Page 34 of From the Moment We Met

Chapter Seven

Jacob

Jacob leaned against the pub wall, the low lighting protecting his identity while still allowing a clear view of Lilly’s performance. He wondered what song Lilly hadn’t planned on singing and if she was as dissonant as her friend.

He noted the catcalls when she walked onstage. She had several admirers in the audience. At first, Lilly appeared shell-shocked but then offered the crowd a dazzling smile as she shed her jacket. Jacob’s breath caught at the sight of her full breasts and flat stomach, visible beneath her fitted shirt. Her skin was like porcelain, a far cry from the bronzed blondes he usually dated, but he found something incredibly sexy about her dark hair and pale skin.

The audience’s encouragement grew louder, increasing Jacob’s curiosity. Sabina sidled up to him, grinning at the stage.

“Can she sing?” Jacob asked, his tone casual.

Sabina smirked. “Just wait.”

A deep, sultry voice floated over the bar, and Jacob’s jaw slackened. Not only did the song showcase Lilly’s vocal talent, but it also oozed sexual overtones. A group of men crowded the stage for a better vantage point.

Lilly’s body swayed to the rhythm, her come-hither voice and eyes mesmerizing men and women alike.

“I told you,” Sabina whispered, amused at Jacob’s apparent surprise.

“She’s…wow…she’s…”

“Sexy as hell? You see her fan club?”

How could Jacob miss them? He wanted to punch every bloke ogling Lilly and put an end to their lascivious gawking.

It was ludicrous. He dated countless women who posed nude, performed salacious dance numbers, and strutted the catwalk in their underwear, but Jacob felt an innate need to protect Lilly from the prying eyes and drooling mouths of the pub patrons.

His fists clenched at his sides and Sabina leaned over, commenting, “It’s only a song.”

Jacob nodded but said nothing, his eyes darting between Lilly and her menagerie of men at the front of the stage.

He startled when Sabina laid a hand on his arm. “I pushed her into it. Lilly has a great voice. I figured she might win the contest.”

“It’s fine,” Jacob gritted out, his body tense as the song ended.

He took a few deep breaths as Lilly walked over; willing his jealousy down. She smiled as she approached, but after catching sight of Jacob’s scowl, it faded.

Sabina hugged her friend. “You are a sex goddess. I’m going to the loo.”

Lilly directed her gaze at Jacob, observing his stony features. “What did you think?”

“I think you have a lot of fans,” Jacob muttered, motioning to the group of men whose eyes remained glued to Lilly’s curves.

Lilly glanced over her shoulder. “They’re harmless. It’s part of the shtick with the song.”

“The way they’re drooling over you doesn’t look harmless,” Jacob noted the discomfort in Lilly’s face and wished he wasn’t so damn upset about her performance.

“Are you angry with me?”

Jacob seized that opportunity to do what he knew he shouldn’t do; he played the part of the arrogant ass to a T. “No,” he snapped. “Why should I be angry? You’re allowed to have groupies. Although it seems many of those admirers may be more than just front-row fans. Judging by your performance, you’re a consummate professional in the art of seduction.”

He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth, as he watched them hit her harder than a slap. Lilly staggered backward, processing his statement.

“Ouch…you bastard.” Lilly drew in a ragged, shaky breath. "We're done here. I’m going to say goodnight to Sabina and Ben, and you…go fuck yourself.”

He couldn’t let her leave like that. Somehow, he had to remove the foot permanently lodged in his mouth since their first meeting. He grabbed her arm, feeling her stiffen. “Lilly, Christ, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I said that. It was abhorrent.”

Lilly's eyes blazed at him. “It was a performance! You of all people should understand that. It meant nothing, it was for kicks. You strut your naked ass on television and have on-screen sex with countless starlets, and you’re judging me?”

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