Free Her Desert Knight by Jennifer Lewis Page B

not Oman. “This place is so well-hidden I’m amazed you even found it.”
    “I spent a weekend walking in the mountains two years ago, and I stumbled across it. It was empty and falling down so I looked into the ownership. The old man who lived here had died and his family were in Muscat and didn’t know what to do with the place, so I bought it from them. I love it here. It’s the perfect escape from the real world.”
    He reached a tall wooden door, studded with nails, and punched a code into the keypad nearby. The lock clicked and he pushed the door open. “Electronic servants are so much more discreet than the human kind.” He paused in the doorway and kissed her softly on the lips. Her breath hitched and a shiver of awareness passed through her.
    All alone.
    In private.
    With a man who stirred her senses in a way she’d never dreamed possible.
    The door clicked shut behind her and Quasar held her hand as they walked across a dimly lit interior room, decorated with embroidered hangings. Unlike the unadorned exterior, the inside had been renovated into a comfortable blend of minimalism and luxury. The walls were plastered smooth and the stone floor scrubbed and honed to shiny perfection. Striking pieces of contemporary furniture added pops of rich color, and eye-catching modern art ornamented the walls. The space was eclectic, warm and filled with personality and exuberance, much like its handsome owner.
    Her palm warmed against his and excitement trickled along her nerves. She had a feeling he was leading her to the bedroom and the idea scared and enthralled her in equal parts.
    He opened an arched door into a large, octagonal room with embroidered curtains draped over the windows, filtering the midday sun. A wide, low bed, strewn with pillows like a lovers’ playground, filled the middle of the room.
    She was right. And this was so wrong. But as he held her hand, she could imagine the feel of other parts of his body—his muscled chest, his sturdy thighs, his strong arms—pressed against her and the siren call of desire echoed through her.
    “I’m so glad you’re here with me.” Quasar’s soft voice was a balm to her nerves. He turned to face her and fixed those tempting blue eyes on her. An invitation to pleasure. “We won’t be interrupted.”
    “Except by my conscience.” She tried to smile.
    “You’re not doing anything wrong.”
    “Not yet. But I have a feeling I’m about to.”
    “It all depends on your definition of wrong. Enjoying a peaceful afternoon in the mountains with a good friend is very right, in my opinion.”
    “Am I really a good friend after such a short acquaintance?”
    “Indubitably.”
    The strange word made her laugh. How did he manage to get her so relaxed? Today he wore white linen pants, rather wrinkled, and a white shirt with the collar thrown open to reveal his tanned neck. It wasn’t fair for him to be so ridiculously good-looking. How could any girl resist him? They probably couldn’t, so at least she wouldn’t be alone in throwing caution to the wind and engaging in an illicit affair.
    “I haven’t had sex in...in...” She felt as if she should warn him that she wasn’t some princess of delights who’d know how to acrobatically leap through twelve different positions without missing a beat. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d enjoyed sex. Her ex-husband had struggled to stay aroused enough to please her. At first she hadn’t minded. Sex wasn’t everything. She was a virgin when she met him so she didn’t know any different and expected that things would improve with time.
    Oh, how wrong she’d been.
    “Good.”
    “Why good?”
    “Because you’re starting all over again, fresh and new.”
    “Like a virgin?” She laughed, thinking of the Madonna song.
    His dark blue eyes sparkled. “Exactly.”

Five
    W as it possible to forget the past, or at least leave it behind? Dani reached for Quasar’s shirt collar with a renewed sense of