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"Faked?"
Gulf's resistance collapsed in the face of his completely unexpected response. What did that mean? Did Mew mean that the negotiations had been invented simply to get Gulf to come to England? He was sure that Mew, careful as the man he was, had also prepared a reason for why he hadn't contacted his office yet.
An unspeakable fury boiled up inside him. He didn't care about Mew's reasons. They didn't matter anymore. Whatever excuses Mew made, the man had still kidnapped him. And there was no justifying the fact that Gulf had to stay in Madina.
"Let me go home," he said. "I'm not going to go along with your whims." He jerked his chin from Mew's hand and pulled away. But Mew didn't let him get away. Gulf felt a large hand on the back of his neck and he was abruptly pulled back. "Mew!"
As soon as he opened his mouth, Mew's lips closed on it. Mew's tongue penetrared his mouth, opened in protest, and traced over his teeth. He struggled and another hand fastened onto his hip.
"Nng."
Gulf pounded against Mew's chest, but he knew there was little power in the strike. Just like old times, he was at the mercy of Mew's searing kisses smoldering with the heat of the desert.
Mew's tongue tangled with Gulf's own, as if trying to pacify the cowering creature, then ran along the roof of his mouth. Each time Mew changed angles, the kisses became more intense, and their six years apart disappeared as if only a moment had passed.
Mew was the only person who could bring Gulf such sensuality and satisfaction with nothing but a kiss. It was like sex, all in just one kiss.
"Ah..."
His knees gave out. But Mew's lips never lose contact with his. Mew held Gulf against him as the man's lips continued to consume Gulf.
Gulf was light-headed by the time Mew finally released him from the kiss, sucking one last tune on his upper lip.
"My faridat," Mew whispered.
That was what Mew had called him before, too. Gulf's body was already trembling with the desire Mew had ignited, but those words rocked him to the core.
Faridat means "pearl" or "treasure" in Arabic. Six years before, it had been Mew's pet name for Gulf.
Gulf scraped together the shreds of his reason that remained and pulled away from Mew's hands, which had begun running up and down his back. He couldn't let himself be overwhelmed. He wasn't about to make the same mistake again.
"Gulf," Mew began.
"Let...let me go," Gulf gasped.
He raised his right hand and whipped it at Mew's cheek. The crisp sound echoed across the room. The moment Mew's hold on him loosened, Gulf took his chance to fix a look of utter contempt on his face.
Mew touched his cheek with his fingers and snorted. "I didn't realize you hated me so much."
"Did you think I loved you?" Gulf shot back, backing away from Mew. His eyes were flinty as he announced, "I want to be alone."
It was torture being in the same room with Mew right now. He wanted to be alone so he could think rationally.
But Mew took no notice of his protest. "What will you do when you're alone? We're on the middle of the desert."
Gulf glared pointedly at Mew, furious at being brushed off. He would have liked to ask exactly whose fault it was that he was in the middle of the desert.
"Unfortunately you have no choice but to stay here," Mew said.
He reached his fingers out to Gulf's brow, but Gulf turned his face away before Mew could touch it.
"I don't care if this is an oasis," Gulf said stubbornly. "I'd rather strand myself in the desert than stay with you."
"Gulf." There was a hint of warning in Mew's voice, as if he was scolding an unruly child. But he seemed to realize that Gulf's feelings weren't going to change anytime soon and, sighing, he took a step back. "I'll come again tonight. Do all your thinking before then."
Gulf didn't answer. He struggled not to look at Mew or to relax his frown until the man had disappeared beyond the door. But as soon as the door shut and he was left alone, he was overcome by fatigue and he collapsed into one of the easy chairs. He loosened his tie and undid two buttons of his shirt, but he still couldn't catch his breath. He took several deep breaths, convinced that hot sand was sticking in his throat.
TBC