The Sheikh's Diamond (Sheikh's Wedding Bet Series Book 1) (6 page)

“It’s an arrow pointing to the rocks.” She scrambled over and pushed at a few of them. They were heavy, but they did move away. Masoud jumped in to help, and after about twenty minutes of work, they had uncovered a hole. “We’re going to have to crawl.”

“Great,” he said darkly. “I’m still going first.” She watched amused as he dropped to his knees and began moving through the tunnel. Praying that it would be big enough to hold them, she crawled in after him. If she was right, there would be one more room.

They moved slowly, and it seemed to take forever for them to get out of the tunnel. When they finally stepped into another room, Fleur took a huge breath. She didn’t hate small spaces, but she didn’t particularly love crawling through the unknown.

“Which way?” Masoud asked tightly. He clearly didn’t love it either.

Wordlessly, she reached over and clicked off the flashlight. They stared at the light that continued to seep through the tunnel on the left. She wanted to run through it, but Masoud held her back and inched along slowly. The sound of running water grew louder and louder, and when they stepped through, she couldn’t believe her eyes.

“An oasis,” she gasped as she looked around. Sunlight poured through small holes in the top of the cave, and the space was crawling with vegetation. Leafy green plants grew along the pool of running water below, which rushed through the small caves and opened up in tiny waterfalls in the holes on the side. “My God. It hasn’t been seen in thousands of years. It hasn’t been touched in thousands years.”

“If we’re right, it’s been seen and touched by one person,” Masoud said grimly.

“Yasin.” Fleur remembered why they were there and clamped her mouth shut. “You think he found the oasis and put the diamond back. Do you have any idea how much money he could have made on this find?”

“He may have been motivated by money when he took the diamond, but it was fear and superstition that made him put it back. Any idea where it might be?”

“I didn’t even think we’d get this far,” she admitted. “The diamond was supposed to shine like fire, but that doesn’t help. Even if it caught the sunlight from above, the sun’s position in the sky could put it in multiple places. Plus, the thing isn’t exactly huge.”

She stripped off her bag and dropped it by the rocks. ”I guess we get to explore. Watch what you touch. I don’t know much about these plants. They might be poisonous.”

“Poisonous?” Masoud remarked with a chuckle. “Really?”

“The only other garden touched by God held an apple that doomed all of humanity. Let’s not speculate what might be in this one,” she said wryly.

“You believe that?” he asked her suddenly. Faith was hard to come by these days, and while he had issues believing in the power of a diamond, he wanted to believe that there was a God.

“I believe that we’re standing in a secret oasis in a cave in the middle of the desert,” she pointed out. “I’m not going to touch anything.” She flashed him a smile and began roaming the oasis. Even though she was excited to be close to finding the diamond, finding the oasis was a remarkable moment for her. If she were lucky, something in here would lead her to the true location of Solomon’s Mines.

Slowly, she ran her hands over the walls of the cave. If Masoud’s great uncle really did believe in the legend, he would have put the diamond back in the same spot that it had been found. But how could he have gotten such information?

The thought made her frown. In all likelihood, Yasin could have put the diamond anywhere, but he had enough information to find the oasis. He went through all that trouble recreating the first find. “Masoud, was your great-uncle an academic?”

Masoud snorted. “He was a party animal. Women, money, and booze.”

A sinner on the path of redemption. “You said he disappeared for two years, but you found his body in Paris. How did he die?”

“Probably alcohol poisoning,” Masoud said with a shrug.

A sinner on the path of redemption who failed to find mercy. “How did his apartment look when you found it? Where there any notable scrolls or letters around him? The Bible perhaps?”

“Fleur, I wasn’t there. If my father found anything notable, he would have put it in the library. And if it were rare, he would have put it on display. Why?”

“Your great-uncle wasn’t an academic, but he found the oasis. If he truly believes that only those worthy to rule would find the diamond, he would have hidden it in the same spot. But how could he have gotten that information? How could he have gotten any of this information?” She chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to work it out.

“Obviously, someone told him.”

“This place wouldn’t be a secret if people knew about it.” Fleur shook her head. “There’s more. There has to be more. What am I missing?” Her eyes rounded. “The diamond. After he stole the diamond, something must have happened to make him believe in the legend. To make him want to believe that he was worthy to keep it, but when he failed to change, he realized he couldn’t keep holding on to it. So he went through extraordinary lengths to hide it.”

“Fleur, you’re supposed to be looking for the diamond. Quit worrying about Yasin.”

“An epiphany from a sinner,” she said softly. “A grand gesture to lead to another grand gesture.” Whipping her head around, she looked for the highest place to stand within the cave. Spying some notches in the wall, she gripped the rock and began to climb.

“Damn it, woman, what are you doing? You’re going to fall and kill yourself,” Masoud hissed as he hurried to stand under her. She continued until she reached a thin ledge high on the wall. Balancing herself carefully, she turned and gasped.

As the sun hit the rock on the opposite side of the cave, a brilliant light burst outward. “My God, there it is.” She pointed to the wall.

Masoud turned. “I don’t see anything.”

“You have to elevate yourself,” she whispered to herself. “Pull yourself up, even at the risk of falling, to be close to God.” Excitement bubbled up inside her. “What are you waiting for? Go get it!”

“Not until you’re safely on the ground!” Masoud muttered. Laughing, Fleur started climbing down before she felt his strong hands grasp her waist and lift her the rest of the way down. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she whirled around and navigated the uneven terrain as quickly as possible. As soon as she reached the opposite wall, she grabbed the notches and climbed a few feet up until she was standing on the plateau. Reaching up, she felt with her fingers along the edge until they scraped against what felt like a hard pebble.

“Oh my God,” she muttered as she pulled it down. “Oh my God. Masoud. We did it. We found it!”

“Hand it here,” he commanded. She bent down and dropped the diamond in his open palm. Part of her yearned to study it more, but this wasn’t the time or place. He pulled out a leather pouch from his pocket. Reaching in, he grabbed a long silver chain with a pendant hanging from it. She watched in awe as he popped open the cage in the middle of the pendent. The diamond fit perfectly inside.

“You weren’t kidding,” she breathed. “It did belong to you.”

Wrapping the chain around his wrist, he lifted his arms. She put her hands on his shoulders and let him ease her off the ledge. Her body slid against his, and by the time her feet hit the ground, she was consumed by desire. Maybe it was the excitement from finding the diamond, or maybe it was the pent-up lust she’d felt for him from the beginning, but she looked into his eyes and knew she was about to be his.

“You could wear it,” he said huskily. “It supposedly has great power to bless all who come in contact with it.”

“And yet the last person who wore it was found dead in his apartment,” she said softly.

His hands moved down her waist until he could cup her bottom and pull her even closer against him. There was no mistaking his hardness.

Her heart beat faster as his head bent down, and when his lips finally touched hers, she melted against him. With just a single kiss, he left her senses reeling. Opening to him, she demanded everything, and he held nothing back. The past few days of teasing and flirting was nothing compared to the flame that kindled inside her. His kiss was hot and urgent, and it sent chills down her spine as she pulled at his shirt. She didn’t want anything between them.

“My little redheaded ball of flame,” he gasped as he finally broke away. “I had no idea that you could burn so hot.”

“Don’t stop,” she muttered as she reached down and pulled off her shirt and tank top. He took a step back and stared at her.

“I have absolutely no intention of stopping,” he said thickly. The lust in his eyes was enough to make her shiver. Reaching out, he traced a finger around the edge of her bra before he slowly rubbed over her erect nipple. Even a touch through the fabric was enough to make her muscles tighten.

She moaned and reached back to unsnap the barrier. As her bra fell away, she stood half-naked as the sun poured over her. Holding her breath, she waited as he stared at her. His eyes darkened with lust, and he reached for her. “Absolute perfection,” he muttered. A thrill raced down her spine. As his mouth covered hers again, she went to work on the buttons of his shirt. It was slow and frustrating, and as she finally spread her hands over his warm skin, it did nothing to ease the ache within her.

Masoud lowered her to the floor of the cave and balled up his shirt to place under her head. It wasn’t the most comfortable position, but she didn’t care. Her body was on fire, and she needed him inside her.

Unsnapping her pants, he pulled them down before tracing a finger up her inner thigh. Wiggling her hips, she pushed herself up on her elbows and looked at him. “I promise that I need very little foreplay here,” she muttered.

Smiling wickedly, he slid a finger under the elastic of her panties and inside her. Immediately, her hips lifted to take him in deeper. “I can see that,” he said hoarsely. “My God, Fleur, you couldn’t be more ready for me.”

“Days,” she gasped. “I’ve been ready for you for days. Please don’t make me wait.”

“Ah, but you’ve made me wait,” he said with a wicked smile. “Time for a little payback.”

Slowly, he traced his lips over her inner thigh. As he moved closer to her heat, she curled her toes and panted. She was ready to shoot off like a rocket, but his teasing held her at bay. When he blew his breath on her clitoris, she cried out and gripped his hair.

“Masoud, please,” she whimpered. “Please.”

“Since you asked so nicely.” He leaned in and finally slid his tongue inside her. “Fleur,” he muttered as his lips tickled her. “You taste good.”

Her whole body was taut as it waited for release. Thankfully, he wasn’t teasing anymore. As his tongue slid across her sweet spot over and over again, she could barely breathe. Everything around her melted away and there was only this. Her body began to shake violently as pleasure overwhelmed her. Bowing her back, she tightened her fingers against his scalp as she came. 

After a few seconds of pure bliss, her body fell, and he caught her easily. “I’ve got you,” he whispered as he moved over her. “I won’t let you fall.”

She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck. She’d never shattered so completely in someone else’s arms before. “I don’t…” Fleur didn’t even begin to know what to say.

But she knew she wanted more.

Framing his face, she lay back down and stared at him. His whole body was tense, and she knew he wanted nothing more than to bury himself inside her. But he was waiting for her to be ready again. As his tongue slid over her nipple, she ran her hands along the muscles of his back. She was so lost in the sensations that she didn’t even realize he’d removed his pants until he was raising her hips to slide her panties off. Moving between her legs, he nudged at her opening.

“Tell me you want this,” he whispered. “Because I have never wanted anything more in my entire life.”

Except for the diamond.
The words entered her brain out of nowhere, but as he thrust inside her, she quickly forgot them. Wrapping her legs around him, she could barely hold on as he proved to be every bit as good as she dreamed. The passion threatened to consume them as he took her higher and higher. Her cries and whimpers echoed off the walls as he pulled her hips up to move even deeper inside her.

“Masoud,” she moaned as she dug her nails into him. If she didn’t find her release, she was terrified that she’d set the whole damn place on fire. “Please.”

“Please what?” His voice was thick as he pushed her hair out of her face and stared at her. “Tell me what you want, Fleur.”

The word on the tip of her tongue was one she wouldn’t dare say outright, so she pulled his head down and tried to convey everything she needed and everything she was feeling in that kiss. He reached between them to touch her sensitive nub, and she went off like a rocket. As all the needs and desires built up over the past few days broke free; she could do nothing but hold on for dear life.

He buried himself deep in one final thrust and moaned her name. His whole body shook under her touch, and as she finally calmed down from her orgasm, he collapsed on top of her.

When her heartbeat finally slowed and her breathing returned to normal, he moved so that he was propped up above her. “Maybe it’s the diamond of lust,” he muttered with a grin.

The mention of the stone brought reality crashing down around her. She was defiling what could be one of the biggest archaeological finds of the year with a man she barely knew. The rocks beneath her bit sharply into her back as she tried to scoot out from under him.