And the Desert Blooms by Iris Johansen Read Free Book Online

crept in here, filled with resentment and burning jealousy, to examine the place where the chosen ones were quartered. The beautiful ones who occupied his bed and received his passion. It had hurt so much, yet the temptation had been irresistible. It still hurt, she found. She mustn’t think about the past. She was the one occupying this room now.
    She walked quickly to the louvered closet and threw open the folding doors. Thank heaven for Raoul’s good sense. There were not only sexy garments appropriate for one of Philip’s mistresses, but sport clothes, and even a practical terry-cloth bathrobe. She took the robe from the hanger and strode swiftly toward the bathroom.
    Thirty minutes later she had showered, shampooed, dried her hair, and was once more standing in front of the closet trying to decide what a worldly-wise woman would select to wear for an intimate dinner for two.
    “The yellow silk.” Philip’s voice made her jump. She hadn’t heard him enter. He was dressed in dark, fitted pants and a soft white shirt that clung to his broad shoulders and lean, hard waist. His dark hair was still damp from the shower and she was con scious of the familiar spicy scent of his cologne. “I told Raoul to get that particular dress for you. I like the texture of silk.”
    She could have guessed that. She had never known anyone for whom tactile sensations were as important. She had a fleeting memory of Philip’s hand stroking Oedipus’s mane, his long fingers strong, yet infinitely sensitive. “All right. It doesn’t really matter.”
    “On the contrary, it matters very much.” There was a glint of mischief in his eyes. “This one has a zipper. I heartily approve of zippers.” The humor suddenly faded from his face. “I imagine Sabine did too.”
    “I have no idea.” She reached for the yellow dress. “We never discussed it.”
    “You were too involved with experimentation to waste time on mere chitchat, no doubt,” he said silkily.
    Oh Lord, Philip was definitely on the attack. She had wanted to arouse his possessiveness, but not to this extent.
    She shrugged. “I suppose so.” She tried to smile teasingly at him. It was very difficult with him glowering at her like an incensed raja. “You appear to be fond of demonstrations yourself.”
    “That’s different,” he said with royal disregard for logic. “You don’t belong to him.”
    “And in three months I won’t belong to you either,” she said quietly. “This is strictly a temporary arrangement.” She made a mocking obeisance. “As decreed by the most honorable Sheikh El Kabbar.”
    “We’ll see when the three months are up,” he said moodily. “I don’t like giving up what belongs to me.” He scowled. “And I didn’t like you fastening his cuff links. It was too . . . intimate.”
    She blinked. “Fastening cuff links is intimate? Heaven forbid if I straighten a man’s tie.”
    “You’re taking my displeasure very lightly. In the past you weren’t so unaffected by it.”
    She wasn’t unaffected, but he mustn’t know that. Philip held too many weapons already. “You’re taking a small service far too seriously.”
    “I just wanted to clarify that your services, both small and large, belong to me,” he said harshly. “I don’t share.”
    “How selfish of you.” She lowered her eyes demurely. “I’ll try to remember.”
    “I’ll be there to remind you if it slips your mind,” he said softly. “Be sure of it, Pandora.” He turned away. “I’ll leave you to get dressed. I have some phone calls to make.” He paused at the door. “Don’t bother to wear anything beneath the dress. I do hate to waste time.” He left the door open, and a minute later she heard the sound of his voice as he spoke on the bedroom extension. So intimate. As intimate as the last remark, which had taken her breath and frozen her to the spot with sudden shyness.
    Please, not now. She was so close. She had to be bold and sure or everything would