Free One Desert Night by Maggie Cox Page A

takes. I'm here with a colleague, by the way…Dr Rivers.'
    'I hope it takes a long time.' Farida smiled. 'For I feel that I have just made a new friend.'
    Unbearably touched, and because she feared the same debilitating grief would be visited on her should anything happen to Zahir, Gina found her blue eyes misting over for a second. 'The feeling is mutual…you're very kind.'

    The loudly insistent tattoo beaten on her bedroom door that night woke Gina from an already far from serene sleep. She hadn't bothered undressing because Zahir had told her to make herself available to talk when he returned. Even though she'd resented the command at the time, now she prayed he'd live to shout another one.
    Shoving off the exotic silk counterpane, she got hurriedly to her feet.
    'Dr Collins—His Highness desires your presence in his chambers immediately!' Looking as if he'd run all the way through the palace to reach her, beneath his dark red fez Jamal's forehead was lightly coated with glistening sweat.
    Light-headed with shock, Gina held on to the doorframe to anchor her for a moment. 'What's happened? Has he been hurt?'
    'Come.' Jamal gestured impatiently. 'No questions. Please come now.'
    Not bothering to turn back and put on the pretty sequinned slippers she'd left by the bed, she pulled the door to and followed Zahir's officious servant down the marble corridor barefoot.

C HAPTER F IVE
    BARELY registering the vast bedroom she was shown into, Gina's focus was on the strongly built man whose long dark hair was spread out against a bank of plump pillows on the emperor-size bed where he lay. His impressive bronzed chest was bare apart from the stark white bandage encircling his ribcage. A spectacled man with a neat black beard, she could only assume was the court physician, attended him. She bit back a gasp when she saw the spreading red stain beneath another neatly applied bandage round his hard-muscled bicep. The physician was just withdrawing a hypodermic needle from Zahir's uninjured arm, and both men glanced round immediately as Jamal opened the door and ushered her inside.
    'Dr Collins…you have me at rather a disadvantage, I am afraid. Come closer. I won't bite you. I hardly have either the energy or the strength for that right now!'
    How could he joke at a time like this?
Gina thought as she hurried forward towards the bed. 'You're hurt. What happened?'
    'Some foolish rebel leader thought he'd make a name for himself by killing the ruler of Kabuyadir—that's what happened! Luckily his ill-timed bullet only glanced against my arm and side. Do not look so worried, Dr Collins…my doctor has already assured me I'm going to live.'
    Again the jokey manner. She could hardly understand it. Did he really take the fact he'd almost been killed so lightly? 'That's not funny. Don't you have a bodyguard or someone looking out for you when you do this kind of thing?' Because she was worried and upset, it was hard to control the quaver in her voice.
    'My bodyguard took a bullet in the leg and is now being taken care of in hospital.'
    Zahir's voice was full of frustration, and for a moment she saw regret and anger in his glance. She suddenly wished that Jamal and the doctor would leave them alone together, so that she could ascertain for herself how he was really feeling. Something told her he must be putting on a front of some kind. But then his rich dark gaze turned surprisingly warm as he surveyed her. To add to her surprise, he reached for her hand and possessively held it—clearly unconcerned that his physician and servant bore witness to the gesture.
    They watched in silence as the doctor collected the tools of his trade and returned them to a bulky leather case. He spoke briefly in their shared language to Zahir, and his patient nodded as he listened. Then the man respectfully bowed, before backing away towards the door. Jamal held it open for him.
    Catching his servant's eye, Zahir said in English, 'You may leave us. I will be