit it feels nice to wake beside someone. Comforting.” He put his nose against her neck and breathed.
Her pulse beat hard and fast. Emily closed her eyes and swallowed. “That’s beside the point.”
“So you admit it feels nice?” His voice was a soft rumble in her ear. And her body was snapping with sparks that scared her.