Tasting Temptation

by Charity Parkerson

  ***

  She needed a man. Gideon knew it as soon as he heard the very loud argument taking place. There were two businesses in the same lot at Re’Vone Fitness: Frank’s Burgers and Christian Le’Noire Automotive. When Gideon had arrived at the gym that morning, the closest parking spot he could find was one right up against the auto repair shop. When he came back out again, he’d almost rubbed his eyes to see if they were playing tricks on him when he spotted Skylar right inside the nearest open bay door. Her gorgeous hair hung down her back in perfect little ringlet curls and she wore a pair of ridiculously high heels that showed off her delicious legs. However, it only took one look at her expression to see that something was wrong. He’d lived in the Heavens his entire life and even he knew that car repair places liked to fuck over women. Christian Le’Noire was one of the worst at taking advantage of women alone. Their name always made him want to snort. Some Christians they were.

  Tossing his gym bag into his car, he strolled in like he owned the place. Nobody fucked with his girl. His steps faltered at the thought, before he realized how right they felt. Yep, she was his. She just didn’t know it yet.

  “Hey, babe,” he said, jogging over to her side and kissing her on top of the head before draping his arm over her shoulders. “I’m sorry that it took me so long to get here.”

  Proving how pissed off she was, Skylar seemed more relieved than surprised over his arrival. Falling into her role, she wrapped her arm around his waist and leaned into his side. She smiled up at him as she said, “I’m so glad you’re here. This guy thinks I’m an idiot.” She added a little pout to her words and he wanted to laugh at the effect it had on the mechanic.

  Clean cut and wearing a cheap gold watch, he looked more like he should be selling cars than fixing them. Gideon turned a cold stare in his direction, showing a hint of the warrior inside of him. The gangly man, whose head ended at Gideon’s chin, took a step back.

  “She just doesn’t understand . . .” he began, but Gideon cut him off.

  “See, I already know that you’re about to lie to me, because you’re dealing with an extremely intelligent woman.”

  He switched his attention to Skylar to find her beaming up at him.

  “These guys aren’t touching your car,” he told her and her face fell.

  “The insurance company said that I had to use them, but he’s telling me they need to do some ridiculous wind pressure test that the insurance doesn’t cover . . .” He interrupted her.

  “They’re not touching your car,” he said again, and he began to steer her toward the door.

  She waited until they were clear of the building before hissing, “I can’t afford to pay for the damage out of pocket.”

  “I’ll pay for it.”

  Her mouth fell open. He was hard pressed to say whether it was in outrage or surprise over his offer.

  “You can’t pay for the damages after I hit you with my car,” she all but screeched.

  “I can and I am,” he told her simply. “What did you tell the insurance company anyhow?”

  Her face reddened as she admitted, “That I hit a deer.”

  Pulling her to a stop at the door of his Dodge Challenger, he muscled her against the car, before boxing her in with his arms. He wanted to make sure she couldn’t get away from him.

  “I’m sorry about last night.”

  “I’m not,” she shot back instantly.

  “Let me rephrase that. I’m sorry about this morning.”

  Her eyes dropped to his chin at his apology, hiding her emotions from him, but not before he caught a flash of the hurt that she was feeling.

  “I knew the risk.”

  “Do you want to take it again?” he asked, causing her eyes to snap back to his.

  Skylar’s mouth went dry at Gideon’s question. His gray eyes seemed to shimmer in the light and she almost felt as if they were alone with his immense body crowding her.

  “Yes,” she breathed.

  He moved in even closer until she could feel his erection against her stomach. She flattened her hands against the car behind her to keep from brushing her fingers over the bulge.

  Lowering his head until his lips nearly brushed her ear, he asked, “Are you wet?”

  Not trusting her voice, she nodded.

  “I could make you come right now. I promise that no one would see.”

  Moisture rushed between her legs and her pussy clenched at his offer. Skylar was tempted to let him try, but she wanted to touch him too, and she could make no such promises.

  “I’m not an exhibitionist.”

  “Then get your pretty ass in the car before I make one of you.”

  On wobbly legs, she made her way around the car to the passenger side. At the click of the lock disengaging, she climbed inside. She cast a cursory glance at the leather interior and the sporty gauges before dismissing it in favor of watching Gideon. His long legs folded inside and his wide shoulders seemed even broader inside the small space. Her mouth watered in anticipation.

  “Where’s your house?”

  “In Bayou country,” he answered as he shifted into drive. The muscles in his forearm flexed with the motion and Skylar pressed her knees together.

  “My house is closer.”

  He nodded in agreement as he pointed the car in that direction. A muscle ticked in his jaw and she realized he was barely controlling his own lust. She was tempted to reach over and run her hand over his shaft, but she wanted to get home in one piece. She couldn’t die without feeling his cock inside of her at least once more.

  The drive to her house passed in a blur. She was stripped down, and spread out before him, without any clear memory of how she ended up in her bed. Gideon’s touch left her mind fogged until she knew nothing but need. She craved him with an intensity that she feared might cause permanent damage to her mind.

  Whereas Gideon had been impatient the night before, today he moved as if he had all the time in the world. If she was granted an eternity with him, it wouldn’t be long enough to quench her thirst.

  Snagging her panties, he ordered, “Grip the headboard.”

  Lifting her hands above her head, Skylar did as he bade by clasping a hold of one of the oak rungs that lined the headboard.

  Twisting her panties around her wrist, he lightly tied her hands there. The look of hunger in his eyes killed any protest that sprang to mind. She hated feeling helpless, but the taut lines of his face made her wonder who was really in control.

  She allowed her knees to fall open wider, exposing her desire for him and, as she hoped, his eyes followed the motion. His chest was bare, but he kept his jeans on, as if the material would protect him from falling on her like a starving dog.

  “Do you know what one word always springs to mind every time that I see you?” he asked. His voice came out sounding hoarse and he circled one of her hardened nipples with his fingertip. No doubt, it was her punishment for teasing him. “Temptation,” he answered without giving her a chance to guess. “You are pure temptation to me.”

  She chuckled. “I don’t know how pure it is.”

  He leaned over and sucked her nipple into his mouth, flattening his tongue against it for a moment before releasing it and responding.

  “It’s completely pure. It’s untainted by a single thing in this world.”

  “You’re a smooth talker,” she panted out as his fingers skimmed down the front of her body and came to rest at her mound.

  “I’m honest,” he said as he slipped one finger teasingly over her clit before dancing away again.

  “I’m going to make you pay.”

  She’d never meant anything more in her life. She’d never forget this torment.

  “I don’t doubt your word,” he said as he slid further down the bed and positioned himself between her legs. Lowering his head, he added, “But not before I earn that torture.”

  Time had no meaning as the daylight hours passed into the night. All Skylar knew was the pleasure of her b
ody as Gideon pushed her to her limits and then pushed an inch further. She could easily become addicted to him. She gave back as good as she got and by the time the moon hung low in the sky, exhaustion weighed heavy on Skylar’s limbs. Her mind, on the other hand, was on high alert as her head rested on Gideon’s chest. Sweat kept their bodies plastered together and the cool air of the room chilled her bare skin. Happiness hummed through her.

  Linking their fingers, he kept his eyes locked on their joined hands.

  “I have something that I need to tell you.”

  Skylar tilted her had back, giving him a worried look at the serious note in his voice. The pleasant haze that loomed over her vanished in an instant.

  Preparing for the worst, she asked, “What is it?”

  “I let you hit me last night.”

  Her heart skipped a beat at his confession. “Why would you do that? I could have killed you.”

  A wry smile twisted his lips. “I knew I’d be fine.” He let out a tired-sounding self-deprecating chuckle as he admitted, “I’d been trying to catch your eye for a while now, but you ignored me.”

  Skylar’s confusion grew. Why would he try to catch her attention? He could have anyone. “Why didn’t you simply introduce yourself?” God only knew that she would have been all over that like a shoe sale.

  “I tried once,” he explained. “But as soon as I headed in your direction, you ducked into the bathroom.”

  She could imagine that. As much as she longed for a shot at Gideon, she had feared his rejection even more.

  She let out a humorless laugh. “I don’t remember that, but I can’t call you a liar. That sounds like something I’d do.”

  Gideon rolled to his side and pinned her beneath him. He stared down at her with an expression that was beyond anything she had dared to hope for. It was raw and, for a moment, she felt as if he cared for her. She felt… special.

  “Wanna be my girlfriend?”

  It was something she expected a twelve-year-old boy to ask, yet the question caused her chest to swell with pride to the point of bursting. She wanted so badly to be important to him. She wanted to be different from every other woman he met and here he was offering her the proof that she was.

  She could only nod in answer. Words failed her in the face of her dreams becoming a reality. At her nod, he slowly lowered his mouth to hers, as if he was savoring the moment. When their lips met, Skylar knew in her heart that something big was happening between them. She was almost scared that she wouldn’t have the courage to accept it.

  CHAPTER THREE

  As long as Skylar had lusted over Gideon, she’d never attended one of his matches, until tonight. The crowd was huge and the noise in the building swelled to a point that she could barely hear her own thoughts as she made her way ringside with Gideon. Not being one for public displays, she tried to get Gideon to allow her to take her front row seat early and meet up with him afterwards, but he’d insisted that she remain at his side the entire night. She had to admit, watching him get ready and pumped for the fight had been sexy as hell. However, now that everyone was looking at her, she felt awkward and self-conscious. As usual, Gideon didn’t let her feel that way for long.

  At the edge of the mat, he touched his forehead to hers and closed his eyes as if breathing her in for good luck. An entire row of ringside women sighed in unison and Skylar’s heart turned over in her chest. She loved him. It filled her every molecule, leaving her with a feeling of rightness that could not be denied. Every second she spent with Gideon was another second their souls were being sewn together. When his eyes reopened, they seemed to glow under the bright lights.

  “I love you,” he said before turning away and entering the ring. Even with the loud cheers, those three words had been crystal clear, leaving Skylar floored.

  No matter how many times Gideon fought, he was still nervous every time. However, tonight things were different because he had Skylar at his side. He hadn’t meant to tell her that he loved her, but he didn’t regret it. He felt lighter as he circled his opponent. A huge weight had fallen from his shoulders as the words fell from his lips. It seemed that they’d spent every moment together for the past six weeks. Those three words had been hanging between them the entire time, but neither of them had been willing to be the first one to put it out there.

  In his distraction, the guy dancing around him landed a lucky blow to Gideon’s jaw. He laughed, feeling triumphant as he rubbed the spot where his fist landed. He wouldn’t get that lucky again. Nothing could bring him down. He had Skylar.

  Less than eight hours later, Gideon was wide awake next to Skylar’s sleeping form and he could not shake the knowledge that there were a few fatal flaws in his plans. She still didn’t know about him and her life would be a short one. Would she freak out when she learned that he was an angel? How could he watch her die? His head spun and his chest hurt. There had to be a way. His friends were all finding love in the mortal realm. Except, they all had powers that neither Gideon nor Skylar possessed, Gideon reminded himself. Samuel the Dark, a commanding dark angel, had married a witch with Valkyrie blood and Tam the Pixie had married a powerful wizard. Those were just a few of the people he knew in the mortal realm and more were switching realms every day. A jolt shot through him at the thought of his friends. He knew exactly what needed to be done.

  Silently, he slid his arm from beneath Skylar and slipped from the bed. He checked once more before leaving to ensure that she was sleeping soundly. He considered leaving a note, but in the end, he left without a word. If he was quick, he could get back before the lunch hour rush.

  Looking left and right, Gideon checked Skylar’s backyard for curious eyes before taking to the sky. Transport between the realms was almost instantaneous, but time moved differently in the Heavens and he didn’t want to take any chances. The best description he could come up with for the place he’d lived a majority of his life was “muted.” It was bright and quiet.

  The first thing that caught Gideon’s eye as he reached his destination were the tiny balls of light that floated just out of reach, almost as if they weren’t real, but they contained enough energy to level a full city block. Most people knew the orbs as souls, but here they were known as life sparks.

  Standing guard at the door of the Hall of the Gods had been a tedious job and he spent many days, months, and perhaps even years contemplating each one. Some were brighter than others were, and some moved at a leisurely pace. A few stayed only long enough to be reborn while the weary ones chose to linger. It was amazing to him that no matter their vast numbers, no two souls were alike.

  Things moved slower and seemed less important in the Hall of the Gods, but oddly enough, his feelings for Skylar only appeared to intensify the further he moved away from her. The realization solidified his decision. He was doing the right thing.

  On Gideon’s last assignment as a Guardian Angel, he’d been charged with protecting a magical mirror simply called “the speculum.”

  Although the mirror itself was important, his real job was to defend what lived inside the mirror, the daughter of Tyr.

  When the mirror had been removed from the mortal realm, and placed inside the Hall of the Gods, Gideon’s final job had been complete. However, Tyr’s daughter, Tam, had remained his friend.

  In Gideon’s opinion, the world needed more protection from Tam than she needed for herself, but he’d followed orders. He’d never been more thankful for her friendship than he was in that moment.

  Thankfully, Tam didn’t ask any questions when he requested her help with Skylar, but then again, she’d never been big on morals.

  He still felt moved to attempt to explain himself as she flashed them to the alleyway beside Skylar’s restaurant. “I love this woman.”

  Tam turned a bright smile his way and her eyes lit up. “Of course ya do. We’re not the same as humans.”

  Gideon snorted at that asinine observation, but since she was doing him a huge favor, he swallowed down all the
smart-assed comments that jumped to his lips.

  “I’m being serious,” Tam said, as if she had read his thoughts. “Their lives are very short.” She illustrated her point by holding her thumb and forefinger an inch apart. “They have to cram a lot of living into that small amount of time. Therefore, they pack a hell of a wallop for people such as us.” She nodded her head as if her words explained everything as she threw open the glass door. Cool air and the smell of delicious food punched him in the face as he followed in Tam’s footsteps. All he could do now was pray that this worked and that Skylar wouldn’t hate him if it did.

  He’d left her again. It was something she couldn’t get past no matter how she looked at things. She could call, but she wouldn’t. He’d said that he loved her, yet he’d snuck away again like a thief in the night. Her chest hurt.

  “There’s a couple at Table Six demanding to speak to the owner,” Cassidy said, pulling Skylar from her thoughts.

  Cassidy had been managing Skylar’s restaurant for well over five years now, and if there was a customer she couldn’t handle, then it was a true emergency.