Under a Desert Moon Read online

  ‘Miss Knight,’ he said, his voice low and seductive. ‘What a pleasure to see you again.’

  He turned his smile on the rest of the company and Emma felt momentarily bereft. She shook her head, trying to find the sense that had abandoned her just seconds before.

  ‘Ladies, what a pleasure. So many beautiful women my eyes don’t know where to look.’

  The ladies around the table tittered and giggled, and Emma would have sworn Mrs Fitzgerald even batted her eyelashes at the much younger man.

  ‘Colonel Fitzgerald, Sir Henry.’ The two men rose and they all shook hands.

  ‘Why don’t you come and join our little party?’ Mrs Fitzgerald suggested.

  Emma stared resolutely at her hands. She wished he wouldn’t join them; she found it hard to keep hold of her normally robust common sense when he was around.

  ‘I wouldn’t like to intrude...’

  ‘Nonsense, we’d love for you to join us.’

  Not needing any more encouragement, Sebastian grabbed a chair from an empty table and placed it next to Emma’s, forcing Sir Henry farther away.

  ‘You never mentioned you’d already met Mr Oakfield,’ Mrs Fitzgerald said to Emma.

  Sebastian turned to her with a look of shock on his face.

  ‘You didn’t mention our recent adventure together?’

  ‘Adventure?’ Mrs Fitzgerald queried, her voice rising an octave.

  Emma shot Sebastian a warning look.

  ‘A most exhilarating adventure,’ Sebastian confirmed.

  Emma groaned. There was no way Mrs Fitzgerald was going to let her out of her sight after this.

  ‘There I was, minding my own business on the banks of the Nile up near the Temple of Horus.’

  Emma rolled her eyes involuntarily.

  ‘Actually, would you like to tell the story, Miss Knight?’ Sebastian asked, motioning for her to continue where he’d left off.

  ‘I’m not sure I know how it goes,’ Emma said.

  Sebastian grinned at her and continued, ‘Well, there I was, minding my own business when I hear a shout and before I know it I’m being chased by forty heavily armed Egyptian bandits.’

  Emma felt her breath rush through her lips in disbelief. She fought to keep the smile from her face. It would only encourage him.

  ‘Are you sure it was only forty, Mr Oakfield?’ Emma asked.

  Sebastian cocked his head to one side and pretended to consider. ‘Perhaps you’re right and it was closer to fifty.’ He shrugged. ‘It doesn’t matter. Forty, fifty, four hundred, however many. The end result was a lot of bandits and only one of me.’

  Emma glanced around the table. He had them all enthralled.

  ‘I looked to my left and I looked to my right but there was nowhere to escape. I thought my time had finally come to meet the angels in heaven.’

  Emma knew she wasn’t the only one who raised her eyebrows at the idea of Sebastian Oakfield going to heaven.

  ‘Then, across fifty feet of fast-flowing Nile water, my eyes met those of a heavenly creature and I knew I was saved. I dived into the water and swam until my lungs were about to burst. When I surfaced, Miss Knight encouraged me aboard her felucca.’

  Emma remembered it rather differently, but she had to admit Sebastian had a certain way with words.

  ‘But I wasn’t out of danger yet. The dastardly felucca captain threatened to disembowel me before I could catch my breath. Certain I was about to die, I closed my eyes and waited for the inevitable, but instead I was surprised to find Miss Knight throwing herself in front of the captain’s sword for me.’

  Mrs Fitzgerald gasped and Emma groaned quietly. She doubted she’d be allowed to leave her room, let alone Cairo, for the duration of her stay.

  ‘Miss Knight persuaded the piratical captain to spare my life and deliver me safely to Cairo. I shall be in her debt for ever.’

  He turned his attention back to Emma and took her hand, planting a kiss just below her knuckles. His lips were soft against her skin and for a moment Emma felt as if they were the only two in the room. She forgot all the trouble he’d caused her and the curious stares of the Fitzgeralds and their friends. In that moment she was only aware of her heart thumping in her chest, his lips against her skin, and the primal urge that surged up through her, willing him to pull her against him and claim her as his own.

  He released her hand and Emma came tumbling back to reality. She smiled at him shakily, wondering whether he had felt the same thrum of desire as she had. She shook her head; of course he hadn’t. He was a man of the world, a charmer—he probably took a different woman to his bed every night. A man like Sebastian Oakfield wouldn’t be affected by a mere kiss on the hand, especially not with an inexperienced woman like herself.

  ‘Interesting,’ he murmured.

  Chapter Four

  ‘Would you give me the pleasure of this dance, Miss Knight?’ Sebastian asked as the music swelled in the background.

  Emma looked at him for a couple of long seconds before replying and for an instant he thought she might refuse.

  ‘Of course,’ she said and delicately got to her feet.

  He led her to the dance floor, using the few seconds it took for them to weave around the tables of the other guests to analyse what had just happened. He’d been joking around, as he always did. He’d seen first a flicker of disapproval in Emma’s eyes, but soon that had transformed to amusement. Then he’d taken her hand in his and brushed his lips against her skin. Kissing a lady’s hand was something he’d done plenty of times, but never before had he felt the same jolt as he had this time, as his lips had met her skin.

  Seb glanced about the room. There were plenty of pretty women dotted here and there, many of whom were giving him encouraging smiles. He’d kissed pretty women before, but he’d never felt like this.

  Emma reached the dance floor and waited at the edge for him to escort her onto it. He offered her his arm and felt a thrill of pleasure as she slipped her small hand into the crook of his elbow.

  She was attractive, Seb couldn’t deny it. Her dazzling blue eyes would hold any man’s attention and her lips were full and pink and just begging to be kissed. Seb cleared his throat quietly and told himself to behave. Yes, Miss Emma Knight was pretty, but the only reason she was affecting him this way was because he knew he couldn’t have her. He’d felt the same when the Egyptian authorities had denied him access to the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Well, almost.

  Glancing at Emma now, he wondered whether he would give up the chance to discover a hundred royal tombs for just one night in her arms.

  He grinned. He’d always been prone to fits of romanticism.

  ‘I didn’t expect to see you again so soon,’ Emma said, clearly trying to make polite conversation as she’d been brought up to do.

  ‘I followed you here,’ Seb said bluntly.

  He tried to keep a straight face as Emma’s expression turned to one of horror.

  ‘You followed me?’ she asked.

  ‘Yes, trailed you from the moment we left the dock.’

  She frowned warily. ‘So you saw where I went this afternoon?’

  He nodded vaguely.

  ‘You won’t tell the Fitzgeralds I visited the museum without them?’

  ‘Wouldn’t dream of it. Your secret’s safe with me.’

  She looked at him appraisingly for a few seconds then grunted, as if satisfied.

  ‘You didn’t visit the museum, did you?’ he asked slowly.

  ‘And you didn’t follow me, did you?’

  Seb grinned again. It wasn’t often he came up against anyone who gave as good as they got.

  ‘I didn’t follow you,’ he admitted in a low whisper. He felt her shiver as he leaned in closer and his breath tickled he
r ear. ‘I didn’t have to. It’s common knowledge the Fitzgeralds dine at Harcourt’s every Thursday. I knew exactly where to find you.’

  She looked at him, clearly wondering whether to believe this version of events.

  ‘And I suppose you came specially to see me?’

  ‘Would you believe me if I said I couldn’t get you out of my mind?’ Seb asked.

  Emma laughed.

  ‘You dash all the romance from a fellow,’ he grumbled, pretending to be dejected.

  The truth was he had come to Harcourt’s to see her again. Seb had spent the entire afternoon feeling out of control, and if there was one thing he hated it was not being in control. Every time he sat down to translate a document or tally his accounts he would see Emma’s face, the expression of awe as she was enthralled by his description of the Temple of Horus. He kept remembering the way she had felt in his arms and kept imagining the taste of her lips. He regretted not kissing her, not brushing his lips against hers just the once so he could relive the experience at his leisure.

  He glanced down at those lips now. They were pursed slightly, as if she were mildly displeased. Emma was frowning, but the twinkle in her eye told Seb that she was only pretending to disapprove.

  He spun her in time to the music, marvelling at how easily she kept up. She intrigued him, this petite blonde beauty. He couldn’t understand how she’d ended up in Egypt all on her own. She was pretty, accomplished at dancing, quick-witted. She should have had men clamouring for her hand in marriage. But instead here she was, past the age when most young women had settled down, in a foreign country thousands of miles away from home.

  ‘I came tonight because I had to know the answer to a question that’s been plaguing me all afternoon,’ Seb said.

  Emma cocked her head to one side and waited for him to continue.

  ‘Why have you come to Egypt?’

  The shutters came down again and Emma looked at him warily. It was Seb’s turn to smile encouragingly. He held his breath, not knowing why her answer mattered so much to him.

  ‘My father,’ she said. ‘He passed away recently. He was an eminent Egyptologist. When I was young he would tell me the most wonderful stories about Egypt. And now...’ She trailed off.

  Seb understood. She was trying to relive those memories, get closer to her father.

  ‘Most young women wouldn’t be brave enough to come to a foreign country on their own.’

  She shrugged. ‘My father is dead, I don’t have any close relatives and I’m unlikely ever to get married. The only way I could make the trip was alone.’

  Seb pulled her in closer. Unlikely ever to get married? He wondered why. There was nothing wrong with Emma that he could see. In fact he knew men who would give half their fortunes to marry a pretty and accomplished woman. She was becoming more and more intriguing.

  Silently he reminded himself not to pry. He knew the value of privacy. When he’d first arrived in Cairo all those years ago, society had been almost obsessed with his reasons for leaving England. It was common knowledge that he and his father had fallen out, but over the years Seb had managed to keep the rest of the details a secret. If Emma wanted to keep her reasons for visiting Egypt close to her chest, then he wouldn’t be the one to pry them from her.

  The music stopped and for a few seconds they stood completely still, locked in each other’s arms. Seb could feel the rise and fall of Emma’s chest against him and he knew she wasn’t breathless from the dance. Her lips were a rosy pink and her eyes sparkled in the light. For a moment Seb wanted to sweep her into his arms and carry her off into the night, exploring her body and getting into the closed-off crannies of her mind.

  Then reluctantly Emma pulled away and the spell was broken.

  ‘Thank you for a lovely dance, Mr Oakfield,’ she said.

  Seb forced himself to smile nonchalantly, not wanting her to see how much she had affected him.

  ‘Would you care for a breath of fresh air?’ Seb asked, knowing he was playing with fire.

  She regarded him silently for a few seconds, then nodded.

  He escorted her outside onto the large terrace. They weren’t alone, which Seb knew he should be grateful for. Emma incited something inside him that he knew he had to be careful of. The last thing he needed was to be caught in a compromising situation with the very proper Miss Knight.

  They made their way over to the stone balustrade and Seb watched as Emma rested her elbows on the cool surface and gazed out into the darkness. His eyes wandered over the delicate curve of her jaw up to her rosy pink lips and he felt the first stirrings of desire. His instinct was to pull her into his arms and kiss her, claim her as his own. He almost laughed at the intensity of his feelings.

  He dipped his fingers into his pocket and ran the tips over the rugged surface of the Shabti he’d shown to Emma earlier. For a moment he wondered if bringing it here tonight had been a stupid idea.

  ‘I have a present for you,’ he said, watching as her expression turned to one of intrigue.

  Slowly he withdrew the Shabti from his pocket and handed it over.

  Emma took the carved stone in her hand and turned it over a couple of times.

  ‘I couldn’t possibly accept this,’ she said, but her eyes gave away her longing for the artefact.

  ‘I want you to have it.’

  ‘But you barely know me.’

  It was true, but earlier in the day as they’d sat side by side in the felucca, Seb had seen a passion in Emma’s eyes that he recognised from his own. Owning this Shabti would mean so much to her, and for some reason Seb found himself wanting to make her happy.

  ‘I can’t accept this,’ Emma repeated, holding out the artefact.

  Seb didn’t move a muscle, just looked deep into her eyes and smiled.

  ‘It would make me happy if you would accept this as a welcoming gift from the country I love so much.’

  Emma drew back her hand and once again studied the Shabti. Eventually she gave a slight nod.

  ‘I will treasure it always.’

  Seb knew she spoke the truth.

  ‘Why are you in Egypt, Mr Oakfield?’ Emma asked suddenly, turning to face him.

  Seb grinned, trying to hide the fact that he’d been staring at her lips and fantasising about pulling her up against him.

  He supposed her question was fair. He’d asked her what had brought her to Egypt and she’d answered. Now it was his turn to divulge.

  He stepped closer. There was still a good foot between their bodies, but he could almost imagine how she would feel in his arms.

  ‘Why do you think I came to Egypt, Miss Knight?’ he asked, his voice low and seductive.

  He saw her swallow, the tiny muscles of her throat contracting in unison as she looked up at him. Then her tongue darted out to moisten her lips and Seb almost groaned. She was enticing, this outwardly prim young woman, and he would bet his year’s income she didn’t know it.

  ‘I...’ she started, her voice barely more than a whisper, then she seemed to compose herself. ‘I think you came here for the same reasons I did, Mr Oakfield.’

  He cocked an eyebrow.

  ‘For the excitement and the mystery and the quest for knowledge of a civilisation past.’

  ‘Then you think we are alike?’ he asked, narrowing the gap between them.

  She nodded, her eyes not leaving his.

  Seb couldn’t help himself. He had to kiss her. Just the once. He couldn’t stop himself.

  He dipped his head so their lips were inches apart and watched Emma’s face. Her lips parted ever so slightly when she realised his intention and her breathing became shallow. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t pull away. If anything she swayed slightly towards him.

  ‘I just need to taste you,’ Seb murmured. ‘Just this once.�
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  If she’d protested, he would have pulled away. If she’d even looked a little unsure, he would have stopped himself, but if anything she inched even closer to him. In that instant she wanted to be kissed as much as he wanted to kiss her. Tomorrow morning she might regret it—hell, tomorrow morning he might regret it—but right now he knew he had to kiss her.

  His lips brushed gently against hers, the touch feather-light. He felt her shudder under his touch and he lightly cupped the back of her head and pulled her closer to him. Emma’s lips parted slightly as Seb deepened the kiss and he dipped his tongue gently into her mouth. She groaned with pleasure and the sound went straight to the core of him.

  Seb knew he had to stop. He was kissing a woman he barely knew only a few feet from the gossipmongers of Cairo. With one final brush of the lips he pulled away.

  Emma looked even more desirable than before. Her cheeks were tinged pink and her hair had a slightly ruffled appearance.

  Glancing over his shoulder to check they hadn’t been observed, Seb took a moment to compose himself. The kiss had meant to satiate his desire for the delectable Miss Emma Knight; instead it had stoked the flames. Now he wanted nothing more than to throw her over his shoulder and take her to his bed.

  ‘I should apologise,’ he said after a few seconds, ‘But I fear it would be insincere.’

  Emma looked at him as though she were still trying to process what had just happened.

  ‘I can’t apologise for something I don’t regret,’ he said.

  Suddenly she shook her head, and looked at him as if she were waking from a dream. Her expression went from one of contentment to one of horror. Lifting a hand to her mouth, she started to back away from him.

  ‘No, no, no, no, no,’ she was murmuring.

  Seb frowned. He’d kissed plenty of women before and not a single one had responded with abject horror.

  ‘It’s all right,’ he said soothingly. ‘No one saw.’

  She shook her head as if he didn’t understand.

  ‘How could I be so stupid?’ she whispered.