by Albany,Cara
She shrugged and pouted her lips. "Why would I want that?" she asked. "I think I'm quite comfortable as it is." Her gaze flickered downwards. "I can tell you're already settled in."
He grinned at her. She leaned her head toward him and he kissed her. He heard her breath quicken, just like he'd heard so many times last night. Her taste was sublime and, for a moment, he had a sudden impulse to lift Lucy down off the horse and make love to her right there on the warm sand. He felt himself tighten even more, and then their lips parted and she turned her face away from him.
"Let's get going," she ordered. There was a tone of playfulness in her voice that made his heart glad. It was so good to see her happy again, hear the pleasure in her voice.
He flicked the horse's reins and they started to make their way out of the camp. At the top of the dune he glanced back at the tents. Coming here had been a good choice, he told himself.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
They'd been riding for a few hours and she was starting to think that maybe they'd make it to the Al Kharif palace earlier than Azim had predicted, when she saw him peer with concern at the sky and make an announcement that sent a chill down her spine.
"I think we're going to have to stop," he declared.
She twisted in the saddle and stared at him. "Why?"
"Look," he said, pointing toward the south, the direction in which they were heading.
Lucy gazed toward the horizon. "I don't see anything," she said in a puzzled voice.
She felt Azim lean against her and he extended his arm over her shoulder. She followed the line of sight.
"See it. There's a sandstorm coming. It doesn't look to big. It doesn't spread wide enough, but it'll be enough to hold us back."
Lucy narrowed her eyes and saw a nebulous cloud gathering on the horizon.
"Can't you feel it in the air, already?" he asked.
Lucy paused and then shook her head. "It feels just as hot as before."
"The air has cooled slightly," he said. "And the pressure has changed."
Lucy squinted at Azim. "How can you tell that?"
He shrugged. "Trust me. I can tell," he said.
"What are we going to do," Lucy asked gazing around. Everywhere she looked there was just sand and nothing else.
"We'll have to take cover," he explained.
Azim guided the horse to the north-facing base of one of the sand dunes. He slid down off the horse and extended his arms up toward Lucy.
"Coming?" he asked. He seemed to be trying to make light of the problem, and she couldn't exactly tell whether what was about to happen was serious or not. She'd have to trust him. After last night, she knew that was the least of her worries.
Lucy slid off the saddle and let Azim wrap his arms around her as her booted feet landed on the sand. She was sure he held onto her for just a few seconds longer than was really necessary. His gaze flashed with an odd mixture of uncontrollable attraction and the flickering of worry.
Then he released her and removed the pack from the horse.
"When will the storm hit us?" she asked.
Azim threw the pack down on the sand. "In a few minutes," he said stooping to pullout one of the large blankets he'd packed.
Lucy watched him persuade the horse down onto its haunches. He seemed to have a natural ability to command the animal, something the horse sensed, because it immediately complied with its master. The horse hunkered down onto the sand as if it understood what was about to happen. Maybe the animal had been through this plenty of times, Lucy told herself.
Azim placed the large pack against the angular, sandy side of the dune and draped the large blanket over the pack, creating a sheltering space beneath.
"Wait a minute," Lucy said. "We're going under that blanket?" she asked.
Azim gazed at her and nodded. He looked puzzled, as if he couldn't understand why she could possibly be confused or even concerned. "Do you have any other suggestion?" he asked sharply.
She saw him glance up at the sky. There were already light flurries of dust tumbling down onto them. She could feel the pressure of the growing wind on the back of her neck.
Azim gestured down at the space below the blanket. "We'll be safe under this. The storm will pass in a short while," he said. "Hopefully," he added with a grin.
Lucy scowled at Azim. "Hopefully?" she exclaimed.
Azim smiled at her. "Please," he said pointing at the blanket he was holding. "Just get under there, will you?"
Lucy grunted. "This had better work," she said striding toward him.
"The worse thing that'll happen is that you'll get to spend some time lying next to me on the sand. What's so bad about that?" he said with a grin that told her he was teasing her.
Lucy rolled her eyes at Azim and then dropped down onto her knees, and ducked under the blanket. She lay back and watched Azim take the pack and arrange it so that, when he joined her and pulled the heavy blanket into place around them, most of it would be secured by some form of weight.
She watched him get down on his knees, holding the final open part of the blanket over his head. Behind him she could see heavier waves of sand flow past him. She heard the sudden roar of wind and felt the sharp tingle of grains of sand on her face.
Then with one final quick look behind him, Azim dipped down and tugged on the blanket sealing it behind him. He lay down alongside Lucy, his body pressed up against hers.
"Come here," he said placing an arm across her. She sidled closer to him, so that she was crushed tight against him. She saw his eyes brighten as she pushed her body against him.
With another hand Azim tucked the blanket so that parts of it were weighed down at the edges by both of their bodies. She was pressed hard against him, making her feel that both of them had joined into one complete body. She felt a flush of emotion at that thought. Now, where had that thought come from? Why did she suddenly feel the way she'd felt last night?
Lucy tucked herself even closer against Azim and felt the blanket shake with gusts of the approaching storm. Was this the only approaching storm she'd have to deal with, she asked herself? She shook that thought away as firmly as she could.
Light that made its way through the blanket allowed her see Azim's features.
He looked at her with concern. "You okay?"
She nodded. "Should I be worried?" she asked.
Azim shook his head and grinned. "You've got a choice," he said. She squinted at him and he continued. He continued, still smiling. "Take your chances here with me, or outside with the sandstorm."
Lucy narrowed her brows. "Very funny," she said. "I think I'll be perfectly safe here."
Azim raised a brow. "You sure about that?"
Before she could reply there as a sudden, sharp gust and the fluttered around them. She saw Azim grab the blanket above his head. His eyes widened as there was another blast of air, coming quicker than the last.
Lucy could feel the heat of Azim's body against hers. For a moment she was glad that he was so close. She could hear the roaring of the storm, feel the pressure of the air.
Azim gazed into her eyes, saying nothing, but she could see that he was thinking of her reaction. She could tell he knew that, unlike it was for him, this was no everyday experience for her.
Another powerful gust shook the heavy blanket and Lucy nestled closer to Azim. It felt as if they were wrapped in a strange kind of security blanket. Azim's free arm slid across her side and she felt him draw her closer. She could feel his breath against her face, could see the moistness of his lips, the thin covering of sand on his cheeks. She reached up a hand and brushed off the grains of sand. He smiled at her, leaned his head closer, kissing her on the forehead.
There was a loud roar of wind from outside and Lucy's body jerked involuntarily. His eyes narrowed reassuringly and she felt him tighten his hold on her. She felt the knot of worry in her middle loosen.
"How long is this going to last?" she asked.
The corner of his mouth creased with
the hint of a smile. "What, this?" he replied, rolling his eyes, as if she was talking about their cozy huddle beneath the blanket.
She pouted at him. "You know what I mean."
The wind hurled another blast at them and she felt the blanket quiver at the side of her head.
"It's difficult to say. From the looks of it, I think it might be an hour or two," he said.
"Two hours!" she exclaimed.
Azim snuggled closer to her. "What's so bad about that? I'd have thought you'd be okay with that. Especially after last night."
Lucy lowered her gaze, eager that he wouldn't be able to read her expression. Stuck here, under a blanket in the middle of a sandstorm, there weren't too many places to hide. It was going to be difficult to avoid talking about last night. Why would she even want to avoid such a conversation, she rebuked herself.
There was so much to say about what had happened. It had been earth-shattering in every possible way. She felt that she'd been unnecessarily cold with him this morning. But, then again, maybe he understood the turmoil the events of last night had spun her into. She was still trying to understand what it all meant, what it meant for the future. Their future, if they even had one, she told herself.
Maybe she had no choice but to seize the moment, she thought. After all, she wouldn't be going anywhere for a while.
"About last night, Azim," she murmured. The wind roared again as if trying to drown out her words. It was as if she was even battling the elements, and not just the demons that had awoken inside her. Demons of the past. Their past.
Azim's gaze became steady and even. He didn't say anything, merely watched her struggle to find the right words.
Lucy smiled at him. "It was wonderful." She hesitated and then added: "It really was," she said, feeling the emotion welling up inside her.
In response, his smile was warm, and his eyes brightened. "It was, Lucy. It meant so much to me. You know that don't you?" he murmured, above the sound of the storm as the blanket shook with the forces raging outside.
Lucy nodded and sighed. She smiled back at him. "It meant a lot to me too, Azim."
He simply nodded, saying nothing, waiting for her to continue.
Lucy lowered her head and closed her eyes for a moment, grateful that he wasn't searching her features for more answers. Her heart had swollen suddenly with emotion, a tide of rising feeling, and there were a thousand butterflies tumbling around in her stomach.
There was nowhere to run, now. Nowhere to hide. This was the perfect definition of a face to face conversation. She tried to smile at the wry amusement that thought stirred in her, but there was no use trying to make light of this situation.
She felt Azim's fingers against her chin. He lifted her face gently up to his and she saw such love in his eyes that, for a brief, unguarded moment, it took her breath away. His gaze dropped slowly to her mouth, and she saw his brows furrow.
"You've got sand on your lower lip," he said. "Did you know that?"
Lucy couldn't shift her gaze from him, couldn't take her eyes off his brutally handsome features. She shook her head and watched as he lifted his hand and slid his thumb along her lower lip. She felt the roughness of his skin, and saw the effect just touching her like that had on him. His eyes narrowed with barely controlled longing and she was sure she saw him swallow quickly, betraying his true feelings.
"You want me to clean all of that off?" he asked, one of his brows lifting inquiringly.
Her heart was pounding and, as far as she could tell, it was hammering as loud as the raging storm just above their heads. The blanket shook and she felt the air shift around them. She could feel the pressure changing, and was sure that, at any moment now, the blanket would be wrenched away from them, exposing them both to the raw elements.
Lucy lifted her head imperceptibly and saw his approving grin. His head moved and his lips sank upon hers. His kiss was tender and reassuring, as if he'd sensed how she was feeling, and that it meant everything to him to make her feel safe. Even if it all it took was one kiss.
Lucy savored the taste of his lips, relished his loving attentions. The kiss immediately calmed her, reminding her of everything that happened hours before. She was instantly alerted to the pleasures and the dangers that were at war inside her.
Lucy felt his tongue slide along the length of her lower lip as he did exactly as he said he was going to do. Then his complete attention was upon the kiss, driving sensation into her with his tongue.
She snaked her fingers through his hair, enjoying the sensations of it against her skin. It felt so good to have him here, by her side. Just as it had been so incredibly wonderful during the night to enjoy every part of his body, every movement, every touch. And now here, in the middle of a sandstorm, he was still able to make her feel safe, make her feel like she was all that mattered to him. Even if everything around them was tumbling in chaos.
Right now it didn't matter how long the storm would last. As far as Lucy was concerned, this was where she belonged. Right here, by Azim's side, in his arms, while the world raged and howled around them.
Their lips parted and he she saw him gazing at her, his eyes completely full of tenderness and something else she dared not put a name to.
Not now. Not here, of all places.
Lucy smiled at Azim. The wind howled and the blanket shook around them. In amongst the roaring of the wind, she heard the horse neigh defiantly. She peered at Azim. "He isn't going to run off, is he?" she asked, eager to distract his attention somehow.
Azim lifted his elbow and showed her reins he had tied around his arm. "Don't worry. The horse won't be going anywhere."
The thought of her and Azim having no horse and being forced to cover the remaining distance to the coast on foot was too much to even consider.
They lay there for what seemed like an eternity, while the storm raged outside. She wondered at how vulnerable they were like this, but trusted that Azim would know just how to deal the situation. As she lay by his side, held close in his tender grasp, she began to realize that she'd always felt safe with Azim. There had always been some part of Lucy that had implicitly had faith in him, knew that whatever happened he would find a way to keep her safe, make sure life was good for her.
The past couple of days had just gone to prove how right that instinct had been. There hadn't been a moment since he'd come to rescue her, and chased after her in the mountains when she hadn't felt that he would do whatever was needed to protect her.
On top of that he'd literally turned her world upside down with the sheer, unadulterated pleasure he'd made her feel in bed. Her nerves were still shaking with what he'd done to her, the way he'd made her soul sing with every moment of ecstasy, every instant of rapturous, mind-blowing sensation. She could hardly even think about it all without triggering desire, without wanting him naked against her, needing him inside her again.
But, right here, in the middle of a storm, there was nothing she could do about that insistent need that was digging at her insides.
Lucy snuggled up against Azim, feeling his arms wrapping around her shoulders. One of his hands settled on the back of her head and she dug in against him even deeper. She inhaled his manly scent, felt the heat of his body through the robes. This was where she belonged, right now. In the arms of her loving sheikh, protected from everything the world could throw at them.
As if defying her very thought, the wind hurled one huge gust against them, but the blanket held firm around them. And, more importantly for Lucy, she felt Azim squeeze her even tighter, as if there was nothing life could do that could ever force him to let her go.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The storm passed as suddenly as it had arrived. Quiet descended upon them with a quickness that startled Lucy. Before she knew what was happening, Azim had swept the blanket away from them to reveal a blue sky and the horses gazing at them as if wondering what all the fuss had been about. The air was still and clear now that the worst had passed.
Azim
stood and shook all the accumulated sand from the blanket. Lucy brushed the sand from her clothes. She gazed around startled at how quickly things had returned to normal. She wasn't sure how long they'd been under the shelter of the blanket. Maybe an hour. Perhaps more.
At one stage she'd thought the storm would never end, that she'd be crushed against Azim until nightfall. That wouldn't have been the worst thing in the world, she'd told herself.
But, now it was all over. She watched Azim load the pack onto the horse's back. She hoped her equipment hadn't been affected by the sheer amount of sand that had been flying through the air. The pack had been a useful thing for them both to rest their heads on while the storm battered the dune beneath them.
"Are we going to make it to safety before nightfall?" she asked him.
Azim frowned. "We'll see," he replied. He went to the horse and set up a drink for the animal. "Maybe we can pick up the pace a bit. Either way, I think we'll be fine."
She saw him smile at her. "How was your first sandstorm?" he joked.
Lucy shrugged, trying to match the lightness of his attitude. She didn't want him to guess at the raging torrent of emotions she'd had to deal with under that blanket. "I'll know what to do next time," she replied. "Thanks to your expertise," she added.
He grinned. "I'll make a desert princess out of you, yet," he said.
For a moment, she wasn't sure just how to take that remark. She met his gaze, sure she could see a flicker of determination in those eyes. He wasn't merely joking about that, she told herself. He really meant it.
She shook her head and laughed. "I'm just a regular small town gal," she said firmly. She saw the way he looked at her and she cocked her head, twisting a shoulder, hoping the gesture would look cute and disarm the sudden seriousness she saw in his eyes.
Azim frowned and shook his head as he tightened the straps of the pack around the horses middle. "I think you're a whole lot more than that, Lucy. There aren't many women from little towns who'd do what you've done."
