Red Hot
Ch. Two: Temptations

{ VALERIE }

I looked up at him and alluringly he stared right into my eyes.

I felt exposed...but, it wasn't off putting.

Most guys will look at my face momentarily before letting their eyes wander to various other parts of my body, chest, legs, some even being so bold as to crane their necks to check out my ass.

But not him.

His clear blue eyes never once wavered as he not only looked at me, but I felt like he was actually seeing me in a way no one else has ever taken the time to.

It was intense.

"S-So...fancy digs." I said awkwardly as I did this sort of awkward gesture toward the huge house that sat nestled atop the hill.

This wasn't me.

I'm not the girl who makes awkward statements and lets a guy get to her... I'm Valerie Carson, the chick who runs men and has them begging for a text back.

But why all of a sudden did I feel so out of my element, like my whole game was thrown off?

"Oh, yeah..." he sounded as he looked over at the mansion-esqe building, "kind of a family home."

"Your, pack house?" I asked for clarification.

He offered me a weak smile and nodded, "sorry, I forgot...your sister told me you know about us...but didn't really get into the specifics of what you do and don't know exactly."

I nodded. "Sounds like Harper...she's always very vague...Well from the brief synopsis that she, your brother, and Brax told me...Weres exist and usually live in packs, the packs are run by the Alphas, Luna's, and Betas...uh I think they mentioned something about being 17 or 18, can't really remember the significance there to be honest...oh each pack has a designated safe house so to speak called the Pack house open to all pack members, and their mates...oh and My sister told me all about Mates."

I couldn't help but smile as I recalled the magical soul mates Harper had told me all about.

I looked at Trace and he smiled at me in return. "That's quite a lot of information condensed into one lesson...of course there's so much more you still need to learn."

I shrugged, "H, said she'd help me learn more but ultimately it's up to a Were to teach their Mate about all of the intricacies... Uh if their mate is human of course."

"Of course..." He echoed with a small smile. "Let's go for a walk." He suggested as we were still awkwardly standing next to the valet station at the bottom of the hill that the mansion sat atop.

Luckily no other cars had arrived during our conversation or we'd of held up the valet area.

We began to walk and as we reached a set of stairs going up he offered me his hand once again, I gathered the bottom of my dress with one hand and placed my other hand in his as he led us up the stairs.

"So you really live here?" I asked.

"Only momentarily...my actual house is being renovated."

I smirked and shook my head.

"What?" He asked.

"You...and Braxton, you guys are so young and you've got houses and cars and you're probably loaded like he is...-"

"Does that bother you?" He wondered out loud.

"Well..." I sighed.

In truth it honestly didn't bother me, more so made me curious, "It's just not real ya know...well I mean I guess it's real to you and him, but for the rest of us...we don't have all of that, like H and I...we still live at home with our parents in a house that my dad worked his ass off to get for us and only like five years ago finished paying off the mortgage." I said getting real with him.

I'm not sure what made me so comfortable telling him this but I did.

"...My car is more than a handful of years old, the A/C isn't the best and the speakers in the back are busted but it's mine, and it gets me from point A to point B just fine." I said before I shook my head. "Oh wait, I take that back, my sister actually officially moved out of our parents house and in with Brax."

He nodded along patiently, "Well much like the Ocklan's, Yes my family does have money but to be fair most of our assets are in properties...plus, you'll find that my brother and I aren't exactly the snooty kind like most in our inner circle." He smirked.

I definitely could see that about him (and Ryder for that matter), he seem much more relaxed and laid back than some rich kids I'd met in my life...I had to admit Brax was pretty chill too now that I think about it.

"I have one house that I purchased when I was 18...I used part of the money my Mother left me in her will, and it was nothing fancy, just a two bedroom house...super old, way too many repairs to even recall, and completely unlivable...my dad always said I should demolish it and just sell off the property to make my money back...but as you said Ms. Carson, it's mine..."

I blushed and we walked on while I listened as he continued.

"I've been working since I was 14, construction...mostly because they're the only ones willing to take on a 14 year old... so it was mostly just me pushing a broom around, just a dusty little kid." He smirked.

"It's hard to imagine you covered in dust when I've only seen you in suits." I admitted.

He smirked, "suits are pretty much my Alpha uniform now...but I prefer jeans and a t-shirt, much easier to get dirty in."

Of course his last words lingered and became a huge turn on.

He motioned to a bench and I took a seat before he unbuttoned his suit jacket and took the seat next to me.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked him.

He nodded.

"You've gotta be honest though, I can't stand liars." I confessed.

He smirked and made a little 'X' over his heart, "I promise."

I looked at him square in his gorgeous blue eyes and with any remaining courage I had in me I just went for it.

"Am I Your Mate?"

I could be totally wrong, reading into everything too much...getting the wrong vibe entirely. But from everything my sister had told me about Mates, Trace just fit the bill to the 'T'.

He looked at me before he looked away, his focus now seemed to be on the beautifully maintained garden a few feet away from us.

My heart was slowly beginning to ache...I guess I was wrong.

I had read too much into this.

"You know I was talking to my brother tonight, I told him I wouldn't flat out tell you...but I never said I wouldn't confess if you asked."

He angled his body so that I was all he could see now. "Yes, You are my Mate Valerie."

I wanted to beam with happiness, I half expected him to confess his full undying love for me the way Harper said Mates do...and damn did I want him to kiss me.

But none of that happened.

"...does that scare you at all?" He asked worried.

I shook my head, "no."

"I'm glad." He smiled before he reached out and simply caressed my face, "I've waited for you for so long, last thing I would ever want to do is screw shit up by moving too fast."

"But sometimes fast is good." I said suddenly feeling like even though I'd just found my Mate guy, he didn't really want me as much as I seemed to want him.

Maybe I should just ask how he felt about dons his mate in me.

Maybe he'd expected someone more refined, or a she wolf...maybe human mates are too burdensome.

No.

Something in me felt like he wasn't disappointed in me as his mate...no. I think he genuinely doesn't want to rush me into things.

But I'm good.

And I'm ready.

I knew what I had to...I needed to pull out all the stops to make sure my Mate didn't want anyone else but me.

"We'll get there...no rush though, okay?" He asked before he sighed, "We should get in there."

Luckily I hadn't told him all of the little details Harper had told me about Weres...and one of the things Harper has told me is that Male Weres go wild for their Mates natural scents...and as my hair was up I had an idea.

I watched him put on his mask, since it was a masquerade party and then he looked at me.

"My apologies...Would you mind?" I asked standing up from the bench and handing him my mask.

"Of course." He said as he delicately took the mask from me.

I turned around and somehow felt as he stepped in closer to me now.

With my hair still up, I could feel how truly close he was to me as his breath tickled the back of my neck.

"It's a shame really." He said now. I turned my head a little and he continued. "When I planned this party as a masquerade, I didn't take into account that You'd have to cover your beautiful face most of the night." He commented sweetly.

I smiled, 'He's charming' I thought to myself as I faced forward once again, "Well then, you're lucky sir...I've never been much of a rule follower." I said as I fully intended to remove my mask before the night was over...maybe even more. He held the mask out in front of me and I stopped him."Oops, just a second."

He withdrew his hands and allowed me to reach back now and remove the antique barrette that was holding my hair into place.

My hair fell past my shoulders and blew around a little with the light breeze of the evening... that mixed with his closeness to me now, I knew he'd get my full scent.

"There we go." I said, Before he carefully placed the mask in front of me once again, I held it against my face and he gently took the silk ribbons on either side before he carefully tied it into place.

I looked back at him over my shoulder once again and smirked, "Thanks Wolfie." I said.

You see as much as I really want Trace, I knew that in order to get to my tightly wound Mate, I'd have to get through to his wolf first...He'd be essential in getting Trace to move a little quicker.

My sister told me that their wolves are their more primal animalistic sides...so by luring his wolf forward with my scent and thanking his wolf personally...I knew I'd stoked his attention and he'd lead Trace to me from here on out.

I didn't bother waiting for Trace to say anything...I simply walked away from him, and with every step away from him I took...I felt his eyes on me constantly and therefore added a little more sway to my hips knowing his eyes were glued to me now, more so his wolf would be watching and clawing to chase after me.

You may want to take your time and get to know me Trace Johnson...but I've never been a patient person by any means, especially when it's for something I want.

And I've never truly wanted anything like I want him...

So if I have to play a little cat and mouse...well then Trace Johnson, I hope you and your wolf are both ready, because the game has just started...and if we play the game right, we just may both end up winning in the end.