Raven, what were you thinking? This place is crazy.
And this room… Given where the windows were positioned, she could tell this space used to be smaller. Looked like the construction crew knocked out a wall to make two rooms into one. That’s why it was massive. And the walk-in closet was insane! A gorgeous dark shade of red accented the back wall, while the other walls wore a pale gold color. It was the perfect backdrop to highlight the dark wood floors, the cherry wood furniture, as well as this pretentious ass Tempur-Pedic bed. She barely got out of her clothes before getting cozy in it.
Being that she left her luggage at the hotel, she thought she wouldn’t have anything to sleep in. Imagine her surprise when she walked into the room to see Raven had bought her a little nighty set—boy shorts and a tank top with unicorns all over it. Cute! He even had a bonnet ready for her.
“Don’t worry, baby, your twist-out is safe here with me,” he teased before saying goodnight.
She giggled at the memory. That boy is too much… Her smile dwindled a little. So much I don’t deserve him.
Stretching her arms and legs out, she rolled over. The sudden presence standing before her sent her heart lurching up into her throat. “Ahhh—holy shit!” she screamed, palming her chest. “Jesus, Raven—what the hell?”
Propped against the wall with his ankles crossed, he took a sip from his mug. “Morning, sweetness. How’d you sleep?”
“Okay, see, you can’t be doing this?”
“Doing what?” he asked, as if he didn’t know.
“Don’t be cute. How long have been standing there, you creep?”
“Long enough to hear you moan my name in your sleep.” He perked up. “Hey, we just rhymed.”
Heat flashed across her face. No way, he’s fuckin’ with me. But maybe not. She might have called his name while deep in slumber. Hell, the man made frequent trips through her dreams, so much, on most nights, she woke up covered in sweat, riding the peak of an orgasm. It happened too many times to count.
“Na-uhh,” was the only comeback she could muster.
He chuckled then nodded toward the nightstand. “Coffee, fruit?”
A small tray held a cup of steaming coffee and a little bowl of mixed fruit. It was her favorite combo for a morning pick-me-up.
“Ooo yes, please!” She whipped the sheets back and grabbed the coffee.
His hooded gaze traveled downward. “I see you found the long socks I got you.”
“Along with everything else you got me.” You’re too good to me rested on her tongue, but stayed there. She glanced down at the polka-dotted socks that also served as leg warmers. The cotton material climbed up her legs, over knees, stopping shy of her thighs. During the night, her feet and legs grew unbearably cold. Been a problem since she was a girl. “Much appreciated.” She brought the cup of coffee to her lips and took a deep whiff before taking a sip. “Mmm, this smells divine.” She watched him over the rim of the cup.
He had on a pair of loose-fitting shorts that reached past his knees and hung low on his hips. A sleeveless muscle t-shirt hugged his torso, exposing the trail of feathers on his arms.
As she gazed at him, he stood there, drinking his brew, allowing his eyes to boldly roam over her. He stared hard, barely blinking.
It made her feel naked and exposed, and she liked it. “Why’re you looking at me like that?”
“I need a reason to look at you now?” He set his empty mug on the tray, then headed for the door. “Gonna workout for about an hour. Feel free to finish the tour of the house. I’ll join you later.”
Once he left, she quickly gobbled down the fruit and gulped the rest of the coffee. She slid out of bed, grabbed her kimono-style robe, and hurried out of the room. With the tray in hand, she made her way down to the kitchen.
Normally, after a workout, Raven was snack-ish. His usual go-to was raw fish, green tea, and the three Cs—celery, carrots and cucumbers. It was a boring ass combination. However, she’d come up with a way to serve him his favorite goodies without it being so bland. Been a long time since she’d done this for him.
When he had the townhouse, she came over every Monday and Wednesday just to fix him a platter while he was at the gym. Most times, some thirsty chick or dude would be there waiting on him, eager for their taste of the Raven pie. The memory gave her pause. Even now she felt some kinda way about it. But he wasn’t her man. He was just her amazing friend, who made her heart flutter wildly every time he came around.
Sighing, she shook her head to clear the memory from her thoughts. Even though they were in a weird place with their friendship, she was excited to be able to do something for him again.
Took her a few minutes to find all the ingredients and familiarize herself with the kitchen. Fifteen minutes later, she’d created a platter that any health nut would salivate over.
Now that I’ve gotten that out the way…
She bounded up the steps to finish her tour. He’d bypassed many rooms last night while he showed her around. Those were the one she wanted to see. She went all the way to the end of the hall on the west wing and pushed a door open.
This one was as big as her room. Yet another wall they knocked out. It was only partly furnished—large desk, three monitors, and a high-back, brownish-red leather chair. His office space.
Off to the corner of the room were a pile of boxes.
The labeling pulled snorting laughter from her. “He’s so stoopid.”
‘Past Shit 1’, ‘Past Shit 2’, and so on.
Next to the boxes, canvases or maybe frames were leaned again the wall, covered by a shipping tarp.
Hmm… Curiousness carried her steps toward them. She pulled the tarp free and was taken back by the image beneath it. “Whoooa.”
A large portrait of Raven stared back at her. He kneeled in a puddle of what looked like chocolate. White leather pants covered his legs and hips. He was shirtless. His muscles were toned, and his skin gleamed in gold. A collection of diamond crucifixes hung from his neck. He held his hand out in a regal manner. Chocolate dripped from his fingers, as well as the corner of his mouth. He was a god of beauty, offering chocolate to starving masses. At least that was the way it looked.
“Goddamn, Raven…” she gushed. “Fuckin’ sexy.”
He was as beautiful as he was now, only there was something vacant in his eyes. Physically, he was there. Mentally, he was somewhere else. If she didn’t know him personally, she wouldn’t have even noticed that. She would just see a man that was difficult not to stare at.
Raven vaguely mentioned his modeling past during their conversations, but only when she asked. He would give brief answers then quickly change the subject. From what she knew, his journey towards fame started in China and then launched him into stardom in South Korea. It was clear he didn’t like talking about it. Seemed like that part of his past signified something that made him sad. That’s why she never asked for more than what he was willing to give.
Eagerly, she shuffled through the other portraits. Each one was a direct assault to her womanhood. The man knew how to seduce the camera, that’s for goddamn sure. He displayed an androgynous flair. On some of the photos, you couldn’t tell if he was a man or a woman, and it didn’t matter because he was desirable as both.
She moved to the boxes of ‘Past Shit’ to find more photos. Most were fashion ads, others were ads for makeup, and then there were… “Hol’up, what’s this?” She came across an image that looked like a movie. Upon closer inspection, she realized that’s exactly what it was. “Ayyeee…”
Raven was in the center, his appearance sinister, yet somehow still sexy. He was a demon in some sort of fantasy movie.
“Whuuut?”
She dug deeper and found more. It wasn’t just one movie. He had been in many! He even starred in several shows.
“What the hell, Raven?”
He never told her he was an actor, basically a freakin’ movie star! Why wouldn’t he share this with me? Maybe there was a r
eason behind it. So much she didn’t know about this man. So much I want to know.
*****
Raven smirked as the treadmill rose a level.
He increased his pace, going from a jog to a sprint, his eyes locked on the large flat screen on the wall. He had a view of all the rooms in the house, all except for her room. He turned that one off last night. However, the urge to peer in on her was hard to resist.
Naturi probably wasn’t aware of the pint-sized cameras on the ceiling. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be openly rummaging through his shit.
He continued to smile as he watched her. Wasn’t she the curious one. As always. If it were anyone else, he would be livid. That part of his life was shrouded in darkness, but part of him wanted her to know about it. Then the other part wished he would’ve just burned those boxes to ashes years ago.
She would no doubt have questions about what she found. Hopefully, he’d be able to answer them without reliving the horrors that came along with the memories.
After she was done snooping, she packed everything back in the boxes and moved away from them. As she slowly made her way to the door, she glanced back at the pile a couple times.
Yeah… she definitely has questions.
She explored the other rooms, which hadn’t been furnished yet, so there wasn’t much to see. Her journey took her across the bridge to his bedroom. She paused in the doorway.
Slowing his pace, he brought his run back down to an easy jog.
She glanced down the hall, as if looking out for him, then stepped in. She closed the door behind her.
“What are you about to do, Nat?” he muttered.
Right away, she made a beeline for his walk-in closet. Laughter thundered out of him. Hope she finds whatever it is she’s looking for in there. The second she disappeared from the screen, he took his trot back up to a sprint.
Minutes later, she reappeared with one of his jackets. He couldn’t tell which one.
Hugging the garment against her chest, she fell onto his bed.
His body went rigid, his heart skipped a beat. “Wha—” Suddenly, he lost his footing and almost fell. Grabbing onto the sidebars, he caught himself. “Aw no, what is happening right now?” Eyes glued to the screen, he stepped off the treadmill. The belt continued to run laps through the machine.
Her hands traveled along the jacket in a caressing manner. Down she went, venturing lower and lower.
Is she about to…? He laced his fingers atop his head and began to pace, while trying to control his breathing. “No, no, nooo…” Is she really about to…? An unwarranted groan surged out of him. On my bed? “Aw baby, noo. What’re you doing? Don’t do that to me.”
Her knees parted, and her hand disappeared between her thighs. Once she found the magic spot, she squeezed her legs together and rolled onto her side.
A wave of lust dashed through his body. Then all he could see was their bodies tangled in a web of ecstasy. Sweat rolled down his face and body, even though he was at a standstill. His breathing was frantic, his heart rate on speed.
No more waiting! I gotta have her NOW!
He moved toward the door in a feverish haste. Upstairs, two doors down. He would be on her in a flash, feeling her, tasting her, consuming her very existence. He grabbed the doorknob, then paused.
She doesn’t want me like that. Right?
She said it in so many words. The things that came out of her mouth that night, three weeks ago. It was imprinted on his brain. Even now, it played on repeat.
“Raven, are you crazy? I could never be with a man LIKE YOU.”
A tightness rose in his chest and grew into a searing pain.
“You’re all over the place. You’re fuckin’ men, you’re fuckin’ women… Ya slangin’ community dick, bruh. I’m not about to set myself up to get hurt again.”
That shattered his heart. “Dammit!” He turned back to the screen.
Curled in the fetal position, she was still on her side, hugging his jacket with her hand shoved between her thighs.
This is a big fucking mistake!
He shouldn’t have brought her here, thinking he would be able to deal with the beast inside. Remi was right. Why is he always right?
Raven shook his head in defeat and frustration. He wasn’t ready to be this close to her after what happened between them. It was stupid to think he’d be able to keep his sanity.
Biting his bottom lip, he released a moan-filled cry. He glanced down at the huge bulge jutting from his crotch. His cock was so fucking hard, it hurt his soul. “Fuuuck my liiife!”
Mind whirling, he dropped to his knees on the yoga pad then stretched out on his back. For a moment, he laid there, quietly staring at the ceiling, his vision blurred, his body on fire. “Why, baby, why are you doing this to me?”
He reached down and fisted his stirring member, breathing out an audible sigh as he did so. The pressure increased the throbbing. The maddening need for her grew. He rested his arm over his eyes, wanting to block out the world.
“Alexa,” he called out to the virtual assistant. “Turn off the camera footage.”
Chapter 9
Friends or Lovers
“This is sad and pathetic,” Naturi whispered.
Despite everything that had happened, Raven was her friend. She was supposed to be able to talk to him.
He’s right downstairs. Go make him listen!
At this point, that was damn near impossible. Not only was he stubborn, but he was also terribly seductive. And he used that seduction as a shield. How could she break through his resolve? Is it even worth it? If she kept pushing for something he didn’t want to give her, it could ruin what was left of their friendship. If she could even call it that. Hanging in limbo like this sucked big time. Sorta-kinda friends, sorta-kinda… lovers.
Here she was, curled up on his bed, clutching the jacket he wore the day they met, thinking about giving her hot spot a little rub or two. She glanced down at her hand curved over her pussy. Her clit pulsated against her palm, eager for friction.
What if he caught me? What would he think of seeing her like this? What would he do? Not like she was the first woman to lust for him so badly she was willing to throw herself at him. Wait, is that what I’m doing? Throwing myself at him? No, even worse. She was hiding away in his bedroom, lying in his bed, touching herself, when she should be in his face.
Throughout their friendship, Raven made it very clear that he was attracted to her. Most of the time she was around him, his flirtation was intense. Crazy thing about Raven was that he flirted with everyone, women and men alike. That’s why she never allowed herself to take him seriously. But the day he kissed her… It fucked her head up! She’d just buried her dad, and her relationship with her family had reached its boiling point. Her emotions were a hot mess. And he chose that moment to plant those soft lips on her and rock her whole muthafuckin’ world!
She couldn’t figure out whether he did it out of his own deep-seated need to be with her, or to comfort her at a time when everything was going to shit. It was too much to handle, so she flipped out on him and said some things she wished to God she could take back.
“Ugh, hell.” Still maintaining her womanly hard-on for her best friend, she hopped up from the bed and returned his jacket to its rightful place in his closet. “I should try again.”
She hurried down the stairs and went back to the kitchen. She grabbed a sports drink from the fridge then slowly made her way to the gym room. Her thoughts raced. She had to clear the air with him. She had to express all the shit that was running through her mind. And most importantly, she had to tell him how she felt about him.
Cracking the door open, she peeked in.
The lights were out, and the blackout curtains were drawn, leaving the room clouded in darkness. Music drifted through the air, along with a whirring sound. A rectangular glow came from the corner. She moved across the room, maneuvering past the strategically placed workout machines. A view of snow-covered mountain
s beamed from the screen attached to the treadmill. The belt rushed through the machine in a continuous loop.
Guess he finished and forgot to turn it off.
Naturi stepped up on it, keeping her feet braced on the sides to avoid the belt. She pressed the red button, and the machine whirred to a stop.
Something to the right caught her eye. A small raised platform in front of a mirror presented a long pad. A dark figure was stretched out on it.
“Raven?” She hopped off the treadmill. “What happened? You passed out?”
He said nothing.
She pulled the curtains back, allowing the light to invade the space. “Ohh, look at this… Noice!” A spacious pool area was revealed. “This layout is dope. Get a good workout, then take a dip. I mean, the bridge is a bit much, but yeah, the floorplan is impressive.” She glanced over at him. “Did you get to see the layout before the renovation?”
Still, he said nothing.
She approached him. “Raven? You okay?”
Arm thrown over his face, Raven turned his head from the sun’s rays. His shirt was rolled up, showing his oh-so-sexy abs, and his shorts fit low on his hips, exposing his muscled V and few strands of his pubic hair.
Her inner walls clenched as her mouth watered. Jesus—lawd, why?
“No,” his finally said, his voice husky.
“Guess you went at it too hard.” She stepped up on the platform and dangled the sport’s drink over him. “Got you some electrolytes.”
Raven's Seduction Page 6
