The Panther & the Pyramid (Khamsin Warriors of the Wind) Read Free Page B

pleasure, Graham turned toward her and gently drew her into an embrace. Jillian found herself instinctively curling her body against his, burying her face into his broad shoulder.
    So he, too, craved warmth and closeness afterward. How simply marvelous that he wasn't cold and indifferent. Regret pierced her. How tragic that they would never see each other again.
    Graham shifted and touched her cheek. "Are you in much pain?" he murmured.
    Embarrassed by such an intimate question, Jillian made a noncommittal answer. Graham shifted and left the bed. She heard water splashing in the adjacent water closet. When he emerged, he held a clean, wet towel and a fresh dry one.
    Before she could utter a protest, he gently parted her legs and pressed the towel there. Her cheeks burned, but the cool dampness soothed the sting.
    His thoughtfulness threatened her with fresh tears. Jillian murmured her thanks and lay still. She felt him remove the towel and gently dry her off.
    "Are you all right?" he asked, his dark eyes filled with concern.
    She offered a contented smile. "The last part was not quite so nice, but the first part... I felt like I waltzed in heaven."
    He gave her a thoughtful look. "Yes, I suppose dancing in paradise is an apt comparison."
    It was over now. He'd leave and she'd follow soon after, perhaps giving herself a few minutes to collect her bittersweet thoughts. But instead of pausing to pull on his clothing, Graham lifted the sheet and slid back into bed.
    He gathered her in his arms again and lay there, staring at the ceiling, silent.
    Her natural shyness had faded during the act with this stranger, but this seemed even more intimate than sharing their bodies. But as his big, powerful body radiated warmth, she naturally drew closer, curling herself about him like a sleepy kitten.
    Her eyes closed and she struggled against sleep... and lost, drifting away in a hazy cloud. A thought nudged her, that she must do something before she slept, but it was gone as she found slumbering contentment.
    Graham woke up to the light of a grayish dawn peeking through a slit in the brocade drapes. Startled, he blinked and tried to assess his surroundings. Something soft and warm lay beside him. A woman. Now he remembered.
    Far more shocking than spending the night in a whorehouse was a delightful realization. He'd slept the entire night deeply. No dreams!
    Wild joy surged through him. Not one single nightmare. He'd slept at last!
    Filled with happiness, he gave a small shout then quieted, realizing she still slept. Graham grinned and turned toward the woman who'd made this wondrous possibility come to life. It was her, he knew it. Making love with her had banished his nightmare of the emerald-eyed redhead that haunted him these few months past. Hungrily he caressed her face with his gaze. Relaxed in sleep, she appeared more youthful and childlike than the previous night.
    Lush pink lips parted slightly as she breathed. Long, sooty lashes feathered her pale cheeks. He gently touched one winged, dark brow.
    When he pulled away, black dusted his thumb. Graham frowned and rubbed a little harder. He stared at the red-gold brow. His gaze drifted to her hair. Sudden dread pooled in his gut. One shy strand of golden fire peeped out among the coarse blond strands—a wig.
    Small wonder her hair had felt stiff and coarse compared to the rest of her! With a growl, he ran a finger up her brow and encountered a rough-edged surface. Graham pulled out the stray lock of golden flame.
    The woman woke, blinking sleepily at his look of dazed horror. Eyes wide, she grasped her blond locks in a futile attempt to keep them planted.
    In a moment he'd rolled atop her. Sex was not his intention as his frantic fingers grasped her head covering. He sought the pins holding it in place and yanked them free. A strangled breath caught in the woman's throat as he yanked the wig away.
    Flame-colored tresses tumbled down, free at last. Graham stared wildly at the woman's