Royal Temptation. Carol Marinelli
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would like another bath.’
‘Run it yourself, then.’
She met his eyes in the mirror and held his gaze, and the look between them seemed to go on for ever.
‘Did you enjoy dancing?’ he asked.
‘Very much,’ she said, ‘but not as much as our kiss.’
Without another word she stood and turned. She put in the bath plug and added oils as if she was making a very complicated recipe, and Mikael tried to concentrate on shaving as she started to undress.
Off came the red dress.
Then she slipped off her shoes.
The razor hovered at a safe distance as Layla took off her bra and he saw her pert breasts and dark swollen nipples.
Her panties were next, and Mikael rinsed his face for a very long time. But even with his eyes closed all he could see was the silky straight triangle of hair.
He checked in again with his self-control as Layla spoke.
‘Can you wash me again?’
‘I think you can do that yourself.’
‘I am sure that I can,’ she said, ‘but I like it when you do it.’
She did.
She wanted to be kissed by him again and she wanted the feel of his arms and the touch of his naked skin. Mikael turned around and she looked at him, wanted to see more of him.
‘Can you remove your shirt?’
He did, and he was more beautiful than he had been asleep on the sofa because now he was awake, and she saw the stretch of muscles as he removed it. Her eyes did not guiltily jerk upwards from the snake of ebony hair this time; instead they moved down, and it was very clear that what she was feeling was matched by Mikael.
‘You could take the rest of your clothes off,’ she invited.
‘I don’t think so,’ Mikael said, because someone had to stay in control here and he guessed it would have to be him.
‘I ache from dancing.’
‘Ache no more,’ he said, kneeling down.
Mikael washed her far more slowly than Jamila did. First he washed her neck and shoulders, and Layla closed her eyes in bliss at the feel of his fingers soaping her and the sound of him breathing.
Then he washed her arms, and it tickled a bit as he lifted one and soaped her. And then her breath caught as his hand soaped her breasts, one at a time and very slowly. Layla could feel her aching nipples and she looked down to where they were swollen and stretched. Her head was so heavy she rested it on his shoulder and started to kiss his neck.
His neck tasted wonderful, almost as nice as his mouth, and whatever he was doing with her breasts had her hungry to taste him some more.
‘Move your mouth lower,’ Mikael warned. ‘If I have to face your brother it’s going to be hard enough looking him in the eye without—’
He didn’t finish, and Layla didn’t really get what he meant, but as she pulled back she saw the red mark her mouth had made. She moved her deep kisses to his shoulder, licking, sucking and relishing the feel of her wet naked skin against his.
Mikael massaged her aching calves, and then his hand moved between her thighs.
‘Jamila hands me a cloth for down there,’ Layla said.
‘Do you want a cloth?’
‘No,’ she said, but she was very honest as his fingers explored her intimate lips. ‘Just touch me on the outside, though. I will be examined when I return.’
Mikael hated the thought of her being examined but said nothing.
With his free hand he lifted her mouth from his neck and kissed her as he had wanted to since the verdict had come in.
Layla felt the fierce passion of his mouth, the untamed desire of his tongue, even as his fingers stayed gentle. His tongue did to her mouth what she wanted his fingers to do. She was clinging onto his head, squeezing his hand with her thighs, urging him as he resisted. He worked her clitoris and her mouth, holding on himself as he felt her mounting tension.
‘Mikael—’ She pulled her lips back in panic, but he smothered her protests with his mouth, and she held onto his shoulders as something rippled through her, warmer than the water she bathed in and yet it made her shiver. Her thighs clamped around his hand and still he stroked her—and a shocked Layla came for the first time to his hand as Mikael fought to stay gentle.
He stopped kissing her and she rested her head on his shoulder as the something receded and a new calm invaded her.
‘I think I did have a seizure that time,’ she said. ‘Oh, Mikael, did you have an orgasm too?’
‘Layla…’ he warned, because her questions were at times so very direct. But he was laughing as he picked her up out of the bath and took her to the bed.
‘I can’t touch with my hand what is not my husband’s, but I want to see it.’
‘Well, you’re not going to,’ he said. ‘We’re already heading into very dangerous territory.’
‘Please, Mikael!’
‘Layla, everyone has limits, and you’re close to exceeding mine.’
‘You will sleep in the bed with me, though?’
‘Yes,’ he said. Preferably with a padlock on his belt. ‘I’m going to have a shower and then I’ll be in.’
‘Bring me your shirt.’
He was gone quite a time and Layla lay smiling until he came out. His trousers were back on and he had forgotten to bring his shirt out.
‘Sleep naked,’ Mikael said when she asked him to retrieve it. He was already climbing into bed. ‘Live a little.’
‘I’ll catch a cold.’
‘I’ll keep you warm.’
It felt very nice to be against him, to feel his hand stroking her ribcage and to rest her head on his chest.
‘Did you like your verdict party?’ she asked.
‘Was that what it was?’
‘Yes.’
How much easier would his job be if he came home to her at the end of a trial? Mikael thought, and then halted himself—because he didn’t like to think that way.
He was tired now. And maybe he was relaxed from the shower, or maybe it was because soon she’d be gone, but when she asked a question so pertinent, instead of evading it or changing the subject, he answered with the truth.
‘Where is Igor now?’ she asked. ‘Do you still keep in touch?’
‘No,’ Mikael said. ‘Just after I finished school Igor was shot and killed.’
‘Why?’ She went to lift her head, but his hand held her body down just a fraction and she chose to stay still, because he was answering her questions now.
‘Street court,’ Mikael said.
‘Street court?’
‘A woman with a very prominent husband was having an affair. One day her husband came home and nearly caught them, but the man escaped through the bedroom window. She confessed that she had been having an affair and her husband pushed her to name her lover. She and Igor had worked together for years, and the husband was furious and had him killed.’ Mikael was silent for a long time. ‘All the evidence pointed to Igor: the wife had confessed and named him, the husband had known they were friends. And yet, despite so much evidence, Igor was not sleeping with her.’
‘You