She was trapped by her clothing, unable to step away or spread her legs very far apart. Still he kissed her stomach, then parted her with his fingers before kissing her intimately.

The feel of his lips and tongue was exquisite. She had to hang on to him to keep from falling to the floor. He found her center and licked it over and over again as he moved his hands behind her and squeezed her curves.

“Qadir,” she breathed, wanting what he was doing to go on forever, but needing more. A bed, she thought frantically. A sofa. The floor.

Still loving her between her thighs, he helped her out of her shoes, then eased her clothes from her body. She opened her legs more, giving him access, desperate to give in to the building pressure.

She put her hands on his shoulders and hung on for the ride. But just as she was about to surrender and lose herself in pleasure, he stood.

“You can’t stop,” she gasped.

“I’m just getting started.”

He led her down a hallway, into a large bedroom. She had a brief impression of dark, masculine furniture and a bed that could sleep twenty. Then Qadir pulled back the covers, turned to her and began to touch her.

“You are so beautiful,” he murmured, stroking her back. “All of you. It’s maddening to watch you prance around in your coveralls with those little fitted T-shirts. I have dreamed about you in that T-shirt and nothing else.”

Heat filled her as his words aroused her to the brink. He’d fantasized about her? Was that possible?

“I don’t prance,” she said, trying to tease rather than give in to unexpected tears. She couldn’t figure out why on earth those words would make her want to cry, but they did.

“You excite me beyond what I can say.”

He was doing a pretty good job of exciting her, as well.

She reached for the buttons on his shirt, but he pushed her hands away. As she watched, he undressed, revealing his hard, honey-colored skin.

As he pushed down his briefs, she saw his arousal-all jutting maleness that called to her. Her pulled her close and they tumbled onto the big bed, a tangle of arms and legs and need.

Even as he took her breast into his mouth, he reached between her legs and stroked her.

He found that one sensitive spot instantly and circled it. She didn’t know what to think about first-his mouth or his fingers. Both were exquisite, pushing her higher, driving her closer to her release.

The steady rhythm-his sucking, his touching, her body pulsing-threatened to push her over the edge. She held back, not wanting to give in so quickly. Then he shifted so he was between her thighs, kissing her with his tongue again. He pushed a finger inside of her, circling, thrusting, rubbing and she was lost.

Her release carried her to the edge of the world and let her go. Every muscle shuddered with pleasure, making her cry out. On and on until she floated back to earth, back to his bed where she opened her eyes and found him watching her.

Despite the fact that she might never be able to move again, fire still burned. Without saying anything, she held open her arms. He eased between her legs, his hardness filling her, stretching her, making her cling to him.

He made love to her like a man starved. Deep thrusts claimed her as his and she held on for the ride of her life. His excitement pulled her along, making her hungry, as well. Her body tensed and ached and when he stiffened, she, too, cried out, feeling more satisfied than she’d ever been before.

Later, when they were together under the covers, her body pressed against his, his hands stroking her head, he kissed her.

“I am sorry,” he said. “I tried to hold back. I did not want to hurt you.”

“You didn’t.”

“I took you roughly.”

He wouldn’t meet her gaze, as if he was ashamed.

She rolled on top of him, pressing her body to his, then kissed him. “Qadir, didn’t you feel me responding? I’m not saying I want to be hurt. Your passion excited me. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?”

“I should have more control.”

She smiled. “No, you shouldn’t.”

He put his hands on her hips and eased her down. He was hard again. She slid over him, taking him inside of her. She gasped at the pleasure of it.

“Perhaps if you were in charge,” he told her, need once again burning between them.

She braced herself on the bed. He reached for her breasts, then lightly teased her nipples. Sensation shot through her. She rode him up and down, then moving faster and faster. They both groaned.

It was, she thought as her body clenched in anticipation, going to be an amazing night.

Maggie supposed that technically she walked back to her room the next morning, but in truth it felt like floating. Her whole body seemed to hum with contentment as individual cells continued to sigh their pleasure.

Qadir sure knew his way around a woman’s body. She felt as if she’d stepped onto a new plane of sensual pleasure and she couldn’t wait to go back again.

“Not a good idea,” she told herself as she stepped through the French doors and back into her room.

Last night had been amazing and fifteen kinds of a mistake. She’d been determined to hold her heart safely out of reach. Making love with Qadir for hours on end was not going to help her cause.

She couldn’t get over how concerned he’d been about hurting her. He hadn’t, of course, but the worry had been sweet. And the passion had been mind-altering.

“I am a mature woman,” she told herself as she headed into the bathroom. “I can handle this.”

She didn’t have much choice. Despite how amazing the lovemaking had been, nothing had changed. She was still who she was and Qadir was still a prince.

She showered, then dried off and dressed. After combing out her hair, she reached for the blow-dryer, but before she could turn it on, someone pounded on her door.

She moved through the living room and opened it. Victoria stood in the hallway.

“There you are,” her friend said. “What is going on with you? I’ve been calling and calling and knocking and you haven’t…” Victoria’s blue eyes widened. “Oh my God. What happened?”

Maggie felt herself flush even as she said, “Nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. There’s something totally different about you.”

Was that possible? Did last night show?

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she lied.

Victoria leaned closer and stared into her eyes. “I swear, there’s something. It’s-” Her mouth dropped open. “No way.”

The flush increased. Maggie stepped away from the open door and returned to the bathroom. “I have no idea what you’re going on about.”

“You are so lying. You were with Qadir last night. You were with him big-time.”

As she spoke, Victoria trailed after Maggie into the bathroom. When Maggie tried to turn on the blow-dryer to drown her out, Victoria simply pulled the plug.

Maggie looked at her in the mirror. “It just happened,” she admitted. “It was probably crazy, but I can’t regret it.”

“I want details,” Victoria said. “Even more important, I’m here for you.”

“I appreciate that, but I feel fine.”

“You won’t for long.” Her friend took a deep breath. “Jon is here. He arrived in the middle of the night and he’s been raising hell downstairs, trying to find you.”

Maggie wished she were the kind of person who could faint on command. This seemed like an excellent time to pass out. But she stayed annoyingly conscious as Victoria led her to the private room Jon had been assigned.

“How much hell?” Maggie asked, not sure she wanted to know.

“When we couldn’t find you right away, he started accusing the palace guards of holding you prisoner. They didn’t know who he was or what he wanted. When he started on the ‘I’m an American’ rant they called me. I assured him you were fine, which he almost believed, but then I couldn’t find you, either. Honestly, I never thought to check in Qadir’s room. I thought you were with the car, or taking a midnight jog or something.”

“I can’t believe he’s here,” Maggie muttered. “I can’t believe he’s here now.”

“At least your life isn’t boring.”

“I wouldn’t mind boring,” Maggie said, refusing to feel guilty for what had happened with Qadir. She was sorry everyone had been put out because they couldn’t find her, but she had the right to a life. Jon had sure moved on. She could, too.

“I can’t believe he didn’t tell me he was coming,” she said.

Victoria stopped in front of a door and pointed. “Good luck.”

Maggie didn’t want to go inside by herself. “You could come with me.”

“I could, but I think you need to do this on your own.” She hugged Maggie, then hurried away.

Maggie stared at the door. She had a feeling she knew why Jon had arrived in El Deharia. After last night, she would have said gathering the energy to fight was impossible, but knowing Jon as she did, she was going to have to get her mad up or he would be making all the decisions. The last thing either of them needed was a situation that would impact the rest of their lives. Of course the pregnancy had already done a good job of that.

She knocked once and the door flew open. Jon stood there, looking as he always had.

“Where have you been?” he demanded. “I got here hours ago and no one could find you. Are they keeping you hostage somewhere? What’s going on here, Maggie?”

She stepped into his room, a space much smaller than her own. It faced the garden rather than the sea.

She looked at him, at the kind brown eyes, the mouth that curved into a crooked smile, the unruly brown hair he kept cut short so it didn’t get too wild.

This was Jon. He’d been the boy she’d grown up with, the man she’d fallen in love with. She deliberately remembered good times they’d shared and buried herself in those memories. She dug through her heart and felt…nothing.