He made a small sound of disgust. “What? Are you going to say you fell in love with me at first sight? I expected better of you than such trite nonsense.”
“No. Not love. Lust.” She wrapped her arms around his waist, so that their naked forms were pressed together. “Just sex. I wanted to rip your clothes off in the middle of the room. I had never felt anything like it.” And where she got the confidence from, she’d never know, but she reached for his hand and lowered it to her feminine core, holding it against her entrance. “I was wet. Just looking at you practically made me come.”
Aki’s eyes were wide with surprise, but he didn’t pull away.
“I would have done anything you’d asked, just to be with you. I would have flown to Talina and joined your harem, if that’s what it took.”
“Why are you saying this?” He groaned, moving his fingers over her nakedness, teasing and tempting, watching as her face flickered in sensual recognition.
“Because I thanked you, for New York, with my words. Not my body. I don’t want you to tarnish this one good thing we share by attributing a false motivation.” She pressed her lips against his chest. “Feel me now. I want you to make my body yours in every way, Aki. I want you to understand that when it comes to sex, you own me, and I am happy with that.”
Eleanor had walked herself so far out onto the plank, and she didn’t know if he was going to throw her a rope or tell her to jump.
He moved his other hand around to cup her rear, holding her against him while his fingers moved distractingly at her entrance. The visage of the orange butterfly, presenting itself to be trapped, appeared, and he wilfully shoved it aside. “And sex will be enough for you?”
It would have to be. Nothing else was on offer. “Yes.” Her eyes held his in a gaze that was filled with promise and hope. “I know I’m not the wife you would have chosen, Aki. I know you will never forgive me for having been born to your sworn enemy. And I don’t know how the hell I’m going to get around the fact that I’m married to a man who hates my father – someone I think more highly of than anyone on the planet.” She breathed out raggedly as her body shook with waves of passion. “But I still think there is good between us. That there is enough to hang a marriage on.”
“Sex.” He said again, his eyes scanning her face thoughtfully.
She nodded. “What do you say?”
His eyes glimmered in his face. “Go to my room. I will join you as soon as I am able.” She was at the door, her dress hastily replaced on her body, her hair tussled, when he called to her. “And Eleanor?”
“Yes?” She turned to face him, her eyes smudged with desire.
“I do not have a harem. I have you.”
She flicked him a half smile then turned and left, leaving the fragrance of gardenias and red-hot memories in her place.
His wife was a constant revelation. She had effortlessly broken through his reserves, and he couldn’t even bring himself to feel guilty about it. She was his perfect match; her body was a sort of heaven for him. But her words held a unique ability to surprise and injure him, and he couldn’t fathom why.
Chapter Eight
“We have to leave your room at some time,” she said with a yawn, stretching her arms above her head.
“I am ruler of Talina. I do not have to do anything I do not wish.” He reached out and ran a finger around her peach nipple, tracing the dusky hued flesh with fascination. “And right now, I wish to be here with you.”
Eleanor smothered her grin. “Forever?”
“Isn’t that the point of marriage?” He said, flicking her nipple with his fingertip so that she yelped in surprise.
“One of them,” she responded, pushing off the mattress so that she could straddle her legs over his waist. She felt him jerk beneath her satisfyingly. His voracious appetite was thrilling. His desire for her beyond doubt. How her feelings had changed in two days. Perhaps it was some kind of sexual fog, but Sultan Aki Katabi filled her entire field of vision.
He put his hands on her hips, easily lifting her body and moving her lower, so that she took his length inside of her. His strength was remarkable. She groaned softly as her body enveloped him as it always did, her muscles stretching to incorporate him into her being. Her whole body seemed to fire with a constant need for him. For two days, they’d stayed locked in his room, making love, dozing fitfully and coming together again, and Eleanor wasn’t sure she would ever have enough of Aki.
“It’s like you’re made for me,” she murmured, lifting herself on her legs and lowering herself again, feeling him fill her and own her.
“Perhaps I was,” he grinned, flipping her backwards with the strength of his thighs and moving over her. “I certainly feel we were made to do this.”
Eleanor grabbed the pillow from above her head and pulled it over her face to muffle her screams of delight. Aki laughed, wondering if he’d ever forget the sight of his wife gripping a white pillow until her knuckles were similarly pale.
Two days later, as he flew one of his fleet of choppers over the empty desert to the west of the country, his mind was barely on the controls. Eleanor. Beautiful, young, dutiful Eleanor. He felt his body stir when he thought of her. Even he could not have predicted the chemistry they would share. It was a surprise that was both welcome and thrilling. To desire a wife he had regreted the necessity of marrying was a very welcome discovery, he thought with a small smile.
But the certainty that Eleanor was a pawn in two men’s games was unsettling. He had not cared about her wishes before he’d married her. He had convinced himself that her father’s return to Talina would be enough for her. But now that he knew her, Aki was certain it would never be sufficient. The pleasure at having given her father such a gift would fade. And so too would her reason for marrying him.
Would remorse spring up in place of happiness? Would hate take over from gratitude? He flicked a switch, radioing to his security forces that he was bringing the bird back to the palace.
Even his annual tour of the sand lands had proven powerless to distract him from his wife. He was eager now to return to her. To find her, he hoped, in his bed where he’d left her. That morning, when he’d kissed her goodbye, he had not wanted to leave. Stone had lodged in his chest, at the inevitability of parting from her. “When I come back, I would like to renegotiate the terms of our marriage further,” he had joked, running his fingers through her hair with wonderment. Like her, it was so soft and pure.
“I’ll be waiting for you,” she had promised, her cheeks flushing as she’d pushed up from the pillows to kiss him right back.
He pushed the helicopter to the edge of its capabilities, wanting only to be at home with her. A flash of white crossed his screen and the helicopter seemed to jerk in the air. It all happened incredibly fast. He had the impression of feathers; only a quick glimpse but enough to know that he’d run through a flock of birds. The rota blades were heavy weights on top of the unaerodynamic helicopter. There was no time to radio his ground team. With a grim shake of his head, he angled the vehicle forward, instinctively knowing that his only chance would be to get enough autorotation in the blades to make the machine slow its descent. He tilted it further forward, cursing as he briefly caught an updrift of wind before flying out of it.
Faster and faster it plummeted to the crisp white sand beneath, and in every direction, there was nothing around him but white desert and heat. He swore again, manoeuvring the chopper in the hope of restarting the stalled blades. When he had given up all hope, he felt it lift, the blades making a sickening churning sound as they began to turn. Faster and faster they moved – not enough to keep him aloft, but certainly enough to slow his fall to earth.
The last thought he had was of Eleanor.
Then, it landed with a spectacular thud, making his head bang forward onto the controls. Darkness descended.
All day, she’d had an unshakable sense of unease. She’d read, she’d spoken to Michelle back in New York, and she’d even picked
up her PhD thesis again, simply for the satisfaction of working on something that she had once loved. But the gnawing sensation in her gut wouldn’t abate.
The sun on her back was fierce, but she didn’t move. She sat on the balcony, staring out at the blue sky, and she tried to ignore the growing sense of concern. The horizon appeared to have waving lines across it; an optical illusion from the heat of the desert.
Time and time again, she tried to tell herself that she was only adapting to being back on her own. After days spent with Aki glued to her side, the sensation of alone-time was difficult to manage. Her smile was weak as she appreciated the irony of how quickly she’d come to depend on him.
“Ellie.”
She looked up, and she knew. Ryan’s expression was carefully guarded, but that didn’t matter. She stood, clasping her hands in front of her.
“What’s happened?”
There was no easy way to say what he had to say. “Aki’s chopper went down somewhere in the desert.”
Her knees buckled beneath her and she fell in a heap to the floor. Ryan lurched forward, and crouched before her. “What do you mean? Tell me everything.”
“We don’t know much. There is not much to tell. Listen, he trained with the Talina Air Force. He’s a confident, accomplished pilot.”
“You just said his helicopter crashed.”
“We don’t know why... Crews are out looking for him now.”
“I don’t understand,” she said with a shake of her head. “Why was he flying…?”
“He does this. He likes to fly on his own.”
“No security on board? No co-pilot?” She demanded fiercely, illogical rage firing through her. “Of all the idiotic, barbaric, stupid… idiotic…” she blinked, rubbing a hand across her head. “When?”
“His last check in was about an hour ago.”
She nodded. “If he’s alive, I’m going to kill him.” Her eyes flew wide as she realised what she’d just said. “Oh, God. Ryan. He’s alive, isn’t he? He is going to be alive?”
Ryan’s hand was shaking. “He’s a tough son of a bitch. If anyone can survive something like that, it’s Aki.”
“Where can I go? I want to be there. I need to see.”
He shook his head. “No. You can’t. You have to stay here.” He winced. “I’m sorry. But I know Aki would expect me to keep you safe until… until we know.”
“No!” She screamed, jumping up and pushing her fists into Ryan’s chest. “No!” And tears were streaming down her cheeks as she realised that her husband, her beautiful, vibrant, strong handsome husband might be crumpled dead somewhere in the desert. “No!”
If she’d had any doubts about the strength of her feelings, they were thoroughly answered now. “Oh, God. No.”
“Come with me.” He put an arm around her waist and propelled her inside the large glass doors. “You can wait in his office. I’ll make sure the Captain relays information to you as soon as we have it.”
“Where are you going?”
He fixed her with a look that brooked no opposition. “I’m taking a chopper out.”
She stopped walking and slammed her hands against her hip. “Like hell. If you get to go and find him, then so do I.”
“No, Ellie. We don’t know yet what the story is. All we know is that he should have been back half an hour ago, and that there were reports from one of the nomadic tribes that a silver aircraft came down about ten miles south of their location.”
His insinuation was instantly clear to Eleanor’s quick mind. “You suspect foul play?” She asked, askance.
“We don’t know.” He shrugged. “But if there’s some maniac out there taking pot shots, then I can’t risk your life.”
“Or yours,” she pointed out quietly.
He shrugged. “Your role is unique. Mine isn’t. Besides,” he said, taking hold of her hand. “If you weren’t Emira… if you were me, what would you do?”
She lowered her eyes, knowing the answer to that question. “Find him, Ryan. Please find him.”
He nodded. “I’m going to do my best.”
Ryan disappeared, and the most tension filled moments of Eleanor’s life began. Her body was shaking in uncontainable waves. Sitting still was impossible. She moved from one end of Aki’s office to the other in a non-stop motion. After perhaps twenty minutes, she poured herself a measure of scotch and threw it back. It reminded her of her wedding night. The words he’d spoken, and the hurt she’d felt.
She could barely reconcile the husband she now knew and loved with what he’d said then. She cradled the glass in her hands and began to pace again. She knew that if he was dead, her life would never feel that it mattered. That her desolation wouldn’t fade, no matter how much time passed. “Please be okay,” she whispered into the empty space.
The sound of footsteps came from a great distance, but her ears were especially attuned to any noise.
She flung the door of the office open and saw two uniformed guards approaching her. And somehow, she managed to stand still, and stay silent, until they reached her. “What is it?” She demanded, her voice cold, her mind closing over as she wondered if this was the moment her life would effectively end.
“He’s alive,” Ryan said, running up from behind. “He’s in bad shape, but he’s alive.”
“Oh.” She sobbed, clutching a hand to her mouth. “Please, Ryan, please let me see him now.”
He nodded. “Yeah, of course. Let’s go.”
He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the palace with him, running as fast as they could. Eleanor didn’t care that she was presenting an entirely un-regal spectacle. What did that matter, when her husband’s body was broken? “Where is he?”
“In surgery in the hospital in Kalidad.”
He was still in surgery when they arrived, and Eleanor’s pacing resumed. “When will they know something?” She pleaded to Ryan after more than an hour had passed.
“Soon,” he said reassuringly, though Ellie could tell he was as frantic as she. Somehow, he was holding it together though, in a manner Eleanor could only admire.
A doctor appeared, finally, his white coat pristine despite the fact he’d just been up to his elbows in the Sultan’s blood.
“What is it?” She asked, not bothering with any formalities. Ryan stood behind her.
“He did an excellent job of breaking bones, but none of them will lead to permanent damage,” he said with what was intended to be a reassuring tone. “In fact, he’s extremely fortunate that he didn’t damage his spinal chord.”
“What’s the prognosis for recovery?” Ryan asked, when Eleanor said nothing.
“Excellent. He’ll require casts on both legs, and one arm. Something he vehemently assured me he would despise, but which I informed him is essential.” He grinned. “His ribs will be sore, but there’s nothing we can do about that. His Royal Highness also suffered a concussion, so I’m going to keep him in for at least one night, to monitor his head and be sure there is no ongoing injury. But, on the whole, I am confident to say he’ll be absolutely fine.”
“Wanna bet?” Eleanor responded with a grimace. “Can I go to him now?”
“Of course, your highness,” he said with a small flicker of amusement. “He’s still groggy, and I would like you to limit your visit to a couple of minutes at most.”
“That should be fine,” she said with a scowl. “I think I can chew him out in two minutes flat.”
“Ellie,” Ryan laughed despite the seriousness of the situation. “Why are you so furious?”
She was shaking like a leaf, something which caused the doctor to frown. On instinct, he lifted a hand and rested his fingers over her wrist. “Your heart rate is very high. Perhaps you should sit for a moment.”
“No. I don’t need to sit. I need to see Aki.” She turned to Ryan. “Why am I furious? Because he had no business skipping around the desert like it’s his own personal air strip.”
“He’s probably a better pilot than anyo
ne in his service, Ellie. The preliminary report is that a flock of birds got caught in the blades. There’s nothing anyone could have done about that. It was just sheer rotten luck. And I don’t have a single clue how he managed to land that thing in one piece.”
“Don’t defend him,” she muttered, and turned back to the doctor. “Take me to him.”
The surgeon led the way, down a linoleum corridor that made squeaking noises with every step they took, and through two beige doors.
For the second time in the space of a week, she saw someone she loved pale and weak against a hospital bed. Her stomach lurched at the sight of Aki, strong, beautiful Aki, pale, covered in tubes, arms in white bandages, bruised face averted.
She swore. “What the heck were you thinking?” She demanded, storming across to him and standing right in his line of sight.
“What are you doing here?” He asked softly, his eyes sparking with some unknown emotion.
“What do you think? I’m your wife. You had no business setting off on a joyride over the desert. Why would you take that risk?”
“It is nothing I have not done hundreds of times before,” he retorted quietly. “And I do not want you here.”
It stopped her dead in her tracks. “What?”
His voice was thick with emotion, and hoarse from the tubes that had been inserted down his throat. “I do not wish you to be here. Please leave.”
“What?” She repeated, pulling a chair over and sitting down, so that she was at his eye level.
He turned his head away from her. “I don’t want you. I don’t want you here.”
She frowned, scanning his face. “The doctor did say you might have some brain injury…”