Xander went still. “You didn’t!”
Ela looked up at him briefly from behind lowered lashes. “Well, it is her other specialty.”
“She’s a feminist historian with interests in middle eastern architecture—”
“Especially with regard to the accommodation of women,” Elaheh finished.
“I like the way you omit the one word which would have piqued Sheikh Zyir’s interest, no doubt.”
“Harem?”
“Exactly, harem. Ashley’s interest is purely academic, purely feminist. And Zyir’s interest is purely practical. It’s rumored he’s particularly fond of the old ways, particularly when it comes to keeping a harem of women.
Elaheh dismissed his words with her hand. “I doubt that’s true.” She really hoped it wasn’t true. She was beginning to feel guilty now. But she’d met Ashley a few times and she was one very independent, strong women, who, Elaheh was sure, could easily deal with a macho sheikh, no matter how fierce his reputation. “Anyway, I told her to get in touch with me if she needed anything.”
“Get in touch with you, not me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because…” She shrugged. “I worry that you might think you made the wrong decision, that you should have asked Ashley to marry you.”
“True. Maybe I should. After all, we would have had far fewer arguments.”
Elaheh scowled, and stared at the board, determined to find a winning move, but her mind was filled with visions of Ashley and Xander.
“And she would have let me do whatever I wish.”
Elaheh pushed her queen across the board. “Checkmate,” she said, sitting back with a grin and taking a sip of her rose water sharbat. The ice cubes clinked as she set it back on the marquetry table and looked across at her opponent.
Xander eyes were focused on the board. Then he shot her the kind of glance which made her heart race, before pushing a piece—she hadn’t a clue which, her mind was suddenly off the game—across the board. He settled back. “I think not.”
“Not?” she asked weakly.
He shook his head, and his smile was plainly sexual. “Not checkmate.”
She frowned and looked back at the board, and realized he was correct. “You got me riled up with all that talk of Ashley. She’s so beautiful.”
“True.” He smiled, and she could see he’d decided to stop teasing her. “But not as beautiful as you—no one is. And I want no one else in my bed, by my side, mother of my children… the list goes on… except you.”
She gave a satisfied noise and looked back at the board. “I thought I’d won for a moment.”
“No. But I have.” Xander got up and stretched.
Elaheh’s frown deepened. She couldn’t figure out how someone as apparently laid-back as Xander had a brain which worked with such unerring accuracy. She sighed and began to set the pieces up again. “Let’s have another game.”
“No.”
She looked up at him. “Yes, let’s have another game.” She continued to replace the pieces back on the board.
“No.” He leaned over the board, his hands gripping the side of the table, his gaze boring into her. “I have a better idea.”
“But I’d really like to—”
With one clean sweep of his hand, the chess pieces went flying.
“Xander!” She was shocked by the abrupt movement.
His eyes narrowed and he extended a hand to her. She didn’t hesitate. Sometimes, she’d found it was in her interests to surrender to her sheikh.
They walked quickly into the sitting room where Xander then proceeded to undress Elaheh until she stood naked in front of him. She suddenly felt self-conscious and cradled her pregnant stomach, as she stood beside the chaise.
He dropped to his knees and kissed her stomach, trailing further kisses down until he found his target. She sat on the chaise and he pushed open her legs, made himself comfortable between them and proceeded to give her the most explosive orgasm, making it absolutely clear to her that there was no one else in the world he adored more than Elaheh. And, Elaheh thought, as her body rippled with the aftermath of the explosion, the feeling was entirely mutual.