His Arranged Marriage by Tina Leonard

“There is not a woman who does not pray to Allah for an invitation to his bed. To be thusly invited shows most favored status, and improves one’s position in the harem.” Her gaze held his. “I have not been so favored by my own husband. It is humiliating.”
    Cade’s jaw dropped for a second, before he reached out to grab his wife and pull her down onto his lap as he sat on the bed. “Serena, this is not a harem. You have no worry about position here. As my wife, you are special. You are not losing face in any way, and besides which, no one can know that we’re not up here right now, uh, having favors with each other.”
    She laughed shyly at his bungling of the term. “You do not understand. A woman who cannot please her husband might as well pack her small bag and get back on a plane.”
    “I do not want you to go, unless you want to go. More than anything, I want you to be happy at The Desert Rose, and be my wife.” With one finger, he traced the soft skin revealed above the merry widow. “Trust me, Serena, if we decide to stay married, I would need only you. I would stay in your bed the way a faithful soldier stays in your palace’s army.”
    She smiled hesitantly. “Even the most obedient soldier falters from time to time.”
    He kissed the white skin of her shoulder. “Are you saying my weapon would be laid down? I assure you that would not be the case. It’s not, even now.”
    She started, her eyes wide as she realized she was sitting very near the subject of their discussion. “You do want to favor me, then?”
    He pressed his face between her breasts and traced her bottom with his hands. “I want to make love with you, yes. And I promise you that you won’t have to worry about not liking me after we’ve made love.”
    She snuggled against his neck. “I was truly teasing you, my prince. I was trying to be very American and progressive.”
    “You could give a guy a complex like that,” he said, nipping at the curve of her collarbone. “I’ve never had a woman mention that she didn’t like me after the fact. I may have to call and ask them.”
    She tugged at the hair on his nape. “I will cut off your finger if it so much as dials the number of one girlfriend.”
    He chuckled. “That doesn’t sound very much like a woman who’s grown up around harems and understands a man’s needs.”
    “Women can be spiteful in the harem, although they don’t cut off anyone’s hands, usually,” she said, nipping at his earlobe. “However, in AmericaI have decided to do as the Americans do. You may not have a harem.”
    “You’re kind of bossy for a princess,” he said, standing her back on her feet so that he could slide the satin gown back over her head.
    “You’re rather more like a mule than a stallion, my prince,” she shot back. “I will be a merry wife one day.”
    “That reminds me,” he said, kissing her forehead. “Are you going to wear that merry thing every day?”
    She stepped back from him and went to the mirror, sending him a saucy smile in the image. “I promised to obey my prince about the brassiere thing, didn’t I? Your cousin took me to Victoria’s Secret today, and I now own enough undergarments to make certain that for as long as I stay here, my husband’s wishes are done. Every day, in a different style, and a different color.”
    “Remind me to send Jessica back to college,” he said on a groan. “Maybe she should take up some advanced studies to keep her from influencing my wife.”
    He followed her from the room, and down the stairs to join the family in the dining room. However, at the doorway, Serena stopped, causing him to bump into her delicious backside.
    “Whoa,” he said, reaching out to steady her. “What’s wrong?”
    “I have to call my father,” Serena said suddenly. “Please make my excuses to your family for missing the evening meal with them.”
    And then she tore back up the stairs, her teal skirt held in her hands so that she could