Page 20 of The Sheikh's Desert Princess

Riaz sighed impatiently. She could see that he was already becoming irritated by the conversation. "It's complicated and we have to leave," he said, obviously irritated. Eva saw the gates go up again behind his dark gaze.

She realized this might be her last chance. "I have to ask," she said. "One last time. But are you gonna give me that interview that I came for?"

He gazed at her as if he was measuring the seriousness of the question. "Haven't you got what you came for?"

"I didn't just come to see all of this," she said gazing around the almost empty compound of the ruined fort. "You know I came to meet you," she said.

"I would have thought that this would have been enough," Riaz replied ignoring the way she'd worded her last, desperate attempt at persuading him. "Surely you have enough to write a decent story."

Eva bristled at that last comment. "I came for more than just a decent story, as you call it," she snapped.

She saw the familiar tightening of his features, as if he had already decided that that was all she was going get from him.

"I can have my men accompany you back to where you left your car," he suggested.

"Really," she said acidly. "You think I need some kind of escort?"

"The desert can be a dangerous place, Miss Braddon," he said.

She noted the formal use of her name. She had been right. The barriers were already fully up. Impenetrable as ever. The man was infuriating.

"I am well aware of the dangers of the desert, Sheikh Al Shirah," she retorted.

Impatience flared on his features and he moved closer to her but she took a step back away from him feeling suddenly defensive.

"I would feel a whole lot happier if you had some kind of protection," he continued.

Eva turned to her horse, threw the reins over its neck and started fussing with the pack loaded on the side of the horse.

Riaz came to her and she knew he was going to make one last attempt to persuade her. But she'd be fine without his help, she told herself firmly. She didn't need his protection, even if he thought it was absolutely necessary.

Riaz started to speak but she cut him off and glared at him. "It's been nice meeting you, Sheikh Al Shirah," she snapped.

She saw his gaze widen in surprise at the vehemence of her comment, but she didn't care. She needed him to know that she'd be fine on her own, thank you very much.

Riaz watched her as she tightened the cinches of the saddle. Then she put her booted foot into the stirrup and lifted herself up onto the saddle, looking down at him.

For a moment she thought he looked momentarily helpless, as if she'd won a victory which had affected him more than she could have imagined.

"It's been nice and very interesting, Sheikh Al Shirah," she said sardonically.

Eva tugged on the reins and turned the horse away from him. As she did so she give him one last parting remark. "I guess we'll just have to leave the interview to some other time, then," she said.

She was sure that she saw emotion flare on his face. And then she tightened her grip on the reins and moved the horse into a steady trot, through the open gate of the fort and out into the desert.

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