Bound to the Elvin King by Lisa Kumar

to even perform the ceremony to find out? They should only have to do it to control the bond they already know is forming between them.”
    “Ah, but infatuation and love can mimic the emotions brought about by the stirrings of the bond. We can’t be certain if a total bond is possible unless a binding is performed.”
    “You and Relian never told any such thing to Cal.”
    He shrugged. “I don’t know what he has since told her. But at the time we’d talked about it, this detail didn’t seem important, given you and Cal had just arrived in a foreign land in another dimension.”
    Okay, he had a point, but the lack of information now came back to bite her on the ass. “Well, the primer you gave us on bindings and bonds sucked.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I can’t believe I have to have sex with you because if I don’t, you’ll be like a ball and chain choking the life outta me.”
    His brows lifted. “You make it sound very sordid. After all, you did about ravish me in the hallway, so it’s not one-sided.”
    He wasn’t going to let her live that one down. Not that he was any better around her, but he openly admitted his attraction for her. Though he was as sexy as all get out, she’d rather die than tell him that. But with the bond in place, it was a no-brainer to see her response to him. Why not use it as a copout to enjoy a little nookie time with him? This might get him out of her blood.
    A small part of her yelled she was playing with a fire she couldn’t control. Though she wasn’t a prude, sex wasn’t something she treated lightly. She clamped down on the annoying voice and stuffed it back in the recesses of her mind.
    If she ran into any trouble, she’d worry about it then. It was a motto she lived life by. Whoever said, “You can’t have your cake and eat it, too,” hadn’t met her.
    She let a seductive smile come to her lips. At least, she hoped it was seductive. “No, I guess it isn’t one-sided. So what are we going to do about it?”
    A flicker of astonishment graced Talion’s face before it faded away. She stifled a giggle. Sometimes even her own audacity surprised her. This could be kind of fun. Just treat it like a game until she found a way out of the whole bonding mess.
    The insistent warmth pooling low in her stomach demanded attention. Though she wanted answers, they’d have to wait. She was hornier than a cat in heat. Since they’d already done the deed, what was one more time?
    Maggie ran her hand up his arm. The muscles contracted under her touch, and she bit her lip. “Let’s do it.”
    He closed the last millimeters between them and pressed his body against hers. The heat radiating from him clouded her mind, and she shivered.
    “Do it? That’s not very romantic, my dear.” He wrapped his arms loosely around her waist.
    She made a scoffing noise, though she really wanted to moan in ecstasy at the tingly sensations zipping through her lower regions. God, he was better than a chocolate high. “You’re a guy. You don’t need romance. Geez, you’d think you’d be happy to dispense with that crap.”
    “I see I won’t have to court you.”
    Did he think he was getting off scot-free? Ha, let him have his crazy ideas for a few hours . “Call me an easy lay.”
    “There’s nothing easy about you.”
    Maybe he wasn’t as clueless as the average male. But it hardly mattered, because the lust flooding her veins consumed her. She wanted them body to body, naked skin to naked skin. And that was how she’d have him.

Chapter 4
     
     
    Maggie frowned at the pewter buttons on Talion’s shirt. She fingered one. They were in her way, but not for much longer. “Right now, I’m going to make things very easy for you.”
    “You are?”
    “We’re both overdressed. Why don’t we take these confining layers off?”
    He glided his fingers over the low neckline of her gown. “You’ll get no argument from me.”
    Blood pounded through her veins like a speeding