“You’re hurting me,” she gasped.
“That’s not my intention, Tina,” he whispered in her ear. Loosening his hold, he played with her nipples, gently rubbing them between his fingers. They rose tautly beneath the thin silk material of her blouse, demanding satisfaction.
But she couldn’t let him continue. She had sworn never to give in again.
“Oh, please stop, Philip,” she begged as he moved his smoldering lips down the side of her neck. A burning desire arose within her, making her tremble with its intensity, and suddenly she prayed that he wouldn’t let her go.
“Why should I stop? You are mine, Tina, and I will caress you when and where I please.”
She stiffened at his words. “I am not yours. I belong only to myself!” She pried his hands loose and turned to face him. She stood proudly staring up into his dark-green eyes, her own flashing defiantly.
“There you are wrong, Tina.” He held her face between his hands so she couldn’t turn away from his penetrating gaze. “I stole you. Therefore you belong to me and only me. You’d feel better about it if you had some affection for me.”
“How can you talk of affection, Philip, when you are the cause of my troubles! You know I want to go home, but you keep me prisoner here.”
“I want you here, and it’s what I want that matters. I only thought that you might be happier if you softened your heart toward me.” He released her and started to leave the tent.
“And what of you, Philip?” she asked. “What are your feelings toward me? Do you love me?”
“Love you?” He turned around to face her, and laughed softly. “No, I don’t love you. I have never loved a woman, except perhaps my mother. I desire you, and that is enough.”
“But that isn’t enough! You can quench your desire with any woman—why must it be me?”
“Because no other woman has ever pleased me as much as you have.” His eyes roamed her body intimately. “I’m afraid you’ve spoiled me, Tina,” he chuckled, and left the tent.
The afternoon was hot and sticky. There had been no rain since Philip had returned to Egypt, and their water hole was slowly diminishing. But it had to rain soon; it always did this time of year.
Philip was breaking in a three-year-old horse when he saw Christina cross the camp and enter Yasir’s tent. Grinning, he thought of that morning when he had visited with his father.
“That girl is kind and gentle, Abu,” Yasir had scolded him. “And you ought to treat her right. It hurt my heart to hear her scream last night. If I weren’t so weak, I would have stopped you myself!”
Philip’s head had been throbbing with a dull ache from the night’s drinking, and he had felt irritated by his father’s words. He was ready to tell him caustically about Christina’s real character, but changed his mind. He could see his father was quite taken with Christina, and that pleased him. Christina would be like a breath of fresh air for Yasir. She could be charming when she tried.
An hour passed before Philip saw her again. He eyed her warily as she slowly approached him, a half-smile gracing her lips. He noticed that her eyes were a soft turquoise. Well, at least she’s not angry with me, he thought, remembering the dark blue her eyes had been the last time he talked with her.
“Philip.”
She spoke demurely, biting her lower lip, and rested her soft hands on the corral fence. She must want something, he guessed as he dismounted and walked toward her.
“What can I do for you, my sweet?” he asked.
“I was wondering, do you have any horses that haven’t been trained yet?”
“Yes, but why do you ask?”
“I wish to ride,” she said, looking down demurely.
Philip looked at her doubtfully. “You ask me to trust you on one of my horses after last night?”
“Oh, please, Philip. I can’t stand idleness. I’m used to riding every day,” she pleaded.
Philip searched her eyes. “How do I know you can handle a horse? I have only your word that you’ve ridden before.”
“You insult me! I’ve ridden since I was a child, and my stallion at home is two hands taller than any horse you have here.”
“Very well, Tina,” he laughed, pointing to the horse he had been working. “Will this one do?”
“Oh, yes!” she said brightly. The beautiful Arabian was raven-black and reminded her of Dax, except he wasn’t as large. He had a proudly arched neck, a deep chest, and long, slender legs. She couldn’t believe he was hers to ride.
