The Sheikh's Unforgettable Lover (The Sharqi Sheikhs Series Book 1) (4 page)

It had been a week since the incident at the storm shelter and Kim sat on her bed stuffing her face with a sandwich that she had made for herself. Since they returned to the house, Karim had gone out of his way to avoid her and she couldn’t stop thinking about him.

She wanted to kick herself. He was Amare’s older brother. Nothing good could come from having feelings for him. She was not even certain if she had
any
feelings for him. Yes, she found him very attractive and when he kissed her, he had set her insides on fire in a way that no other man had ever done so, but it may well have been the heat of the moment.

Clearly, from the way he spoke to his brother, he didn’t feel the same way and deep down, Kim knew that was for the best, but it didn’t stop her from thinking about him. If he truly didn’t feel anything, then why did he kiss her in the first place?

While she knew that she wasn’t the most experienced person out there, she knew the sounds of pleasure when she heard it and he was certainly making them. If Amare hadn’t arrived when he did, how far would he have taken it, she wondered.

She replayed in her head the warnings both Amare and Taleb gave her about Karim’s avoidance of all things associated with relationships and love. While she knew that there had to be a reason for it, the brothers were convinced that it was simply part of who he was.

Suddenly Kim’s Skype rang. She looked at her laptop screen to see who was calling and saw the profile picture of her best friend, Claire, pop up. Friends since they were children, the women Skyped almost every day since Kim came to Saudi Arabia to teach

“Claire!” Kim cried out as she answered the call.

“Kim!” Claire shouted back as they both laughed.

“It feels as if I haven’t spoken to you in ages.”

“It does feel like that doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Kim pouted before she stuffed the last of the sandwich in her mouth.

“I have some news!” Claire said with a big smile on her face. It was obvious that she was excited about something. Kim immediately leaned into her webcam.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I got accepted into Harvard Law School’s library!” she shouted, waving a letter around. Kim jerked up and screamed.

“Oh, my God!”

“I know.”

Both Kim and Claire screamed and laughed. They both knew how much Claire had wanted to work there and she was so proud of her best friend. She knew how hard she worked; she truly deserved to work at one of the top universities in the world. With her chestnut brown hair, heart-shaped face and piercing brown eyes, Claire was another example of beauty and brains.

“I am so proud of you, girl,” Kim said to her as she hugged the laptop.

“What are you doing?” Claire burst into laughter.

“I have to embrace the laptop since I cannot hug you.”

“Air hug then?”

“Exactly.” Kim giggled. “Oh, you know what?”

“What is it?”

“Amare’s older brother, Taleb, is starting at Harvard as well.”

Claire raised her nicely shaped eyebrows. “Is he good looking?” she asked. Kim burst into laughter.

“Is that the first thing you are going to ask?”

“Why not?”

Kim shook her head. “Yes, he is. They all are.”
Especially Karim,
she thought to herself.

“Are they now?” Claire looked and sounded interested. “Tell me about them.”

“There is nothing much to tell.”

“Liar.”

Kim laughed. “Well, Amare is only sixteen.” Before she finished speaking, Claire cut her off.

“Then let’s not speak about the baby. On to the next,” she said rubbing her hands together.

“Then there is Karim and Taleb.”

“Which one is Karim?”

“The eldest son. He’s
such
an asshole though.”

“Is he?” Claire asked. Kim nodded. “It isn’t surprising. You would expect that from rich people. I bet he is a player.”

“I heard that he is. He does not date women for very long and I’ve been told that he doesn’t believe in love.” 

Claire raised her eyebrows. “I am going to search for him on Google.”

Kim laughed. Of course, Claire would do that. She was a curious one but so was Kim. She too had searched for the Sharqi family online. Moments later, Claire gasped.

“Well, this Karim dude is quite handsome,” she said.

“He is average, I guess.” Kim said. She did not want her confused feelings for him to show. So, she tried to down play it but she could not fool Claire. She knew her too well.

“Kimberley Atkins, this man is not average! And you do not think he is average, I can tell,” Claire said narrowing her eyes. Kim laughed guiltily.

“Okay, he is not average.” He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. He was just the right height and had a body that you wanted to reach out and touch.

“Exactly, you know he is very hot and you drool over him.”

“Okay Claire, no one is drooling here.”

“Wet dreams even.”

“What?!” Kim started laughing. “You are ridiculous.”

Claire giggled. “I bet you do.” She winked. Kim shook her head as she briefly wondered if daydreams counted if she was awake.

“So what are you up to?” Kim asked, changing the subject. There had been too much of Karim in her life especially since he appeared to be purposely avoiding her. At the orphanage, that was all the other teachers could talk about and then, there was that moment in the storm shelter. Now Claire was talking about him.

“I am going out tonight to celebrate,” Claire said. “What are you doing?”

“Hiding in my room.”

“Wait. What? Why?”

Shrugging her shoulders, “Things got a bit awkward about a week ago.”

Sliding closer to her webcam, “Oh? Spill it.”

Sighing, Kim replied, “I kissed Karim. Or rather he kissed me. Oh, we kissed each other.” She cringed at the squeals of laughter coming from Claire.

Just as Claire was about to respond, her phone beeped. Checking the message, she looked at her best friend apologetically, “Dammit, you should have lead with this, Kim, because I have to go. I’m going to be late, but we will be talking about this again,” she told her ominously before laughing. 

“Alright, bye love.”

“Bye.”

Kim signed off and put her laptop back on the nightstand wondering if she should have said anything to her friend. She still didn’t know what the kiss meant. She lay on her bed facing the ceiling wondering what to do with herself. She had already planned her lessons.

Kim contemplated going downstairs to watch television but worried that she might run into Karim. Moments later, she heard the sound of a car engine. She got off her bed and went to the window to see whom it was.

She watched as a gorgeous woman in a tight fitting blue dress and black heels got out. Her long curly black hair cascaded down her back in waves. Middle Eastern women were very beautiful. Kim’s jaw dropped when Karim got out of the car as well.

He was dressed in a fine black suit and he looked handsome as always. He said something to her, kissed her on the cheek and walked into the house while she waited outside. Kim could not help but feel a little jealous. It seemed as though he was going on a date with her.

Karim re-emerged moments later, they both got back into the car and Kim watched them drive off. A plain Jane like herself could never be with a guy like him. It was best for her to rein her emotions in and get a hold of herself. She sighed and walked away from the window. She sat on her bed, still confused about what to do. She was not tutoring Amare that day, so she had plenty of time on her hands.

Karim returned home late after a long date with Zainab. She was Sheikh Mufasa’s eldest daughter and one of Sharqi Jewels biggest clients. Since taking over for his father as CEO, Karim had been working hard to build their client base since his father pulled that ridiculous stunt with a member of the royal family.

If it hadn’t been for Taleb’s quick thinking and the Tazeems desire not to cause further anguish for the family, they might well have lost everything. Since becoming CEO, Karim worked to blend many of his father’s traditional ways with more modern expectations and so far, he had been successful. He hoped that by taking Zainab out and making sure that she was happy with him; her father would be as well. It was good business really.

As tired as he was, he still had work to do. When he walked into his office, he was surprised to find Kim sleeping at his desk with mounds of paper surrounding her.

He wondered what she was even doing in his office as he approached her. “Kim,” he called out but she did not respond. She was fast asleep.

“Kim, wake up,” he said but she was not budging. Grunting, he took off his suit jacket and slung it over a chair. Walking back around his desk, he put one arm under Kim’s thighs and the other around her waist.

Lifting her easily, he was surprised at how light she was as he settled her in his arms. He froze when her head rolled against his chest and she sighed. Her hair brushed against his chin as he inhaled deeply noting that she smelled of vanilla and some sort of flower. Shaking his head, he strode out of the room and easily mounted the steps.

Moments later, he walked into her bedroom and gently placed her on the bed. He could not believe how heavy a sleeper she was that she did not wake during all that. He smiled as he looked at her, her hair was a tumbled mass around her head and her long lashes stood out against her pale skin, which was dotted with freckles.

***

Kim opened her eyes to find Karim standing above her, staring down at her. She could not figure out if she was awake or asleep. She had been dreaming about him, only in her dream they had been riding in his car and he had stopped to kiss her.

But then, the last thing she remembered was being in his office sorting out his figures. When and how would she have gotten into her bed? And why would Karim be there in her room? The only answer she had was that she was still dreaming. There was only one way to find out.

Kim sat up and placed her hand on Karim’s rock hard abs. He stood there, frozen in place, looking at her. She was now convinced that she was dreaming. If she was awake and touching him like that, he would probably dismiss her as he always did.

So, Kim decided to run her hand along his abs and up his chest. Karim grunted as he felt her touching him. He dipped his head lower and pressed his lips firmly against hers. Kim welcomed his lips gladly and responded when he kissed her, eagerly kissing him back. It was a fast, passionate and hungry kiss.

The kiss was too real as Kim’s entire body tingled in response to his touch on her lips. Her feet curled reflexively as she felt pleasure tendrils unfurl throughout her body. She felt like she was on fire as every fibre of her being was responding to this man, which was when she realised that she was not asleep.

There was no way the kiss could feel this good in a dream. She wanted to scream out but it was too late. She was already kissing him and she was enjoying it too much to stop.

Karim broke off the kiss and stared into Kim’s piercing blue eyes. Their chests rose up and down as they struggled to restore the breath they had lost. No one moved, they simply stared at each other. The only sound that filled the room was the sound of their heavy breathing. Karim’s dark gaze made Kim feel even more aroused as her eyes darkened in response. His jaw twitched.

Leaning down, Karim grabbed the hem of her t-shirt and lifted it over her head, tossing it aside. Looking down at her admiringly, he watched as her blush spread down her neck to the tops of her breasts. Unable to resist, he cupped her breasts, holding them in his hands as he kneaded them under his sure fingers. His thumbs brushed across her nipples as they hardened to stiff peaks.

Pushing her legs apart, he dropped to his knees between them, now eye level with her. His hands never left her breasts as he watched the play of emotions across her face as she became more aroused at his light touch. Leaning forward, he swiped his tongue out to lick one nipple as she gasped. He chuckled against her breast when she grabbed his head, pushing it against her chest eager for more.

Alternating back and forth, he pulled and twisted lightly at one nipple while he happily sucked and licked the other one, applying pressure and enjoying how responsive she was to him.

Lifting his head, Kim was shocked to see the intensity of his arousal on his face as she moaned in response. Unused to men being turned on by her, she was surprised at how arousing his desire was for her.

Sliding his hands down the sides of her body, he wrapped his hands around her hips and pulled her closer to the edge of the bed. Digging his fingers into her ass cheeks, his fingertips brushed along her now very moist centre, which made her squirm in response.

Capturing her lips again, he greedily plundered her mouth surprised that she now matched his actions, dancing and twisting her tongue around his until they were both breathless. Melting against him, Karim broke the kiss as she tilted her head to the side. Taking it as an open invitation, he nuzzled against the nape of her neck, pressing kisses against her more sensitive spots as she moaned in response.

Once again, mimicking him, she kissed along his neck, sucking lightly at his earlobe as he hissed in response. Tilting her head up, she dipped her tongue in his ear as he stilled. The low growl from the back of his throat was enough to tell her that she was doing it right as he began to stroke his fingers up and down her back.

Wanting to touch him as much as he was touching her, she reached for the buttons on his shirt and began fumbling to release them. Grumbling at her lack of coordination, she couldn’t pull the buttons loose fast enough. Stilling her hands, he leaned back and quickly unbuttoned his shirt. Slipping it off, he tossed it on the nearest chair. As he turned back toward her, she stopped him.

Touching his face, she smiled shyly, still half wondering if this was all some sort of an elaborate dream and if it was, she didn’t want it to end. Tracing her finger along his lips, she yelped and then giggled when he nipped at her finger. Pulling her hand away, she was surprised when he stopped her.

Holding her hand in his, he kissed the palm of her hand as she caught her breath.

How could something so innocent set her insides on fire, she wondered as he then nipped at her fingers. Sucking hard at each one until her eyes fluttered closed and she moaned.

“Karim,” she moaned as she ran her hands over his chest, which felt as though it had been chiselled from marble. Everything about him was perfection, she thought, as she stroked his smooth skin and watched in fascination as the muscle rippled beneath her touch.

“Do you want me as much as I want you?” Karim whispered against her ear before he nibbled on it.

“I do.” Kim moaned.

“I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind since that day in the storm shelter.”

“Hmmm…me too.”

Kim could barely concentrate on what he was saying. His whisper betrayed how turned on he was by her and she dared not speak certain that she wouldn’t make any sense. She was caught off guard when he pushed her onto her back.

Reaching for the waistband on her shorts, he grabbed them along with her panties. Lifting her leg, she pressed her foot against his shoulder and lifted her hips as he pulled them both off and tossed them to the floor.

He grabbed her ankle before she could put her foot down and kissed her instep before slowly kissing his way up her leg. When he got near her apex, he switched to the other leg, his feather light kisses making her pant as she flexed her feet in response.

Rubbing his hands up and down the insides of her thighs, he slid his hands over to her hips and lifted her toward him. Stroking up and down her fold, he was surprised at how wet she was and could no longer resist her heady scent as he dipped his head down and licked up her slit. Her tiny little clit was as stiff as a pearl as he bathed it with his tongue.

Unprepared for her response, he tightened his grip on her hips as she bowed up, crying out his name as her body thrashed beneath him. Holding her tightly to him, he pressed his tongue inside and licked at her pleasure as she continued to thrash beneath him with each swipe of the tongue.

As her orgasm subsided, Kim felt as though her spine had melted as she lay sprawled on the mattress. She barely registered when she felt him move away from her until she felt a light breeze along her fevered skin.

Leaning up on her elbows, she watched as he released the clasp on his trousers and drew the zipper down. Kicking off his shoes and removing his socks, he stepped out of his trousers and stood there in his briefs, the painful evidence of his arousal, straining against the fabric.

Reaching for the waistband, he drew them down, allowing his impressive member to spring free. Rolling to her side, Kim stared, fascinated, at the pre-cum that glistened on his head.

Crooking her finger at him in a come hither motion, he stepped toward her as she reached her hand out, enjoying the texture of his tight smooth skin as she ran her fingers up and down his erection. Her thumb brushed against the pre-cum and she brought it to her mouth, licking her thumb clean as he groaned in response.

Unable to wait any longer, he reached down and scooped her up, tossing her farther up the bed as he joined her. Leaning over her, he rested his weight on his arms as he looked down at her. Her long hair was splayed across the pillow and her blue eyes had grown dark with arousal.

Nestling himself between her legs, he rocked his hips, pushing her legs farther apart. Reaching down between them to make sure that she was ready, he closed his eyes when he felt how wet she was. Positioning himself, he slowly pushed his way in, concerned that he might hurt her.

At the pace he was going, Kim thought that she might scream in frustration as she lifted her hips impatiently. Wrapping her legs around him, she met his thrust with one of her own, catching him by surprise as he ended up buried deeply inside her.

They both groaned in satisfaction as he began to thrust in and out. Each downward thrust was met by the quivering of her vaginal muscles, which clutched eagerly at his invading member.

Karim wanted to go slow, but as her need arose, she began to shake beneath him, making it difficult for him to keep going as his thrusts became more chaotic. Thrusting faster, he felt her pleasure spill over as she cried out his name, clutching tightly to his shoulders. With a low moan, he couldn’t hold out any longer as his own orgasm rolled through and he shortened his thrusts, as he emptied his seed deep inside her.

Collapsing, he rolled to the side, taking her with him, reluctant to let her go yet as his erection slowly dropped down. Hugging her to him, he kissed her eyelids as she stifled a yawn.

Stroking her back, he felt her breathing even out and within moments, she was asleep again. Smiling down at her, he kissed the top of her head and held her in his arms while he drifted off to sleep.