The Sheikh's Forbidden Bride (Qazhar Sheikhs series Book 1) (11 page)

She'd had no idea just how much she had missed his touch, his sweet attentions.
 

There was a sudden roaring and the walls shook around them, a massive gust of wind blowing open the entrance to the tent. Dust started to bellow into the room. Chloe felt Zayed's lips suddenly part from hers. She saw him turn his head, gazing back at the entrance. She saw a feral expression of impatience and irritation on his face. He glanced at her, his shoulders sagged, and he breathed out a great exasperated sigh.

Zayed lifted himself up on his elbows and rolled off to one side. He stood quickly, tugging his robe tight and tying the belt. Chloe felt the loss of his presence like a physical parting as she watched Zayed race across to the entrance of the tent. His hands were raised to protect his face against the cloud of sand swirling around him.

In a moment, he had the flap secured and Chloe watched the dust settle upon the carpeted floor.

Zayed came back to the bed and stood over her. He was breathing heavily and she knew it wasn't only to do with the exertions of securing the tent entrance against the storm. There was another storm raging inside Zayed, one that she knew he could barely contain. Chloe knew that Zayed had stirred a fire within her. She could feel the diminishing embers inside herself as she lay back on the bed looking up at Zayed.
 

There was still a ravenous hunger written on his face and for a moment she feared she wouldn't be able to extinguish that insatiable desire. Was now the right time for them to come together once again? A sharp stab of doubt cut through her, and she saw a similar flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.

His breathing was harsh and fast, but beginning to slow. Chloe realized the moment had passed, and now all that was left was an awkwardness that needed to be purged.

"For how long is that storm going to continue?" she asked.

Zayed glanced back at the entrance. "I think it's already beginning to die down," he said.
 

Chloe drew up the blanket to cover herself. Zayed watched her and she saw the disappointment cloud his features.

"I can stay longer, if you wish," he offered.

Chloe shook her head quickly, almost too quickly she realized. "No. I'll be fine. If you say the storm is dying down, then I'll take your word for it."

Which storm was she talking about? Zayed seemed to be thinking the same thing because he turned quickly. "I guess you're right. I just wanted to check you were okay." Zayed looked down at her in the bed and she suddenly felt very vulnerable. His gaze burned beneath hooded brows, fierce and feral, but contained by some inconceivable inner strength. "I think you're okay now. Isn't that right, Chloe?"

She merely nodded, the words of any response catching in her inexplicably tight throat.

"I'll be going, then," Zayed said turning.

As he started toward the entrance, Chloe felt a tumbling in her stomach, a desperate and sudden impulse to call him back, but she contained it at the last moment.

Nevertheless, she called out to him, watching his hand reaching for the entrance flap. "Zayed?"

He turned quickly, an expectant look on his face. "Yes, Chloe?"

"Thank you for coming to check I was okay."

Zayed nodded. "Sleep well."

And with a sweep of his hand he thrust open the entrance and stepped out into the swirling, windy sandstorm. The entrance was closed behind him and all that Chloe could do was collapse back down onto the bed and let out a frustrated groan which was thankfully drowned out by one more roar of the stormy wind blasting in from the desert.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

He'd made a fool of himself, Zayed thought as he finally dragged himself out bed after failing to sleep for even one minute after leaving Chloe in her tent.

Zayed stepped out of the tent into the cool morning of early dawn. The sun was just beginning to rise over beyond the dunes. He stretched and was briefly thankful that no-one was around. He needed time to think, make sense of what he had done only a few hours before.

And just what had that been, he asked himself?
 

He had just gone and made a complete fool of himself. It seemed that no matter what he did, he just wasn't able to reconnect with Chloe or convince her that she was his, that she belonged to this kingdom, by his side. Things had become messy all too quickly last night.

He tried to tell himself that he had only gone to Chloe in response to her cries of distress. He tried to convince himself that he had been thinking of her well-being. But, he knew the truth. He had been selfish, thinking only of his own desires, his own desperate needs.
 

How could he be surprised that Chloe had rejected him? It was only right that she had done so, since he had taken advantage of her in a way that was beneath him. It had also been disrespectful to Chloe, and that was the worst thing of all.

Zayed strode over toward the oasis. The water looked cool and inviting. He glanced around to make sure no-one was watching, and slid off his robe and pants.
 

Grunting loudly he threw himself into the water headfirst. He'd been in this pool many times before and knew that the depths were safe for such a dive.

His entire being was shocked into welcome, razor-sharp awareness by the cold shock of the water. His senses were shaken as he rose from the depths and thrust his head out of the water. Throwing himself backward, he relished the biting cold, the return to reality the water provided. He gazed up at the trees that surrounded the oasis.
 

The blue sky promised another glorious day and he couldn't help but wonder if the day was going to be spent with Chloe. Or, would she demand they return to the palace, declaring that their business was finished, that there was no hope of them ever being together?

As he stretched back, floating on the surface, Zayed was aware that he was completely naked. But, he didn't care.
 

Not anymore.

There was hardly any point in maintaining propriety. Not out here, in the only place where he felt any connection with his past, with who he really was.

The sound of the water as he splashed his hands out by his sides seemed incongruous amongst the silence of the encampment. It felt good to be back in his natural element.

Suddenly, he heard a very familiar voice. "Enjoying yourself?"

Chloe!

Zayed froze in the water and lowered his hips so that only his head and shoulders bobbed out of the water. He looked over and saw Chloe standing there, looking radiant in the early morning light, leaning nonchalantly against a tree. She was dressed in the same robe she had worn in bed. She was smiling and holding Zayed's robe and pants in her hands.

"You're up?" Zayed asked.

"I haven't slept since you paid me a visit." Chloe glanced up at the blue sky. "I see you were right about the storm blowing itself out."

Zayed stretched down to his full length and felt his feet touch the sandy floor of the pool. "You have me at a disadvantage," he said.

Chloe frowned and then looked at the garments she was holding. Her eyes lit up with pretend understanding. "Oh, you mean these?"

Zayed was surprised by Chloe's good humor. He'd obviously misjudged the effect of the previous night's events on her mood. He knew she was teasing him, but the thought occurred to him that he had an even bigger problem. How was he going to get out of the water while she was watching, and retain his dignity in the process?

Chloe tossed the pants down onto the sand and held open the gown. "I could avert my eyes, if you like. While you get out of the water. Or I could come in and join you."

Zayed felt a surge of panic. The idea of the other men waking up and finding Chloe and Zayed swimming naked together in the oasis filled him with a strange combination of delight and dread.

"If you turn your head, I'll get out," Zayed said.

Chloe looked straight at Zayed and shook her head. There was a broad smile on her face as she replied. "I like the view fine from where I am," she said.

"You mean you're not going to look away?" Zayed asked.

Chloe frowned at Zayed. "You're not a little boy anymore, Zayed," she joked. "I noticed that much last night."

Zayed was sure his face was turning red as he floated in the cool water. Finally, he admitted defeat. "Okay. I'm coming out," he said starting to make his way to the waters edge.

Chloe folded her arms and stared at Zayed. She wasn't going to turn her head. She was determined to watch him as he stepped out of the pool. Her gaze was fixed on him, a defiant pleasure visible in her expression.

Zayed gritted his teeth and drew in a deep breath. He raised his chin, matching her defiant gaze. Gritting his teeth he strode forward, feeling the water slide down his naked body, the cool morning air caressing his bare skin.
 

Zayed saw Chloe's eyes widen imperceptibly. Just for a moment. He felt a brief, triumphant surge of emotion.
 

He raised a leg and planted his foot on the warm sand, drawing himself up to his full height. He dug his other foot into the sand and paused for a second. Zayed gazed into Chloe's eyes, seeing the flickering of emotion in them. Her eyes shifted in one swift movement, glancing down along the length of his muscled, tall frame.
 

Zayed resisted the urge to smile when he saw Chloe try, and fail, to swallow. Her face had colored visibly, a red tint that matched the glow of the rising sun on the sandy horizon in the far East.

Zayed extended a hand. "May I?"

Chloe did not immediately respond, apparently frozen, surprised at the sight of Zayed's naked body standing proud and regal before her.

Chloe's mouth opened slightly, her lips as moist as he remembered they had been hours before when his body had engulfed hers on the bed. Zayed was seized with the desire to take one more step toward Chloe and take possession of her lips, claim her with a punishing kiss. But, he held firm, standing in place, gazing at the stunning beauty who still had the power to melt his heart.

Once again, Zayed reached out a hand, raising an inquiring brow, saying nothing this time.

Chloe suddenly snapped out of her reverie, shaking her head and frowning. She held out the robe. Zayed took it from her and shrugged himself into the cooling fabric. He tied the belt and glanced at Chloe. She stepped away from the tree and gazed back at the camp, as if checking that no-one had witnessed what had just happened.

Zayed could see that she seemed to be trying to compose herself. Had she just betrayed something about how she felt about him? Had this brief moment revealed more than Chloe would have liked about the depths of her feelings for Zayed?
 

Chloe's shoulders tightened and she turned back to Zayed. "I assume we're not staying any longer in this camp?"

Zayed moved closer toward Chloe, noticing that she did nothing to move away from him. "You assume right. We'll be leaving after we've eaten some breakfast."

Chloe brows furrowed.

Zayed looked at her, puzzled. "Do you want to leave sooner?"

Chloe shook her head and glanced at the distant tents. "Raz isn't up, yet," she said. "I guess we'll have to wait for him."

Zayed sighed. "Raz isn't coming with us," he stated firmly.

Chloe peered at Zayed, surprise in her eyes. "Not coming? I thought he was accompanying us to the caves."

Zayed shook his head. "Raz has to wait here. One of our men is coming to the encampment from a nearby work-site. There's a problem with one of the oil wells. Raz is the only one who can sort it out. We'll be going on ahead without him."

Chloe's mouth pursed. "Really? That's quite convenient, isn't it?"

"Convenient for whom?" Zayed asked.

"For you, Zayed. You've been trying to get me on my own since I arrived in this kingdom," Chloe said. A wry grin creased the corner of her beautiful mouth. Zayed liked it when Chloe showed her spirited side.

"Of course I have," he admitted. He took another step closer to Chloe. "I've told you that I intend to show you just how much you still mean to me. Why would I throw away any opportunity to be alone with you?"

"Did it ever occur to you that I might not want to be alone with you?" Chloe demanded.

Zayed frowned and shook his head. He grunted in disbelief. "Obviously I haven't convinced you. Yet," he said.

Zayed saw Chloe dig her bare feet into the soft sand. Her eyes lit up with barely disguised fury. "I don't want to be convinced, Zayed."

He drew in a calming breath and moved until he stood inches in front of her. Zayed could smell the fragrance of her body. He felt his nostrils flare in response.

"That's not what it felt like last night," he teased with a smile.

Chloe leaned away from him. "That was a mistake," she said. "I was tired. Confused."

"Really? It didn't seem that way to me when I kissed you."

"I prefer you don't talk like that, Zayed."

He liked the sound of his name on her lips, especially when her voice shook with emotion.

Zayed glanced down at the sand and composed himself. "If you prefer that we return to the palace, we can do so. I'm sure my father will be relieved that we've returned earlier than anticipated."

Zayed saw Chloe quickly weigh up that thought. He knew it would be a partial victory for his father, particularly since he so obviously disapproved of Chloe. Although, Zayed couldn't understand why his father could not see what an incredible woman Chloe was.

After a moment Chloe sighed. "Okay. I promised Andrew I would see the caves. I don't want to disappoint him. How far are they from here?"

"A short horse ride," Zayed said.

"Horse ride!" Chloe exclaimed.

Zayed laughed softly. "I thought you already knew how to ride a horse. Don't all Americans know how to ride?" he joked.

Chloe's eyes rolled upwards. "We don't all live in the Wild West, Zayed."

"But, you told me you had learned to ride when you were younger."

"Riding in the desert is a whole different ballgame from riding ponies in the park, Zayed."