Jarred picked up the phone and dialed Brice’s number.
“Brice, I need a favor,” he said, then listened to his brother groan as if he were in pain.
“What now? Haven’t you bogged me down with enough favors?” Brice griped.
“This has nothing to do with work,” Jarred stated.
“What?” Brice’s tone was a little less irritated and more questioning.
“I need you to set something up for me,” Jarred said, and then went on to tell Brice his plans. He just hoped they worked. Knowing Nevea, she could be out in Timbuktu somewhere.
“Aren’t I the youngest brother?” Brice snickered. “Why do I find myself constantly helping you out with your woman?”
“Shut the hell up, Brice. You’re not constantly helping me out with Nevea. I just asked a favor. Are you going to do it or not?” Jarred snapped.
“You know I will. That’s why you asked,” Brice grumbled.
Jarred had a huge smile on his face. “Thanks, bro, and I promise to return the favor.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. If I ever have to go through all of this to be with a woman, shoot me in the foot,” he muttered.
Jarred knew that despite all Brice’s “supposed” indignation, he would do anything to help him or Langston out. As they would do for him.
“I’ll remind you of that one day.” Jarred laughed.
“Whatever. Bye.”
Jarred gave another boisterous laugh. Leave it to Brice to agree to help and then hang up on him.
He looked around his library and smiled. Little Miss Nevealise Tempest was in for a shock.
* * *
Nevealise sat at her reserved table in Heavens listening to the live band. There had already been someone who delivered the spoken word. The poem had been exquisite. She was now enjoying Rainbow, an up-and-coming band. The sound was good. Unique. A little bit of funk and blues.
This was the first time in two weeks that Nevealise had been able to relax. She’d been working nonstop. For some reason her work hadn’t been as satisfying as it once was. The long hours were beginning to take their toll. Not only that, she hadn’t seen Jarred at all in that time. Nevealise missed him something terrible. He’d called to say he wouldn’t be able to see her until Sunday. She’d been disappointed, of course, but had understood, since she’d had to do the same thing to him.
Rainbow finished with a standing ovation. Nevealise was clapping hard for them, even though she hadn’t heard the last of the song. She’d been too engrossed in her thoughts.
“Okay, ladies and gentlemen,” called out the MC. “You all know that Heavens loves to showcase old as well as new talent. Tonight it’s new talent. Let’s hear it for—”
“Hey, Nev,” Nevealise heard Brice say as he took a seat next to her. She looked around and saw Langston sitting next to him. Nevealise tried to discreetly look over their shoulders for Jarred. But he wasn’t with them. She masked her disappointment with a smile, standing up she walked over to place a kiss on both Manning brothers’ cheeks.
“You’re not performing tonight?” Langston asked.
“Not that I know of. I’m just enjoying the show,” she said, taking her seat.
“What the hell! What’s Jarred doing?” Brice questioned, squinting his eyes.
Did he say Jarred? He couldn’t have. Jarred was busy. Nevealise whipped her head around, but didn’t spot him.
“I don’t see Jarred. Where is he?” she asked anxiously. She hadn’t realized until just now how much she missed him. She couldn’t wait to see him.
“He’s in front of us, onstage,” Langston said, clearly perplexed.
Nevealise looked toward the stage, and sure enough, Jarred stood up there as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
“What’s he doing?” she asked quietly, her nerves becoming frayed now.
The lights dimmed and the next thing she knew Jarred was belting out a song, and not just any song. Robin Thicke’s “Sex Therapy.”
The song was so sexy, and everyone in the lounge knew he was singing it to her. He wasn’t making it a secret. She was so embarrassed that she covered her face with her hands.
People were shouting and calling out all over the place.
“Honey, you are one lucky lady!” she heard a woman declare.
“Well, damn!” Brice exclaimed. “Go ahead, brother. Do the damn thing!”
“Brice, sit down,” Langston said, laughing his head off. “He’s singing that song, though. Haven’t heard him sing in a long time. You knew about this, Brice?”
“Not at all. Well, I knew something, but not this,” Brice said, applauding along with the crowd.
“I didn’t know he could sing. He’s never said anything,” Nevealise stated shyly, remembering what she’d done for him weeks ago. To her utter chagrin, Jarred had the nerve to come get her from her seat and take her up onstage. He sang to her while at the same time swaying her in a slow dance. Both the song and the dance were decadent and sexy, and it was all for her. Her heart surged.
Jarred finished the song and kissed her right there in the middle of the stage. She was so into the kiss that she didn’t hear all the catcalls. Her mind was on one person. The gorgeous man kissing her senseless.
“Missed you, baby,” he whispered against her lips.
“I missed you, too,” she whispered back.
“And that’s how a Manning does it,” Brice yelled in the background.
“Let’s get out of here,” Jarred muttered.
“Yes, let’s,” she agreed.
He released her, but held on to her hand, thanked the audience and led her back to her dressing room. Once inside, he closed and locked the door.
“Jarred, what the—?” she asked, when she found herself backed up against the door.
Whatever she was about to say stuck in her throat as his lips captured hers. Of their own accord, her arms came up around his neck. Her body relaxed into his as their kiss intensified. She gave as much as she got, and was enjoying every minute of it.
Jarred’s hand reached up under her dress and in one fierce, possessive motion he ripped her underwear off. “Wrap your legs around me, Nevea,” he demanded huskily.
Nevea pushed back against the door and did what he asked. Jarred freed himself from the confines of his trousers and boxers and pushed up into her.
“Oh, my,” she cried softly.
“I need you, Nevea,” he groaned.
“Yes,” she murmured. “Yes.”
“Shush,” he said against her lips, continually surging into her. “Someone is standing just outside the door. You want them to hear us?”
That got her attention. “Oh, goodness, do you think they can hear us?” she asked on a ragged breath.
“No one’s paying attention. Just try not to scream,” he murmured.
He pushed up into her; she pushed down on him. They were both out of control. The only thing that could be heard in the dressing room was their loud breathing.
“Jarred, I’m about to come.”
“Bite down on my shoulder,” he demanded.
Her orgasm hit her hard. Just as it did, she did as he commanded, biting down so hard that Jarred would probably have a mark on his shoulder. He surged up into her one last time before releasing into her.
“Oh my! I guess that is what is referred to as a quickie,” she said.
She felt him shaking against her. He was laughing at her.
“That, my beautiful Nevea, was definitely a quickie,” he choked out. “Man, you’re beautiful.”
“Thank you. Now how are we going to get out of here without everyone knowing what we’ve been doing?”
“I hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but they knew what we’d be doing the minute I sang that song,” he sa
id, releasing her legs. After he adjusted her clothes he straightened himself up. “The same thing we did when you sang to me last time. Let’s get out of here and go find a bed.”
“You want more?” she asked, wide-eyed.
“Baby, that was just an appetizer. I’m going for the main course, dessert and a midnight snack. I hope you took your vitamins. You’re going to need the strength,” he said, and then snatched her little scrap of underwear up from the floor and pocketed it. “I doubt if you can wear them again, but I’m not leaving them here.”
“You tore them off of me. You know I can’t wear them again.”
“Come on. We’ll take my car. Is there a back way out of here?” he asked.
“Yes. Come,” she said, unlocking the door and heading toward the rear entrance. Suddenly, she stopped. “Did you let Brice and Langston know that you were leaving?”
“Trust me. They know.” He smirked.
“Oh, is this some sort of man thing?”
“It’s a ‘they know the deal’ thing,” Jarred said, opening her door on his SUV. He helped her in, then hopped into the driver’s side.
“Where are we going?”
“My place,” he said. “Do you have a problem with that?”
“Of course not. Why would I?”
“Just making sure. You do know you’re staying the weekend with me, right?”
“I didn’t bring a change of clothes.”
“You won’t be needing any. I plan to keep you in bed the entire weekend.”
She smiled. “Well, this should be interesting.”
“Interesting and the best sex and lovemaking you could ever imagine.”
“We’ll see,” she sassed.
“Do I hear a challenge?” he asked.
“Hear whatever you want. After all of the singing and gyrating... I’m just saying.”
“Oh, it is definitely on,” Jarred growled.
Nevealise laid her head back against the seat and closed her eyes.
“Tired?” Jarred asked.
“Just a little. You?”
“It’s been a long week. I’m glad you’re back.”
“I’m happy to be back. Living out of my suitcase is starting to have its drawbacks.” She yawned.
“I could only imagine. Have you been eating properly?”
“Oh yes. And I’ve slowed down on the energy drinks,” she said proudly.
“That’s great! Now we just have to teach you how to prepare a proper meal for yourself.”
“I guess. I’ve managed pretty good on my own so far,” she said quietly.
“I’m not trying to control you, Nevea. If you’re going to keep working like you do, you will need to eat balanced meals or the long days will surely catch up to you. I’m not saying learn how to cook a six-course meal. Just enough to sustain you.”
“Thank you for that. You know, I can fix a salad. I just can’t cook anything on the stove.”
“Salad is good. You don’t have to use the stove. A lot of stuff these days is made for the microwave. You’ll just have to remember to buy it.” He shot her a glance. “I worry about you.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet,” she said happily, and leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
“Hey, none of that. You’re going to make us crash. We’ll have plenty of time for all of that once I get you home.”
“Umm-hmm,” she teased. “Tick tock. Tick tock.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Time’s a-ticking, buddy.”
“You are full of sass tonight, aren’t you?”
“Yep. I can’t wait to show you my new moves.”
Jarred jerked his head around so fast that he almost lost control of the car.
Nevealise grabbed hold of the dashboard. “Jarred!” she cried. “Are you trying to kill us?”
“Sorry. You can’t be saying things like that to me while I’m driving. What moves? And just where did you learn these ‘new’ moves?” he growled.
“What’s wrong with you?” She scowled. “Where do you think I learned them?”
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” he barked. “You haven’t been conducting any more experiments, have you?”
Hearing his accusation and seeing the dark look on his face, Nevealise regretted she’d ever told him about her sexual experiment in college. She never dreamed it’d make him think the worst of her. How dare he! “If you think so little of me, take me back to Heavens right now! Turn this car around,” she shouted.
She couldn’t believe Jarred was just like her father—overbearing and full of assumptions. Nevealise had already had one self-righteous, full-of-himself person attached to her life. Her father was more than enough. She didn’t need another.
“You’re the one who said you learned some new moves. What am I supposed to think?”
She was livid. So much so that her eyes started to water. However, she refused to let him see her shed one bleeping tear. “Take me back to Heavens right now. I mean it, Jarred,” she demanded, her tone deadly.
To her relief he didn’t say a word; he just turned the car around in that direction.
It took them less than fifteen minutes to return to the club. Before the SUV had come to a full stop, Nevealise was out of it and walking quickly toward her car. As soon as she exited, she let the tears flow, streaming down her face. People were calling to her, but she never turned around. She just got into her car and pulled out of the parking lot.
She drove and didn’t stop until she reached her destination, almost two hours later. Nevealise pulled up to the house, got out and hurried up the walkway to ring the bell. The outside light came on and the door opened. Her brother Cedric was standing there. A look of confusion knitted his brow.
“Nev, what’s wrong?” he asked as he hurriedly pulled her inside and closed the door behind them. “Are you hurt? Talk to me. What’s going on?”
“I hate men!” she bawled. She threw her arms around his neck and let the floodgates open.
“Come now. Let’s get you settled. You can tell me all about it, and then I can go beat the bastard who hurt you to a bloody pulp. How about that?”
“You always make me feel good.”
“That’s what big brothers are for. Making little sisters feel better. Come, let’s get a drink while you explain what happened.”
“I don’t want to talk about it tonight. Can I just crash in your spare bedroom?”
“Sure. I’m guessing you didn’t bring an overnight bag. I’ll find you something to sleep in. I believe you still have some things here from when you were visiting last time.”
She leaned into him as he led her to the guest room, never more grateful for her big brother. He was just what she needed tonight.
* * *
“Jarred, what’s wrong with Nev? What happened?” Brice demanded as he exited the lounge and saw Nev’s car speed out of the lot.
His brother scowled as he sat in his SUV. “Let it go, Brice. Now is definitely not the time,” he barked, and screeched out of the parking lot.
Langston winced at the sound. He turned to look at Brice. “How did they go from practically making love onstage to her running out of his car in tears, and Jarred tearing out of here like a man possessed?” he murmured.
“I don’t know.” Brice shrugged. “He’s probably heading home. I’m going after him to see what happened. I need answers. I’ll give him the third degree if I have to.”
Langston glared at him. “Brice, you sound like the police. Jarred is already in a mood. He doesn’t need your temper on top of his. The problem is y’all are too hot-tempered. Always ready to fly off the handle for any little thing. Let’s wait to see what’s happened before jumping to conclusions.”
“I d
idn’t jump to conclusions. I simply want to know what’s going on. However, you’re right. We both need to calm down. Langston, you know Jarred has serious trust issues. I’m pretty sure he said or did something stupid.”
“Who doesn’t? From what you and Jarred have said, Nev has the same trust issues. They are both going to have to learn how to deal with them.”
“Are you still taking those oneness classes?”
“What? I never took a oneness class.” Langston scowled.
“You know, like that place you took Jarred to.”
“You and Jarred both can go straight to hell,” Langston fumed. “It was getting in touch with one’s inner self—back in college. We’re all grown-ups now.”
“Temper, temper.” Brice snickered knowingly, waving his finger back and forth.
“You know, you can be a pain.” But never one to stay mad, and certainly not at his brother, Langston laughed, taking the teasing in stride.
“I’m just saying you’re not exempt from the temper pool.” Brice pulled out his phone. “I’m going to call Nev’s cell to see if she’s okay,” he said, concerned.
Langston waited while Brice dialed Nev’s phone and put his on speaker. After the fourth ring her voice mail came on.
“Nev, it’s Brice. Give me a call as soon as you get this message.”
Langston could tell Brice was upset. He was no longer smiling. In fact, his facial features were tight, his lips clamped together and his body stiff with tension.
“She just left, Brice. She probably can’t reach her cell. Honestly, she looked more pissed off than anything else,” Langston said quietly. “I’m sure she’s okay.”
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow. I’m going home,” Brice said, and walked off in the direction of his car.
Chapter 14
Jarred made it home in record time. He was surprised he hadn’t gotten a ticket. He walked through his front door and went directly to the liquor cabinet, where he reached for the Hennessy, opened it and took a big swig directly from the bottle.
“Ugh!” he cried, almost choking on the liquid, which burned his throat as it went down. He brought the bottle back up to his lips and drank again. He repeated his actions until the bottle was empty.
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