One Desert Night

by Maggie Cox

  'The man who shot His Highness and the one who dragged me from my chair in the marketplace yesterday are both in a high-security prison now. It was just a localised skirmish, and the rebels are being helped to disband now that their leader has been imprisoned—no doubt they're probably worried about being thrown into jail themselves. Presumably they've all got families to feed. So there's no need for you to abandon your work and run away.'

  'And how do you know these guys are in prison?'

  Feeling her face heat, Gina crossed her arms over her chest. 'The Sheikh told me.'

  'Did he, now?' Jake's tone was scathing. 'You two are getting very cosy, aren't you? Thinking of presenting yourself as a candidate for his harem, are we?'

  'Don't be such an idiot!'

  'I'm not an idiot, Gina. I've seen the way his eyes follow you around whenever you're both in the same room. But men in his position don't have serious relationships with women like you...no matter how pretty or intelligent they are. They only want you for one thing. I heard it rumoured that there might be an arranged marriage on the cards for our Sheikh...did you know that?'

  It was the last thing she wanted to be reminded of—especially after the wonder and magic of last night. Desperately trying to quell the hurt that arose inside her, Gina took a long, steadying breath in. 'Have you told His Highness that you're intent on leaving today?'

  Yanking down the lid of his suitcase and fastening it shut, Jake dragged his fingers back and forth through his already dishevelled sandy-coloured hair. 'Yes, I told him last night. He was in an all-fired hurry to leave the palace with the captain of the security forces. 'Tell Jamal to arrange it,' he shouted as he left, clearly not caring less. Well, I spoke to Jamal, and he made the necessary arrangements to get me out of here. Needless to say I won't be travelling home first class, as I'll just jump on any flight back to the UK I can get, but I'll willingly forego that particular pleasure to be back safe on home ground again. You should come with me, Gina.'

  Not wanting to rub salt into the wound by confessing she'd taken on another job for Zahir, or let Jake see that she was in no way near ready to leave Kabuyadir, she slowly approached his as he stood by the packed suitcase on the bed. Just then he looked for all the world like some distressed and homesick boarding school boy, unsure whether his parents would turn up to collect him or not at the end of term...

  'I can't go home yet. I came here to do a job, and I won't leave until I complete it. Besides...' She smiled. 'I really want to see the jewel.'

  'Well, good luck with that. And what about your father? How do you think he'll feel about you staying here after you've been hurt, and with such unrest in the Kingdom?'

  The question made her insides jolt, as if at the impact of a heavy rock dropped into a river from a great height. 'That's none of your business. The unrest here has been quelled, and I'd seriously advise you against contacting my father to tell him I got hurt. I told you he hasn't been well.'

  'It's your call, of course...'

  'Yes, it is.'

  'Well, I suppose I'd better be off, then. I've got a ride waiting to take me to the cable car.'

  'Have a safe journey. I'm sorry that your trip had to end like this. Please give my regards to everyone when you get back to work. Tell them I'll be in touch soon, with a progress report.' Leaning forward she brushed her lips lightly over the side of his jaw. This morning he was unshaven, she noticed. It proved how rattled he was.

  Grimacing at the gesture, he glanced uncomfortably away. 'Yes, well—you probably think I'm a terrible coward, don't you?'

  Feeling suddenly sorry for him, Gina moved her head, indicating no. 'Only you know what's best for you, Jake. It's not up to me to make judgements.'

  'For what it's worth, I think the Sheikh would be damned lucky if you were to grace his bed...damned lucky.' Smiling awkwardly, he dragged his hefty suitcase off the bed and left.

  'I thought I might find you here.'

  Gina hadn't seen Farida all morning, so had got on with work on the inventory by herself. Now, taking a walk in the gardens to get some fresh air, she found Zahir's sister seated on the same bench in the courtyard garden where they'd first met a few days ago. Even before she reached her she had a strong inkling that the other woman's mood was low. The beautiful gardens, with their flowers, emitted tranquility and calm, but Farida's sad-eyed demeanour did not.

  'I'm sorry, I didn't come and find you this morning, Gina. I have had a lot on my mind. How are you feeling today? You are not in any pain, I hope? If your bruises are still sore I can apply some of that salve.'

  'Don't worry about that. I'm fine.' She absently touched the chiffon scarf round her neck. 'Mind if I join you?'

  The other woman moved a bit further down the bench with the briefest glimmer of a smile. 'Please do.'

  Out of the corner of her eye Gina saw a palace bodyguard dressed in a dark jalabiya and traditional headgear, observing them from the mosaic tiled archway that led into a more formal garden. At the end of the hall, where her room was situated, another similarly dressed bodyguard had been stationed by the narrow window. Zahir had clearly meant business when he'd promised that she and her sister would have protection. Right then Gina didn't know whether she welcomed the idea or not. The presence of a bodyguard might act as an unwanted reminder of the incident in the marketplace. She didn't want to walk round glancing over her shoulder every five minutes.

  'What's the matter, Farida? You look sad this morning.'

  Her companion sighed. 'I did a wrong thing, taking you to the marketplace yesterday. Not only did you get hurt because that man mistook you for me, but now Zahir is furious with me. I fear I have alienated him, when he is the last person in the world I want to be alienated from.'

  Automatically Gina reached for one of the slim small hands folded in the lap of the black dress and squeezed it gently. 'I doubt that you could ever alienate your brother, Farida. His love for you is unconditional and devoted. If he blames anyone for what happened I think it's more likely he blames himself.'

  The almond-shaped dark eyes before her widened. 'How do you know this?'

  A niggle of alarm fluttered through Gina's insides. She must be more careful about revealing her opinions on the man known as His Highness. Farida had no idea that they were having an intimate relationship, that they'd met before, or that her brother had revealed certain fears to her about his sister.

  She wouldn't be so indelicate as to suggest that she'd received the information from him personally. It might cut her to the quick that Zahir was happy to take her as his mistress and not his wife, but that was between the two of them and as far as Gina was concerned would remain a strictly private matter.

  She retrieved her hand to run it over the blush-pink dress she had donned that morning. 'I'm just guessing, that's all—though I can clearly tell that you're the most important thing in the world to him. It can't be easy being ruler of a kingdom...being responsible for so many important decisions. That's what I meant. Your brother obviously takes his duties very seriously, and it must grieve him when thing go awry.'

  'It does.' The other girl's gaze was clearly examining her as she kept it trained on Gina. 'I pray I don't offend you by saying this, Gina, but I have noticed that my brother takes a particular interest in your wellbeing...not just as someone he has hired to do a professional job for him, but as someone he seems to care personally about. Yesterday, when he knew you were hurt, I could see that he was distressed—more distressed that I have seen him for a long time, I think. Am I wrong to suspect there might be something between you...something more than just a strictly professional association?'

  There was nowhere to hide. As much as she wanted to be careful and diplomatic, Zahir's sister had become a friend, and Gina wanted to respond with the same open and honest approach that she had extended to her.

  She grimaced a little. A small trickle of perspiration slid down between the valley of her breasts. 'I met His Highness once before...when I first come to Kabu
yadir. It was three years ago, and I had been hired to make an inventory of Mrs Hussein's rare book collection. I had just heard that my mother had been taken ill and was in hospital, and I was due to fly home the next day to see her. The Husseins were having a graduation party for their nephew, and your ran into me in the garden. I was upset and he was kind to me. I had no clue at the time who he was.'

  Glancing round, in case Zahir himself suddenly appeared, Gina sighed and then carried on. 'We had—we had an instant connection. The kind of once-in-a-lifetime thing that you read about. I'd never, ever experienced anything as strong or profound as I experienced with—with Zahir that night.' Her cheeks flushed with heat for a moment. Farida's glance was growing more and more interested.

  'Anyway, we parted after I promised him I would return...just as soon as my mother had recovered. When he rang me the first time I fully intended to do just that. I could think of little else but him. But the second time he rang my mother had died.' She made a movement indicating disbelief. 'My father seemed to age overnight, and I could see that he really needed me. When I told him about Zahir he pleaded with me to stay in England, to carry on with my career and be around so that he could see me. He was worried that I was being completely rash and irresponsible in wanting to be with a man so far away...a man I barely even knew. His argument was so convincing that I questioned my own reason for wanting to go back. All kinds of doubts and fears crept in. Kabuyadir seemed like a dream then, and England harsh reality. So when I talked to Zahir on the phone I told him I wasn't coming back after all...that my father needed me since my mother had died, and wanted me to stay and pursue my career in memory of her wishes. I think it was the hardest, most distressing conversation I have ever had. Even as I said the words to him I felt my heart break at the thought I would never see him again.'

  'And how did my brother receive the news that you were not coming back?' Farida's tone was hushed, considered.

  'He was...' Gina flinched. 'He was very upset.'

  'Three years ago our father died, too. Then Zahir became Sheikh. I remember at the time that he seemed to turn in on himself, as if he was strictly guarding his emotions from any possibility of further hurt. I thought it was just because we had lost our parents. Now I know he must have been grieving at losing you, too, Gina. How is it that you've come back here now, three years later, to do the inventory?'

  Linking her fingers, Gina breathed in the warm spicy air for a moment. 'I changed jobs. I went to work for an auction house and the palace approached it for someone to...' She coloured guiltily as she remembered not to mention the Heart of Courage—the real reason she'd returned to Kabuyadir. 'Someone to do an inventory of its artefacts. It was a great shock to discover that Zahir was the ruler.'

  Restless suddenly, as a sea of desperately suppressed emotion threatened to rise up and engulf her, Gina pushed to her feet.

  Farida did likewise, her expression concerned. 'And now?' she asked bluntly.

  'What do you mean?'

  'Has Zahir not discussed the two of you getting together at last?'

  Embarrassed, Gina dropped her gaze to the ground. Why did things have to be so excruciatingly difficult? How was she supposed to tell her lover's sister that in the future all he wanted was for her to become his mistress—and after last night hadn't she already complied? As far as Zahir's long-term plans were concerned, he seemed intent on going ahead with an arranged marriage. 'No. Not as such.'

  'Why not? If he cares for you, then surely that is the next step?' Throwing her hands up in obvious frustration, Farida shook her head.

  Gina was astonished that the other woman seemed to accept the idea of her having a relationship with Zahir so easily. She supposed she'd been half-afraid she might think that she was aspiring way above her station. 'Your brother intends to marry for diplomatic alliance, so I hear. The very idea of a more—a more loving relationship doesn't seem to feature in his thinking at all.'

  'You love him?'

  She'd revealed so much already. How could she deny the one truth that disturbed her every waking moment? Gina thought. 'I do.' Her steady blue-eyed gaze was unflinching.

  One minute Farida was clasping her hands in front of her chest in wonder, the next she'd thrown her arms around Gina to hug her tight. 'You love my brother—truly love him? This is the best ever news I could have heard. It is just what he needs—to have a woman who loves him only for himself, and not because of his status or wealth. It is just as the Heart of Courage prophesied—that all our family's descendants would marry only for love.'

  Heart thumping, Gina stepped out of the spontaneous embrace, her distress mounting alarmingly. 'No. Farida. You mustn't assume any such thing where Zahir is concerned. He is his own man, and he has to make his own decisions about what he wants. Feeling on both sides have to be taken into consideration.'

  'I love Zahir dearly, but it does not blind me to his faults. He is too unbending for his own good sometimes. But if he believes he can somehow subvert his destiny then he is deluding himself. He simply cannot go through with this marriage to the Emir's daughter when it is you that he loves, Gina!'

  Shocked and taken aback by the assumption, Gina gasped. 'If he ever did love me he doesn't any more. He's too angry with me for deserting him. Farida, what we've discussed must stay just between us—I'm imploring you. Please don't mention any of this to your brother.'

  'Don't upset yourself, my friend. I would not dare blunder in and tell him what's best for him...even if he needs to hear it. Sometimes subtlety is the way. No, I will not betray your trust in me, Gina—I promise. For now let's get back to work on the inventory, hmm? I will do my share with much more dedication now that I know the truth about you and Zahir.'

  Unable to keep her worry about the situation totally at bay, Gina accompanied the other girl thoughtfully back into the palace. Glancing behind, she noted that Farida's well-built bodyguard moved that way, too...

  He had been gone from the palace for most of the day. Zahir and his small entourage of guards had travelled into the city, where he'd visited his wounded bodyguard in hospital, then gone on to see his secretary Masoud, who had been laid low with a virus. To his relief, both men were healing well. By the time he returned home, all Zahir really wanted to do was take a shower, then go and find Gina.

  The library was where he finally located her. In the glow of several softly burning lamps, she was seated behind a long table, reading. He paused for a few moments, just for the sheer pleasure of observing her. Her beautiful eyes were locked onto the opened pages of her book, and she absently curled a drifting gold strand of her hair round her finger and let it spring free again. Zahir's avid glance honed in on the delicate pink scarf round her neck. His gut contracted almost violently at the sight. There was no doubt that he felt personally responsible for her horrific experience in the marketplace, but there was a great desire in him to somehow make it up to her for his appalling lack of care.

  It hadn't been easy to think of much else but her today. Even when he'd been conversing with his injured bodyguard in the hospital, and then his secretary at his house, thoughts of Gina drifted into his mind with increasing regularity. Their lovemaking last night had lifted his spirits and definitely renewed his energy. And this morning he had deepened his resolve to be a compassionate, fair and strong ruler, like his father before him, and make his descendants proud. That meant that he would not hesitate to make tough decisions when it came to what was best for the kingdom, even if it meant sacrificing his personal happiness. But, in truth, last night had only temporarily sated his desire for Gina—a desire that seemed to be growing in its demanding intensity rather than decreasing. The erotically charged memory ensured he had not lingered overlong in that city.

  'It is getting late. And yet I find you here still working.' He moved towards her with an indulgent gentle smile.

  Startled, she hastily shut the book she'd been so absorbed in and shot to her feet. Her softly pale cheeks coloured prettily. 'It doesn't feel so
much like work as indulging a genuine passion,' she answered.

  'Still...you have surely done enough for one day, no?'

  'I suppose I have.'

  She started to gather up her book and some papers from the table, and Zahir couldn't help noticing that her hands shook a little. Immediately his concerned glance swept her features for signs that she'd overtaxed herself. 'Have you rested at all today?' he demanded, knowing that he sounded gruff.

  'I've been absorbed in doing something I enjoy...that's as good as resting.'

  'I should have left stricter instructions with the doctor and my staff to make sure that you had some proper time off today—specifically to rest in your room.'

  'I'm not a child, Zahir.'

  Her resentment was evident. He liked the way she pouted... Her full plump lips were the perfect vehicle for a little sexy pouting, even if she wasn't aware of it.

  'If you ignore your needs and carry on regardless then you are indeed like a child—who does not know the pitfalls of her own reckless behaviour.'

  Gina bit back what he guessed was an irritated reply, then with her book and papers clutched to her chest made to sweep past him.

  Chuckling softly, Zahir reached out to gently but firmly waylay her. 'I did not seek you out to upset you, rohi. I have been thinking about you all day.'

  Some of the rebellion he'd seen in her flawless blue eyes ebbed away. 'Where have you been?' she asked, and her voice had a soft catch in it. 'you weren't at breakfast, lunch or dinner.'