Kate Hewitt - The Chatsfield - Series 2

And she found she still couldn’t look away.

She needed to. Oh, Lord, she needed to. This dark, yawning chasm that opened up in her stomach when he looked at her had to be covered up and never looked in. Never examined.

The idea that his could be attraction was unthinkable. That she could find herself interested in a man who was so far above her, who was engaged...

It would make her no better than her mother. And she could never allow that to happen.

Not to mention the fact that she should hate him on principle for forcing her hand and bringing her here.

Why was it so hard to hate him?

He cleared his throat and straightened. “There, that is more secure. You will find you have better protection against the elements.”

“I appreciate that.” It sounded so insipid, so forced, and she had a feeling he knew it. But it was the best she could do. Because her throat had gone drier than the desert sand outside, and all of her words seemed intent on sticking to it.

“I do strive to be of service to those who are in my country.” His voice was rough, yet smooth at the same time, like velvet. It slid over her skin, leaving a strange sensation behind, causing goose bumps to rise up on her arms.

“Well, given the fact that I am currently in your country for an unforeseeable amount of time, I do take that as a comfort.”

“I’m glad.”

“I suppose we should leave?” She had no idea if they should leave, if they were on any kind of timeline at all, but anything seemed better than standing here in the entryway feeling like the tile was shifting beneath her feet, feeling like she might die of heatstroke in spite of the cool air around them.

“Certainly.” He turned sharply and headed toward the double doors, which opened when he approached. She followed him closely, blinking against the harsh light as they stepped outside.

There was a large SUV parked near the doors. There was no driver, which surprised her.

“We aren’t going by ourselves, are we?”

“I am very familiar with the terrain, it shall be fine.”

For some reason she couldn’t quantify, his driving skills were not the concern. It was the idea of being alone with him. Even the other night in the study, though it had felt isolated, she had been aware of the fact that there were still people around them.

“Why are we going alone?”

“So as not to look like a descending army. I do all my business with Jamal and his people alone.”

“You’re not taking me out to the desert to kill me.”

“Don’t be absurd. If I was going to do such a thing, I would simply leave you to die. I wouldn’t do anything so prosaic as killing you.”

“Color me relieved. I don’t suppose you would joke about leaving me out in the desert to die if that were actually your plan.”

“It is very difficult to say.” He opened the passenger door and held it for her.

She looked at him hard. He was impossible to read, but she didn’t imagine that the man who had just so carefully adjusted her veil so that she might be protected against the elements could have any intention of leaving her out in the middle of the desert. No point in making her comfortable only to let her die of heatstroke.

With that in mind, she got into the car, but kept her eyes on him as he closed the door behind her. He rounded the front of the vehicle and got in, buckling his seat belt and putting the car in gear. She hurried to buckle, as well.

“How long does it take to get there?”

He flashed her a smile, his teeth bright against his dark skin, and she realized it was the first time she had ever seen a genuine smile on his face. “That all depends on where we might find them today.”

* * *

They drove for ages, until the road faded, until the sand rose higher, turning a richer golden brown, as though the sun were closer here, baking it like bread. And in spite of the care that Zayn had taken with her head covering earlier, she was starting to get worried again about the possibility of him leaving her out in the middle of nowhere. Paranoid, possibly, but she supposed not entirely without merit, seeing as he had already brought her to his country by force. Well, partial force, partial bribery. She still wasn’t certain whether or not he would’ve chased her if she had tried to run off, but she would’ve found herself jobless, and that was threat enough.

Just when she was starting to get truly nervous, she saw a spiral of smoke rising up from behind a dune.

“That would be them.” Zayn’s deep voice answered the question she hadn’t even been able to ask yet.

“They really are quite a ways out here. What happens if there’s some kind of medical emergency?”

“Often it isn’t a happy ending. Though now they have satellite phones, and they do often use the rescue services available in Surhaadi.”

“They use the medical services, even though they don’t acknowledge the government?”

“Most of the time. Though there are some elders who refuse to do so. I prefer that they do.”

“That’s very decent of you. I think there are a lot of leaders who wouldn’t like that. Who would say that it was the cost of their stubbornness.”

She looked over at him, at his strong profile, his eyes fixed on the horizon. “Yes, I suppose that is the case. But then, we all make decisions, often they are not wholly bad, but not wholly good, either. They want to preserve their heritage, and I understand that. And then, when tragedy strikes, often it becomes apparent that remaining separate can cause damage. But there is no real right or wrong answer in this. And I do not fault them for wanting help when they are desperate. I know what it’s like to change because of circumstances. I know what it’s like to see the error of your ways when it’s too late.”

This was a different side of him, the strong ruler versus the modern-day marauder who had taken her from New York. The man who served an entire populace, not just his family. This was the history of his country personified, and she could see now why he had wanted her to come out here.

The car maneuvered slowly over the top of the dune, and the encampment came into view. Nestled on the edge of an oasis that had been invisible until this very moment. The sun shone on the water, the still surface reflected everything like a mirror. Tents were erected along the embankment, children running in circles around them. There were cooking fires already started, clothes hanging across lines, blowing in the breeze.

“I’m hoping we’ll receive a warm welcome.”

“Do you think there’s a chance we won’t?” she asked.

“I never take anything for granted, especially out here. Because out here, it does not matter that I am the sheikh. Not to them, and not to the desert. We are simply guests, myself as much as you. Though they are familiar with me.”

He brought the car to a stop, and turned the engine off. They were still a great distance away from the encampment, but she imagined this was part of not seeming as though he was storming the camp.

He got out and she followed suit, her feet sinking into the sand. She adjusted her weight, and shook the remaining sand out of her pant leg. “You almost need snowshoes to walk on this.”

“Or practice,” he said.

“Don’t sound so amused. I don’t often make a habit of going to the beach, but this is kind of an extreme version of that. And I’m unpracticed as it is.”

“Too late, habibti , I am amused. It cannot be helped.”

“Perhaps I should simply slide down the dune, and make a grand entrance.”

“I would prefer if you did not. But I am not in total control of your actions, neither do I pretend to be.”

She laughed. “Oh, that’s rich. I think you fancy yourself entirely in control of my actions.”