Her Desert Dream. Liz Fielding

understand exactly what’s happening. How things work.’

      She shook her head. ‘Thanks, but I’ll pass.’ Then, perhaps thinking she’d been less than gracious, she said, ‘I do understand that my fear is totally irrational. If I didn’t, I’d never get on one of these things.’ Her smile was self-deprecating. ‘But while, for the convenience of air travel, I can steel myself to suffer thirty seconds or so of blind panic, I also know that taking a pilot’s eye view, seeing for myself exactly how much nothing there is out there, will only make things worse.’

      ‘It’s really just the take-off that bothers you?’ he asked.

      ‘So far,’ she warned. ‘But any attempt to analyse my fear is likely to give me ideas. And, before you say it, I know that flying is safer than crossing the road. That I’ve more chance of being hurt going to work—’ She caught herself, for a fraction of second floundered. ‘So I’ve heard,’ she added quickly, as if he might dispute that what she did involved effort.

      While opening the new wing of a hospital, attending charity lunches, appearing at the occasional gala might seem like a fairy tale existence to the outsider, he’d seen the effort Lucy put into her own charity and knew the appearance of effortless grace was all illusion.

      But there was something about the way she’d stopped herself from saying more that suggested…He didn’t know what it suggested.

      ‘You’ve done your research.’

      ‘No need. People will insist on telling you these things,’ she said pointedly.

      Signalling that the exchange was, as far as she was concerned, at an end, she returned to her book.

      ‘There’s just one more thing…’

      She lifted her head, waited.

      ‘I’m sure that Lucy explained that once we arrive in Ramal Hamrah we’ll be travelling on to Bab el Sama by helicopter but—’

      ‘Helicopter?’

      The word came out as little more than a squeak.

      ‘—but if it’s going to be a problem, I could organise alternative transport,’ he finished.

      Lydia had been doing a pretty good job of keeping her cool, all things considered. She’d kept her head down, her nose firmly in her book even when Kal had settled himself opposite her. Stretched out those long, long legs. Crossed his ankles.

      He’d removed his jacket, loosened his tie, undone the top button of his shirt.

      What was it about a man’s throat that was so enticing? she wondered. Invited touch…

      She swallowed.

      This was so not like her. She could flirt with the best, but that was no more than a verbal game that she could control. It was easy when only the brain was engaged…

       Concentrate!

      Stick to the plan. Speak when spoken to, keep the answers brief, don’t let slip giveaways like ‘going to work’, for heaven’s sake!

      She’d managed to cover it but, unless she kept a firm rein on her tongue, sooner or later she’d say something that couldn’t be explained away.

      Lady Rose was charming but reserved, she reminded herself.

       Reserved.

      She made a mental note of the word, underlined it for emphasis.

      It was too late to recall the ‘helicopter’ squeak, however, and she experienced a hollow feeling that had nothing to do with hunger as Kal, suddenly thoughtful, said, ‘You’ve never flown in one?’

      She had never been in a helicopter, but it was perfectly possible that Lady Rose hopped about all over the place in one in order to fulfil her many engagements. Quite possibly with her good friend Princess Lucy.

      She hadn’t thought to ask. Why would she?

      After what seemed like an eternity, when she was sure Kal was going to ask her what she’d done with the real Lady Rose, he said, ‘So?’

      ‘So?’ she repeated hoarsely.

      ‘Which is it to be?’

      ‘Oh.’ He was simply waiting for her to choose between an air-conditioned ride in leather-upholstered comfort, or a flight in a noisy machine that didn’t even have proper wings. Her well-honed instinct for self-preservation was demanding she go for the four-wheeled comfort option.

      Her mouth, taking no notice, said, ‘I can live with the helicopter.’

      And was rewarded with another of those smiles that bracketed his mouth, fanned around his eyes, as if he knew just how much it had cost her.

      ‘It’s certainly simpler,’ he said, ‘but if I get scared you will hold my hand, won’t you?’

      Lydia, jolted out of her determined reserve by his charm, laughed out loud. Then, when he didn’t join in, she had the weirdest feeling that their entire conversation had been leading up to that question and it was her breath that momentarily caught in her throat.

      ‘I don’t believe you’re scared of anything,’ she said.

      ‘Everyone is scared of something, Rose,’ he said enigmatically as he stood up. ‘I’ll leave you to enjoy your book. If you need me for anything I’ll be in the office.’

      Showers, bedrooms, now an office…

      ‘Please, don’t let me keep you from your work,’ she said.

      ‘Work?’

      He said the word lightly, as if it was something he’d never thought of, but a shadow, so brief that she might have missed it had she not been so intent on reading his thoughts, crossed his face and she felt horribly guilty at her lack of gratitude. No matter how inconvenient, this man, purely as a favour, had given up his own time to ensure she had the perfect holiday.

      Or was he recalling her earlier slip?

      ‘For the next seven days you are my first concern,’ he assured her. ‘I’m simply going to check the weather report.’

       Whew…

      His first concern.

       Wow…

      But then he thought that she was the real thing. And when he turned those midnight-dark eyes on her she so wanted to be real. Not pretending. Just for a week, she thought, as she watched him stride away across the cabin on long, long legs.