Heaven in the Desert Ch. 03

She kissed him with all the passion and built up frustration she had been holding inside.

She wanted the sparks, she wanted the flames...she wanted the intensity, she wanted the thrill, she wanted...this man.

She pulled his hair as she kissed him with a fiery passion that threatened to consume them both.

She still couldn't figure out what it was about him that drove her so wild.

She lost all composure and thought when she was alone with him.

Her main reason for wanting to stay wasn't the adventure, she had to be honest, it was him.

"I want you." Aaryan said in a deep, booming voice.

Ariana wanted nothing more than to surrender and end the game, but there were a few more lessons she had to teach him first.

She pushed him back and straddled his waist. Aaryan was shocked by her bold move.

She kissed him again, and bit down and tugged at his lower lip.

"Mmmm." She moaned as she started to unbutton the top button of his shirt.

"I would love nothing more than to give in to you." She began in her sexiest tone as she stroked his upper chest. "But your brother, I fear he is in love with me and he will not let me go without a fight."

"He will get over it." Aaryan said as he continued to kiss her lips, his hands that were resting at her hips, began to move up and down her curves.

"I am not so sure." She said, resting her hands over his. "He told me tonight he will make me a very rich woman if I agree to marry him in less than a week."

"I can make you richer." He said as he kissed her cheeks.

"He also said I can work in the lab at his company, and that he will always be a loving and respectful husband." She punctuated with kisses on his lips.

"I can build you a lab and do both of those things. What else?" He said with a challenging brow.

"Most important of all he said he will not take any wives after me." She said with a direct look.

"Done." He said bringing her in for a kiss with his hand at her neck.

I have won. Aaryan thought as he kissed her hard.

He then squeezed her breasts causing her to gasp. When he brushed his tongue against her lips she opened them willingly.

As he hands began lifting the hem of her dress, she pushed him back.

"Or mistresses." She said quirking a brow and daring him to disagree.

"I don't want anyone but you." He said staring into her eyes intently.

"Now, what can he offer you that I cannot?" He said after a while.

Honesty she thought. Instead she said aloud with a smirk, "Hmm you are right."

"No one can compete with a sultan, can they Aaryan?" Ariana whispered sexily in his ear.

"No they cannot." Aaryan said smiling and then he went rigid, realizing his mistake.

"I knew it!" Ariana said standing up. "I knew it. I knew it!" She said poking Aaryan in the chest.

"How long have you known?" Aaryan asked running a hand through his hair and looking like a caught school boy.

"A while." Ariana answered trying to hold back a smile. He looked so sexy when he did that, she thought.

"Focus Ariana, you are angry with him." She thought.

"Why did you lie?" She asked folding her arms so she wouldn't touch him.

"I...I...I didn't trust you." He said looking at her squarely.

"That's funny. You didn't trust me." She said crossly.

"Not at first. I had no idea my mother would stupe to such a level and I did not know what role you were playing in all of this until they told me the truth. I was angry with them and would have ended it there." He began.

"So why didn't you?" she said.

"This." He waved between them. "This attraction between us. You cannot deny, I know you feel it too."

Ariana snorted in answer.

"You didn't have to lie to me Aaryan." She said.

"The crazy thing is I trusted you. You made me feel safe especially after your family just took me and brought me over here like some worthless object. I'm scared, I miss my family, and the one person who I trusted, chattered that trust." She finished trying to hold back tears.

"I will not force you to stay. If it is your wish to go no one will stop you. I will personally see to it." Aaryan said through clenched teeth.

"...and don't think ill of my mother, she is cornered." Aaryan said.

"Why?" Ariana asked, looking at him.

"There is a rule of law. If the heir to the throne is unmarried, he must be married by his 25th birthday with hope of bearing heirs. If the heir cannot find a bride, the throne will then transfer to the first cousins of the royal family, The Amini Abdallah."

"And this is bad?" Ariana asked.

"The Amini's have tried to wrestle control away from my family for centuries. They are a ruthless and oppressive and cannot have the throne under any circumstances." Aaryan said passionately.

That sat in silence for a while and Ariana looked up at the night sky.

"If it is one thing I've learned in life, it is that fear makes people do stupid desperate things." Ariana said putting a hand on his arm. "I will not hold this against your mother. In a way I understand and she and everyone have been nothing but kind to me. I get it. The fear of losing everything your ancestors have built lead her to make a rash decision. I cannot say I wouldn't have done the same or worse in her position."

"Will you leave then?" He asked.

He felt vulnerable with her and he hated it. The last thing he wanted was for Ariana to leave but he refused alter her life for his own personal gain.

"Meh." Ariana said shrugging her shoulders. Her thoughts were scattered.

She had the easy out she wanted but the question now was, "Did she want to go?"

"Let me know what you decide." Aaryan said and stood to leave.

"You would marry me?" Ariana asked, looking him directly in the eye.

"Without question." Aaryan said never missing a beat.

"Why? That's crazy! I could be a serial killer." Ariana said standing up.

In answer he looked at her up and down skeptically.

"Why?" She asked again.

"You are intelligent and perceptive. You challenge me when no one else would ever think to do so but you also submit to me when I demand it." Aaryan said.

"Go on." Ariana said blushing, breaking the tension.

"Did I mention you are witty and a complete handful?" He said coming closer.

She laughed softly in answer.

"And you are beyond beautiful. I'm glad we met even if it was because of my mother's meddling." He said with a grimace as he rest both hands on her elbows.

"Ghaniyah is treasure. You are lucky to have her." Ariana said resting a hand on his chest.

"I know." Aaryan replied.

"Stay." He said after a while. He refused to grovel.

"Why should I?" Ariana said with a hint of playfulness as she smiled at him. She liked the idea of him wanting her to stay.

"Because you want to." Aaryan said with a challenging brow.

She laughed.

He was one cocky man, she thought.

Aaryan began to move in for a kiss.

"Not so fast." Ariana said sobering. "I will stay but only if you agree to my terms."

"Only if they are reasonable." Aaryan said all business.

"I still get to work in the lab." Ariana said.

"...Ok, but Rafiq will be with you." Aaryan said leaving no room for argument.

"How long before your birthday?" She asked.

"Six months." He answered.

"Ok, If you want to have me as your wife, you must court me and convince me." Ariana said with a smile.

"Done." Aaryan said once again moving closer. The predator had finally captured his prey.

"You also have to let me have some independence. Earn my own money, do things that I enjoy. You are not my identity." Ariana said.

"Ok. Anything else?" Aaryan said contemplatively.

"No sex." Ariana said with a smirk.

Aaryan turned away from her so she could not see his face. She could have sworn she heard him growl.

"And I want a standing flight with your pilot to go back to the States if I ask. If you lie to me again I will leave without question."

"Is that all?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"Yes. Now come here and give me a kiss." Ariana said with open arms hoping in her head she was making the right decision.

******Meanwhile outside of the ballroom.

Haziq and his mother embraced as Fadil looked forlorn.

"Oh cheer up Fadil, she was never yours to begin with." Ghaniyah said as she touched Fadil under the chin.

"We must speed up the wedding preparations at once. With our luck they can be married by the beginning of the next solstice.

"She didn't say she would marry him." Fadil said in a depressed tone.

"Look at them," Ghaniyah said "of course she will."