Free The Sheikh’s Reluctant Bride by Teresa Southwick

definitely something. And she didn’t want him to know it was something.
    She looked at the bed, then forced herself to meet his gaze. “All right. We’ll share the bed.”
    “Excellent.”

CHAPTER SIX
    “A RE you comfortable?” Kardahl asked.
    That all depended on how one defined comfort. She’d never shared a bed with a man before and here she was, flat on her back beside the world’s most notorious playboy.
    Jess stared up into the darkness and contemplated her answer. She was huddled between Kardahl’s back and the canvas wall. He’d turned away and no part of his body touched hers—as agreed. But she could feel him. The sound of his even breathing, the wonderful deep voice, the radiating warmth of his skin combined then curled inside her and added up to temptation.
    “I’m completely comfortable,” she lied.
    “And you had adequate privacy when I left you alone?”
    Since she was sleeping in her clothes, the mocking note in his voice wasn’t lost on her. “Yes.”
    “The mountains of Bha’Khar turn cold at night.”
    “I noticed.”
    “You are warm?”
    Oh, yeah. Especially after seeing him strip off his shirt before joining her in the bed. Unlike her, he hadn’t required privacy. “I’m perfect,” she said.
    “I would be agreeable to sharing the warmth of my body should you require it,” he offered.
    His deep voice oozed phony innocence, yet it still tweaked the knot of temptation inside her. “I don’t think that will be necessary.”
    Underneath the cover, his body gave off heat like a coal-stoked furnace. And that was before factoring in her own fired-up hormones.
    “If that changes in the night, you have my permission to move close.”
    They were three inches apart, not on opposite sides of the room. And if he expected her to make a reciprocal offer, he was doomed to disappointment. “How self-sacrificing of you.”
    “Indeed.”
    It had been a long time since Jess had even had a roommate. And before that, when she was in the home, she’d shared a room, but the temporary situation didn’t contribute to an atmosphere of trust or sharing feelings in the dark. She’d always felt isolated and alone. Although she didn’t feel that way now, it wasn’t an entirely happy sensation. Was this feeling of having someone the reason her mother had gone from man to man? Or was it more than that?
    “If my body can bring you comfort, it would be my honor to do so.”
    “You’re a prince of a guy.”
    His laugh was warm and rich, like coffee and chocolate. And his kiss. She’d never slept with a man, but she had been kissed. Although never the way Kardahl had kissed her. And she wanted that feeling again. So much.
    The depth of her longing convinced her she couldn’t let it happen again.
    “Good night, Kardahl.”
    “Sweet dreams, Jessica.”
     
    Kardahl had flattered and flirted his way into many beds and always he had slept deeply and felt rested the next morning. That was not the case after spending the night beside his wife.
    It had taken every fragment of his self-control to keep from touching her when she brushed against him or sighed sweetly in her dreams. He had not been fortunate enough to dream since that required actually falling asleep.
    After waking beside her, they had gone their separate ways. Jessica had spent the day with her aunt, seeing the village and teaching the children. Kardahl had watched the men and marveled at their way with the horses in training. As he walked toward the tent where he’d been told the school was located, he found himself anxious to see his wife.
    He saw her on the dirt path playing ball with a group of children. The sun was bright and a pleasant breeze drifted through the trees. Jessica was wearing a short-sleeved white cotton shirt and jeans. Sun-streaked brown hair danced around her cheeks and her eyes were bright as she laughed. Surely his reaction was the result of too little sleep, but the tight, heavy sensation in the lower part of his