NocC 003 - Mina Khan - The Djinn's Dilemma - Harlequin 2011-11 Read Online Free PDF Page A

She blessed their hearts. “Be there in a minute.”
    She righted herself. “Have a seat, I’ll bring your breakfast to you.” Sarah turned away before Rukh could respond. Man oh man. Not too many things left her tongue-tied and stammering like a crushing schoolgirl. He did. The only man she’d found intriguing—who could turn her on with a glance—in a long, long time. Maybe she was just out of practice. She needed to get her head out of work more.
    Conversation at the men’s table ceased as Sarah approached.
    “My kingdom for a cup of coffee, por favor,” one gent said, pushing his mug forward.
    “Ah, a large tipper. This must be my lucky day.” She poured coffee all around.
    Laughter shook the man’s silver head. “If I was a younger man, I’d offer myself as well.”
    “If I wasn’t scared of heartbreak, I’d be sorely tempted.” She winked and whirled off to the next table. The exchange spread warmth inside. See, she could still flirt. Now if she could just remember the ability around tall, dark and handsome.
    Her gaze flickered over at Rukh. He sat at a corner table facing both exits and glancing through some of the free papers and magazines available at the café. Totally unaware of her. With a sigh, Sarah returned behind the counter.
    The door jingled and a thin guy with glasses hurried in, dashed past her straight to the back. Ah, James to the rescue. Within minutes, he was behind the counter tying on a fresh apron. “I’ll share this morning’s tips with you.”
    “No need. I’m just glad to be off my feet,” she replied, helping herself to a cup of coffee at last. Amy pushed out the tray with Rukh’s smoothie.
    “That’s mine.” Sarah almost shoved James out of the way to grab it. She plated two rum-butter muffins, set her coffee on the tray and took a deep breath. Now or never. She marched up to his table. “May I join you?”
    Rukh lay the paper down and looked up. The heat in his gaze burned her skin, seeped in and melted something deep inside. Even though she stood fully clothed, Sarah felt naked and exposed. Her breath hitched in her throat. Her gaze stayed welded to his.
    The tray shook in her tight grip, setting up a soft clatter of silverware against porcelain dishes.
    He rose and pulled out a chair for her. “Of course.”

    Rukh’s nostrils flared as she drew near and settled into the chair. He could smell her sweet vanilla scent, mixed with the headiness of her desire and nerves. A tremor of awareness of his own need shot up from his groin. He almost leapt back to his chair.
    “So you work here too?”
    She shook her head as she set his smoothie and muffin in front of him. “No, my friend was short-handed, so I was just helping out.”
    “You’re a very nice person.” That explained the aura, but not how she had ended up on his hit list. And why was the other djinn targeting her? Worry, and something he couldn’t quite get the bead on, had kept him by her bedside for most of the night.
    Damn it, he was an assassin being paid to kill her. Not to watch her sleep, not to marvel at the beauty of dark hair and skin tangled in soft ivory sheets, and definitely not to worry. He’d found the emails confirming the assignment and full payment when he’d returned to his hotel room at the break of dawn. He toyed with his tie. “Thank you for my breakfast.”
    She smiled. “My pleasure.”
    “But now I owe you dinner.”
    Her eyes widened. “What? Why?”
    “I’m old-fashioned that way.” He shrugged. “I can’t be beholden to a woman.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Too bad.”
    Laughter tickled his throat. He enjoyed playing word games with her, this back and forth.
    He enjoyed watching her blush, and he really enjoyed smelling her lust for him.
    Was he bipolar? Ever since he’d read his client’s email, despair—dark and sharp—had cut deep and twisted in his gut like a dagger. Sleep had bailed and anxiety raged. He didn’t think anything would make him feel