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She smiled at him. "That sounds about right, I think," she agreed.
Gemma sipped the drink and almost coughed as the liquid caught at the back of her throat. Ahmed had been right. It did taste of fruit, with a delicate fragrance.
He laughed a little. "Strong?"
Gemma nodded, her eyes wide with surprise. "Yeah."
He sipped his own and smacked his lips appreciatively. "Lovely."
She glanced at all the food. "Don't you think there's too much just for two?"
He shrugged. "I thought more might be better than taking the chance of leaving us hungry for more," he explained.
Their eyes met and they exchanged a look for a moment. Was he talking about food? Or something else, she asked herself. What was he expecting this to lead to?
They chatted a while as Ahmed attended to the food. They watched the sun begin to sink toward the horizon.
It had been a long, slow and very lazy day, she reflected. One of the calmest days she'd had in a long time. But she was glad she'd had the chance to to come here. Her mind was clearer than it had been back in the city.
Thoughts of leaving before nightfall had faded into the background, now. All she could really think of was the food and Ahmed's delightful conversation. His perfect company would have been a better way to describe it, she told herself.
She could imagine he'd be a skilled host back in Qazhar city. He seemed able to manage the conversation with ease, making her feel comfortable. He teased her with little jokes and, from time to time, offered casual compliments which of course she just as casually dismissed.
For a short while, they stood together on top of one of the nearest dunes and savored the sight of the sun beginning to set. It would be night soon.
And then?
She didn't know the answer to that. It would be better not to dwell on that, she told herself.
Then, finally the food was ready and they sat down to eat. She sat right alongside him on her own large cushion. He was so close to her, mere inches in fact, she could almost feel the heat of his body.
But she didn't even try to increase the distance between them. It seemed somehow right that they should sit so close. They'd been through enough together that anything more formal, more polite just wouldn't have made sense.
He served her the food on the simple, undecorated plates. For a while they ate in silence. The food was as delicious as he'd promised it would be. The meat was tender, the vegetables crisp and there was some soft bread which melted in her mouth.
After that there was fruit and more of the sweet drink. She was mindful not to drink too much of it, instead draining a few glasses of cool water which was set on the table in a large, glass carafe.
Once she'd finished eating, she felt completely full. "That was wonderful," she told Ahmed. "My compliments to the chef," she joked.
He looked pleased with that comment. "It wasn't just me. You'll have to thank the folks in the village when you get back."
The subject of her leaving created a heavy, long silence between them. She sipped some water and thought how she would address that subject.
"About that, Ahmed," she started to say, but he interrupted her.
"Let's not talk about that," he said. He shifted a little, and now there was hardly any distance between them. In fact, she felt his hip touch hers. That wasn't any accident, she told herself. But, her reaction was exactly as it had been before. Somehow it felt right for him do that.
Gemma glanced at him. He gazed at her for a long moment. There was a question in that gaze, and she asked herself what it could be.
Was he about to shift even closer? Perhaps steal a kiss? Maybe she'd drank too much of the liqueur.
Some part of her wrenched her attention away from his dark, hungry gaze. She glanced at the table. "You want a hand cleaning all this up?"
It sounded like a distraction, and she knew it. His brows furrowed. He breathed in deeply and then sighed. "Sure," he replied curtly.
She stood up quickly, feeling suddenly awkward. She'd seen the disappointment in his eyes there. It hadn't been obvious, but she guessed she was beginning to read him better.
He stood and they both surveyed the table. "I'll take this stuff away," he said. There was definite unease in his voice, she reflected.
