Pharaoh's Desire (11 page)

Kama sniffed the air. “What is that delicious scent?”

“Probably the orchard. It’s this way.” They passed through a towering pergola, formed by two double rows of pillars covered in rich green and purple vines. “Welcome to my orchard,” he said proudly. “There are nearly ten varieties of fruits and vegetables and twelve varieties of flowers in this garden.”

Kama smiled as he held out his hand with a flourish, as if he were presenting some great and wonderful treasure. “This is amazing!” she exclaimed. “You have an endless supply.”

He chuckled. “That’s precisely the idea. Between the royal chefs and Latmay, this garden has seen its fair share of harvests.”

Kama was confused. “Latmay?”

“He uses many of the herbs grown here for medicinal purposes,” Amonmose explained. He pointed to each plant as he spoke. “Over there are the onion bulbs he uses to relieve colds. There is the thyme for pain, mint to cure indigestion, and dill for diuretic purposes.”

Kama scoffed. “Sounds more like ingredients for supper.”

Amonmose laughed again. “I agree. Come, there is much more to see.”

They held hands as they explored each area of the garden. Kama found that Amonmose was quite knowledgeable about all the different species of flowers and trees. She listened quietly as his smooth, velvety voice wrapped itself around her. She was seeing another side of him today. Perhaps if he was another man and she was not here at his command, she could be content here.
Perhaps.
She shrugged her thoughts away.

Amonmose led her to a new area of the garden, where she was surrounded by an abundance of flowers, including daisies, mandrakes, roses, irises, jasmine, mignonettes, celosia, and narcissus. The garden was elaborately laid out and sectioned into separate areas.

“This garden was designed for privacy as well as enjoyment,” he told her. “Look up there,” he pointed skyward.

From where she stood, she could see a large set of windows in the upper level of the palace. “It’s someone’s chamber window,” she guessed.

“Yes. Mine. The garden is located on the north side of my quarters. This allows the cool breeze to filter into my windows throughout the day.”

“The view must be spellbinding.”

“It is. I can look down into the garden and smell the fragrant flowers in my room each day. For security reasons, no one can enter my chamber from the garden and vice versa. That was why I had the special tunnel constructed.”

Kama frowned. “I don’t remember seeing this view from your chambers.”

He met her dark eyes with a knowing stare. “You left in haste that day,” he gently reminded her of her urgent departure after his searing kiss.

Kama searched his face, but she could see no signs of mockery. It was simply the truth, she had left in haste. Somehow, he seemed different from the man she met then.

Amonmose gazed at her, and as if by magic, a frail blue lotus flower appeared in his hand. Its narrow, pointed petals glowed with a luminous shade of pale blue. He slowly drew closer and placed the delicate bloom in her hair. “The blue lotus is a symbol of creation and life,” he told her. “Before the universe was formed, there was a vast primordial ocean known as Nun. From Nun, a lotus flower emerged. Then, from the deep blue center of this flower, the newborn sun god Nefertum was born.” He softly caressed the smooth skin of her cheek. “This mystical plant celebrates the joining of a man and a woman and the infinite possibilities they can create.”

His gaze was smoldering, and she felt a slow heat creep into her body. How could he so easily make her insides melt? If she were not careful, she would once again fall victim to his smooth voice and sweet words.

Abruptly, she turned from him. Her heart was her own, even though it raced every time he touched her.

“I want to show you something else,” Amonmose said, as though he hadn’t noticed. “This next place is extremely secretive.”

Grateful that he was turning his gaze elsewhere, she followed him through a dense thicket of trees. He expertly weaved his way through the maze of foliage, and they emerged into a small field littered with yellow chrysanthemums. A thick ring of trees encircled the field, secluding it from the rest of the world.

“How beautiful…” Kama murmured.

“This is my hiding place.”

She gave him a shocked look. “You have a hiding place? I thought the Pharaoh could go wherever he wanted and do as he pleased.”

Her tone was teasing, and he appeared to accept it in good humor. “True. Yet, each person needs a place to enjoy solitude. A man who is not comfortable spending time alone with himself cannot expect others to desire his company.”

“I never thought about it in that manner,” she confessed. “Is that a sage philosopher’s quote?”

“No, it is a quote from my father.”

“Interesting. And did your father also teach you the art of seducing helpless women in your private garden?”

He grinned. “No. I taught myself that skill.”

Kama cast him a glance from the corner of her eyes. “I knew the real Pharaoh was in there somewhere, hiding behind your false pleasantries.”

“You have a sharp tongue, woman.” Amonmose tugged her wrists and pulled her toward him. “As I recall, tasty but sharp.”

She opened her mouth to give a warning, but he paid her no heed. He pulled her into his arms and claimed her lips with a deep kiss. She was held prisoner in his passionate embrace. His mouth was warm and soft as his tongue expertly caressed hers. It was even more delicious than their first kiss, and she wondered how she could have denied herself this pleasure.

He was methodical in his actions, and he left no area untouched as he sucked and nibbled her lips. Her mouth was alive with the taste of him, and she stopped resisting, wanting only to savor the feeling of his tongue intimately entwined with her own.

As his kiss deepened, it became more tender, and she felt herself succumbing to his gentle touch. Her hands moved to his chest, and she found herself unable to resist stroking the hard planes of muscle there. His bare skin was hot to the touch, and when her fingers brushed against his nipples, she felt his deep moan of approval against her mouth. Frightened, she dropped her hands and pulled away, breaking their contact. She had no idea how to handle him. She could barely handle herself.

But Amonmose pulled her back, softly caressed her shoulders, and gently placed butterfly kisses on her eyelids, nose, and cheeks.

“You are so beautiful,” he murmured as he trailed kisses from the corners of her lips to the delicate tips of her earlobes.

Kama stood stunned by passion. Her body was numb and tingling, something she’d never experienced before. She held him tightly as he suckled and teased the sensitive skin of her neck. As he moved to her collarbone, she arched her body backwards giving him access to the tender flesh.

Amonmose groaned with pleasure as he moved his hands down her curvaceous body, stroking her smooth skin. He let his hands roam lower and cupped her buttocks, feeling her supple skin through the thin material of her dress. His palms stroked her soft flesh, and his manhood hardened instantly.

Kama looked at him through fearful eyes. “What are you doing to me?” she begged.

He took her hand and placed it on the hardness between his legs. “The same thing you’re doing to me. It’s called desire.”

Before she could respond, he swept her into his arms and carried her the short distance to the middle of the field. He laid her down on a soft patch of grass. A lazy breeze of warm air floated over them, carrying the fragrant scent of the brilliant, yellow chrysanthemums.

Amonmose looked at the gorgeous creature beneath him. How many times had he fantasized about this very moment? The image of Kama lying beneath him had haunted not only his dreams but his days. Now, it was finally here. It took every ounce of his strength not to mount her and thrust himself inside her. He’d waited a long time to have her, and he meant to savor every moment of this.

His breathing was ragged as he spoke. “From the moment I saw you, I have been unable to think of anyone else but you,” he said. “You have lit a fire inside me that cannot be quenched.”

He showed her the depth of his desire by capturing her mouth with a passion-filled kiss.
 
Kama writhed in pleasure as he stroked his hands across her breasts, rhythmically rubbing each nipple with the palm of his hand in a circular motion. Her cries of pleasure encouraged him even more.

He pressed on, simultaneously trailing hot kisses down her neck and fondling her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. Her tunic was thin, and he could see the dark buds beneath the sheer material. He kissed her nipples through the light fabric, and the dark berries immediately hardened in his mouth. He generously showered each one with attention, gently licking and teasing the hard buds until her garment was wet and soaked from the warmth of his mouth.

Amonmose reached beneath her long dress and touched the bare skin of her legs. His hands slid along the slender curves of her calves, and he marveled. His fingertips had a mind of their own as they continued their sensual exploration upward, gently stroking her smooth thighs. Her skin was softer than Chinese silk and he longed to put his lips where his hands had been.

In one swift moment, he pulled up her dress, exposing her creamy thighs and her long, shapely legs. Such perfection. His hungry eyes traveled the length of her body from her delicate ankles along her thighs to her womanhood. He heard his own sharp intake of breath loudly.

Kama’s eyes flew open, and she met Amonmose’s stare with a questioning gaze.

“You are not shaved,” he whispered softly.

She remained quiet, but her pained expression spoke volumes.

“You are…you are natural.” He paused. “I was not expecting…”

Kama quickly pushed her dress down and struggled to her feet.
 
“I cannot believe you have the audacity to mock me,” she accused.

“Kama, wait. Do not leave, please. Accept my apologies.” Amonmose stood up and reached for her. “This is a first for me. In Egypt, the custom is—”

“I know your customs! And they are not the Nubian way! You want to own me and possess me, yet you know nothing about me!”

“The women I’ve known…”

“The women? Precisely how many women
have
you been with?” she spat.

Amonmose visibly bristled. “That has nothing to do with us. You are the only woman I desire. I meant no harm with my careless words. I was simply…caught off guard.”

Kama glared at him, her black eyes flashing with anger. “That makes two of us!”

Amonmose watched her storm off. His arms had just held the most bewitching creature he’d ever laid eyes upon, and now…. As he watched her retreating back, he felt his chest tighten in pain. It was the same unwelcome anguish he had felt when his father died: loneliness. It was better to be alone, unaware of your emptiness, than to feel the shape of it in fresh wounds.

For all the might of a Pharaoh, he stood powerless as Kama slipped between the trees and vanished. He would give her some time alone. It was the best thing for both of them. The next time he took her in his arms, he would be better prepared. And heaven help her, because there would be no stopping him then.

Chapter Seven

“Kama, in case you were wondering, it is still your turn. It has
been
your turn for the past several minutes,” Dyzet said with a hint of a smile.

Kama sat, staring at the pieces of the Senet game. “It is easy for you to gloat. You always win.”

“That’s true. But the least you could do is give me the honor of a proper competition. Where are you today? Because you are definitely not here with me.”

Dyzet was right, of course. Her mind was not on the game. She could think of nothing except Amonmose. It was so embarrassing. It had been a week since their encounter in the garden, but it was still fresh in her mind. He’d shown her passion she’d never known. His kisses had left her breathless. His touch had left her defenseless. His gaze had melted her resolve like wax.

She relived that day over and over again in her mind. Each time she remembered how he touched her, her heart raced and her body responded with a will of its own. Even now, the place between her thighs burned just thinking of him. She could not escape him, even in her dreams. Each night, she was tormented by fantasies of him. She felt ashamed of the way her body responded to him, and more ashamed because she wanted to feel his touch again. If only he had not ruined the moment. She did not know what to think now. Had he grown tired of her already? Was he keeping his distance on purpose? She had no experience in this area. All she knew was that she felt miserable.

“What troubles you?” Dyzet asked.

Kama hesitated. For a brief moment, she thought of confiding in her. But how to put this anguish to words? She pretended to study the Senet board instead. “I am trying to devise a method to best you.”

Dyzet shook her head. “If only it were that simple. I think there is something else.”

Kama sighed impatiently. “Must you always try to find hidden meanings in the words people say?”