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Tariq returned to the tent to find Laurel asleep on the bed. He was both relieved and disappointed. She must be exhausted. They had had an early morning and it had been a long ride. Laurel had been amazing. For someone who had lived so closed off from the world she had not complained once. She never stopped astonishing him.
He had taken the time to freshen up in the stream instead of coming straight back to the tent in the hope the cold mountain water would settle his raging desire. Tariq looked at Laurel; unfortunately it had not worked.
A noise outside the tent entrance led him to look there. One of the village women held a tray of food in her hands. Tariq beckoned her in. She placed the tray on the low chest and left. Tariq debated whether or not to wake Laurel. Before he could make a decision, she rose.
“Tariq? Is that you?”
Laurel had changed her clothes. Now she wore a simple sundress with a flannel shirt over it, tied at her waist. He almost groaned out loud when he saw her hair down around her shoulders. It shined in the lamplight. He was in trouble.
“You may want to put on heavier clothes. It will get cool tonight.”
“I will. I’m starving now. Didn’t I see someone bring a tray in?”
“You did. Come, we should eat.” That was a safer subject than talking about her clothing.
“I’m ravenous.”
Tariq knew the feeling. He picked up a couple of large pillows. Placing one on the right side of the temporary table, he threw the other on the floor across from it. “Our meal awaits.”
Along with the food there was a bottle of wine.
Tariq reclined on his side on a pillow and she sat cross-legged on hers as they ate their meal of basic but substantial food.
“So what’re the plans for tomorrow?” Laurel bit into a date.
How like Laurel to have to have her days planned. “You don’t like surprises, do you?”
Laurel pursed her lips for a second then said, “If they are good ones.”
“I think I will save my good surprises for another occasion. We will start seeing patients in the morning. Some will come from neighboring villages as well. I do not anticipate any challenges. Most of the issues will require simple care. If someone needs to have their clothes removed or we think there is a sensitive issue then we will bring them inside the tent. I will need to see the men and you the women.”
For the same reason she was technically married to Tariq they would be seeing patients in the traditional way. If she were truly his wife, Laurel would make it a mission to change that thinking.
“The language barrier will cause some difficulty. I will do triage and let you know what the issue is. You can handle it from there.”
So now she was being relegated to being an assistant. Once again, she wished she knew some Arabic. “Is there no one who speaks some English here?”
Tariq’s eyes widened in surprise. “Why?”
“I would like to work beside you, not for you.” Who had she turned into? She hadn’t ever made a habit of being aggressive until now. Most of her life she’d spent trying to blend in, causing no trouble. The idea that she had only started the assertive phase of her life with Tariq and the Zentaran people made her shudder.
“I can ask. You are right. You have proved over and over you are qualified. You should act as my equal. It would be good for the people to see that.”
Heat flashed through her. He had captured her heart completely with that statement. She had never had higher praise from someone she admired more. Heaven help her, she was falling for Tariq. She looked away, hoping he wouldn’t see how she felt. She murmured, “Thank you.”
“You are welcome. I should have been the one to suggest it.” He popped a grape into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully.
Laurel glanced at him. Those dark eyes had become hooded. She wanted to know what he was thinking. Then again maybe she didn’t. What was she going to do? She had to get past this feeling. It had to go away. For days she’d been fighting against it. Maybe by the time they returned to Zentar City her funding would have come through. Sharing her research findings with Zentar would be part of the condition of her work. She would not leave the people, or the person, she’d grown to care about out of the equation.
They ate in silence for a few minutes. Tariq broke it with, “Tomorrow night the village will honor us with a dinner and celebration.”
That she didn’t need. Her fake marriage honored. It was difficult enough with how she felt about Tariq but to have it celebrated when he didn’t feel the same way was too much. “You know I don’t feel good about misleading the people.”
“We aren’t doing that because we are married.” He didn’t act concerned at all.
Laurel concentrated on her food. “You know that’s in name only as well as I do.”
“What is done is done. I will not insult them by refusing, and I will not let you either.” He rose. “It is late. I will clean up and set this tray outside so you can get ready for bed. I will stay on a pallet on the floor for the night.”
Laurel didn’t question him further. His tone told her clearly the discussion was closed.
A few minutes later Tariq took a deep breath and entered the tent again. This would be the longest night of his life. He was tired, but not enough to keep Laurel’s desirable body out of his mind. She had put him in his place about his plans for the next day. It seemed she had a talent for doing that. Few dared to try, and even fewer managed to do so. He needed more of that in his life. Someone who challenged him, made him look at ideas and situations differently. He liked Laurel too much. Slowly she had seeped into his world and started changing it. Could he ask her to stay forever? Make their marriage real? Did he want to?
No. He had promised himself a long time ago that he would not take a wife. Nothing had changed. He did not deserve happiness with his brothers’ families dealing with hemophilia every day of their lives. Even if he considered Laurel a wife in every sense of the word, he wanted no children. Could he ask her to forgo them? It was best they keep their relationship business and not cross the line.
Laurel was already in bed with her back to him when he returned. A pile of pillows was arranged on the floor into a bed, with two blankets nearby.
He smiled. When had someone who was not paid to last taken care of him? “Thank you, habibti.”
* * *
Tariq had no idea what time it was when he woke up to groaning and the chattering of teeth. What was going on? The lamp had burned low but he could make out Laurel curled into a ball beneath the covers.
Tariq shivered as he climbed out of bed. He reached for one of his blankets and placed it over Laurel.
“Tariq? I’m freezing.” Her teeth chattered. “Keep me warm.”
She didn’t have to ask him twice. Thankfully he had pulled on baggy pants to sleep in so she would not be shocked by his nudity in the morning. He grabbed the other blanket off his bed and threw it over her before he slipped under the covers and pulled her against him.
CHAPTER NINE
LAUREL’S COOL CHEEK rubbed against his chest and her arm circled his waist as she snuggled against him. “You’re so warm.”
Tariq had gone from chilled to hot faster than his car could change gear. Getting into bed with Laurel might have been one of the worst decisions of his life, but it was by far the most pleasant. His arms wrapped around her. She was so tiny compared to him. His fingers slid over slick material. What was she wearing? Hadn’t he told her to wear something warm?
She laid a leg over one of his, draping herself along him. How he was supposed to get thr
ough the rest of the night without having Laurel, he had no idea. She smelled of fresh air, clean water and desirable woman. Every part of him reached out to her. His manhood, large and needy, twitched with eagerness to find a home, yet Tariq lay there. He had promised. Laurel was the one who had to make the move.
A few minutes later her body stopped quaking.
“Mmm, you feel so good.” Her hand drifted over his chest. His breath caught. She paused to tease the hair in the middle. A finger moved up to trace his beard before she cupped his jaw. “You’re the finest-looking man I have ever seen.”
“Laurel? Do you know what you are doing?”
“Dreaming?” Her hand traveled across his shoulder.
Tariq chuckled softly. “Then I am as well.”
“You have dreamed of being like this with me?” Her breath floated across his skin, causing it to ripple.
“That I have, habibti.”
Her hand stopped moving. “What is that you keep calling me?”
His gaze met hers. “My darling...person of my heart.”
“I am your darling?” She sounded very doubtful.
“Almost from the moment I met you.”
“I’ve never been someone’s darling. I like it.” Her hand returned to his chest to draw circles. “Will you say it again?”
“Habibti.” Tariq pulled her tighter for a second then released her. “As much as I enjoy holding you, I hurt with the need to have you. I cannot remain here like this. I promised not to pressure you. So if you are warm now, I will go.” Being a gentleman might kill him. He would have to dress and spend the rest of the night outside.
“And if I ask you to stay?”
“I will—but know that I will also make you my wife in every sense of the word.”
* * *
Heat roared through Laurel at the urgent note in Tariq’s voice. His intent he’d made perfectly clear. He would hold nothing back if she invited him to stay. She couldn’t resist the idea of removing an ugly memory and replacing it with a beautiful one. With Tariq she was sure lovemaking would be perfect and precious. A pleasure she could treasure for a long time after she had left Zentar. She refused to continue to miss out on something wonderful out of fear.
