Chances (Mystic Nights #1) (8 page)

J
onathan did more
than call her. He showed up at the auditorium six hours later. She was once again finishing up with a late afternoon rehearsal. Today they had been rehearsing for their new show. It was for the spring, and it was the story of the infamous Trail of Tears. It told the story of the Cherokee, Seminole, and Chocktaw. Like her people before them, they had been through a lot. Rounded up by the U.S. Government, those tribes from the south eastern coastal states had been forced to march over a thousand miles in the winter to the newly created Indian Territory in what would become the state of Oklahoma in later years. Over 15,000 natives died along that trail from exhaustion, exposure, and cruel treatment. Though sad, the story ended with hope as they fought the system using the U.S. Government’s own Supreme Court to receive compensation for their losses. It had set the precedent for future native claims over lost land. A small bright spot in a dark history checkered with blood, racism, deceit in the name of manifest destiny and greed.

She loved performing this particular musical. It ended with hope as the various tribes that had been scattered upon the wind, reunited with their own kind along the muddy flats of Oklahoma and planned their renewal and revival. The dances symbolically combined traditional and modern music and dance to show how the natives learned to adjust and adapt to their new world.

Aliya knew the moment Jonathan was in the room. The air instantly felt charged. When the other dancers scattered, she turned to him and made her way down the stairs, her practice heels clicking softly on the floorboards.

“What you have done looks great.” He contemplated as he took her hand to help her down the last few steps in her heels. He hadn’t seen this particular musical performed in nearly a decade. It had been her idea to learn the show, to offer it and rotate it with the other two the troupe had under their belts. The three, along with their holiday themed shows, would give the locals more of a variety of performances to attend.

She politely thanked him and accepted his chaste kiss on the cheek as he tucked her under his arm. Once again, she took the opportunity to bring up the fact that they needed more male dancers.

He smiled at Aliya. Business was always first on her mind. “The advertisement has been posted. Interviews are next week. You are in such a rush,” he teased her. His brows rose in humor as he added, “Male dancers? Should I worry?” He rolled his eyes, but was teasing somewhat when he also stated, “I don’t like to share, Aliya.”

She knew his comment was about more than just some futuristic male dancers, and that he was alluding to her lunch date with Peter. She tried not to let it irritate her. After all, she had been jealous, too, when she’d first seen him with Fiona. She pulled away and gazed up into his warm eyes.

“I don’t like to share either.” Crossing her arms in front of her defensively, she prepared herself for a lecture. His look was stern, but soon softened. Instead of the
I
thought
you
wouldn’t
see
Peter
alone
comment she expected, Jonathan reached out one hand and began to skim it along her arm in slow, lazy circles. That hand soon had her distracted and once more disconcerted. It was just a simple touch. Yet, this man’s power over her was undeniable.

“Good,” he murmured seductively. “That is a start. Something we can both agree on.”

His circles got wider and longer, causing goose flesh to rise on her arms. She found her tongue. She’d been searching her defenses. Something to say to combat the spell he easily put her under whenever he was near. “And dancing is a perfectly fine profession for men. It is a healthy outlet compared to some of the brutal sports some men become involved in.”

Jonathan chose to remain silent. He didn’t want to argue with her. Not now. Not today. She was so incredibly beautiful and didn’t seem to realize the effect she had on him. On men. Seeing Peter leaving and then running into her had done something to him. Yes, he had been jealous. He didn’t like the feeling that surged in his blood. In that moment, he knew he wanted to stake his claim on her. But he also sensed her reticence and didn’t want to push her too hard. He also wanted to be honest.

“I didn’t like seeing you at the restaurant knowing you had just been with Peter.”

She narrowed her eyes and gazed at the man she was finding difficult not to think about every waking moment of the day. His tone hadn’t been angry. She only heard honesty there.

“It wasn’t a date. It was a business meeting.” She hoped he would understand. Her studio was very important to her.

He nodded, but she saw the flicker of doubt in his eyes before he masked it. “Will Peter be voting for you or against you?” His words held a note of innuendo, and she didn’t like it. But she didn’t want to pick a fight with him over it either.

She sighed before pulling out of his reach. These alpha men could be so exhausting. She decided to lay all her cards on the table. “I hope you aren’t insinuating that I put out to get what I want. I want to be honest with you. I’m not working here much longer, Jonathan. This has been my goal all along. If I say it was a business meeting, I expect to be trusted. Do you think I’m sleeping with you to get ahead here? I’m not. In case you were wondering that too.” She pulled her chin up higher struggling to keep the emotion out of her voice. Aliya just realized how much she cared what this man thought of her. She watched the play of emotions cross his face. First confusion, then concern.

A noise behind her distracted him, but not before she saw the flash of anger quickly pass in his eyes.

“Get out,” he snapped at the cleaning crew that had emerged on stage. They quickly complied, following his orders instantaneously. She jumped a step back, dismayed at his sudden flare in temper.

Jonathan’s hand reached out to steady Aliya, but she pulled back even more out of his reach. She must have misconstrued his anger. It wasn’t directed at her. Only the interruption. “It’s not you, darling.” But she wasn’t looking at him any longer.

She watched as the two members of the stage crew evacuated the stage. When she turned, Jonathan was sitting down in the front row of the theatre. His hands were up in supplication, and her breath froze in her chest. The look she saw in his eyes told her the man was just as lost and confused as she was.

“I’m sorry. Really. This is new to me. I feel like a fish out of water here. I’ve never cared about what a woman did after I was with her because frankly I’ve never wanted to continue the relationship before.” His frankness chipped away at the ice around her heart. It had been melting away for two weeks. And now this. The thaw was allowing chunks to drop off.

Jonathan sat there, watching her watching him. She opened her mouth, and then closed it, like she didn’t know what to say. It seemed they were both sailing new waters here. Vulnerable.

“Dance for me, Aliya. Prove that this is for us. That it is just me you want.” It was a stark plea.

His words took her breath away. She was shocked. It was not at all what she was expecting. “Please.” His last word was said softly. His eyes begged. Aliya did not know what possessed her to do it, but she did. She began to sway in front of him showing him with her body how she felt about him, finding a rhythm that bespoke how much she cared, but didn’t have the strength of mind to say yet. Her scars were deep, and he knew nothing of them. So she communicated to him with her body how much she wanted him in her life. She didn’t feel degraded as she thought she would as his eyes devoured her like a man starving.

His hand stroked one hip when she got close. The flare of his nostrils and the intake of his breath as she rocked her hips in front of him made her feel powerful instead. She knew the effect this man had on her, and it gave her hope to see the effect she was having on him.
Hope.
She hadn’t had hope for love in quite some time. But, her instincts were right. This man was for her. Her match, in and out of the bedroom.

Her body took over. And Jonathan watched her, his brown eyes bursting into flame for her. She got closer and he reached for her, and soon she found herself no longer dancing on her feet. She was straddling him on the seat. And then he was kissing her, one hand fisted in her hair. They were both panting heavily when it broke.

“I want you like I have never wanted another woman, Aliya.” He made his raw confession while staring deeply into her eyes only an inch away. “And I think the words need to be said. You want me. Just as much as I want you. This isn’t just sex between us anymore. You are my woman. My only woman. I’m staking my claim. You are mine. I am yours. Let the chips fall where they may, but we owe whatever this is between us a real chance.” His eyes pleaded with her to understand how much this meant to him. And at the spark of understanding in her eyes, he knew she now recognized what this was between them. At her brief nod, he took her lips again in a crushing kiss. One that claimed her and curled her toes.

When it ended and they were both breathless, the words just slipped from her lips of their own volition. “I’m yours, Jonathan. Just yours.”

He grunted and shifted her so she was sitting on him instead. He was still nuzzling her neck. “Good,” he paused for breath before he made his next claim. “And, I’m taking you out on a real date whether you like it or not.” She was still nestled within his embrace as he stood abruptly. He didn’t let go yet. The look he gave her as he spoke those words took her breath away. She felt her world tilt. Whether it was from his words or the feel of his hard as steel cock grinding into her, she did not know. And before he kissed her again, he added, “And for the record, you’re going to like it.”

As he led her backstage to make up, she knew she would. Enjoy it. She would probably love it. And him too. She hoped again. Hoped that her past didn’t destroy it all.

‡

A
liya was nervous.
A real date. He’d left her a text message this morning after she’d left his suite and was heading down in the elevator to go home for a very much needed day off. She’d been excited about it all day as she relaxed and pampered herself, a rare treat for her. But around six he’d texted again to tell her his meeting was running late and asked if she would meet him at the restaurant. She agreed. She had been nearly ready when he called, and so she headed out shortly after that, leaving her two bedroom bungalow with plenty of time to spare.

As she pulled into the parking lot of the fine dining establishment, she was shocked to see Peter there. It was true, Lantern Hill and the surrounding communities were quaint, but here she was again crossing paths with the man once more when she was about to meet Jonathan for their first official date.

Letting out a sigh, she was glad to see that it looked like he was leaving, and she was relieved. She didn’t want to be seen with him when Jonathan could be arriving at any moment.

Peter was standing by his car, keys poised above the lock, and his other hand gripped his cell phone to his ear. The only empty parking spot was three cars away and she hoped he didn’t see her, recognize her vehicle, or engage her in conversation. Luckily he was so distracted; he didn’t notice her slipping into the spot. Aliya cracked her window open so she did not immediately fog up with her exhalations in the cold. She also decided to wait him out before she entered the establishment. She hated doing it because it felt like she was eavesdropping, but she just didn’t want to risk a run in with him tonight. Try as she might though, she was still able to overhear a bit of the conversation. He was speaking to someone named Simon. And he was telling the man not to panic. He sounded exasperated, like he was coddling a child.

When he was silent for a moment longer, Aliya felt silly just sitting there, and she chanced a glance his way. To her dismay he was staring in her direction. His eyes were cold, hard, calculating. She decided to get out of the car and risk it. She didn’t want him to suspect she had overheard anything. The man was acting strangely enough as it was.

She quickly dropped her keys into her purse, and stepped out of the car wrapping her coat around her as she hit the button that would lock the four doors simultaneously. She nodded in his direction nonchalantly, and made to pass, but it was too late. He had already slipped his phone into his pocket and was smiling broadly at her.

“Nice to see you again, Aliya.” He gazed down the length of her body once again, not attempting to hide that he found her attractive despite the fact that she had told him she was spoken for.

She returned the smile and stopped mid-stride. He was stepping out from the cars and was blocking her path. “Yes, Peter. It’s nice to see you again. I hoped you were able to handle your emergency yesterday.” She had forgotten he left in a rush for an emergency board meeting until that moment. Why hadn’t Jonathan mentioned it, she wondered briefly. But they had had other things on their minds, other more important things to discuss and hash out.

Peter hoped she had forgotten that little tidbit considering who she was dating. But he hid his irritation well. “I really enjoyed our lunch. I hope we can do it again,” he gave her a malicious smile and indicated the restaurant behind him as he continued to block her path. He took a step closer in the same instant. He was very close. She could smell his cologne. She took a step back and felt her car behind her. Instead of giving her space, he got closer. She felt smothered by his presence. Something about him this evening sent up an alarm in her. Had he been drinking, she wondered. She’d told him she was seeing Jonathan. Maybe she needed to remind him again. He obviously hadn’t taken her seriously. “Maybe we could have a drink.” His face was close to hers, too close.