Page 44 of The Sheikh's Desert Princess

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Riaz watched Eva disappear into the tent and sighed. She'd agreed to stay. At least for one night, or maybe even more. He felt relief sweep through him.

He began to walk slowly, eager to consider just what that would mean. It all depended on Ahmed. It relied on the desert chieftain's decision on when he would come to Riaz's camp. According to the man who had just returned from Ahmed's camp, it was likely that Ahmed would come soon.

That didn't leave Riaz much time to act. It didn't give him more than a few days maximum to discover if what he'd felt tonight had been real. Or whether it had been some kind of aberration, a temporary moment of madness.

Even as he thought that, he knew it wasn't true. What he'd felt tonight with Eva couldn't be dismissed so easily. The woman had found a way into his spirit, into the very essence of his being, with a speed and forcefulness which defied description.

Was this what people talked about when they described instant attraction? Was this how it felt to have your world turned upside down by a woman?

Riaz paced slowly amongst the encampment's tents, his thoughts tumbling wildly, his emotions churning even more intensely.

One thing was for sure. Eva wasn't just any woman. In the past twenty-four hours he'd seen her strength and spirit on full display. The way she'd thrown herself into a dangerous situation; the way she'd faced challenge; the way she'd handled everything that came her way.

On top of all that, there was the sheer, irresistible temptation of her presence.

He smiled to himself as he walked.

It was exciting to be with this woman.

No. More than that.

She, herself, was exciting. Every word, every gesture, every movement of her beautiful body ignited something inside him.

The impulse to claim her for himself had grown with an inexplicable forcefulness. There was no other way to describe how he was feeling. He wanted to possess her, hold her, have her in every way imaginable.

That thought made him halt. He gazed around the camp, at the tents arranged in a haphazard manner. What was he thinking? Was he losing his mind? Hadn't he sacrificed everything for this life? The one upon which he was gazing with such pride, such satisfaction.

Riaz ran a hand across his chin, feeling the roughness of the long day's growth on his skin. Was he willing to give up all this for her? Would claiming her as his own lead him to do that?

In spite of the remnants of desire which lingered, he felt doubt flicker into life. He'd given up so much to seize this life. Was he willing to throw all that away for a woman?

Thinking that a madness had taken hold of him, he resolved to go to the tent close to where Eva would be sleeping. As he paused outside the tent close to Eva's, he saw the guard he'd allocated for the evening pacing slowly in front of her tent. She'd sleep soundly and safely tonight, he reassured himself.

Perhaps a nights sleep would clear his own mind. It had been a turbulent day in more ways than one. Maybe madness had found its way into his perfectly ordered life.

The fresh morning might bring some badly needed perspective.

One thing was in no doubt, though.

If Riaz was to claim the passion which had tempted him so powerfully this evening, he only had a short time to take action.

Or else Eva would leave him.

Forever.

***

The next morning, Riaz emerged from his tent and saw Eva sitting over near the trees, a small notepad in her lap. She was writing and looked completely intent on what she was doing.

He felt tired. Riaz hadn't found sleep easy to come by. He'd woken many times during the night. More than once he'd dreamt of Eva, seen images of her face, felt the heat of her body. On waking, frustration had seized him on realizing that the closeness had merely been an illusion.

The sun had barely risen, and Riaz wondered what had driven Eva to awake so early. Maybe she'd had as unsettled a night as him.

Some of his men were huddled in a group, a few were already busy attending to the necessities of keeping the camp running. He could see that breakfast had already been eaten. Riaz felt hungry, but he was more interested in speaking with Eva than filling his belly.

He strode toward Eva, feeling anticipation awaken in him at the prospect of being with her. That feeling took him by surprise. It was a new sensation, since for too long he'd seen women as a barrier to his enjoyment of life. It was a shameful thought and he knew it. But, women had so often sought to tie him down, restraining him into a life of civilized ease he'd fought hard to refuse.

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