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.
However, Eva was different.
Eva was no ordinary woman. She seemed to understand what his life here was all about.
The thoughts which had coursed through his mind these last few hours of broken sleep had convinced him of that. He'd awakened this morning with a new certainty born in him. A certainty about what Eva meant to him.
She looked up from her notepad and saw him heading her way. She smiled and stood, tucking the small pad into her pocket. For a moment, Riaz wondered what she didn't want him to read.
"Good morning," he called out.
Eva lifted a hand to her hair which was hanging loose down to her shoulders. "Good morning," she replied. She gazed up at the blue sky and sucked in a deep breath. "And what a beautiful morning it is," she added.
Riaz examined her pretty face, her bright eyes. Her features were relaxed, her skin clear in the early morning light.
Riaz ran his gaze down the length of her body. She looked every bit as tempting as she'd done last night. Her shirt was tight across her breasts and her jeans hugged her hips.
"It isn't just the sky or the desert that's looking beautiful this morning," he said.
Eva's eyes brightened on hearing his obvious attempt at a compliment. She narrowed her eyes and he suddenly felt she was sizing him up. "Did you sleep well?" she asked.
"Of course," he said proudly.
Was it so obvious that he'd been tossing and turning all night?
She lifted a skeptical brow. "You missed breakfast."
"We eat when we want," he retorted. "We don't share everything around here. The evening meal is the only one we try to keep sacred."
"I learn something new every day," she said in a teasing voice.
"About today, Eva," he said. "I'm sending one of my men to Ahmed's camp this morning."
He saw her brows furrow at his sudden change of subject.
"I'll send a message telling Ahmed that we agree to his visiting the camp." Riaz peered at Eva. "I take it we still agree on that," he added tentatively.
She nodded abruptly. "Of course," she replied. He saw her lips tighten into a thin line and he wondered if she'd considered changing her mind. But she didn't add anything to what she'd said.
"So, what am I going to do while we're waiting?" she asked.
He smiled at her. "I might have one or two ideas," he replied.
Eva lifted her brows quizzically. "You do? Why am I not surprised at that?"
Riaz grinned. He was glad she was in such a good mood this morning. It might make the day go more smoothly as far as he was concerned.
"Actually I was going to spend some time getting to know some of what goes on around here," she suggested.
He instantly felt his defenses go up. "Really," he responded. "What kind of things did you want to know more about?"
Eva tilted her head. "How about everything," she taunted.
Riaz laughed quietly. "I thought you'd say something like that."
"I've been watching the men," she stated. "They sure know how to keep a camp running smoothly."
Riaz nodded, glancing at the men nearby. "They're loyal and well-trained. But, it isn't all hard work."
"I was going to to ask you what you all do for pleasure," she asked. He saw her cheeks flush slightly as she realized the other meaning of what she'd just said.
Riaz smiled. "For amusement?" he said quickly relieving her of some of her embarrassment. "For one thing, we try to make sure our horses are well cared for."
Riaz peered over to where the horses were corralled behind a roped-off area close to his own tent.
"Speaking of that, how is my horse?" Eva asked.
Riaz paused, realizing she was only asking that because, if the horse was recovered, she could be on her way. He didn't want that. Not one bit. But he wasn't going to lie to Eva.
"He's fine," he told her. "Abdul says the horse should be fit to ride anytime you like."
Even as he said those words, he wanted to take them back. He knew she would have demanded another mount if she really wanted to leave the camp after Ahmed's visit. And he also knew that, if she asked him for anything at all, he would give her what she wanted.
"That's good news," Eva said. But she didn't mention what that would mean about her staying longer.
Right now, he only wanted her to be happy. She'd been through enough in the last forty-eight hours. The least she deserved was the best he could offer.
They walked together through the camp. It felt good to be by her side, to look at her, take in the sight of her gorgeous features in the early morning sunlight. She was so much more relaxed today than she'd been yesterday, he told himself.
Riaz showed her around the camp, explaining some of the routines he'd established for living such a different kind of life. She seemed genuinely fascinated by everything he told her.
He noticed that some of the men bowed to Eva as she passed. She'd won their respect with the warmth of her personality. He thought of the laughter over the meal of the previous evening. She'd obviously made a strong impression on the men. They accepted her for who she was, not only as the sheikh's companion.
Not once did she take out her notebook. He was glad for that, because it made him feel he was sharing his own private life with her on a personal level, rather than treating her as a journalist.
Eva was a woman, first and foremost. The qualities of her character were a heady mixture which was affecting him profoundly. He felt proud as he walked alongside her.
Yes. Eva Braddon was more than a mere woman. So much more. She was beautiful, strong minded and utterly irresistible, he said to himself as they emerged on the northern side of the encampment.
On a flat plain close to the camp, some of the men were setting two tall, wooden poles, jamming them firmly into the sand. The poles were a few hundred meters apart.
Eva turned to Riaz. "What are they doing?"
"You asked me what kinds of activities we get up to," he replied. He pointed toward the men. "They're preparing for the race."
Eva's eyes narrowed. "What race?"
"To keep the horses in good shape, we have a competition. A challenge, if you like. Riders compete against each other between the two poles. To see who can ride the fastest. The men love it." He smiled at her. "So do I."
Eva looked intrigued. "You race your own men?"
He laughed. "They race me." He shrugged. "Sometimes they win. Occasionally I let them win." Riaz squinted at her. "I have to keep them happy somehow," he added with a grin.
"When is this going to happen?"
"Later this morning. You can watch if you like," he said.
Eva tilted her head and frowned. "Really. That's generous of you," she said with a hint of irony in her voice. She ran her gaze around the camp. "Especially since there's so much going on around here," she said. "I wonder how I'll fit it in with my busy schedule."
He liked it when she spoke with such a tone of obvious irony. It wasn't sarcastic. He knew she was just trying to be playful.
"I figured you might not be too busy," he replied casually.
Eva smiled and shook her head. "I'll take notes. Maybe some photos, too."
He felt himself stiffen on hearing that suggestion. Sensing his unease, she peered up at him. "You don't mind me doing that, do you?"
He thought for a moment, weighing up the possibilities of what she would do with notes and photos. She'd most likely use them as the basis of whatever she planned to write about him and his life here.
How did he feel about that?
Yesterday, he would have rebelled at the notion that she would walk away from him with material like that. That she'd just open up his life to public scrutiny. Even to the attention of his own family members from whom he'd shielded so much of his chosen life.
Before yesterday he would have rejected such an idea impulsively. Immediately and without any chance of persuading him otherwise.
But, right now, for some reason none of that mattered anymore.
He trusted Eva. Knew that she wouldn't abuse his generosity. And, the thought that he might claim her attention in another way, that he might be able to persuade her to something much more important, merely reassured him even more.
Riaz nodded. "That would be fine, Eva. I have no objections to you taking photos. Feel free to take what you want."
She seemed surprised at his agreeing like that. But he could also see she was visibly pleased that he'd granted her the freedom she so obviously wanted.
He was looking forward the race now. Maybe she'd see a different side of him. And he wondered what effect that would have on her. How it would affect the closeness he knew was developing between them.
After last night anything was possible, as far as Riaz was concerned.
He was suddenly impatient for Eva to see what it meant to live out here. Eager for her to experience the raw, primitive excitement of desert life.
Hope flickered in him. He thought of what it had felt like to hold her, to kiss her, to touch her.
Resolve hardened and he gritted his teeth. Maybe it would mean that what had started with a kiss would lead to a passionate and inevitable conclusion.
If Riaz had anything to do with it, that was exactly how the day was going to end.