Arabian Nights - The city time had forgot - completed

Chapter Nine

True to his word, he kept his distance, even when they were walking through the palace walls that was often as he showed her his home, the different wings, and rooms that she did enjoy, learning more and more about the man in the palace.

"So you said you worked out daily?" She asked casually, well, trying to sound casual, eyeing him off sideways. He really was so gorgeous and she could watch him forever.

"More like training," he corrected, walking at her side, hands behind his back.

"Training? What kind of training? Apart from building this," she patted his very hard rippling six-pack, under his robe.

"To be ready."

"Ready for what?"

He paused and drew her into his arms, when she stopped as well. "What is this, the Australian Inquisition?"

"Just curious."

"You are curious about everything, my Elena."

"That's how one learns by asking questions. All things are so different from what I'm used to." His fingers lightly brushed her cheek, guiding her closer to him as he dipped his head and brushed her lips with his own. "Where do you workout?" She asked against his lips.

"You were supposed to be distracted by my kisses."

Sighing, her arms crept around his neck. "I see how you play, seduce me with your kisses, so I can't ask my questions, and ferret out your secrets."

"I have no secrets," he tucked hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her skin. "Not from you, so what do you want to know," he asked, locking his arms behind her back, holding her hard against him. "Tell me."

She looked up into his hooded eyes. "Are you going to show me?"

"Show you what?"

"Where you workout?"

"First shaving, now this, are you trying to enter the male domain?" She tilted her face towards his, their breathing mingling, lips nearly touching.

"Not really, but you fascinate me Hassan. I have never met anyone like you before."

His brows furrowed down that she caressed away, because she didn't want him frowning at her. He claimed her hand, bringing to his lips and kissed. "I am not frowning at you, far from it, but you confuse me. Am I not like every other man?"

She shook her head. "You're like no other man I have met. And before you get any ideas in your head, I have a lot of friends of both sexes."

"And you speak to them as you do to me?" He asked watchful.

"No, never. They would have thought I had lost my marbles."

"Marbles?" He frowned again, she sighed.

"My mind."

"So you only speak to me this way?" He repeated. She nodded that seemed to please him, smiling. "Good. That is all good," his dark amber eyes gleaming, frown gone. Good? Why? Most men were scared of her honest, plain speaking that she kept most of her thoughts to herself. Not with Hassan, whatever popped into her head, came flying out like a bolting horse from her wayward mouth. Then again she never had had another man speak to her as he did.

"So that makes us even." A dark brow arched. Oops, see out of her mouth.

"How so?"

"Sorry?" She blinked at him.

He watched her closely. "Hmm."

"What?" She asked startled, eyes wide.

"Come." Releasing her, he grabbed her hand instead, and marched her away.