Page 131 of To Tango, with Desire

“He’ll come back from Middle East with a bride. You’ll see.”

“That’s sick—”

“I’m glad your father’s dead so he doesn’t have to hear this.”

I gasped, shaking now with anger. Did she care? Did she even care that her words hurt me? That her lack of support was like a thousand daggers through my heart.

“Well, if you feel that way, I’ll have the car brought around to take you to the airport.”

“Amira—” Sahar reached out, but I took a step back.

“I’m going upstairs. When I come down, I’d like it if you both had left. Give the kids a kiss goodbye from me.”

Beneath all the heartache and pain lay an unexpected sense of relief. I was sick of keeping who I was a secret from my family. All my life, I’d hidden my choices for fear of being rejected. Hell, I’d even married a man in the hopes of pleasing them.

But my mom’s reaction, though not unexpected, was a pain that settled into my heart. It burrowed its way deep into my soul.

I didn’t think I would ever recover from it.

THIRTY-THREE

AMIRA

Istirred, my body aware of his presence even though I was half-asleep.

“Zane?”

“Habibti.”

I blinked, reaching for him. “Zane. You’re home.”

“I tried not to wake you.” He stroked back my hair and I all but purred into his palm.

“I need you.” I sighed, rolling on top of him.

He was warm, the ends of his hair still damp. He smelled of fresh soap and him. That unmistakable scent of leather and cinnamon. It brought back memories of when we’d danced together for the first time. When he’d touched me for the first time. It sent my desire through the roof.

“Amira?” His voice was low, a deep rumble that vibrated along my skin.

“I need you.” I tugged down my underwear, then straddled him. Slipping off my T-shirt, I placed his hands on my breasts and sighed with pleasure when he pinched my nipples.

“Touch me, Zane.”

He stroked and squeezed, taking his time to pleasure me.

“Yes, just like that,” I murmured, feeling him harden beneath me. Running my hands through his hair, I rocked over him, the friction on my clit making me shudder.

“Amira,” he groaned. “You keep doing that and I’ll come in my boxers.”

He reached over to the nightstand, and I grabbed his arm.

“We don’t need it.”

A look I’d never seen before flashed across his face. The intensity of it, the possessiveness left me breathless.

“I want to feel you inside of me. No barriers. Just you.”

I remembered the night in the gazebo. But this time I didn’t want him to pull out. I wanted to know, just once, what it felt like to have him lose control inside of me.