So she was either wearing a stylish little white set with royal-blue piping, or she’d gone with the comfortable, canary cotton panties with the beige sport bra. She wriggled a little to see if she could tell the difference.
Using a clay pitcher on the table, Harrison refilled her water glass. “You’d rather I’d let you die?”
“I’d rather you’d found a nice, matronly woman to take off my clothes.”
She took another drink, unable to stop herself from wondering if, aside from the underwear, Harrison had liked what he saw. Between her busy job and her gym membership in Lexington, she was in pretty good shape. At least she had that going for her. And she had a decent tan. Was he the kind of guy who cared about tan lines?
“We’re hiding, remember?” he pointed out. “The fewer people who see us, the better.”
He made a good point. She forced herself to set aside thoughts of Harrison and her near-naked body, taking in the room around her, reminding herself she was only temporarily safe. “What is this place?”
“It’s a guest cottage. It belongs to Ahmed Hassanat. He’s Nuri’s brother.”
Julia’s stomach contracted at the mere mention of the dour man. Maybe she wasn’t so safe after all. “I think he’s the one who called the police.”
“Nuri?”
She nodded.
“That’s ridiculous.”
“He hates me.”
“He doesn’t even know you.”
“He glares at me so hard, I think he’s willing me back to jail.”
Harrison grinned.
“It’s not funny.”
“I doubt Nuri thinks about you one way or the other.”
“You didn’t see the expression on his face.”
“He’s a product of a Middle Eastern upbringing forty years ago. He’s incredibly chauvinistic.”
“So he hates me because I’m a woman?”
“He doesn’t hate you. He thinks you’re, well, you know.”
“Inferior?”
“Not too bright and rather childlike.”
Julia could feel her blood pressure going up. She took another swig of water, knowing she’d need her strength.
“Him, not me,” Harrison hastily added. “I think that’s why his relationship is so strained with Leila.”
“I thought Leila grew up in England.”
“She went to school there-Nuri’s second wife was British,” Harrison explained. “When she fell ill, she made Nuri promise to send Leila to school in the West. She died, and Nuri honored her wishes. But he hasn’t a clue what to do with Leila now.”
There went Julia’s blood pressure again. “She’s not his property.”
“He doesn’t dare marry her off to an Arab man,” said Harrison. “It would be a disaster.”
“What does Leila want?”
Harrison paused. “I doubt he’s asked her.”
“Have you ever asked her?”
“Oh, of course. Because there’s no way that could go bad.”
“The girl deserves a chance to live her life.” Julia liked Leila.
“Yes, she does. But this is the UAE. Nuri’s her father. And we’re currently guests in his brother’s house.”
Julia started to argue further, but then she clamped her jaw. Unfortunately, she was going to have to pick her battles today.
“Clever girl,” Harrison said approvingly.
“What do we do now?”
She remembered Harrison saying they’d doubled back. Did he mean they were on their way back to Cadair? Would it be safe for her in Dubai that quickly?
“We’ll spend the night here,” said Harrison. “Maybe a couple more days.”
“And after that?” She didn’t mean to sound demanding, but she needed to get back to the U.S. The sooner, the better.
“I haven’t figured that part out yet.”
She opened her mouth to pose another question, but then she took in his wrinkled shirt, his sweaty brow and his red-rimmed eyes. An unexpected emotion tightened her chest.
“You should be back with Brittany,” she told him. She was sorry he’d been dragged into this. Although, she had to admit, she wasn’t sorry he’d ignored her request to take her back last night.
He blew out a breath. “I can’t disagree with you on that point.”
She steeled herself once more to try to do the right thing. “Is there somewhere…that you could…”
Was she brave enough to offer? Was she principled enough to suggest he walk away and leave her?
Part of her wanted to be principled, but another part of her was scared to death.
“I’m not leaving you,” he said.
He cracked a very small smile. “Do you actually think I could live with myself if I left you to corrupt policemen and unruly mobs?”
“Don’t forget about the snakes.”
“And, of course, the snakes.”
She resisted the urge to reach for him. He had no reason to help her, and yet here he was.
Her throat thickened. “You’re a very nice man, you know.”
“Don’t sound so surprised.”
She fought to toss off her emotions. “Well, your staff did have me thrown in jail. And you did try to kill me.”
“There is that,” he agreed, but laughter lit a glow behind his eyes.
“You wouldn’t really have strangled me, would you?”
He shook his head. “Not a chance. I was as angry with myself as I was at you. I thought I’d let you dupe me. I thought I’d fallen for your soft voice and your smooth skin, and let my-”
He cleared his throat.
She thought again about how he’d driven like a maniac through the hot desert sun, carried her from the Jeep, changed her clothes and brought her water. An overwhelming feeling of gratitude invaded her and along with it, emotions she was powerless to stop.
He was a very good man, and she had no business feeling the way she felt about him.
“We’re both fools,” she said in a quiet voice.
This time, the glow behind his eyes wasn’t laughter.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “There is that.”
Harrison was definitely a fool.
He was sitting here staring at a woman with bare feet, disheveled hair, the plainest of cotton clothing and a half-sunburned face. And all he could think was that she was so beautiful, he wanted to drag her into his arms, kiss those tender lips and make soft, sweet love to her until she forgot everything else in the world.
Leave her?
Not a chance.
He was going to get her to safety or die trying.
He liked to think it was chivalry, but he was beginning to worry it could be something else.
Okay, he was positive that it was at least one other thing-desire. And right now, she was staring at him with those round, crystal-blue eyes. And he knew that she knew. Hell, she’d have to be both blind and amnesiac not to know he wanted her.
Their kiss had been incredible.
Even now, he remembered her smooth skin, her delectable lips, the fresh scent of her hair. His memories moved him subconsciously forward. He breathed her in, while his fingertips feathered her knees, and the warmth of her skin filtered through the rough, cotton dress.
