Chances (Mystic Nights #1) (12 page)

“I could get used to this,” he teased as he peered at the steaming pizza pie. She had quickly opened the box, and the aroma of one of Mystic’s renowned pizza joints engulfed him.

She placed a plate in front of him. “Help yourself,” she encouraged, and then went to the refrigerator. “Beer?” she asked.

He nodded enthusiastically putting two large pepperoni slices on his plate. It was a lot of carbs, but would be worth it. Mystic Pizza was infamous.

Aliya brought a beer for each of them and placed an open bottle before him. “I hope you don’t mind, but when I drink beer, I like it cold and straight from the bottle.”

“You really are my kind of woman, Aliya.” He spoke around a mouthful of the slice of cheesy heaven. She laughed and handed him a napkin as she plucked one slice out of the box for herself.

“I aim to please,” she teased, dropping her tone a tad playing up the moment. It worked. He was looking at her with that wicked gleam in his eye once more.

“You do.” His statement was matter of fact, and it pleased her. She watched as he took another large bite, chewed and then swallowed his food. He winked mischievously and then added, “Please me. Very much.” She laughed while he took another bite of the slice tearing it off viciously.

Continuing to laugh, she took a bite of her own.

Yesterday and today, she liked very much seeng this playful side of Jonathan. They ate in companionable silence for a bit. This pizza was the best. She released a groan of pleasure at the greasy concoction, and even to her ears it sounded intense, more intense than she’d intended. Jonathan’s eyes were glowing.

“You’re going to kill me, woman. I’m so tired, but all I can think about is you naked, and me eating pepperoni off your body.”

She nearly choked on that image. Once she’d cleared her throat she was able to reply. “It’s a little too early for the kinky stuff,” she teased.

“Is it?” He dared her, taking up his second slice. He was wolfing it down like a starving man.

Aliya was speechless and hid her sudden nervousness behind another bite of food. She just didn’t know what to say. Was he suggesting trying something kinky or was he just teasing? His face was dead pan. So, she wasn’t sure. She really didn’t have that much experience in that realm. Although she’d be willing to try with him.

Jonathan laughed heartily at her silence. He could tell she was thinking hard about that one. “Relax darling. I’m not up for that tonight. But maybe another time?” he suggested coyly.

Aliya blushed, but nodded to his amusement. It also evoked another hearty laugh from him. “Don’t get shy on me, girl. This is the fun part. Getting to know each other.”

Aliya dabbed at her lips with a napkin. “I’m sorry. I’m just nervous. I don’t know why.” She laughed suddenly as the butterflies in her stomach ceased. The look on his face had grown softer, and she saw true caring there. She liked that.

He reached over to her to trap her hand. “Let’s watch a movie tonight. Relax, I think we are both tired, still reeling from last night,” he suggested.

She liked the idea and they quickly wrapped up dinner. Jonathan was only too happy to follow her into her cozy little living room. The flower patterned sofa looked very girly but very soft. He plopped down on it, stretching out, after taking his shirt off. He lie before her wearing only his pants and looking very tempting. For a moment it was disconcerting; she forgot what she was going to do, but he reminded her.

“You were going to read some titles for me from your DVD collection,” he prodded.

“Oh yes,” she stammered and then turned towards her small shelf and began to do just that while Jonathan chuckled behind her. “Yes, that one,” he said when she began to rattle off the names and had gotten to the fourth choice. It was a Nicholas Sparks flick, and it surprised her that he would choose it. But this title, although a romance, did have an element of suspense and intrigue.
Safe
Haven
was the name and she had been looking forward to watching it.

After she popped it into her DVD player, she looked at her choices for seating. She could take the recliner, or sit at his feet, but once again he made the decision for her. He slipped onto his side, and patted the sofa beside him. He’d made room for her in front of him.

She smiled and approached him, lying next to him and when they were both comfortable, she hit the play button on the remote and the movie began.

They were only fifteen minutes into the film, the poor young heroine just escaping from her abusive husband, when Jonathan began to play with her hair. Before that he just held her as they watched the film. It felt good to be in his arms like this. Cared for. Protected. She felt safe. And that warmed her. When the heroine in the film was safely ensconced in a seaside town in North Carolina much like Mystic, and Lantern Hill, she felt his erection pressing up against her.

She pushed into him and he groaned. “Woman, do you want to watch this movie or not?” He groaned, to which she laughed, but eased up on the pressure.

They watched the rest of the movie comfortably. It was perfect and both the hero and the heroine found their happily ever afters. That wasn’t always the case in a Nicholas Spark’s film. She was glad this one had a good ending. But for awhile the movie had become quite intense. The ex-husband had stalked her, found her, and terrorized her. It brought back some fleeting painful memories, but she pushed them back and kept them in check. That was her past, and Jonathan was beginning to look more and more like her future.

As the credits rolled, Jonathan pushed against her once more. He was still hard. And she easily turned to face him. Without words, he simply slanted his mouth over hers and claimed her lips. When his tongue sought entrance she complied. Soon the kiss turned into more, and their hands were grasping and reaching, clinging, and clutching. She didn’t know how he did it, but her top was off and her breasts were bared to his tongue and teeth. He had her panting and wanting more.

Jonathan pushed her up and had her straddle him after she quickly slipped out of the yoga pants she was wearing. He made quick work of his slacks while she positioned herself above him. Handing her a condom, she slipped it on, and then slipped onto him. The pace was slow. Less than last night, but they both climbed to the pinnacle together. She felt every inch of his cock inside her. He thrust as she pushed down. Her pussy held him tight. Their eyes remained locked the entire time as he let her take the lead. Only when he was close to his release, did he let go of her hips which he’d been guiding, and began to run his index finger along her slick clit to help her find the release with him. It was heaven. It was their haven, as the snow outside swirled around them. When she collapsed on top of him, he was already beginning to fade into slumber. She curled up beside him and lie on her side, her head on his chest once more, listening to the sound of his heart. She grabbed the quilt from the back of the sofa and covered them both with it. Soon the warmth of their cozy quarters had her sleeping as she joined him in peaceful respite.

Sometime during the night he carried her into her room. She woke with a feeling of unease. Perhaps it was the pizza she had consumed. But her stomach felt strange. She bolted out of bed when she felt the familiar acid rise in her stomach. She was going to be sick. Quietly she padded her way to her bathroom down the hall. And she made it just in time as she retched the contents of last night’s dinner into the toilet.

‡

A
liya heard him
before she saw him. Her eyes were still watering from her ordeal as she knelt on the bathroom floor. He was pulling her hair back, and he twirled it into a lose knot and clipped it behind her. He did this wordlessly, and it made Aliya almost want to cry.
Who did stuff like that?
She had heard of guys holding a girl’s hair, but clipping it up? Well, that was first. She nodded her appreciation, as she felt another heave coming.

“Are you okay, darling?” he asked in the dark bathroom. He flicked on the light switch which she wished he hadn’t done. She didn’t want him to see her like this.

“Yes, it is passing,” she replied. “I think.” She remained where she was just in case. But her stomach did seem to be settling down now.

“What is it?” he asked, his voice full of concern as he massaged her shoulders and smoothed his hand over her back.

Aliya sat back, and made to get up, her hand over her mouth. He let her, but filled the glass she kept by the sink with water and handed it to her.

Again, she was grateful. She took in a small amount, and swished it about, spitting it into the toilet before flushing once more. She repeated the process before she attempted to brush her teeth. “I think lying down right after that Pizza was not the best idea. I didn’t give my body a chance to digest. I have always had a sensitive stomach,” she explained. That was what it must have been. Years of being so careful about her food choices to keep her weight down as a dancer made her stomach sensitive if she over indulged.

“You don’t feel sick otherwise?” he asked. He hoped it wasn’t the flu or a cold. He really couldn’t be sick right now. He felt bad for her, but until this audit situation was over and his mother returned, he really needed to be at his strongest while at the helm.

She shook her head while she rinsed once more.

“Maybe you should go to the doctor. It could be the flu?” he suggested.

“I had my shot this year.” She was shaking her head in the negative. “It was just the pizza. Really. And I have my meeting today before the council, so maybe a bit of nerves too.” She could see he still seemed concerned.

“Are you sure?” he queried. His worried brown eyes searched hers.

She nodded her assurances as he handed her a toothbrush.

“Okay, well, I’ll let you clean up. Finish in here. I’ll go make you some toast,” he suggested as she smiled at him once more. She watched as he left the bathroom.

When the door closed, Aliya first clutched her hands over her face in utter embarrassment, and then she clutched her hands over her stomach. Whatever it was, it hadn’t passed. She felt her stomach fluttering again.

Glancing in the mirror, a sudden thought occurred to her and she had a moment of panic. She did some calculations in her head, and clasped her hand over her mouth. She almost lurched again. Yes! She needed to go to the doctors. But not to see if this was the flu.

She had a feeling about this. A very bad feeling.

Could it be? Not again,
she thought
. Please. Not again. Not now. Not this way.

*

Aliya arrived at
the monthly open council meeting with plenty of time to spare. She had gone ahead and put together her proposal using visual aids she had printed at Kinkos. She also had professional copies made of her business proposal for all the council members, and a few spares to hand out if any members of the community wanted to see it.

If they had a projection system she hoped to use it to share with all those in attendance. Yes, it would only be the four council persons voting, but Lantern Hill was a tight knit community, so if she swayed the elders and other community members in attendance; it could only help her cause.

Because the meetings were held on Saturday afternoons, Aliya had cancelled today’s practice. She could have left it to her understudy, but they had all been working so hard putting together the routines for the new spring show. She felt they deserved the break.

The room was fairly full when one of the the administrative staff’s assistants came to get her. Her parents sat in the audience as well, and she was glad to see some familiar and friendly faces in the crowd.

Peter introduced her and outlined what her proposal was about. She smiled his way, and then took center stage. She thought she was doing a great job. There had been some cheers and sporadic applause while she presented. And most of the council gave her verbal encouragement as she spoke.

Yes, she was a dancer, but public speaking was not something she was used to. Her Dad winked at her as she wrapped up her prepared statement and speech, and her Mom gave her a thumbs up, pen gripped in hand as she took notes. Aliya was sure she would end up being an article in the small town’s local paper. It would be a very favorable piece. Laura Chance was her mother after all.