Averill: Historical Romance (The Brocade Collection, Book 3) (15 page)

The soil
changed as the day lengthened, becoming the most arid they’d crossed yet. Desolate. Dry. Dreary. Averill sighed and looked down at her blank canvas. It was full dark when Tenny finally called a halt. Within moments, fires were started and tents erected. Averill watched the activity from atop her perch, wondering why she felt so sore.

“Come down, Averill,” Tenny said
. “I believe you’ve flaunted yourself enough for one day.”

She’d wrapped the reins around the pommel when he approached, ready to leap down beside him
. She stopped at his words and raised her eyebrows above the little veil shielding her nose and mouth. “I am not flaunting myself. I only do as you ordered.”

He lifted his hands to her waist
. “I know. And I should probably apologize. Again. I knew it was wrong to bring you. I knew it was foolish to dress you so blatantly. I realized I might have trouble over it…but I never stopped to think how it would affect me.”

Her
eyes widened. Her heart pulsed. And everything else seemed elevated, energized, and not remotely sore or tired. He set her on her feet and took her hand, pulling her along to where the men were finishing with his tent. She kept her eyes on the ground, ignoring any glances the men may have given her.

They entered his tent
. Averill sat on the unrolled bed mat beside him. They ate in silence. And then he broke it.

“
You ride a horse well, Averill. Have you ridden before?”

“Only behind you,
in Cairo…that day in the city.”  She grinned. “Perhaps I only ride well because I don’t want to fall off. Your horses are great beasts.”

“They’re Arabian
. I’m toying with shipping them home. They were expensive, but my uncle won’t fault the purchase. What am I saying? He probably won’t even notice. He’ll just be relieved that I returned.”

Her good humor evaporated
. It was such a joy to be in eyesight and earshot of him, even when he was in a temper. Averill wondered what it might feel like when he left her and returned to England. And then she wondered if he spoke of it for just such a purpose.

As a w
arning.  

“Come
. Enough talk. I need some rest. And I’m not getting any while protecting you.” 

Tenny patted the blankets beside him
. She blushed and turned away.

“I must change
. The pearls won’t sleep well.”

“
Harvey got you a gown. Over there.”  He pointed at his small trunk.

“You’ll need to dim your light first.”

“Oh. Forgive me.”  He was curt and blunt as he shut down the wick.

Averill stripped out of the top and pants as quickly as possible
. She knew he couldn’t see her, but her trembling increased the longer it took. And then she slid under the blanket and turned her back to him. Her breath caught as he spooned himself around her. She had her eyes shut tightly, her limbs locked, and still everything felt alive. Alert. Bothersome. And then warm, evenly-spaced breath caressed her cheek. Averill realized he slept.

She only wished for the same
. And each day of that particular journey got worse.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

It wasn’t difficult to tell where Tenny –
Kareem
, she reminded herself – was leading them. If she squinted against the blazing heat, she saw trees ahead. That meant civilization and water. She didn’t have to tell the horse about it. It was already straining against her control, trying to go faster. The city of Selantepe looked enormous, looming up from the sand, built into what hills there were and surrounded by desolation. Sounds of revelry carried on the wind. Tenny…no. Kareem had told her about it.

When Kareem told her they were going to
Selantepe, Harvey’s reaction had been interesting. He’d spoken to Kareem in French, trying to make it so she wouldn’t understand.

Averill had caught Tenny’s eyes on her as the words flowed
. Selantepe was home to all kinds of brigands that looked like them. Harvey looked forward to finding the Turks that they were to give the guns to. He was also looking forward to watching the scene Kareem was setting up.

Averill didn’t know what that meant
. She wasn’t interested in finding out, either. She put the thought aside and watched Selantepe’s sandstone buildings grow as the daylight faded. She wondered what a home for groups of brigands would look like.

She pulled her
cloak closer, grateful that Kareem let her use a dark-colored one over the brazen orange one. She was still wearing the pearl top and revealing pants, though. Flashes of her thighs appeared occasionally as the horse moved. There wasn’t anything she could do to prevent it.

She scratched at the scabbing on her shoulder as she looked about her
. She considered what she knew of Kareem’s reputation, as told by Harvey. Kareem Turiz was known as a murderous sort, not the kind of man one tangled with. That was good for her, since he was her protector. She repeated the assurance to herself as they rode through the streets, peopled with all nationalities.

“Kareem!”
A woman called the name loudly from the crowd. “You’ve returned for me!”  It was a Niger woman, flashing so much of her skin that Averill’s blushed.

“
Ah, Conique! You’re more beautiful than ever.” 

Tenny
dismounted from his horse and pulled the woman into an embrace. Averill lifted her gaze above them as the embrace lengthened. With as little as the Niger woman wore, Averill looked overdressed, even without the outer cloak.

“I’ve missed you, Kareem
. And you were gone forever. Don’t you even feel for me?”  The woman whispered the words loudly. “Perhaps you’ll come to me later?”

Kareem gestured to Averill, who did her best to look with disdain at the still-embracing couple
. “Alas…I’m taken, sweet Conique.”

“Bah
! A pale-skinned child! She has nothing to keep you interested, but I do.” 

She pulled back and danced a few steps, sinuously clinging to his legs
. Averill’s eyes widened even further at the display. The woman seemed emboldened by the cheers about them.

“Can she dance to please a man such as you?” the
dark-skinned woman asked.

Tenny grinned, apparently enjoying the situation
. Averill noticed the rest of their band grouping about them, horses restlessly pawing the ground as they were denied their well-deserved water.

“W
ell, woman! You heard Conique!” Kareem yelled out. “Can you dance to please me?”

Laughter followed his statement, coming from more men than before
. The crowd was enlarging, coming from all sorts of side streets to surround them.

“The horses await their rest, Kareem, and I my sup.”  She spoke in Italian and watched his grin broaden.

“Ah! She accepts your challenge, Conique. We’ll make a display of it! How does that sound?”

Averill’s gasp
was drowned out by the noise Kareem’s words caused. She watched as he turned to the Niger woman and walked down the street with his arm looped about her waist. Averill was left to follow, her horse snorting in disapproval. Averill wanted to snort, too.

Stupid man
. She’d never danced. He had to know of it. It was forbidden to learn such things at the mission.

They entered another street
. It was wider, but so filled with tents, there wasn’t much space to move. The street opened into a large square, surrounded on three sides by two-story sandstone buildings. And everywhere were fires, strewn throughout the alleyways, flickering on the walls before sending light toward the inhabitants. There were even more people in the square. Worse, most of those milling about had the same looks and manners as Kareem and his band.

“Ah, my good friend, Salazar
!”

Kareem put his head back to yell it
. She hadn’t known he had such a loud voice. It projected through the area, stopping most of the noise.

“It’s been some time
! I’m surprised that Conique would keep company with a worthless renegade like you!”

The last of his words
silenced every bit of noise about them. Even the music died. And then a form moved from under an awning, becoming a man covered in animal skins.
He wears furs in such heat? Ugh.

“Conique, where did you find such an excuse for a man
? In a sultan’s harem?” 

The man’s voice was high and
he spoke in a singsong fashion, probably indicating Asian heritage. Averill wondered how Tenny –
Kareem
– would respond to such an insult. She had to remember his name! She held her breath as he approached Salazar. The two men were close in size. They stood, staring each other up and down for several tense moments. Then, to her complete surprise, they embraced.

The camp exploded with shouts and laughter, while musicians playing the sitar started their haunting refrain again.

“Is there room to camp beside you?” Kareem yelled.

“I’ll make room
. You! Move your tents farther if you wish to still own them on the morrow!” 

The fur-covered man
gestured to some young men, and Averill watched them scurry to obey, although they glanced sullenly at Kareem’s group as they did. And then Kareem brought Salazar over to her. Averill’s nose was assaulted by the smell of his skins. She tried not to pinch it. She noticed the horse wasn’t as polite. He tossed his head and turned his body sideways.

“Where did you find such a beauty?”  Salazar whistled.

Averill ducked her chin.

“
Stabled with Sheik Al-Hassen. I paid a fair price, too.”

“You paid
? Surely, you jest.”  He slapped Kareem’s back.

“Did I say in coin
? The man saddled me with a dancing girl.”  Tenny pointed to Averill.

She glared at them with as much dis
dain as she could command. She was surprised at how easy it was. The man named Salazar was looking her over insolently. The silence grew despite all the celebrating around them.

“Not much to look at,” Salazar said finally
. “Can she dance?”

“She has challenged Conique.”

Averill snorted. She couldn’t help it.

“She has
? I think I shall enjoy that. Come.”  He reached for her.

Averill
shrank back, aghast at the filth ingrained into his palms.

“She belongs to me, Salazar.”
  Kareem’s voice had lowered. Gotten quieter. It stopped Salazar. He lowered his arms and turned back.

“Are you willing to wager on it, my friend?”

“I’m always one for a wager, Salazar. You know me that well.”

T
he same stone-weight she’d thought long gone moved, lodging in her throat, making it difficult to breathe, let alone swallow.

“You’d wager with the girl, then?”

“I thought she wasn’t much to look at, my friend.”

“First impressions are sometimes false.”  The man shrugged
. The movement of the skins was the only reason she could tell. “She looks so fresh and untouched. I ask myself how that is possible, and then I realize she hasn’t yet had a man. I look forward to remedying that.”

“Take care with your words, Salazar
. I might take offense again,” Kareem replied.

Salazar rubbed at his chin for a moment,
glanced at Averill again and spoke.

“
Well. You need to take better care of your possessions, my friend.”  Salazar turned and walked away.

“
Averill. Please. Stop shaking. You’re safe.” 

Tenny whispered the words as he reached for her
. She slid into his arms and clung to his neck with shaking arms.

“
You needn’t worry. I’ll protect you. I promise. Always.”

He reached a hand to lift her veil to her forehead, a
nd then, in front of everyone, he lowered his head and kissed her. Surprise, denial, and wonder battled within her. For a moment she didn’t dare move. His lips were the same, but it felt even more incredible. Because of where they were and what he’d just said.
Always.

“Take care,” he muttered as he lifted his head
. “You forget my mouth scar.” 

Averill giggled
.

“Laugh at me, will you?” 

“I can walk, Ten…uh, Kareem,” she said.

“
I just kissed you for a reason, Averill. I’m carrying you for the same one. I’m making certain every man here knows you’re mine. I wouldn’t like another challenge to it.”  He spoke in Italian at her ear.

“Then why have you chosen to have me compete with that Conique woman?” she asked in what she hoped was an even tone.

“Careful, your censure is showing. No kept woman would refer that way to another of her kind.”

“Avoiding the answer won’t make the question go away
. Why do you wish me dancing…before everyone?”

“It isn’t for the reason you think.”

Her eyebrows rose and then she frowned. “You put words in my mouth and now thoughts in my mind?”         

He sighed, and she rose and fell with it
. “If there’s a spectacle to watch, and wine flows freely enough, appearances are more easily deceiving. It’s not the first time I’ve used such a ploy, I assure you.”

“It won’t go well with you that I can’t dance, will it?” 

Her heart was thudding painfully against the pearl top. She was surprised he didn’t feel it.
It wasn’t the first time he’d used such a ploy? Did he usually consort with dancing girls, then?

“You can’t
? I wish you’d said something earlier.”

“How would I have known to do that?”

“I’m jesting, Averill. It won’t be much of a contest. Everyone already knows that. Why do you think I wouldn’t take Salazar’s bet? No one dances as well as Conique. You only have to sway a bit to the music. You can do that, can’t you?”

That’s the stupidest thing he’s asked yet
.

He carried her into his tent
before setting her on her feet. Averill saw a lamp had been lit and placed on a trunk near the entry. She wondered what purpose that served.

“But
—?”

“Hush.” 

He stopped her words with another kiss. A shocking one. He pulled her right against him, molding her body to his, and took her lips. And everything on her awakened. There wasn’t anything she could do to prevent it.   

He
broke the kiss. It was a moment before she opened her eyes to see why. Before then, she already knew the reason. He was unwinding her cloak. He put a finger to his mouth for silence, before tossing her covering to the ground. The orange one followed. He didn’t need to request her silence. She didn’t know what to say. Do. Or even what to think.

Tenny moved his finger from his lips to trace her
exposed midriff. She gasped in surprise. And that was before he moved beneath her pearl top. Shock widened her eyes as he reached a breast, his touch sending waves of shivers. Averill kept her eyes on his, refusing even to blink. She couldn’t tell what expression he wore, since the light was at his back, but it didn’t look like pleasure.

It looked closer to panic
.

Her flesh
awoke, pushing into his palm as he cupped her, and she couldn’t stop the moan. Tenny captured the sound in another kiss. His free hand went to her buttocks, lifting her, holding her. She was beyond thought. Her body sent liquid warmth everywhere. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pushed the
ghotra
from his head, and ran her fingers through his hair.

“Enough
!
Christ
!”

Averill felt the ground jolt her feet as he set her down roughly
.

“Damn it, Averill, enough
! I can’t stand more. I can’t!”  He was panting, and his chest was heaving with each breath.

“But
—?”