One Desert Night - By Maggie Cox Page 0,25

not jumping into bed with you just because—because it happened before.' If you could honestly forgive me for my mistake in not coming back, Gina thought anguished. If you really believed in the love I thought we shared that night we were together…then nothing could stop me sharing your bed. But I know because of what you now feel about the Heart of Courage's prophecy—and because you think I rejected you without a single regret—that that's not the case.

'I have a proposition for you.' His dark-eyed glance didn't waver. 'That's what I wanted to see you about.'

'And that is?'

'I'm not going to waste time play acting and pretending I don't desire you, so I will get straight to the point. Many wealthy and powerful men in my position take a mistress. I haven't done so yet because I have never met a woman to meet all my requirements in every way. That is not until you came into my life again, Gina. I would like you to stay here in Kabuyadir. If you stayed you would not want for anything…ever. Anything you wanted that it was within my power to give you, you would have.'

She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Beneath her robe her heart thudded painfully. Moving away from the side of the bed, she tucked a loose tendril of shining blonde hair back. 'I gather I'm meant to take such an offer as a compliment?'

'At least it shows I am not rejecting you as you so easily rejected me. At least I am being honest about the fact that I want you in my bed again.'

'Lust is a poor substitute for genuinely caring about someone, Zahir.' She wouldn't say the word 'love' in his presence…not yet. Not while he was clearly intent on somehow making her pay for not returning to him three years ago. Still she would not close the distance between them, and a soft sight escaped her. 'Do you think I should settle for that because you feel I owe you in some way? Anyway, I can't stay here indefinitely. Once I've given you all the information I have on the jewel—and seen it for myself—I'll be heading home again. I have a job to get back to—a job that I've wanted for a long time and worked hard to get. I also have a father who hasn't been very well lately, so I'm afraid you'll just have to find someone else to fill the position of Sheikh's mistress.' She started to walk across the marble-tiled floor towards the door.

'Gina!'

His call stopped her in her tracks. Alarmed, she turned to see that Zahir had moved to the edge of the bed and was getting to his feet. She saw him sway a little, and dashed back to his side.

'What do you think you are doing? For goodness' sake, get back to bed before you do some irreparable damage to yourself!'

'What do you care?' he retorted sulkily, reluctantly allowing her to help him lie down and rest his head against the stack of plump pillows again. 'You would leave on the first plane home without caring whether I lived or died.'

'Don't be ridiculous.'

'You sound just like an old spinster teacher of mine. Of course you don't look like her in any way. Do you know what torment it is to me to have you so close, to smell your perfume and not be able to touch you the way I long to? It is a double agony for this to have happened to me today. Now not only am I sexually frustrated but I'm in physical pain from a blasted bullet wound, too! It will take more than a strong sleeping pill to make me sleep tonight.'

The strong bronzed brow crumpled a little in obvious pain, and Gina tenderly pushed back the hair from his smooth unlined forehead and frowned. 'Why did you have to go and deal with this trouble yourself? I wish you'd sent someone else instead—the captain of your army perhaps? Someone used to dealing with these volatile situations?'

'You think I am incapable of dealing with a physical threat from a few hot-headed rebels?'

'I'm not questioning your ability for combat, Zahir. You certainly look intimidating and strong enough. But it seems like a reckless thing to have done when you didn't have to.'

He tensed and gave her a fierce glare. 'And how would you know what I do and don't need to do? I am not just some useless figurehead or