Desert Kings Boxed Set: The Complete Series Books 1-6 Page 25

  “I bet you live in Georgetown.” Sam smiled.

  “You’re wrong, I’m afraid.” Why did people always think she lived in one of those fusty Georgian houses? “I have a converted loft in a former industrial area.”

  “Of course you do,” chimed in Osman. “Zadir told us you’re a minimalist architect.”

  “Ronnie is in the running to design the next presidential library.” Zadir looked proud. He obviously thought it was quite a coup to get her there. That tickled her.

  “That’s wonderful.” Osman lifted a majestic brow. “Goodness, how did you convince her to travel all the way to Ubar?”

  A half-smile crossed Zadir’s mouth as he shot a glance at Ronnie. “It wasn’t easy.”

  “I suppose the two of you had time to get to know each other when you were stuck out in the Empty Quarter after the plane crash.”

  Ronnie hesitated, glass halfway to her mouth. Had Zadir told them anything about what happened between them? “Sort of. We were busy trying to contact help and make the plane more visible.”

  She could feel Zadir’s gaze burning her left cheek. Was she lying? Yes, they’d shared some intimacies, but it wasn’t as if they’d discussed everything under the sun, either.

  “I’m impressed that my brother was able to land the plane after it ran out of fuel,” said Amahd. “You could have come down at an angle and flipped over.”

  “I know. He saved both our lives.” Ronnie didn’t like to think about that. It was too big a debt to ever repay, and that scared her. She shot a quick look at Zadir, who was busy cutting a cube of meat.

  “There was plenty of luck involved. And Ronnie was the one who figured out how to send a distress signal. She’s the reason we didn’t die of thirst out there. I can’t believe we still haven’t found the pilot who ditched and left us to die. I’d like to have a few minutes alone with him.”

  Osman frowned. “He was a professional. Not a single fingerprint or any trace of his identity anywhere on the aircraft. The important thing is to figure out who hired him. I can’t understand why anyone would want to put Zadir out of the picture.”

  “All of us have had attempts on our lives,” Amahd looked grim. “And yet we’ve been given no information as to why. You’d think we’d have received a threat or at least some open hostility.”

  “Old man Naqib and his anti-progress buddies don’t seem to be fans of us, but they’ve expressed concern and distress over the attacks. Would they really do that if they were behind them?”

  “Trying to cover their tracks?” Zadir sipped his drink.

  “I’m not so sure,” said Sam. “I agree that they’re wary about the new leadership and they’re furious that the country has been divided into three separate kingdoms, but surely it’s your dad they should be angry with for that.”

  “Maybe they hope that if they kill all three of us a different ruler can take over.”

  “But who? We have no children.” Osman looked doubtful.

  “Aliyah has children, and she hasn’t been a target.”

  “Aliyah never leaves the palace. And a traditionalist would hardly want a female monarch. A woman hasn’t ruled Ubar since the fall of the Ottoman Empire.”

  “Where is Aliyah, by the way?” asked Zadir.” Why doesn’t she join us for lunch?”

  “I’ve asked,” said Sam. “But she says she doesn’t want her children to disturb anyone and it’s easier for them to eat at home.”

  “We love her girls,” said Osman. “I wish she wasn’t so shy. I still feel like I barely know her.”

  “Aliyah was their father’s fifth wife,” explained Sam to Veronica. “She’s very young and rather intimidated by these brash young men with their foreign educations.”

  “She’s very sweet and she’s definitely not behind the attacks,” Zadir cut in. “So don’t get started on that, anyone. I can’t help but think it’s someone who’s right under our nose. How are they able to target us so easily?”

  “I’ve had the palace staff investigated by a top security team. We let go of one man who had a prior conviction for stealing, but everyone else checked out. Besides, they haven’t managed to even injure any of us, though they did kill two guards. They must be getting pretty frustrated.”

  “What about neighboring countries?” chimed in Veronica. She felt she should make an effort to join the conversation. “Is there anyone who has an axe to grind?”

  “They’ve all been perfectly cordial and welcoming. Sheikh Hamed is our closest international ally and is interested in setting up a trade agreement to increase commerce between our countries. The sultan to the north suggested some oil leases but we told him we planned to pursue that ourselves, and he offered to lend his support and expertise. Satya is on the far side of the high mountains so we don’t have much contact with them, but they sent an ambassadorial entourage bearing good wishes and baskets of their finest rose petals when we arrived.”

  Ronnie tried not to laugh about the baskets of petals. Pale pink petals were strewn on the table as well as ground into the drinks, releasing a wonderful aroma as the dishes were moved around on the table.

  She’d have to try that at home.

  “So, as you can see, we don’t have a prime suspect.” Zadir leaned toward her. His yummy masculine scent stole past the rose petals and captured her attention. She wanted to lean away because his proximity was heating her blood, but that might seem rude.

  “We’ve beefed up security,” said Osman, “but we could do more. We need to find someone who understands Ubar and how people think here. Who can help us find the key to our enemy’s mind.”

  “In the meantime, Ronnie should feel assured that we’re safe from attack. I didn’t bring her here to scare her. I want her to enjoy Ubar.” He scolded his brothers.

  “Of course,” said Sam. “You should give her a tour of the palace. It’s like stepping into another world, especially all the gardens. I never would have dreamed so many plants could grow in such an arid part of the world.”

  “Would you like to see them?” Zadir shone his irresistible blue gaze on her again.

  “Sure. I’d love that.” At least out in a garden he wasn’t likely to make a move on her. Not with all the servants running back and forth, taking in everything. And maybe some fresh air would settle her nerves. She felt wound up after the whirlwind trip to a totally strange country and this introduction to several people who seemed to already know about her. It was disturbing and unsettling.

  And every time she looked at Zadir she could see him naked. Her life would be so much easier right now if she’d never succumbed to temptation. This time she would stay strong. There was no point getting involved in an impossible relationship with someone who lived thousands of miles away. Zadir would probably forget her overnight, but she was sensitive and would end up nursing hurt feelings for who knows how long if she let herself get sucked into anything.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Zadir led her away from the dining room, down another arched hallway, and into an outdoor courtyard where water bubbled in a circular fountain and flowed across the stone floor in a slim rill. The effect was hypnotic. “I love how desert cultures make a sculpture out of water,” she dipped her fingers into the fountain. “The sound and movement are so soothing.”

  “When something is rare and precious it makes sense to celebrate it.” His pupils darkened and she could swear he’d just swept a hot gaze over her body, even though she didn’t see him do it. “In this region people take nothing for granted. Sometimes the rain doesn’t fall for two years. When it rains for even twenty minutes, that provides enough water to grow grazing for our livestock for a full season. It’s a place that makes a lot out of very little.”

  “Like minimalist architecture.” Ubar seemed well suited to her aesthetic. She didn’t like to admit it to herself, and certainly not to Zadir, but she was becoming more intrigued with the place every second.

  He gestured for her to walk ahead of him, and she tried not to thin
k about his eyes on her backside as she stepped through an archway into an orchard of manicured fruit and nut trees. Zadir plucked an apricot-sized fruit from one of the trees. “Try this. It only grows well in our soil, so you won’t find them anywhere but here. It’s very sweet.”

  She looked doubtfully at the pinkish skin, then nibbled a bite. Rich sweet flavor spread across her tongue. “It’s like a peach but much sweeter. More like peach pie filling.”

  “Yes. I missed these fruits when I was living abroad.” He plucked another and took a bite. A drop of juice ran down his chin and before she could stop herself she caught it with a fingertip before it could fall onto his shirt.

  “Thank you.” He looked surprised by the intimate gesture. She probably looked alarmed. He had plenty of servants to launder his shirts so she’d hardly need to worry about it. Still, he had saved her life so she owed him something.

  Unfortunately touching his chin had a predictable effect on her. It must be the famous “chemistry” people talked about. Some of his molecules meshed nicely with her molecules. Which didn’t mean they were right for each other by any means! It was simple science, like rain falling from the sky or dew rising up from the ground at dawn.

  Trying to explain the sensations she was feeling didn’t diminish them. She cleared her throat. “When was this garden created?”

  “A least a thousand years ago. Nothing in Ubar changes very fast.” He gestured for her to walk ahead of him, into another walled garden filled with exotic fruit trees.

  “I suspect the fruit trees were originally planted for practical reasons—to feed the household.”

  “And to indulge in luxuries. Many of these trees aren’t local to the area. They were brought here and pampered so the family could enjoy exotic delicacies. Speaking of which, you’re about to meet the royal pets.” He gestured to a long, gilded cage.

  As Ronnie looked closer, she could see it was a series of cages, each with a large black cat inside. “Goodness. What are they?”

  “Black leopards.”

  On closer inspection their thick fur was mottled with gorgeous dapples, and bright green eyes shone like jewels. “What are their names?”

  “I’m afraid I have no idea. Aliyah, my father’s last wife, is the only one who knows them intimately. My father never let us play with them. He said they’re for protection and are deadly. Aliyah treats them like big kittens and they adore her. I hope you’ll get a chance to meet her. She’s shy and seems to run when she hears someone coming.”

  Ronnie could swear she saw a flash of turquoise fabric as someone vanished through a nearby arch. Maybe the mysterious Aliyah. The cats were a perfect pet of kings. “I wish I could pet one.”

  Zadir chuckled. “They’re not domesticated animals. Even Aliyah always keeps them on a chain. You’re too important to me to risk a brush with those claws.”

  Ronnie felt her eyebrows raise. Surely he meant that she was important as an architect. She wouldn’t be able to draft the plans if she was injured. He’d spoken softly, though, as if he meant more.

  Probably just flirting.

  A man strode toward them, his long robe flapping about his legs, which made them both turn. An older man with a dark, wrinkled face bowed low before speaking in their unusual language.

  Zadir looked confused and asked what sounded like a question, but of course she couldn’t understand the servant’s answer. Then Zadir gestured to her, as if it explaining that he was busy with her. It was so awkward not understanding a word! If she’d known she was coming to Ubar she would have taken the time to learn at least a few rudiments of the language. Shame she hadn’t been given that opportunity.

  The man bowed and left as fast as he’d arrived. Zadir shrugged. “He says my cousin Zahaina has arrive with her mother.”

  “Oh. I guess you should go greet her.”

  “I don’t remember having a cousin Zahaina.” He shoved a hand through his thick hair. “But I was abroad for a long time and possibly she has a nickname that I’d remember.”

  “I can keep myself entertained here while you go find out.”

  “There’ll be plenty of time for that later. Apparently she and her mother are staying for a few days and they’ll be here for dinner.”

  “I suppose the nice thing about owning a palace with servants is that you’re always ready for guests.”

  He laughed. “True. It’s also a good reason for having a remote getaway. I enjoy socializing as much as the next person, but I also enjoy time to relax and unwind.”

  “Me, too. Sometimes I switch my phone off for the entire day on the weekends.”

  “I’m sure that’s why you didn’t return my calls.” He lifted a brow, his expression teasing.

  “You’re not going to let me forget that, are you?”

  “I’m sorry to keep bringing it up, but you have no idea how frustrating it is when no matter what you do, you can’t get hold of someone.”

  “You seem to have managed eventually.”

  “It took a fiendish amount of planning and organization, as Cynthia could tell you.”

  “I do feel bad about not getting back to you, but after what happened between us I had no idea how to talk to you.”

  “Saying hello might have been a good start.” That infectious smile played at the corners of his mouth.

  “I’ve never done anything like that before.”

  “Neither have I.”

  “Really?”

  “The plane-crashing part, anyway.” His smile grew broader. It sparked warmth inside her.

  Of course he’d kissed a woman on their first meeting. And slept with her, too. He probably did it all the time. One more reason to be very cautious.

  “I felt so awkward. We barely knew each other at all. I can only blame it on some kind of crazy survival instinct.”

  He smiled. “That sounds like a perfectly reasonable explanation. And for some reason my survival instinct has only grown stronger in the intervening months.”

  He must have dated other women in the time since the crash. Especially after she’d blown him off so rudely. She wasn’t going to ask about that, though. Partly because she didn’t want to know.

  “My survival instinct told me that it was better to get back to my normal life and forget about you as quickly as possible.” There was no reason not to tell the truth.

  “Why?” He looked perplexed.

  “Because I live in the U.S. and you live in Ubar. There was no future.”

  “There are planes.”

  “I can see that.” She tried to look serious. “But as you know I’m very busy and really don’t have time for a long-distance relationship.” It was quite presumptuous of her to suggest that he even wanted anything so solid as a relationship, but she supposed that even a casual fling was a relationship of some kind and she certainly didn’t need one of those. She got hurt far too easily.

  “I know how busy you are and I promise you I’ll make this visit worth your while. Tomorrow we’ll drive to the plains where I’m hoping to site my new residence. We’ll stay overnight there.”

  Her gut clenched. “How? I thought there were no buildings.”

  “For centuries, probably thousands of years, our people lived in tents. I think you’ll enjoy a taste of our culture.”

  Ronnie frowned, picturing the two of them bunking together in a tiny two-person tent like the one where she’d lain awake all night—getting eaten by no-see-ums—when her friend Patty from boarding school brought her to Maine on a family vacation one summer.

  “Our tents are large enough to shelter an entire extended family.”

  “That’s reassuring.” Not very reassuring but better than sleeping only inches from Zadir. What if her survival instinct went haywire again?

  “Perhaps the experience will help you in designing my house.”

  “I haven’t agreed to design your house.” It came out more schoolmarmish than she’d intended. Still, she didn’t want him to think that he could seduce her
into anything. She was intrigued by the project but she already had a lot on her plate this year and she didn’t want to commit until she’d had a chance to think it over.

  “Of course. But I’m confident you’ll see it as an intriguing challenge to rise to. I won’t bring up the town that I need to build as well.”

  He cocked his head slightly. He probably remembered how intrigued she’d been by the prospect of building urban infrastructure. What architect didn’t dream of such a grand commission? Of course, this would be in an unpopulated stretch of desert and probably no one but a few goatherds would even know it was there.

  “Let’s take this one step at a time.” Luckily her voice sounded softer this time. She really did like Zadir. His confidence was endearing as well as annoying.

  One of the black leopards stretched and yawned, revealing the pink inside of its mouth and an impressive set of sharp, white teeth. “Okay, maybe I don’t want to pet them.”

  “Let me show you the stables. The horses are much safer to make friends with.”

  Zadir did everything he could to put her at ease, and he was so easy to talk to and be around that she almost forgot he’d bought and paid for her time here. Before dinner he escorted her to her room and suggested that she might want to change, because it was customary to get dressed up when a guest joined the family for dinner.

  “Will I see you in traditional robes?”

  “Indeed you will.” He grinned. “In fact I’d be happy to provide you with a traditional costume if you’d like to wear one. Osman convinced Sam to wear one when she first came here.”

  “No thanks,” she said far too quickly. She didn’t want to do anything that Sam had done, because she apparently came to Ubar to shoot a film—with her American fiancé, no less—and had ended up married. “I can wear that black silk Prada dress.” That was much more her style than the colorful, heavily embroidered attire she’d seen on the servant girls.

  “That sounds perfect. I’ll come pick you up after I’ve had a shower and changed.”

  Ronnie luxuriated in the enormous marble tub that must have been carved from a single block of white stone. She was tired and sure to sleep like a log tonight, even in this strange environment. It was reassuring that Zadir hadn’t tried to make any moves on her. It showed respect and consideration and made her like him more. If only she didn’t feel a rush of…something…whenever she looked at him, she could almost imagine they could enjoy a fruitful professional relationship.