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‘What is wrong?’ His eyes narrowed as they moved over her face She forced a smile

‘I don’t know I think I’m tired No, nervous No, I’m scared I’ve forced your hand and you will come to resent me’

That was more honest than she’d intended, but at least it sparked soaze

‘Saued by doubts’

‘I don’t know if that is true But in any case Sae’

He reached out to trace a line from her cheekbone to the corner of heron the curve of her lower lip He applied no pressure, but her lips parted and she had to consciously draw air into her lungs She wanted desperately to moisten her lips, but her nerve utterly deserted her Sam of old’s bravado, sparked by the raw beauty of the desert, had lasted long enough to shift her life on to an entirely new course, but now the fear was back

‘Is she? Gone?’

‘I don’t know’

His hand dropped and he looked away

‘I hope she’s not coth to tolerate me’

‘I think it’s rather the other way around I dare say you are regretting this already’

He laughed, utterly surprising her as he pulled her on to his lap, his breath warainst her temple as he spoke

‘At the ht to explore the attractions of our alliance, Najimat al-Layl’

His lips brushed softly over her ear, resting for a ue traced its curve

‘I like when you call h it is merely another reminder of what a nuisance I was’

His handsthe laces of her dress under the cover of her light cloak, sliding under the fabric, war her skin dance with skittish pleasure She arched against theh her

‘You were i breathlessly for the next disaster’ He htly over hers Hisaround her, singeing her from the outside in

This hat he wanted from her, probably all he wanted from her

The attractions of our alliance

It should worry her, but right now the only thing that worried her was as he said—that they would have only one night before they set out on the long journey back to England which meant for three weeks or so the best accommodation they would have would be the narrow bed of a naval frigate