The Sheikh’s Stubborn Employee: Qadir Sheikhs Book Three Page 4

  She barely had time to brace before he was devouring her, all his previous restraint gone. He lingered on her clit, drawing it into his mouth, swirling his tongue cruelly over the swollen nub, and she came so hard it was like being sucked into a tornado. The pleasure split her open and sent her howling into the silence of his rooms.

  Emily resurfaced to the sound of foil tearing. The weight of him over her was enough to bring her back to Earth, to pin her down from the whirling flight she’d taken. Please. Did she say it out loud, or did she only think it? Either way, Zaman answered. He pushed inside her with the ragged edge of his control—taking it slow, but only just. He didn’t need to have bothered. She was dripping wet, aching for him. He bottomed out, forcing the air from her lungs along with a moan. A new electricity gave her a burst of energy—I need this—and Emily pushed up against him until he rolled them both over.

  She was on top at last.

  She planted her palms on his chest and rode him as if he were an unbroken stallion, able to buck her at any time. Emily brought her hips down with the same determination that she used when a horse lost his head—with the kind of force it took to assert her control.

  Something snapped deep inside, untethering her mind from the place that thought and worried and decided. It was primal, the feeling that had her tossing her head back, leaning into his grip on her hips, and thrusting down, down, down.

  This time, when her orgasm came, it was raw and powerful, and Emily came apart under the force of it.

  “Yes,” Zaman said, his voice a low growl. “Yes, yes—” His muscles bunched underneath her, and he held her down, firm against his hips.

  It was incandescent, blinding pleasure, and when she came down on the other side, she tipped forward and pressed her cheek against his chest. Had she ever been this thoroughly taken before?

  No. Never.

  His voice came from far away as he stroked his hands down her back and then, after a long time, moved her gently off him to the cool press of the sheets. I needed that, she tried to say, but she’d already drifted too far into sleep.

  * * *

  Zaman stirred in the bed, and Emily froze halfway to the door.

  It was early, the light just beginning to peek through the curtains, and her heart was in her throat.

  That had escalated so quickly.

  They’d planned to talk business, and that had gone off the rails. It had gone so far off the rails that her pulse thrummed in her ears. She had not come to Qadir to sleep with the sheikh, though it was an easy enough fantasy to have. She’d come here to work, and now…

  Now she’d done it.

  Done him.

  She stifled a snort-laugh and clapped her hand over her mouth.

  It was too late.

  Zaman turned, stretching, and blinked into the morning light. “Where are you going?”

  Oh, she could listen to that gravelly, just-woken voice forever. “I was trying to get out without waking you,” she said, just above a whisper. “Go back to sleep.”

  He pushed himself up on one elbow. “You don’t have to sneak out. I’d prefer that you didn’t.” A hint of irritation colored his voice.

  “It’s early,” she countered. “You could sleep in. But the horses are waiting for me.”

  He took her in, wearing last night’s dress and the low heels she’d worn to dinner. “Is that what you’re going to wear to the stables?”

  “No,” she said with a laugh. “I’m going back to my rooms to change.”

  “Come here first.” She went back to the bed, and Zaman sat up and wrapped an arm around her. He nipped her bottom lip with his teeth, and Emily’s heart dropped to the floor. This felt like it might be a one-night stand, and she would be okay with that. She would have to be outwardly okay with it, because she couldn’t fall for the sheikh. That would be completely ridiculous, despite how hot things were between them the previous night.

  Wouldn’t it?

  She dipped her head and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be out in the stables.” Emily needed a minute to think. She needed to exercise Maj and make sure Riah was okay, and she needed to clear her mind of this buzzed feeling. She had to be on top of her game while she was here. She had to.

  Zaman threw back the covers, exposing the incredible lines of his body, and stood up. “I’ll be out there with you.”

  * * *

  Zaman hovered at the fence on the edge of the pasture. He had clearly gone to some trouble of dressing—he wore riding pants and a button-down, though she hadn’t made any promises about his riding Maj. Still, he caught in the corner of her eye every time she went around the ring. Every turn brought another memory of last night to the surface. His mouth on her. His steely length inside of her. The way she had tossed her hair back and cried out, the noises that sounded like someone else but had come from her own mouth…

  She shivered in the saddle. When they’d met at the stables, she had felt their mutual knowledge between them like a thick rubber band, pulled to the limit, waiting to snap. The morning dew on the grass seemed to quiver with it. The whole world seemed to be waiting.

  Zaman beckoned her over on the next turn, and she brought Maj to a halt by the fence. “Yes?” She shot him a big smile. “We’re in the middle of training.”

  “You look exhausted,” he said.

  “Why, thanks.”

  He laughed. “I want you to go rest before you train anymore today.”

  “Nope.”

  Zaman cocked his head to the side. “Nope?”

  “Meaning, no, I’m going to finish the session with Maj and take as long as necessary to care for Riah.” A dawning awareness pricked at the back of her mind. Zaman was serious, judging by his expression…but then, so was she.

  Even the air pressed in on them.

  “The answer’s no,” she said, using the same tone she used when an overeager buyer with something to hide pressured her to make a deal. And then, heart beating fast, she rode back across the ring.

  The next time she turned to glance at Zaman, he was gone.

  6

  Emily’s muscles hadn’t ached like this in months, maybe years. It was different working with the horses in Qadir. Even the sun felt different on her skin. A sweet ache wrapped around her hips as she closed the door to her rooms.

  Back in Kentucky, she hadn’t gone to her training sessions after a night spent with Zaman. Or any other man, for a long while.

  She still felt the burn of his fingertips on her skin, vivid as a sunburn. Zaman had been on her mind all day. She couldn’t help but think of him every time she brought Riah and Maj into or out of the stables. The silhouette of his hard body flickered into her vision every time she looked at those double doors.

  Almost the same way Daud flickered through the stable; the older man had been like a shadow in the barn. Emily would turn to find him at one of the stalls, feeding Riah a carrot as she went out to work with Maj or slipping Maj a peppermint when she walked Riah. She’d tried to catch his eye, but he kept his focus on his work.

  She sank into a low chair outside her bathroom door and tipped her head back, groaning softly. Daud had a special touch with horses, that much was clear. It would be good to get to know him. There was undoubtedly a lot he could teach her. Not too much, since he was training Baqir’s horse for the race.

  Well, they were partners now, in a way. He couldn’t avoid her forever. One of the stable managers had told her earlier that Daud had worked with horses all his life but had had a rough go of things. She wasn’t sure what that meant. But she was sure she would get to know him. It would be a lot easier to please Zaman if they could work together instead of acting like a pair of ships passing in the night.

  And speaking of pleasing Zaman…

  It had pleased her to spend the night in his bed. It had pleased her a lot.

  It had pleased her so much it was bordering on dangerous.

  Emily closed her eyes and ran a fingertip over her lower lip. The ghost of his kisses st
ill lingered there, despite the day she’d spent in the stables and the sun. Last night she’d been so proud of herself for taking what she wanted, and now she felt like the soles of her feet were rocking back and forth on the edge of some high cliff, her gut tight with a combination of need and fear.

  They’d spent the night together. That didn’t mean she could fall in love with him. No—falling in love was completely off the table. It would mean a miserable life back in Kentucky when her contract was up and she took the foal back to the States.

  That image sank a spur into the soft part of her belly. It was one thing to think about leaving Zaman behind in Qadir and never feel his mouth on hers again or the warm lines of his body pressed to her back in the night. But it was a piercing heartache to consider the reality of leaving Riah behind.

  It had been so hard after her mother died. And even worse when they’d discovered their father’s dementia. He’d sold off their best horses before Emily and Charlotte could do a thing about it. Riah was their first hope of reestablishing the family name. It was a blow to lose her.

  She shook her head. Now wasn’t the time to think about that. Now was the time to think about making sure Maj was in top form so the royal family of Qadir would have reason to keep doing business with them. If she could do that, then she’d have chances to see Zaman over the years.

  Yikes. It sounded pathetic, even in her head, that one of the bigger benefits of this whole enterprise was getting the chance to rub elbows with him on, what, a semiannual basis?

  Emily let out a long breath. It had been a long day after a long night. Dinner was up next on her agenda. But first, a shower. She just wanted to let her eyes rest for a minute, that was all. One minute.

  “Emily.”

  She was riding Maj through the foothills of Qadir. Emily felt the horse moving underneath her, his muscles stretching and working, the weight of him solid, reliable. They crested a hill, and—oh, there was the farm. There was Charlotte, waving to her from astride one of the mares, and there was her mother. Her mom’s hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, the way she always wore it. Emily urged Maj on. She saw her mother cup her hands around her lips, and her heart missed a beat, then surged ahead. What was she going to say?

  “Emily. Wake up.”

  She lost her balance on the dream horse and tipped sideways, the saddle coming loose and dumping her off Maj’s back.

  She caught herself on the arm of the chair with a snort.

  “Zaman.” She blinked, trying to reconcile the lamplight with how bright it had been when she sat down. Her mouth felt sticky, the words coming slowly. “What are you doing here?”

  “You didn’t come for dinner.” He was dressed and clean, clean, clean, unlike Emily. “I sent a servant to remind you of the time, but you didn’t answer.”

  “I was dreaming.” She stretched her arms above her head. “You can go ahead and eat if you’re hungry.”

  He pressed his lips together. “When you’re living in the palace, it’s expected that you’ll answer my summons.”

  She snorted again. “Your summons?” Emily pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes, trying to dispel the last dregs of the dream. “I’ll respond to your summons if and when I feel like it.”

  His eyes flashed. “Are you always this rude?”

  “Are you always this controlling? You hired me as a horse trainer, not a dinner date.” The air around her heated. “And even if I was a dinner date, you still couldn’t order me around.” Whatever this princely attitude was, she wasn’t in the mood for it. Yes, there was something to be said for a confident man, but summons? No.

  Zaman’s jaw worked, and for a second she thought he might open his perfect mouth and say something cutting. Her body braced for it. “I was worried,” he admitted instead.

  “About little old me?”

  “About you, yes.” A smile tugged at the edges of Zaman’s mouth. “Even if you don’t seem to appreciate it.”

  “Oh, I do,” she said on the tail end of a yawn. “But I also appreciate it when a man takes the time to woo me.” Since when did she say things like that?

  “Woo you?” Now a smile broke across Zaman’s face, the hard edge disappearing from his eyes. “And what does it take to woo a lady like you?”

  “I don’t know, a pleasant invitation? You’re late for dinner doesn’t really make me want to sit and chat.”

  “How about this?” Zaman took her hand in his, raised it to his lips, and kissed her knuckles. “Come to dinner with me.”

  She pursed her lips, trying to ignore the flush that spread from her knuckles to the rest of her body, heat gathering between her legs. “Try again.”

  He held her hand with both of his. “Emily,” he said, seeming to savor every syllable. “Please come to dinner with me.”

  “So close.” She held up her free hand, thumb and forefinger pinched together. “I mean it. You are so close.”

  “Come to dinner with me, Emily. The food will be tasteless without you. The room will feel desolate without you. Even the lights from the walls will be—”

  “Okay,” she said, laughing. “That’s enough. I’ll go with you. But I have to shower first.”

  He helped her up, eyes hot on hers. “I can help.”

  “I don’t need help in the shower.”

  Zaman turned her away from him and pulled her in close. “I beg to differ.” He kissed his way down the side of her neck until he got to the collar of her shirt. She melted back into him under the warmth of his kisses. She’d put on a show, all right. Sometimes, it was intoxicating to have someone else take charge. Zaman was more than willing. “Let me help you, Emily,” he murmured against her skin.

  “This once.” She tried and failed to say it haughtily. Instead, it came out as a half moan.

  Emily let Zaman lead her into the bathroom. She let him strip off her clothes. She let him sweep her under the stream of hot water. He got to his knees in front of her, and when his dark eyes met hers, her heart thumped. Oh no. Oh, no, she could fall in love with him. Then his mouth was on her, licking, devouring. Oh, no—oh, oh, oh.

  7

  The days rolled by under the sun, and every morning Emily woke up with determination like a glowing flame under her skin. At the end of every day, Zaman’s stable seemed more familiar and the farm back in Kentucky felt more dreamlike. She and Charlotte were both busy, and the time difference made it hard to connect except for a few hurried phone calls. Those either happened early in the morning, when Charlotte had been busy with the horses back on the farm for hours, or late at night, when Emily’s eyes burned with the effort of staying awake.

  She breathed in this morning’s fresh air and stretched her arms, one after the other, on the way to the stable. Maj and Riah had been acclimating well to Qadir. And it wasn’t all down to Emily’s work.

  She found Daud at Riah’s stall again this morning, stroking the mare’s nose and offering her a peppermint. The man had a soft spot for her.

  And Emily had leveraged that soft spot.

  “How’s my girl?” she said by way of greeting. Emily went to Maj’s stall and offered him a good-morning carrot.

  “Well,” he said softly, his hand brushing through her mane. “Very relaxed. She must have had a good night’s rest.”

  “I’m happy to hear it. How’s Saric?”

  Saric was Baqir’s horse, a flawless Arabian Emily wished she could spirit back to Kentucky. Daud had told her that the name meant fast, and she’d seen the trainer and horse together more than once. After the first time she watched Daud direct him and his rider through exercises in the training ring, she’d made excuses to visit Baqir’s end of the stable and visit the horse, and Daud in the process.

  The man hadn’t been able to resist her friendliness, as Emily had suspected. Plus, the two of them could talk horses.

  Daud’s eyes brightened, the hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth. “His exercise rider is taking him out on the hills this morning.”

>   There was something in his voice that sounded almost like an invitation. “Does he want some company?”

  Daud shrugged. “No—we don’t want to give away our secrets. But there’s nothing stopping you from following his route. Perhaps Maj will learn something about our hills.”

  A laugh burst out of her. “If there’s anything Maj knows, it’s hills.”

  “No, no.” He held up a hand. “Our hills are rougher, steeper than yours. He needs to feel them beneath his hooves.”

  Emily smiled. She knew she couldn’t openly acknowledge that Daud was telling her to spy on the competition, but she said, “Thank you for the suggestion. It is a nice morning for a ride. I want Majalun to succeed.”

  “Of course. In this, we are…” He paused, seeming to search for the right word. “Colleagues.”

  “Colleagues,” echoed Emily. “I like the sound of that.” She patted Maj on the head, and he whinnied, impatient. “Time to get saddled up.”

  Daud leaned forward and whispered something in Riah’s ear. Emily reached for a saddle. “Don’t dawdle,” said Daud.

  She laughed again, turning to answer, but he was already gone. Emily let out a low whistle. The man was a genius at training horses, and was also maybe a ghost.

  “That guy,” she said under her breath, but it was barely a grumble. Qadir had given her a challenge in the form of Daud’s tough exterior, and she’d conquered it.

  Emily hurried to saddle Maj and lead him outside. She could just see Saric’s rider leaning down to open the gate between the stable yard and the hill trails.

  Emily just kept the other pair in her sights, letting them disappear briefly around bends and over ridges, their pace a steady trot. Saric was, honestly, a mouthwatering horse. Maj was her main man, but she wouldn’t say no to an afternoon on the black horse. Not that she’d be so bold as to ask Daud about it. They weren’t that close. Yet.