Page 54 of Desert King's Forbidden Temptation

She found him at the stables. Her lungs hurt from running, her heart was in tatters, and her knees were weak. Mostly, she was bursting with curiosity and concern. It was obvious that he’d reached a breaking point, and she couldn’t fathom why.

‘Tariq, wait,’ she said, uncaring for the servants that were there, that heard her address him as a man, not as Sheikh. She couldn’t.

His nostrils flared and with a short nod, the staff left the stables, giving her an interested look as they filed out.

‘What’s happened?’

He flicked a latch, opening a door for his stallion, who stepped out and made a guttural noise, tilting back his head.

‘Are you coming?’

‘This is madness.’

‘I’m leaving now.’

‘Wait,’ she muttered. ‘This isn’t fair.’

‘No, it’s not. Ten seconds, Eloise. What’s it going to be?’

‘You can’t do this to me.’

‘Do this to you? Do this toyou? What the hell do you think it’s doing tome?’

She flinched and again, he felt like a total bastard, but he didn’t care.

‘I really hope you know what you’re doing,’ she said, eyeing the horse warily.

He crossed his arms. ‘What does that mean?’

‘Well? I can’t get up there on my own.’

His eyes raked her and then he moved, fast and powerful, determined and in control, lifting her easily onto the horse. A second later, he was at her back and kicking the sides of Bahira, spiriting the beast out of the stables and away from the palace. He rode hard and fast, so she held on to the reins for dear life, but there was never any danger. Not with Tariq’s strong arm around her waist, pinning her back against him, holding her there, needing her. She didn’t know how she knew that, but she did.

He needed her, as much as he needed the desert and his freedom and some space from the palace and wedding negotiations.

Wedding negotiations. Her heart skidded and ached for Elana, for their friendship, for the decision she’d just made. As if he sensed it, he leaned closer, and doubt disappeared. Something more was between them, something that demandedthis, whatever this was. She was at the whim of fate now, not thought, and it was a relief to let go and see what happened.

He rode like the wind. Sand whipped their faces; neither cared. He rode until they reached the rocky outcrop with the stream, he rode with the afternoon sun on their backs, warming them, and then, only once they were near the water, did he bring the horse to a halt and let himself breathe. But not think. Thinking would lead him to doubt and he refused to do that.

There was only one thing that would make this better. Not for good, but just for now, and that was enough.

He jumped off the horse and a moment later was grabbing her, drawing her with him away from Bahira to the large, ancient rocks that were flat and gently sloped. He moved quickly, sure footed on their surface after years of exploration. Around the corner, they levelled out and it was there that he stopped, turning to face her with nostrils flaring, thobe blowing in the gentle breeze.

She stared up at him, so trusting, face so calm, and then he groaned, passion almost eating him alive.

‘Damn you,’ he said, shaking his head because of all the women he could want with this passion, why did it have to be her? Why now? Perhaps if they’d met years ago, if his father had been alive and the truth of his adoption not remotely on his radar...but fate was cruel, and this was how things were.

‘Damnyou,’ she responded, lifting her hands and pushing at his chest. ‘Damn you.’

He caught her wrists, holding them there, and it was like being stung by a swarm of bees. Every cell in his body reverberated. Her breath was ragged, and he understood, he knew what she was feeling because it was burning him alive as well.

‘I have to marry her,’ he said, the fact something he couldn’t ignore. ‘I have to marry her.’

A tear glistened on her lash line and then fell down her cheek, rolling slowly before splashing to the ground. He stared at the silvery line it left on her face and honestly thought he could have punched something then. Her grief would be with him always.

‘I know,’ she whispered, though she didn’t. How could she understand the new imperative that was at his back?

‘But this is... If we don’t... I will always regret...’

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