When he entered, he found her on a bunk curled up on her side, her eyes closed against the dim overhead light. She looked so peaceful, he hated to wake her. Instead, he perched on the edge of the narrow bed next to hers to watch her a few moments, while she was unaware.
He had never known anyone quite like the courageous journalist. He had rarely been so quickly affected by a woman. His craving for her was both foreign and undeniable. Even now, the temptation to strip out of his clothes and join her lived strong within him. He refused to do that for many reasons. Although she had insisted she would gladly welcome him into her bed, he still had reservations. Should she ever discover the capacity in which he served his country, she would never view him the same way again. She would undoubtedly never trust him again.
Perhaps he should reconsider their evening together. Perhaps he should have returned her to the palace immediately before it had been to late to do so.
Yet when Sunny began to stir and after her eyes fluttered open, all thoughts of what should have been disappeared And when she greeted him with a soft smile., he could only consider how badly he desired her. "How long have you been sitting there?" she asked, her voice hoarse from sleep.
"Not long."
She stretched her arms above her head and sighed. "What time is it?"
"Sixteen hundred hours."
Her smile disappeared. "I'm still not fully awake. Regular time, please."
"4 p.m."
"Really?" She sat up against the metal headboard. "I didn't mean to nap that long. You should've woken me."
He had wanted to do that very thing in some very creative ways. "You were tired from the day's activities."
"True. So what's on the agenda between now and dinnertime?"
"I will be traveling to the closest village to the south to purchase supplies. Feel free to continue your nap in my absence."
"What about the dinner you brought with you?"
The time had come to reveal the weather issue. "I received some recent news from Rafiq that prompted my decision to travel to the village."
"Are you buying souvenirs?"
"No."
Her green eyes widened. "Is the baby coming?"
"He did not mention the child or his wife, so I assume not."
She blew out a frustrated breath. "I'm not in the mood to play a guessing game, so just tell me what he said and why you have to go shopping when it's obvious you have tonight's meal."
He leaned forward, rested his arms on his legs and laced his fingers together between his parted knees. "It appears the storms are worse than first predicted. The flooding has been extensive, and it has required ground troops to evacuate the villagers to higher ground."
"Is anyone in the palace in danger?" she said, her tone hinting at alarm.
"The palace is elevated enough not to suffer any ill effects. However, the roads into the village are currently impassible."
"That means we're stuck?"
He did not care for the word stuck. "We will be confined here until the passage is clear."
She fell back onto the pillow and studied the stone ceiling. "How long before we can go back?"
"Three days minimum. Possibly longer."
"Great."
Her annoyance did not please him. "Do you find spending an extended period of time with me completely unpalatable?"
She sent him a sideways glance. "I didn't say that. I just feel bad that I haven't spent much time with my sister. Not to mention I only have two days' worth of clothes. Unless you have a laundry hidden somewhere, that could pose a problem since washing my stuff in the aquifer isn't exactly eco-friendly."
Her reasoning gave him some measure of relief. "I will purchase what you need in the village."
She seemed insulted by his offer. "I have my own funds, Rayad. Of course, if they don't take credit cards-"
"They do not. Therefore, you will need to allow me to assist you. Or perhaps you would like to borrow clothing from me."
"If your clothes fit me, then I seriously need to consider a diet."
She was perfect in every way that counted, in his opinion. "My shirts might be large, but they would adequately cover you."
"Yes, but there is the underwear issue."
He almost proposed she not wear any. "Again, you will find all you need in the village. I will escort you there first thing in the morning."
"Fine, but that doesn't ease my guilt over abandoning Piper when she was so kind to invite me."
Knowing Sunny would be leaving soon gave him cause for concern, though he could not say why. He had known all along that her departure was inevitable, as was his return to his duties. Still, their parting bothered him on a level he would have to examine later. "You will have ample time to visit your sister, unless you plan to immediately return to the States once we arrive back at the palace."
"I'll be staying for another couple of weeks." She pushed off the bed, rifled through the bag set on the floor and withdrew a brush. "If you're going shopping, then I might as well go with you now to pick up what I need. Besides, I don't want to stay here alone because I'm still not convinced I won't come across a bat or two."
He would like nothing better than to have her company. "Then you are not angry with me over the delay?"
She stroked the brush through her silken blond hair several times before contacting his gaze. "You have no control over the weather, Rayad. You might be a powerful guy, but you're not that powerful."
He had a powerful urge to kiss her-after he divested her of the white shirt and brown shorts. "I promise you will not have to concern yourself with my behavior during the remainder of our time together. You are still in complete control."
She paused the brush midstroke and smiled again. "I'm not sure I can promise you the same thing when it comes to my behavior. You have a way of making me lose control."
If he did not retreat soon, he would not be able to disguise his burgeoning erection, compromising his dignity. "We should travel to the village now while it is still daylight," he said as he stood.
Sunny tossed the brush back into the bag, slid her arms around his waist and pressed a kiss on his lips. "I'm ready to go shopping. And I'm really ready for our dinner beneath the stars."
So was Rayad. He only hoped he could keep his baser urges in check long enough to finish their meal. After that, he would make no promises.
* * *
The small village marketplace had been surprisingly crowded with men dressed in traditional thawb and women wearing abayas. Sunny had only seen a handful of vehicles, but a lot of livestock-from cows to camels. The smells of spices and grilling meats coming from small tents set up by vendors had made her incredibly hungry. Her darkly handsome escort had also fueled her appetites that had nothing to do with dinner.
Several times during the trip, Sunny had almost lost Rayad in the crowd. The language barrier had hindered her ability to understand his conversations with the locals, and he'd had plenty. Yet one thing she had understood- they'd called him Basil. Later this evening she would answer her curiosity and ask him why they didn't use his proper name. Why they seemed to treat him like a fellow commoner, not well-heeled royalty.
Right then, she had to haul all the supplies out of the Mercedes while Rayad opened the secret door. Cave, sweet cave. The thought made her smile.
"What do you find so humorous?" he asked when he joined her at the rear of the vehicle.
"Nothing," she said. "Just glad to be back and glad I have my own personal pack mule."
He faked a frown when she handed him two of the burlap totes. "Are you calling me an ass?"
"Not at all. But I do like your ass." She topped off the comment by patting his cargo-pant-covered bottom and heading toward the entry.
By the time they made two trips up and down the stairs, Sunny wanted nothing more than to take a bath. "Am I supposed to clean up in the reservoir?" she asked as she laid the caftans Rayad had bought her on one bunk.
"You may, or you may use one of the showers."
Clearly he'd been withholding pertinent information. "You said you didn't have a shower."
"Not adjacent to my quarters." He pointed across the room at a closed door. "You will find one in there. The pressure is adequate although the water will be cold."
She swept one arm across the perspiration beading on her forehead. "A cold shower sounds perfect. I'm still trying to recover from the heat." He wouldn't help her body temperature one bit if he kept standing there with his arms folded across his chest, the short sleeves of his black tee revealing biceps that should be registered as lethal weapons. Yep, a cold shower was definitely in order.