Page 30 of The Sheikh's Desert Princess

Riaz shrugged. "As long as it takes for you to fully recover."

"There's nothing wrong with me, Riaz," she snapped. She ran her hand again across her brow and drew in a deep breath. She was agitated, perhaps more tired than she realized, he told himself. The desert could sap all the strength out of a person, even while they were oblivious of its effect. He knew that simple truth better than she did.

Riaz took her elbow in his hand, holding it gently. Eva glanced down at his hand and then back at him. He noted that she did nothing to remove her arm from his grasp.

"Perhaps after you've had a chance to settle in, have a wash and eat some food, you'll be able to decide what you want to do," he suggested.

On hearing those words, something seemed to shift in Eva, as if she realized he was actually trying to be helpful. He knew just how strange all of this must be for her.

Eva nodded. "Maybe you're right," she admitted.

She let him guide her to the tent entrance. He opened the flap and led her inside. She dropped her bag on the carpeted floor. Riaz was pleased to see that the interior had been laid out according to his wishes. It would be a comfortable place for her to recover from everything she'd been through today, he told himself.

Riaz watched as she walked across the carpet. She bent down and pulled off her boots, throwing them roughly to one side. She stood and shook a hand through her hair. He saw sand fall away from her head and onto the carpet.

"It feels so good to be off that horse," she exclaimed.

Eva glanced toward the sleeping alcove. She lifted her bag and boots and headed through the entrance. He followed her and saw her dump her belongings alongside the bed which had been freshly prepared.

"Your men certainly know how to follow orders," she joked.

"They are loyal to me," he replied.

Eva squinted at him. "I was wondering about that," she said advancing toward him. "You'll need to explain that whole loyalty thing to me. I'm having trouble understanding why they just agree to be your servants."

Riaz frowned, surprised at the sudden change in her tone. "They are not my servants," he replied sharply.

"It certainly looks like it from where I'm standing," she said folding her arms across her chest. Had she just shifted into journalist mode, he asked himself. It seemed like it.

He stepped out of the alcove and she followed him.

Riaz turned to her. "Let me show you the camp. And the river. Perhaps you can wash there later," he suggested.

Eva lifted a brow. "With all them watching?" she scoffed. "I don't think so."

Riaz could see that the practical details of her presence here in the camp were already running through her mind. The truth was, those details were also racing through his own mind.

If she was going to be here for a few days and nights, as he hoped, there were some ground-rules which needed to be established. Privacy seemed to be foremost on her mind. Or maybe the events of earlier in the day had left her feeling vulnerable, prompting a need for caution.

"Maybe I can have washing facilities brought to the tent," he replied.

Eva nodded. "That sounds like a better idea."

Riaz nodded slowly, pleased that at last one of his suggestions had found favor with her. Eva could be stubborn at times. Again, she'd shown him her strong will.

And, didn't he like that? Of course he did. But he wasn't about to admit that to her. Not yet, anyway.

She followed him out of the tent. He showed her around the camp, explaining how it was organized, and answering each of her quietly spoken questions. She seemed genuinely curious about the way his life had been arranged, but he managed to resist some of her more probing inquiries. Especially about the absence of women.

Finally, he led her down to the river. He saw her touching the trunks of the trees as she passed them, almost as if she could hardly believe they were here in this arid wilderness. The trees stretched away in both directions on either side of the river. The green of their foliage contrasted sharply with clearness of the waters and the brightness of the distant dunes.

The river was about fifty metres wide. He knew it was deep enough for someone to stand with water waist-high. The sound of the flowing water was hypnotic. Riaz loved this place more than any other. It was where he felt complete, where his spirit could feel calm and strong. Many times he'd stood in its flowing coolness, washing away every care, cleansing himself of every concern.

As she'd sensed how the river affected him, he became aware that Eva was watching him carefully as he stood by the riverside.

Riaz glanced at her and she smiled at him. "I can see this place means a great deal to you," she said.

Riaz lifted his brows. "Really? You can tell that?" he asked making it clear by his tone that he didn't believe her.

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