Read Online Bound to Seduction by Elisabeth Naughton - Free Book Online Page B

knew that had nothing to do with those Ghuls.
She’d wanted him since the beach. No, since before that. Since
she’d first seen him standing in her living room. Yes, that whole
influencing thing was pretty freaking nuts, but the images were now
gone, and those things weren’t
preying on her anymore. As long as Tariq stayed with her, she knew
she’d be safe. He’d said they’d showed up because of him. When her
wish was finished, those Ghuls wouldn’t care about her anymore,
would they?
    The key was keeping Tariq with her. And
finding a way to make him want her as much as she wanted him.
    Unease rippled through her. The same unease
she felt whenever she passed Devin in the halls at work or tried to
come up with a reason to run into him after hours. This was what
she wanted to change. This lack of self-confidence. She wanted to
be desirable. Strong. Craved.
    Except…yeah, that was easier said than done.
And even though she’d wished for it, he didn’t seem very eager to
teach her.
    She closed her eyes, rolled her head on the
pillow as a lump grew in the center of her throat. Maybe she was
just destined to be alone. Maybe love and marriage and the whole
happily-ever-after thing wasn’t in the cards for her.
    “It’s okay, Mira.”
    His hand brushing her shoulder brought her
eyes open. She looked up at him. At his deeply tanned skin, at the
scar above his left eyebrow she hadn’t noticed before, at those
dark, dark, haunting eyes. Eyes she wanted to lose herself in. Even
if it was just temporary.
    “Do you think I’m pretty?” she asked.
    “What?”
    “Are you attracted to me?”
    Color tinged his cheeks once more as he
moved back an inch. “I—”
    She pushed up to sitting, brushed her hair
back from her face. There was no sense going ahead with this if he
wasn’t at least a little attracted to her. She couldn’t just use
him as some so easily did. And if she didn’t ask, she’d just drive
herself nuts wondering. “Tariq, you said you wanted to be with me
before. Do you still?”
    “Mira—”
    “ Because
here’s the deal.” She drew in a deep breath. Let it out slowly.
Knew it was now or never. She could take a chance, go after what
she wanted or…not. In her business dealings, she was a go-getter.
In her personal life? Not so much. It was time to change that. “I’m
not naïve. I’ve dated plenty of men, but I’ve never felt confident
with them, and I think that’s why I’m still single. I want to
learn…how to touch without wondering if I’m doing it wrong. To
experience desire without the fear of rejection. And I
called you back because
for some strange reason—even though you are djinn, which is totally
out there for me to even say—I feel comfortable with you. I
want you to be the
one to teach me. If you’re not attracted to me, though… If you’re
just going to run again or come up with excuses why I should
‘think’ more about what I want, then this isn’t worth it to me.
I’ll take the Firebrand opal back to that shop and tell the
shopkeeper my wish didn’t work.”
    She stared at him. Waited for an answer. But
he didn’t say anything. His eyes were blank, his expression
neutral. And in the silence, Mira’s hopes and dreams crumbled at
her feet.
    She’d taken a chance. She’d gone after what
she wanted. And in the end…it didn’t matter.
    She was right where she’d started out.
    Alone.

CHAPTER SEVEN
     
     
    Tariq stared at Mira as her words sank in,
and his pulse picked up speed.
    She was
willing to give up her wish all because she had standards. She
wanted him—he could see it in her eyes, read it in her words—but
she wasn’t going to force him. She was
giving him an out, if
he so chose.
    Awe, admiration, and wonder swept through
him once again. For a woman who was unlike any other he’d ever
met.
    All the resolve he’d come back here with,
the intent to fulfill her wish, corrupt her soul as Zoraida wanted
so he could move on and free at least one of his