‘What…where am I?’ she mumbled thickly, the inside of her mouth as dry as a bone.
‘Ruby?’ It was Raja’s deep accented drawl and she stiffened nervously at the awareness of movement and rustling in the darkness.
A match was struck and an oil lamp hanging on a tent pole cast illumination on the shadowy interior and the man towering over her. She blinked rapidly, relief engulfing her when she recognised Raja’s powerful physique. Adjusting to the flickering light, her eyes clung to his hard bronzed features. In shocking defiance of the cold biting into her bones he was bare chested, well-defined hair-roughened pectorals flexing above the corrugated musculature of his abdomen. He was wearing only boxer shorts.
‘My goodness, what happened to us?’ Ruby demanded starkly, shivering violently as the chill of the air settled deeper into her clammy flesh. ‘What are we doing in a tent?’
Raja crouched down on a level with her, long, strong thighs splayed. His stunning bone structure, composed of razor-sharp cheekbones, slashing angles and forbidding hollows, momentarily paralysed her and she simply stared, mesmerised by a glorious masculine perfection only enhanced by a dark haze of stubble.
‘We were kidnapped and dumped out in the Ashuri desert. We have no phones, no way of communicating our whereabouts—’
‘K-kidnapped?’ Ruby stammered through rattling teeth. ‘Why on earth would anyone want to kidnap us?’
‘Someone who intended to prevent our marriage.’
‘But we’re already—’
‘Married,’ he slotted in flatly for her, handsome mouth hardening into a look of grim restraint as if being married was the worst thing that had ever happened to him but he was too polite to mention it. ‘Obviously the kidnappers weren’t aware of that when they planned this outrage. Apparently they assumed that our wedding would take place at the cathedral in Simis the day after tomorrow. In fact I believe a reconciliation and blessing service is actually planned for that afternoon.’
‘Oh, my word,’ she framed shakily, struggling to think clearly again. ‘The kidnappers were trying to stop us from getting married? But if we’re in the desert why is it so cold?’
‘It is very cold here at night.’ He swept up the quilt lying in a heap at her feet and wrapped it round her narrow shoulders.
‘You’re not cold,’ she breathed almost resentfully, huddling into the folds of the quilt.
‘No,’ he acknowledged.
‘Kidnapped,’ she repeated shakily. ‘That’s not what I came out here for.’
‘It may not be a comfort but I’m convinced that no harm was intended to come to you. I was not supposed to be with you. I invited that risk by changing my travel plans at the eleventh hour and boarding the same flight,’ the prince explained with sardonic cool. ‘The kidnappers only wanted to prevent you from turning up for our wedding, a development which would have offended my people enough to bring protesters out into the streets.’
‘So not everybody wants us to get married,’ Ruby registered with a frown, shooting him an accusing glance. ‘You didn’t tell me that some people were so hostile to the idea of us marrying.’
‘Common sense should have told you that but the objectors are in a minority in both countries.’
‘How do you know all this?’
‘Our captors were keen to explain their motives. The drugged drink didn’t knock me out for as long as you. I began recovering consciousness as a pair of masked men were dragging us into this tent. Unfortunately I was so dizzy I could barely focus or stand and they pulled a gun on me. I don’t think they had any intention of using it unless I managed to interfere with their escape,’ he explained heavily and she could tell from his discomfited expression just how challenging he had found it to choose caution over courage. ‘It would have been foolish to risk injury out here while you were incapacitated and without protection. I believe the men were mercenaries hired by a group of our subjects to ensure that you didn’t turn up for the wedding—’
‘Our…subjects?’ she queried.
‘We are in Ashur and the masked men were of Western origin…I think. Members of both royal households were aware of our travel plans so it will be hard to establish where the security leak occurred and who chose to take advantage of it and risk our lives. But it must be done—’
‘At least we’re not hurt.’
‘That doesn’t diminish the gravity of the crime.’ Raja dealt her a stern appraisal. ‘One of us could have had an allergic reaction to the drug we were given. Violence could have been used against us. Although our captors tried to talk as though this was intended to be a harmless prank, you might easily have suffered illness or injury alone out here. In addition, our disappearance will have cast both our countries into a very dangerous state of turmoil and panic.’
‘Oh, hell,’ Ruby groaned as he finished that sobering speech and she pushed her tousled hair off her brow and muttered in a small voice, ‘My head hurts.’
He touched her hand, realised her fingers were cold as ice and concern indented his brow. ‘I’ll light a fire—there is enough wood.’
‘What on earth are we going to do?’
With relaxed but economical movements, Raja began to light a small fire. ‘A search for us will already have begun. The Najari air force will mount an efficient rescue mission but they have a very large area to cover. We have food and shelter. This is an oasis and bedu tribesmen must come here sometimes to water their flocks. Many of them have phones and could quickly summon help. I could trek out to find the nearest settlement but I am reluctant to leave you alone—’
‘I would manage,’ Ruby declared.
‘I don’t think so,’ the prince told her without apology as a spark flared and he fed it with what appeared to be dried foliage. ‘I will make tea.’
‘I could come with you—’
‘You couldn’t stand the heat by day or keep up with me, which would put both of us at greater risk.’
Stymied by his conviction of her lack of stamina, Ruby dug her toes into the quilt in an effort to defrost them. ‘How come you’re so calm?’
‘When all else fails, celebrate the positive and…we are safe and healthy.’
The warm drink did satisfy her thirst and drive off her inner chill though even the effort of sitting up to drink made her very aware of how tired and dizzy she still was.
‘Try to get some sleep,’ the prince advised.
The thin mat that was all that lay between her and the ground provided little padding. She curled up. Raja tucked the quilt round her as if she were a small child. The cold of the earth below pierced the mat, making her shiver again and, expelling his breath in an impatient hiss, Raja got below the quilt with her and melded his heated body to the back of hers.
‘What are you doing?’ Ruby squeaked, her slight figure stiff as a metal strut in the loose circle of his strong arms.
‘There’s no need for you to be cold while I am here.’