Ashes to Flames by Nichelle Gregory Page B

a shiver of awareness skittered up her spine and she wasn’t sure if it was the barista’s choice of words or something else as she made her way to a small table by the window facing the street.
    Sabria savored her hot drink while watching people walk by the window. One laughing couple caught her eye as they entered the café, their obvious happiness sending an unexpected spasm of pain through Sabria. Her gaze traveled from the attractive brunette wearing a flirty pink wrap dress to her sexy companion. He was tall, also well dressed in designer jeans and a mint-green poplin shirt that accentuated his mocha skin.
    She took her phone out of her purse and viewed the location of the next coffee shop, feeling a flutter of awareness in the pit of her stomach that only happened when Jai was close by. Sabria took another sip of her coffee as the lovey-dovey couple she’d been observing earlier sat at the table beside her. The twinge in her belly sharpened and Sabria wished she’d been sensible and ordered bottled water instead of the hot coffee, which was only increasing her growing thirst.
    Warm, male laughter derailed her thoughts.
    Sabria stole a glance at the couple seated at the table next to her.
    That laugh…she knew that deep laugh anywhere. Her stomach twisted into a zillion knots and Sabria broke out into a sweat.
    It’s him…the guy in the mint-green poplin shirt.
    Sabria clutched the coffee in her hand, unable to stop staring at the man she knew was Jai.
    How could he be totally oblivious to her?
    Sabria’s heart skipped a beat when he scratched the side of his jaw in the exact same way she’d seen Jai do thousands of times. He looked nothing like the blond, blue-eyed lover she’d known last time, but Sabria was ninety-nine percent sure. The blood rushing to her head drowned out all other sounds in the café. She had at long last found her mate.
    Overwhelmed with joy, Sabria felt compelled to speak. “Jai?”
    Something twisted in Jai’s gut as he averted his gaze from Melanie to look at the beautiful woman who’d just said his name. He’d noticed her the moment he’d entered the café. She stood out with her pretty face, thick auburn hair and gorgeous green eyes which were pinned on him at that moment.
    “Do I know you?” Jai asked and the look of pain that flashed in the woman’s eyes caused him an unexpected wave of uneasiness too.
    “Jai, it’s been a long time.”
    His gaze fell to her lips. The way she’d pronounced his name made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and his cock stir. Jai shifted in his chair, disturbed by his physical reaction.
    Was she a past colleague? Friend of a friend or a forgotten one-night stand?
    Jai didn’t think she was any of those things. There was something familiar about the lady, but Jai felt certain he’d never seen her before in his life. He would have remembered kissing that pouty mouth.
    “I’m Melanie.” Melanie covered his hand with hers, giving him a reassuring squeeze at the same time she smiled at the woman who somehow knew his name.
    “Hello, I’m Bri.”
    Bri…
    Hearing that name struck some distant chord, stirred up fragments of dreams he had pushed out of his mind. Jai tore his gaze from Bri’s when Melanie gently squeezed his hand again.
    “Bri, you’ll have to forgive, Jai.”
    “Nothing to forgive. It has been a while since we’ve seen one another.”
    “Well, my fiancé is terrible with names and faces.”
    “Fiancé?”
    Shock. That was the only word to describe the expression on Bri’s face.
    “Bri, what a pretty name,” Melanie said in the awkward silence.
    Jai couldn’t take his eyes off Bri’s lips. She truly was a beautiful woman, ultra-feminine and exotic-looking.
    “Well, it was nice meeting you, Bri,” Melanie said, standing up.
    Bri gave them both a wobbly smile. “Thank you.”
    “Enjoy the rest of your Saturday,” Melanie added, taking hold of his hand.
    Jai met Bri’s steady gaze and once again felt a