Dark Desire (Touched By You 1)

Natalie Baker gazed down from the balcony of The Great Music Hall in the heart of San Francisco. She'd looked forward to this night, for months. Now, here she was in the dark, her eyes locked onto the stage which was cast in lavender lights. Justin Warfield moaned out the chorus "Save your soul before it's too late," already several minutes into the song. Natalie knew it by heart. She'd played her copy of the disc so many
times, it should have turned to dust.

Her upcoming graduation from high school was bittersweet. She knew she'd miss her friends, although they
’d promised to stay in touch, but one never knew. Tonight, she was with a group that had escaped prom night for something more entertaining. Natalie had turned down any prom date offers anyway. She was so enthralled with Justin's somber voice that she didn't notice the eyes gazing at her, not far away.

Tanner Clarke had her in h
is direct line of vision. He came to hear the group called - She Wants Revenge - one of his current favorites. And he could hear them just fine. He didn't need to look at them. A gorgeous young woman had caught his eye and he couldn't seem to look away. He'd come alone tonight. He didn't know anyone else, personally, that liked this group like he did. He had to admit his taste in music was eclectic.

She looked like any other of the hundreds of women her age at the concert. She wore a short denim skirt and jacket. He couldn't see very well in the dark. Her long brown hair hung mid-back. The soft curls begged to be touched. His seat was in the balcony and his view of her lovely, angelic face was unobstructed. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something special about her.

What a beauty she was, yet he noted her demeanor was unassuming. So unlike the women he was used to. He let his eyes wander, just a bit, to see if she was with a date, but no male seemed to be with her. The song ended. The little screech she let out pulled his attention back to her. She jumped up and down, clapping. Such childlike joy was foreign in his world.

The lights came up and intermission started. Tanner slipped out to the tunnel and turned left, just in time to
see her exit with a girlfriend. Figuring she'd be headed for a drink and the ladies room, he walked in that direction, trying to keep her in sight. Hurrying a little too much, he nearly bumped into her. She stood in a line at a refreshment station, chatting with another girl of similar age.

Spellbound, Tanner stopped. The soft laugh she shared with her friend touched his ears and he felt it in his heart. Oh, her joy was infectious. Clearly, she was having
a good time at the concert. He had no idea how to approach her. Normally, he women flocked to him whether he wanted them or not. Now, the prospect of meeting someone outside his circle of influence was a bit awkward. He wasn't really the social type.

Natalie felt someone looking
at her and glanced to her left to see who it was. She found herself eye-to-eye with the most devastating gorgeous man she'd ever seen. He had to be at least six feet tall, possibly a bit taller. He wore washed jeans that accentuated his lean thighs, a suede jacket that spoke high quality and a plain white t-shirt.

But that wasn't it. There was something in his face. She couldn't think the thought she grasped for. His skin was pale
, and she got the impression he wasn't out in the sun much. His baby blue eyes were so bright, they appeared luminous. And his dark brown hair shimmered with auburn highlights, here under the blaring brightness of the lobby. He was just beautiful. She'd never known a man could be beautiful, but he definitely was.

"What do you want, Natalie?" Her friend's voice broke the trance. "Uh, nothing," she replied. "I'll be in the restroom. For a reason she couldn't explain, Natalie made a sudden move to get away from the c
aptivating stranger. An unexpected feeling of desire consumed her, making her feel nervous and flustered. She couldn't imagine how she'd explain why she'd been boldly staring at him.

She had to make her escape before embarrassing herself further. She'd seen the restroom sign earlier, near the entry
to her seat. She whipped around to make a dash back to the facilities and walked directly into him, not exactly graceful. Yet, he didn't seem to mind. He grabbed her arms the moment she plowed into him, and held her at arm’s length, looking at her strangely. He must have stepped closer to her, when she'd turned to talk to her friend, and now blocked her path.

She wondered for a second if he was really of this world. There was no doubt that the boys she knew
didn't look like this. He was – well - older. No, that wasn't it. The expression on his face was hard to peg, as were his intentions.

He looked at her, a bit harshly. "Are you in a rush to get somewhere?" He said in a deep, melodic male voice. She could listen to him talk, forever. But he didn't say anything else.

"Ah, I'm um, going to the ladies room," she stammered.

A slight smile played on his lips but his eyes were cold. Cold, that was how they looked. That's odd. There's no reason for him to approach her, and then be so rigid.

"I'll wait for you," was all he said and released her. Natalie could think of no appropriate response. She turned and went straight to the ladies’ room with the stranger not far behind, walked to the first stall and shut the door. Only then, did she notice she was shaky.

Something was happening, but she couldn't make sense of it. A gorgeous stranger just followed her to the bathroom. First of all, he was too good looking to be following her. She ran her hands down her well-worn jacket and then hugged her arms around her, in an attempt to get centered. She closed her eyes, but all she saw was the image of his face
.

Natalie walked calmly out of the restroom, fully expecting the beautiful stranger to be gone. He was
more suited to being a daydream than a real person. She never met people like that. His appearance and manner gave away that he wasn't from the rural area where she lived. Confidence like that was only found in the big city.

She intended to keep walking, if she could keep from tripping over her own
feet, and find her girlfriend. She wanted to surround herself with normality and get back to the concert to get lost in the music. But, such was not to be.

"
Are you avoiding me?" his voice again. Her heart pounded but it wasn't fear. It felt more like excitement. Yet, she had no clue how she could be excited to see someone she didn't even know. Well, on second thought, she'd have to be blind not to see that this man was a magnet for women. For the first time, a subconscious thought pressed into view. Yes, she was in trouble.

Natalie turned around and saw him standing behind her. However unlikely, he was even more handsome than she recalled. "I would never avoid someone like you." That wasn't at all what she intended to say. The words spilled out as if spoken by someone else.

The grin he gave her was blinding. Those perfect white teeth. And this time his eyes squinted when he smiled. She realized she was grinning back. Yet, a tiny voice inside nagged her that he couldn't actually be interested in her. She was just an ordinary girl from Oakland, from an unremarkable neighborhood.

"I see you didn't get a chance to get a drink. The concert is going to resume shortly. I took the liberty of snagging a coke for you, not being sure of your preference." He held out a plastic cup, in offering.

Natalie felt warmth flow through her. She didn't recognize the feeling, exactly.  She wasn't very experienced with men. It seemed her life was involved with more mundane activities. Yet, she couldn't keep looking at him this way. Her knees were weak. "I need to sit down," she blurted out and turned to scan for seating.

The lobby was still packed with music fans trying to get back to their seats in time. Tanner glanced at the sea of bodies, and without a second thought, he put his arm around her and guided her along the wall to an unmarked door. Amazingly, it was unlocked. It appeared to be some kind of small lounge, possibly for employees.

Now, Natalie felt really awkward, and faint. So, she plopped onto the fake leather sofa nearest the door. If she needed to make her escape, the door would be close by. "How did you know this would be open?"

Tanner looked frozen in place, a bit statue-like. It was a result of his awe over this amazing woman, he was alone with. Plus, his strong features, pale skin and stoic pose, lent the impression of a perfectly carved marble statue. He'd come to this concert, purposefully. So much of his life was dictated. Music was for pleasure. When he went to conce
rts, he liked to go alone, wanting to listen to the music without social demands. Tonight, the music was taking a back seat.

He let his eyes wan
der over Natalie, taking in her soft brown eyes, long brown hair and creamy, translucent skin. His cock was hard, and had been since he'd first seen her. In the muted light of the tiny room, she looked even lovelier than she had in the balcony. He wasn't sure if she was shy or just embarrassed. Either way, she seemed nervous. He was so used to arrogant women that Natalie's humble nature touched him.

In the few
seconds he stood gazing at her beauty, he battled with himself. His urges, he knew from experience, could be overpowering. The last thing he wanted was to scare away this delicate butterfly he had temporarily captured.

The silence between them was weighted. Neither knew what to do. That was unusual for Tanner. He was bold in most situatio
ns. And, really - it was bold to bring her here.

H
e hadn't responded to Natalie's question. He knew an answer wasn't really needed. He could have told her, he knew the owner, which he did. But, it didn't matter. He took two steps toward her and she stood from the seat. It seemed too natural, like some cosmic occurrence had thrown them together. Neither wanted it any other way.

Natalie w
as a bit out of her element. However, she was aware from his composure that Tanner could take the lead. And she was more than willing to have him do just that.

Tanner looked at the
beauty before him, standing so still. He had her alone in a private room and the thrill of that ignited his passion.

Natalie blushed, not used to being with a man in an intimate setting. Tanner's blue eyes burned into her with lust. She'd never experienced the heavy emotion that gripped her. An erotic feeling took her senses and rolled through her limb to limb. Her panties were wet and her sex tightened, embarrassingly.

In the next second, she was in his arms. Reaching out, he took her wrist and pulled her to him. She had no time to resist. Pulling her against his chest, he kissed her hard. It was a passionate kiss that sent unfamiliar emotions through her. The feel of him against her caused her to lose all sense of propriety.

Natalie's sudden desire for him surprised her. Clearly, he wanted her. One arm was around her waist, the other in her hair, tugging and clenching. His tongue found her soft, wet mouth and probed. Natalie moaned in response and slid her hot tongue along his, matching his motions.

She felt his hard cock swell against her abdomen. Excitement and nervousness coursed through her as one powerful feeling. Instinctively, she pressed into him. In response, he grabbed a handful of her long glossy hair, pulling her head back and looking at her with a wild, predatory look.

Natalie gave a whimper when Tanner licked her neck, up and down. He began to suck on her smooth skin. She felt her clit tighten when he bit her lightly, just below the jaw. She leaned her head to the side, giving him access to her sensitive neck. Taking the offer, he bit several more times along her neck, and heard her moan with pleasure.

She had her hands in his hair now, encouraging him and responding to his advances, even though all this was new to her. He licked and blew softly in her ear, melting her insides. She was panting now. He bit her earlobe and tugged it with his teeth. Natalie was at his mercy, willing him to do as he wished with her. Enraptured, she wasn't able to break free nor did she want to.

"Baby," he whispered in a guttural voice. She gasped when he
lifted her quickly in his arms and moved to the wall, pressing her back against it. He held her in his arms with her hips above his waist, and without thinking, she wrapped her legs around him. He reached under her short skirt to grab her panties. In one violent motion, he yanked them away from her body, dropping the shreds to the floor.