He dropped his hand. He was, after all, a gentleman, and proud of it. “Good night, Vera. Let us plan to meet on the morrow.”
Her bosom, barely contained by the vest, heaved. “Yes. Tomorrow. Good night.”
12
MURAD RUSHED ALEXdown the dark, dark corridor that led to the harem. Alex was so dazed that she ran blindly with him.
He pushed her through a pair of huge doors and into the women’s quarters. They hurried through the courtyard, which was empty now, and illuminated by a full, glowing moon. A moment later they were crossing the galleria and entering Alex’s apartment. Murad closed the outside door. Alex stared at him without seeing him at all.
Ohmygod.It was really happening. Blackwell and her, together at last … destined to be lovers, destined, she knew, to be man and wife. And he was far more than she had even dreamed he would be. Dear God. He was a real man, a real hero, and she knew, she just knew, he was feeling all that she was feeling, too.
“Alex.” Murad stood beside her. “Here. Drink some of this. You haven’t said a word since you left his room.”
Alex didn’t even look at the glass he was holding out to her. Joy seemed to be radiating out from the core of her being with increasingly intense and frequent waves.Ohmygod.When she moved, it felt as though she were walking in clouds.
Alex began to smile, hugging herself.
“What happened?” Murad demanded. “Did the bastard hurt you?”
She didn’t hear him at first, thinking about how Blackwell had looked and all that he had said, recalling how her body had tightened and flamed when he had touched her arm. She had never wantedanyonethe way that she wanted him. Murad grabbed her arm. “What happened?”
She blinked at him.
“Did he hurt you?”
“No!” She smiled. “He would never hurt me, Murad. Oh, no.” She continued to smile. “He didn’t even try to make love to me, although I know he wanted to. My God, he’s a real gentleman, every inch a nineteenth-century man.” She met Murad’s gaze. “He told me he’ll protect me, take care of me—that I have a friend and ally now.” She laughed, not minding his chauvinism. He was the product of his times, and she loved him for being who he was.
Murad regarded her, his gaze intense, then he turned abruptly away.
Alex thought that he seemed upset, but she was too overwhelmed with her recent encounter with Blackwell to really pay attention. She whirled around once, twice. “I can’t believe that this is finally happening,” she whispered. “Dreams do come true.”
Murad faced her, hands on his hips, unsmiling. “Do you even know this man?”
“Yes.”
“You never told me how the two of you met—or when you met, or where.”
Alex smiled. “Maybe the time has come for me to tell you everything.” Confiding in Murad, her best friend, would be the perfect ending to the perfect evening.
“Considering that it ismyduty to protect you and take care of you, and that I have been doing just that for the past fourteen months, I think that would be a good idea,” Murad said sharply. His tone seemed somewhat bitter.
Alex cocked her head. “Are you jealous?”
He laughed, but he was flushing. “Of course not! Don’t be a fool, Alex. I am only trying to serve you well.”
Alex relaxed. It was ridiculous of her to have thought, even for a moment, that Murad was jealous. “He’s my destiny, Murad,” she said very gravely. And tomorrow they would rendezvous. He wanted to see her. She had promised to find a way.
But the risks, of course, were so great. Alex decided she needed a better disguise. If she continued to wander around the palace as a slave girl, she should stain her face and hands and feet.
Murad interrupted her thoughts. “Alex, I know you are romantically inclined, and I, too, believe in fate, but you should also be realistic. Has he offered to marry you? Has he told you that he loves you? Did you sleep with him?”
“No. To all of the above.” Alex plopped down on a big cushion. “But he will tell me he loves me and ask me to marry him. I am sure of it.”
“And you will sleep with him, of course,” Murad said harshly. “Risking both of your lives.”
Alex thought about the execution she had read about. She knew in that instant that she must control herself, just as he must control himself. They must not make love, not until they were safely out of Tripoli. But Alex wanted to be with him even now so desperately that she wondered if they could refrain from the inevitable.
“So he’s led you to believe he loved you in the past? In America?” Murad demanded.
