Royal Affairs: Desert Princes & Defiant Virgins: The Sheikh's Virgin Princess / The Sheikh and the Virgin Secretary / Desert Prince, Defiant Virgin

CHAPTER FIVE

THEY reached the tents just as dusk was falling and the setting sun was a deep orange ball in the darkening sky.

Karim was suffering agonies of mental and physical tension. He wasn’t sure who had been affected most on the journey. It had been long, trying and extremely hot, and he had succeeded in making it hotter still by choosing to talk about topics which would have been best avoided given the intimacy of their current situation.

His plan to plant seeds of doubt in her mind by his descriptions of the Sultan had backfired in the most spectacular way. He’d been in an almost permanent state of arousal since she’d lain underneath him in the bedroom, and his poor choice of conversation topic had merely increased the relentless sexual tension that gripped him. The more he’d talked, the more he’d imagined and the more he’d imagined, the harder it had become to drive.

At one point, he’d been sorely tempted to stop the car and douse himself with the remains of their cold water in a brutal attempt to return his brain to sanity.

But he hadn’t taken that option, and to make matters worse—to raise his temperature still further—his expansive description of the Sultan’s sexual appetites hadn’t appeared to worry her that much, which presumably indicated that she believed herself more than capable of matching them.

In the end he’d stopped talking, hoping that a period of reflection might be sufficient to induce the degree of doubt in her mind that he’d been hoping for. But instead of brooding she’d simply snuggled down and fallen asleep yet again, leaving him to cope alone with a rampant attack of unrelieved sexual hunger.

He should have woken her, but he’d taken one look at the blue-black shadows beneath her eyes and the pallor of her skin and found himself unable to rouse her from a sleep she so obviously needed.

Wondering when he’d become such a soft touch, Karim brought the vehicle to a halt outside the tents and glanced at her in exasperation.

All she seemed to do was sleep.

Clearly her hectic lifestyle was catching up with her.

His mouth tightening, he decided that enough was enough. If this woman became Zangrar’s queen it would be disastrous, and his absolute priority had to be to prevent it happening. ‘Your Highness.’ She didn’t stir and his tone hardened. ‘Alexa.’

Her eyelids lifted and Karim tumbled headlong into her soft, blue gaze, and suddenly all he wanted to do was spend the foreseeable future exploring the possibilities of her mouth …

Feeling as though he was losing his grip, he dragged his eyes away from hers and tightened his grip on the wheel. ‘We’ve arrived.’

‘Arrived?’ Her voice husky, she stretched with feline grace, and then suddenly sat upright sharply. ‘Oh my goodness—you should have woken me!’

Wondering whether she was more dangerous awake or asleep, Karim gritted his teeth. ‘You were tired. We’re spending the night here.’

‘You sound cross.’ Pushing her hair away from her face, she glanced sleepily out of the window. ‘I can’t believe I fell asleep again.’

‘You’ve obviously been having too many late nights.’

‘I just don’t sleep well at home.’

Remembering the picture he’d been shown of her being removed unconscious from a nightclub, Karim was tempted to point out that in order to sleep she had to be in her own bed. Then he remembered that antagonizing her was not his objective. ‘The heat in the desert can be draining.’

‘You should have woken me up and let me drive.’

‘There was no need.’ Having heard about her accidents, he had no intention of allowing her to drive.

She looked over her shoulder. ‘I’m just relieved there’s no sign of my uncle.’

‘You truly believe that your uncle might follow us?’

‘Maybe not in person, but he’ll send his men.’ Her eyes shifted to his face. ‘If he can stop this wedding he will, Karim.’

Suffering from an almost agonizing attack of sexual tension, Karim found himself wishing that her uncle had shown more skill in his persuasion techniques. At least then he wouldn’t be facing a night alone in the desert with a female who made him feel uncomfortably out of control.

‘We will stay here tonight. It is a regular watering-hole for camel trains. The accommodation will be simple but sufficient for our needs.’ And hopefully sufficient to convince her that life in a hot desert-country was not for her. For the sake of his sanity, he hoped she would make the decision sooner rather than later. He could have her back at the airport within a day.

Clearly oblivious to his physical torment, she peered out of the window. ‘I didn’t think trees grew in the desert.’

‘They are date palms. And even in the arid desert, there is water.’

‘So, who stays in this place usually?’

‘Wandering desert tribes. And tourists wanting to discover the “real” Zangrar.’ He opened the door of the vehicle. Immediately a man hurried towards them and fell to his knees. Feeling another surge of tension, Karim spoke softly and watched as the man scrambled to his feet quickly and backed away.

Alexa climbed out of the car and joined him, astonishment on her face as she watched the man. ‘Why did he bow? What did you say to him?’

Without missing a beat, Karim slammed the car door shut. ‘Unfortunately he guessed that you are the royal princess who is to marry the Sultan. I told him that we don’t want your identity revealed.’

‘Karim, I look like any other tourist. How could he possibly know who I am?’

‘The wedding is an important event of relevance to all the citizens of Zangrar. Everyone in the country is aware of your existence.’

‘But if he knows who I am—’

‘He will be discreet. Do not worry about him.’ Karim pulled her small case out of the back of the vehicle. ‘The facilities here are basic, but you should be able to wash in the pool under those trees. Just watch out for the local wildlife.’ But if he’d been expecting a show of fear and revulsion at the warning, he was once again disappointed. She simply nodded, apparently more concerned with looking in the direction from which they’d just come.

‘By now, my uncle will have realized that we’ve left. He’ll be following us.’

‘Such perseverance on his part must make you wonder whether this wedding is wrong for you.’ Wondering why she refused to see what was so clear to others, Karim walked towards the tents, gesturing for her to follow him. ‘You don’t think he has your best interests at heart?’

‘No.’

‘And yet he has a great deal more life experience than you and knows you well, having cared for you since the death of your parents. It must worry him to see you so set on a marriage that he doesn’t believe will make you happy.’

When she didn’t answer, Karim sighed. Like most women, she seemed to make a point of rejecting all sensible advice that came her way. It was obvious to him that her uncle understood nothing about the workings of the female mind and had taken entirely the wrong approach. Had he insisted on the wedding taking place, there was a strong chance that by now the princess would have decided that marriage to the Sultan was definitely not for her.

No matter. If she wasn’t willing to accept the decision of others then she’d simply have to make the decision herself.

And he was going to help her.

True, he didn’t appear to have made an impact on her yet, but they still had three days of the journey to go through the harshest terrain in Zangrar.

He was confident that by the time they arrived at the Citadel she would have made the decision he wanted her to make.

But, as he urged her inside the simple tent, she turned towards him, her expression suddenly anxious. ‘I’ve got a really bad feeling about this. I think we should just rest for a short time and then carry on with our journey.’

‘You are not in charge, Alexa.’ He watched as frustration flickered across her beautiful face.

‘I could drive while you sleep.’

‘That would be beyond foolish. We will both sleep here.’

‘And if my uncle is already on our tail?’

Then he could add his persuasion to Karim’s. ‘I will protect you.’ Given that the only threat to her well-being was going to come from him, he wasn’t remotely concerned.

‘How can you protect me when you don’t believe there’s a threat? Admit it, you think I’m some sort of hysterical drama queen.’

Karim saw no reason to lie. ‘Some women are naturally more nervous than others.’

Alexa hooked her thumbs into the pockets of her trousers. ‘Do I strike you as the nervous type? Some women have more reason to be nervous than others, Karim. You might want to remember that before you stray too far from your gun.’

‘I am prepared to believe that your uncle does not want this marriage to happen, but I am sure he has your best interests at heart. You are the next Queen of Rovina. Clearly he does not think that this is a good time for you to leave the country, but that doesn’t mean that he would go to the lengths that you suggest. That would be self-defeating.’

She was silent for a moment, and he sensed that she was on the verge of telling him something important. Then she looked away. ‘Fine. If you don’t think we should travel at night, then we won’t.’

Her sudden compliance filled him with suspicion. ‘You are unusually co-operative, Your Highness. If you’re thinking of making a dash through the desert on your own, then I ought to warn you that we are sharing a tent tonight. You won’t be going anywhere without my knowledge and approval.’

‘Sharing a tent? Why would you want to share my tent?’

Karim felt his jaw tense. He didn’t want to share her tent, but nor was he so foolish as to let her out of his sight. ‘Your safety is my responsibility. My brief is to go wherever you go.’

It was her turn to look suspicious. ‘And yet you don’t believe that my uncle is a threat.’

No, but it was imperative that he stayed close to her if he was going to ensure that her experience of the desert was not a favourable one. ‘I believe that you are concerned,’ he said smoothly. ‘And hopefully my presence should reassure you.’

‘Oh.’ Her tone suggested that she’d hoped for a different answer. ‘Well, that’s better than nothing, I suppose. If you insist on sticking to me like glue, then please follow me to the pool. Are you going to swim?’

Karim gritted his teeth. It was hard to say which of the two of them was more tense. ‘I will not be swimming.’ The thought of being semi-naked in the water with this woman sent his body temperature soaring to dangerous levels.

‘I thought your brief was to go wherever I go.’

For a moment their eyes held, and awareness pulsed between them like a living force. With ruthless determination, Karim reined in the primitive reaction of his body, struggling to ignore the white-hot flash of lust that engulfed him. ‘I will keep watch while you bathe.’

‘Fine.’

Angry with himself, Karim paced towards the open flap of the tent and then turned slightly, responding to the tension inside him. The last thing in the world he wanted to do was watch while she swam naked. ‘You are sure you want to swim? Perhaps you would rather just rest before dinner—sleep again?’

‘I just had a sleep. I’m going to bathe. I’m ready when you are.’ She flipped open her case and pulled out a small towel. ‘I don’t have a costume or anything. I’ll bathe in my underwear.’

Karim felt beads of sweat sting his brow. He did not want to think about her in her underwear.

He didn’t want to think of her at all.

Alexa slid under the water, regretting her decision to swim. The pool had seemed to offer an obvious, practical antidote to the heat and dust of the journey. But what she hadn’t considered was the impact of being semi-naked with Karim standing so close. She was so hyper-aware of him that, far from feeling cool, she felt feverish and hot.

Not that he was likely to notice. He wasn’t even looking at her.

Instead he stood with his back to her, his eyes apparently fixed on some far point on the horizon. The late-evening sun shone onto the blade of his knife and it winked and flashed, a deadly reminder that this journey was not a pleasure trip.

But her fear was slightly less acute than usual, and she knew who was responsible for the change in her anxiety levels.

Karim.

Maybe he didn’t believe that she was truly in danger, but he was still standing there, wasn’t he? He was standing there because of her, and for the first time in her life she had a glimpse of what it might be like to not be totally alone.

Alexa studied the width of his shoulders and the power of his body, and wondered for a moment what he would say if she told him the truth about her life.

And then she turned and swam in the opposite direction, horrified that the thought had even entered her head.

That wasn’t going to happen.

Confiding in anyone was a mistake, as she’d learned at a pitifully early age when she’d still believed that life was fair and people were good.

And now, finally, hope had returned and the only way to give it a chance to blossom into a whole new life was to keep her thoughts to herself and not talk. Those skills had been essential to her very survival, and she wasn’t about to change that now. It appalled her to think she’d even considered it. Yes, he was watching over her, but only because that was his job. To read sentiment or emotion into his actions would be unforgivably naïve. And she wasn’t naïve, was she? Just horribly lonely—but she’d been that way for so long she didn’t understand why she would suddenly be reaching out to anyone.

Alexa pulled herself from the water, and then froze as she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. ‘Karim—’

‘Yes?’ The word hissed from his lips, but he didn’t turn.

Wondering what possible reason he had to be in such a foul temper, she kept her eyes fixed on the dust at her feet. ‘I think this might be one of those occasions when I need saving. If you’re not going to turn around, then I need to borrow your knife. We have a visitor.’

Karim turned swiftly, his hand already closing over the hilt of the dagger. Then he spotted the snake coiled in the shadows of a large boulder and breathed out heavily. ‘It’s all right. It isn’t dangerous.’

‘Really? How can you tell?’

‘The pattern behind its head.’

Alexa dropped to her knees to take a closer look at the snake, fascinated now that she knew there was no danger. ‘I’ve never seen a real one before. The camouflage is amazing. It’s exactly the same colour as the sand. I almost didn’t spot it.’ She ran a finger over the snake’s dry scales and it quickly slithered under the rock, as appalled by the contact as she was intrigued. Rising to her feet, she noticed the incredulity in Karim’s eyes. ‘What’s the matter?’

‘It was a snake.’

‘Yes.’

‘It was a large snake.’

Wondering what was responsible for his stunned expression, Alexa shrugged. ‘A large snake that wasn’t dangerous, according to you.’

‘You touched it.’

‘Yes—it felt dry. Amazing. Not slimy at all.’

He inhaled sharply. ‘Women are not usually overly fond of reptiles.’

‘Maybe I’ve just mixed with more reptiles than most,’ Alexa said lightly, glancing towards the rock to see if the snake had reappeared. ‘Sorry. Bad joke. If you really want me to have hysterics, then it could probably be arranged.’

‘You are unlike any woman I have ever met.’

Unsure whether his observation was a compliment or not, she sighed. ‘I’m just not afraid of snakes. Different things frighten different people, I suppose. Do you want a hysterical female on your hands? Because if not then I think I’ll just get dressed. I feel a bit vulnerable standing here half-naked.’

His burning gaze slid from her face to her breasts, and immediately she wished she hadn’t drawn attention to her state of undress. His eyes lingered before moving down over her waist to her skimpy pants. Aware that her flimsy wet underwear provided her with no cover whatsoever, Alexa turned quickly and pulled on her cargo trousers, ignoring the fact that the material clung to her still-damp body.

A shout from the camp disturbed them.

‘People are coming.’ Karim thrust her shirt towards her. ‘Get dressed.’

‘I’m doing my best, believe me.’ Fumbling with the buttons, her cheeks blazing, Alexa finally secured her shirt. The dip in the water had cooled her, but now she felt uncomfortably hot again and knew that it was nothing to do with the desert heat and everything to do with Karim. He was standing so close that they were almost touching, and she knew that even if they’d been traversing the Arctic Circle she would still have felt hot. All she could think about was her body—his body.

What was it about him?

Or was it her? Helpless to understand what was going on, she almost groaned in despair. Had she been locked up in one place for too long? Had her loneliness made her desperate? Had she developed some sort of fixation on her bodyguard because he was offering her protection? Some women did that, she knew. They were attracted to strong, powerful men. But she wasn’t that sort of woman. Since the death of her father, she hadn’t had a man’s protection, and she no longer expected or needed it. And she wasn’t interested in any other sort of relationship, either.

Yes, she was marrying the Sultan, but only because that was what she had to do.

She owed it to the people of Rovina, many of whom she knew had abandoned hope when her uncle had become the Regent.

Suddenly Alexa felt a flicker of disquiet as the reality of her situation slammed home. Duty or not, she was going to be marrying a man she’d never met, and that had suddenly taken on a new significance.

And she knew why.

Her gaze flickered to Karim. Sex suddenly seemed significant because for the first time in her life she was aware of herself as a woman. Karim had awakened her sexuality, feelings that she hadn’t known existed.

Her fingers shook as they fumbled with the last of her buttons. This was not the time to discover that she had a whole side to herself that she’d never imagined was there. She needed to focus on getting safely to the Citadel and marrying the Sultan, and it didn’t matter if he had four heads and no personality—she would still be marrying him.

She had to.

Her life depended on it.

The future of Rovina depended on it.

‘I will escort you back to the tent. There will be time to rest before we eat.’ His tone icy-cold and discouraging, Karim led her back along the sandy path that led from the oasis through the trees. ‘You should rest now. I’ll call you when it’s time to eat.’

‘I don’t need to sleep.’ How could she sleep when she was her own bodyguard? She needed to keep watch.

‘Then rest, at least.’ Karim frowned, as if her response had annoyed him. ‘I’ll be just outside the tent.’

She made no sense whatsoever.

And his reaction to her made even less sense. At one point he’d been on the verge of stripping off and joining her in the pool, and as if that hadn’t been surprising enough he’d then found himself regretting the fact that he was no longer able to follow such impulses.

Karim frowned. These days his mind rarely strayed from duty and responsibility, and yet there had been moments on the journey when …

He cut the thought off before it could develop and fixed his eyes on the road that stretched into the distance, reminding himself that his objective was to show the princess the horrors of the desert.

But so far he wasn’t doing very well, was he?

The unexpected appearance of the snake had been particularly timely, but her reaction had been especially astonishing. Once she’d ascertained that it wasn’t poisonous, she’d shown interest rather than either the fear or revulsion that he’d anticipated and hoped for.

Off hand, he couldn’t think of a single woman of his acquaintance who would have welcomed the opportunity to take a closer look at a snake, and certainly none who would have chosen to examine it at close quarters.

She’d touched it. She’d bent and stroked it as if it had been a domestic pet, and there had been something about that gentle, almost seductive touch that had sent his pulse-rate soaring into the stratosphere.

Wondering what it was going to take to unnerve her, Karim ran a hand over his face, reflecting on the irony of the situation. For the first time in his life he’d met a woman who seemed perfectly at home in these harsh surroundings. How many times in the past had he dreamed about finding a woman who shared his love of Zangrar?

Staring into the desert, he found himself wondering what it would have been like to meet her under different circumstances, and then he closed his eyes briefly, frustrated by his inability to control his own libido around a woman who possessed virtually no admirable qualities.

Yes, her fascination with the desert was surprising, and might actually have been gratifying in different circumstances—but not these circumstances.

The fact that she seemed comfortable with the heat, the dust and the wildlife was not enough to make ‘the rebel princess’ a suitable wife.

Glancing over his shoulder towards the sealed tent, he wondered what she doing now.

Was she asleep yet again?

Or was she lying on the bed dreaming of the riches that awaited her in Zangrar?

Refreshed after her swim and dressed in a pale blue linen dress that fell to her ankles, Alexa wandered out of the tent and bumped straight into Karim.

Disturbed by how good it felt to know he was there, she just stood there, and eventually he broke the tense silence.

‘Food will be served by the fire. It keeps the wildlife at bay.’ His harsh tone suggested that he wasn’t similarly pleased to see her, and she was appalled by how much that knowledge disappointed her.

‘I quite like the wildlife. It’s very interesting. What sort are we talking about this time?’

His gaze flickered to her clothes and down to her strappy sandals. ‘The sort that would grow excited when faced by a pair of bare feet.’

‘Are you trying to frighten me, Karim? All you seem to do is tell me about the dangers of the desert.’

‘Clearly you’re not frightened.’

‘I love it.’ She looked around her. ‘I love everything about it. The colours, the solitude, the sheer enormity of the place, reminding you how small and insignificant you are—’ She broke off and gave a tiny shrug, embarrassed by her outburst. ‘I have never left Rovina before. I haven’t been in possession of my passport since I was eight years old.’

‘That was when your parents were killed?’

It was a conversation topic that had never come up, and for a horrifying moment her brain was filled with images that paralyzed her.

‘Alexa?’

Hearing Karim’s voice, she pushed through the dark, terrifying clouds. ‘Yes.’ Somehow she persuaded her voice to work. ‘My uncle didn’t want me going anywhere.’

‘As your guardian, he clearly takes his responsibilities very seriously.’