The Perfect Temptation Read Online Free Page A

have a habit of doing that, you
    know." He leaned forward to
rest his elbows on his knees.
     
    His gaze boring into her own, he
firmly asked, "Is Mohan
    the type of child who thinks of
himself before others?"
     
    She had no idea why he considered
the matter to be worth
    such dogged pursuit, but since
she also couldn't see any danger
    in honesty, she answered, "I
suspect that in a threatening
    situation, Mohan would act
foolishly and try to protect me."
     
    ''There's something to be said
for gallantry and bravery,"
    he countered, settling back into
the seat again. "Too many
    young people today think only of
themselves."
     
    "Mohan can't afford the
luxury of such lofty ideals,"
    Alex felt compelled to point out.
"He's to be the raja one
    day. His survival is far more
important than being well considered
    by others."
     
    'What good is a raja who's a
coward?" he scoffed. "Who
    would willingly follow him?
Assuming, of course, that be
    even possesses the strength
required to lead."
     
    And what did Aiden Terrell know
of the qualities of leadership?
     
    He was nothing more than an
underling to be hired
    out to anyone who would pay.
"Mohan will someday make a
    very competent and courageous
leader."
     
    The brow inched up again.
"Will he be a wise one, as
    well?"
     
    "It's my responsibility to
see that he has the knowledge
    and experience necessary to
exercise his power for the betterment
    of his people."
     
    He sighed, compressed his lips,
and contemplated the tops
    of his boots. after a long
moment, he lifted his gaze to meet
    hers. "Is it a custom in
India to avoid answering questions?"
     
    "I beg your pardon?"
Alex asked, genuinely confused by
    his sudden change in
conversational direction.
     
    "There," he said with a
wave of his hand. "You just did it
    again . You
have a very difficult time providing direct answers,
    Miss Radford. In the short span
of our acquaintance,
    your willing responses have been
of three types-half the
    truth, a truth unrelated to the
inquiry, or an overt attempt to
    change the subject entirely. You
aren't fully honest unless
    you're absolutely forced to be.
Why is that?"
     
    Because it's how one
survives in a royal Indian household,
    she silently answered. Pushing
aside the jumble of memories
    and ignoring the odd and
unfamiliar sense of melancholy
    welling inside her, Alex lifted
her chin and squared her shoulders.
     
    "I don't see that my
personal behaviors are any of your
    concern, Mr. Terrell," she
declared in the voice she used to
    squelch dissension in the
schoolroom. "You've been employed
    for the sole purpose of
protecting Mohan. And while
    your duty and mine are
temporarily the same, our association
    doesn't require the development
of anything more substantive
    than a purely business
relationship."
     
    He tilted his head to the side
and smiled ever so softly.
     
    "'That rather lengthy answer
went into the change - the subject
    cold . Why do you do that”
     
    This was not going well. Not well
at all. She was feeling
    under siege and she didn't like
it one bit. "You are a man with
    a most inappropriate sense of
curiosity, Mr. Terrell," she declared,
    hoping to at least shame him into
a more deferential
    manner.
     
    ''An unrelated truth." Again
he leaned forward to close
    the distance between them, to
more effectively pin her gaze
    with his. "Let's go back to
where we were when you attempted
    to derail me. WIll Mohan be a
wise leader?"
     
    Clearly, he wasn't going to abide
by accepted social
    conventions. "It's too early
to tell," she all but snapped.
     
    "He is, after all, only ten
years old. His judgment is that of
    a child."
     
    He made no attempt to contain his
smile. ''That was physically
    painful for you , wasn ' t
it?"
     
    ''And the possibility of it
pleases you greatly."
     
    ''A half-related
truth." He sat back once more and pushed
    his hands into his coat pockets,
adding, ''That makes a fourth
    way you can answer. I'm
impressed."
     
    He had to be the