One More Night with Her Desert Prince...

by Jennifer Taylor

  * * *

  Khalid could feel the tension in the air, thick and hot and disturbing. It took every scrap of will power he could muster to act as though nothing was wrong.

  ‘We did extremely well today,’ he said, focusing on the reason why he had stopped by the women’s table. His only concern was making a success of this venture, making sure that his countrymen received the treatment they deserved. It had absolutely nothing to do with Sam and this need he felt to be with her. ‘Between us we saw over three dozen people, which is an excellent result for our first clinic.’

  ‘Sam must have seen at least a dozen patients,’ Jess put in.

  ‘Indeed.’ He nodded, his eyes drifting to Sam before he forced them away again. He didn’t want to look at her, couldn’t afford to when his emotions were so raw. If he looked at her then he might be tempted to do something he must never do. He must never forget that Sam couldn’t be part of his life.

  ‘Obviously the women are in need of all the help we can give them,’ he said, struggling to ignore the pain that ripped through him at the thought. ‘It makes it all the more vital that we see as many as we can while we’re here and even think about setting up a permanent clinic, not only for the mothers and babies but for everyone.’

  ‘Would that be possible?’ Sam interjected. ‘I mean, the people we’re dealing with are nomadic and they move around a lot. It would be difficult to choose a suitable site for a clinic, surely?’

  ‘That’s true.’ Khalid summoned a smile, trying not to let her see the effect she had on him. He had known many women, women who were far more beautiful than her, and yet none of them had had the effect on him that she had. It made him see how dangerous it would be to spend too much time with her while they were here.

  ‘It will take a lot of thought before we can make any definite plans but it’s something that needs to be considered.’ He smiled around the table. ‘Right. I’ll say good-night. Thank you all for your hard work today. I’ll see you in the morning.’

  Khalid left the canteen and made his way to the men’s tent. Peter arrived a few minutes later and they chatted for a while before Khalid switched off his lamp. He lay in the darkness, willing himself not to think about anything except what the next day might bring, but it was impossible. Closing his eyes, he let his mind drift, unsurprised when thoughts of Sam came flooding in. For the past six years he hadn’t allowed himself to think about her, but now it seemed he couldn’t stop. Had he been right to end their relationship? Or had he made a terrible mistake?

  Even leaving aside the matter of all the publicity that would have been generated if their relationship had become common knowledge, it had appeared that he’d had no choice. But what if they could have found a compromise? He spent at least six months of every year in England so surely they could have worked around the problem. Sam could have visited Azad but not lived here all the time. Then she could have continued her career and not had to give it up. He couldn’t understand why he hadn’t considered the idea before. It could have worked...or it could have done until they’d had children.

  He sighed. Everything would have had to change if they’d had a child. Although his brother was next in line to the throne, Shahzad and his wife had produced only girls so far and under current laws they could never succeed their father. If he and Sam had had a son, their child would have become heir to the throne. Sam would have been faced with an impossible choice then. Either she would have had to live in Azad permanently or she would have had to allow their child to be brought up here without her.

  It was the same choice Khalid’s own mother had had to make and look how it had turned out. Although his parents had loved one other, his mother hadn’t been able to cope with the restrictions of life in Azad. Even though the status of women in the country was improving, there was a long way to go before it reflected modern-day European standards. Maybe Sam would have coped for a while but in the end she too would have found it too constraining and left.

  The thought of the heartache it would have caused not only for them but for any children they might have had was more than Khalid could bear. When he married, he would choose a woman who understood the kind of life he had to offer her. And that meant that he could never choose Sam.

  * * *

  Sam was awake before dawn the next day. Surprisingly, she’d slept well and felt completely refreshed as she quietly made her way to the bathroom. Everyone else was fast asleep so as soon as she’d showered and dressed, she crept out of the tent. She shivered as the pre-dawn chill hit her, wishing that she had thought to put on a sweater. She was tempted to go back for one but the thought of waking the others stopped her. Hopefully a cup of coffee would warm her up.

  She made her way to the canteen, sighing in relief when she spotted a fresh jug of coffee on the counter. She helped herself to a cup, nodding her thanks when one of the cooks offered her a dish of fruit and yoghurt. There were some tiny sweet pastries as well, dripping with honey and covered with almonds, and she accepted one of them too. She loaded everything onto a tray and carried it over to a table. She had just taken her first welcome sip of coffee when Khalid appeared.

  He helped himself to coffee then looked around and Sam held her breath. Would he join her or would he opt to sit by himself? The sensible part of her hoped it would be the latter while another part hoped he would join her and she sighed. It would be so much easier if she could decide what she wanted and stick to it.

  His gaze finally alighted on her and she saw him hesitate. Was it as difficult for him to decide what to do as it was for her? she wondered. If anyone had asked her how she’d felt about him a couple of weeks ago, the word she would have used to describe her feelings would have been indifferent. She had got over her anger, dealt with her pain, put it all behind her—or so she had thought. However, as she watched him walk towards her, Sam realised that indifference was the last thing she felt. So what had changed? Was it being with Khalid again that had re-awoken these feelings? Were they an echo from the past, a reflection of what she had felt all those years ago, ghost feelings but not actually real?

  She bit her lip, praying it was so. Getting involved again with Khalid was out of the question. They’d had their chance and it would be foolish to rekindle their relationship. She knew that so why was her heart racing? Why was she finding it so hard to breathe? If she knew the answers to those questions then maybe she would know what to do.

  ‘Good morning. You’re up early.’ Khalid sat down, feeling his heart hammering inside his chest. If there’d been any way he could have avoided speaking to Sam he would have done so, but it would have been too revealing if he had ignored her. He mustn’t single her out. He must treat her exactly the same as any other member of the team. Now he smiled at her. ‘Were you ready for your breakfast?’

  ‘Uh-huh. I needed a cup of coffee to warm me up.’ She glanced at her cup and grimaced. ‘I’d forgotten how cold it is first thing of a morning.’

  The comment immediately reminded him of what had happened the previous day. His hands clenched because he could still feel the imprint of her body where it had rested against him as they had ridden out to the desert. He had never taken anyone there before. It was such a special place, filled with so many precious memories that he had never wanted to share it, yet it had felt right to take Sam there.

  ‘The extremes of temperature come as a surprise to lot of people,’ he said quietly, his heart aching. Would he be able to visit that spot again or would it be too painful to stand there and watch the sun rise without her beside him? He drove the thought from his head, knowing that it was foolish to dwell on it. Sam was never going to be part of his life and he had to accept that.

  ‘The contrast between the heat of the day and the bitter cold of the night catches a lot of people unawares. It’s been the cause of several potentially life-threatening incidents in the past couple of years.’

>   ‘Really? Why? What happened?’ she asked, frowning.

  Khalid’s hands clenched once more as he fought the urge to smooth away the tiny furrows marring her brow. He mustn’t touch her, couldn’t afford to do so when his emotions were so raw. Look what had so nearly happened yesterday. If Sam hadn’t had the sense to stop him, he would have kissed her and heaven alone knew what would have happened then. In his heart he knew that if he kissed her, he would be lost.

  ‘There’s been several occasions when tourists have found themselves stranded in the desert and ended up spending the night out here,’ he explained, confining himself to answering her question. It was safer that way, less stressful to focus on something other than his own turbulent emotions. ‘Although they may have made provision for the daytime heat, they hadn’t thought about how cold it gets at night. Consequently, several people have ended up in hospital suffering from exposure.’

  ‘Good heavens!’ Sam exclaimed. ‘But surely any tourists should be discouraged from driving around out here on their own.’

  ‘They should.’ Khalid picked up his cup and took a fortifying sip of coffee. He had never considered himself to be an overly emotional person—just the opposite, in fact. However, when he was with Sam he couldn’t seem to find the right balance and it was unnerving to realise that. It was an effort to focus on the conversation.

  ‘In fact, my brother, Shahzad, is currently working with several of the major tour operators to make them understand how important it is that they discourage their clients from exploring on their own. Anyone wishing to drive out into the desert should do so only as part of a properly organised excursion.’

  ‘It makes sense,’ Sam agreed, picking up her pastry and nibbling off a corner. She put it back on the plate then delicately licked a smear of honey off her fingers, unaware of the havoc she was causing him.

  Khalid looked away, trying to control the surge of desire that rushed through him. She hadn’t done that to be provocative, he told himself sternly, but it made no difference. The vision of her pink tongue licking the sticky residue off her fingers was one that was going to stay with him for a long time to come.

  He pushed back his chair, unable to cope with anything else. He needed a breathing space, time to get his emotions safely stowed away in the box where they normally resided. ‘I’ll leave you to enjoy your breakfast,’ he said, relieved to hear that he sounded normal even though he didn’t feel it. ‘Clinic starts at seven this morning so I’ll see you then.’

  He left the canteen and made his way to Theatre. Han was already there, checking the equipment, so Khalid helped him. He had an operation scheduled for that morning, nothing too complicated, just resetting a femur that hadn’t aligned properly. He and Han ran through a checklist of what he would need before the nurse left to get something to eat.

  Khalid stayed on, going over the list once more even though he knew he had everything he needed. However, it was better to keep busy, better to stop his mind wandering down more dangerous paths. He would focus on his work and simply hope that one day he would be able to speak to Sam without it causing such havoc. All he needed to do was adjust the way he thought about her, see her purely as a colleague and nothing more.

  He sighed as the image of her licking her fingers flooded his mind. One day. But obviously not that day!

  CHAPTER SIX

  THEY HELD TWO CLINICS: one early in the morning and one in the late afternoon so they could avoid the worst of the heat. Both were extremely busy. Sam was surprised by how many women turned up as well as by the variety of their complaints. Being used to the system in the UK, where separate ante-and post-natal clinics were the norm, it was a challenge to switch between both aspects of her job depending on what was required.

  Several of the women were in an advanced stage of pregnancy and although they appeared healthy, she was keen to ensure that nothing happened to endanger them or their babies during or immediately after the birth. She decided that the best way to do this was by training the local midwives about the need for good hygiene. As soon as the last of her patients left, she sought out Khalid, knowing that she would need his help if she hoped to make a start on this very important task.

  He was just leaving Theatre when she tracked him down and she waited while he deposited his gown in the hamper. Beneath it, he was wearing pale green scrubs and she felt her pulse leap as she took stock of the way the damp cotton had molded itself to his powerful chest. He turned, coming to an abrupt halt when he saw her standing in the doorway. Just for a moment his expression was unguarded and Sam felt a rush of confusion fill her. Why was he looking at her like that? He’d been the one to end their relationship and it didn’t make sense to see that desire in his eyes.

  ‘Were you looking for me?’

  His tone was cool, so cool that she realised she must have imagined it. Khalid didn’t desire her. Oh, maybe he had done so at one time, maybe he had even felt a tiny echo of it the other day too, but he had soon got over it. All it had taken was that article in the tabloid press to make him see how foolish it would be to involve her in his life on a permanent basis.

  ‘Yes. Is this a good time? Or would you prefer me to leave it till later?’ she asked as calmly as she could. There was no point thinking about the past, distant or recent. Khalid had done the only thing a man in his position could have done and had rid himself of a potential embarrassment. And he would do exactly the same again.

  ‘Now’s fine.’ He led the way, sitting down on one of the empty packing cases that had been placed near the entrance of the tent for that very purpose. Glancing up, he smiled at her. ‘Have a seat. My office may be somewhat informal but I hope the view makes up for it.’

  ‘It certainly does.’ Sam laughed as she sat down beside him, feeling some of her tension melt away. Shading her eyes against the glare of the lowering sun, she sighed appreciatively. ‘I never expected the desert to be so beautiful. I mean, you see pictures on TV and get an impression of its vastness and its emptiness but it doesn’t do it justice. There’s something...well, magical about it that draws you in, isn’t there?’

  ‘Yes. That’s how I’ve always felt about it.’ He turned to look at her and she shivered when she saw the warmth in his gaze. ‘It’s not often that people who aren’t born and raised in this environment appreciate its beauty that way, Sam.’

  ‘No?’ She shrugged, realising that she was in danger of stepping into dangerous waters. She wasn’t trying to promote a bond between them, certainly wasn’t trying to curry favour. She hurried on, deciding it would be safer to confine her remarks to what she wanted to speak to him about.

  ‘Anyway, I know you’re busy so I’ll cut straight to the chase. I saw a lot of women today in the latter stages of pregnancy and although most of them were healthy enough, I’m keen to ensure they stay that way.’

  ‘Of course. So what are you planning on doing?’ he said smoothly.

  Sam breathed a little easier when she heard nothing more than professional interest in his voice. If they could focus strictly on work, it would be so much easier. At least it would for her. The thought that Khalid might not be experiencing the same problems she was having was upsetting but she refused to think about it.

  ‘I was wondering if it would be possible to visit some of the settlements and teach the local midwives about the need for good hygiene. I know from the research I’ve done that a lot of post-natal problems can be prevented if extra care is taken in the days following a birth.’

  ‘I understand where you’re coming from but I’m not sure if it’s feasible,’ he said slowly. ‘We’re aiming to hold two clinics a day and I can’t see how there would be enough time to visit the camps as well, unless you worked seven days a week and that’s out of the question.’

  ‘Why?’ She turned and looked at him. ‘I’m more than happy to work every day, Khalid. I certainly didn’t com
e here expecting to have a holiday!’

  ‘I’m sure you didn’t. However, you need to allow for the fact that working under these conditions is vastly different from what you are used to.’ He shook his head. ‘No. There’s no way that I can allow you to work every day of the week without a break. It wouldn’t be right, Sam.’

  ‘So are you going to take time off?’ she demanded. Her brows rose when he didn’t answer. ‘Well, are you?’

  ‘It’s different for me,’ he said shortly, standing up. ‘I’m used to the conditions out here and I don’t find it as tiring as you will do. I don’t need to take time off.’

  ‘Oh, I see. You’re a super-hero, are you, Khalid? You don’t get tired like we mere mortals do.’ She laughed bitterly as she stood up. ‘It must be wonderful to know that you are immune to all the pressures that other folk have to contend with.’

  ‘That wasn’t what I meant,’ he said flatly. ‘I’m as susceptible to pressure as anyone else is.’

  ‘Really? So that’s why you couldn’t wait to end our relationship, was it? Because you couldn’t handle the pressure of having your name linked to me, a woman with a less than perfect past!’

  Sam hadn’t meant to say that. When the words erupted from her lips, she felt sick with embarrassment. Her eyes rose to Khalid’s in horror and she felt her heart sink when she saw the anger on his face. ‘I’m sorry. I should never have said that,’ she began.

  ‘No. You shouldn’t.’ His voice grated, anger and some other emotion vying for precedence. ‘I did what I had to do, Sam. And I did it for your sake rather than mine, although I don’t expect you to believe me. Now, if that’s all, there are things I need to attend to.’

  He walked away and the very stiffness of his posture told her that he was deeply insulted by the accusation. Why? Once that article had appeared, he had lost no time in ending their relationship. Every word she’d said had been justified, but Khalid refused to admit it. Why was that? Because he felt guilty about the way he had treated her?