Read The Sheikh's Kidnapped Bride (The Sharqi Sheikhs Series Book 3) for Free Online Page A

her head, “You won’t waste time? How dare you?! You stole me from my own country, you won’t take me home, and I’m to be worried about wasting your time?!”
    Wishing that her rise in color was due to time in the sun, Mahil watched the color bloom in her cheeks and watched as her temper rose another notch, “My time is very valuable. Now, have you decided to tell me what is wrong?”
    Carolyn stamped her foot, forgetting the cooking eggs for a moment, “No! I already told you it’s no business of yours!”
    “I am making it my business.” Mahil glanced into the skillet and sniffed before telling her, “Whatever you are making smells delicious. Would you consider sharing it with me?”
    Carolyn saw red. It was bad enough that he didn’t get how horrible he’d made her life now, but since she wouldn’t tell him the finer details of her predicament, he had moved on to another topic, content with the knowledge that she wasn’t going anywhere until he decided she was.
    On a whim, and without thinking of the consequences, she picked up an egg in each hand and threw them at his face. The first one missed as he ducked, but the second one smashed against his chest. Mahil looked down in stunned silence as bits of eggshell and yolk slithered down his white dress shirt.
    “I cannot believe you just did that,” he told her, reaching for a dishtowel and wiping the front of his shirt off.
    Carolyn must have seen something on his face that told her retaliation wasn’t far behind because she quickly moved the skillet off the burner, turned the gas off and started to back away from him. “I’m sorry. Sometimes my temper…”
    “…gets away from you? Yes, I can see that.” Mahil advanced upon her, reaching for one of the eggs as he stalked her around the island counter. “Were you never taught not to play with your food?”
    Carolyn watched his hand, silently hoping he’d squeeze too hard and the egg would shatter in his palm. When he pretended to toss it at her, she ducked, only to realize that he had only been faking her.
    She ducked to the right, catching the egg on the shoulder and grimacing as it broke and slithered down her bare arm. She shook her arm, dislodging pieces of the eggshell onto the tile floor and silently begged the pardon of whoever would have to clean up the mess they were making.
    When Mahil reached for another egg, Carolyn quickly grabbed at the remaining vegetables on the countertop and scurried around the island making sure to keep some distance between them. Looking at her, he was surprised at how alive she seemed. Even when he had first met her at the auction, she had dark circles under her eyes that makeup barely covered. He’d been overwhelmed by his desire to help her when he found her dead on her feet at the diner.
    Lost in his thoughts, he barely dodged the mushrooms she lobbed at him.
    “You should pay more attention,” she teased as a tomato caught him on the shoulder.
    Stopping, he raised an eyebrow at her as he slowly removed his jacket, folded it and carefully laid it across the back of a chair. He fought to keep a stern expression as he watched her bounce side to side on her feet as she watched him roll up his sleeves. Her eyes tracked his every move and he couldn’t help but notice that it was less like a prey fending off a predator and more as a woman interested in a man. This was something he could work with.
    Advancing slowly around the island, he picked up a plate to use as a shield, as her attempts to keep him away became more frantic. He smirked at her over the top of the plate when the vegetables bounced off and hit her instead as she squealed in outrage.
    He set the plate down when he realized that she was out of ammunition and stalked toward her slowly. He watched her breath catch as she became acutely aware of him and she stopped paying attention to where she was going.
    She looked startled when she backed herself into a corner as she watched him advancing toward