The Sheik's Beautiful Intruder (The Friendship Series) (15 page)

She bit her lip, wondering if what he’d actually been telling her was the truth.  What if he had been telling her the truth all along?  What if Brianna wasn’t anywhere near here and someone truly was messing with the oil markets? 

She sighed and sank down lower, wishing she could figure this out.  She didn’t even know how to gauge what he was telling her.  She had no access to the outside world, no way to verify his assertions.  It all sounded amazing and somewhat possible.  But was it probable? 

What was it about Nazar that had her wanting to trust him when every life lesson so far had told her not to?  What kinds of powers did he wield over her? 

Nikki had no idea how long she’d been laying in the water, but it had probably been a while.  So when the door to the bathroom swung open again, she was startled out of a deep sense of relaxation.  “What…?”

“You were in here for too long,” Nazar explained, sauntering towards her.  “I came to check on you.”

Nikki curled her legs inward and covered her breasts with her arms.  “Nazar, get out.  I’m fine.”

His hand slipped into the water and he shook his head.  “The water has cooled too much.  You need to get out.”

“I’m perfectly fine right here,” she gasped, suddenly realizing that the water really was cold.

“No.”  He picked up one of the fluffy, white towels and spread it open.  “Get out now.”

She looked at the towel, then at him.  “Just put the towel right there and I’ll get out on my own.”

He shook his head, a strange light in his eyes.  “You were too sore before you got into the water.  Now the cold water has probably tensed up your muscles.  You’re going to need help.”

“I’ll get someone…” she started to say, but he shook his head.

“I’ll help you.  Get out, Nicole.”  He said it softly, but with that authority that just sent shivers throughout her whole body.  Looking down, she knew she’d never win this battle. 

“Nazar, I’m not…”

“I’ll make a deal with you,” he interrupted, bending down so that he could see her eyes better.  “If you can get even halfway out of that bathtub, I’ll leave this towel and meet you outside the doorway.”

Nikki rolled her eyes.  “I’m fine!”

He chuckled, feeling better now that his feisty woman was back in full force.  The warm water must have done more for her than he’d thought.  “Prove it.”

Nikki glared at him, but even knowing him such a short time, she recognized the absolute stubbornness in those sexy, black eyes.  “Fine!” she snapped back at him.  She moved her legs slightly, but they didn’t really stretch out.  She looked down at her legs, feeling every muscle in her body protest. 

Closing her eyes, she forced her legs to move, but they were so sore, every inch was a torture. 

A moment later, she felt strong, gentle hands under her arms lifting her up and out of the water.  “Just relax,” Nazar soothed, setting her on her feet and wrapping the towel around her body.  With tender hands, he grabbed another towel and dried her arms and legs.  “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” he asked as he stood up next to her, towering over her and Nikki fought the urge to lean into him, to absorb his heat and his strength.  She couldn’t seem to stop shivering even though she didn’t feel cold any longer. 

“Now for the best part,” he said and bent once more, lifting her into his arms.  Because Nazar had wrapped her in the first towel, her arms were caught and she couldn’t even balance herself by wrapping her arm around his neck.  She had to completely trust him which went against everything inside of her. 

“You don’t need to carry me,” she whispered, wishing her voice was stronger, more confident.

“I like carrying you.”

“Why?”

He shrugged, careful to balance her as he put her down on the bed.  “Because you’re completely dependent on me.  I like that.”  He arranged the pillows slightly then gestured to the bed.  “Lay down.”

Nikki heard the words, looked back at the pillows, then back at him and started to shake her head. 

“Nikki, your muscles are tense from overuse.  I’m just going to help you by giving you a massage.  Otherwise, your muscles will stiffen even more and you won’t be able to move tomorrow.”

“I’ll be fine.”

He shook his head.  “You won’t.  Believe me.  You’re going to be in so much pain that you won’t want to even think.  And because it’s muscular, you’re going to feel it deep down.  Just relax,” he coaxed and lifted her feet so they were now stretched out on the bed, “and let me help you.”  With that, he took her shoulders and pushed her so that she was lying on her stomach. 

She heard him squirt something, but was afraid to look and see what it was.  “Just enjoy this,” he said and a moment later, his hands smoothed out against her calves.  His strong fingers gently kneaded the tense muscles, moving back and forth, going slightly deeper with each stroke. 

Nikki hadn’t realized how sore she really was.  When his thumbs pushed against her muscles, the relief was so intense, she couldn’t stop a moan from escaping.  “Oh, that feels incredible!” she sighed, relaxing as he moved against her calves. 

“Wait until you feel it in your shoulders,” he said, chuckling at the expression of bliss in her face.  “Just keep relaxing and close your eyes.”

Nikki never would have believed it, but his hands really did feel incredibly good, very relaxing.  She let her head fall into the mattress more, feeling the tension slowly leave her muscles. 

He didn’t go above her knee, just rubbing the calves of both legs, bending them back and helping the muscles along her shins as well.  When he was finished with her calves, he moved to her arms, taking one, then the other and rubbing the tender muscles in her upper arms all the way down to her fingers.  As he massaged her fingers, there was an almost sexual feeling that struck her, but she tried to attribute that to just the sensation of relaxing.  It had nothing to do with his touch, or the way his fingers moved against hers.  No, this was all just medicinal, she reminded herself. 

When his hands moved to her shoulders, she groaned once again, feeling all the tension leave her body.  She wasn’t even aware of his hands pushing the towel further down her back, pushing the terry cloth lower and lower so that his hands could rub her skin, pressing and kneading, making her feel incredible. 

When his fingers found the small of her back, she arched upwards, startled by the intense heat that streaked through her.  She glanced back at him, worried that he’d understood.  But he wasn’t looking at her face.  His eyes were focused only on her back. 

“Relax, Nicole,” he coaxed and ran his hands up her back once again. 

She inhaled as his hands moved against her side, coming perilously close to her breast.  How was a woman supposed to relax when she felt something that…amazing!

But there was just a touch, then his hands moved back again to her shoulders and arms, letting all the tension flow, inch by inch, out of her body. 

She knew where this was leading.  He might not mean to be leading her there, but every touch of his hands now had a direct path down to her tummy.  And lower!  “I’m fine.  That’s enough.”

“Not even close,” he told her.  She was only slightly reassured when his hands moved the fabric of the towel back up on her back.  Not so that it was completely covering her back as it had previously, but enough so she didn’t think he was doing anything…naughty. 

But then his hands moved back to her calves.  And higher!  “Nazar?”
She gasped. 

“Relax,” he told her again, moving his hands along the backs of her thighs.  “This is probably where you’re hurting the most, isn’t it?” he asked.

It was, but she wasn’t going to tell him that!  “I’m fine!  Perfectly fine!”

He chuckled, but his hands wouldn’t let her up.  He firmly pushed her back against the bed.  “You’re not fine.  Just enjoy this, Nicole.”

How was she supposed to relax when all she wanted to do was roll over and beg him to do this correctly?  But he was not to be deterred.  His hands moved higher, inching higher and higher with every swath upwards.  She wasn’t relaxed any longer.  She was painfully tense but for a whole different reason now. 

Nikki buried her face in the mattress, trying to stifle her reaction every time he came closer to where she was feeling his touch.  “What are you doing?” she whispered, then shivered as his hand moved up so high, it was almost touching her bottom before moving back down again. 

“What do you think I’m doing?” he asked softly. 

Was he closer to her somehow?  She was afraid to open her eyes and find out, afraid of what she might do.  “It feels like…” she couldn’t finish that sentence, especially when his fingers moved higher once again, lingering, teasing and touching her just close, almost close….almost exactly where she wanted him to touch her.  But then he stopped and she groaned, her hands gripping the pillow now as she waited desperately for his hands to move higher once again. 

“What do you want me to do?” he asked, his voice husky, his breath warm against her back. 

She wanted to tell him, to order him to put his hands right back where they’d been a moment ago.  But she couldn’t say the words.  She blushed, wanting to say the words because she knew with absolute certainty that he would do anything she wanted him to do.  Even move away from her.  But she didn’t want that any longer.  She needed something different now.  She’d pushed him away so often but she simply couldn’t do that again.  Not this time. 

“Tell me what you want, Nicole,” he encouraged with both his hands and his voice.  “Just say the words.”  His hands were so close, so enticingly close. 

“Don’t stop!” she finally said, then bit down on her lower lip as she tensed for his touch. 

“Touch you?” he asked, his hands moving downward again.

“No!” she almost screamed, her back arching and her hips unable to stop wiggling.  “Don’t!”

“Don’t…what?”

His hands moved higher once again and she tensed, waiting in anticipation and this time, she wasn’t disappointed.  His hands moved against her, feeling her bottom and whispering against that secret place that no man had ever touched or seen.  She moaned with the need, shivered when his fingers slid in between the slick folds and buried her face in the pillow once again, trying to hide from him, embarrassed by what his simple touch could make her feel.

“No, Nikki.  Don’t hide yourself from me.  I want to see your reactions.”

His fingers stilled until she complied with his command.  It took her several moments, but when he wouldn’t move, wouldn’t give her the relief she needed, she looked at him, turning her head so that one cheek was resting against the mattress now. 

Her breathing was ragged, her body quivering in anticipation. 

“I love your reactions,” he told her, his voice even deeper.  “Never hide them from me.”  And then his fingers moved again and she gasped, not sure what to do but her body lifted, giving him better access.  “You’re beautiful,” he growled. 

With those words and his magical fingers, she splintered apart, her whole body shaking as waves of pleasure so intense washed over her that she wasn’t sure if she was screaming out or just begging him for more. 

When it was all over, she could barely catch her breath.  “Goodness,” she sighed. 

“It isn’t over yet,” he told her and his hands moved against her, grasping her hips and rolling her over so she was on her back.  When her breasts were freed from the towel, he looked down at her, a look of absolute possession in his eyes that made her shiver and those tremors grew into that same feeling she’d thought had just been appeased. 

Her hands reached up, wanting to touch him but then she pulled back, not sure what he might want from her.  Was this over?  Had he only been helping her? 

But then he grabbed her hands, pulling them back against his chest.  “Feel free to touch me anytime,” he told her, then closed her eyes as her hands smoothed against the soft cotton of his shirt. 

That wasn’t enough for her and Nikki sat up, her fingers fumbling with the buttons until she had several of them out of the way.  With the material gone, her fingers splayed against his chest, running through the light spray of hair that ran across his tanned skin. 

A moment later, he shook his head and pulled her hands away.  He stood up and ripped his clothes off, then reached down and pulled protection out of his pocket.  Only a part of Nikki’s mind thought through what the condom implied.  The rest of her was too intent on touching this man the way he’d been touching her for…she had no idea how long.  All she knew was it was now her turn. 

She climbed up onto her knees, licking her lips in anticipation.  She’d wanted this for so long but had denied herself this pleasure.  But now he was here, he was naked for her delectation and she wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass by her.  Her fingers ran along his skin, loving the different textures and the way he watched her as she explored his body.  “You’re so different,” she said in wonder. 

His chuckle made her fingers vibrate.  “I would hope so,” he came back. 

His hands had been resting on her waist, giving her time to explore but with her words, he couldn’t hold back any longer.  He raised his hands, cupping those perfect globes that he’d remembered but been denied his fill on previous occasions.  “My turn,” he told her and grabbed her wrists while he bent lower, his mouth latching onto her breast and tormenting the nipple with his teeth and his tongue. 

Nikki hadn’t been prepared for that and she grabbed his neck, holding him closer, needing him to continue.  “Nazar!” she gasped, wanting something and not sure how to get it from him. 

His strong hands lifted her up and laid her back down on the bed, his own body following but this time, he swept the towels away and his knees pressed between her own, making room for him.  He lifted her knees up so that she was surrounding him, creating the perfect cradle for his hardness.  “I feel like I’ve wanted you for so long,” he groaned. He bent over and gave her other nipple equal attention, while at the same time, his hand moved lower, a long finger sliding into her.  “Ah Nikki!  You’re so ready for me!”

Nikki mentally agreed with him but she was too overwhelmed to say anything.  All she knew was that something was missing. And this man with all his strength and power, he was the only person who could fix it.