After the Music Read Online Free PDF Page A

that. He's very cold."
    "Not in bed, I'll bet," Jessica said under her breath. Sabina's face flushed, and she got out before Jess could see it. "Thanks for the ride! Want to have lunch one day?"
    "I'll call you. Are you sure you're okay?" Jess added with a worried frown.
    Sabina shrugged and smiled. "Just a little battle-scarred."
    "What did you say to him?"
    "I hit him," she said, noticing the wary look on Jess's face. "Then I dared the oil baron to hit me back."
    Jess looked uneasy. "That wasn't wise. He has the memory of an elephant."
    "He tried to buy me for the night," Sabina said curtly.
    Jess made a soft sound. "Oh, my. No wonder you hit him! Good for you! Will you tell Al?"
    She debated about that. "I'd rather not. Al doesn't know about my background. Just tell Al I'm not sorry I did it, but I'm sorry I embarrassed him."
    "Al doesn't embarrass easily." Jessica toyed with the steering wheel. "I was pretty shocked when he asked me to hostess for him." She glanced up. "He's never invited me to his apartment before."
    "He's started to notice you," Sabina said cautiously.
    "Well, at least Thorn didn't toss me out tonight," Jess replied sadly. "He strikes me as a little snobbish where his family is concerned."
    Sabina's temper flared again. "What he needs is someone who can put him in his place. And if he isn't careful, I may blacken his other eye for him!"
    Jess laughed. "I can see it now-a TKO in the fifth round..."
    "Good night," Sabina said, closing the car door behind her. She waved at Jess and went upstairs. Of all the unexpected endings to what had begun as a lovely evening. Closing the door of her apartment, she decided to skip dinner. She'd lost her appetite anyway. Sleep would be a welcome relief. But instead of losing herself to dreams, her mind replayed an image of Thorn and the way he'd kissed her. He'd touched her deeply, in ways she'd never expected to be touched.
    How could she blame him for thinking she was easy, after the way she'd reacted to his unexpected ardor? He couldn't have known about her childhood, about her mother. She turned her hot face into the pillow. Now she'd made an enemy of him, and what was AI going to think? If only she'd stayed out of the kitchen, none of it would have happened.
    She had a feeling she was going to be under siege shortly. The oil baron wasn't going to stand for having her in Al's life after this. She'd have bet money that he was already brooding about ways to get her away from Al, because she knew he had the impression that she and Al were more than friends. And part of her was even looking forward to the confrontation. She liked a sporting enemy.
    Chapter Two
    Sabina got up the next morning with a feeling of dread. Immediately, her mind raced back to the night before, and her heart burned at the memory of a hard mouth invading hers.
    It had been the first time she'd ever felt like that. How ironic that it should be with a man who was quickly becoming her worst enemy. She had no inclination whatsoever for the lighthearted alliances other women formed. She knew too much about their consequences.
    How odd, that Hamilton Thorndon the Third should think that she was easy. She almost laughed. If there was one woman in the world his money couldn't get, it was Sabina.
    With drooping eyelids she dragged herself into the exclusive Bourbon Street nightclub where she and the band were working. She'd never felt less like working, but the rehearsals went on regardless.
    It was late afternoon, barely an hour from curtain time, and she was just finishing a tune about lost love, when Al came walking in. He looked as miserable as she felt, and his face looked sullen.
    "Can you spare a minute?" Al asked.
    "Sure," she said, jumping down from the stage in her satin shorts and top, and black leather boots. "Be right back!" she called to the boys.
    Ricky Turner, the tall, thin band leader and pianist, waved back. "Ten minutes, no more. We've still got two numbers to go over."
    "Okay," she