The Sheik's Reluctant Lover (18 page)

He led her outside into the sunshine and Rachel blinked before she got her sunglasses in place.  When she did, she looked around,
then
stopped in her tracks.  The two men she’d seen throughout the week were standing beside a long, black limousine.  She stopped and looked at the two of them, pulling on
Rais
’ hand.  “Don’t get in the car,
Rais
,” she whispered and pulled him closer, stepping in front of him as if to guard her. 

The two men looked at each other,
then
back to her. 
Rais
was pulling her to his side, trying to understand.  “What’s wrong, Rachel?” he asked softly. 

Since he was trying to pull her to his side, she plastered herself against him, terrified that these men were out to hurt him.  “Those men,” she whispered, “I’ve seen them before.”

He looked at the two men who heard her despite her whisper.  “Of course you’ve seen them,” he said gently.  “They have been watching out for your safety while I’ve been gone.”

She blinked and looked up
at him.  “My safety?” she squea
ked. 

“Yes.  They’re your personal body guards.”

She looked back at them, surveying the bu
lges under their dark suits.  “A
re they armed?” she asked, terrified of what those bulges might mean.

“Of course they are,” he laughed softly, his arm wrapping around her.  “Get in the car
and let’s talk.”

She sensed that he was
both amused
and
irritated, but for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why.  She was furious with him.  How could he have put some thugs on her, trailing her all over the
city and countryside
, without telling her! 

She slipped into the back, still watching the two men warily.  She held her tongue until the door was closed but as soon as they were alone again, she let him have it.  “What do you mean they have been assigned to me?  I didn’t consent to being guarded.  And do you have any idea how terrifying it is to be followed and not know why?  Those men weren’t very subtle in their guardianship, or whatever it is that you call it.”

An eyebrow went up with her diatribe and he leaned back.  “I had no idea that you were aware of their protection.  They were supposed to be around, but as inconspicuous as possible.”

She stared at him as if he’d lost his mind.  “You arranged for someone to follow me and didn’t bother to mention anything to me?  Why would you do that?”

Rais
sighed and rubbed his hand over his face.  He knew that Rachel was really upset about this and he wasn’t sure how to appease her without telling her of his plans for her. 
“I need to make sure you are safe, Rachel.  And I’m sorry for not telling you.  I thought if you knew about the guards, you would be angry with me.”

His apology went a long way to easing her anger, but it was still difficult to get over the fact that he had done something behind her back.
  She looked out the window, watching as the city traffic whizzed by outside.  “Why do I need protection?  Why aren’t they out there guarding you?”

Rais
considered the possible answers he could give her.  In the end, he was as honest as he could be.  “My enemies are dangerous, Rachel.  They would use you to get to me.”

She rolled her eyes.  “I’m no one,
Rais
.  When it comes to international politics, I really don’t count.  Call off the men, please.”

He sighed and shook his head, knowing this was going to cause problems.  But she was to be protected at all costs.  “I can’t do that.”  He put a finger over her lips to stop her next argument as well.  “By the way, when you perceive a threat, you damn well better not try and get in front of me.  That’s what my guards are for.  You get behind
me or
them.  Understand?”

“What are you talking about?” she asked, her eyes curious as she tried to grasp his meaning.

“Back at your apartment building,” he clarified.  “You were nervous about the strange men and you stepped in front of me. 
Don’t ever do that again.”

She gritted her teeth, not sure why he was being so obstinate about that. 

He noticed her stubborn expression and shook his head. 
“I will not allow someone to hurt you because
you’re trying to protect me.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, her chin jutting out rebelliously.  “So…”

“No arguments, Rachel,” he said sternly.  “Let my men do their jobs.”

She wasn’t sure what to say about that, but since they’d arrived at the building with the heliport
,
she didn’t have a chance to argue with him.  But what was she supposed to say?  That she wouldn’t let anything happen to him?  That she loved him too much to lose him? 

He didn’t want to hear things like that.  He was the kind of man who wanted to be free, to pursue the next woman.  She hated that, but she couldn’t think of losing him to someone trying to hurt him either. 

Rachel walked into the stables, her booted heels almost silent on the dirt and straw that softened the paths for the horses. 
The previous weekend had been idyllic and she was excited about seeing him this weekend.  They’d spent all weekend in each other’s company, laughing and talking, spending time with her father and just being close.  She knew she was in trouble, knew that she was in love with
Rais
. 

A silly love song was going through her mind and she wanted to surprise
Rais
tonight.  She wanted to see him, to feel his hands on her tonight. She’d missed him last night, felt lonely as she woke up alon
e in her cold bed without him.  Their plans for her going to
Dunari
this weekend were changed because he had a meeting with the President
but that meant he was still coming here this weekend and she would get to see him throughout the whole three days without any other social obligations. 

She couldn’t believe how much better she felt now that her fear of intimacy was gone, not to mention feeling so much love for
Rais
.  She couldn’t believe she could feel so much for one person.  She loved her dad, but this was a completely different feeling.  She wanted to be with
Rais
all the time, to make him laugh and get him to relax more, to listen to his problems and see what she could do to help him.  She wanted to curl up on his lap and
talk about her own problems,
touch his skin and explore his body. 

She’d never felt that way about any other man before.  But then, she’d probably always been in love with
Rais
.  It had started off as friendship when she’d been a child, but as she’d grown older, it had blossomed into something more, something deeper. 
She just hadn’t admitted it until now. 

It was dark outside
by this time of the night
but the lights inside the stables were warm and inviting.  She stopped by to say hello to Dolce and give her an apple, then moved on down to greet her father before she headed up to the main house to find
Rais
.  She didn’t want her father to find out that she was serious about
Rais
from someone else. 

The light was on in his office and she smiled, wanting to surprise him as well.  He’d been delighted to see her out here more often and she suspected that he was aware of her feelings for
Rais
, but had kept silent. 

“Why don’t we just head into one of the stalls,” Rachel heard
someone say
from
inside
her father’s office.

Rachel stopped, her feet frozen in place as she
tried to recognize
the feminine voice.  Was her father involved with another woman?  It was about time, she thought with excitement, and a little bit of trepidation.  They’d been alone for so long, she wasn’t sure how she felt about her dad dating, but she wanted him to be happy. 

“I’m busy, Lila.  Why don’t you come back another time?”

That wasn’t her father’s voice!  She stepped back, wondering why
Rais
was talking with another woman.  And what was her name?  She recognized it, but couldn’t put a face to the voice.  Where had she heard that voice before?

“Oh, come on, darling.  We always have so much fun together.”

Rais
looked down at the woman with long dark hair and too much makeup.  What had he seen in this woman before?  She wasn’t anything like Rachel, but then again,
neither had any
of the other women he’d dated over the last decade.  He’d tried to find a substitute, but none had matched the real thing.  Rachel was light and beauty, laughter and desire so strong he couldn’t believe he’d settled for
pale substitutes instead of the real thing.  She was so much more in all ways than these women. 

“Lila, I have work to do,” he said, trying to be kind, but wanting to get rid of her.  He was thinking that he could get his pilot out here and be in Rachel’s bed in less than forty-five minutes if he moved quickly.  He’d have to check with her to make sure she was free
since he’d arrived a day earlier than he’d anticipated
.  She might need to work tonight and he didn’t want to do anything to interfere.

Of course, when they married, she wouldn’t have these issues unless she wanted them.  He smiled just thinking about Rachel in his home, in his bed back in
Dunari
.   His body actually hardened at the idea of Rachel growing large with their children.  Damn he wanted her! 
For life and not just for a short affair.
  He had no idea what Rachel had in mind, but he’d talk with her about it as soon as he saw her again.
He wanted things settled between them and no more of this temporary, weekend stuff they’d been having together.  He wanted her all the time, by his side and at his table as well as in his bed at night. 

“I love the way you respond so willingly,” Lila
purred, feeling his response and happily assuming it was because of her suggestion
.

Rais
looked up, not sure what the woman was talking about.  Then he noticed the way she was looking down and he quickly shook his head as she approached him. “This isn’t what you…” he stopped when she pressed her body against him, plastering her glossy lips ov
er his.

Rachel felt like someone had just stabbed her in the stomach.  Seeing
Rais
with another woman in his arms, with her lips on his and her body pressing against his hard one just the way she wanted to do, the way she’d been anticipating doing with him only moments ago,
felt like the most brutal betrayal she could imagine.

It was also at that moment that
Rais
looked up from the woman in his arms to spy her in the doorway.  The first moment she’d spotted the two in each other’s arms, she wanted to just hide, pretend like she hadn’t seen anything.  But that wasn’t an option now. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, fighting the tears that sprang to her eyes almost instantly.  “I should have knocked.”  She stepped back out of her dad’s office and closed the door.  She looked to the right and the left, not really sure what she could do to escape.  She knew she
just needed to get out of there
as fast as possible. 
She turned to the left, heading for her car.  She couldn’t even stop by her father’s cottage to say hello to him, just needing to get away from
Rais
and his house and everything about him right now. 

“Rachel wait!” she heard
Rais
call out to her.  His voice spurred her on and she sprinted down the center of the stables towards her car.  She couldn’t see him, didn’t want to hear his explanations. 
If he was even going to offer one.
 

She’d known going into this relationship that
Rais
wasn’t a man who stayed with one woman.  She’d seen him with so many women over the years and she’d ignored the warning signs. 
Rais
loved women.  He was a consummate lover and competitor who played to win. 

She rushed out, digging her keys out of her pocket and pressing the
remote
to unlock her car door.  She heard solid footsteps behind her and made her feet move faster.  The tears were blinding her though and she stumbled on something.  Thankfully she was able to recover and reach her car.  She dove inside just as
Rais
reached her but she locked the doors before he could open it.  She started the engine and drove off, unconcerned that he saw her tears, knew how hurt she was.  She was beyond trying to hide from him now.  He’d broken down every single defense she had, and even some she hadn’t been aware she’d built up and now she had nothing. 

She sped away, uncaring about anything but putting space between herself and
Rais
.  The woman in her dad’s office even looked like her!  Her long, dark hair was styled similarly, but not exactly like hers and she was the same height and about the same weight.  The other woman had larger breasts though.   Was that what he wanted in a woman?  She hated him so much, but she was disgusted with herself just as much for trusting him, for believing in the fairy tale, especially with a man like
Rais
.