Page 50 of The Sheikh's Desert Princess

Riaz nodded. "Promise me. That'll be enough for me. I trust you."

Eva gazed into his eyes, seeing the sincerity in those dark pools. For the first time, she felt like she really believed him when he said those words to her. Had something changed between them after that kiss by the river?

"Okay," she said softly. "I promise."

Riaz smiled and nodded slowly. He looked satisfied, she told herself.

No.

He looked more than satisfied, she realized. His expression was the same one she'd seen as he'd powered across the line, astride his horse. He looked like someone who'd won a major victory. Had it been so important to him that she agree to give him her word?

She worried he was reading too much into her acceptance of his request. Before she had a chance to say anything more, he surprised her by turning away from her.

He took a few steps back in the direction of his men, then paused and looked back at her. "I have to speak to them about something," he explained. "Maybe you and I can speak later."

Eva nodded, trying to hide the sudden disappointment she felt that she wouldn't be spending some time with him right now. Did he really have to leave her standing here like this?

Then he walked away from her. All she could do was watch his tall figure as it strode back toward the crowd of men.

Eva felt her jaw tighten, frustration suddenly rising up within her. She gripped the camera, wiping some of the loose grains of sand off the black case.

She realized her clothing was covered in a thin layer of sand. Being so close to the racing horses had left her covered in sand. And it had gotten into her hair. She shook her hair loose, feeling the roughness of sand inside her clothing.

She knew what she needed, right now.

Eva turned and headed toward her tent, overwhelmed with the desire to wash every remnant of the last hour off her body. And wash some of the emotion out of her system, too.

Inside the tent, she left the camera in her bag by the bedside. She headed out of the tent and across toward the river.

While all the men were otherwise occupied, she figured she could wash herself clean down at the pool. She made her way along the side of the river. There was no-one else around when she reached the top of the ledge from where the river spilled down into the pool below.

Eva edged her way down to the pool and slipped off her shirt and jeans, shaking the sand out them. But she could feel grains clinging to her sweat-covered body.

Apart from anything else she wanted to wash the memory of that last exchange with Riaz clean out of her mind.

Wearing only panties and bra, Eva stepped into the water, savoring the sharp coolness of the water. She sank into the water up to her shoulders and swam for a while. She sighed, loving every moment of the sensation sweeping across her body.

Nerves started to calm, and her mind became a blank as she settled onto her back, floating gently in the water. She felt every knot of tension loosen as she simply allowed herself to enjoy the sensation of the water.

After a while, thought started to drift back into her awareness. And, as she would have expected, those thoughts were all about Riaz.

He'd looked amazing back there, she admitted to herself. He'd looked like a ferocious animal, senses ignited by the sheer thrill of the physical activity. Every vestige of civilization seemed to have fallen away as she'd watched himdrive his horse on harder and harder.

Even thinking about it in this cool oasis, she felt her heart quicken at the memory of the way he'd looked at her after his victory.

And that was why his abruptness had been so shocking. It was as if he'd taken her aside with the sole intention of extracting a promise from her.

Nothing more.

She had given it to him. Willingly and even hopefully, she realized. She hadn't wanted to refuse him something which she could see meant so much to him.

Her promise.

Was that the only promise he would ask her for? Had she driven him away by her reaction to his kiss?

That thought shocked her and she felt a sudden need to distract herself somehow. Anything to push that thought away, she told herself.

She swam a little on her front, sweeping the water away ahead of her. She gazed around the sanctuary of the enclosure from where the pool emerged, the river continuing away from her.

She hadn't intended for this swim to last too long. Although Riaz had assured her that this place was reserved for him, she was worried that some of the other men might come down here.

Just as she started back toward the point where she'd entered the water, her attention was caught by something at the corner of her vision.

She glanced upward and halted in the water, treading steadily, the slow movement of her arms keeping her afloat. Her heart began to race as she stared up at the top of the waterfall. She felt her throat tighten and she was sure her eyes must be wide with shock and disbelief.

Because he was there.

Riaz was standing up on the ledge, looking down at her. His gaze was steady and resolute.

And, when she saw him begin to slowly ease his body out of his white robe, she knew he had only one thing in mind.

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