“We are finally in Armenia, my father’s homeland. I have been dreaming about this moment for so long. I’ve been striving for it, saving for it. But it is my destination, not yours. This is where you leave me.”
He shook his head in denial. “It doesn’t have to be.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh?”
Frustration welled up within him. They’d just survived impossible odds. He’d rescued her from certain death. They’d finally reached a safe place, and he’d shared his deepest feelings. He didn’t want to be brought down by harsh reality. They were alive! He wanted to kiss her and embrace her and celebrate the moment.
“You left me this morning,” she said. “Do you remember?”
“I remember.”
She gave him a pointed look.
“You think that was easy for me? You think I wanted to?”
“It is not a matter of want, William. You will leave again.”
He grasped her shoulders. “Come with me.”
“Stop.”
He didn’t stop. He wouldn’t stop until she agreed to be his. “I can’t live without you, Layah. I’m in love with you. I don’t care how impossible you think it is for us to be together. I’m going to make it happen. I’ll do whatever it takes. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m pretty good at challenges. I can overcome any obstacle in my way, and I don’t quit, ever.”
She held up her palm. “I refuse.”
“You refuse what?”
“To let you break my heart with this fantasy.”
“Tell me you don’t love me, and I’ll give it up.”
Her brow furrowed at his request. She didn’t deny that she shared his feelings, but she turned her back on him, looking across the hillside. “The night Khalil left, we argued. I begged him not to join the rebels. He wasn’t a soldier. I said he was throwing his life away. He told me he would think about it, and we...made peace.”
She meant that he’d made love to her. Hud’s gut clenched at the comparison.
“When I woke up, he was gone. I never saw him again.”
“I’m not him, Layah.”
“You are worse. Twice as stubborn and ten times as fearless.”
“I’m trained for combat.”
“The problem is not your profession. It is your failure to see the truth. Our parting is inevitable.”
He wanted to argue with her, to convince her that they could overcome any obstacles. But he didn’t know what the future held. He would have to leave as soon as he talked to his commander. He couldn’t stay in Armenia indefinitely.
“I’ll come back to you,” he said, wrapping his arms around her again.
She accepted his embrace, if not his words. Her fingers threaded through the short hair at his nape. “Let us proceed with eyes wide open. This is temporary. It is a passionate affair we will remember always. I enjoy your hands on my body and your mouth on my skin. Let us have that, without the promises.”
“I want both. I want everything.”
“You can’t have everything.”
He could, and he would. He’d have her by whatever means necessary. Because this wasn’t a fantasy for him. It wasn’t a short fling. He’d made bad choices with women before, and he’d learned from his mistakes. As a SEAL, he’d learned to take calculated risks, instead of stupid ones.
Marrying Michelle had been a stupid risk. They’d had nothing in common outside of the bedroom. He’d needed space, and she’d needed the opposite. They hadn’t communicated or connected on a deeper level.
With Layah, he knew he’d met his match. He felt it in his bones. She was the one. They were right for each other. She was fiercely independent, and more than willing to speak her mind. He could tell her anything. They’d forged an unbreakable bond on this journey. He wasn’t going to let go now.
Sure, they’d hit some rough spots along the way. She’d deceived him a few times. The difference was that she hadn’t done it thoughtlessly, or for selfish reasons. She’d sworn to protect her family, just as he’d sworn to protect his team.
If they could get out of Iran, they could do anything. They could overcome any obstacle. He wasn’t going to stop fighting until he convinced her.
They had all night.
He removed her hand from his hair, because he was already getting aroused. She smiled, aware of the effect she had on him. He smiled back, intent on making her his.
They continued down the hill to Agarak. There was an inn at the end of a cobblestone street, across from a café. He wasn’t in the mood for a feast, for once. Maybe his body had finally recovered from the days of near starvation.
He was hungry for her and only her.
She ordered a light meal of chicken soup with flatbread and mineral water. There were pistachio cookies for dessert. They walked to the inn at sunset. She used the last of her money to pay for a room. It was a budget-friendly place, clean and basic, with a bed that wasn’t big enough for what he intended.
“I’ll have to sleep on top of you,” he said.
“Will we sleep?”
He pulled her into his arms. “Not if I can help it,” he said, kissing her soft mouth. She smiled against his lips, acquiescent. He lifted her up and carried her into the tiny bathroom, where he set her down on the vanity sink. “Let’s shower.”
“Both of us?”
“That’s the best way to do it.”
“I don’t think we fit.”
“I’ll show you.”
He stripped off her tunic, which smelled like smoke. His flannel shirt smelled worse, like sheep and sweat. They struggled out of boots and pants and undergarments. Then she was standing naked before him.
“God in heaven,” he said, ogling her nude form. She took his breath away. She was all soft skin and dark hair and lush beauty. Her nipped-in waist made a dramatic contrast to her full breasts and flared hips. “You’re perfect.”
She laughed at this claim, as if he was exaggerating. He dropped to his knees before her, spanning her waist with his hands.
“I love this spot,” he said, touching his lips
