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‘What the hell did you think you were doing?’
She blinked Khalil’s face was taut with barely contained fury
‘I don’t—I don’t knohat you mean’
‘I don’t knohat you htened ‘For a woertips, that one is pathetic!’
Her spine stiffened ‘It is not!’
‘If you behave like a fool, I’ll treat you like one’
She stared at him for a moment, and then she whirled around and started towards the mouth of the cave His hand fell on her shoulder
‘Where do you think you’re going?’ he growled
‘Where I should have gone in the first place With Abu If you hadn’t cos—’
Khalil spun her towards hiave me your word, Joanna! But I should have known that such a sie was beyond you’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘You promised you would not ride alone!’
Joanna tossed her head ‘But I didn’t proly remain your prisoner’
‘You little idiot! I’er’
‘The danger of disobeying the rules of a petty dictator, you mean!’
‘It is dangerous for anyone, but especially for a woman, to ride these mountains alone’
‘You never said that’
‘I didn’t think I had to,’ he said, glowering at her ‘Anyone with half a brain—’
‘Stop it! I’m tired of your insults!’
‘Then don’t set yourself up for theave you those instructions to keep you safe’
‘Oh, yes’ Joanna’s voice shook, and she could feel the sting of tears in her eyes, although there was no reason to want to cry ‘Yes, you’d want ed, what sort of bargaining chip would I be?’
His eyes narrowed ‘Bargaining chip?’
‘What’s the h to understand a sie is It’s—’
She cried out as he swept her into his arent it stole her breath away, and then he clasped her face in his hands and drew back just enough so he could look into her eyes
‘You cannot be so blind,’ he whispered ‘Surely you see that you have becoe’
‘No,’ she said shakily, ‘no, I don’t see’
He smiled, and suddenly his eyes were tender ‘Let me show you, then,’ he said softly, and slowly, his head descended to hers
He kissed her gently, hisunder the hood and into her hair A treh her, but she didn’t respond
‘Joanna,’ he said, his lips still clinging to hers, ‘Joanna, Joanna…’