Read Only in Time (A Mystique Antiques Novella) for Free Online Page B

front of him. But his mind refused to cooperate. All thoughts went to the woman who’d left his heart in a mess. Ally Jacobs.
    Stealing a glance below, he wondered if her look-alike could help him forget. He raked her body with his eyes, not doubting for a second that she’d consume his every thought as he lay beneath her. He imagined his hands pressed to her hips, just like hers were at the moment. Could almost feel the way those hips would roll against his.
    Every step brought him closer to the edge of the stage. He stared at the woman as she faced her friend. He had to get a closer look. Had to know for sure if his mind was playing tricks on him, because every passing second confirmed what he wanted to deny. That the ghost of his past had returned.
    Switching chords, he waited until her eyes returned to him. Then he smiled.
    Her lips curled upward, making every cell in his body explode. He wouldn’t believe it until he talked to her, but he couldn’t deny the ache in his gut. His tormenter was back, dressed in a tight pair of jeans and a snug shirt. Everything he needed to remind him of the misery she’d left him in. He should have recognized her body. God knows he’d stared at it for many years.
    Of all the people to run into tonight, it had to be her. He’d find out for sure after the show. Maybe even get lucky enough to do the things he’d always wanted. But he wouldn’t stick around. Not to get his heart trampled on again. She’d moved past him. He’d show her that he had moved on, too.
    There was no point in stressing. Even if this were Ally, he’d never get the chance to make love to her. But he still wanted to know why she was back in Savannah, flirting with him. Hadn’t she recognized him?
    He closed his eyes, trying to steady his heart. Another smile from her and he’d be jumping off the stage. God, he was about to make an ass out of himself, even if he waited until after the show. Screw it. It wouldn’t be the first time.
    Returning the same lip curl she’d given him earlier, he couldn’t help but notice the way her eyes fixed on him. Or the way her body slowed.
    The longer she stared at him, the more her brows pinched. Her eyes moved down his body, doing a quick scan before returning. Those lips he was dying to taste parted. Then he realized the truth of the matter. Ally hadn’t recognized him. Not until this moment.
    He wondered if her heart was beating as fast as his. Or if she wanted to talk to him as bad as he did her. The set couldn’t end fast enough.
    Definitely not fast enough.
    Ally turned and pushed through the crowd, disappearing from his sight.
    * * *
    The bathroom door smacked against the wall of the ladies’ room. As loud as the sound echoed, it must have busted through the drywall. Not that Ally cared at the moment. Fighting the urge to hold her dinner down became priority.
    This couldn’t be happening. Running into Jonah. She swore Cassie had told her that he moved. But six feet of toned muscle stood on stage, proving otherwise. And all seventy-two inches made her body warm in ways it hadn’t in far too long. Not even with her last relationship.
    Even worse, she’d danced for him, playing some sort of twisted game of seduction. How long had he known it was her? Each time their eyes met, his burned her to the core. Maybe he’d meant to have that affect on her. All of this was a game to him, still. That’s why he flirted the way he did. He hadn’t finished screwing with her head.
    Fire rose in her cheeks. She made for the stall, shutting the door behind her before hovering over the toilet. How could six years change a person so much? Had she recognized him from the get go, she wouldn’t be in this position.
    Pressing her hands to either side of the walls, she drew in a few breaths, noting the minty scent of the bathroom deodorizer. If her stomach would stop rolling, she’d go to the sink, splash some water on her face. But the more she thought about what lay ahead of her