Midnight Under The Stars: Woman in a Sheikh's World

‘I beg your pardon?’

Avery took a step backwards but the words were out there now and they couldn’t be withdrawn. She couldn’t believe she’d actually said it. A moment ago she hadn’t been able to wait for him to leave and now she was suggesting travelling into the desert with him? What the hell was she doing? When their relationship had crashed she’d almost lost everything. Everything she’d worked so hard to build. What they’d shared had been so intense, so powerful, and here she was volunteering to risk exposing those raw tender feelings again, and all so that she could help him marry another woman.

Avery wanted to pull the words back but her conscience wouldn’t let her. ‘If Kalila had thought she could talk to you, then she would have talked to you. If you do find her—’

‘When I find her—’ His eyes promised all sorts of dire punishments if that didn’t happen and Avery swallowed.

‘Of course, that’s what I meant. When you find her, you’ll need to have a proper conversation, but what if she won’t talk to you? She’s never managed to talk to you before, has she? Why would she talk to you now? She’s more likely to talk to me.’

There was a long, throbbing silence.

‘Let me get this straight—’ dark lashes shielded the expression in those ebony eyes ‘—you’re offering to help find my bride and then talk her into marrying me?’

‘Absolutely.’ Avery forced the words out and he stared at her for a long moment as if he were trying to peel away the layers and see beneath the façade she presented to the world. ‘Why not?’

Her question was greeted by prolonged silence and then he straightened his shoulders. ‘I thought maybe—’ his voice was rough ‘—it might be difficult for you to see me marrying another woman.’

‘Difficult?’ She hoped her laugh sounded more convincing to him than it did to her. ‘Why would you think that? Our relationship is in the past, Mal. No one is more enthusiastic to see you married than I am. How else am I going to organize an after-wedding-party and bill you for shedloads of money? Let’s get this done.’

CHAPTER THREE (#u752b96c1-b5ec-557f-9a25-3f552d8b1e9d)

‘YOU said what? OK, now I know for sure you’re mad. You’re going into the desert to find a wimpy princess who doesn’t have the courage to speak her own mind so that she can marry the man you were in love with?’ Jenny lay sprawled on the bed in Avery’s apartment, watching as her friend packed. ‘It’s like something out of a really bad soap opera. Scratch that—no one could make this stuff up. It is going to end in tears. And those are going to be your tears, by the way.’

‘I’ve never cried over a man in my life. And stop saying I was in love with him.’ A skilled packer, Avery rolled a couple of shirts to prevent them creasing. ‘And Kalila isn’t wimpy. It’s not her fault if she’s been bullied into submission all her life by her father. I feel sorry for her. Better not to have a father around than have a bad one.’

‘Let’s leave your father issues out of this. There’s enough going on without that.’

‘I do not have father issues.’

Jenny rearranged the pillows and cushions on the bed and slumped against them. ‘What I don’t understand is why the Prince would even ask you to do this. That must have taken some nerve.’

‘He didn’t ask. I offered. Without a bride he can’t get married and I want him married.’

‘You want him married?’

‘Of course.’ Avery added two pairs of trousers to her packing. Once he was married there would be no going back. If nothing else could kill her feelings for Mal, then surely marriage would. It would bring the finality she’d been looking for. ‘And I want the party to go ahead. It’s bad for business if a party is cancelled.’

‘So you’re doing this for the business?’

‘I’m doing it because I’m worried about Kalila. You should have seen the way he looked at me when I told him what I’d said to her. As if I’d pushed her into the lion’s cage and locked the door from the outside. I like her.’

‘Really? She sounds like a wimp to me.’

‘I think she’s a victim of her circumstances. She’s sweet. And yes, I feel responsible.’ Avery sorted through her make-up, picking out the bare minimum she needed in order to not look like a train wreck. ‘And guilty. That is the last time I ever tell anyone to face their fears.’

Jenny picked up a lipgloss and tried it on the back of her hand. ‘You’re not responsible for the fact she clearly has appalling judgement and did something rash and stupid. Nice colour, by the way.’

‘Maybe I am responsible.’ Avery rescued the lipgloss and added it to her bag. ‘I was the one who put the idea in her head. Without me, she wouldn’t even have thought of doing something so radical.’ She packed carefully, referring to the list on her phone, knowing that the right clothing might be all that stood between her and an unpleasant experience in the desert. She picked items designed to cover her, not just because of concessions towards modesty or even protection against the sun, but because she wanted to do nothing that might be remotely described as provocative. The last thing she needed was Mal thinking she was trying to attract his attention.

‘This is ridiculous. You’re running a business, Avery. You don’t have time to gallivant off after some woman you barely know with a guy you used to date. You should have—what are those—?’ Jenny stared in alarm as Avery packed her sturdy hiking boots.

‘“Those” are going to save me from snake bites and scorpion stings.’

Jenny recoiled. ‘OK, forget my last sentence. No wonder the Princess ran away. She isn’t wimpy, she’s sensible. She’s thinking long-term. Better a brief stint in the desert now than a lifetime of the place. If I had to wear boots like that I wouldn’t marry the Prince either. It was meant to be a glass slipper, honey, not a hiking boot.’

‘The desert is beautiful. Wild and stunning.’

‘This from a woman who never likes to be more than ten minutes from a spa?’

‘Actually I did stay in a spa while I was there, but I also stayed in a Bedouin camp and I enjoyed that as much. It’s a really romantic place.’

‘You’re not romantic.’ Jenny shook her head slowly. ‘You’re in trouble; you know that, don’t you?’

Yes, she knew that. ‘I’m not in trouble. I know what I’m doing. I’m in control.’

Jenny flopped back against the cushions. ‘So I guess this means I’ll have to call the Senator myself and break the news about the swans and the balloons.’

‘Yes. Just speak with authority. And if there are problems you can call me. I’ll have my phone. What I might not have is a signal. But Mal will have a satellite phone so I can use that to call you. You’re not to tell anyone where we are. We’re going to rescue her and then make up some story to cover her absence.’

‘What sort of story?’

‘I don’t know. The spa idea is a good one. Maybe she and I went into the desert for a girly break or something. I just need you to be vague. If anyone asks, tell them I’m with a friend. I’ll be gone two days. Three at the most.’ Avery caught Jenny’s expression. ‘What? Why are you looking at me like that?’

‘You’re assuming she’s going to want to come back with you, marry Mal and live happily ever after. What if it doesn’t happen like that?’

‘It will.’

‘She ran away from him.’

‘They just need to start communicating with each other. It will be fine.’ She was going to make sure it was fine.

‘I hope you’re right.’ Jenny handed her a bottle of sunscreen that had fallen out of her bag. ‘In the meantime, you don’t even know where to start looking.’

‘We’ve got a few ideas. I’ve already spoken to Kalila’s sister. She thinks she’s probably hiding out in a desert community she was sent to when she was a teenager so we’re going to start there.’

‘Like a summer camp?’

‘That sort of thing.’ Avery found her passport and dropped it into her bag. ‘It’s a find-yourself, Zen type of place.’

‘Camp with scorpions. Thank goodness my parents didn’t send me to that one.’ Jenny shuddered but Avery didn’t smile because she knew her problem wasn’t going to be the desert wildlife or even the inhospitable terrain.

It was Mal. Or, more specifically, her feelings about Mal.

‘The scorpions aren’t a problem as long as you remember to shake your boots out in the morning before you put them on and you’re careful about moving rocks and things.’

Jenny curled her legs under her. ‘You are the woman who knows everything there is to know about throwing a good party. When did you learn about scorpions?’

‘I spent time in the desert with Mal.’ And she didn’t want to think about that now. Didn’t dare think about it, but of course having heard that comment Jenny wasn’t about to let it go.