Chances (Mystic Nights #1)(8)

Chapter 4




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Aliya let out an exasperated breath. It seemed like every time she turned around Jonathan showed up. And each and every single time it brought back that night of passion they shared. The butterflies in her stomach took wing, and she knew the attraction she felt for him when he was near was something she needed to suppress. Now more than ever, but it was getting harder and harder to resist.

It was annoying as hell that she couldn’t seem to go through a single day and not find him watching her. He showed up at her practices. He’d been to three performances in the last week and a half. She’d even found him outside her dressing room talking to one of the other dancers when she’d left last night. But he hadn’t approached her or tried to persuade her into a repeat performance. That was something at least, she told herself while she pushed a lock of hair out of her face. No, he hadn’t even waved or nodded in her direction when she’d passed him last night in the hallway. He’d been talking with Sharla. The slut. Well, that’s what everybody called her behind her back. She had quite the reputation, and as hard as Aliya tried to ignore it, she felt just a twinge of jealousy that Jonathan had moved on so quickly. And to such an easy outlet too.

She finished demonstrating the move she wanted the dancers to perform. And at their nods, she stopped and watched them try it a few times. Jonathan. He was never far from her thoughts. But since she’d explained things, that she had no time for a relationship or even casual dating, he had did not broach the subject again and didn’t try to engage her. At all. Other than showing up wherever she was, that was it. It was like he was trying to bait her or something. She turned to pick up her notepad to see the next move the troupe needed to learn. She nearly dropped her notepad when she saw him. And this time he wasn’t alone.

He was approaching the stage, walking down the aisle of the auditorium, this time giving the tribal council a tour of the facilities. She glanced up gazing at him from under her long dark lashes as she stopped to retie one of her laces. Practice was nearly over, and it was just she and their three male lead dancers on stage. She looked at them, and then back towards Jonathan. Her dancers were all attractive in their own way, but him! Oh God, there was no comparison. The man was drop dead sex on a stick that could not be denied. In a suit, he looked the part of the executive. The professional businessman. But underneath! She groaned inwardly. Damn that thought for entering her mind. But it was there. That image of him. His abs were incredible, his shoulders and arms works of chiseled art. She felt the heat in her loins and her muscles in her * clenched of their own volition. God, he was going to be harder and harder to resist.

She’d foolishly thought one night of passion would take off the edge, quench her thirst so to speak, but all it had done was to whet her appetite. She wanted more.

Again groaning, she stood and began to stretch. She pulled one knee up and held it, then did the other. She could feel Jonathan’s eyes on her and turned so she wasn’t facing him. Her nipples puckered and she felt exposed in the top she’d worn for practice. He’d been pointing out some of the features of the room when she turned. For a moment their eyes locked, and the intensity in his dark chocolate brown eyes smoldered.

She didn’t know how much longer she could take this tension. It was a good thing she wasn’t planning on working at the casino for very long. She’d signed just a six month contract. Another five months, she hoped would be all it would take for her to finish up her degree and get the paperwork in order to open her own studio.

She heard Jonathan’s voice getting stronger. He was getting closer. The tenor of his deep voice sent shivers down her spine. It would be so easy to succumb to him. Give in again. Just one more time. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t go down that road again. Jonathan Sassacus reminded her too much of another man. A man who had stolen her heart, and caused her to do the unthinkable. Getting involved with someone whose work consumed them had nearly ripped out her soul. Yes, a lot of that had been her immaturity back then and her own fault, but her protective instincts for self preservation wouldn’t allow her to fall for another alpha. And Jonathan was most definitely that.

Again, an image of the man naked, cock throbbing as he entered her had her * clenching. Five more months, she repeated. Five more. Excruciatingly long months.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the man himself. Her heart jumped into her throat as she turned and pasted a smile onto her face.

“Yes, Mr. Sassacus?” she replied after her name came rolling off of his lips. Her imagination had a hold of her. She’d imagined him saying her name as he thrust himself inside of her. His ‘Oh, Aliya,’ had become so much more.

“Aliya, I’d like you to meet Peter Sebastian and Myrtle Croatan, both tribal council members.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Aliya’s greeting was genuine. Meeting the council members was fortuitous. She would need their help and approval if she were to make her dreams of her own studio on tribal land come to fruition. She began to cross the stage and quickly made her way down the steps on the left where the council members were gathered. “Mr. Sebastian, Mrs. Croatan.” She shook each council members hand as she greeted them.

Jonathan noticed right away the way Peter gazed appreciatively at Aliya clad in spandex shorts and a tight form fitting t-shirt. He had the urge to punch the man in the jaw. Focusing on Aliya instead of Peter’s reaction, he also noticed her warm brown eyes crinkle at the corners. It bothered him how friendly she was being. Peter was closer to his mother’s age. True, he was only forty-five, but she wouldn’t see something in a man who must be close to fifteen years her senior. He gave Peter another look. He had dark black hair kept longer than was the norm in the back, but it was only slightly tinged with grey. He was mostly fit too, with just a tad of a gut beginning to form around the middle.