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Lauren followed his gaze and saw nothing but a dark grey landscape. About to ask what she was meant to be looking at, she swallowed her words when he raised a hand. The movement wasn’t the imperious gesture she’d been subjected to a few times since her arrival. It was a...gentler motion, an anticipatory one that urged patience.
She redirected her focus to the inky landscape.
Then gave a soft gasp when the thinnest slash of orange broke through the grey. As she watched, the line continued to stretch horizontally across the bottom of the sky, a living painting come to life right before their eyes.
All around them, the desert held its breath in awe of nature’s splendour.
Utterly mesmerised, Lauren barely saw Tahir lower his hand, but she didn’t need to look at him to know he was equally riveted, perhaps even more so because the ground on which he stood was in his blood, his connection to land and sky and sand absolute.
Slowly, the sliver became a streak, then a forceful kaleidoscope of colour until the yellow took control, the sun’s rays stretching fingers of benediction over the earth.
Sand dunes slowly took majestic form, undulating to life for countless miles as the new day burst into being.
‘My God,’ she breathed, humbled and alarmed in equal measure because Tahir had shared this with her.
Something moved within her, dangerously skimming far too close to vulnerable parts that needed to be kept barricaded.
He could’ve left her in the tent, and she would’ve been none the wiser.
Instead, he’d...
She turned to find him staring at her with an intensity that almost made her stumble back in shock.
Heat. Fury. Contemplation. Censure.Desire.
They all blazed in a furious mix, much like that kaleidoscope before the sun burst through just now. Lauren swallowed. She tried to tell herself it was the trick of the light, but the lie barely formed before it crumbled beneath the force of his stare.
Aware that some of those emotions might be reflected on her face, she averted her gaze. But like a sick compulsion, her eyes reconnected with his seconds later. ‘Thank you for showing it to me. It’s beautiful. But...why?’
For several heartbeats he didn’t speak. Then his regal head turned, his eyes piercing her with a gimlet stare. ‘Because it’s worth sharing with friendorfoe. The former because my kingdom is beautiful, and they’ll appreciate it. The latter because they’ll appreciate that my heart, my duty and my destiny is tied to this land, and I’ll do anything to defend it.’
She was still processing the weighty response when his teeth bared in a smile that was at once breathtakingly beautiful and nape-tingling in its warning.
‘Very soon you’ll need to decide which one you are, Lauren.’
Her snatched-in breath stayed locked in her throat as he strode away from her, a tall, magnificent figure who commanded attention and received it, every tribesman, woman and child pausing as he approached.
Many exchanged smiling greetings and received one in return, but his stride barely broke as he headed for his tent.
Once he’d disappeared and she could breathe again, Lauren returned her gaze to the sunrise, now a gorgeous landscape of yellow, gold, brown and blue.
Friend or foe.
She knew which one she wanted to be. But was beginning to fear that, whatever she did, Tahir would always regard her as an enemy.
That insight took some getting used to, keeping her on the hill several minutes more until the reminder that she had a task to perform regardless of her own personal feelings sent her back down to the camp.
She entered Tahir’s tent and drew to a stop. Attendants were packing his belongings, some monogrammed cases already stacked beside the entrance.
‘You’re leaving? I... We had an agreement!’ As much as she wanted to attribute the hollow sensation inside her to Matt’s predicament, she knew it was for her. She wasn’t ready to be done with him. Wasn’t ready to leave Tahir. The truth shook through her as his lips twisted in a sardonic smile.
‘How quickly you doubt me.’
She frowned. ‘Doubt you? Your things are being packed. I...if I’m wrong and you’re not leaving, then tell me what’s happening.’
His eyes glinted at her firm insistence. Lauren caught the attendants’ shocked looks at her addressing their Sheikh with such bolshiness but she didn’t cower or apologise. Theydidhave an agreement.
‘Zinabir was only meant to be a pit stop. It’s customary for me to spend one night with my people here before I move on.’
