Craving More (10 page)

“You
know. That urge or whatever you want to call it to find ‘The One’.
Dewasa
?”

That
wasn’t what Jett was expecting to hear yet he could roll with it. “
Dewasa
? Damn. I have been a bit
restless. Started a few months ago. Things just haven’t felt right. I thought
it might be because of the move and getting settled in a new place.”

“And
now that I brought it up? Honestly, I should have expected it but shit - I
don’t know.” Sam puffed out a loud breath tipping his head back.

For
some reason Jett never correlated the restlessness in his life with turning
twenty-five. It should have been the first thing to pop in his head. With his
lineage, his family was steeped in the traditions and customs of shifters. They
made sure all of their children understood their past, present and how to mold
the future. His parents ensured their history was passed down to each
generation as their forefathers had taught them. Apparently he’d been too happy
to think work was the reason.

The
natural order of things was for shifters to begin the transition from
Remaja
or juvenile to
Dewasa
, adult, before their twenty-fifth
birthday. He was told he would feel antsy; recognize that there was something
missing in his life. Once they celebrated their birthday that antsy feeling
would turn into a burning need
;
a fire in the pit of
his stomach that needed to be quenched. Only when they found their mate did
things calm down. Shifters of his species had until their thirtieth birthday to
find a mate. He couldn’t imagine not being able to find his mate and suffering
through five years of an unrelenting burning need.

Some
shifters used the entire time looking for the one that matched them, while others
already knew who the other part of them was. Luck of the draw, karma, whatever
it was, it was a journey they all had to go through. Though not everyone
adhered to the traditions.

“So
what do you think?” Sam asked. “You’re the one that’s supposed to know
everything. I remember you telling me how your parents pounded it into your
head. Do you think
Dewasa
could be
it?”

“Now
that you’re forcing me to think about it. Yeah. Shows you how much I was paying
attention.” Jett let out a snort. Rolling his eyes at his stupidity.

“My
folks talked about it a lot too. Good to know I’m not the only one who’s
experiencing it though. I guess we should all be going through it soon. You,
me,
and
Corrine.” Sam said before
letting out a sound of disgust. “Great. I have to deal with finding my mate and
making sure Corrine doesn’t hook up with some sleaze bag or get hurt in the
process. You’re so lucky you have younger sisters and they still live at home.”

“Yeah.”
Jett’s gaze drifted to the stairs. His mind wandered to the woman upstairs,
setting him on edge. He didn’t want to imagine her looking for a mate. Of some
strange man touching her and getting a taste of her sweet skin and hearing her
throaty moans. The tiger in him demanded
he
was the one for her. As much as his logical brain protested, he knew he would
have to come to terms with his tiger sooner or later.

“Maybe
things will happen quickly for her and you won’t have to suffer too much.” Jett
tried to chuckle and lighten the mood. It wasn’t working for him and by the look
on Sam’s face he wasn’t amused by the quip.

“Seriously?
She doesn’t date – ever. I can’t even remember the last time she was
interested in a guy – human or shifter.”

Jett’s
mood perked up at that tidbit of information. Knowing that she was interested in
him went a long way to soothing the tiger within.

“I
swear you’re the first male shifter she’s seen in years. The last
Gathering
we went to was four years ago.
There were guys checking her out and she didn’t even notice. I’m convinced once
she hits twenty-five they’ll be coming out of the woodwork.”

Panic
crawled through Jett’s chest at the mere suggestion. “Coming out of the
woodwork? Aren’t you being a bit dramatic?”

“No.
You didn’t see the way those horny tigers looked at her. Even in shifter form
they were interested. Sniffing around and asking if she wanted to go for a run.
Much to their disappointment, she laughed in their faces. She spent most of her
time hanging with MJ and when she wasn’t with her, she was with our parents.”

Jett
cringed. He knew what
Gatherings
were
like. Some guys thought it was a free for all to run around and hump anyone on
four legs. They’d chat up some female and hope to get lucky during a run. He
had acted the same way a few years ago. Something he was ashamed to admit.

“You’re
both older now. I’m sure those young cubs have grown up as well. I’m just
thinking that maybe it won’t be that bad when she finds her mate. Hell, you may
even like him.”

Sam
shot him a skeptical look. “Yeah right. I’m not even sure I’d let you date my
sister and I actually like you.”

An
uneasy feeling landed in the pit of his stomach. “You can’t stop the inevitable
Sam.”

“I
don’t plan on stopping it. Just slowing it down as much as possible. Maybe I
can convince the parents to come for an extended visit. Use my need to find a
place and start a business to get them here to help. We’d miss the next
Gathering
that’s coming up. Put off the
mating games for at least another year.”

The
plan seemed to soothe Sam enough for Jett to see him visibly relax. Sam closed
his eyes and was asleep in a matter of minutes. The snoring he remembered so
well from college emanating from the man’s mouth.

Jett
couldn’t find that same peace to sleep. The notion that he wasn’t the only one
interested in Corrine hit him hard. It never crossed his mind that there would
be competition for her affections. Affections he knew he barely held in the
first place. She was attracted although that didn’t mean anything in the grand
scheme of
Dewasa
. A feeling of dread
overwhelmed his senses, tightening his chest until he couldn’t breathe. The
tiger in him was restless and panicking as well. The creature protested
violently at the thought of other male tigers around her. Wanting to head
upstairs and stake his claim on his tigress.

Trying
to ague with the animal side was bound to be a losing battle. Giving in to his
dominant side Jett propelled himself off the couch. He needed to see her. Be
near her. Gather her in his arms and mark her as his own. The tiger wouldn’t
have it any other way.

He
made his way past Sam and up the stairs with silence and speed. He heard
Corrine moving around in the kitchen humming along with her music. Moving down
the short hall that opened into the living room and kitchen, he leaned against
the wall and took her in.

Like
earlier today she had her back to him, hips swaying back and forth, as she
stared out the window above her workspace. Her hair pulled back in a low
ponytail. A bowl was tucked in the crook of her arm. The rich vanilla of
whatever she was mixing permeated the air masking any other smell.

His
heart stopped in his chest, the feeling of home and comfort shoved his panic
aside. He knew then he would have her for his own. Forever. There would be no
other man or tiger sniffing around her thinking he had a chance. His tiger had
made the choice for them and he needed to stop arguing with him. That elusive
peace he couldn’t find before settled around him quieting the restless beast
within and the human on the outside.

He
stood there letting the minutes fly by. Watching her. Studying her. She was so
different from any woman he’d been with before. Soft. Curvy. Loving.
Sexy as hell without realizing it.

He
struggled to stay where he was. Not wanting to frighten her and have her drop
the bowl, waking Sam up and ruining his chance to be alone with her. When she
finally set the bowl down he made his move.

Walking
up behind her, he slipped his arm around her waist. His body hummed in
appreciation the instant it made contact with hers. She gave a startled little
yelp and jumped but he kept his grip firm–keeping her in her place.

He
planted a soft kiss on her neck before plucking the ear bud from her ear. “Hey
kitten.”

Her
head twisted in the direction of the hall. No doubt worried about her brother
catching them.

“Don’t
worry. He’s sound asleep downstairs. And one thing I know for a fact is that
he’s dead to the world once he’s out.”

Corrine
let out a little nervous laugh, relaxing against him a fraction. “That’s true.”

Jett
smoothed his free hand over her shoulder and down her arm linking their hands
together.

“You’ve
been ignoring me Corrine and I don’t like it.” He ran his tongue along her neck
before assaulting the silky smooth column with light kisses.

“You
haven’t been here long enough for me to really ignore you,” she said in a
breathless tone. “What would you have me do anyway, Jett? Sit and stare? Maybe
make goo-goo eyes at you? Completely forget about everyone else in the house
– meaning my brother?”

“I’d
love your full attention on me and only me, but I understand you might want to
visit with your brother.” He nipped the lobe of her ear earning him a small
groan. “I’d be happy with a little conversation for now. Get to know you a bit
more. You do realize we let Sam do all of the talking during lunch.”

A
soft sigh left her lips as he pulled their laced fingers around her front.
Embracing her in a hug. “Not all of the talking. We tossed in a few words here
and there. Sam does love to talk though. I doubt he noticed our lack of
participation in the first place. Plus, don’t you think we blasted past the
get-to-know-you stage a while ago? That might have been a good place to start
before
we had sex.”

Just
the mention of sex had need tugging at his balls. Jett shifted to the other
side of her neck more as a distraction from the tightening of his body. Too bad
for him the move started a chain reaction of shivers working down her body
ending with her pushing her ass into his crotch.

He
reeled her in tighter, pressing his growing erection against her. A small groan
left his lips. “Damn you feel good in my arms. You’re the perfect fit. I’d love
to take you like this. Up against the counter, nice and slow. Dragging the
pleasure out.” He slowly pumped his hips mimicking his words.

“Jett,
please,” she gasped. Her free hand slapped down on the counter, looking for
purchase but not finding any. “What happened to having a conversation? Getting
to know one another?” She wiggled a bit and he knew she was trying to torture
him.

He
was dying with her little twitchy movements. A glutton for punishment, he
couldn’t let her go. “We will, right now though, I just want to enjoy the feel
of you in my arms a little longer.” He placed a kiss on her cheek. “I’m sorry I
didn’t stay last night.”

He
released his grip on her hand, sliding his fingers under her shirt and up her
smooth, silky skin. Brushing against the bottom of her breast before he found
her lace-covered nipple. Slowly working it between his thumb and index finger
until it was hard and needy.

“I
told you I understood. You wanted an extended hook-up. That’s all you needed to
say. I’ve never been offered a ‘no-strings attached’ proposition so I probably
would have slept with you anyway.”

He
clenched his teeth at her words. Pinching her nipple harder than he intended.

“Oh
god that feels good!” She released a long groan.

He
opened his mouth to set her straight. To tell her he was just a little thrown
with the mention of Sam, that he knew what he wanted with her but a noise
caught his attention. With a healthy dose of reluctance he let go of Corrine,
taking a few steps backward.

She
sagged against the counter, head down, palms flat, sucking in a lungful of air.
“You’re playing a dangerous game right now. If you don’t want Sam to catch you,
you might want to stop sneak attacking me.”

Jett
gritted his teeth in frustration at Sam’s crap timing.
Maybe I want Sam to catch us. I’m just afraid you don’t want me in the
way I’m beginning to want you.
Damn, he needed to get his head
together.
 

Crossing
to the fridge he pulled a beer out, standing in the open door for a few seconds
praying the cool air would calm his body down, knowing it would do little to
help his situation. He was just sitting down at the kitchen table when Sam came
in the room rubbing his hands over his face grumbling.

Jett
tipped the beer back, taking a giant swig, swallowing the beer and the words he
needed to say. The erection tenting his loose cargo shorts wasn’t going to go
away anytime soon and it didn’t look like he’d get more than five minutes alone
with Corrine to slake his need. His day was going to shit.

A
surreptitious look at Corrine showed she had already pulled herself together.
Going back to the forgotten batter and muffin tins.

“You
have a good nap there sleeping beauty?” Jett asked Sam.

“Har,
har. Did you sleep at all or were you up here bugging my sister the whole
time?”