Fiery Temptation

by Marisa Chenery

  Then there was the little nugget of possibility. After he’d flown home, he’d called Gannon. There was something about his first meeting with Neve that reminded him of how Gannon had described the way he’d felt when he’d first spotted Arwen in the crowd, during the second to last concert on their tour. Jalen hadn’t been surprised to have his suspicions confirmed. His being so drawn to Neve, then needing to memorize her energy mark, was the same thing that had happened to Gannon. Once his band mate had heard Jalen had done the same, Gannon had said the one thing Jalen had already thought of—Neve could possibly be his mate.

  Not that Jalen fully thought she was, but he couldn’t totally discount it, either. Over his very long life, he’d been with a number of mortal women. None of them affected him the way Neve did. Looking at her across the table as she ate, he wanted to gather her close, manifest his wings and fly her to some remote place, so he could make love to her without disturbances. And not as he appeared now, with his eyes and wings hidden. He wanted to make love to her as an Alte, as he truly looked. No other woman had brought that urge out of him in the past. Just Neve.

  Once they finished their meals, Jalen signaled the server over for their bill. As they waited, he asked, “You still interested in catching a movie?” He pulled out his cell phone to check the time, then put it back in his jeans pocket. “We should be able to get there just as one starts.”

  Neve nodded. “I’m game.”

  After the waiter dropped off the bill, Jalen paid it and ushered Neve out of the restaurant. He drove toward Main Street where the only movie theatre in Barstow was located. He found a place to park, not too far from it and steered into the space before anyone else could take it.

  Out of the car, he came around to Neve’s side and took her hand, linking their fingers together. As they walked toward the theatre, Jalen liked the fact she was on the tall side for a woman. He guessed her to be around five-foot-seven without her heels. She was the perfect height to tuck her head under his chin as he held her in his arms.

  At the movies, he let go of Neve’s hand and held open the door for her. In the lobby, they stood looking at which theatres played what. As he’d guessed, two of the movies were about to start.

  “What would you like to see?” he asked.

  “Hmm, there are a couple of them I’ve wanted to see, but I’m not sure about the one. It comes across as a bit of a horror flick and I’m not into those. They scare the crap out of me.”

  Jalen smiled. “Then we’ll pass on it. And the other?”

  “It’s the newest comic book character turned live action film. I have to admit, I love those types of movies, not that I’m a huge fan or anything.”

  “I’ve actually thought that one looked good as well. We’d better hurry and get our tickets, since it’s about to start.”

  He went up to the cashier to pay and told her which feature he wanted two tickets for while he looked up at the board on the wall above her that listed all the movies playing. Met with only silence, he looked at the woman, a young one, to find her staring at him with her mouth hanging open. Jalen groaned to himself. He knew what would come next.

  “You’re Jalen,” she practically yelled. “From Soar. I can’t believe it.”

  Jalen looked around, noting all the heads that had turned their way. More than a few people talked excitedly with whomever they were with. This did not bode well. If he weren’t careful, he’d be swamped by fans wanting autographs, or have their photo taken with him. Even now he saw cell phones coming out and pictures being snapped of him.

  “Yeah, it’s me,” he said to the woman. “I’d like two tickets for theatre number three.”

  The hope that she’d just give them to him and let them go on his way died a quick death when she reached across the counter and grabbed his forearm, clutching tightly.

  “Oh my god, I’m touching Jalen,” she said, her voice still overly loud.

  “The tickets,” he replied, trying to encourage her.

  But it didn’t have the desired effect. A small crowd had gathered around him and Neve. Jalen tried to shake off the woman’s hold, but she tenaciously held on. He shook harder, just short of possibly hurting her. She didn’t budge. He glanced over at Neve to find her watching the people around them coming even closer. Shit. He assumed she wasn’t used to this as he was. He should have known better than to come to such a public place, but with Barstow not being a large city, by any means, he’d hoped he could do something normal with Neve, without this happening. Obviously, he’d been wrong.

  Jalen turned back to the woman at the counter. He was about to peel her fingers off his arm when Neve stepped closer to his side and yanked the woman’s hand away. She then turned him so he faced her and placed his arms around her waist. Her hands sank into his hair and brought his lips down to hers. A jolt of intense desire surged through him as she kissed him, stroking her tongue along his lips until he opened to allow her entrance.

  The rest of the world seemed to fall away as he sucked on her tongue, a low moan pushing out of him. Jalen vaguely heard the sound of camera phones going off as he hungrily took Neve’s lips.

  But then, she ended it all too soon. Pulling slightly away, she turned and fitted herself under his arm while one of hers wrapped around his waist. Neve looked at the crowd around them, which happened to be mostly female. “Sorry, ladies, but Jalen’s mine and I’m not in the mood for sharing right now. So no autographs or pictures taken with my man.” She turned to the ticket girl. “Two for theatre three.” Her tone didn’t brook any arguments.

  The woman silently nodded, then ran up the price of admission, which Jalen paid for. Once she handed them to him, he put his arm back around Neve’s shoulders and they walked through the small crowd toward the theatres. He couldn’t stop smiling, playing over and over again when Neve had claimed him as hers. And that kiss she’d laid on him.

  Inside the theatre, it was dark, since the trailers played. Wanting to avoid being accosted again by any fans who happened to be there, Jalen guided Neve to the very back. As they settled into their chairs in the last row, the movie started.

  He leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Thanks for saving me back there.”

  Neve turned her head toward him. “I hope you don’t mind what I did and said,” she whispered back. “It was the first thing I thought of.”

  “It didn’t bother me at all. In fact, I liked hearing you call me your man.”

  Neve smiled and ducked her head. “I’m glad you’re not upset about it.”

  Jalen placed a hand under her chin and tipped her head up so she looked at him. “I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I like being with you, Neve. And once the movie is over, I want to take you someplace where we can be alone.”

  She nodded. “I want that as well.”

  Dropping his hand from Neve’s chin, Jalen turned to face the screen. He twined his fingers with hers as she too turned to watch. Even though he quickly got into the movie as Neve appeared to, he was all too aware of her presence next to him. He brushed his thumb over her wrist, feeling her rapid pulse. Her woman’s scent filled his nose, causing his cock to harden.

  Near the end of the film, Jalen had to have a taste of Neve. It was a pounding need inside him he could no longer ignore. To give them a bit of privacy, he bent what light there was around them, hiding the two of them from the rest of the people in the theatre. Neve didn’t notice.

  Turning his head to look at her, he ran his gaze over her profile, then down to the slim column of her throat. Leaning in, he bent his head and nuzzled the side of her neck as he lightly kissed her skin. She sucked in a breath in response, which then was released in a soft sigh. Jalen continued to nibble at her, making a path up her jaw as he cupped the other side of her face with his hand. Just as he reached the corner of Neve’s mouth, he turned her head toward him. He settled his lips fully on hers, slipping his tongue between them to taste her.

  Jalen kissed her deeper, increasing the pressu
re of his lips. Neve’s passionate response had him wanting to pull her up against his chest, but the immovable armrest between their seats prevented them from getting too close. Instead, he settled for touching her. He dropped his hand from her face and smoothed it down the side of her neck to the top of her shoulder. Sucking her tongue into his mouth, he trailed his fingers down her chest to her breast. He covered it with his hand before he plucked at the taut nipple, rolling it between two fingers. Neve reached up and clutched at his shoulders as she pushed into his hold.

  Since he knew nobody saw what they did, it would be all too easy for Jalen to take things one step further and see how wet she was for him. But Neve not knowing they were for all intents and purposes invisible to those around them, he decided not to risk the chance of upsetting her. He didn’t hold back the quiet groan of reluctance that built inside him as he broke contact with Neve’s lips.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he said in a low, husky voice.

  At Neve’s nod, Jalen took her hand and helped her to her feet. They quietly slipped out of the theatre. He thought of continuing to bend the light around them once they hit the lobby, but decided not to. It was almost empty, since all the last shows of the night played.

  He hurried them through the lobby and outside. Neve kept pace with him as he walked them to his car. Once inside, he asked, “Can we go back to your place?”

  “Sure. Kara won’t bother us, but aren’t you staying at one of the hotels?”

  “No. I drove from San Bernardino for the day. I planned to head back tonight.”

  Neve met his gaze. “Then spend the night with me.”

  *

  Neve couldn’t believe she’d actually said that. Normally, she didn’t have the nerve to be so forward with a man. But with Jalen, she found herself saying and doing things she’d have held back on. For instance, what she’d done in the lobby when they’d been surrounded by his fans. It had irritated the hell out of her to see the woman behind the counter clutching at Jalen as if she had every right to. And it had bothered her even more when she saw how he couldn’t get away. So in a show of possessiveness, she’d staked her claim over Jalen. Luckily, he hadn’t minded. And she had to wonder how soon some of the pictures taken of them kissing would hit the internet.

  Now in another moment of boldness, Neve had invited Jalen to spend the night with her. She knew exactly what she offered him, as did he, from the hungry look she saw in his light green eyes. Not one to sleep with a guy on the first date, she wasn’t going to hold back with Jalen, though. Every time he kissed her, the more wound up her body became, until all she could think about was getting him somewhere alone. She wanted to explore every inch of him, preferably while both of them were naked.

  Neve waited expectantly for Jalen’s answer. It came in the form of a kiss so intense he had her clutching at him and breathing hard. He pulled away, his chest rapidly rising and falling.

  “Yes,” he said, his voice gruff. He locked gazes with her. “I want you, Neve. It’s all I can think about.”

  Her pussy clenched at his declaration. “Then my place it is.”

  Jalen didn’t waste any time driving to her townhouse. Since he’d agreed to spend the night with her, Neve directed him to one of the visitor’s parking spots. Hand in hand, they walked to the front of her house. She pulled her keys out of her purse and unlocked it. It took her two attempts, since Jalen stood right behind her and swept away the hair at her nape, so he could nuzzle the skin there.

  She pushed the door closed behind them and locked it again. Up on the main floor, there was only one light on in the living room and one in the attached kitchen/dining area. Her roommate was nowhere in sight.

  “Kara must have gone out after we left,” Neve said.

  Jalen shifted to stand in front of her and pulled her to him with his hands on her hips. “Good, because I can’t seem to keep my lips and hands off you.”

  He bent his head and kissed her again, this one hotter than any of the previous ones. Neve put her arms around his neck and rubbed herself against his hard body. Feeling the hard length of his erection between them caused wetness to pool between her legs. Throbbing need pounded through her. Oh how she wanted this man. It had been a while since she’d slept with anyone and her sex-starved body wanted to feel the big cock pressed along her belly deep inside her.

  “Hold onto me,” Jalen mumbled against her lips.

  Doing as he said, Neve tightened her grip around his neck as he picked her up. He carried her toward the flight of stairs that led to the bedrooms above. She lifted her legs and put them around his waist, her mouth never leaving his, as Jalen slowly climbed the stairs as if she weighed nothing.

  At the top, she only pulled away long enough to direct him to her room. Inside, he kicked the door shut and reached behind him to turn the lock. Neve slid down Jalen’s body when he lowered her to her feet. She kicked off her high-heeled sandals while she took hold of the bottom of the black, button-down shirt he wore. She undid it, the backs of her fingers skimming along his well-defined abs before she pushed it off his broad shoulders.

  They broke apart so Neve could pull the shirt over his head. Before he could claim her lips again, she said, “There’s something I’ve always thought of doing when I’ve seen you without a shirt on.”

  Not giving Jalen a chance to answer, Neve walked around him to stand at his back. She trailed her fingers over the large, black wings tattooed there. Every member of Soar had the same one in the same place on their bodies. She loved the look of it and had even considered getting a smaller version of it on the inside of her right ankle.

  Stepping closer, she pressed her lips to one of the wings. A deep shiver went through Jalen and he let out a loud moan. Encouraged, Neve trailed more kisses over the mark, making sure to give both wings the same attention.

  “Neve,” Jalen said as he panted, “you’re driving me crazy. Come here.”

  She walked back around him until she once more stood to face him. Jalen reached for the buttons on her blouse and undid each one. He pulled the bottom of it out of her jeans, then skimmed his hands down her shoulders and arms to push the garment off. Neve let it fall to the floor.

  Jalen circled one of her nipples with the tip of his finger. “Take your bra off for me, Neve. Let me see you.”

  Without a word, she reached behind her back and undid the hooks. She straightened her arms and let the bra slip down them and off. She pushed it away with her foot. Lifting her gaze, she found Jalen eating her up with his. The sound of her racing pulse thudded in her ears.

  He put an arm around her waist and slightly bent her back over it as he trailed wet kisses from the top of a breast to her nipple. Neve clutched at Jalen’s shoulders and sucked in a deep breath of anticipation. His tongue came out and flicked the tight bud, causing her pussy to clench.

  “So beautiful,” he breathed against her nipple.

  He then opened his mouth and sucked it inside. Neve moaned, digging her fingers into his shoulders. With each pull, she felt a corresponding sensation deep inside her. Wetness leaked into her panties.

  Jalen shifted his attention to her other peak. Neve lifted her hands from his shoulders and buried her fingers in his hair to hold him to her. “Jalen,” she said in a breathy voice, “I want to touch you.”

  He released the taut bud and straightened. “Put your hands on me.”

  She placed her palms flat on his defined pecs. His skin was warm and smooth beneath her hands. Letting them drop lower, her gaze followed, taking in his muscular body. Jalen was cut with just enough muscle to not be too bulky.

  Lower she went until her fingers brushed against the waistband of his jeans. Her gaze landed on the large bulge in front. She undid the button and slowly pulled the zipper down. Jalen’s heavy breathing filled her ears. His cock twitched as she parted the material and sprang it free.

  He had gone commando. With no underwear to hinder her, Neve wrapped her fingers around his hard length. He was hot and
heavy in her hand. She pumped it up and down his shaft, loving how long and hard he was. As she stroked him, a bead of pre-cum appeared on the very tip. She used her thumb to rub it into his skin.

  Neve had to taste him. She dropped to her knees before Jalen. With a firm grip on the base of his cock, she licked the second bead of pre-cum that leaked out of the slit. He groaned.

  She lapped at the head before she sucked him into her mouth. Jalen’s deep moan of pleasure filled the room. She took more of his shaft inside, sucking him in and out. His cock grew harder as he pumped his hips, pushing between her lips. Neve’s pussy ached to be filled. She was so wet she was more than ready for him to take her.

  “Christ, that feels good,” Jalen said. “Just like that.”

  She continued to pleasure him, taking as much of his length as she could manage. What she couldn’t, she stroked with her hand. In and out she took him, her head bobbing with the movement. She fondled his balls through his jeans and tugged them gently.

  “No more,” he finally said. “My turn to have a taste of you.”

  Jalen pulled away and helped her to her feet. He undid her jeans and pushed them down past her hips. Neve shimmied out of them and kicked them away, once she had them free of her feet. Only in her panties, he picked her up and placed her on the center of her queen-sized bed. He came down on top of her with his hips nestled between her spread legs. His cock brushed against her pussy.

  After a quick exploration of her mouth with his tongue, Jalen worked his way down her body. He sucked at each of her breasts before he went even lower. She clenched her stomach as he left a ticklish trail of kisses across it. At her hipbones, he nipped each one before he hooked his fingers into her panties and inched them off, placing his lips on every patch of skin he bared.

  With her panties no longer a barrier between his mouth and her pussy, Jalen resettled between her legs and used his broad shoulders to spread them wider. Neve gripped the quilt beneath her in anticipation as his hot breath fanned against her sex. The feel of his tongue licking her from bottom to top had a strangled moan escaping her. She lifted her hips and spread her legs even wider to give him better access as he set to work pleasuring her.