there.’ Zahir pointed as they walked towards the main tent. ‘There is a tunnel from their tent that leads to the royal suite.’
‘Are you serious?’
‘Yes?’
‘And do you...?’
‘I came of age in the desert, Adele.’
She was sulking as they reached the royal abode. Or she was trying to, but it was so beautiful that she forgot to be cross as she removed her shoes. The floors were covered with Arabian rugs and the walls and ceilings were lined with cascading white silk.
She took out her phone and Zahir smiled.
‘Are you so bored on our date that you are checking your phone? I don’t think that’s a good sign.’
‘Did your mother tell you about my date with Paul?’ Adele laughed. ‘Well, I’m actually checking for reception.’
There was none.
And her phone didn’t tell her the time either.
‘There are no clocks...’
‘We go by the sun and the stars,’ Zahir explained. ‘The main reason for coming here is to get away from all things modern. I agree with my father on that point. Here is for introspection and to seek guidance. It is a haven from the modern world.’
‘It’s actually quite freeing,’ Adele admitted.
It was and she told him why.
‘You know, I always have this knot of dread—what if I miss a call and it’s about my mother? The first thing I do is check my phone, yet while I’ve been here...’ she shook her head unsure she could explain, ‘...it doesn’t matter.’
‘Tell me.’
‘Well, I’ve always put off having a holiday. I convinced myself I’d panic all the time in case something happened and I couldn’t get to her.’
‘You know, if there was any change then I would get you straight home.’
‘I know.’ Adele nodded. ‘But, rather than panicking, I’ve found...’ She didn’t know how best to explain it. ‘I’m ten hours away at best. It’s actually nice to know if something happens I won’t have to deal with it. I now understand why people kept suggesting that I take a proper break.’
‘Good for you.’
‘Anything could happen,’ Adele said, ‘and we wouldn’t know.’
And then she met his eyes and they told him that anything could happen and she wouldn’t mind at all.
She wandered around. There was the royal suite with cascades of crimson silk and on one wall a red velvet curtain. Above the bed was a velvet rope.
‘I doubt that summons breakfast,’ Adele said.
‘It doesn’t.’
‘Does that ring in the harem?’
‘It does,’ Zahir said.
She was tempted to pull it just to see some sultry beauty come through the curtain.
Adele did so and Zahir smiled and put her out of her misery. ‘The harem was disbanded before my parents married. I believe it was a condition she insisted upon when she attended the selection ceremony.’
And she remembered Leila tapping at her ruby and telling Adele that she had made demands of her own.
Now she understood the demands Leila had made had not been about keeping her in splendour.
‘Good for her.’ Adele smiled.
And she thought of Fatiq, who really loved his wife. She just wished she could help there, but knew that there was nothing she could do.
A maid served them some tea and pastries and they sat on cushions. They were alone, finally alone, and she never wanted it to end. ‘When do we have to go back?’
‘When we choose to,’ Zahir said. ‘Would you like to go riding? It will be sunset soon. I can have them prepare a gentle horse.’
‘That sounds amazing.’
It was.
They went on a slow walk along the dunes and a huge orange sun turned the sands and the sky to molten gold. The colours meant it was like being in the middle of a furnace, yet with the setting sun a soft wind circled them.
The sky darkened and the first stars started to appear as the air cooled. Adele wanted more of the desert.
She wanted more of Zahir.
‘Will Leila know...’ Adele asked ‘...if we stay here tonight?’
‘The staff are discreet. It might eventually filter back but you will be long gone by then. But I think she will understand when I tell her I have feelings for you. Deep ones.’ He was honest. ‘I can barely get my father to agree to an X-ray machine, I very much doubt he would allow you to be my bride.’
‘I could never leave my mother.’
‘I know,’ Zahir said. ‘So for now all we have is this time.’
‘For now?’
‘I told you, I have asked the desert for a solution.’
Which didn’t seem a lot to hang hope on, Adele thought.
Perhaps she’d sighed because Zahir looked at her and smiled.
They arrived back at the oasis and when she’d thought there could be no more surprises she watched the steam rise from the hot waters as it hit the cold night air.
‘Do you want to go in?’ Zahir asked.
Often, too often, Adele had wondered how it might happen—a kiss that grew out of hand, as had been the case on the plane, or he might sneak her to join him in the royal suite. Never had she envisaged the absolutely certain, almost calm way he dismounted and held out his hand to help her down.
And she knew this was it.
They had withheld and resisted but finally they were alone and there was nothing now that could stop them.
Though there was one thing perhaps, Adele thought as he lifted her down and for a slow, sensual moment her body slid over his.
If Adele told him this was her first time, she knew Zahir might well reconsider.
And she didn’t want that.
He held her against him and she could feel that muscular body and the roughness of his robe.
‘You’re sure?’ he checked.
‘Very.’
He
