Page 13 of At the Sheikh's Pleasure
Rosana averted her eyes from him, fully aware that he was scrutinizing her.She felt dizzy, disoriented under that intense gaze, as if the world had shifted.
“Yes.Of all the queens, she was the mightiest.”
“A heroine of yours?”
“No, not a heroine.”Then she made a fatal error—she looked at him.The warmth in his eyes flared into something much stronger, transforming his dark eyes into a rich mahogany brown.She felt as if she could sink into them and be absorbed into them.She swallowed and forced herself to look away, before his gaze could annihilate her.“I do not revere women who sacrifice everything they have for forbidden love.”
“Very proper,” he commented.
“They were both married, and he was a foreigner.No doubt they would have carried out their affair in a place like this which could keep their secret—at least to begin with.And if she had other secrets, they could also be here.”
“Hm,” he said, looking back at the palace.“Then let’s explore the palace and uncover Mandana’s secrets.It’s been many years since I’ve been here.”
The short walk around the water to the palace was under the shelter of the trees and Rosana was glad of them because out here, in the desert, distant from the mountains or sea, there were no cooling breezes, only the freshness which came from the water and the shade from the trees.But once they’d stepped up to the clearing in front of the palace, the heat was searing on her bare head and she was grateful to enter the palace itself.
Here it was cooler.With its high ceilings, the large, empty rooms echoed as they walked through them, disturbing the dust and the palace’s forgotten history.There was no hint of the glamor and riches which had once been there.But they had no need of them to imagine what it must once have looked like because the empty rooms and overgrown courtyards were redolent with atmosphere and mystery.There was no need for concrete reminders of what had passed between these walls.
She shivered as she imagined what the palace had borne witness to.
“Are you cold?Would you like me to summon my men?They would have retrieved your scarf for you.”
She touched her hair.She’d almost forgotten that it had slipped off on the ride.She shook her head, suddenly aware of the sensuous tumble of her hair around her shoulders and back.From feeling cool, she suddenly felt very warm.“No, I’m fine, really.It’s only my imagination running away with me.”
His hand reached out as if to touch her hair, but he paused, frowned and withdrew his hand as if he’d surprised himself.He’d certainly surprised her.It seemed it wasn’t onlyherimagination which was running away with itself.
He cleared his throat.“Perhaps we should move on.”
Indeed, she thought, as her mind moved on, but not in the direction he meant.
Chapter6
For a royal palace, it was relatively simple in design.No doubt partly because of its great antiquity and its dual function of fortress in this outlying area.Rosana took photos of some features and wall frescoes which, although faded, still adorned the walls deep inside the fortress.Few foreigners had seen the building.Although, of course, Lord Gleave had been pre-eminent amongst them.She followed Zaire onward, up to the top floor and nearly bumped in to him when he halted.
“And this was the bedroom.”He walked inside, looked around, and then turned to look at her.“Where the queen, no doubt, entertained Lord Gleave.”
The blush began deep inside of her, sparked into bloom by the intense expression in his eyes.He seemed to look directly into her very soul—enquiring, seeking, and finding.She took a deep breath and averted her gaze.She couldn’t allow herself to be exposed to such scrutiny.
She walked away from him, admiring the traces of ancient paintings which still remained on the walls, before looking out the windows to the inner courtyard.It must once have been a thing of beauty, but now it was overgrown.“She had been a great queen and yet she threw it all away for him.”
“Maybe she considered him to be worth the sacrifice.”
She turned to him.“No man is worth the sacrifice.”
Slowly he walked toward her and she couldn’t have moved, even if she’d wanted to.“You talk like someone who has never been in love.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.She couldn’t think of anything.His sunglasses, pushed on top of his head, nestled in his sexily tousled hair.His uncompromising, strong features underscored the fact that, not only was he a handsome man, but he was also a tough one.He was also a king, and her enemy—a forbidden man from a rival family.
“That is very personal,” she managed to say.She had no intention of discussing anything remotely personal with him, because she didn’t know where it would lead her.“I’m merely interested in the historic facts about their affair and how it influenced history.”
To her surprise, he coughed out a laugh.“How…academic.”
“Surely you’re not surprised.I am an academic.”
“Iamsurprised.To understand the history, I’d have thought you needed to understand the people, and what motivated them.”
Her lips tightened in a slight grimace because he spoke the truth.“Maybe.”
“Most definitely, I’d have said.Now me, Idounderstand.”
