Page 37 of The Sheikh's Willing Captive

This time, on hearing her words, the corner of his mouth creased with a smile. "Good," was all he said.

He sat opened the door and stepped out onto the tarmac. The driver stood to one side, and she heard Razim give him some instructions in the Qazhar language. Then she stepped out. Razim held her hand as she emerged from the limo.

Paige glanced at the helicopter. "You still fly thing thing yourself, right?" she asked.

"Of course," he replied. "It is one of my many passions," he explained.

She told him she wanted one of her small bags put into the helicopter. She didn't want everything to be completely primitive once she'd reached the oasis encampment. The driver followed the instruction as she and Razim climbed into the helicopter.

Within minutes they were in the air and heading out, northwards, across the desert. Paige had no fear of flying in the helicopter. She gazed at the palace as if disappeared into the distance.

Razim's concentration was fixed on the flying of the machine, and she didn't want to distract him by talking over the communication headset.

Razim flew the helicopter low over the desert dunes. Paige gazed off into the distance, taking in the glorious sight of the golden desert landscape. The color was so luminous and bright, she had to narrow her eyes.

The sense of rapid movement over the dunes was hypnotic. She gazed down at the passing peaks of the dunes, watching as, one by one, they slid by beneath them. Occasionally, they flew over lines of camels. Tribesmen, dressed in traditional robes waved up at the helicopter as it passed.

All the while, Razim's concentration was intense as he guided the helicopter ever northward.

The desert was awe-inspiring. It possessed a stark and glorious beauty. For a moment, Paige regretted not spending more time out here, with Razim. She told herself that, if she had done that, she might have gotten to know him better. That she may have understood him more clearly. Then, some of the mistakes they'd both made might have been avoided.

But, it was too late for that now. Wasn't it?

Gazing out across the shimmering expanse, she realized that this was the place from which his ancestors had emerged. This environment was written into his DNA. Everything about him had been shaped by this place.

Finally she saw something she recognized. Squinting her eyes she made out a cluster of trees around a pool of water. Nearby, there was one large tent, fashioned out of red fabric. From up here, it looked like what it was. A sanctuary in the middle of a forbidding wilderness.

This was the place to which she had agreed to come with him. Seeing it like this, in the middle of nowhere, far from any civilization, she realized just how isolated she would be with him. In agreeing to this, she was placing all her trust in Razim.

She asked herself if she had been foolish in choosing to do this and concluded that the worst she could say about it was that it had been a rash decision. But her reasoning back at the palace still seemed true. If there was anywhere she could find closure and rid herself of any final regrets, it would be out here.

Razim guided the helicopter down onto a flat area of sand a short distance from the encampment. A huge plume of sand enveloped the helicopter until the blades finally stopped turning and it was safe to exit.

Razim leaped down and ran around to her side of the helicopter. He tugged the door open and extended a hand. She stepped out, her flat shoes sinking into the soft sand. She pulled her hand away and planted both hands on her hips, surveying the scene around.

Memories flickered to life as she gazed at the encampment. The red tent was huge and there was a smaller side tent near it which she hadn't seen from the air. That remembered that was where supplies were stored, she told herself. She recalled Razim explaining to her that tribesmen were appointed to maintain the encampment in the sheikh's absence. That way it could be kept clean and prepared for any visit by its illustrious owner.

Paige grabbed her bag from inside the helicopter and followed Razim toward the encampment.

"How does it feel to be back?" he asked. "I know you loved this place when we were here."

"Yeah. Why didn't we come back after the honeymoon?" she asked.

He shrugged. "That's a good question," he replied. "I guess there was just too much going on."

"I remember," she said wearily.

Paige sighed contentedly as she walked into the encampment. It felt like returning to a special place full of welcome.

Up close the tent was even larger than she'd remembered. To the front of the red tent was the actual oasis. The blue pool of water was about thirty meters long and half that wide. She recalled it was deep enough for swimming.

It was encircled by a dense cluster of palm trees. Branches hung low over the water casting shade. She recalled bathing in that pool when she'd last been here. The water had been cool and refreshing. She'd never forgotten the curious pleasure of floating in the water and gazing up through the branches at the bright blue expanse of sky.

She followed Razim to the tent entrance. He tugged it aside, and held it open for her to enter. She stepped inside and, once again, memories flooded back into her mind. The interior was spotlessly clean and the air was cool, filled with a scent, most likely incense, that immediately made her recall time she'd spent here with Razim. Intimate moments, that would always be associated with that sweet, delicate aroma.

The interior was about one hundred meters square. The thick, ornately decorated carpet felt soft under her feet. In the middle of the room were two low sofas facing each other, and a small table set between them.

Off to the left was the sleeping area. Just looking at it made Paige's heart beat faster. The entrance flap had been tied to the tent wall and she could see inside the sleeping space, which was perhaps less than half the size of the tent's main area. She also saw the large bed there, big enough for two. She felt her face color, and was glad that, in the subdued light of the interior, Razim probably wouldn't have noticed.

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