Mirage

by Monica Burns

  His entire appearance emanated a sense of danger and excitement. Beneath his eyes, Mazir tribal symbols stained his brown cheeks. His wavy brown hair, no longer restrained by a ribbon, tumbled down over his shoulders. The image of spiking her fingers through the dark, glossy curls sent a stream of liquid fire through her.

  Good lord, she barely knew the man, and yet here she was ready to offer herself to him. She drew in a sharp breath, as she looked up into the warmth of his brown eyes.

  “Good morning,” he murmured. Alarm bells went off in her head at the sound of his husky greeting. If she were to open her mouth, she was certain more than a dozen butterflies would flee their captivity in her stomach.

  “Good…morning.” The breathless quality of her voice dismayed her. Oh God, she sounded as flustered as she felt. The sudden glint of satisfaction in his eyes made the fluttering wings in her stomach stir restlessly. Her voice had revealed far too much about the effect he had on her. Desperate to regain control of her senses, she swallowed the sensual urges threatening to take control.

  “I…you…you look so different. Not like yourself at all.”

  “And how do you think I should look, Alex?” His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her intently.

  The dark, disturbing expression in his gaze sent her heart slamming into her chest. Tiny frissons caressed her skin as his gaze slid over her. Aroused by the mysteriously hungry look in his eyes, she shook her head as if doing so would help clear her thoughts as well as the desire curling inside her.

  “It’s just that you surprised me. I wasn’t expecting to see you dressed like a Mazir.”

  “I find the gambaz cooler and more comfortable than my English clothes.”

  She nodded at his explanation. Oddly enough, he did look comfortable. Far more so than when he was wearing the starched shirt and tie he usually wore. The gambaz enhanced the dangerous edge of his darkly handsome features.

  Did the man have any idea how devastating he was dressed like a Bedouin? There was a wicked savagery about him that tantalized her senses and made her breath hitch. Trying to suppress the urge to reach out and touch him, she inhaled a deep breath.

  “Is something wrong, Alex?” The gleam in his eye made the palms of her hands damp.

  “No, not at all.” She forced the words past her lips, alarmed by the need building inside her.

  A brown finger traced the outline of her lips as he leaned toward her. Cedarwood and sweet fennel tempted her senses. “Liar,” he whispered, as a smile of satisfaction curved his mouth. “Your heart is beating as if you were a jerboa caught in the claws of a leopard.”

  His analogy was ironic given she’d likened him to a leopard earlier. Especially when she really did feel just like a mouse trapped beneath his masterful gaze. The dark brown eyes holding her gaze hostage glittered with a dangerous light. Drinking in the masculine scent of him, her lungs tugged in a sharp breath of need. She wanted him to kiss her. Appalled, she tried to find a footing on the slippery path she was treading. Diversion. That’s what was called for—a diversion.

  “I…I…why do you wear the Mazir marks on your cheeks?” She almost blew out a whoosh of air as she asked the question with great relief. That would help lessen this tension between them.

  “They reflect the sunlight and protect my eyes. But they’re also a sign of my respect for the Mazir.” He arched an eyebrow at her as his finger trailed along the edge of her jaw in a slow, seductive stroke. The touch singed every nerve in his path. “But that’s not what you really wanted to ask me, is it?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She took a quick step back from him.

  “Ah, so you didn’t want to ask when we were to visit the Pyramids. As you wish.” As he turned away from her, she sprang forward. The man was tormenting her by making her think he wouldn’t take her to the Pyramids. Determined to halt his departure, she clutched at his arm. How soft the material of his robe was beneath her fingers.

  “Don’t you dare tease me like that!”

  A quick flame came to life in his dark eyes as he turned and looked down into her face. The slight smile curving his lips made her heart race. The man was far too attractive for his own good.

  “How would you like me tease you, Alex?”

  She took a quick step backward at the surprising question. With an abrupt shake of her head, she pressed her hand against his chest as he followed her.

  “I don’t…I meant…I want to visit the Pyramids.”

  “I see. So you weren’t hoping I’d find some other way to tease you?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she spluttered.

  His dark hand reached out to caress her cheek. No. If he kissed her again, she wouldn’t be able to control the desire shooting through every part of her body. She took another step back. Once again, he followed her. Now the space between them was almost nonexistent. He lowered his head. Dear Lord, he smelled wonderful. He had an earthy male scent that tormented her senses. A shiver pulsed through her as the warmth of his breath stirred the wisps of hair at her ear.

  “Don’t you? That’s disappointing because I’m finding it increasingly difficult to get the image of your luscious body out of my head.”

  She gasped at the seductive heat of his words. He nipped at her ear lobe and reason slipped out of her head.

  “Do you know what I dreamed about last night, Alex? I dreamed I was sucking on those beautiful, dusky nipples of yours.”

  “Oh, God,” she whispered, unable to say anything else.

  “Can you imagine what else I dreamed about? Shall I tell you?”

  Don’t moan, Alex. Whatever you do, don’t moan. She swayed into him, her fingers splayed across the upper part of his chest.

  No.

  No. This wasn’t good at all. Looking up at him, she knew he was going to kiss her. She wanted him to. The shivers of delight skimming through her told her just how eager her body really was for him to kiss her. She should have been shocked. Instead, she simply offered her mouth for the taking.

  The deep growl that rolled from his throat sent excitement skimming through her, and her eyes fluttered closed in anticipation of his kiss. At that precise moment, Jane’s cry of panic echoed in the hall.

  “Let her go!”

  Her groan didn’t pass her lips. The heat warming her body vanished as Altair stepped away from her and into the hall to face Jane.

  “Good morning, Jane.”

  “Dear Lord! Altair! I…Your appearance… I…I didn’t realize…” Jane’s voice trailed to a halt as she tried to control her embarrassment.

  “My apologies. I should have warned both of you about my habit of wearing Bedouin clothing while in the Sahara. I was just explaining to Alex that I find it much cooler and more comfortable than what I would wear in England.”

  With an understanding nod, Jane smiled. “Of course. So is Alex proving difficult this morning?”

  “No more than usual. I was merely trying to reassure her that our trip to the Pyramids would be quite safe.”

  “Well, if she’s protesting too much, we can always leave her here. I, for one, am determined to see those Pyramids with or without her.”

  Alex glared at her friend as she stepped into the corridor, closing the door behind her. “I am not protesting nor am I being difficult. If you wish to leave me here, then do so. I’ll find someone else to take me. Perhaps Lord Tunbridge?”

  Pink flushed through Jane’s cheeks at the comment. So the man’s lack of interest had pricked her friend’s ego. Alex smiled with satisfaction. No one would ever be able to say she couldn’t best Jane Beacon in a verbal duel. Beside her, Altair cleared his throat. The sound was more like a growl, and when she looked up at him, she saw a glint of dark emotion in his gaze. Her heart skipped a beat. While she wanted to believe it was fear that sent her heart pounding, she kn
ew better. The man excited her, and his possessive look sent a shiver of anticipation streaking down her spine.

  “Ladies, shall we proceed downstairs for breakfast? The Pyramids await us.” With an abrupt gesture, he swept his arm out before him to urge them forward.

  One glance at Jane’s expression spoke volumes. Her friend had seen the possessive gleam in Altair’s eyes. With a pointed look at Altair’s face, a sly smile curved her friend’s mouth. The pointed wink Jane sent her made her heart sink. Blast her hide! First, she interrupts just when Altair is about to kiss her, and now she was acting as if it were all part of some grandiose plan of hers. Expelling a puff of air in aggravation, Alex scowled.

  Inviting Jane to accompany her to Khatana-Qantir might not have been a good idea after all. Her friend wouldn’t hesitate to create mischief where she and Altair were concerned. Well, she refused to let any devilry on Jane’s part distract her from the task at hand. Work would occupy most of her time, and the rest—well, the rest of the time she would just keep her distance from Altair. How difficult could that be? She glanced up at the man walking beside her and nearly tripped as his gaze met hers. From the look in his eyes, it might be much more difficult than she imagined.

  The sun blazed high overhead, and Alex had to admit Jane had been right about the parasols. She might hate the silk frippery, but it did help to lessen the heat somewhat by blocking the intense sunlight. Ahead of them loomed the Pyramids.

  Just a hundred years ago, Napoleon had passed this way. Erroneous decisions might have won and lost his empire, but he’d been right about these magnificent monuments. From the summits of the Pyramids, forty centuries did indeed have their eyes fixed on all who walked in their shadow.

  If they were this imposing from here, up close they would only reinforce how small she was in comparison. As the landau rolled to a stop in front of a large corral of camels, Altair climbed out of the vehicle. He turned and assisted first Jane, then Alex from the carriage.

  “From here we shall ride Ata Allah.” As he pointed to the camels, Jane’s face paled slightly.

  “What?”

  Laughing, Alex patted her friend’s arm. “It means gift from God. Bedouins believe camels are gifts from God to help them survive the harshness of the desert. Although they’ve a reputation for nasty temperaments, Father told me camels are really quite gentle. So you’ve nothing to fear.”

  “Fine, but I want the oldest one of the bunch. That way it won’t take off at a gallop or whatever it’s called when they run.”

  “As you wish, but as Alex has already pointed out; there’s nothing to fear.” The low, seductive chuckle drifting over Alex’s shoulder made her tingle. Mesmerizing. It was the only word she could think of to describe his voice. Even a quietly spoken hello was enough to shoot bolts of delicious tension through her limbs.

  Jane nodded sharply, but it was obvious her friend didn’t believe a word either of them said. They did look intimidating though. Jane didn’t like horses very much, so getting on one of these large ships of the desert wasn’t going to be to her friend’s liking at all.

  With a laugh, Altair turned away and walked over to a short, wiry man wearing a dust-covered robe and turban. Close by, Alex saw three children playing in the dirt. They looked just as impoverished as the children they’d seen playing in the streets of Cairo yesterday and today. Her heart went out to them. Simply by circumstance of their birth, they were forced to live a harsh existence.

  For their height, she guessed they were at least eight or nine years old, but they were so thin. Not one of them could weigh more than forty pounds. Dressed in rags, they jostled each other as they watched her. She smiled. They might be shy, but they were definitely curious.

  Reaching into her skirt pocket, she pulled out several coins. Hand outstretched, she stepped toward them. The moment they retreated from her, she stopped. Well, being wary of a stranger wasn’t a bad thing. Perhaps the last tourist to pass this way had been far from pleasant. As unfortunate as it was, humankind rarely had sympathy for those less fortunate.

  While she’d not grown up poor, humility had been a firm lesson her father insisted she learn. Humility and compassion for others. Not wishing to frighten the children any further, she tossed the coins down into the dirt at their feet. As they scrambled to pick up the money, she turned around to see Altair watching her with cold anger.

  The icy glare wasn’t just disturbing—it intimidated her. Whatever her crime, he seemed willing to wait before he took her to task. With a quiet word of encouragement, he guided Jane to the camel he’d selected for her. With Jane comfortably situated on her mount, Altair turned toward Alex.

  Her eyes narrowed as he walked toward her. From the look of his angry expression, she wasn’t going to receive the same type of solicitous care Jane had. Not speaking to her, he grasped her elbow in a tight grip and dragged her toward one of the camels. She tripped over her feet as he pulled her along.

  If he was angry with her— If? All right, he was angry. But the least he could do was to tell her why he was so incensed. Her elbow ached from where his fingers bit into her flesh. As they halted at the side of a kneeling camel, Alex tugged her arm free of his tight grip.

  “You’re hurting me,” she snapped.

  “Get on the camel, Alex.”

  The rough edge of his voice made her think of a razor. Oh, he wasn’t just angry, he was furious. But why? Glaring at him, she did as he ordered. His movements were sharp and rough as he adjusted the umbrella shade over her head. When he finished, he leaned down toward her. Once again, his fingers bit into her flesh, but this time he captured her chin and forced her to look at him.

  “If I ever see you tossing coins about like that again, I’ll make you wish you’d never left America.”

  “I was only trying—”

  “I know what you were trying to do,” he bit out in a harsh whisper. “You were thinking those filthy little savages might dirty your clothes, and throwing them a few coins would keep them away. Well, they don’t need pity from someone too afraid to go near them. These are proud people, and I won’t have you insult them. Is that clear?”

  “Of all the—”

  “Is that clear?”

  Staring up into the fury tightening his dark features, she gulped down her fear. He looked every inch the barbarian. That was why he was furious? Because she’d tossed some money at the children? They’d been afraid of her, and she’d simply wanted to help. The last thing she’d meant to do was insult someone. Holding her tongue, she nodded. She wanted to explain, but in his current mood, he wasn’t about to let her finish a sentence.

  At her nod, he wheeled away from her and stalked off toward his camel. Watching him go, a knot settled in her throat. Did he really think she was some prim, snobbish English miss who believed those children beneath her?

  Well, if he thought that, he was wrong. Completely wrong. Her camel lurched to its feet, and she clung to the pommel of the saddle. The animal’s ungainly gait was like being on the Moroccan Wind in rough seas. Her gaze settled on Altair’s back.

  How could he think so harshly of her? He hardly knew anything about her or her upbringing. Respect for other cultures was a lesson she’d learned well. How else could one be a true scholar if one didn’t value the differences in others?

  Altair’s camel led the way with Alex drawing up the rear of their small column. With the camels walking in tandem, it prevented any of them from having a normal conversation. She was glad of it. The last thing she wanted at the moment was to talk with anyone. Anyone at all. Not even if the Pharaoh Khufu himself were to walk up and say hello would she be interested in holding a conversation.

  Huge sand drifts rose and fell all around the landscape that surrounded the Sphinx and Pyramids. Its massive body entrenched in the sand, the Sphinx’s colossal head rose majestically to the sky. The monument cast its large shadow over the trail t
hey followed, and she held her breath for a moment.

  In the shadow of this chiseled stone creature, pharaohs and queens had walked where she now walked. She wished her father were here to experience this moment with her. Despite its size, the half lion, half man monument found itself dwarfed by Khufu’s great pyramid tomb.

  In front of her, Jane turned in her seat and waved at the large stone structure.

  “Magnificent, isn’t it?” she called.

  Forcing a smile to her lips, Alex nodded. It should have been everything she’d dreamed it would be, but it wasn’t. Emptiness gnawed at her. She was alone in the world. But then she’d really always been alone. She’d always been the strong one. The one Father and Uncle Jeffrey had relied on in a time of crisis. Just once, she’d like to be able to lean on someone else.

  With a rueful shake of her head, she grimaced. It was time to stop crying into her milk. If Father and Uncle Jeffrey were here, they wouldn’t let one man’s anger prevent them from enjoying this moment. Her hands clenched at the pommel. Altair’s feelings toward her didn’t matter in the least. A small whisper in her head called her a liar.

  She watched as Jane called out a question to Altair and he dropped back to ride at Jane’s side. Why should she care that he was paying special attention to Jane? It wasn’t as if she was even interested in the man. There was no doubt he was a beautiful male specimen. But that didn’t mean she cared what he thought of her.

  Of course, she cared. She gave an unladylike snort of disgust. It was foolish to try to deny she didn’t want the man’s approval. Trailing behind the two of them, she saw him turn and look back at her for a brief instant. Satisfied she was still drawing up the rear, he returned his attention to Jane. She gritted her teeth at the cavalier glance.

  Well, approval or not, she definitely didn’t like the way he was behaving. She’d done nothing wrong, and his erroneous assumption had simply served to show his faults. The man was quick to judge, inflexible and maddeningly arrogant.

  Nodding her head to herself, she released another sound of disgust. And here she was worried about the man being angry at her. Ridiculous. That’s what it was. Ridiculous. All she needed to do was keep her mind on her work. She had come to Egypt to find Per-Ramesses, nothing more. So enjoy yourself, Alex.