The Sheikh's Fiery Lover (The Tazeem Twins Series Book 2) (9 page)

The next afternoon, Rene and Tanya spent the day together catching up on life and watching reality shows. Rene had missed slouching on the couch and watching television. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

“Are you expecting anyone?” Rene asked Tanya. She was not in the mood to see anyone. Her hair was tied up in a high bun; she was wearing a long baggy t-shirt, shorts and fuzzy slippers. She wanted to grieve her relationship away from the world.

“No,” Tanya said cautiously. She stood up and walked to the door. “It’s a delivery man,” she shouted to Rene.

“Oh,” Rene said. She was glad that it was not a guest. Tanya walked back into the room with purple roses.

“And they're for you,” Tanya said as she handed them to her. Before Rene could even respond, there was another knock on the door. Tanya rushed back to the door and came back with more roses. Rene walked to the trash and dropped them in. “What?” Tanya asked.

“They're from Joshua. He did this at the hotel,” Rene replied. This time it was not going to work. Mere roses were not going to change her mind.

“Oh yeah,” Tanya replied with a smile.

“ARGH!” Rene screamed when she heard a knock again. She went to the door and flung it open, “Listen, stop giving me flowers! I don’t care what he said, stop!” she shouted and slammed the door. Tanya was standing behind her with her jaw hung open.

“Wow, this breakup looks ugly on you,” Tanya said.

“I don't want the damn roses!” Rene shouted.

“The delivery man is only doing his job. He doesn’t deserve to be shouted at!”

Rene narrowed her gaze when there was another knock. She had thought that shouting at him and slamming the door would have chased him off for good. Rene opened the door with so much force she thought the frame would break.

Her eyes flew open when she found Joshua standing there with a rose in his hand. He was wearing a white shirt with an undone grey tie and grey trousers. Rene shut the door without saying anything and stormed off. Tanya watched her go back to the living room.

“Erm, excuse me,” Tanya said.

“Yes?” Rene said softly. Tanya raised her eyebrows.

“Was that Joshua?”

“It was.”

“Why is he still standing outside?”

“Because I do not want to speak to him.” Not only was she still angry with him, but she did not want him to see her like this. She had not expected him to come after her, especially that soon. Tanya went to the door and opened it.

“Yes?” she said with a stone, cold face.

“Hello, may I speak with Rene?” Joshua asked politely.

“Go away,” Rene shouted from the other room.

“I can't,” Joshua shouted into the house.

“What do you want?” Tanya asked him.

“I need to speak to Rene.”

“I don't want to speak to you,” Rene shouted.

“But you do,” Joshua said confidently. He turned to Tanya. “Can we have a moment please?” he asked her.

“No,” Tanya said to him. That was one of the things Rene loved about her. She always had her back no matter what. Joshua raised his eyebrows.

“Just say what you want to say,” Rene yelled. He inhaled nervously before he started speaking.

“Okay,” he said as he walked in. He stood in front of Rene as she sat there with her arms crossed.

Rene's heart was beating hard as Joshua stood in front of her. She could feel the heat radiating off his body and each breath she took brought in more of his scent.
Why does he have to smell so good?
He was looking down at her with so much intensity in his eyes. He took her hands into his and she felt an electric shock bolt through her body.

“We got the contract renewed,” Joshua said. Rene's faced dropped. Had he flown all this way to tell her that? She was a few seconds away from slapping him across the cheek. She pulled her hands away from his.

“Is that what you came here to tell me?” she asked aggressively.

“Please, hear me out. We were successful. We got what we wanted.”

“Well, good for you,” Rene's tone was filled with sarcasm.

“But when it came to celebrating our success, it was not as good as I hoped. All I could think of was you.”

Rene raised an eyebrow.
Where was he taking this
? “Oh?” Joshua held her hands tightly.

“Rene, I love you,” he said. Tanya placed her hand on her heart and felt her eyes watering. She tried to fight back the tears. “I need to have you in my life. I do not know how to live without you,” he continued.

“You have done it before.”

“Yes and I don't want to go back to that. I am not leaving without you.”

Rene placed her hands on his chest. “But nothing will change if I come back with you,” she said to him, pulling away from his grasp. Tanya was in the background nodding. Rene knew that she was biting her tongue.

“I never had a normal childhood. I started learning about the oil business from the age of ten. On top of being a prince, I had a very strict father. My work is all I know. That is what I know and what I am good at.”

“Mmhmm,” Tanya agreed with what Joshua was saying. She had tried to put the point across to Rene who narrowed her gaze at her.

“I have never been committed to any woman. I don't know how to love you the way you want to be loved. So you will have to teach me.”

“I'm sorry, I should have been more understanding,” Rene said. She felt bad for trying to tame him without really talking to him and giving him a chance.

“She has abandonment issues,” Tanya interjected.

Rene glanced over her shoulder, “Really, T? You're meant to be on my side.”

“Just saying.”

“Abandonment issues?” Joshua asked.

“Her father left her mother when she was six years old,” Tanya replied.

“Tanya!” Rene shouted. “I can speak for myself.”

“Well, I will never leave you,” Joshua said and kissed her. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Joshua broke the kiss and searched her eyes. “I missed you. Don't leave me ever again.”

“I won't,” Rene replied and pressed a small kiss on his lips. Pulling him down onto the sofa next to her, she squeezed his hand. Tanya sat down opposite them and stared at Joshua.

“The two of you have some serious issues,” Tanya said.

“Why?” Rene asked her.

“You have abandonment issues. He clearly works too hard. But you guys sort of work. I see the way you look at each other, it’s Disney-level cute,” Tanya grinned.

“She does not know how to hold her thoughts back,” Rene said to him.

“I am still waiting for you to formerly introduce yourself to me,” Tanya said to him as he looked at her in surprise.

“I’m Joshua,” he said.

“Well, I already knew that,” Tanya replied as she shook her head. Joshua looked at Rene in confusion.

“You are supposed to tell her a little bit about yourself and explain what it is you want from me,” Rene said to him.

“I am Tanya, Rene's best friend, sister, brother and father.”

“Huh?” Joshua looked and sounded very confused.

“I do not have siblings and my father is not present in my life. So she basically fills those roles in my life,” Rene explained to him.

“That means if you mistreat her in any way, you have me to deal with,” Tanya said to him.

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Good,” Tanya said.

Rene loved seeing Joshua sweat a little because of Tanya. She always had her back. Every guy that wanted to enter into a relationship with her had to go through Tanya. When Tanya was done with Joshua, the three sat in the living room enjoying lighter conversation.

When it was time to sleep, Tanya headed to her room and left the lovebirds to make their way to Rene's bedroom. Joshua studied it as he walked in. There was a double bed in the middle with purple and cream covers. There was a wardrobe fixed against the wall with clothes draped over the doors. The carpet was cream-coloured while the curtains were white and purple to match the bed covers.

“You do really like the colour purple, don’t you,” he commented as he looked around.

“Oh yes,” she replied. “Speaking of, how did you find so many purple roses?”

Laughing, “It was not easy. Mirena, my secretary, started calling around to florists while I was still on the plane. Several hung up on her before she was able to convince one that I was serious. You Americans can be very cynical at times.”

Snorting in amusement, “Yes, well, you have to admit, it does sound like something out of a movie.”

Nodding his head in agreement, he turned to look at the bed. “So we are both meant to sleep on this bed?” he asked her.

“Yes,” she replied.

“Are you sure that it’s meant for two people?”

“Excuse me?”

“While I am not for it, perhaps we would have more room if we slept on the floor.”

Rene narrowed her gaze at him. He could not be serious. “Joshua, are you serious right now?”

He laughed. “I am joking with you, relax,” he said and started undressing. Rene shook her head. Her room had been great for her but after living in the palace; she did feel as if it was too small for Joshua. It was basically the same size as his walk in closet.

“Tanya is quite… intimidating,” Joshua said as he slid into bed with her. Rene looked at him in surprise.

“You find her intimidating? That is surprising, coming from a prince,” Rene replied.

“She was just staring at me as if she wanted to kill me.”

“She is quite protective,” Rene switched the lights off and crawled under the covers. She laid her head on his chest.

“Well I am glad you have a person like that in your life.”

“Me too.”

Joshua started rubbing her back as she stretched out. His rubs slowly turned into caresses and he leaned down to kiss her. Rene giggled. “Joshua!” she said.

“What?”

“Tanya is just down the hall.”

“I am aware.”

He grabbed her leg and placed it on his thigh, “Then, stop touching me, because you know where that will lead,” Rene said.

Joshua grunted in response. She did not want to have sex with him whilst Tanya was in the house; however, his touch was hypnotising. He slid his hand under her panties and began rubbing her clit, as she let out a quiet moan. Smiling down at her, he kissed her deeply as he continued to drive her crazy with his touch.

In one movement, he had Rene on her back and was on top of her, as his hands roamed over her body. Rene tried to moan as quietly as she could, but he knew exactly where to touch her and how. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she buried her head against his chest as his fingers delved back under her panties. Thrusting two fingers inside, he pumped them in and out as his thumb continued to make crazy circles on her clit. She grabbed onto his sculpted biceps, as she pressed her forehead against his chest. Her breathing got heavier and louder, as he went faster and faster. Moaning, she nipped at his chest, as she arched into his hand.

Kissing her forehead, he wrapped his arms around her as he held her close. “We should sleep,” he told her, as he hugged her tight. 

*****

The next morning, Rene and Joshua came downstairs and found Tanya preparing breakfast. She had made eggs, bacon and toast, with fresh coffee. Rene inhaled deeply as she walked into the kitchen.

“Smells good in here,” she said.

“Hi, sit down,” Tanya said to her.

“Morning, Tanya,” Joshua greeted her.

“Hi Joshua, have a seat too,” Tanya replied giving him a smile.

As they were eating, Joshua and Rene revealed to Tanya that they would be returning to his home that day. Tanya chuckled in response. “Why am I not surprised,” she said.

“Well, we would like for you to come with us,” Rene said with a huge grin on her face. Joshua looked at his phone, which was vibrating. He switched it off and slid it back in his pocket.

“Why should I come back with you?” Tanya asked.

“Because someone has to keep an eye on Joshua.”

“True,” she said.

“And because I cannot leave you behind again,” Rene pouted. It took considerable cajoling to convince Tanya. She was reluctant to pack up her life and move halfway across the world. After a lot of persuasion, she agreed to come for a visit in a few weeks, but refused to agree to move permanently. She was always up for an adventure and Rene appealed to that part of her.

Joshua had promised her that things would change when they returned to Al-Qalta. He was going to spend time with her and in return, she promised to be more understanding about his desire to work. Rene could not be happier. She squeezed Joshua's hand tightly and smiled at him. He leaned towards her and pressed a feather light kiss on her lips.

“I love you,” he said to her.

“I love you too,” she replied with a big goofy smile on her face.