Strangers in the Desert (14 page)

“I know you hate me. I know I deserve it. But give me a chance, Isabella. Give me a chance …”

A sob burst from her then and he let her go, though it tore him apart to do so. But he couldn’t cause her any more pain than he already had.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked. “Why can’t you just let me go?”

“I love you,” he said, his throat aching with the words. “I can’t let you go because I love you.”

She sagged against the arm of the couch and buried her face in her hands. And then she was sobbing un-
controllably, her shoulders shaking, her tears like knife thrusts to his heart.

“I’m sorry,” he said, tears welling in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I’ll go. I’ll get another set of papers and I will sign them. I will let you go, Isabella, if it’s what you want.”

He turned blindly. He had to get out of there before he did something stupid, like sink to his knees and beg.

“Adan,” she said, and he stopped. “I’m scared.”

And that was it, the moment of surrender. Hope blossomed inside again, but this time it wouldn’t be crushed. He crossed to her as she straightened, and then he was holding her tight, his fists curled in her hair as he bent his head to inhale her scent.

“I’m scared, too,” he admitted. “I never expected to feel this way.”

She slipped her arms around his waist and squeezed him tight. “It’ll be all right. It has to be all right if we’re both scared.”

He tilted her head back and gazed down into her glorious eyes. “I’m sorry for all the pain I’ve ever caused you,
habibti.
I’ll do everything in my power to make it up to you, I swear. One day, you will fall in love with me again. And then I will deserve it.”

She smiled through her tears. “My God, for a man who bears the responsibility for an entire nation, you certainly are dense.”

He searched her gaze—and then he saw it. Love, shining through for him. His heart soared. “You love me,” he said in wonder.

“Yes,” she said simply. “I do.”

“I want to question this good fortune,” he said, “but I will not. I’m never giving you a reason to think twice about why you love me.”

And then, to make sure she couldn’t think at all, he took her to bed and spent the rest of the afternoon making sure she knew how thoroughly he loved every inch of her—body and soul.

I
SABELLA
rolled over in the blankets and discovered she was alone. She opened her eyes and stretched languorously. Just then, the tent flap drew back and a man in traditional garb entered.

“Well, hello, my desert lord and master,” she purred. “Where have you been?”

Adan came over to where she lay on the king-size bed that occupied center stage in the tent. Lush pillows were piled around her, and a thick coverlet hid her body from view.

His fingers caught the edge of the cover and began to ease it down.

“This is not just a pleasure trip, my love,” he said. “Some of us have work to do.”

“Mmm, thankfully, not me.”

He bent and took her mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck and arched up into him as he uncovered her breasts.

“You are very naughty, Your Majesty,” he said. “And very spoiled.”

“But you love me.”

“I do. Utterly and completely.” He kissed her again,
and then ripped the covers from her naked body. A shiver of anticipation tingled through her.

“Now get up, Your Laziness. The day awaits us.”

Isabella pouted. “Get up? Since when does the great King Adan ibn Najib Al Dhakir gaze upon his wife’s naked body and not want sex?”

“Oh, he definitely wants it,” he purred. “But I have a meeting with tribal chieftains to attend. Later, I will remember this conversation and make you pay accordingly.”

Isabella laughed. “Make me pay? Who’s the naughty one now, Adan?”

His eyes were hot. “We’ll have to find that out, won’t we?”

She reached for her robe and slipped it on as she stepped from the bed. Then she went into his arms.

“I like the way you think,” she said before she gave him a long, lingering kiss.

“You make me want to be late,” he said when she pulled back.

“It’s not good form to be late.”

He laughed. “You are not only naughty, you’re also a tease.”

“I’m building suspense for later,” she said, grinning. “Have you seen the children this morning?”

“Rafiq wants to go horseback-riding. Little Kalila wants to know when we can go home—because the sand, she informs me, gets into everything. And the twins want to swim in the sea.”

Isabella sighed. “Then I had better get dressed, hadn’t I?”

He gave her a smack on the rear. “This is what I have
said,
habibti.”
Then he kissed her again, swiftly. “But tonight you are mine.”

“With pleasure, my lord.”

“That is certainly my intention,” he purred. He had reached the tent flap when he stopped and shook his head. Then he turned around and stalked back over to her.

“I’m the king,” he said, slipping the robe from her shoulders. “I can be late if I want.”

Isabella laughed. “I do love a man who knows what he wants. And who will do anything to get it.”

Like flying halfway around the world to collect his runaway wife. Like ripping up divorce papers before she could sign them. Like this, now, when he showed her once more with words and caresses just how much he adored her.

Oh, yes, there was something to be said for a man who knew what he wanted.

All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II BV/S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

® and
^TM
are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

First published in Great Britain 2011
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited,
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

© Lynn Raye Harris 2011

ISBN: 978-1-408-92565-2