Sheikh in disguise - completed

Chapter Thirty-Three

"And always will be," he promised, tucking her under his arm. 

Shakeel led her away and back upstairs and out of the main apartment that was their main living area, past the foyer entrance and turned into a corridor leading into different areas, to finally enter an enormous room once one walked through the entry, pushing double doors open, revealing a gym for professionals.

A gym with a sauna, changing room with shower, adjoining lap pool. An extensive area of the gym floor was covered in black thick mats, equipment filled one end, and even a hanging boxing bag. 

Astonished, Annie took it all in, not expecting this.

"So when do you do this?" she asked, touching the boxing bag.

"When I can, usually before I start work, or after a long day."

"So all those times, you weren't ringing me, you were here?" she dared, teasing, glancing at him sideways.

"No, I was working and did not want to disturb you so late at night," she shot him a glare. "My mistake, I see, forwarned." He had been watching her, arms crossed, then moved into the middle of the pads. "I need you over here."

"We are back to that, are we?" she asked, kicking off her shoes. She crossed over to stand in front of him. "Okay I get it, but I'm not shoving you," she was adamant about it. 

Once was enough and had learnt her lesson. Not that she was a shovey person, because she wasn't. He brought out her passion, looking down at the padded floor under her feet. "So what's this for?"

"Protection against you," he offered. Her head shot up. "Too soon?"

"Far too soon," she growled to be gathered against him, where she clutched at his back.

"I have a better idea of how to get rid of that frustration. We all do. That needs to be released."

"Now he is trying to turn me into a gym freak," she mumbled against his chest where her face was buried, rubbing across with her nose.

"Sire?" they both looked across at the man dressed in black entered. "I did not realise we had a bout booked in."

"For what?" Annie asked horrified, spinning around, spreading out her arms, protecting him. "No strenuous excise, doctor's orders. Head injury." She waved at her head.

"You heard my wife." There was amusement in his tone, placing his hands on her shoulders, and guiding her back against him, where she melted against his frame. "Not today, Jax. Tomorrow, no, make that in a few days," he changed at her shaking his head.

Once alone, Shakeel guided her over to the boxing bag, giving him a curious look. He just disappeared to come back, changed into loose black pants, topless. She straightened with interest, eyes dropping from his rock-hard pecs to the black boxing gloves in his hands.

"Now you want a boxing match?" she gasped, horrified.

"No," he tucked one under his arm then placed one on her hand, secured by Velcro, followed by her other hand. Then stood behind her, as she watched on, his hands sliding down her arms, body pressed against hers, and leaned back more, moulding into his frame, tilting her head back, closing her eyes, breathing him in. "You're supposed to focus on this, not me," he whispered against her ear. "And this is why I had kept my distance. Once we are married, there will be no holding back." His teeth scrapped her lobe and her legs nearly gave out, moaning. "You need to concentrate." He straightened.

She gulped, not after that, twisting in his arms, pressed up against his chest, looking up as his dark head lowered, and she rose to meet him, lips parted in anticipation, breath caught in her chest as his warm, full lips slanted over hers, yet unable to touch him, and couldn't pull off the glove, her mouth melted to his.