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She was taking a wide shot of both tents when suddenly Ahmed appeared in the frame of the photo, emerging from his own tent. Immediately, he stared at Gemma. There was a visible surprise written all over his features. Then surprise turned to the beginnings of indignation.
She quickly lowered the phone, but it was too late.
"What are you doing?" he asked sharply.
"I thought I'd take a few snaps," she explained. "For when I go back."
"Why?" he asked coming toward her. She could see the sudden tension in his shoulders. His brows were deeply furrowed. His footsteps were heavy in the soft sand. He did not look at all happy, and she searched her mind quickly for something she could say.
"I figured they'd be useful," was the best she could come up with.
He halted a few feet away from her and faced her directly. "Useful for who?" he snapped. His voice was emphatic and clearly filled with indignation. But it was worse than that, she told herself.
Ahmed was beginning to sound positively angry. Had this touched a raw nerve?
"I didn't think you'd mind," she offered tentatively.
"Really?"
She nodded. "I can delete them if you like."
"That isn't the point," he replied.
She peered at him. "What am I missing here?" she asked.
He sighed heavily. "I thought you understood what this place is."
She shrugged and smiled, trying to lighten the mood, but she saw it had no effect. In fact, it seemed to have had the opposite effect. Now he looked even more seriously at her.
"I know. It's your private space," she said. "And I'm sorry if I intruded on it by taking pictures."
She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to judge whether he was being serious. He was, she concluded.
"Okay," she drawled. "If it's what you want, I'll delete them. If it'll make you happy."
He said nothing, merely nodding.
"Here goes," she replied, peering at the phone's screen. She pressed a few times and then looked up at him.
She held the phone out to him so that he could see the screen. "There. Gone," she explained. "Happy?"
He glanced at the screen and then back at her. She saw his brows furrow even deeper and he shook his head. "No."
Ahmed turned away from her and paced for a few moments. He came back to her and stood right in front of her. "Why would you do something like that? I thought we trusted each other," he said.
She frowned at him. "What are you talking about? Of course I trust you. Didn't I come all the way out here, even though I hardly know you?"
"That isn't the same thing."
She shook her head. "I think it is. I took a risk coming here."
He seemed surprised at that choice of words. His brows lifted. "A risk? What are you talking about? You're not in any kind of danger here."
"It isn't about feeling unsafe," she explained.
"Then what is it about?"
Gemma looked away from him and crossed her arms. She couldn't dare give him even a hint of the attraction she was feeling toward him.
