by Cara Albany
But, right now the last thing she felt like doing was laughing. All she could think of was how she was going to get out of this situation in one piece.
Maybe Sheikh Rashid would help her. Was that what he was doing out there right now? Trying to persuade Hakim and this tribal elder that the marriage shouldn't take place?If that's what he was doing, then why was he doing it?
Nicole was nothing to Rashid. She couldn't stop thinking about the way he'd looked at her as they'd spoken. There had been so much sympathy, such an obvious desire to help in that look.
Another treacherous thought flickered in her mind. He was good-looking.
Scratch that.
He was more than good-looking. He was drop-dead gorgeous. The inky pools of his eyes, his thick dark hair, those high cheekbones and the strong, angular jaw had captivated her from the moment he'd arrived in the camp.
And he was tall. Probably just over six feet in height. She could tell there was a broad shouldered, full chested torso wrapped inside those white, flowing traditional robes.
But there was something else about him. She couldn't put her finger on what it was, but when she looked into his eyes, she could see something troubling in them, a darkness that he worked hard to disguise.
But he'd failed to hide it from her. There was pain in that gaze, she concluded. She wondered what his story was. He'd hinted that he lived alone in his own palace somewhere up north. If he failed to persuade the tribal elder the marriage should not take place, would he just return to his home as if nothing had happened?
Having spoken to him, and having seen the way he behaved toward her, she found that hard to believe. There was a seriousness of purpose in the man's eyes. Rashid looked like a man who prized honor above all else. Maybe that was why he'd come here in the first place. He'd heard about her predicament and had come to do the honorable thing.
Stop her from being taken by force into a marriage she utterly refused to accept.
Once again, as she thought about the whole thing, it seemed astonishing, like something out of an earlier, darker age. Surely it wasn't legal. Surely it was something that could be revoked even if it went ahead.
Nicole heard cheering from outside. She froze on the spot. That sounded like celebration, she told herself.
She thought about racing outside and demanding to know what the decision had been. She wanted to face them down, threaten them with terrible consequences if they didn't let her go immediately. This whole charade had to be stopped.
She was about to go to the tent entrance, when she heard a noise from behind her. She turned and saw the bottom edge of the tent moving, as if someone outside was trying to free the fabric from the sand. Then the fabric was jerked upwards, and a face appeared lit by the candlelight of the tent's interior.
It was Sheikh Rashid.
Nicole gasped quietly and wondered on earth he was doing. Rashid lifted a finger to his lips, urging her to say nothing. He lifted the tent fabric even higher and waved toward her. Nicole ran across to him. She felt the cool night air wafting into the tent as she bent down and took his hand. Rashid looked at her, eyes wide with urgency and helped Nicole out to the back of the tent.
She stood upright and saw a horse behind Rashid. He slid an arm behind her back and peered into her eyes.
"You must come with me," he whispered. "Now!"
There was a hint of impatience in his voice. Nicole didn't need to ask him what the decision had been. She could tell just by looking at him.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"There's no time to explain," he murmured. When he tugged her toward the horse she followed him, knowing that there was no other choice. She had to go with him, because what awaited her out front was unthinkable. Her only chance lay with this stranger who promised to take her away from her hideous fate. But could she trust him?
Realizing she had no choice, Nicole followed him to the horse and allowed him to lift her up onto the back of the animal. She tightened her thighs against the horse and wondered what lay ahead. It was night and the desert looked so dark, so dangerous.
The only light came from the torches out front of the encampment. Beyond the dunes there was the inky blackness of the desert. Stars shimmered in the sky, and there was a half moon low on the horizon.
Nicole leaned back as Sheikh Rashid got up onto the horse and seized the reins.
"I take it the meeting didn't go very well," Nicole said trying to make light of the situation.
Rashid twisted around and squinted at her, obviously puzzled at her attempt at humor.
"The elder decided in favor of Hakim," he said quietly. She could tell he wasn't pleased with the decision. Neither was she. That was putting it mildly.
"Hold onto me," he ordered.
She wrapped her arms around his torso, feeling the pent up strength there, sensing the power in his body. It was just as well it was almost dark. It wouldn't do for Rashid to see the change in the color of her cheeks as she tightened her hold on his body.
Sudden relief flooded through her. He was going to save her. Rashid was going to take her away from this place. For a moment, doubt flickered in her mind. But she drew close to him. There was no other option. She had to go with him.
Rashid tightened his grip on the reins. The horse neighed, feeling the weight of the two people on its back. Nicole heard the pounding of feet on sand, and two men appeared around the side of the tent. The last thing she saw before the horse reared and raced off into the darkness was the startled look in the men's faces.
Nicole held onto Rashid, feeling the raw strength as he strained to control the horse as it pounded its way up the side of the dune.
The horse paused at the top of the dune and Nicole glanced down. Pandemonium had broken out in the encampment. They knew she was escaping. And they knew it was Rashid who was taking her away.
Then the horse lurched forward into the darkness and she held on tight to Rashid. The man who had decided to become her savior, and the man about whom she knew virtually nothing.
CHAPTER FIVE
Rashid drove the horse on into the night and farther into the desert. It was clear to Nicole that he had no intention of stopping. Not while there was the chance they were being pursued. She didn't know whether Hakim's men were somewhere behind them in the dark. But, it was obvious that Rashid didn't want to tempt fate. She figured he knew this place better than anyone.
Nicole held onto him as he spurred the horse across the moonlit desert landscape. The night was cold, surprisingly so. Nicole leaned against Rashid's back, seeking warmth. The heat of his body took the edge off the coldness of the night air.
Leaning the side of her head against his shoulders, Nicole gazed up at the night sky. The stars were bright diamonds. The moon cast a subtle light across the desert. The landscape looked like something out of a dream. The dunes seemed to shimmer like the waves of an ocean in the faint light. Nicole thought her eyes must be deceiving her. Maybe that was what the desert was like at night, she told herself. Like a sea of sand that twisted the perceptions.
Rashid said nothing to her as they rode on through the night. Before he'd become so silent, she'd asked him what had been said at the meeting. He'd grunted impatiently and repeated that the elder's decision had been made, but that there were other ways of dealing with that.
Nicole didn't know what Rashid had meant by that. All that mattered to her was that she wasn't in that encampment any longer. Her nightmare had been left behind. For now. She wondered what lay ahead. Where he was taking her? Every time she asked him, Rashid repeated, "somewhere safe".
It seemed as if they had ridden for a long time, maybe an hour, when Rashid finally drew the horse to a halt. They were on the summit of a dune. Rashid slid down off the horse and reached up to Nicole. She let him help her down off the horse. Her feet sank into the soft sand, and she wrapped her arms around herself. Rashid noticed her shivering and went to his saddle bag, pulling out a thin blanket. He wrapped it around her.
She watched him as he did that, sensing the simple pleasure he took from caring for her like this.
"You should have told me you were cold," he said softly. There was genuine concern in his eyes.
Nicole lifted a brow. "You were kinda busy," she said. "I thought you might have other things on your mind. Like rescuing me from Hakim," she added with a smile.
Rashid's eyes narrowed and she sensed that he wasn't quite used to her habit of making light of situations with her sense of humor.
"Did I say, thank you?" she murmured. Nicole smiled at him but his gaze was firm.
"There's no need for you to thank me," he replied. "It was my duty to prevent that from happening to you."
Nicole peered at him. Was that all it had been? Had he just been acting honorably because of some sense of obligation to her?
Rashid gazed across the moonlit landscape. She could tell he was trying to see if they had been followed. Nicole followed his gaze, but she couldn't see any sign of pursuers. The moonlit dunes were barren of any sign of life. There was no sign of movement. Just the gentle touch of the cool night air against her skin.
"Do you think they know where we are?" Nicole asked Rashid.
He shook his head. "I don't think so. I did my best to lead them astray. At least for now," he said. "I think I lost them."
"They were following us?" she asked startled for a moment.
Rashid nodded. "Undoubtedly. They wouldn't have allowed me to take you without coming after us. Not to do so would have been to admit defeat. And Hakim is not one to do that."
Nicole thought about Hakim. She never wanted to see him again. The thought of what he had done triggered another wave of indignation. Maybe, once she'd made it back to the safety of the city, there would something she could do about Hakim. Right now, she was safe. Or was she?
Nicole peered at him. "Where are we going?"
Rashid looked at her. His brows furrowed as if he was surprised at the question. "My palace," he announced.
Nicole nodded. "Of course. Your palace. Why didn't I think of that?" she said with a hint of irony in her voice.
Rashid seemed oblivious to her sarcasm. "There is nowhere else to go."
"Isn't there some way I can get back to the city?"
Rashid shook his head, but said nothing. What was he holding back from Nicole?
"My palace is the safest place, for the moment."
Nicole lifted a brow. "Won't Hakim know you've taken me there?"
Rashid shrugged. "Of course he will. But there's nothing he can do about it."
"What do you mean?"
Rashid sighed. "I'll explain later," he replied. He went to his horse and began to tighten the straps of the saddle. It looked suspiciously like he was trying to avoid looking at Nicole.
Nicole felt herself bristle. What was Rashid hiding from her now?
"Is there something I should know?"
Rashid glanced at her and tugged hard on the strap of the saddle. The horse shifted, sensing Rashid's emotion. "We can talk about it later," he insisted.
Nicole frowned and advanced toward Rashid. "I'd prefer to know what your plans are for me," she said. "After what I've been through, it's the least you can do."
Rashid peered at her. She could see in his eyes that he was weighing her up, trying to measure his response to her demand. "You've been through a great ordeal. I think you should take some time to rest before considering what to do next."
It was true that the last few hours had been a trial of her patience and stamina. She realized she felt exhausted. Her emotions had been tugged in all directions over the last few hours. Nicole felt drained. Since they'd stopped on this dune, she'd felt tiredness begin to settle in her muscles. Her mind was exhausted, her thoughts and emotions a confused mess that she found hard to deal with. But she still wanted some kind of answer from Rashid.
"You're inviting me to stay at your palace. As a guest? Is that what you're saying?" she asked.
Rashid's features softened. "I suppose you could put it that way." He moved toward her. "I would be honored if you would accept my hospitality."
Nicole narrowed her eyes at Rashid, trying to gauge the true meaning of what he was saying.
"You want me to accept your hospitality," she said in a flat voice.
Rashid looked puzzled. "Is there a problem with that?"
"No. I suppose not," Nicole replied. "It's just that the last time a sheikh said that to me it didn't turn out too well."
Rashid drew in a sharp breath and moved closer to Nicole. "I am not Hakim," he said, his voice deep and emphatic. His gaze darkened, fixed upon her with a sudden, burning intensity.
Nicole felt her mouth drop open slightly. "I guess I've already gathered that," she said hesitantly.
Rashid's eyes flickered, as if he'd realized that he'd gone too far with his response. "Hakim and I do not share the same ideas about many things. Especially women and marriage," Rashid stated. "But, I suppose you've already seen evidence of the difference between myself and Hakim."
"Of course, " she murmured, shocked by the strength of his response. It looked as if she'd touched a raw nerve. She wondered what the history was between the two men. Whatever it was, it clearly wasn't good.
She turned away from him and tried to understand what was going on. Hours before, she'd been in a real predicament, one of her own making. This virtual stranger had simply arrived out of the desert and rescued her.
It sounded crazy when she thought about it like that. But it was true.
Now he was asking her to spend some time in his palace? Did he have a wife? Or family? Did he live alone? Or was he like every sheikh she'd ever met? Did he live with a full complement of staff to attend to his every need?
Once again she had a sense that there was a hidden piece of this puzzle.
Why couldn't he just send Nicole safely on her way? Was there something more to all of this?
"When can I go back to Qazhar city?" she asked again.
Rashid's features tightened slightly. He turned away from Nicole and gazed out across the desert landscape. Nicole moved around him so that she was facing him.
"Can't you arrange for my transport back to the city?"
Rashid looked at her. "It is not quite as simple as that. We are in a very isolated part of the country. It is more complicated than you think."
"But, you're a sheikh, right?" Nicole said incredulously. "If you want to arrange transport for me, you can do that."
"In theory," he said slowly.
Nicole peered at him, concern triggered by his obviously evasive answer. "Why don't I like the sound of that?" she asked.
Rashid's gaze was serious now. "There are other things to consider."
"More important than getting me back to my family?"
Rashid's brows furrowed at the sharpness of her response. For a moment, she regretted the harshness of her tone. He didn't deserve that. Not after what he'd just done for her. Maybe the day had taken its toll. Maybe he was right. She was tired and probably wasn't in any fit state to think through what needed to be done next.
"I do not intend to keep you from your family any longer than is necessary," he said evenly.
Nicole sighed and turned away from him. She gazed out across the desert. Her eyes had fully adapted to the night. She'd never seen anything so beautiful before. The sight of the dunes and the vastness of the night sky made her petty concerns feel suddenly small. Maybe Rashid was right. Some rest might well make the difference. Perhaps she'd see things in a clearer light after a few hours sleep.
"We should get moving again," he said.
Nicole turned back to Rashid. "How much farther is it?"
"Not long. We'll be there in an hour or so."
Nicole nodded and followed Rashid back to the horse. Once they were both on the horse, she did as she'd done before, and wrapped her arms around him. This time it felt strangely familiar, even comforting.
Rashid took the reins and turned to look at her. "Everyt
hing is going to be fine, Nicole," he told her. "Trust me."
She smiled back at him and nodded. "Looks like I don't have much choice, do I? Let's get going," she said holding onto him.
Then he flicked the reins and, once again, the horse lunged forward into the night.
CHAPTER SIX
They rode for another hour or so, and Nicole was beginning to feel the tiredness really begin to take over. She wondered how long she could keep awake.
Then the horse crested a dune and she saw the palace.
Nicole gasped and Rashid drew the horse to a halt.
"It's beautiful," she exclaimed sitting up straight and peering over Rashid's shoulder.
He nodded. "I would have to agree," he replied with obvious pride in his voice.
Nicole gazed down into the valley at the place Rashid called home. And what a home it was!
The white palace was situated on a flat, rock strewn plain. It was built on two levels and on each corner of the main building there was a tall, slender tower. A walled garden spread out in front of the palace. From here, it looked as if the gardens encircled the palace.
The silvery line of a narrow river ran through the valley. The river looked like it came from the high range of mountains Nicole could vaguely see silhouetted against the dark sky in the distance.
There were lights on in the palace. The illuminations lit up the exterior of the palace and parts of the expanse of garden which ringed the main building. She wondered who was at home. As if reading her thoughts, Rashid explained: "The staff have instructions to keep the palace lit until I return."
"The staff?" she repeated and lifting a brow.
"I have a small number of people who come from the local village off in that direction," he said pointing in the direction of the mountains.
"How many exactly is small?" she asked.
"Six."
Nicole nodded. "Okay. Anyone else?"
Did he understand what she'd really meant by that question? Any wife? Any brothers or sisters?
Rashid shook his head abruptly. "No-one else. Just me and my staff."