The Return of the Sheikh by Kristi Gold Page A

navigated the pathway until they finally reached firm footing, and not once had Zain let her go. She began to relax as they continued on, knowing he would do his best to keep her out of harm’s way. But then he came to an ominous-looking boulder pile and started to climb.
    “Follow me,” he said over one shoulder.
    Madison remained at the bottom and glared up at him. “Excuse me, but I thought we’re supposed to be going down, not up.”
    “First, you must see the view from here before we continue.”
    Her gaze wandered up to the plateau. “You can describe it to me.”
    “You have to witness it firsthand.”
    “I can’t see it if I break my neck.”
    He scurried down and gestured toward the formation. “I will be immediately behind you offering support should you need it. Trust me, I will not let you fall.”
    She did trust him, at least in this case. “Okay, I’ll do it, as long as you keep your eye on the goal and not on my butt.”
    He smiled. “I cannot promise I will not look, but I will try to refrain from touching you.”
    And she’d try to refrain from requesting he touch her, though she couldn’t promise that, either.
    One foot in front of the other, she silently chanted as she began the ascent. Truth was, she’d hiked before in similar terrain, just not in a long time. Yet her confidence grew knowing Zain would catch her if she stumbled. And with only moderate effort, she made it to the top just in time to catch the view of the valley washed in the final rays of the setting sun.
    “Unbelievable,” she muttered when Zain came up behind her. “I can see so much more here than on the veranda.”
    “I told you it was not to be missed.” He rested his hands lightly on her shoulders. “If you look closely, you can see the lake right beyond the base of Mabrứuk.”
    She spotted a patch of cerulean-blue on the horizon. “I see it. Is that a hotel on the cliff above it?”
    “A resort,” he said. “It’s owned by the Barad family and managed by Shamil Barad.”
    “Maysa’s brother,” Madison replied. “Mr. Deeb told me about him.”
    “Maysa is nothing like him.” He sounded and looked irate. “Where she cares about the people, Shamil only cares about padding his fortune at any cost.”
    “Believe me, I’ve met his kind. And I’m positive you’ll keep him in his place.”
    He leaned and kissed her cheek. “I truly appreciate your confidence in me.”
    As Zain continued to point out the landmarks, Madison found herself leaning back against him. And when he slipped his arms around her waist, she didn’t bother to pull away. She simply marveled at the passion in his voice when he spoke about his people, and relished the way he made her felt so protected.
    A span of silence passed before Madison looked up at him. “You really love your country, don’t you?”
    “Yes, I do,” he said as he stared off into the distance. “That is why I cannot fail, yet the burden to succeed at times seems too heavy for one man to bear. Especially a flawed man like myself.”
    She sensed making that admission had cost him, and that alone made her appreciate him all the more. She turned into his arms and gave him a smile. “But you will succeed, Zain. You have too much conviction not to see this through.”
    “I am certainly going to try.” For a moment he looked as though he might kiss her but surprisingly let her go. “We’d best be on our way, otherwise we will be walking in the dark.”
    “If we must.”
    Zain led the way, his hand firmly gripping hers as they made their way down the slope. Once at the bottom, he took her by the waist, lifted her up and set her on her feet. “I am so glad I made it without breaking something,” she said as she tightened the band securing her hair.
    “I would never let you fall, Madison.”
    Oh, but she was in the process of falling for him, and he couldn’t be her human safety net. In a matter of weeks, she would leave him behind, and she’d have only the