The Call of the Desert Read online

  He went pale again, and the full enormity of what Kaden had gone through hit Julia when she thought of how she would have felt if their places had been switched.

  Fervently she said, “Let’s go home, Kaden. I want to go home with you and start living the rest of our lives together. I don’t want to waste another moment.”

  EPILOGUE

  Seven months later

  JULIA and Kaden were hosting a christening for their twins and for Samia and Sadiq’s baby son, who was just a few weeks younger than the twins. The ceremony had finished in the ancient chapel in the grounds of the archaeological dig site. Julia was standing with Samia now, and they were watching Kaden cradle his dark-haired baby daughter Rihana with all the dexterity of a natural. His brother-in-law Sadiq was holding his son Zaki with similar proficiency.

  Samia and Julia’s first proper meeting had been awkward, but as soon as Kaden had set Samia straight she’d rounded on him and castigated him for letting her think the worst of Julia for years. Now they were fast becoming good friends.

  “No doubt they’re discussing the merits of ecofriendly nappies,” Samia said dryly.

  Julia snorted. “Kaden nearly fainted earlier when he smelt Tariq’s morning deposit.”

  Samia giggled and linked arms with Julia. They’d just been made godmothers to each other’s babies. “Come on—let me introduce you properly to Iseult and Jamilah. You’ll love them. Jamilah, the dark-haired one, is Salman’s wife. She’s got an inner beauty to match her outer beauty, which makes it annoyingly hard to hate her.”

  Julia chuckled. She’d only been briefly introduced to Sheikh Nadim of Merkazad and his stunningly pretty red-haired wife, and his brother Salman and his wife Jamilah. Both couples also had babies, who were crawling or toddling around, being chased by one or other of their parents.

  Just as they approached the other women, though, Kaden cut in and handed Rihana to Samia. “Here you go, Auntie. I’m stealing my wife for a minute.”

  Samia took her baby niece eagerly. “Be careful—you might not get her back. And I think Tariq has already been stolen by Dr Assan.”

  They’d made Dr Assan their son’s godfather, and he was showing him off like a proud grandfather.

  Kaden took Julia’s hand and led her out through a side door. He was dressed in gold and cream ceremonial robes, and Julia wore a cream silk dress. She let herself be led by Kaden through the shade of the old trees to the other side of the dig, feeling absurdly happy and content.

  Kaden glanced back and smiled. “What are you looking so smug about?”

  Julia smiled mysteriously, her heart full. “Oh, nothing much.”

  Kaden growled. “I’ll make you tell me later, but first …”

  They’d reached the corner, and Julia recognised the spot where they’d first met. Kaden brought her over to the ancient wall, and it took a moment before she could see what he was directing her attention to. A new stone had been placed amongst the older ones, and it held within it a fossil and an inscription.

  She gasped and looked at him. “That’s not the same fossil—?”

  He smiled. “Read the writing.”

  She did. The inscription simply read: For my wife and only love, Julia. You hold my heart and soul, as I will hold yours, for ever. Kaden

  It also had the date of the day they’d met. She looked at Kaden, feeling suspiciously teary, and saw that he was holding out his palm. She looked down and saw a familiar chain of gold. Her necklace. She picked it up reverently.

  He sounded gruff. “I got it mended after that night.”

  Julia’s eyes had filled with proper tears now, and Kaden said mock sternly, with his hands cupping her face and jaw, “I won’t have tears marking this spot.”

  Julia smiled through the tears. “Kiss me, then, and make me happy.”

  “That,” Kaden said, with love in his eyes and on his face, “I can most definitely do.”

  And so they kissed, for a long time, on the exact spot where they’d first met almost thirteen years before.

  All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

  All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II BV/S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

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  First published in Great Britain 2011

  by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited.

  Harlequin (UK) Limited, Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road,

  Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

  © Abby Green 2011

  ISBN: 978-1-408-92637-6