Page 139 of The Secrets of the Tea Garden

‘You’ve had a shock,’ said Ghulam, covering her hand with his. It felt warm and comforting. ‘But you saved a girl’s life. Libby, that was one of the most foolhardy acts I’ve ever seen – and one of the bravest. You are a remarkable woman.’

‘There’s nothing remarkable about me,’ Libby said, emotion catching in her throat at his kindness.

‘To me there is.’ He squeezed her hand. ‘You care so much about everyone and everything – nothing daunts you – and when I’m with you anything seems possible. You don’t let prejudice stand in your way. You went into the river after that unknown girl as if she was your own sister. That is remarkable, Libby.’ His vivid eyes were full of admiration. ‘And you are beautiful too.’

His words made Libby dissolve into tears. She reached out for him.

Libby gulped. ‘I was so afraid I would never see you again.’

In an instant, Ghulam was pulling her to her feet and wrapping his arms around her, caressing her hair and murmuring reassurance.

‘You’re safe now. I won’t let any harm come to you.’

Libby cried into his shoulder. She was acutely aware of being pressed to his naked chest, as covered in dark hairs as she had imagined. At that moment she didn’t care about the future. All that mattered was being in Ghulam’s arms and knowing that he had feelings for her. They stood clinging to each other while her crying subsided. Then Libby looked into his compassionate face.

‘I don’t want to be alone tonight,’ she whispered.

Ghulam fixed her with a questioning look. She could feel the sudden tension in his body. Her heart began to thud.

‘Whatdoyou want, Libby?’ he asked.

‘I want to be with you,’ she said softly, ‘to lie with you.’

‘Are you sure?’ he asked, his voice gravelly.

‘Yes, but only if you want it too.’

‘Oh, Libby, you must know I do. But you are going home soon. There’s no future for us. And if your own people ever found out, you’d be cast out—’

‘I don’t care what other people think of me,’ she interrupted. ‘You must know that by now. And I know the future is uncertain for all of us. I’m not expecting you to offer me anything more than this momenttogether. But tonight I want to feel alive – I want to be withyou, Ghulam, even if it’s only this once. Tomorrow can take care of itself.’

He squeezed her to him and she could feel the drum of his quickening heartbeat. He looked deep into her eyes and she could see the passion in his.

‘And I want to be with you, Libby,’ he said, bending to brush her lips with a kiss.

Libby felt desire flare in her belly. ‘Then take me to your bed,’ she said, ‘and make love to me.’

They said nothing further as they padded back to Ghulam’s small bedroom and closed the door. Ghulam wedged a chair against it to stop Fatima or Sitara coming in unexpectedly. It was almost pitch black in the room at first but as their eyes adjusted they could see each other outlined in weak light from the mosquito-netted window.

They quickly cast off their clothes and stood naked together. Libby ran her fingers across his broad chest, feeling the hairs. She kissed and nibbled his shoulder.

‘I’ve dreamt of touching you for so long,’ she whispered. ‘Kissing you—’

She felt his arousal at once. Ghulam pulled her closer, his mouth seeking hers. He enveloped her lips in a hungry embrace. His hands caressed her body as he murmured his passion for her. Then they were tumbling towards the bed in their haste to make love.

He covered her body in kisses, making her arch and squirm in ecstasy. She clung to him and tried not to cry out, though she wanted to scream out her love for this man.

They writhed on the bed with suppressed sighs and groans, trying not to be heard. Ghulam’s lovemaking was both tender and vigorous, and Libby found herself weeping with emotion.

Afterwards, they lay entwined on the narrow bed, their heartbeats still rapid. Ghulam twisted a strand of her hair in his fingers and kissed her gently on the lips.

‘You are truly remarkable,’ he said.

‘And you are even more remarkable in bed than I ever hoped you’d be,’ she replied, with a dreamy smile.

He gave a soft exclamation. ‘You make it sound like you’ve been expecting us to fall into bed together.’

‘Hoping rather than expecting,’ she said, tracing a finger across his stubbled chin and pushing back the lick of hair from his eyes – something she’d been longing to do for months.