Mirage

by Monica Burns

  Chapter Thirteen

  The ground shifted beneath her feet as Alex stumbled away from Altair. She could barely keep from throwing up as she struggled to remain upright. He’d lied. He’d been lying to her all along. Why hadn’t he said something in Lord Merrick’s office, on the ship or in Cairo? There had been plenty of opportunities for him to explain who he was.

  The late afternoon heat pressed against her, and she tripped over her own feet. Ahead of her was the open flap of her tent. Cool darkness enveloped her as she plunged into the tent, dragging the flap closed behind her. Clinging to the tent’s center pole for support, she swallowed the bile threatening to rise in her throat.

  First he’d rejected her, and now this. The pole’s surface gave way slightly as her fingers dug into the wood. He could have told her about his correspondence with her father. She would have trusted him if he’d told her that. Instead, he’d made her think his cousin, the Sheikh el Mazir, was whom Father had been dealing with. Why hadn’t he told her the truth?

  She inhaled a sharp breath of angry dismay. Per-Ramesses. He’d lied to cover up the real reason he’d been helping her. He worked for the British Museum, it made sense that they would send him. They could easily say that their representative helped to find the lost city and that she’d assisted. Oh, the bastard. He’d deliberately manipulated her every step of the way. His pretense at the museum regarding her welfare, the way he’d expressed concern for her safety in London, the way he’d arranged for her to board the Moroccan Wind.

  A sound of furious disgust broke past her lips. Outside the sun was close to setting, and the light was almost gone in the tent, forcing her to light a lantern. He was despicable. If she were a man, she’d…she’d…challenge him to a fight. Oooh, it would feel so good to pound him with her fists.

  Well, she had news for the man. She wasn’t letting him get close to the excavation if she could help it. She’d found Per-Ramesses without his help, and she’d continue the dig without his help. Striding to the makeshift desk set up in one corner of the tent, she sank down into the folding chair and stared at the papers on the small table in front of her.

  A tear slid down her cheek, and she angrily brushed it away. It was useless to cry. The man certainly wasn’t worth shedding any tears over. But it hurt. The lies, his rejection, all of it hurt. She wished Jane were here to offer advice or at the very least comfort. If her father had been here, none of this would have happened. Another teardrop landed on her hand. Never had she felt so alone in her life.

  With a determined swipe of her hand, she sniffed back her tears. Enough. She wasn’t going to give in to homesickness or anything else, least of all Sheikh Altair Mazir. The excavation would start tomorrow on top of the plateau the city wall encircled. And God help him if he tried to do anything else to stop her. Flipping open her notebook, she pored over her notes as she fanned herself with a sheaf of papers.

  After more than an hour, she released a sound of disgust. She was feeling too miserable and sorry for herself to work. What she needed was a long soak in the cool water of the tub Altair had brought for her use. The thought of him twisted her insides. If he’d only been honest with her.

  Pulling her robe from out of her trunk, her gaze fell upon the square white box Jane had given her when they parted ways at the hotel in Cairo. Since leaving for Per-Ramesses, she’d been tempted so many times to open the present. But she’d promised Jane she would save it until the day she found Per-Ramesses. Well, that day had arrived, and a present would go a long way in lifting her spirits.

  She sat down next to the trunk and pulled the box into her lap. The blue silk ribbon tied around the box slid easily off the package, and she lifted the lid. Silks of different shades of turquoise and green layered the inside of the box. On top of the material was an envelope. Lifting the flap, she pulled out the card.

  Dearest Alex,

  If you’re reading this, your dream has come true. You’ve found Per-Ramesses. I knew you could do it. I never doubted it for a minute, although I know you did. Here’s something to wear that will make you feel like Nourbese did when she was with her Pharaoh. I hope you like it.

  Love, Jane

  Laying the card aside, Alex lifted the silky material from the box. It was the gown Jane had bought the day they stopped at the silk shop in the Cario market. She rose to her feet and shook out the soft, fluid gown. The craftsmanship of the garment was exquisite. Based on an ancient Egyptian pattern, the silk gown shimmered in the lantern’s light, and she bit back a grin of delight at the wickedness of the dress. She should have known Jane had meant for her to have the gown.

  She had to try it on. But not until she’d bathed. The heat of the day still clung to her with a cloying dampness that threatened to suffocate her skin. As she ducked past the wool drape cordoning off her bathing area from her main living area, the rough material lightly brushed against her cheek. For being in the desert, she had more creature comforts than she’d ever dreamed possible in such a rustic setting. Alex set the gown aside and prepared the water in her tub with some oil she’d bought in Cairo.

  The seductive smell of jasmine surrounded her as the oil’s fragrance scented the air. The aroma soothed her senses as she slid into the tepid water, and the floral scent sluiced its way over her skin as her pores absorbed the fragrance. Her gaze shifted to where her present lay. Eager to try it on, she proceeded to rush through her bath.

  A large wool towel soaked up the droplets from her bath, leaving only the soft, fragrant smell of jasmine on her skin. Refreshed, she slid the Egyptian garment over her head. The sheer lightness of the fabric made her sigh with pleasure as the silk caressed her body.

  The remaining heat from the day no longer pressed against her skin as the vented dress allowed the air to flow around her. She could understand why ancient Egyptian women had chosen to wear such garments. The air sighed over her skin instead of clinging to her.

  Narrow bands of silk rested on her shoulders as the diaphanous material plunged downward to the bodice, criss-crossing over her bosom. Despite its transparency, the folds of the gown discreetly covered her breasts and the apex at her thighs. From her waist, narrow panels of turquoise and green silk presented the illusion of a skirt that reached to her ankles.

  However, the moment she took a step forward, the illusion disappeared and the panels fluttered about her, revealing the entire length of her leg. Stretching out her bare arms, she twirled around in a circle with the material flowing and whispering about her legs. The gown was wicked, decadent and provocative. She loved it.

  Forgetting her woes for the moment, she allowed herself to enjoy the beauty of her present. She swept past the wool drape into her main living quarters, dancing her way lightly across the carpet. No, hardly suitable behavior for Pharaoh’s wife. She assumed a regal stance and paraded across the tent’s plush floor, trying not to giggle as she did so.

  The small bell hanging outside her tent rang sharply. She froze. She couldn’t possibly receive anyone in this gown. It was far too revealing. If she ignored the bell and remained quiet, whoever it was would go away.

  The bell sounded again. This time with vicious force.

  Altair.

  She frowned. The man was impossible. Well, she refused to let him spoil her enjoyment of Jane’s gift. She’d pretend the bell hadn’t rung and he’d go away.

  “Alex, I know you’re in there. We need to talk.”

  “No, we don’t.” Blast, why hadn’t she kept her mouth shut? He would have gone away. No, he wouldn’t. She knew better than that.

  “Damn it, Alex. I need to talk to you.”

  “Well, I don’t want to talk to you. Go away.”

  “Alex,” he growled softly. “I’m in no mood for games.”

  Games. Had he actually said games? This wasn’t a game to her; she’d invested the last ten years of her life to finding Per-Ramesses. Whatever Sheikh A
ltair Mazir wanted wasn’t any concern of hers. He was the one playing games. Not her. If he thought she was going to let the British Museum just waltz right in and take over her dig, he’d better think again.

  “Alex, I’m warning you.”

  She paced the carpet before stopping in front of the tent flap. “Don’t you dare threaten me. I’m not the one who’s the liar.”

  “Bloody hell, I want to explain.”

  “I don’t want your explanations. I want you to leave me alone.”

  She glared at the tent flap then turned and walked away. Pausing at the pillows strewn about the floor, she heard his angry growl of disgust followed by the crack of the tent flap as he pulled it aside and entered her tent. Who the hell did he think he was? She spun around and glared at him.

  “Get out.”

  “Not until I—” His words ground to an abrupt halt as he stared at her. Ignoring his stunned expression, she braced her hands on her hips and scowled at him.

  “I told you—we have nothing to say to each other.”

  He didn’t say a word. He just stood there and stared. Infuriated, she wanted to throw something at him. How dare he come into her tent uninvited? The man was unbelievable, standing there like a king, fists jammed into his waist, his feet set apart in an aggressive stance. Had he lost his tongue?

  “What are you looking at?”

  “You.” The hoarse word brushed over her skin causing her hair to stand on end. She saw his eyes gleaming with a disturbing emotion.

  No. Oh, no. Absolutely not.

  She refused to let this man manipulate her again, even if his eyes glowed with a tempting invitation. With determination, she fought to hold onto her anger.

  “I want you to leave.”

  “And if I don’t want to?”

  The question startled her. What was he up to? She eyed him suspiciously. “What you want is irrelevant, my lord.”

  “Oh, I don’t think it’s irrelevant, Alex. You see, for the first time in a very long time, I have complete clarity as to what I want.”

  “How comforting for you. And precisely what is it you want?”

  “You.” The single word whispered its way across the space between them. She clutched at her throat. With just one small utterance, the man had reduced her legs to jelly. Damn him. She refused to let that seductive voice of his lull her into surrendering.

  “Well, you can’t have me,” she said belligerently.

  His gaze narrowed and his mouth tightened in a thin line of determination. “You challenge me, emîra?”

  There was a dangerous edge to his voice. Lord, but the man had the most disquieting ability to throw her off balance. His unyielding temperament made her feel as though she were standing in the direct path of a massive flood. Even more alarming was her desire simply to let the deluge sweep her forward and into his arms.

  “I’m doing no such thing.”

  “I think you are, and I never avoid a confrontation.”

  She had to end this. There was no telling what might happen if she didn’t make him leave. That wasn’t true. She knew exactly what he wanted, and she hated to admit that she wanted it too. He stepped forward slowly, and she took a quick step back. If she let him near her, she’d be lost. Something in his face said he’d thought the same thing.

  As he advanced once more, she took another shaky step in retreat, and stumbled over a stray pillow. Seconds later, she tumbled backwards into the plump cushions strewn about one corner of her tent. Sprawled on top of the jewel-toned amber, emerald and ruby pillows, the skirt panels of her gown parted to reveal her bent leg.

  Altair sucked in a sharp breath. He’d come here to talk some sense into her. It was important to make her understand why he’d lied to her. Instead, the sight of her in this imitation of an ancient Egyptian garment had him teetering on the edge of a powerful carnal need.

  The pale color of her lushly curved thigh melted into a soft calf down to a narrow foot with toes that looked delicious enough to nibble. She looked delectable. An exotic fruit that promised intense pleasure. Heat pounded through his body. The moment he’d entered the tent, his cock had grown hard at the sight of her.

  Where the devil had she found such a provocative gown? A base need tugged painfully between his thighs, and he knew he wouldn’t leave until she gave herself to him. Even then, he wasn’t sure he’d be capable of leaving her. Somehow, he’d make her understand he was trustworthy. But all he could think about at the moment was bedding her until they were both spent.

  He towered over her as he watched the emotions flashing across her face. Anger no longer darkened her full features—instead, a bewildered look furrowed her brow as she bit her lip.

  “This afternoon, you…you didn’t…want…” Layered underneath her words was the pain he’d caused her.

  “No, emîra. I wanted you then as much as I do now.”

  “Then why—?”

  “I didn’t want any lies between us.”

  A flash of doubt crossed her face, and he slowly knelt down in front of her. The top of her bent leg almost brushed his lips, and he leaned forward just a hair and kissed the inside of her leg. The sharp hiss of air she dragged into her lungs assured him she liked what he was doing.

  “Tonight, emîra, I’m going to show you how my body craves you.”

  With one finger, he traced a path from her knee down to the top of her foot. She drew in another throaty breath. He smiled as he drank in the floral scent of her. God, she smelled good. Exotic and rich to his senses. The silky skin of her foot slid smoothly beneath his palm as he massaged the top of her foot.

  Watching her face, he saw her eyes flutter halfway shut as he lifted her foot to nibble on her toes. A tiny mewl of pleasure escaped her. His cock throbbed between his legs at the sound. Damnation, no woman had ever made his body respond with such acute need just from a simple cry. With a feathery touch of his mouth to the inside of her foot, his hand stroked the back of her silky calf.

  She jumped at the caress. Satisfaction sailed through him as he lowered her leg and leaned back to study her. Reclined among the vividly colored cushions, her skin was flushed with a rosy hue. He’d been right. The glow he’d witnessed that morning in Cairo covered her now. Her pink mouth parted slightly, and he wanted to have those delicate lips encircling him, sucking on him until he exploded. The image tugged at him with tense expectation.

  As he pressed his lips to the inside of her knee again, his hands kneaded the soft flesh of her thigh. The gentle stroke pulled a breathy gasp from her, and her breathing became erratic as he stared down at her. The possessive glint in his eyes sent her heart racing. It was a look of stark desire, and heaven help her, it excited her. Her gaze slid down to where his bronzed fingers stroked her leg.

  Her mouth went dry as she realized she wanted his hands to caress all of her. She should be putting a halt to this, but she couldn’t think straight with him touching her so intimately. Pleasure exploded inside her, and the blood in her veins grew thick and sluggish. Mesmerized by him, she watched his hand slide up her leg to curve around her hip. Dear Lord, the man’s touch was hypnotic. There were no other words to describe it.

  Desire coiled in her stomach until it moved downward and ignited a familiar ache between her legs. As he kissed the inside of her lower thigh, she couldn’t contain the low moan that broke past her lips. God, if she didn’t stop this now, there would be no turning back. Fighting to overcome the sinful delight of his touch, she scrambled backwards, her hand outstretched in a gesture telling him to stop.

  He reached out and clasped her upraised hand in his. Brushing his mouth across the tips of her fingers, he turned her hand over and pressed his mouth to her palm. The scent of him wafted its way up to her. Potent and spicy, it teased her senses in the same way his touch teased her skin. He continued to caress her fingers until they were entwined with his. A
ll the while, his gaze never left hers.

  “Do you really want me to stop, emîra?”

  She was mad. Insane. But she couldn’t deny his touch made her ache with longing. Inhaling a quick breath, she shook her head slowly. His brown eyes darkened as he kissed the tips of her fingers once again. An instant later, his lips encircled her index finger, gently sucking on her as his eyes locked with hers. The caress blasted a wave of heat down her throat past her belly and into the apex of her thighs.

  From there it became a tight ache that clenched her insides until decadent pleasure took hold in her brain. As his tongue swirled around her finger, she gasped at the wicked thoughts the sinful caress sent spiraling through her head.

  Pleasure filled his body as he breathed in the jasmine that cloaked her skin. There was a new scent there as well, musk, the sign of her arousal. God he wanted her. She was a rich wine that had gone to his head. He slid one hand over her smooth, supple hip. Raising his head, his gaze met hers, and he took in the glazed expression of desire in her hazel eyes.

  She was beautiful. Colorful silk layers whispered across her thighs as she shifted her hips amongst the pillows. Through the fluttering fabric, he caught sight of a golden-brown thatch of curls. He inhaled a sharp breath and his cock throbbed its demand for satisfaction.

  Leaning forward, he reached behind her head and removed the pins holding her hair in place. The thick locks tumbled down over her pale shoulders like a luxuriant silk cloth. Fascinated, he watched the tendrils frame her hard nipples jutting through the silk of her gown. His groin tightened at the sight. God help him, but the woman was the most enticing creature he’d ever seen. Gently he pushed aside a lock of hair as his thumbs rubbed against the stiff peaks.

  A soft moan escaped her, and he lowered his head to capture the sound with his mouth. Heat rushed through his body at her eager response. She tasted of warm nectar as she parted her lips, and her tongue mated with his in a furious dance. Her hips thrust upward to brush against him, and he growled at her eagerness. God, he wanted to dip his cock into her the way his tongue was doing now. Feel her around him, squeezing and gripping him until he erupted inside. Her cunny would be tight around him. Tight and hot.