by Cara Albany
And, during their conversation, more than once, he'd allowed his gaze to drift down the length of her full shape, her breasts filling the tight, white blouse, her narrow hips and long legs encased in the tight jeans. Her small feet in those brown boots.
Memories of their love-making had triggered instant heat, even as he'd stood facing Amber and her boss. Sayid had struggled to mask his reaction to those memories.
Amber was as gorgeous as ever, he told himself.
Some things never changed. Some things were timeless. Like Amber's beauty.
His mind drifted back to the events of a year ago. Sayid thought about how Amber had left him. How she had suddenly disappeared from his life. How he had concluded that her absence could only mean one thing. She had tired of their relationship.
Even worse. She had tired of him.
He still felt irritation when he thought about her choice.
Hadn't she realized that, toward the end of their time together, he'd come dangerously close to asking her a question he'd always believed he would never ask a woman?
He knew that, in the days leading up to their breakup, he had probably been moody and distant. But that had been just because of the momentous nature of what he had been contemplating. Hadn't she understood just how much she had meant to him?
So why had she run out on him? Why had she never returned his calls? Why had she done everything to make sure he never saw her again?
Right now, he had no answer to that. Those questions had tormented him for a whole year. He'd thought he'd finally reached a point from where he could move on.
Forget her.
Not any more, he told himself. Not after today. He knew he'd never be able to forget Amber. That would never happen.
And now she was back. It was almost as if fate was tormenting him. Had Amber known Sayid was here? Had she engineered this placement so she could find him again? Or was this some kind of perverse trick of destiny?
He knew one thing, though. There would be no avoiding her while she was here.
If she stayed in Meriyah, of course. Would she leave, now that she knew who it was who ruled this province? That she was forced to be in close proximity to her former lover? The Sheikh who ruled this land.
Sayid knew the answer to that. Of course Amber wouldn't go running. She would stay, because duty was more important to her than personal concerns. She had already shown that in the way she had reacted to seeing him. There had been absolutely no hint of weakness in the way she had spoken to him.
He finished his coffee and said farewell to the proprietor. He started down a long narrow passage between two damaged homes and into the maze of streets on this side of town.
As Sayid made his way through the narrow streets, he greeted many of the relief workers and Qazhar locals who were busy repairing the many damaged houses. There was great activity throughout the narrow streets. Everywhere he went, he was instantly recognized and warmly greeted.
Sayid took satisfaction from the progress he could see. He was glad to be back in the one place he truly called home. Although he didn't actually reside here, he still considered the place his true abode. His own residence was a small palace just to the north of the town. His palace had felt some of the force of the recent quake. But, it hadn't been strong enough to cause any damage.
The inhabitants of the town hadn't been so lucky. Although large parts of the town had escaped serious damage, dozens of families had been temporarily displaced after their homes had been affected by the quake. Walls had been weakened in many buildings, making some houses unsafe.
So, the families had been put in temporary shelter to the north of the town, close to the relief encampment.
Sayid was glad that there had been no deaths as a result of the quake. Merely some minor injuries as well as the understandable trauma for the children. It could have been a whole lot worse, he realized. He was glad destiny had spared the town. Perhaps this trial would prove beneficial in the long run. Maybe it would bring the town closer together.
Sayid had been impressed by the help which had come from the government of Qazhar. The ruling families had come to the aid of Sayid's province and he was grateful. Of course he was.
What he was less grateful for was the presence of the outsiders. It galled him that they'd had to resort to bringing in outside assistance in the form of the NGO. Although he understood the need for certain specialities, he was disappointed that the entire crisis could not have been managed solely within the kingdom. Surely Qazhar was wealthy and powerful enough not to need the help of outsiders, he told himself.
As he made his way through the streets, Sayid thought about being reunited with Amber. She had shown an immediate and very apparent defiance toward Sayid. Much to the obvious consternation of her boss, Monica.
After Amber had gone inside the tent with Yasmina, Monica had probed Sayid with questions, obviously seeking answers from him. She had noticed the sparks between himself and Amber. Of that there was no doubt. But, he was determined to keep their secret to himself. For the moment, at least.
He realized Amber had done the same. Kept the secret of their relationship.
That was exactly what he would have expected from her.
Sayid emerged into a square with a small fountain in the middle. There was some scaffolding against a badly damaged wall. Men were standing on the scaffolding carrying out repairs on the wall.
Sayid halted sharply when he saw two figures standing in front of the building.
Yasmina turned and smiled. "Sheikh Sayid," she exclaimed brightly.
Then the other figure turned. Amber looked at Sayid. Even from the other side of the square, Sayid could see the sudden tension in Amber's body. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly.
He approached them. "I see you wasted no time getting familiar with the town."
Amber glanced around the square. "I wanted to see it. See some of the damage. Get a sense of what happened."
Sayid gestured at the broken walls. "I guess you can see it all right here."
Amber nodded. Her brows furrowed. "There are so many empty houses in this part of town. I didn't realize so many families had to be evacuated," she observed.
"It's temporary," he said. "The repairs shouldn't take too long. Hopefully some of the families can start moving back in soon."
"There's also the problem with clean water," she said pointing to some drainage pits which had been dug in the ground close to the buildings. "I'm sure some of our specialists are on the case already."
Yasmina nodded. "We are," she stated with a broad smile. "We're right on schedule."
"That's good to know," Amber said.
The conversation was such a contrast to their exchanges back at the camp, Sayid told himself. For the moment, all that mattered was the reason why Amber had come to Meriyah. There was none of the rancor of the earlier conversation. He was glad about that.
Sayid and Amber chatted about the work for a while longer. Sayid saw Yasmina watching him and Amber with a look of obvious fascination. Yasmina noticed Sayid looking at her, and drew her attention quickly away to another part of the square, trying to seem disinterested.
"Would you like me to show you some of the other parts of the town?" he asked Amber eventually.
Amber hesitated a moment and then glanced at Yasmina. "What do you think? Have we got time?"
Yasmina smiled. "Yes."
Sayid grinned at Amber. "I know you've just arrived, but there's no time like the present if you want to get up to speed on the situation."
"I know I've got plenty of catching up to do," Amber said. She gave him a knowing look that made him shift on his heels for a moment. Was she talking about the relief work? Or something else, he asked himself.
He cleared his throat and glanced at Yasmina. She pointed back in the direction of the relief camp. "I just remembered, I've got something I need to do back there."
Amber's brows rose. "Really?"
Sayid thought Amber ha
d suddenly lost all of her former composure.
Yasmina nodded and started to head off.
"Yasmina!" Amber called out, an urgent tone in her voice.
"What?" Yasmina said turning to look at Amber.
There was a very long pause. Sayid saw both women exchange looks. He saw Amber's eyes widen. Sayid was secretly pleased at Yasmina's decision to leave him alone with Amber. He knew that was what had driven Yasmina to leave him and Amber together.
Amber nodded, her shoulders slumping with an admission of defeat. "I'll see you back there."
Yasmina smiled at Sayid and waved. "Bye," she said cheerfully.
Sayid watched as Yasmina walked away. He knew that Yasmina was a resourceful woman. He was thankful for the tactful manner with which she had handled the moment.
He and Yasmina had shared many conversations in recent weeks, some of them quite personal. He'd known her for many years through family connections. That familiarity had encouraged Sayid, on occasions, to be more open with Yasmina than he might have wished. Yasmina possessed a warm and friendly nature that, for some reason, had encouraged Sayid to share some details of his private life with her. They were merely friends, though. Nothing more.
Now he and Amber were alone, apart from the workers on the scaffolding. Finally, he would have her all to himself. For the first time in a year. The prospect triggered anticipation in him.
She gazed up at him. "What do you want to show me first?" she asked.
He thought for a moment. "Maybe you'd like to see where the worst damage took place." He pointed toward a warren of backstreets. "In that direction."
She gestured with a hand. "Lead the way," she said and smiled at him.
CHAPTER FOUR
It didn't take them long to reach the worst hit part of the town. When she saw the devastation, Amber was truly shocked. He'd led her through the narrow streets until they'd reached the northern part of the town. Here, she saw houses that had been cracked open like eggs. Tumbled masonry lay strewn around, blocking the narrow streets. She saw the inside of the plain dwellings. Family possessions and everyday objects still lay inside the rooms which had been opened to the elements.
She paused in front of one particularly damaged building and gasped. "I had no idea it was this bad," she observed.
Standing alongside her, Sayid merely nodded, saying nothing for the moment. He had been quiet for the last few minutes as he'd led her through the devastation. It was as if he understood the seriousness of what she was witnessing. As if he felt the importance of it. He clearly wasn't in the mood for the kind of backchat they'd indulged in back at the camp. Right now, that seemed like a long time ago.
After a few moments, he sighed heavily. "Luckily no-one was hurt. It could have been a lot worse."
"I'm glad," she said.
She felt genuinely affected by what she was looking at. He looked at her. "You are?"
Amber nodded. "Sure. I'm sure these are good people. The last thing they deserve is to have all of this taken away from them."
He narrowed his eyes, and nodded, apparently impressed by what she had said. "My sentiments exactly," he agreed.
They spent some time inspecting some of the work which was being done to rebuild some of the less damaged houses. Amber was surprised by just how many workers were involved in the project.
She asked Sayid about that and he nodded. "We brought as many people as we could from other parts of the kingdom," he said. "In fact, we had to turn some people away. There just wasn't enough space to accommodate everyone who wanted to help."
"The spirit of your countrymen," she said. "I remember you used to tell me all about them. Back in California," she added casually. Almost immediately, she regretted what she'd said.
His expression froze. She realized it was the first mention either of them had made of their former time together.
"Sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have said that."
He shook his head. "Please don't apologize." He paused for a long moment. "That's all in the past," he said finally.
She glanced up at him. "You're right."
They busied themselves for a while. She made sure the subject of the conversation didn't slip to the past again.
Finally, she felt it was time to head back to the compound, and told him so. He seemed disappointed. Had he planned something else for them both?
He led her back through the maze of streets. She knew that if he hadn't been here with her, she probably would have lost her way.
Finally, they reached the main street. She glanced to the south and saw his stallion a short distance down the main street. The horse's reins were tied to a nearby wooden post.
"Can I interest you in a coffee?" he asked suddenly.
She was taken aback by the casual question. "You're inviting me for coffee?" she asked incredulously.
He smiled and pointed down the street. "Ahmed's coffee shop is the best in town," he said. He smiled. "Well, actually, it's the only one left in town. For the moment."
In spite of the tension she felt, she laughed. "Okay."
They made their way to the coffee shop. There were a few tables set outside. Two of them were occupied by locals drinking from tiny coffee cups. Sayid's horse shifted nervously. Sayid ran a hand gently across the side of its neck. The horse calmed immediately.
As Amber and Sayid sat down, the locals bowed their heads, clearly acknowledging Sayid's arrival. He nodded back to them.
"Beautiful horse," she observed.
Sayid nodded. "He's getting impatient," he said. "He prefers the desert."
"Just like his master, then?" she teased.
He smiled at her. "You remembered," he said quietly.
"You never stopped talking about the desert the whole time you were in California," she reminded him.
"Once you get used to this place, it's hard to forget," he said.
The bead curtain at the door parted, and a man emerged from the dark interior. Amber assumed it to be Ahmed, the proprietor. He was a rotund, bearded man of about fifty. He had a jovial expression on his dark features. Ahmed seemed pleased to see Sayid. He and Sayid exchanged words in the Qazhar language. Amber couldn't understand what was being said. But it was clear from Ahmed's friendly manner that he and Sayid were on good terms.
Finally, Sayid uttered what sounded like an emphatic instruction. Ahmed smiled broadly at Amber and then quickly disappeared into the coffee shop.
Amber gazed down the length of the street. She saw a steady stream of townsfolk going about their business. They were all dressed in traditional garb of white robes. It was almost as if life was beginning to return to normal. Except for the part of town Sayid had just shown her. It would take a long time for normality to return to the lives of those families, Amber reflected.
"What must they feel like," Amber said.
Sayid looked at her, a puzzled expression on his face.
"The families," she said. "To have your whole life turned upside down in an instant," she added. "One moment, everything is perfect. The next, you don't know where to turn."
She saw a sardonic smile at the corner of his mouth. He lifted a brow. He paused, thoughtful for a moment and then spoke: "I think I can guess how that feels," he said.
She squinted at him. "How? Yasmina told me your palace wasn't affected."
"I wasn't talking about the quake," he explained.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, suddenly realizing he was referring to their breakup. To the way she had turned his life upside down.
"You can't compare the two things," she stated firmly. "What happened to us in California and what's happened here are two different worlds."
He nodded. "I'm not trying to compare them," he said. "I wouldn't trivialize any of this by doing so."
She turned away from him, not quite sure whether to believe him or not. He was capable of anything, she told herself. Especially if it meant he could get what he wanted.
"But I do remember what it felt like to lose you," he added
in a steady voice.
She was shocked at the boldness of his statement. For a moment, she didn't know what to say.
Before she had a chance to reply, the curtain across the coffee shop's entrance swished open and Ahmed emerged carrying a tray. He set the two cups of coffee down on the table. He laid a plate in the center of the table. Amber peered at the cakes on the plate. They were compact, dark, sweet looking treats.
Ahmed smiled, gestured appreciatively with open arms, and went back inside the shop.
"What are those made of?" she asked pointing at the cakes.
"Try them and see," he replied.
She lifted one and bit into it. "Almonds?" she asked looking at Sayid. Her mouth was overtaken by a riot of delicious flavors.
"And lots of sugar, on a base of the most delicate pastry," he replied. He smiled. "With some secret spices. Ahmed's recipe. I've tried getting it from him, but he won't reveal it to me."
"I'm impressed," she said, glad for the sudden change in mood.
Amber bit into the cake again, and crumbs tumbled down onto the front of her shirt. She brushed them off. When she lifted her gaze, she saw the way he was looking at her. It looked like he wasn't only hungry for the cakes.
Sayid looked up into her eyes, and didn't shift his gaze from her for a very long moment. She felt her heartbeat quicken. She'd almost forgotten how darkly intense that gaze could be.
Amber swallowed more of the cake and turned her attention to her cup of coffee. She lifted the cup and sipped the coffee. Immediately, she flinched. It tasted bitter and very powerful. "Wow! That is some strong coffee," she exclaimed.
"Welcome to Meriyah," he said and gave her a mischievous lift of his brow. He pointed toward the cakes and the coffee cups. "The sweet and the bitter."
She lifted a sardonic brow. "I won't sleep for a week after drinking this," she said looking at the cup.
"You don't need to sleep," he said and smiled at her. "You've too much work to do," he said. "And, your accommodation seems quite basic," he said.
