So, that was why she was nervous. It had nothing to do with the way she felt about him, because all she felt for him was annoyance. Simple as.
He approached the edge of the encampment and stood, his hands outstretched, proving that he had no weapons, or at least that was what Sophie imagined he was doing. It was very possible that she was getting a bit overdramatic.
Overdramatic or not, she watched with bated breath, unsure of what might happen next. She wished he had brought some kind of protection with him because on this score she would be of no use to him. All she could do was plot her own escape. Which would be foiled by her inability to move quickly in the terrain. She might as well go out with honor.
Suddenly the man Zayn was talking to pulled him into an embrace. When they parted, Zayn looked back at Sophie, then started to walk her direction. His dark eyes were locked with hers and her stomach tightened in response. She did her best to school her expression into one of neutrality, but she wasn’t sure if she was quite managing it. Because he threw her off, darn it. Of course, who could blame her? He had brought her out to the middle of the desert and then had, in no uncertain terms, told her that their reception might be less than warm. And then he had left her standing on top of the dune. Yes, it wasn’t him that was throwing her off. It was the situation.
Then he moved closer, his dark eyes trained on hers, and a shiver worked its way down her spine. It was a lot harder, in that moment, to pretend the fear had been entirely for her.
“We are welcome,” Zayn said.
“Well, that’s good. I was already mentally planning on how I would relay your valiant fight to save yourself to your staff when I returned back in the SUV without you.”
She took a step toward him and stumbled. The wry smile that curved his lips said everything his voice didn’t. She was not running anywhere out here, and they both knew it. Not when she could scarcely walk a few steps without nearly falling on her face.
“I even explained to Jamal that you are a reporter. He still didn’t kick us out. I think that’s a good sign.”
“So he doesn’t mind me making observations that will end up in the news?”
“They remain fairly unaffected by world events out here, but that isn’t to say it doesn’t matter. As long as your representation is fair, he will not mind. Though I have to say I’m surprised that you care one way or the other.”
Heat stung Sophie’s face, and it wasn’t just from the sun. “Look, you’ve made some assumptions about me based on what you think a reporter is, and based on the fact that you think I’m basically a tabloid journalist, and given what I was up to when we met I can’t really blame you. But I write for the society pages for the New York Herald and that’s a far cry from the tabloids. Also, I’m a human being with feelings, and I acknowledge that other human beings have feelings. I’m not out to destroy anybody.”
“Except for the Chatsfields.”
She cleared her throat. “I never said I wanted to destroy them. I merely want to distract them.”
“To what end?”
“If you get to keep your secrets, then I get to keep mine. Now, rather than keeping me standing out here in the middle of the sand, why don’t you introduce me to your friend?”
“Friend is used loosely here.” Zayn moved to her side, and put his hand on her lower back, guiding her in the direction of the man he had called Jamal.
The man was tall, nearly the same height as Zayn, his expression even more imposing. “You must be the reporter,” he said.
“Yes, that’s me.” She extended her hand, only to find it ignored. She put it awkwardly back at her side, wobbling a bit on the uneven sand. “Sophie. Sophie Parsons.”
The man nodded his head. “I suppose then we should give you something interesting to report on.”
CHAPTER SIX
“WE HAVE SENT your woman back to the tent.”
Zayn looked at Jamal, something strange twisting in his gut as he turned over the words the other man had just spoken. “She is merely under my protection. Nothing more.”
“Then would you prefer she sleep elsewhere?”
“As I said,” Zayn replied, knowing he should be taking Jamal up on his offer, knowing he wouldn’t, “she is under my protection. That means she must stay close with me.”
“As you wish.”
“There is nothing between us.”
Jamal looked off into the distance, his eyes fixed on the horizon line. “It is none of my concern what you do or with whom. I care not for your affairs, Al-Ahmar. You should know this by now. So long as you stay out of my business, I will stay out of yours.”
“To a point, I’m certain.”
“Well, you are here now. So obviously it only extends to a point. Though I will say it is lucky for you that you now have me to deal with rather than my father. His welcome for you may not have been so hospitable.”
“And yet, hostility between us is pointless. We both want the same things. We both want what is absolutely best for those we rule over.”
“Ah, yes. But I do believe you and I often have differing opinions on what is best.”
Zayn looked toward the tent that was being provided for Sophie and himself. “I sometimes differ with myself as to what is best.”
“Indeed.” Jamal laughed. “Don’t we all?”
Far too often. “I shall retire now.”
Jamal arched a brow. “As would I if I had a woman such as that waiting for me in my tent.”
“You have a wife. And this woman is not my lover.”
“Calm down, Al-Ahmar. I have no designs on your woman. Neither will I repeat what I have seen here. We may not agree on everything, but I believe you are a man of honor. And for that reason I do not see the point in causing you any trouble.”
Zayn extended his hand, and Jamal clasped it and shook it. “On that we agree. And I must bid you good-night now.”
He turned and walked away from the other man, ignoring his assumptions. Doing his best to push them away from his mind. Yes, he and Sophie would share a tent tonight. But there was plenty of room for both of them. And he would not touch her.
He crossed the courtyard, passing the campfires that were starting to die down. He swept up the closure of the tent and encountered a wide-eyed-looking Sophie.