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“You knew I wanted to go home.”
“Yet you’re not following the women outside to climb into the helicopter with them.”
“You’d allow me to leave?”
“Is that what you want?” he asked softly, his eyes holding hers.
She looked away, her mind filled with her camera that was smashed beyond repair. Her heart shriveled and her chest tightened as the back of her eyes burned. “I don’t have a choice now. I’ll have to return home and find some waitressing work or similar for a few years so that I can save for another camera and travel the world to take photos again.”
The helicopter blades grew in volume once again as they twirled faster and faster. She didn’t need to step outside to know the bird was even now lifting into the air with the women inside it. Even if she wanted to it was too late to leave.
Hamid’s voice softened. “Or you could come home with me and I’ll buy you a new camera.”
She turned back to him. “Why would you do that?” She shook her head. “You said it yourself, you have women at home—“
She gaped. “Oh my god, you have a harem, don’t you? But of course you do, you’re a sheikh!”
He didn’t deny it. “I don’t care about those women. Not anymore. Once we’re home they, too, will get a nice payout and I’ll never have to see them again.”
She blinked. “Why?”
“Isn’t it obvious, little flame? I want to be with you.” He exhaled roughly. “When I saw that desert savage holding a blade to your throat and I thought I might never see you again, never get the chance to—”
“To what, Hamid?” she asked softly.
He exhaled heavily. “To hold you in my arms again.”
It was oddly deflating. But what had she expected? A marriage proposal? A declaration of love? She almost snorted. He was a sheikh. She was nobody. He might get rid of his pampered harem but the moment he got sick of Holly his harem would return or he’d create a new one. He’d probably even marry a sheikha one day soon and Holly would be cast off and never thought about again.
What do you care? It’s not as if you want to settle down anytime soon and be stuck in a relationship for the rest of your life.
Her independence was everything to her. That and a successful career, which would see her continue to do what she loved: taking photos of her travels. A pity her camera was now in pieces and her career on the rocks.
You could always accept Hamid’s suggestion.
The distant bleating of goats and bellow of camels grew louder as the brigands brought their thirsty animals to water. Holly sighed. The noise and commotion of the livestock would scare away any wildlife in the area.
She blinked at Hamid. “So…what would be expected of me if I agreed to be with you short term?”
His nostrils flared. “Who said anything about short term?”
“I need to travel to take photos. I can’t do that in your palace.”
“You’d be surprised how many photos you could take of my palace.” At her frown he added, “I’m a private person. Photos there have been banned up to this point.”
Adrenaline and excitement surged. “So you’re saying I’d have free rein to take pictures of anything and anyone I wanted?”
He nodded. “On one condition.”
“That being?”
“You stay with me for a month. After that if you want to leave, I won’t stop you.”
“That’s blackmail!”
“It’s logical. I believe we have something, little flame, and I want to explore it. You can walk away now, if that is what you want, or you can agree to my terms. It’s your choice.”
He put forward an amazing argument, one she couldn’t say no to. A new camera and unlimited photos inside his palace with all her living expenses paid for. Not to mention spending glorious, lust-filled nights with him.
