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He’d pushed his luck too many times while roaming out in the desert. The sap of the Aloe had been the only thing to bring him any relief. Stalking to the plant, he broke off a leaf and returned to Holly. “Stay still,” he commanded, squeezing out some sap then gently massaging it into her skin, paying particular attention to her forehead.
His throat thickened along with other parts of his anatomy. She had such soft skin, and even sunburned she was pale as a lily. He should have covered her up more and given her fluids. But he’d become too grudgingly used to women looking after his every need, not the other way around.
“That is so soothing,” she said softly. “Thank you.”
“You have very fair skin, I’d hate to see it blistered.” He smeared a double dose of sap on her face. Not even the material of her bandana had fully kept the sun out. “You will probably peel a little, but this will help to hydrate your skin and heal it faster.”
She blinked up at him. “I’m beginning to think you’re not the savage I first imagined.”
“Compliments now? Dare I believe it?”
She smiled. “Just don’t go getting too used to it.”
Something within melted a little and he dropped the thick, spiky wedge of Aloe to cup her face in his hands. She didn’t resist when he leaned down and kissed her soft, full lips. Instead she moaned a little in response, her passion surging while his became a wild animal wrenching against the tight leash he’d kept on it from the moment he’d seen her like some fearless, red-haired warrior on the roof of her car.
That the sparks of electricity shooting through him made him feel more alive and self-aware than he’d ever felt before caused him to stumble back in shock. What was going on? He’d never experienced this level of need in his life. That he was primed and ready to take her like some desert beast wasn’t going to do him any favors.
Her shining eyes dulled a little. “What’s the matter? Did I do something wrong?”
He resisted snorting. “You did everything right. But I don’t want—“
“You don’t want me?” she interjected.
No. I don’t want to take advantage of you like some raging beast.
But maybe she didn’t need to know that. Maybe she didn’t need to learn that he was already a little bit invested in her, and that he’d never been so thoroughly intrigued by a woman like her before in his life.
He schooled his mouth into a smile and took another step back. “Get some sleep. You must be exhausted.”
Chapter Four
Holly watched as Hamid spun on his heel and left the large tent as though his feet were on fire. Her stomach cramped with hurt and her eyes burned with unshed tears.
How dare he treat her like a sex object one moment and nothing the next! She’d seen that same pattern—though admittedly far worse—in her dad’s treatment of her mom. One minute he’d been conciliatory and begging for her forgiveness, telling her that he loved her and was deeply sorry for hurting her. The next he’d used her as a punching bag while calling her the most despicable names imaginable.
In the end it’d been cancer that had taken her, but Holly didn’t doubt for one second it had been stress and fear that had germinated the cancer inside her. Three months later her dad had died from a heart attack, though Holly liked to believe it had been guilt and sorrow that had killed him.
It left her nauseated inside that she was attracted to Hamid. She’d read enough books to know she had to break the chains to her past. Clearly being independent, wearing bright clothes and leaving her hair its natural red wasn’t enough.
Ugh.She needed to get out of here and back to civilization. That she’d left her cellphone in her car along with her purse and water had to be as stupid as driving into the desert alone. But then she hadn’t been left with a lot of choice. They wouldn’t have kept her alive in the desert.
She rubbed her brow, grimacing at the sting thanks to what had to be some serious sunburn. She’d also left a nice, wide-brimmed straw hat on the backseat of her car.
She looked around. Though the loosely woven material of the tent appeared to be made from traditional goat and sheep hair, the interior was surprisingly spacious and luxurious, with a thick sleeping mat on the floor and lovely big cushions piled high.
She curled her lip. No doubt he and his men had stolen the goods from some poor, unsuspecting trader. There were still nomad caravans in the desert who traveled the sands on camels and traded their wares.
She headed past a bamboo divider to find a bathroom of sorts. It was surprisingly neat and organized, with a chest of drawers storing everything from clothes and toiletries, and a mirror on top reflecting back her ghastly image.
She touched her tomato-red forehead that was almost as bright as her scraggly hair. Thank god Hamid and instructed her to cover most of her face. But she couldn’t do anything about the rest of her sunburn, what was done was done. She looked longingly at the hip bath. Though what she’d give to wash the sand and sweat off her body, and shampoo and condition her hair.
Or better yet, go back to her hotel room with its leaky cold shower, which had a least kept her clean. And the lumpy, overstuffed bed that had kept her off the floor and away from scorpions, snakes and all other manner of creepy crawlies.
She paced inside the tent. How did she keep getting into these shitty predicaments? Yes, she’d been travelling alone from one city to another, but it’d been sheer bad luck that had seen her car breakdown about halfway between the two and becoming completely isolated with very little chance of anyone stumbling across her car to alert the authorities.
She crossed her arms. Even if someone did find her car they’d only need to look at the few selfies on her phone along with the picture on her license to know she was a silly foreign woman just asking for trouble out in the desert alone.
This time her luck might well and truly have ran out.
