Free Blood of the Nile by Annalynne Russo

proved highly
combustible, like a pile of dried brush in the middle of the desert.
    For the time being,
Ramses had to keep his cool. Although once they’d settle into their hotel and had
a chance to review any new leads on the case, all bets were off. He’d have no
choice but to blow off some steam. After years of pent up sexual frustration,
the petite brunette would finally experience his wrath.
    “How
much longer until we arrive at our hotel?” Maliyah asked as she turned to face him. Her beaded nipples pressed against the
thin fabric that covered his chest. Her eyes screamed defiance but her body
seemed to yearn for something else entirely. Heat from the sun forced the sweet
aroma of her sex to permeate the early morning air. The addictive scent rose
up, causing his nostrils to flare. If Ramses wasn’t mistaken, Maliyah was
almost as eager as he was to explore their undeniable chemistry.
    Let’s just hope my body doesn’t simultaneously combust before we
reach our destination.
     
    ***
     
    The moment the
door to the hotel room closed, Maliyah expected their mutual passion to kick
into high gear. Ramses had unceremoniously kicked it shut, then tossed their
belongings onto a nearby chair. The room was a suite, with a small sitting room
that opened up into a larger bedroom with two queen-size beds. Maliyah leaned
against the threshold of the door, waiting for Ramses to advance on her. Unfortunately,
he just stood there staring at her as if dumbfounded.
    What the fuck?
    Maliyah was the first
to make a move by removing her clothes. She reached down, peeling the sweaty
sundress from her torso, leaving her in nothing more than a pair of scant
undergarments. The scorching heat had caused a layer of natural moisture to
form on her skin.
    Ramses’ eyebrows
rose expectantly as she reached out, forcing the turban that covered his head
to fall to the floor. His gaze danced over her naked flesh, while his tongue
darted out to wet his sexy bottom lip. Still, he hesitated. His fingers flexed toward
her bare skin, but their approach stopped short. She had no idea what had
caused her lover’s sudden trepidation. Whatever it was, Maliyah realized she’d
have to be the one to take their relationship to the next level. Blatant sexual
bravado wasn’t her style, but with Ramses, the need to touch him had reached an
unnerving crescendo. After all, she’d been harboring desire for this same man
since she was a pre-pubescent girl.
    Maliyah stepped
closer, draping her arms over her lover’s broad shoulders. She leaned in for a
kiss, though before their mouth could make contact, Ramses turned his head away.
    “We. Can’t. Not. Yet,” he said, grinding out
each syllable as if it had caused him great pain. Eventually he sighed, and
glanced at Maliyah out of the corner of his eye. “Sorry, habibti .
There’s work to be done.”
    Maliyah let her
arms fall to her sides. Her ego bruised, she turned her back to him. Gathering
her dress off the floor, she slipped it over her head and paced toward the
window; the one that overlooked the hotel’s luxurious salt water pools. She
pushed open the window coverings, letting light filter inside the room. After Ramses’
rejection, she needed something to brighten up her somber mood.
    “Fine. How can I help?” Maliyah asked as if unaffected by the blow to her
confidence. She returned her attention back to her companion. For some reason, Ramses
had shrunk back against the wall farthest from the window, shielding his eyes.
As she walked toward him, she noticed a spatter of faded red blotches that
appeared to mar the skin above his brow and along the flank of his exposed
wrist. Although after a while, the marks seemed to miraculously fade.
    “Can we close the
drapes? I’m sensitive to the sun.”
    “Of
course. I never realized,” Maliyah said as she
rushed to pull the heavy shades shut. “Too bad though. It’s such a beautiful
day outside.”
    Before long,
they’d hunkered down next to one