Threads of Desire: A Fantasy Romance Novel

by Eleri Stone

Overview

Guild-trained weaver Ily is furious her rival Kal, a smug yet wickedly sexy rug merchant, outsells her at every turn. She knows her magically crafted rugs are far superior to anything he can produce, but can't compete with his charming personality.

When Kal fixes his lusty attentions on Ily, she is reluctantly aroused by his interest. She knows he desires her and against her better judgment, she wants him too. A chance encounter leads her to make him a scandalous offer: her body in exchange for enough money to leave the city. She sees their time together as a temporary erotic adventure…until Kal reveals that what he truly wants from Ily is more personal—and more dangerous—than bed play. And she must choose between taking her chance at a new life or risking it all for a man she never meant to love.

36,000 words

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781426894978
Publisher:	Carina Press
Publication date:	01/21/2013
Series:	Spellcraft , #1
Sold by:	HARLEQUIN
Format:	eBook
Pages:	149
Sales rank:	231,259
File size:	412 KB

Read an Excerpt

Ily rolled her carpet, not looking up, not wanting to see the smirk on Kal's face. He'd been dogging her steps for weeks, setting up his stall right next to her favorite spot and stealing away all her best prospects. She was no threat to him. He played with her purely for his own sick personal amusement. Why won't he just go away and leave me alone?

The crowd roiled around her. The smaller merchants were beginning to pack it in for the day. The travelers who sold directly from their wagons would close their doors soon and light the fires. Best that she was gone before then, before darkness and drink made the men bold.

An instant before she rose from her crouch, Kal's solid legs blocked her vision and she could ignore him no longer. Her gaze drifted up, lingering on the bulge between his thighs. Flat belly, firm chest, proud shoulders and the mocking smile that never failed to rile her.

"You got greedy."

She gave the cord a vicious jerk. "My work is worth twice the garbage you sold her."

"Sold," he repeated. "That's the important thing, Ily. Your pride's not keeping your belly full."

She stood, but he held his ground, forcing her to tip back her head. "That rug will start to unravel before the month is out."

"Perhaps she understood that and only made do with what she could afford now."

He would lecture her on economy? His arrogance took her breath away.

"I hate you."

His lips quirked at the corners. "My fault, is it? You don't hate me."

Dark, knowing eyes dared her to contradict him, but she couldn't. He was shrewd and powerful, wickedly sexy and for some unfathomable reason, he'd fixed his attention on her. A man like Kalar Azi could snap his fingers and have any woman. Why her? "What do you want, Kal?"

"You do good work, but the streets aren't the place to be selling it."

"The shops won't buy from a woman," she said, glancing over her shoulder to see if she could slip between the stalls and escape him. The poles were permanent fixtures, spaced less than a foot apart. Too tight a fit, even for her—there was no way through. She'd have to push past Kal, but she was reluctant to touch the lean body that disturbed her so greatly.

"I could help you."

That brought her attention back to his face. A mistake. It was far too easy to look upon that raw masculine beauty and think that was all there was to the man. She'd seen him work before, studying his clientele in the same way he was looking at her now, searching for weakness while giving little away. Beneath all his dangerous charm, he was ruthless and cunning as a snake.

She slung the bundle over her shoulder and crossed her arms beneath her breasts, noticing the flicker in his eyes when he briefly dropped his gaze.

"So...you'd like to help me out of the goodness of your—do you even have a heart?"

He leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "It's a simple business proposition. I speak with the shops on your behalf, you give me a cut of the profit. There are several people I use to move my finer quality merchandise. They're reputable enough and even cutting me in, you'll make more than you do here."

He didn't need the pittance he'd earn for the effort. He wasn't here for money, which left only one other possibility, as unlikely as it seemed. She should leave now, but her feet were rooted to the spot. Curiosity held her there and greed, along with the unhealthy fascination she'd developed for this selfish, pompous man.