Page 5 of The Sheikh's Desert Captive

CHAPTER TWO

The thought of forced marriage made her gasp. Hakim watched her approvingly. It was as if he was simply observing her growing understanding. He was watching the growing horror as it was etched on her face.

She'd heard about things like this.

Women being abducted while exploring out of the way places. Then being forced to marry. To Nicole it had always seemed ludicrous that something like that could have survived into the twenty-first century.

But, here she was, facing the reality of it right in front of her face. With herself being the unwilling victim.

She leaned her face up close to his. She could smell his scent. Any other time it made have been stimulating but now it was repulsive to her. "Are you seriously trying to tell me that a wedding is going to take place here, and I'm going to be forced to marry someone?"

She could hardly believe she was saying the words. But the reality of it all was beginning to sink in.

At first he didn't reply. He looked into her eyes as if he was trying to communicate something profound to her. Something simple. Something elemental. "This is an ancient tradition," he said.

"What are you talking about?" she snapped.

"Some traditions are timeless," he replied.

"Kidnapping a woman and forcing her to marry someone else? " she demanded almost unable to believe what she was asking him. "What century are you living in?"

Hakim shook his head slowly. "Not someone else," he said almost casually.

She narrowed her eyes and once again there was terrible certainty in his gaze. A chill raced throughout her body.

"You mean..?" she started to say but he cut her off.

"That is exactly what I mean, my dear, sweet American bride."

Hakim smiled at her. There was victory in that smile and it made her blood boil.

Nicole felt a roaring in her ears. Suddenly, the ground seemed to shift beneath her. Her legs felt weak and her throat tightened. She felt a genuine, unstoppable sense of panic.

The desire to run anywhere seized hold of her. But she knew there was nowhere to run. She was in the middle of the wilderness, miles from the nearest settlement. She was utterly alone, isolated and about to be forced into something more terrible than she could ever have imagined.

"I won't do it!" she barked at him.

Nicole's voice echoed around the confines of the encampment. She saw heads turn in their direction. This time the men looked concerned.

Hakim leaned forward and wrapped his fingers around her arm. "You have no choice, Nicole. You are here, now. You have nowhere to go." Hakim's nostrils flared and she saw a sudden fierceness in his penetrating gaze. "This will happen," he growled.

His face took on the aspect of some kind of feral animal, dark eyed and dangerous. She saw his lips tighten into a hungry grin.

Nicole tried to pull her arm away from him, but he held onto her tightly. She glared at him. "You cannot do this. You cannot force me to marry you."

Hakim lifted his head and gazed off into the distance. "Here, in the desert, I am master. I decide what will happen. This is my domain." He peered down at her. "I rule here."

Hakim breathed sharply. "From the first moment when I saw you I knew you were destined to be mine."His gaze became steady and dangerous. "I could sense the need in you from the moment we met."

Nicole gasped and tried to pull away from him but he held onto her. "What do you mean?"

"You're a woman who needs excitement," Hakim said.

Nicole snorted." And you think becoming your wife will give me the excitement you think I need?"

Hakim shrugged. "Some women would deem it to be a privilege."

"What? Marrying you against their will," Nicole grunted incredulously. She scowled at him. "What woman in her right mind would put up with the something like that?"

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