She tried to concentrate on his arrogance. Even Abbas at his most regal had never irritated her with just a look. Karim did it with merely a raised eyebrow and the knowing gleam in eyes that looked smoky with intent.
Their marriage wasn’t about them as individuals, but he saw no reason to deny himself a little sexual diversion with his new spouse. She was here, he was bored, or he wanted to celebrate, or maybe he just wanted to amuse himself at her expense. In Switzerland he hadn’t bothered to hide his disdain.
She planted her hands on her hips and paced a step nearer as hurt, fury and frustration coalesced. ‘I’m not a convenience, here for your pleasure, Karim. We established before we married that I won’t share my bed with you.’
The lingering hint of a smile on that long mouth stiffened. He shook his head, taking his own step forward so they stood almost toe to toe and she had to tilt her neck to look down her nose at him.
Safiyah knew better than to back away. He’d take advantage of any show of weakness. So she was close enough to read what looked like conflicting emotions as he spoke.
‘Believe me, there’s nothingconvenientabout this, Safiyah. As for what you said before we married…’ he spread his hands wide ‘…you’re allowed to change your mind.’
‘You don’t really want sex with me, Karim. You’re just here to score a point. To amuse yourself. It’s a power thing, isn’t it?’
He was just reinforcing the fact thathewas the one in this marriage who had the power, not her. He might have been kind to Tarek but with her he was ruthless.
‘You’re not even attracted to me. You made that clear the day you came to my hotel suite.’ She refused to let her voice wobble as she recalled his dismissal.
‘I did?’ His mouth lifted at one side, but it didn’t quell the impact of that hungry stare.
The air thickened and her breaths grew shallow as she fought to tug in enough oxygen. Her insides clenched and she pressed her thighs tight together, trying to counteract the bloom of heat at her centre. How could she feel furious and aroused at the same time?
‘Don’t play games, Karim. You said it was an experiment that proved you weren’t interested.’
‘An experiment, yes. But the results were obvious. Like a match to bone-dry kindling. If I hadn’t stepped away when I did we’d have had sex on the sofa.’
Safiyah was so stunned she couldn’t find her voice. She went hot, then cold, as her brain produced an all too vivid image of them naked on that sofa. Those long arms holding her close, that muscular body cradled between her thighs…
A shiver ripped through her and his eyes turned darker when he saw it.
Suddenly Safiyah knew she was in real danger—not from Karim but from herself. How easy it would be to give in and say yes, despite her pride and the way he’d treated her.
‘It didn’t occur to you that I was experimenting too? That maybe you misread my curiosity for something more?’ It was an outright untruth, but it was all she could think of to rebut him. ‘If you think I pined for you for years you’re wrong. I didn’t.’
That, at least, was true. She hadn’t let herself pine. She’d tried to excise what she felt for him—like amputating a limb, cutting herself off from emotion. It had been the only way to survive. Lingering on what might have been would have destroyed her as depression had almost destroyed her sister. For five years Safiyah had been emotionally self-contained, her only close relationships with Rana and Tarek.
‘Of course you didn’t pine for me. You had another prince to snare.’
The sneer in his tone was like a slap. As if she’d deliberately set out to lure either him or Abbas into marriage! But before she could snap out a rebuttal he leaned forward, invading her space, filling her senses with the tang of hot male skin, with pheromones that made her all but salivate with longing.
‘You wanted me in Switzerland, Safiyah. We both know it.’
The words ground through her, making her shiver. ‘And you want me now. Every time we get close I read it in your eyes, in your body.’
His gaze dropped to her aching breasts as if he could see the hard nipples thrusting towards him even through the heavy patterned fabric.
Safiyah shook her head. The thick hair he’d undone slipped around her shoulders. She wished it could conceal her totally. She wanted to hide where he couldn’t find her. Where she wouldn’t have to face the truth about herself. That she wanted Karim as she’d never wanted any other man. Still.
‘You’re imagining things, Karim.’ She paused and swallowed hard. ‘I don’t want you.’
His steady stare should have unnerved her, but she refused to look away. She’d done what she had to in order to save her son. Now she’d do what she must to save her sanity. Sex with Karim would be the worst possible idea.
Yet when he took that last tiny step that brought him flush against her, his feet straddling hers, it wasn’t disgust that made her breath hitch. They were both fully clothed, yet everywhere they touched—her breasts against his torso, her thighs against his—fire ignited.
‘Prove it.’
The words were warm air on her superheated flesh.
‘Kiss me and walk away.’