One More Night with Her Desert Prince...

She jumped when from the window came the sound of Khalid’s voice repeating her comment. His voice sounded so warm that she shivered before she realised what she was doing and stopped herself. The warmth of his tone wasn’t a measure of his regard for her but for Isra, she reminded herself.

She applied herself to the task, refusing to allow her thoughts to wander as she pressed gently on the top of the uterus to help ease the baby out. Isra’s labour pains were extremely strong now and Sam decided that she needed to stop the girl pushing.

‘I want you to take small breaths, like this,’ she told her, panting so Isra would understand what she wanted her to do.

Khalid repeated her instructions, although Sam noticed that he didn’t do the panting and smiled. Maybe it was expecting too much to hope he would mimic her. After all, he was a prince as well as a doctor! The thought made her chuckle and Jess looked at her quizzically.

‘OK, give. What’s tickled your funny bone?’

Sam knew that she should keep her thoughts to herself but she couldn’t resist telling Jess. ‘I was just wondering why our interpreter didn’t repeat all my instructions,’ she explained, raising her voice so that there’d be no chance of Khalid not hearing her. ‘He missed out the panting.’

Jess giggled. ‘Maybe not the done thing for a prince.’

‘Like those mums who opt for a section because they’re too posh to push?’ Sam grinned. ‘You could be right. He’s just too posh to pant!’

Khalid felt a rush of heat flow through him when he heard the amusement in Sam’s voice. He couldn’t believe how good it felt to know that he was the reason why she was laughing. She’d been so distant towards him since they’d met again, so reserved, so cold, and he hated it.

Sam possessed a natural warmth that had drawn him to her from the moment they had met. Although he was used to women fawning over him because of his position, Sam had never treated him as someone special. Her response to him had been wholly natural and he had loved that, loved seeing her eyes light up when he had walked into a room, loved hearing her voice soften, loved knowing that she had wanted to be with him for who he was. He might be a prince, he might be rich, he might be many things, but he had never felt more like himself than when he had been with her. He had never needed to pretend with Sam. Not until that last night.

The thought filled him with pain and he sucked in his breath, afraid that she would hear an echo of it when he spoke. He could hear her talking to Isra, her voice so calm and reassuring that he knew it would soothe the young mother’s fears even if the girl couldn’t understand the actual words. He applied himself diligently to the task of translating, doing his best to mimic Sam’s tone. He didn’t want to let her down; he wanted to support her in any way he could. When the reedy sound of a baby’s cry drifted out to him, his face broke into a smile.

‘Is it all right?’ he called through the screen.

‘Fine. A little battered, as is mum, but he’s in fine fettle,’ Sam called back, and he could hear the elation in her voice. That she was thrilled by the birth of this child was clear and it touched him that she should care so much.

‘It’s a boy, then?’ he said levelly, doing his best to control his emotions. He had to stop letting himself get carried away, had to remember that he had no rights where Sam was concerned. How she did or didn’t feel wasn’t his concern.

‘Yes. Jess is just weighing him …’ She broke off and then continued. ‘He’s almost three kilos so he’s not a bad weight either.’

‘That’s excellent,’ Khalid agreed. ‘I’ll go and inform the father if you don’t need me anymore.’

‘No, we’re fine.’ She paused then said quickly, ‘Thank you, Khalid. We couldn’t have managed nearly as well if you hadn’t translated for us.’

‘It was my pleasure,’ he said softly, unable to keep the emotion out of his voice. Maybe it was foolish but it felt good to know that he had redeemed himself a little in her eyes.

He made his way to Isra’s parents’ house. Her husband, Wasim, had gone there to wait for news. He was delighted if a little overwhelmed when Khalid announced that he had a son. Having a royal prince inform him of his baby’s birth obviously wasn’t something he was prepared for. Khalid brushed aside the younger man’s thanks and left. This was a time for family celebrations and they didn’t need him there. As he made his way back to the palace, he found himself wondering if he would ever be in Wasim’s position, celebrating the birth of his own child. It was what was expected of him as a royal prince and second in line to the throne. Even his father had started dropping hints that it was time he thought about settling down and starting a family, yet he had great difficulty imagining it happening. Although he had known many women—and known them in every sense of the word too—Sam was the only woman he had wanted to spend his life with.

His heart was heavy as he made his way to his suite. He had a feeling that if he did marry, whoever he chose would only ever be second best. How could it be fair to enter into marriage on that basis?

It was shortly before dawn by the time Sam left Isra’s house. Jess had already left but she had stayed behind to make sure that there were no unforeseen complications. Thankfully, the baby seemed none the worse for his traumatic arrival and had taken his first feed. Isra seemed much happier as well and was being looked after by her mother and various female relatives. There was no reason for Sam to stay any longer so she smilingly accepted the family’s thanks then made her way through the grounds, following the path that Khalid had taken the night before.

Everywhere looked very different now, the first pearly grey fingers of light lending a dreamlike quality to the scene. The palace’s towers seemed to float in mid-air, shimmering above the hazy outline of the palm trees. When a horseman suddenly came into view, he seemed as insubstantial as everything else. It was only when he drew closer that Sam recognised Khalid beneath the flowing folds of the burnoose and realised it wasn’t her imagination playing tricks after all.

‘Have you only just finished?’ he asked in surprise, tossing back the hood of his cloak as he reined the horse to a halt.

‘Yes.’ Sam stroked the horse’s velvety muzzle, keeping her gaze on the animal rather than allowing it to linger on Khalid. Her heart gave a little jolt as the horse shifted impatiently, bringing Khalid squarely into her line of sight. He looked so different dressed in the flowing robes, a world removed from the urbane and sophisticated man she knew, that it was an effort to respond naturally. ‘I wanted to stay until I was sure Isra and the baby were all right.’

Khalid frowned. ‘I appreciate that but you must be exhausted.’

‘I’m fine. I’m used to late nights … and early mornings,’ she added wryly. ‘Babies seem to prefer to keep unsocial hours.’

He laughed, patting the horse’s neck when it began to paw the ground. ‘It makes me glad that I opted for surgery. At least there is usually some structure to my working day.’

‘It doesn’t bother me,’ Sam told him truthfully. ‘I’ve developed the knack of snatching an hour’s sleep whenever I can.’

‘That must help, but you were already tired after the journey. Are you going to try and get some sleep now?’

‘I doubt I’ll manage it. I’m far too keyed up,’ she admitted, then wished she hadn’t said anything when she saw his eyes narrow. She hurried on, not wanting him to read too much into the comment. ‘It’s being here in a strange place, I expect.’

‘Probably,’ he agreed, but she heard the scepticism in his voice and went hot all over.

Did Khalid think that he was the reason why she felt so on edge? she wondered anxiously. And was he right? Was it less the unfamiliarity of her surroundings that had left her feeling so unsettled and more the fact that she was with him? She sensed it was true and it was hard not to show how disturbing she found the idea. She didn’t want to feel anything for him but it appeared she had no choice.

‘If you aren’t going straight to bed, why don’t you come with me?’

‘Pardon?’ Sam looked up in surprise and he shrugged.

‘If you can’t sleep then come and watch the sun rise over the desert. It’s a sight worth seeing, believe me.’

‘Oh, but I couldn’t possibly …’

‘Why not?’ He stared arrogantly down at her and she could see the challenge in his eyes. ‘What’s to stop you, Sam? Unless you’re afraid, of course?’

‘Afraid? Of you?’ Sam shook her head, refusing to admit that he was right. She was afraid—afraid of being with him, afraid of getting too close to him; afraid of becoming attracted to him all over again.

‘In that case, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t come, is there?’ He bent down and offered her his hand. ‘Come.’

Sam took a deep breath as she placed her hand in his. She knew she was making a mistake but how could she refuse? Did she really want him to know that he still had a hold over her? Of course not.

Placing her foot in the stirrup as he instructed, she let him help her onto the horse. He settled her in front of him, putting his arm around her waist when the horse began to prance. ‘Shh, Omar. There is nothing to fear.’

Drawing her back against him, he wrapped a fold of the burnoose around her, shaking his head when she opened her mouth to protest. ‘It’s still very cold. You’ll be glad of the extra layer once we’re out in the desert.’

Sam bit her lip as he turned the horse around. If she made a fuss then it would appear that she was overreacting and that was the last thing she wanted, for Khalid to suspect that his nearness troubled her. She forced herself to relax as they rode towards the gates. The guard saw them approaching and opened them, then they were outside, the lush green vegetation closing in around them. Khalid kept the horse to a walk as they made their way along the path and then all of a sudden they came to the perimeter of the oasis and before them lay the desert, shimmering like pewter in the pre-dawn light.

‘All right?’ Khalid asked, his voice rumbling softly in her ear.

Sam nodded mutely. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t seem to find her voice even. Between the raw beauty of the desert landscape and Khalid’s nearness, she was awash with sensations and could barely deal with them. When he urged the horse into a canter, she clung to the pommel of the saddle. The wind rushed past, ruffling her hair and bringing with it the strangely elusive scent of the desert, yet all she could smell was Khalid’s skin, a scent she would have recognised anywhere.

Closing her eyes, she gave herself up to the moment, uncaring if she was making a mistake. Maybe it was madness but being with him was what she wanted.

Desperately.

CHAPTER FOUR

KHALID SLOWED THE horse to a walk as they neared an outcrop of rock rising out of the desert floor. He always came to this place whenever he wanted to watch the sun rise. His parents had brought him here as soon as he had been old enough to sit astride a horse and he valued the connection it gave him to his childhood. Life had been so perfect before his parents had divorced.

Sadness filled him as he reined Omar to a halt. He’d been thirteen when his mother had left Azad and although now he understood her reasons for leaving, it had affected him deeply. She had returned to England afterwards while his father had remained in Azad, so Khalid had travelled between both countries, spending time with each of them. His older brother, Shahzad, the son of his father’s first wife who had died in childbirth, had tried to make it easier for him, but the constant to-ing and fro-ing had been unsettling. In the end, Khalid had realised that he had to make a choice and had chosen to live in England.

He had won a place at Cambridge to study medicine and had thrown all his energy into making a success of his studies. Whilst he didn’t regret the path he had chosen, there were times—like now—when he found himself wondering if he had made the wrong decision. If he had opted to live in Azad then he would never have met Sam and his life would be far less complicated now.

Khalid drove the thought from his mind as he dismounted. Having Sam here could only affect him if he allowed it to do so. Reaching up, he offered her his hand, determined that he wasn’t going to let her know how ambivalent he felt. Sam had agreed to come on this mission for one reason and one reason alone: to help the desert women. If she could handle the situation then so could he.

‘Take my hand,’ he instructed, then sucked in his breath when she did as he’d asked. Her hand felt so small compared to his that he was struck by an unexpected rush of tenderness. He wanted to hold on to her hand, to hold on to her, he realised in dismay. And it was the last thought he should have been harbouring.

He quickly released her as she slid safely down to the ground. There were bound to be glitches, he told himself as he tethered Omar to a rock. Moments when his mind and his body were in conflict, but he would deal with them. He simply had to remember that being with Sam wasn’t an option any more now than it had been six years ago. He had no intention of going down the same route his parents had taken, certainly didn’t intend to put any children he might have through the kind of heartache he had suffered. If he kept that at the forefront of his mind, it shouldn’t be a problem.

‘Come. There’s a path along here. It’s not too steep and you shouldn’t have any difficulty climbing it.’ He gave her a cool smile, the sort of smile he utilised on a daily basis. Nobody looking at him would suspect that he felt far from cool inside. ‘The view from the top is worth it, believe me.’

‘I hope so.’

There was an edge to her voice that made him wonder if she had guessed he had mixed feelings about bringing her here. However, as it was too late to reconsider his invitation, he would have to make the best of it. He led the way, slowing his pace so she could keep up. They reached the top and stopped. Below them lay the desert, red-gold along the horizon where the sun’s rays touched it, dark and mysterious closer to where they were standing. It was a sight he had seen many times before and it never failed to move him. However, it seemed to affect him even more that day, with Sam standing there beside him.

Khalid took a deep breath, trying to calm the panic that was twisting his guts as he watched the sun sail majestically over the horizon. A new day had begun and he, a man who was used to controlling his own destiny, had no idea what it would bring.

‘It’s amazing—’

Sam broke off, unable to put into words how the sight affected her. Wrapping her arms around herself, she shivered though not from cold. Although the temperature was still low, this shiver stemmed from the mixture of emotions she was experiencing. Sadness at what had happened in the past was mingled with joy at what she was experiencing right now; anger at the way Khalid had treated her was tempered by an unexpected acceptance. It was little wonder that she found it impossible to describe the scene so she didn’t try. Anyway, it was doubtful if Khalid would be interested in her views.

She glanced at him, feeling pain tug at her heart. His heritage had never been more apparent than it was out here in the desert. It wasn’t just the clothes he was wearing but his attitude. He looked every inch the desert prince, so completely at home in this bleak yet beautiful landscape that it simply highlighted the differences between them. Khalid’s world wasn’t her world. It never could be her world either. How could she, a Westerner with her background, become a desert princess?

‘So, was I right?’

He turned to her and Sam struggled to clear her mind of everything except the need to convince him that she was over him. She had honestly thought she was, had truly believed that she had put her feelings for Khalid behind her years ago, but she was no longer sure when her heart was aching at the thought that they were such poles apart.

‘Right?’

‘About it being worth the climb.’ He swept a hand towards the desert. ‘The view from up here is magnificent, isn’t it?’

‘It is,’ she replied coolly. ‘I certainly can’t fault it.’

‘Did you want to?’

There was an edge to his voice that brought a rush of heat to her face. Had she been hoping to find fault with the view, to nitpick and discover flaws because it would have made it easier to find fault with him too? She sensed it was true and she hated the fact that she had been reduced to behaving in such a fashion.

‘I’m sorry, Sam. Maybe bringing you here wasn’t such a good idea after all.’

There was no doubt that the apology was sincere. Sam turned to look at him, seeing the sadness in his eyes. It struck her then that if she was finding it difficult to deal with this situation then it was equally hard for him. The thought shocked her so much that she didn’t pause to consider the wisdom of what she was saying.

‘Why did you bring me here, Khalid? Was it just so I could enjoy the view?’

‘Of course. What other reasons could I have had?’

He shrugged, his broad shoulders moving lightly under the loose folds of the burnoose. Beneath it he was wearing more normal clothing, although they still weren’t the clothes Sam was used to seeing him wear. Usually, Khalid wore immaculately tailored suits, not a loose-fitting white shirt, open at the neck so that she could see the satin gleam of his skin through the gap. White cotton trousers tucked into tan leather boots completed his outfit and made him look very different from the man she had known six years ago. Maybe that was why their relationship had foundered? Because he hadn’t been the person she had thought he was. It hadn’t had anything to do with her background after all.

The thought was far too tantalising. Sam knew that she needed to rid herself of it as quickly as possible. It would be foolish to imagine that Khalid’s rejection hadn’t had anything to do with her past when she knew for a fact that it had.

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