Chances (Mystic Nights #1)(2)

He glanced up at the massive festive clock hung for just this occasion. It was nearly midnight. He smiled wryly to himself. It was time to make his move. When he looked back down to scan the crowd, he was shocked to find the gorgeous beauty standing directly in front of him. Her friends were giggling behind her as they gave her a nudge in his direction. Her pink tongue darted out to lick her glossy bottom lip, and on a breath she pulled a corner of it into her mouth. He quickly stifled the groan that threatened to slip out.

“Are you enjoying yourselves, ladies?” he asked smoothly, looking directly at Aliya and paying no attention to the two beauties behind her. One was in emerald and the other a sleek silver dress. Aliya nodded and rapidly blinked her large brown eyes, clearly startled. Jonathan heard the other girls agreeing and expressing their gratitude, but he didn’t break eye contact with the beauty before him. Right now, he had eyes only for her. And he very much liked what he saw.

*

Aliya picked up a glass from a passing waiter and took a soothing cold sip of fizzy champagne. She needed it. This man, in his black suit, exuded confidence and pure animal magnetism. It took all of her will power not to flee. It had been her friends who encouraged her to come and thank their boss for the party. Because of her alcohol consumption and desire to be close to him, she had agreed. Foolish. That was what she was. Her confidence was quickly fading. Up in smoke under his predatory chocolate gaze.

All month long she had been avoiding his advances. His flirtations. But tonight, whether it was the alcohol or the long dry spell she was in, she hadn’t been able to resist glancing his way time and time again. She didn’t know what possessed her to enter his orbit. The man was scorching hot. And just his nearness sent her senses reeling.

For weeks, her friends, Tara and Michelle, kept encouraging her to go after the bossman. Every single woman at Mystic Nights Casino & Spa lusted after him, or his brother Joseph. Both were quite the catch. Tall, muscular, dark, and powerful. It was a heady combination. But, they had reputations. Love them well and leave them. Those were the rumors.

That didn’t bother Aliya though. She wasn’t looking for love and avoided dating co-workers, especially the co-chair of the entire casino. Her boss. But the man was just too damn tempting. She felt the pull of attraction, and imagined what he looked like under that finely cut suit.

Aliya’s eyes travelled the length of him. Those brown eyes, flecked with gold, told her all she needed to know. He was just as attracted to her as she was to him. Her gaze quickly swept over the rest of him. His shoulders, damn, who had shoulders like that? The man may have been a business man, but he definitely knew the inside of a gym. Power. He exuded it from every pore. Her eyes traveled down and she took in his chest and his torso. It was trim, and his legs looked impressively powerful as well. She imagined herself rapping her legs around him. She took another sip of her drink to cool down. It wasn’t working.

When she looked up again, Jonathan gave her a stunning smile from his handsomely chiseled face. Her friends were laughing at her. Obviously her perusal had not gone unnoticed, and he must have said something about it, but God knows what words escaped his lips. Lips she wanted to bite and suck on. She blushed in embarrassment knowing she’d been caught more than just ogling the man.

Tara elbowed her and it helped to break the spell Aliya was under. She indicated the dance floor with a tilt of her chin. Jonathan was getting closer and took her elbow. The moment his hand touched her skin, she was on fire. Finally clueing in on the missed part of the conversation, she turned after handing Tara her glass and led the way to the dance floor. Dancing. This was something she knew how to do. But still Aliya felt his hand stroke her gently on the arm, and it kept her disconcerted. She felt dizzy and little faint as he turned her smoothly into his waiting arms. When she met his eyes, all thought evaporated from her mind except being handled by this man.

The song that played wasn’t slow, but it wasn’t fast either. The couples on the dance floor were close to their partners, and he pulled her in. She felt every inch of him, every inch of his arousal too, pressing up against her. She looked into his eyes and began to move. Her body instinctively swayed to the music, enticing him, leading him. And he followed.

“Aliya, you look ravishing tonight.” Jonathan wasn’t smiling any longer. In fact, his face looked pained. He was feeling it too. This woman in his arms was driving him wild. Every sway of her hips, each small thrust of her body against him was pushing all the right buttons.

“Thank you,” she murmured seductively. Her words came out in two small gasps.

The song was winding down, and a slower song took its place. He pulled her in, closer, letting her know how hard he was for her. She gave out a small moan of pleasure, and instead of pulling away, she pushed herself in deeper. The ridge of his cock pressed suggestively against her belly, but she wanted to feel it lower. Much lower. Her actions were not the work of her mind, but the traitorous willfulness of her body.

“Aliya.” He said just her name. Gruffly. She looked up and saw him inhaling the scent of her hair. His nostrils flaring. She looked at his lips and she felt a pool of warmth deep inside her core.

“Yes,” she moaned, pushing harder against him, needing release, needing more.

“I have a suite upstairs.” It was a statement.

The walls of her * clenched. Her muscles spasmed. She felt herself getting wet. Without a moment of thought, she knew she would go through with it. She didn’t hesitate. Her inhibitions were gone. “Let’s go.”