Trapped in His ocean

Chapter 7

"I told you my name." She nodded. That may be true, but I don't think it answers my question. Because you met me at a disadvantage You heard all my details when the Police officers were interrogating me.

You know where I live, you know my date of birth, you know everything about me. And yet I know nothing about you. -Everything? His eyes swept over her, lazily, almost impertinently. I'm sure there are still secrets to be discovered.

' 'Stop it.' 'What?' 'Mind your words.' He smiled across the table. "Cats and women.

I thought they were both meant to be petted. She lifted her chin and smiled at him. 'True. Cats, like women, like to be petted when it suits them, but when they've had enough, the claws come out. She was expecting another of his quick replies.

What I didn't expect was laughter. A deep, rich laugh that caught her off guard and pushed the boundaries of the box she'd put it in. Arrogant, powerful, and grimly awesome, this was a man who could ignore her arguments, breach her defenses, and get her blood boiling. all with just a few well-chosen words or a look from the hot oven glowing behind their eyes. There was no room for laughter in this picture. But now there was laughter.

And she liked it. She liked the smile he sent her even more. I didn't expect to enjoy this lunch so much. So what do you want to know?” “I want to know about you.”

You're not Iranian, are you? At least you don't sound Iranian. You don't look Iranian. Nabil raised an eyebrow. 'No.

Not quite.

"Yet the police have entrusted me to your care. Why should they do that? Why should they trust you?" "Maybe because they know me by my reputation." She frowned.

'So who are you?' He leaned back in his chair, his food, like hers, forgotten for the moment. 'A businessman. I have interests in Iran.” “What interests?

''I support some industries here, that's all''. "Carpets?" He nodded briefly. 'Maybe'. 'So you live in Iran?

''Sometimes. Sometimes I live somewhere else. Where else? Do you have a wife and children hiding somewhere? Maybe several wives?

Multiple children? Nabil laughed at that. 'Nope. No wife. No children.

And I'm not looking either. Are you done with your interrogation? She shook her head. She wasn't finished yet. Where are you from, Mr. Nabil, if not from Iran?

''Does it matter where? I am here now with you. Surely that's all that matters. "If you expect me to sleep with you," she said, frustrated by his lack of response, "then I think I have a right to know about you." His eyes were dark with heat.

'Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but I don't expect you to sleep over.' Her spine melted.

And it was only her wrists anchored to the table that kept her upright as she faced that final assault. She blinked and looked down at her plate. She picked her fork. She shoved in another stuffed pepper, which she thought was only a tad flushed now as her cheeks, the rational part of her brain knew she would need the energy if she was going to keep up with this man tonight.

Did you want to keep arguing? Did she really care if he didn't answer her questions and she didn't know where he came from? She had already decided to spend the night with him, so what the hell did it matter? I couldn't change anything. "I love Iranian food," she said, her throat tightening in pain knowing she sounded silly and couldn't help it.

"Then please," he gestured, "don't let me stop you from enjoying it." And with thoughts of seduction swirling through her mind, teasing her head and making her flesh throbbing in secret painful places, she tried to concentrate on her food. Tough, though, as the Godman sat across from her and the promise of s*x hung heavy in the air between them. Difficult when the conversation at the dining table was marked by double meanings and heated looks and the electrifying finger caresses as both reached for a piece of bread from the basket.

She refused dessert so he ordered coffee while the waiter collect their plates. She'd put a significant dent in her food, but as she had expected, it defeated her. But instead of feeling blissfully content, she was as nervous as a cat chasing shadows. Where to from here? She wondered.

As if sensing her nervousness, he glanced at his watch. 'Are you ready?' A warm shiver ran down her spine. Why did she get the impression he meant ready for bed? Ready for s*x?

But what else could it mean? Here was a man she'd instantly bonded with through mere eye contact, a man who'd come to her rescue when she'd fallen headlong into a tourist trap, a man whose mere touch had stimulated her senses and libido with Full throttle and a man she agreed to spend a night of fun with. She could already see a bedroom in his words, the windows with rich jewel-toned curtains and a big, wide bed with a gold-spun bedspread, and this man, the magnet pulling her toward it. And she marveled at a man whose words held images that had the magic to pierce her brain, shut her mouth, and satisfy her desires directly. The muscles in her thighs tightened under the table. .

'I think so' 'Then we should go. It's not far from my apartment. We can pick up your things on the way.” “My things?”

' 'Makes sense, don't you think, since you're leaving early in the morning?' She licked her lips and nodded. "Of course you're right," she said, marveling that he still seemed capable of rational thought when all she could think about was the bedroom and s*x. But then again, perhaps he was used to entertaining the occasional stray who accidentally strayed into his orbit. Perhaps this was not such an unusual day for him as it was for her.

The thought might have left her cold. Under normal circumstances she would have. If that were so, she would have been interested in building some sort of long-term relationship with this man. But after Morgan's betrayal, she wasn't interested in a long-term relationship with any man. One night was perfect for her.

You could satisfy your deepest fantasies, maybe even get a little taste of what your ancestor might have experienced more than a century and a half ago

One night with a stranger would be sufficient

Sufficient for both of them, it seemed, because he’d come right out and said he wasn’t interested in more. And whatever his reasons could be, she couldn’t help but admire the fact that he was honest to her. After the experience she’d just had, after all the deceptions and lies, it made for a refreshing change.

She stood, reaching for her jacket on the seat alongside her, but he was already up and beat her to it, holding it open for her to slip her arms into. She looked over her shoulder at him as he eased it up her arms and over her shoulders, a smile on his lips, a flare of heat in his dark eyes as if he knew exactly what he was doing to her as his fingers lingered at her neck, his thumbs stroking the skin under her hair, their touch starting spot fires under her skin.

Oh, my God.

What the hell was she letting herself in for?

And why the hell couldn’t she wait to find out?

She leaned over and snatched up her scarf and wound it around her neck before she could melt into a puddle from the heat of his touch right there and then, and threw him a hasty, confident and utterly false smile. ‘Shall we go?’

It was barely a hostel, tucked as it was in the back laneways near the ancient city walls, but it wasn’t expensive, despite the fact that it was located so close to many of Tehran’s famous and ancient sites. She saw him studying the shabby exterior and faded paintwork and knew what he must be thinking. ‘ ‘Don’t come in, I’ll be right back. It won’t take me a minute to grab my pack.’

He didn’t argue and she wasn’t surprised, knowing that someone like him would have never set foot inside such an establishment and would hardly be tempted to now for fear of contracting some communicable disease or worse.

Hurriedly Nicole gathered the few things she’d left in her tiny shared room, and then did a quick scan of her pack’s contents, checking there was nothing missing. Travel itinerary. Toiletries. Then she went sickly cold when she couldn’t find her bracelet. It had been there this morning, she remembered thinking about wearing it, deciding against it because it would have been too bulky under her jacket, but it had been here, she had seen it, she was sure she had seen it...