The Desert Oasis

Thirty-five-year-old Holger Venn is a cartographer and expedition leader who has spent most of his adult life moving from one place to another. Deeply independent and uncomfortable with attachment, he has always believed that freedom means being able to leave whenever he chooses.
During an expedition across the desert, a sandstorm drives him far from his planned route. His navigation equipment is damaged, his water supply is almost gone, and as his strength begins to fail, he discovers an oasis that appears on none of his maps.
Nahara saves his life.