It was one of her favorite vegetables, but she didn’t want to be greedy.
“I like it. I just want to make sure everyone has enough.” The look they gave her made her want to slide underneath the table for a different reason. She took the platter added more food to her plate before passing it on. Before she knew it, her plate was full, and she was wondering how she was going to eat it all.
She looked up under her lashes to see who was watching her eat. Turns out no one was paying attention to her. They were talking and devouring the food on their plates. Mira had a plate as full as hers and the guys had two plates. One for meat and one for sides.
“We like to eat around here,” Mira gave her a smile before cutting into her steak. “I have to admit there is no way I’m eating all this meat.”
“Mira loves pasta and seafood,” Tristan told her. He leaned over and kissed his mate before going back to his steak.
“We haven’t had much luck with the Shadow trap that you found earlier,” Ven told Locke. His eyes slid to Ava then back to Locke.
“Ven,” Locke hissed at him.
“What’s a Shadow trap?”
“Shadow’s are a group of aliens on the earth that we’ve recently encountered. They have a way of designing traps that we can be captured by if we’re not careful.”
“Are you guys big into LARP? Do you do the costumes?”
“You could say that. I have this great one I can show you? Would you like to see?”
“Ven,” Cade’s voice rang out with authority. “Sit down.”
“They really are no fun. You’ll see soon. There is no way to keep this hidden.” Ven pointed at his head before he started eating again.
It’s a good thing she was done because after that there was no way she was going to be able to eat anything else. What did he mean by that? She turned to look at Locke who was staring at Ven with a frown on his face.
“I’d tell you to ignore him, but over the years I’ve learned better.” He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Are you done?”
She nodded. The food was delicious, but she was full.
“Dessert?”
Was he serious? Any other man would be eyeing her because she ate more than him. One look at Locke’s plate that he filled for the second time showed that he ate much more than her. Still, she knew the polite thing to do was eat dessert at home.
“I don’t know about Ava, but I want dessert.” Mira went to the fridge to take out two cheesecakes. Then she grabbed ice cream from the freezer. “I have whip cream if you prefer.”
She cut it up and then handed Ava a piece. “Ice cream?”
“Yes please,” Mira added a large scoop of vanilla on her strawberry cheesecake. It reminded her of her Strawberry Margarita’s from last night. “Thanks.”
She scanned the room under her lashes. Once again no one was paying attention to her or her food. When did she start to think she was the center of everyone’s world? When did she realize she could hear what everyone was thinking? It was hard to remember at times that people thought idle cruel thoughts. It was like they couldn’t help themselves. They were even embarrassed at times by their thoughts.
Then there were those that took joy in their mean thoughts. They decided since it was morally wrong to say it out loud they would pollute their minds with the thoughts.
She gave a shake to her head. Psychic or not, she was not the thought police and didn’t want to be. Everyone deserved to think about what they wanted. Something about sticks and stones, but idle thoughts wouldn’t hurt anyone. Unfortunately, she was in the position to say that some thoughts defiled not only the mind but the heart.
How many people had she encountered who never raised to greatness because someone’s mean words infested their mind and they never were able to rise above the poison that had been planted inside of them? Then there were times people let what they thought another was thinking about them keep them down.
“Deep thoughts?”
Locke’s voice interrupted her. Her spoon was raised filled with ice cream that was melting. “Sorry, I got caught up in my head.”
“Tell me, Ava, what do you do? Are you an empath, psychic, or something else?”
Mira asked after she took the bite of ice cream on her spoon. Even half melted she choked on it. Locke pounded on her back. Ava stuttered trying to take a breath.
“Mira!” Tristan was up crossing the floor as he tried to throw a frown at Mira that looked more like he was choking on laughter.
“She’ll be fine, it was just ice cream,” Tristan reassured Locke.
“Breathe, Ava.”
She nodded her head and cleared her throat. “Sorry, that was an interesting question. I think I misheard.”
“Sorry, I should have waited. I was hoping to catch you unaware, but not that unaware. I’m an empath. I thought asking you straight out would be better than beating around the proverbial bush.”
The guys all opened their mouths.
“Don’t ask.” Mira held up a hand. “It’s a human thing.”
Human thing? Mira seemed normal, but maybe she needed mental help? Maybe they all did.
“Told you, no way to hide it from her,” Ven said to the room in general. “I want cheesecake and ice cream.” He got a clean plate and dished up a healthy serving.
“Ignore them,” Locke said standing. “They act like you’ll want to come back tomorrow.” He reached out to help her stand.
“Ava you’re welcome to come back tomorrow. I was in for one day. It would have worked if I could walk away from Tristan. I’m not lying to you, I’m also not trying to scare you. No, we’re not out to hurt unsuspecting women. Yes, we really did enjoy your company and Locke thinks you’re the hottest woman he’s ever seen. That’s from an empath to a… psychic?”
Ava felt her eyes grow huge before Locke took her hand and led her out the room. They went back to her car.
“Are you inviting me to your house?” He asked her. The look in his eyes said that it was where he wanted to be.
“Would you like that?” She knew what she was asking. This was all about a one-night stand, but she wasn’t expecting dinner with his family. Then there was Mira who said she was an empath. Obviously, she was lying, but she answered every feeling she was feeling.
“More than anything.” He took his finger and drew it down her cheek.
She wanted a man to help keep the voices out of her head for a few minutes. Locke already did that. She wanted him for different reasons and that’s dangerous for a woman like her. The thought of getting addicted to his presence was already something she needed to combat.
She slid into the passenger side content to allow him to drive. He followed her directions pulling up in front of her building. The doorman called the valet to park her car.
She gave the doorman a smile and led Locke to her private elevator. When they got off at the penthouse apartment she waited for him to say something about her wealth.
He looked around the living room before turning to face her.
“I thought women liked pictures?”
She looked around the room. There was the biggest, baddest television set that money could buy. She had a home theater and more crystal than she knew what to do with. The place was dripping with signs of wealth, but he was right it was impersonal.
None of this said anything about who she was. A real smile took over her face. She was glad she brought this man home with her.
“Follow me the bedroom is this way.”
Chapter Six
The bedroom was more what he thought the beautiful woman in front of him would have. It felt homey. It was a word he’d learned from Deja and Fire. Mira added to the definition of the word. In here Ava’s bed was huge, but it had a rose-colored comforter that looked broken in. Her furniture looked lived in, unlike the living room. She even had a few pictures. Were they family or friends?
“This is my Internet sister.” She pointed out the darker-skinned female. “Her name is
Keva. That’s my biological sister. Things didn’t work out between us when we were teens. I haven’t seen her in years.” Sadness laced her voice.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, it was my fault. Actually, it was our fault; it takes two.”
I nodded being one of the rare Kur’iks with a sibling I understood what she meant.
“The bathroom is through that door. I’ll be right back.”
I waited until she walked through the door to take off my shoes. I didn’t lie when I told her I was Nobody’s Prince. It was only recently that we found out that we were compatible with some women of earth. When we first came to earth, the women we slept with died. That stopped us in our tracks. After being used to kill others and being told our lives meant nothing we wouldn’t kill to have needs met that weren’t being met on our old planet.
That meant, in theory, he knew what to do, but he hadn’t touched a female, alien or human in centuries. He took off his shoes and socks. They looked plain sitting next to hers.
“Hi.” Her voice was so soft he almost didn’t hear her. She was standing there in a nightgown blushing. “I can’t do this.”
She rushed back into the bathroom, leaving him standing in the midst of twisted and broken dreams. He wouldn’t fight. She wasn’t the first female to run away at the reality of him putting his hands on them. He leaned over to put his shoes and socks on.
He hesitated before he walked out of the bedroom and decided to knock on the bathroom door.
“Come in.” He pushed the door open to find her sitting on the rim of the tub. Her head pressed into her hands.
“I just wanted to let you know I was leaving.”
“Wait, I need to explain.”
“No, you don’t.” His head was shaking. “You’re not the first female to realize she didn’t want me to touch her. Thanks for spending so much time with me.”
She didn’t have anything to be sorry about; he knew what he was. Her hand caught him around the arm as he pushed the button for the elevator.
“Can we talk?”
The answer should be no but looking into her dark brown eyes there wasn’t a way for him to deny her.
“Yes.”
She ignored the elevator that opened and led him back to her living room. She sat on the couch. He sat on the other end of it.
“When I started my profile, it was a lark. I didn’t expect to meet anyone who could be a real contender for my attention. Then when it came to the question of what I wanted, I wrote the truth. Anything else bothered me. I guess what I’m saying is I never expected to meet you.”
“Very few women ever expect or want to meet a male like me.”
“We are going to have to agree to disagree on that. I don’t know a lot about you, Locke, but the thought of just screwing you leaves me cold. You’re the kind of man that should be savored. Once I get a taste, I’m not sure I’ll want to let you go. I think for both our sakes and so I don’t become a stalker that maybe we should just be friends.”
“I understand.” He got up to walk back over to the elevator.
“Locke!” He turned to look, and she threw herself at him.
He. Caught. Her! She’d scream about that later. Right now, she took his mouth in a kiss. He tastes so good. He was black licorice and pumpkin spice. Two of her favorite flavors.
His tongue came out to play twisting around hers with an ease she never encountered before. He pulled her into his mouth devouring her like she was today's dessert. She knew better but there was no way he was walking out of here before she had a sample, hopefully, more than one, of what he had to offer. She’d worry about her head and heart later.
She broke the kiss stepping back. Her fingers linked with his as she led him back to her bedroom. She used her foot to close the door. She liked the way it implied privacy. Then her hands caught the hem of the nightgown she was wearing stripping it off. Revealing her body to someone always made her feel vulnerable. She wondered if models and actors felt that way too.
She stood there in her naked glory as Locke’s eyes ate her up.
“Beautiful.”
A smile lit her face. There was no way to tell what was going to happen tomorrow, but tonight she was going to believe that the handsome man in front of her was telling the truth.
He came over to her, drawing her back into his arms. The kiss he gave her spoke of promises.
“As much or as little as you want.” He took her mouth in a kiss as his hand stroked down her back, making her shiver with desire.
“You’re overdressed,” a gasp escaped when the kiss ended.
“You’re right.” He backed up and took off his shoes and socks. Then he took the Henley he was wearing and pulled it over his head. The jeans he had on were button fly. Mira, the woman his brother mated, thought they made him look hot. That’s why he wore them to meet Ava. They were retro grunge? He didn’t question he simply packed them when they left the compound.
He undid the buttons aware that Ava’s eyes were glued to him. Would he scare her? Would she lock herself in the bathroom when she saw him? Was he giving himself too much credit? His fingers hooked in the waistband. He pushed his jeans and his boxers down before stepping out of them.
He stood, showing her his skin with its gray cast and every bit of his naked flesh.
“Why are you here?”
Disappointment crashed over him. “What do you mean?”
“I mean why aren’t you doing porno’s or lounging around in some magazine ad with hot women and whiskey?”
“Neither appeal to me.” She did, her eyes were glued to his dick as her pink tongue worked her lips making them nice and shiny. His dick appreciated the attention rising for the occasion.
She walked back until she hit the bed. She sat with a gentle thump. Her arms were outstretched to him, it was the invitation he was waiting for. He sat close drawing her to him.
“As much or as little as you want,” he reminded her.
He picked her up and moved her to the middle of the bed. Her eyes were wide again. The kiss he gave her stopped anything she was about to say. His body settled next to her as his hands carefully started to touch her. He didn’t want to go too fast in case she wanted to change her mind.
“Is it your goal to drive me crazy?” His hand was caressing down her neck. His touch alternated between being deep and reassuring to light and teasing. The pads of his fingers were making her want to know what they would feel like on her breasts and nipples.
“I want to make sure you have time to say no.”
“There will be no, no. In fact, I think my hand would smack my face if my mouth tried to form the word.”
“If you’re sure.” His hand worked its way down from the top of her breasts caressing one then the other before sliding down towards her nipples. “Your skin is so soft. You’re so responsive.”
The pads of his fingers flicked over one nipple. Her mind called her a hussy as she tried to think of a plan that had him burying that considerable dick in her pussy.
A soft moan left her lips.
He tensed. “Did I hurt you?”
“No.” Her hand covered his not wanting him to pull away. “Maybe a little harder next time.” She looked at him pleading with her eyes for him to understand that she needed his touch. She wouldn’t break.
“The sun is hot even with shields on our ships we stay away from it. It has nothing on you.” He took her nipple into his mouth.
Her soft moan turned deep and needy as her hand buried itself into his dark hair. It wasn’t black the way it looked when it was lying neatly on his shoulders it was a dark brown. Her mind told her, not that she listened she was too busy enjoying the sensation of her taut nipple and the way he sucked on it.
His fingers went to her other nipple pulling and tugging. Little noises of pleasure came from her as she lifted her hips trying to rub her throbbing pussy against him. A small bead of sweat rolled between her breast. He leaned forward licking it up.
/> Her eyes went wide, he was beginning to love that look on her. It was her I don’t believe you did that expression, but please do it again. His fingers went up to the pulse that was pounding in her throat.
“You know you’re getting too close to the sun and you're wondering if it’ll burn you.”
Maybe he was psychic too. Then she was trying to fling herself into the sun. He took her other nipple in his mouth as his fingers were working their way down her body. He caressed her skin making her temperature rise. She might not survive the night but what a way to go.
He pulled away from her stretching her nipple out before it made a noise as it popped out of his mouth. She gave a shout as a tad bit of pain wrapped around her pleasure making her see stars. She was panting his name now needing more.
“Locke please.”
“No one ever begged me before.”
There were idiot females in the world, she would know she heard their thoughts.
He was licking and nipping his way down her body following the path of his fingers. She hadn’t really touched him, explored him, too busy rolling in the new and marvelous sensations he was stirring within her.
Her hands went back to his hair caressing his scalp before moving to his powerful shoulders. She traced the muscles sighing at the feel of all that controlled power under her hands. This was a man other men walked carefully around. He was in her bed giving her pleasure.
When his fingers stroked over her belly button her hips shifted again. He was so close to her clit that she felt him as he pressed down on her.
He stopped to look at her. “I want to taste you.”
Yes, please. She choked out, “That would be… yes.”
His lips pulled up into a smile of need. How had she not realized how sensuous his lips were? They were full, but when he smiled, it was like the sun peaked through the clouds just enough to light up the earth.
He took the time to lick around her belly button before his finger dipped in pushing downward. Her pussy spasmed causing her to call out. He slid further down until he buried his head into her auburn curls. She always believed in au natural, but she’d give her fortune for a bikini wax, right now.
The Wolf & The Psychic: BBW Alien Paranormal Romance (Werewolves & Mates Book 2) Page 4
