The Sheikh's Diamond (Sheikh's Wedding Bet Series Book 1) by Leslie North

Did she regret their intimacy in the cave?
    “Come on,” she sighed. “We better get started.”
    Leaving the minor comforts of the airport, they caught a ride to the edge of the small town and stocked up on supplies. Water. Food. Masoud had packed camping necessities, but there would be no blow-up bed or propane grill for them here. This was as rustic at it got for him, and he realized that he didn’t mind. It was almost refreshing to be without these comforts. It made everything he did with Fleur that much more intimate.
    They hiked slowly through the jungle. Both of them were painfully aware that they were on the lower end of the food chain, and every step they took was made with caution. When the sun set, he set up camp for them while she heated up a can of soup. In the safety of the light of the fire, she leaned against him. “Masoud,” she asked quietly.
    “Hmm?” he responded absently. Exhaustion and fatigue were getting to him.
    “What are you going to do with Anton and Bruce when you find them?”
    “What would like me to do with them?”
    She bit her bottom lip, and he was captivated. There seemed to be more freckles on her face, and as he stared at her in the firelight, he suddenly had an urge to kiss each one. He’d barely gotten to explore her body in the caves. Where else could she be hiding freckles?
    “I understand that you want your diamond back, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t hurt them. You may not understand Bruce, and there are times when I don’t either, but he is still my family. I’d like you to promise me that you won’t hurt him.”
    How ironic that she was asking for his promise. If she knew exactly what he’d planned to do with the diamond, he’d understand that his promises to her were empty. “I have a feeling he thinks he can take care of you with the money he gets for the diamond. And that’s something about Bruce that I can very much understand.”
    “Taking care of your family?”
    “No, Fleur.” He reached up and touched her jawline. “Wanting to take care of you.”
    “Oh,” she breathed as he bent down to kiss her. Before, he’d been almost crazed with lust to have her, but tonight, he wanted to taste and savor her. She responded hesitantly, but she didn’t back away. And when she finally slid her arms around his neck, he knew that she was his.
    “I will do my best to go easy on Bruce,” he said softly. Breaking the kiss, he turned and doused the fire. When he held out his hand, she took it, and he led her into the tent.
    “I know that this can’t go anywhere,” she said softly as he laid her down on the sleeping bag. “But I still can’t help wanting you. I’m not a casual fling kind of woman. I hope you know that.”
    “I’ve known that from the moment I met you.”
    He was a casual fling kind of man, and that’s how he knew that what he felt for her went deeper than that. As he peeled her clothes off and took the time to kiss every inch of her skin, he savored every cry that she made. And when he bent between her legs to taste her, he only wanted to give her as much pleasure as possible.
    It should frighten him how much he wanted this woman. This was uncharted territory for him and for the first time in his life, he was okay with that. If only she felt the same way. But until then, he would take now.
    Sitting up, he quickly shed his clothes as she opened her eyes to watch him. He smiled down at her, loving the look of satisfaction on her face. Rejoining her, he stretched out over her, balancing on his forearms as he looked down at her sweet face. He smiled as she lifted her head and kissed his nose. Such an innocent action should not have made his insides clench.
    Shifting his hips, he settled against her, pressing his erection tightly against her thigh and watching as her eyes opened wider with awareness. Dipping his head down, he kissed her lightly, watching the reaction on her face. As she parted her lips, he deepened the kiss, loving the