The Sheikh's Reluctant American (The Adjalane Sheikhs #3) Read Online Free PDF

clothing, insisting she also remove her undergarments with their gestures and fast Arabic. She had tried to wave them off, but the older of the two women had scolded her in terms that were clear in any language and pushed the clothes into Nigella’s hands.
    Reluctantly, Nigella had taken the light, cotton garments and quickly changed. The cropped shift and a pair of boy’s briefs hung loosely on her, and were immediately cooler than her western underwear. She would need to do some shopping if she was going to spend more time in this region.
    They handed her a thin pair of loose trousers, a long-sleeve shirt of lightweight linen and several other layers. She had thought the black robes would be heavy and hot, but instead they seemed light and somehow managed to catch any breeze and allow it to slip onto her skin. Finally, they insisted she done a head scarf. She tried to resist, but the women wouldn’t let her out without the scarf. When it was done, the two women giggled and clapped their hands, then threw back the tent flap and gestured for her to follow. Nigella wondered what Malid would think of her new look.
    She stepped from the tent, and he turned, his eyes brightening. He took her hand. “You are more beautiful than I could have hoped for.”
    “Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.”
    Malid had changed as well, into the black tunic, loose trousers and robes of a nomad. The scarf that covered his head fell down to his waist. He tugged at her head scarf, arranging the folds of fabric around her shoulders and told her, “The length of the sides can be used to shield your face and mouth should it become necessary in case of sandstorms. We are going to be travelling by camel. Keep your hands and face covered as much as possible to shield your skin.”
    The three Bedouin men led two, single-humped camels to them, and Nigella slipped a little bit behind Malid. The animals seemed dangerously tall and didn’t look at all friendly. “I’ve heard they spit,” she said.
    Malid grinned. “Yes. So don’t stand in front of them. They also have terrible breath and can go for days without water. Is there a problem?”
    She didn’t want to ruin the excursion, but common sense and self-preservation had gone to high alert. “I don’t think I can ride one of those things by myself.”
    “Of course you can. But would you feel better if we rode tandem?”
    Relief swept into her. It would be just her luck to get the bad-tempered beast and have it run off with her. If Malid was driving, she was not going to end up looking like a silly, screaming girl.
    Malid turned and gave instructions to the camel handlers, who shrugged and swapped saddles.
    Several satchels were fasted to the second camel, and when Nigella asked about that, Malid told her, “Supplies. I intend for us to reach our destination around dusk, but one never travels in the desert without survival in mind.”
    “Uh, maybe we should just take a vehicle?”
    “Nonsense. Wheels more easily become stuck in sand. And I want you to experience my country in all of its glory. This is the best way to do that—you cannot know the land without becoming one with nature. Now, let me assist you up and I will follow.”
    Malid tapped the camel’s front leg. It let out a donkey-like bray but went down on its knees and lay down. The camel had rich, long lashes over big, dark eyes, but Nigella wasn’t fooled. The beast was chewing something and kept giving her sideways glances, as if just looking for an opportunity to purse its thick lips and spit at her.
    She scrambled onto the saddle, which seemed more like a large pillow with a wooden frame and railings, or a sideways couch. Malid climbed up behind her, pulling her back against him to sit in the cradle of his thighs. She could smell the spicy cologne he used, and a hint of pure, male musk. Her pulse kicked up and she started rethinking the wisdom of this adventure—but she was committed.
    “Relax,” he said, and