Moreen went back to her own apartment, touched by her neighbor’s concern. Mrs. Weinstein had lived a hard life, but she was always smiling, always quick to have a kind word for everyone and anyone. Moreen wished she still felt that way about people.
Inside her apartment, she went in search of an old T-shirt. Once she’d found one, she cut it into strips, then sat down at the kitchen table, pulling her gloves back on. She dipped the strips into the cleaner, then rubbed the lamp. The grime came off easily, and in half an hour, the lamp shone like it was new.
She took off her gloves and picked it up, staring at it with wonder. She felt not a lick of guilt about taking it from Aliya. The bitch deserved it.
She ran her fingers over the surface, then gasped as the floor seemed to move.
Her eyes widened more as a man appeared. He reclined in the chair, his legs stretched out in front of him, his hands clasped together on his washboard stomach. He wore loose linen pants and nothing else. Long, black hair cascaded over his shoulders, and there was a scowl on handsome face.
“Bad little girl.” His dark eyes were piercing, and she swallowed hard. “You really should be ashamed of yourself, Moreen.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Paran, and you stole my lamp. For the next thirty days, I can be your most wicked fantasy come true, or I can be your worst nightmare. It’s your choice.”
About the Author
Melinda Barron loves to explore Egyptian tombs and temples, discover Mayan ruins, play in castles towers, and explore new cities and countries. She generally does it all from the comfort of her home by opening a book.
Melinda is the fourth of five children born to an Army officer and his wife. A longtime newspaper journalist, Melinda has loved to read and write from an early age. Now she lives in the Texas Panhandle with two cats, Amelia and Pippin, and enough books to, according to her brother, open her own library. In addition to reading and writing Melinda enjoys travel, cross-stitching, watching movies and spending time with her friends and family.
Aliya Baban and the Cave of Pleasure Page 14