Desert Wedding. Alexandra Scott

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      ‘No, I don’t want to. Besides...how can I?’ Humiliation tore at her; twice in as many hours this man had seen her humbled. ‘I would have been better staying down there.’

      ‘Hardly. As you’ve already worked out for yourself, four of the lower apartments would fit into this one.’

      ‘I’ll try for a hotel; there must be plenty of places.’

      ‘Raqat isn’t Riyadh or Amman. There are only a few western-style hotels in the sheikhdom-most of them booked up in advance and very expensive.’

      ‘Then I’ll fly home!’ An idle threat, for it was the last thing she wanted to do.

      ‘That would be a pity.’ He smiled, so persuasively that Georgia was diverted and began to revise her earlier idea that Nathan wasn’t particularly good-looking. He had the most entrancing smile! The unusual eyes sparkled mischievously. ‘As well as being difficult. Flights are usually booked well in advance too.’

      She spoke through gritted teeth. ‘I’m beginning to wonder what on earth I’m doing here, and if I’ll ever escape!’

      ‘As far as the first goes, you might remember it was a question I asked you earlier and which made you head for the door.’

      ‘Really.’ A totally inadequate reply, and, to compensate, her tone was heavy with sarcasm.

      ‘And secondly,’ Nathan went on, as if she hadn’t interrupted, ‘Stay. Then you might find you’ve no desire to.’ Then, taking pity on her puzzled expression, he added, ‘To escape.’

      ‘That I very much doubt.’

      ‘Well, in the meantime, why not take up my earlier proposition?’

      ‘Proposition?’ Georgia was twitchy, nervous as a faun.

      ‘I suggested we go out to dinner so you could continue your life story. I’m repeating the suggestion.’

      Staring up at him suspiciously, she had to subdue an infantile inclination to giggle. ‘Do I have a choice?’

      ‘Right now, I’d say not much, but as far as it goes it doesn’t seem an unreasonable suggestion. Look.’ He took a step past her and opened a door which she could see led into another hallway, and she followed him into a spacious bedroom, infinitely more glamorous than the one she had been using downstairs. ‘You can use this—bathroom over there, by the way—for...well, as long as you care to stay.’

      ‘As long as that, eh? You sound just like the devil: tempting.’

      ‘No strings.’ Again grinning, he opened his hands.

      ‘All right. Thank you.’

      ‘Good’ Then he became businesslike, went out, and returned with her cases, which he slung onto the rack in the hallway. ‘If you want any help, ring this—’ he indicated a bell pull ‘—and Enna, Ismail’s wife will come. In the meantime I’m sure you’d like some tea. I’ll get her to bring some for you.’

      ‘Thank you.’ All at once she was exhausted, had lost any inclination to struggle against her immediate fate. Her sole concern now was to lie down on one of the beds and to sleep.

      ‘We’ll leave here about nine if that suits you and...’ his hesitation was momentary ‘...I’ll have a proposal to put to you.’

      Nathan was gone before the last words registered. Georgia swung round as the door closed quietly, but lacked the energy to pursue him for clarification. Instead, she looked about the room—at the two double beds covered in pale grey brocade, the marble floors, veined in palest pink, with that same colour hinted at in the diaphanous hangings at the windows, and the mirrored cupboards covering one wall and adding to the impression of space. There were touches of pink in the lamps too, and in the chaise longue covered in silk. She sighed, partly in pleasure, then went forward and sank onto the stool in front of the dressing table.

      The day had been endless. Given the fact that she’d woken up still suffering the vague aftermath of that tummy bug—now thankfully gone—followed by the fiasco at the club and then the indignity of losing her accommodation, she would hardly have been surprised to find that she had aged ten years, but, on the contrary, a critical glance in the mirror confirmed that she looked remarkably unchanged.

      She laid the back of her hand against her cheek, smoothing the firm skin to which the climate had given a peachy glow. It seemed to enhance her green eyes and bring highlights to the dark blonde hair.

      Again she sighed, this time from sheer dejection. To think that she had come all this way to try to get her life back in order and here she was apparently having exchanged one set of problems for another.

      Raising her arms, she lifted the amber beads over her head and dropped them onto the dressing table. Another sideways look in the mirror confirmed that her cotton lawn dress still looked fairly fresh, even if it felt a little damp. The softly gathered lines suited her tall, slender figure and...yes, she was still recognisable as the elegant Miss Georgia, who had been assistant designer to the well-known Jordan Severs. And—the unwelcome thought almost brought tears to her eyes-very nearly his lover.

      If it hadn’t been for the chance telephone call which had revealed the presence of his wife and family, she would at this very moment have been sharing a bed with him on some romantic hideaway Caribbean island, and...

      A tap at the door made her reach for the just-discarded dress and hold it protectively in front of her, then she sighed in relief as she saw the maid skimming across the floor with the tea-tray. She thanked the woman, who returned her smile shyly and left the room while Georgia reached eagerly for the teapot.

      Twenty minutes later, freshly showered, she lay drowsing on the oh, so comfortable bed, until a thought flashed disturbingly into her mind—one startling enough to take her into a semi-sitting position, supported on her elbows and staring into the mid-distance. Then, after a moment’s frowning contemplation, she subsided, a faint smile on her mouth.

      A proposition to put to her. Was that what Nathan Trehearn had said? Or had it been a proposal? Well, he would soon see that she was expert at deflecting propositions; she had weakened only once, and that experience with Jordan had honed her skill to razor sharpness. So, unless his idea had something in it for her, he would find that he was wasting his time.

      She snuggled down, her cheek burrowing into the cool softness of the pillow, and no longer tried to fight the waves of delicious drowsiness washing over her. A ‘proposal’—that had been the word, but she was fairly certain marriage was the last thing he had in mind. She smiled to herself at the very notion. And that was just as well, for she had no interest in any sort of commitment permanent or temporary; Jordan had cured her of any inclination in that direction for a very long time.

      That said, the two men could hardly be more different—Jordan, with his shoulder-length mane of almost white hair, and this other, so very crisp and clean and conventional. Nathan’s very difference implied a certain degree of safety, so long as the present situation continued.

      Yes, that was a reassuring thought. Georgia wriggled slightly in the supreme comfort of the large bed. Until now, she had always enjoyed the company of the slightly Bohemian type of which Jordan was a striking example. She was certain that his flamboyant temperament had had a deal to do with the СКАЧАТЬ