The Sheikh's Second Chance Bride (Qazhar Sheikhs series Book 5) (11 page)

"Why is tradition crazy?" he asked again. She still hadn't been able to come up with an objection to that.

"You're asking me to believe that we have to spend the night away from the palace. Just because tradition dictates that we must do it?"

Malik nodded. "Who am I to argue with the wisdom of the past?" he asked. "If it was good enough for my ancestors, then it's good enough for me."

"Funny, that no-one mentioned it before today," Lana said.

"Look it up," Malik replied.

"In what?"

Malik smiled at Lana. "I don't know. In my tribal handbook or something," he joked. Malik had to admit that he thought that was kind of funny. There wasn't any such thing as a tribal handbook. Every tradition was handed down by word of mouth.

He could see Lana still wasn't amused. Not one bit. She squinted at him and then he saw her jaw tighten into that cute, hard line. Why did he like teasing her so much?

Malik gazed out ahead. The thin strip of road stretched off into the distance. All around them was desert, an awe-inspiring expanse of golden sand. The sun was high in the sky, and it was getting into the early part of the afternoon. They hadn't passed a car in nearly an hour.
 

They were headed north to a place that Malik hadn't visited for a very long time. He wondered what was going to happen once they reached the place. He glanced at the beautiful American woman seated in the passenger seat and felt a tug of uncertainty.

Anyway, it didn't matter now. They were alone, and that was all that was important. He had Lana all to himself.

Lana sat with her arms crossed over her ample breasts. She was wearing a thin, pale blue dress that reached her knees. Her arms were bare, and her cleavage was barely covered by the open neck of the dress. She wore a pair of flat shoes that Malik just knew wouldn't be right for walking in the desert. Anyway, they wouldn't be traveling across the dunes. That wouldn't be necessary where they were going.

When he'd called at the palace for Lana, midway through the morning, she'd been waiting on the steps in front of the open door. Her arms had been folded, her feet had been tapping impatiently, and she had glared at him as he'd slid the powerful car to a halt at the foot of the steps.
 

Malik thought she looked wonderful. There was something about Lana when she was angry that made his body firm with desire. Seeing her standing there had just made that familiar tension harden his resolve even more.

He'd been grateful that at least some of his early morning preparations had paid off. Rafiq must have explained everything to Mia and then Mia had taken Lana in hand and made sure she was ready for the trip.

Once they had put Lana's bags in the back of the car, and secured Lana in the vehicle, Malik had driven them away from the palace as fast as he could. No sense in giving anyone a chance to change their mind.

Now, they were well on their way to their destination, a place that promised to answer so many questions and resolve issues that had consumed Malik's mind.

Malik stared ahead. They would be coming to the point in the road where he'd have to make a decision. Just like he'd made a decision the night before, when he'd been racking his brains trying to come up with a solution to his problems. The answer had eluded him at first. He'd tormented himself during a few sleepless hours. At last, the solution had drifted into his mind as if some invisible stranger had gently placed it at the front of his mind, like a desperately needed gift.

When he'd realized what to do, he'd laughed out loud. His father would approve of such a solution, he'd told himself. It promised to provide Malik with a means to show everyone that he had decisively turned his back on the past; that he was willing to seize his destiny; that he was everything his father wanted in a son.
 

A sheikh and a man of responsibility, respectful of the past.

But, it would be difficult. Because, what he needed to do was overcome the barrier between himself and Lana. He was about to sweep away his own obstacle, the reluctance to accept his role in life, to be the man he knew he should be.
 

But, would he be able to conquer Lana's mistrust of him? Because, after last night on the beach, it was clear to Malik that Lana had pushed him away out of a sense of unease, a lack of belief in him. And that he had to deal with. Decisively and emphatically.
 

There was only one place where had even the slightest hope of achieving that. The same place his ancestors had inhabited for so many aeons; the same domain of power that his forefathers had used to define themselves, to declare themselves men and sheikhs.

The desert.

That would be the place where Malik would stake his claim. There he would take possession of Lana, seize what he knew to be his. And, in the process, make Lana the princess he knew she was destined to be. By his side for all time.

He glanced across at Lana and felt his heart quicken. She was staring defiantly ahead, a passion in her eyes that merely served to stiffen his resolve.

Lana would be his. It would take one night. It wouldn't be easy, but Malik knew he could match Lana's defiance with an equally powerful determination of his own.

Malik had one objective. To return from the desert with Lana as the woman he had promised to make his bride.

****

The car jolted from side to side and Lana grasped the handle above the door, trying to steady herself. Tumbling down the last dune had almost thrown Lana out of her seat and into Malik's lap. That wouldn't do, she told herself. Not at all.

Who was she kidding? Malik's lap looked dangerously enticing. His narrow hips were firmly planted on the leather seats. More than once during the drive, she'd had to work hard at averting her gaze from Malik. He was wearing tight black pants and an even tighter black shirt.
 

He commanded the off-road vehicle like a man possessed. His sleeves were rolled up, and Lana felt her throat tighten at the sight of the corded muscles on Malik's forearms. Every time he wrenched the wheel to one side to deal with the sharp angle of another sand dune, she saw his chest thrust forwards. There were beads of sweat on his forehead, and she could hear his staccato breathing. His scent filled the interior of the car.

Once more the car swerved and Lana gripped the side of the door.

She had to admit the last few hours hadn't been that unpleasant. After the initial shock at having been swept away to a mysterious destination had worn off, Lana and Malik had settled upon what could be called a truce of some sorts.

Lana promised herself she would stop being mean and snarky to Malik. For his part, Malik had assumed an air of casual determination. He had been pleasant enough to Lana. In fact, he'd been polite and courteous beyond anything she had expected.

When Lana had asked where they were going, Malik had been reluctant to answer. He'd tried to make it a game, and she'd taken some pleasure from his obvious teasing. She hadn't seen the lighter side of Malik's character so clearly before. But, forced into proximity with him, he had proven to be an excellent companion during the long drive out into the desert.

Lana could still hardly believe she had agreed to such a trip, but Mia had assured her that Malik would look after Lana. Seeing the strength on display during the journey, Lana had come to believe that Malik would protect her if it came down to it.

Lana had gazed in wonder at the desert. From the road, it had seemed beautiful and mysterious. But now that the car was powering its way across the dunes, the desert had taken on a whole new sense of peril. She could sense how dangerous it would be out here, especially without a man like Malik to guide and protect her.
 

The car lurched to one side and rounded the crest of a dune. Malik glanced at Lana and smiled. She squinted back at him as if to say that she trusted him not to crash the car. And, indeed, she did. Malik looked like he could control anything if he put his mind to it.

He'd explained that the car was the safest way. Lana couldn't ride a horse and was glad of the comfort of the car. When asked why he hadn't just used the helicopter, Malik had explained that wanted Lana to get an up close and personal experience in the desert. When he'd said that she'd given him a look, testing him about any other meanings of those words.

The car roared forward, and Malik called out to her above the sound of the engine. "We're nearly there," he said.

The car bumped up a final incline and emerged on top of a dune. Malik drew the car to a halt. He cut the engine and Lana was taken aback by the depth of the silence.

"There it is," Malik announced.

Lana gasped as she leaned forward onto the dashboard. She could hardly believe what she was looking at. At the base of the dune, there was the most exotic thing she had ever seen. It was like something out of a dream. One huge tent sat alongside a tree-circled oasis. The pool of clear water shimmered in the bright sun.

Lana turned to Malik and saw that he was smiling at her. "What do you think?" he asked.

Lana shook her head. "It's amazing," she said hesitantly.

"What is this place?" Lana asked.

"It's the testing place," Malik replied.

"The what?"

"In the past, desert warriors used to come here to use it as a base in order to test themselves against the desert. Over the years, it has become a symbolic place. No-one comes here to test themselves," Malik said. He glanced at Lana. "At least not in the way they used to."

Lana gazed down at the tent. It was large enough for at least a few people. She wondered what it would look like inside. Would it be spartan and barely furnished? Would it just be a rug and a pile of sand?

 
"My family has preserved it as a way of honoring our ancestors," Malik continued.
 

Malik started the engine and drove the car down toward the tent. The car slid to a halt in front of the tent. Lana opened the car door and stepped out. The heat of the desert hit her like a physical blow. Malik emerged and went to the rear of the car and claimed their bags.

Lana wandered over to the tree-lined pool. The water looked so inviting, and she could understand the need to submerge your body given how hot the surrounding area was.

Lana turned and saw Malik at the entrance to the tent. He looked at her expectantly. Lana went across to the tent. Malik pulled away the heavy flap entrance. Lana ducked her head beneath Malik's arm and stepped inside the tent.
 

It was cool inside, and there was a faint odor of spices. Lana wondered how long it had been since anyone had been in the tent. Malik tied the opening, letting in a stream of light that barely managed to illuminate the interior. Malik stepped inside the tent and placed the bags down on the carpet that covered the floor.

"Let me get some light in this place," he said.

Lana saw him open one of his bags and take out two portable lamps. He flicked a switch, and the room was immediately lit with a soft glow. Lana gasped. She gazed around the interior, astounded at how beautiful it was. The red carpet covered the entire floor. The entire space was almost as large as her bedroom back in the palace. There were two sofas, upholstered in red, two small tables and piles of cushions strewn around the space. Exotic, ornamental lamps hung, unlit, from the wooden beams that supported the tent from within.
 

Comfort was the word which came to Lana's mind. She turned to Malik and saw that he was watching her. He looked like he was savoring her reaction to the interior of the tent.

"How come this place is so well kept. It's almost as if people live here full-time," Lana said.

"As I said. It's symbolic. It's a place of honor. We make sure it's well taken care of. The local tribes treat it as a sacred place. They honor it with care."

Lana nodded. This was the power of tradition, embodied in a simple tent. It was a testament to the respect the people of Qazhar had for their past.

A thought flashed through her mind, but she pushed it quickly away. Malik noticed her puzzlement. "What's wrong?" he asked quickly. He took a step toward her.

Lana shook her head. "Nothing."

"What is it?" he insisted.

Lana frowned. "You said we're going to be here for one night?"

"That's what tradition requires," he explained. Was that the flicker of amusement in his eyes?
 

Lana decided to come right out with it. "What are the sleeping arrangements?"

Malik nodded. Yes, there was more than a hint of pleasure in that gaze, she told herself. Malik turned and took a few steps toward a long hanging partition. He swept it away to reveal a bed, covered with exotic blankets. Piles of pillows were strewn over the surface of the bed.
 

"This is yours," Malik said.

"And you?"

Malik looked over at the sofa. "I'll take that," he explained.

Lana felt a curious sensation sweep through her. It wasn't quite relief, and it wasn't even disappointment. Perhaps it was a combination of both emotions she told herself. Why would she be disappointed by such an explanation? Surely it was comforting to know that she would be safe from Malik during the night?

Malik took the bags and started to unpack them. He placed Lana's bag in her sleeping area. "I'll be outside," Malik said. "Give you a chance to unpack. And then we can have some food."

"Food?" she asked.

Malik nodded. "I've got some in the car. Things that were prepared before we set out. Refrigeration is a great thing," he explained with a grin.

Lana smiled at Malik. "I thought you said this was all about tradition?"

Malik shrugged. "Sometimes you have to go with the present. Especially when it comes to fresh food," he added with a wide grin.

Then he turned and left Lana in the tent.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

After their meal, which Lana found delicious, she and Malik left the tent. The attraction of the oasis proved too irresistible, so they wandered across the flat sand until they stood by the side of the pool.