The Sheikh's Second Chance Bride (Qazhar Sheikhs series Book 5) by Cara Albany Page B
Book: The Sheikh's Second Chance Bride (Qazhar Sheikhs series Book 5) by Cara Albany
Read Free Book Online
Authors: Cara Albany
Ads: Link
during the drive, she'd had to work hard at averting her gaze from Malik. He was wearing tight black pants and an even tighter black shirt.
He commanded the off-road vehicle like a man possessed. His sleeves were rolled up, and Lana felt her throat tighten at the sight of the corded muscles on Malik's forearms. Every time he wrenched the wheel to one side to deal with the sharp angle of another sand dune, she saw his chest thrust forwards. There were beads of sweat on his forehead, and she could hear his staccato breathing. His scent filled the interior of the car.
Once more the car swerved and Lana gripped the side of the door.
She had to admit the last few hours hadn't been that unpleasant. After the initial shock at having been swept away to a mysterious destination had worn off, Lana and Malik had settled upon what could be called a truce of some sorts.
Lana promised herself she would stop being mean and snarky to Malik. For his part, Malik had assumed an air of casual determination. He had been pleasant enough to Lana. In fact, he'd been polite and courteous beyond anything she had expected.
When Lana had asked where they were going, Malik had been reluctant to answer. He'd tried to make it a game, and she'd taken some pleasure from his obvious teasing. She hadn't seen the lighter side of Malik's character so clearly before. But, forced into proximity with him, he had proven to be an excellent companion during the long drive out into the desert.
Lana could still hardly believe she had agreed to such a trip, but Mia had assured her that Malik would look after Lana. Seeing the strength on display during the journey, Lana had come to believe that Malik would protect her if it came down to it.
Lana had gazed in wonder at the desert. From the road, it had seemed beautiful and mysterious. But now that the car was powering its way across the dunes, the desert had taken on a whole new sense of peril. She could sense how dangerous it would be out here, especially without a man like Malik to guide and protect her.
The car lurched to one side and rounded the crest of a dune. Malik glanced at Lana and smiled. She squinted back at him as if to say that she trusted him not to crash the car. And, indeed, she did. Malik looked like he could control anything if he put his mind to it.
He'd explained that the car was the safest way. Lana couldn't ride a horse and was glad of the comfort of the car. When asked why he hadn't just used the helicopter, Malik had explained that wanted Lana to get an up close and personal experience in the desert. When he'd said that she'd given him a look, testing him about any other meanings of those words.
The car roared forward, and Malik called out to her above the sound of the engine. "We're nearly there," he said.
The car bumped up a final incline and emerged on top of a dune. Malik drew the car to a halt. He cut the engine and Lana was taken aback by the depth of the silence.
"There it is," Malik announced.
Lana gasped as she leaned forward onto the dashboard. She could hardly believe what she was looking at. At the base of the dune, there was the most exotic thing she had ever seen. It was like something out of a dream. One huge tent sat alongside a tree-circled oasis. The pool of clear water shimmered in the bright sun.
Lana turned to Malik and saw that he was smiling at her. "What do you think?" he asked.
Lana shook her head. "It's amazing," she said hesitantly.
"What is this place?" Lana asked.
"It's the testing place," Malik replied.
"The what?"
"In the past, desert warriors used to come here to use it as a base in order to test themselves against the desert. Over the years, it has become a symbolic place. No-one comes here to test themselves," Malik said. He glanced at Lana. "At least not in the way they used to."
Lana gazed down at the tent. It was large enough for at least a few people. She wondered what it would look like inside. Would it be spartan and barely furnished?
He commanded the off-road vehicle like a man possessed. His sleeves were rolled up, and Lana felt her throat tighten at the sight of the corded muscles on Malik's forearms. Every time he wrenched the wheel to one side to deal with the sharp angle of another sand dune, she saw his chest thrust forwards. There were beads of sweat on his forehead, and she could hear his staccato breathing. His scent filled the interior of the car.
Once more the car swerved and Lana gripped the side of the door.
She had to admit the last few hours hadn't been that unpleasant. After the initial shock at having been swept away to a mysterious destination had worn off, Lana and Malik had settled upon what could be called a truce of some sorts.
Lana promised herself she would stop being mean and snarky to Malik. For his part, Malik had assumed an air of casual determination. He had been pleasant enough to Lana. In fact, he'd been polite and courteous beyond anything she had expected.
When Lana had asked where they were going, Malik had been reluctant to answer. He'd tried to make it a game, and she'd taken some pleasure from his obvious teasing. She hadn't seen the lighter side of Malik's character so clearly before. But, forced into proximity with him, he had proven to be an excellent companion during the long drive out into the desert.
Lana could still hardly believe she had agreed to such a trip, but Mia had assured her that Malik would look after Lana. Seeing the strength on display during the journey, Lana had come to believe that Malik would protect her if it came down to it.
Lana had gazed in wonder at the desert. From the road, it had seemed beautiful and mysterious. But now that the car was powering its way across the dunes, the desert had taken on a whole new sense of peril. She could sense how dangerous it would be out here, especially without a man like Malik to guide and protect her.
The car lurched to one side and rounded the crest of a dune. Malik glanced at Lana and smiled. She squinted back at him as if to say that she trusted him not to crash the car. And, indeed, she did. Malik looked like he could control anything if he put his mind to it.
He'd explained that the car was the safest way. Lana couldn't ride a horse and was glad of the comfort of the car. When asked why he hadn't just used the helicopter, Malik had explained that wanted Lana to get an up close and personal experience in the desert. When he'd said that she'd given him a look, testing him about any other meanings of those words.
The car roared forward, and Malik called out to her above the sound of the engine. "We're nearly there," he said.
The car bumped up a final incline and emerged on top of a dune. Malik drew the car to a halt. He cut the engine and Lana was taken aback by the depth of the silence.
"There it is," Malik announced.
Lana gasped as she leaned forward onto the dashboard. She could hardly believe what she was looking at. At the base of the dune, there was the most exotic thing she had ever seen. It was like something out of a dream. One huge tent sat alongside a tree-circled oasis. The pool of clear water shimmered in the bright sun.
Lana turned to Malik and saw that he was smiling at her. "What do you think?" he asked.
Lana shook her head. "It's amazing," she said hesitantly.
"What is this place?" Lana asked.
"It's the testing place," Malik replied.
"The what?"
"In the past, desert warriors used to come here to use it as a base in order to test themselves against the desert. Over the years, it has become a symbolic place. No-one comes here to test themselves," Malik said. He glanced at Lana. "At least not in the way they used to."
Lana gazed down at the tent. It was large enough for at least a few people. She wondered what it would look like inside. Would it be spartan and barely furnished?
Similar Books
