Page 34 of The Sheikh's Desert Captive

"The mountain tops to the east have snow. At the peaks. They are very high."

Nicole smiled. "There I was about to give you a lecture on how lucky you are not to have snow."

"You'd be surprised at the extremes in this country," he said.

"After what happened to me yesterday, nothing would surprise me about Qazhar," she stated.

Rashid nodded. "I can see that. It hasn't exactly been a pleasant introduction to life up here."

Nicole nodded. "So, how often do you go down to the city?"

Rashid paused and seemed to consider what to say next. "Not very often," he replied slowly.

"Why don't you go?" she asked. "Don't you have family there? Cousins? Aunts or uncles?"

"I am Qazhar born," he replied. "I have many close family relations. Extended family is a way of life in Qazhar."

Nicole knew that was right. At every event she'd attended since she'd come to the country, it seemed that everyone knew everyone else, or was related in some way. It took some getting used to.

Back home, family members were so often living hundreds of miles apart. She had to admit she liked the idea of close, extended family. It made life feel different, more cozy and intimate, knowing your relations were so closely connected, that they shared so much of life together.

"Do they come up here to visit you?"

Nicole wanted to get a sense of just how solitary his life here really was. However, as before, Rashid put up the wall between them. His features became blank, and Nicole quickly chided herself for her insensitivity, her intrusiveness. Or was it that she was just too eager to know what he was holding back from her?

"I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't ask such questions."

Rashid shook his head. "There's nothing unusual about why I don't go there."

"I didn't mean to suggest there was," she said.

"The city life just isn't for me. Although my parents' palace is still there."

Nicole peered at him. "Another palace? How many do you have?"

Rashid smiled casually. "Just the two."

"And the other one? Is that just empty?"

He nodded. "I do have it maintained. For sentimental reasons. My parents would want me to honor the home by at least taking care of it."

"But you don't live there for any part of the year," she said, daring to press him a little bit more.

Rashid shook his head and said nothing more. His features became stony. Impassive. He gazed out at the fountain. The barrier was up again, and Nicole was sure that was about as much as she was going to get for the moment.

"What about you," he said.

"Me? What do you need to know?" she asked.

Rashid shrugged. "Whatever you want to tell me."

Was she willing to tell him anything about her life? He had shared some of his own life with her. Maybe it was natural for her to tell him something about herself.

"What's to tell?" she asked.

Rashid squinted at her, apparently confused by what she'd just said.

Nicole waved a dismissive hand. "That's just an expression. I forgot English isn't your first language."

---