for you now. Your?ship was sighted by friends of mine this morning, and I knew you?would be with me by evening. Go to the House of Felicity, and you?will find a surprise waiting for you.”
The Englishman grinned delightedly. “Ah, Khalid, you didn’t?have to go to any trouble.”
The Whoremaster of Algiers grinned back, “She’s quite to your?liking, Robbie. Go along now so I may rejoin my own lady.”
The captain scrambled to his feet. “If my surprise is that good?I’ll not be seeing you for several days, Khalid,” and he was quickly?gone.
Khalid el Bey stretched his long body in a catlike movement and?called, “Skye!” She appeared immediately from behind a wall hang-?ing, and sat down next to him. “You heard,” said her husband.
“Yes, my lord. If this story is true then you are indeed fortunate?to have such a partner.”
“You can trust Robert Small with your life, my Skye. He is the most honest man I know. He has never cheated me. It is simply not?in his nature.”
“What awaits him at the House of Felicity? Have you found him?some petite creature to soothe and comfort him?”
Khalid laughed. “No! Though Robbie is a bit of a man, he likes?big, tall women. The maiden awaiting him stands six feet and has?breasts like summer melons. I’ve been given to understand that?Robbie’s rod is as big as any man’s, so they will both enjoy them-?selves.”
They laughed together, imagining the little man and his Amazon?mistress locked in sweet combat. Then as easily as they had begun?to laugh they stopped, and she was in his arms again. He kissed her?until she ached for him. His hands slid beneath her sheer pale-blue?silk caftan, his long fingers teasing her nipples until she whimpered.
“Look at me, Skye,” he commanded softly, and she struggled to?raise her heavy-lidded eyes to him. “You are my wife, beloved, and?I love you.”
Now, for the first time, she looked deep into his warm amber?eyes and realized mat she felt deeply toward Khalid. With this?startling realization, the heartache that had assailed her continually?ever since she’d awakened to her new life in Algiers seemed to?dissolve, leaving her feeling as light as a feather. She loved! This?was what love was, and she could remember it! Her eyes filled with?happy tears and she said wonderingly, “Oh, Khalid! I love you, too!?I do! I know that now!” And pulling his dark head down to hers,?she kissed him deeply. He, feeling her certain, unwavering love,?found his passion bursting into an unquenchable flame.
Beneath his eager touch the silk of her robe tore away and bis?hands and mouth began their worshipful adoration of her. He loos-?ened her lovely dark hair and spread it over the apricot velvet pillows.?Then his long fingers gently traced her high cheekbones, moving?down the fine line of her jaw to capture her small chin.
‘Tell me again, Skye,” he said softly.
Her sapphire eyes caught his amber-gold ones and held them?unwaveringly. “I love you, my lord Khalid.” she said firmly. “I love?you!” Then she kissed him again, her little tongue teasing his mouth.?He could feel her small round breasts rubbing against his chest and,?unable to refuse the invitation, he lowered his head and nibbled on? the hard, quivering nipples. His tongue pushed into her little navel?and she eagerly thrust her torso toward him. He moved lower yet,?his mouth seeking that most secret core. Tasting her seashell-like?fragrance, his tongue darted like wildfire over the moist dark pink?flesh. She whimpered, half in agony, half in ecstasy, her fingers catching at the dark hair of his head as he relentlessly pushed her?beyond endurance. Amazingly, she did not shatter into a thousand?pieces. She soared higher than she had ever done before. Then with?great tenderness he kissed the soft inside of her thighs, pulled himself?up over her, and gently took her.
Skye was frantic with unfulfilled passion. She had never known?such love as this. Or had she? Her mind whirled in confusion, but?Khalid’s warm body soon overcame that. What difference did it?make if she had loved before? Khalid was her husband. He loved?her, and she loved him. Why should she torture herself with vague,?flickering memories? All that mattered was now.
“Skye! Skye! Come with me, my darling! Now! Now!”
She met his ardor with her own, soaring as he did. Afterward,?as she lay sated, she said quietly, “I want a child, Khalid.”
He smiled in the darkness. This was further proof of her love.?”I shall endeavor, my love, to give you everything you want-?especially children.”
Suddenly she laughed happily and, propping herself up on an?elbow, looked down into his golden eyes. “I love you, and am loved?in return,” she said. “Whatever has been before in my life can matter?little in the light of this love. If it were important, then surely I?should have remembered it all by now. I know who I am. I am?Skye, the beloved wife of Khalid el Bey, the great Whoremaster of?Algiers.”
Chapter 11
Niall Burke lay weakly back upon the scented linen pillows?and, focusing his silvery eyes clearly for the first time in?weeks, gazed out at the distant blue mountains. The landscape?outside his window was a riot of lush vegetation. Pink and?red hibiscus, cloyingly sweet gardenias, spicy roses, and crisp lav-?ender were all growing in a wild mass that spread upward from the?gardens to the flowering vines that clung to the villa wall. It was?all so vibrant.
Now, totally immersed in the sights and smells, the shrieking of?the darting parrots, Niall knew he would live. And fervently he?wished he were dead.
The carved oak door of his room opened then, admitting a young?girl whose big eyes lit up at the sight of him.
“Ah, Senor Niall. At last you are fully awake. I am Constanza?Maria Alcudia Cuidadela. My papa is the governor of this island,?and you are in his house.” She put a tray on the nearby table.
Feeling like a fool, Niall was forced to ask, “What island is this?”
The girl blushed in pretty pink confusion. “Oh, senor, forgive?me! You are on the island of Mallorca.”
“How did I come to be here?”
“You were brought to us from the fleet in which you traveled by?a Captain MacGuire. He explained you are a great lord.”
Niall forced back a small smile. “Is MacGuire still here, Senorita?Constanza?”
“Si, Senor Niall. Although the rest of your fleet sailed weeks?ago, he refused to leave you. He said his mistress would not forgive?him if he did. Would you like to see him?”
Niall nodded and the girl pulled the embroidered bellpull by his?bed. “Fetch the Irish captain at once, Ana,” she instructed the an-?swering servant, then moved to straighten Niall’s pillows. She wore?a rose fragrance, which caused a sharp pain to tear through Niall.?Constanza poured something from the frosty majollica pitcher into?a silver goblet.
“It is the juice of the oranges from our garden,” she said. “Drink?it. It will give you strength.” She gracefully handed the goblet to?him, then sat and drew a small embroidery frame from a hidden?pocket in her gown and began to stitch.
He drank, and was pleasantly surprised by the cool, tart sweetness?that slid down his parched throat. He studied the seated girl over the?goblet. She was, he decided, about fifteen, and very lovely. She was?quite petite, with a tiny waist and generous breasts. Her skin was?a pale golden shade, her hair a darker gold, and her eyes were the?color of purple pansies.
He let his eyes wander about the room. It was spacious and?pleasant with white walls and a red tile floor. On one wall was a?large dark wood armoire with intricately carved doors, and a long?walnut table stood before the French doors opposite his silk-draped?bed. There were two chairs by the table and an embroidered chaise?Iongue by the bed.
“Is the juice good, Senor Niall? May I pour you more?”
“Thank you,” he answered politely. Dammit to hell, where was?MacGuire? As if in answer to his silent summons, the door flew?open to admit the captain and Inis. With a joyous bark, the dog?leaped onto the bed and lay down beside Niall, his tail thumping?happily.
“So, lad, you’ve decided to remain among the living! Praise be?to God!”
