Sheikh's Untouched Woman(4)

Her breaths were coming in quick shallow pants now but goodness she wanted to smack that man in his smug gorgeous face. “You had better double check your facts, Prince Raffir al-Jazzari,” she spat at him.

“I guess we’ll see then, won’t we?” After those words very few had been spoken. Raffi had laid her down across her small bed, stripped her naked and spent an hour stroking her body with his magic tongue. Then she’d finally gotten a glimpse of his magnificent body when he removed his standard uniform, a dark suit with a white shirt. His bronze skin was the perfect showcase for rippling muscles that bunched and curled with every sly step as he stalked to the bed. His big body covered hers and the sensation was so overwhelming she gasped and shuddered as his warmth spread over her.

“Raffi,” she panted, her hips rolling on their own as his fingers played in the moisture gathering between her legs. She had been embarrassed by the wetness but somehow, Raffi was turned on by it. She’d tried to close her legs but he was stronger.

“Don’t be shy now love. I’ve tasted your sweet nectar and I know you crave my touch.” She couldn’t deny that, she was growing to crave everything about this man. When he rubbed his erection over her most sensitive area she screamed out an oath that made him laugh. “That’s right, let it out.”

When he entered her in one smooth thrust she cried out. “Oh,” the pain she felt overriding every other sensation. One tear slipped out and she squeezed her eyes shut, praying for the pain to subside so Raffi would continue his sensual torture.

Raffi stilled, hardly believing what had just happened. The barrier he’d so carelessly ripped through proved him to be a cynical bastard and her to be exactly what she portrayed herself to be. “I’m sorry my love, so sorry.” He leaned his forehead against hers, kissed her nose and her heart shaped mouth. “I didn’t know.”

The pain had subsided and she was beginning to feel the pleasure take over her body. “Don’t stop now Raffi,” she urged. She was still hurt he’d thought her an easy woman but she couldn’t let her first time be an abbreviated version of the real thing. Raffi would make her feel good, would make this good for them both and dammit, she wanted him to. She watched the guilt transform to a hazy lust as his hips began to move back and forth, increasing her pleasure and moisture with every stroke. He murmured how tight she was, how he loved how wet she was and his words washed over her, made her feel as sexy as he said. Then she was trembling underneath him as a floating sensation took over her body and she was floating away. Only Raffi held her down, tethered her to the earth as his own passion carried him away.

It had been the single most exciting night of her life.

It was those memories that killed her and kept her heart’s shattered pieces locked up tight for the world. Only Rafa was the beneficiary of all the love she had to give. He got all her genuine smiles, hugs and kisses. It was his chubby face that made her days brighter and made the past hurt just a little bit less each day.

She couldn’t wait to get home to see her little man.





Several days had passed and Raffi was still shaken by that kiss with Serena on the street as well as her parting words to him. The rest of me knows better. Had he been such a bad partner to her? He had bought her designer clothes and put her up in a gorgeous flat overlooking the Eiffel Tower yet she acted like he’d mistreated her in some way. You crushed me. God he couldn’t get those words out of his head. He had crushed her.

He’d known Serena was fond of him because she talked as if she had been in love with him, but she’d never said a word to him. She was an infatuated young woman, but he had to admit she hadn’t been infatuated with his wealth. She’d often chided him for his extravagant gifts and she had left them all behind when she left.

Raffir didn’t know if there was anything left to say to Serena. She was clear that she wanted nothing to do with him so maybe he should honor her wishes even if it was the last thing he wanted. Strolling the Botanic Gardens on his own wasn’t exactly a stimulating activity, but he’d needed the solitude to clear his head. He didn’t care about the colorful flowers and vibrant green plants along the walk, he needed to get over his obsession with Serena.

He still wanted her, that scorching hot kiss proved that. But was there any way to change her opinion of him? He didn’t know because Raffir al-Jazzari didn’t have to work hard to get women. They threw themselves at him, did whatever he wanted in hopes of catching a few shiny baubles, exotic vacations and fancy clothing. He’d given all that and more to Serena but it hadn’t been enough. She’d wanted him.

If she only wanted him she could want him again. You crushed me. But he couldn’t marry her, she was a foreigner and that would cause more problems than he’d need once he became Sheikh of Maju-ul. There had only ever been one royal who wasn’t of Maju-ul blood and it had taken the people more than two years to warm up to her, his great grandmother. He shook off the thoughts as silly because they were. He couldn’t marry Serena and she wanted nothing to do with him.

He turned down a path with tons of large trees, offering shaded relief from the hot day. The gardens were fairly quiet today for which he was grateful. The last thing he wanted was the interruption of unruly children and their obnoxious parents clouding up his mind. But then he heard laughter belonging to a small child and a woman and the sound brought a smile to his face.

That was a sound a man could get used to hearing. He spotted the duo sitting on a blanket under a large tree. The young red headed child was giggling at the butterflies on his arm.

“No Rafa, don’t eat the butterflies. They’re your friends.”

His steps faltered. That sultry sweet voice. Serena. The child had the same auburn hair. She picked up the baby and his chubby hands went to her cheeks and planted a slobbery kiss on her nose. She laughed that sweet laugh and felt like he was intruding on a private moment. “Good afternoon, Serena.”



~



Her body went numb at his words. Under normal circumstances those were benign words spoken by a former lover. Today with Rafa in her arms, feet away from his father, those words were like a numbing agent to her entire body. Stiff and scared she took a moment to compose herself before she spoke. “Raffir.”

“And who do we have here?” He squatted down to get a better look at the child. To see the features of the man lucky enough to give Serena a baby.

“This is Rafael.” She didn’t turn Rafa around, she couldn’t.

“Hello Rafael,” he said in that crisp accent that drew all eyes his way.

She squeezed her baby, god help her, but she did to keep his attention focused on her. But Rafa wasn’t used to the deep timber of male voices and his head swiveled towards it. “Babababa,” he slapped his hands on his legs in excitement.

Raffir gasped and fell from his squat until he was sprawled out on the grass. Those golden eyes, flecked with brown, were not just familiar they were the defining trait of the al-Jazzari family. Every male for the past hundred years has had those same eyes. His gaze flicked to Serena’s and the wariness mixed with guilt told him who that lucky man was. Him. “Serena?”

She nodded as Rafa continued his baby talk. “Yes.” She closed her eyes, allowing a few tears to roll down her cheeks before she cleared them and blinked the rest away. “He’s my son.”

“I think you mean our son.”

She heard the anger in his voice but Serena was not intimidated, would not be intimidated. Not now and not about this. “No I mean my son. I raised him alone and kept his father’s identity a secret so that he could marry someone else and fulfill his duty to his country.” She lifted Rafa and kissed his chubby cheek. “Don’t worry yourself about a thing Raffir. You have no more obligations today than you did yesterday.”

He stood when she did, his eyes riveted to the little boy in Serena’s arms. His son. Rafael. It seemed the boy was as enthralled with him. His little arms reached out to Raffir who could do nothing but the same until he held his son in his arms for the first time. He was so small and light, Raffir didn’t know if he was holding him too tight. “You’re so small,” he whispered to Rafael, who was staring at his face, taking stock of all his features it seemed. Small hands landed on either side of his face, looking deeply into his eyes. Eyes that were mirrors of each other. “Oh,” he laughed when the wet kiss he’d been expecting turned into an attempt to eat his nose.

The sound of his son’s giggles squeezed his heart until he thought he would cry. From joy and anger, confusion. Rage.

Serena packed up their bags and turned away from the scene before her. She couldn’t bear to look at Raffir holding their son, so enchanted by her bundle of joy. It hurt, it hurt so bad. That was how it should’ve been but it wasn’t. It never would be. “Okay Rafa, it’s time for your nap.” She reached for him, trying to avoid touching Raffir.

“We need to talk Serena.”

She nodded. “You can come ‘round tonight for dinner and talk. Come at half seven, I’ll text you the address.”