Free The Cobra & the Concubine (Khamsin Warriors of the Wind) by Bonnie Vanak

little silver bell tinkled gaily when the door opened. She hung back, pretending to admire the glistening artifacts in their glass display cases. When the proprietor invited the men to a back room to make their transaction, she held her breath.
    The clerk’s eyes met hers. He was the one who sold artifacts on the black market behind his employer’s back.
    Badra furtively withdrew the Egyptian necklace from the satchel—called a reticule, she’d learned—and laid it on the counter. Guilt assaulted her. If Jabari knew what she was doing, dishonoring their heritage to become a lowly tomb raider ...
    Brushing aside guilt, she spoke rapidly in perfect English. The clerk studied the Egyptian pectoral, which featured a design of two griffins and the vulture goddess. Lapis and carnelian winked in the light.
    "Lovely," he marveled in his thick accent. "Be hard to duplicate, but it’ll fetch a pretty pence when it’s done."
    Duplicate? So that’s why Masud wanted the necklace smuggled here. The clerk was making replicas. No matter. Her task was finished, and guaranteed Jasmine’s safety. The clerk handed over a wad of pound notes to return to Masud. As she took them, Badra’s hand shook. She was a transporter of stolen goods and tainted money.
    Barely had she stuffed the notes into her muff when the little silver bell tinkled again. Badra turned to see the visitor. A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she stared into a pair of blazing blue eyes she thought she’d never see again.
    Khepri.
     

     
    Badra.
    Time took a step back, just as he did.
    Reeling with shock, Kenneth stared at the woman he had once loved. He could not think or breathe. Her exotic beauty enchanted him, wove him back into the familiar spell of hot Arabian nights and the secrets inside the black tents under endless starry skies. Those luminous brown eyes, delicate cheekbones and her soft, pliant mouth still made his heart pound a frantic beat. Her eyes widened as if in fear. Badra’s mouth worked violently. She took a step forward, wobbled like a newborn colt, and threatened to fall.
    Habit, borne from five years of protecting her from even her foot scraping a rock, caused him to rush to assist. Grabbing her elbow, he steadied her. Their gazes caught and met, dark brown to deep blue. Her heart-shaped mouth parted in a soft, "Oh!"
    Kenneth realized the arm he grasped was covered in soft, gray English fabric. Convulsive shock raced through him.
    Badra clad in English dress was like seeing the limestone statue of Ramses II wearing a suit and cravat.
    Sublimely ridiculous.
    Yet nothing could dim her beauty. Not even sackcloth.
    Roping in his emotions, Kenneth straightened and laced both hands behind his back. "Hello, Badra," he said in formal English.
    "Khepri," she answered, her sultry voice winding around him like a silk scarf, teasing his senses to madness.
    "Kenneth," he corrected.
    He picked up the muff she’d dropped and a pound note fluttered out. Kenneth offered both back, deeply curious. He raised inquiring brows.
    "I ... I don’t know where to put English currency," she stammered.
    His nod toward the reticule swinging from her arm indicated the correct storage place.
    "It is good to see you again, Khep—I mean, Kenneth." Badra took the note and the muff. Bright rosy color stained her cheeks. Flustered as he was, she was showing it more.
    "I see you are doing quite well," she added.
    He stared. Quite well? When all he wanted was to gather her in his arms and kiss her senseless? When she’d cut him to the bone with her rejection? A short laugh escaped him. Viciously, he bit it back.
    "What are you doing here, Badra?"
    "Rashid and I are visiting Lord Smithfield."
    Silently he cursed. The earl had probably thought he’d enjoy seeing people from the tribe that raised him. Not bloody likely.
    "Why?" he asked bluntly.
    "Ramses was to come, but Katherine is pregnant and he was worried the long journey would tax her. We came in their stead. Do you remember