Chapter 69: Take Me Home, Jalen

Chrysti and Jalen texted and agreed to meet up at a nightclub in east Atlanta called El Bar around 10:30 pm.

Jalen leaned against his truck, arms crossed over his broad chest, watching as Chrysti approached.

His eyes raked over her slowly, taking in the way her black crop top hugged her curves, how her high-waisted leather skirt accentuated her toned legs, and the way her white-colored pump high heels made her walk look more confident.

Her long dark hair cascaded down her back in loose waves, and her smokey eyeshadow, sharp eyeliner, and deep red lips made her look dangerous. She knew she looked good, but she Chrysti wasn’t thinking about that.

She was thinking about the fact that she was already regretting this. This was a bad idea.

Jalen’s smile grew as she got closer. “You look incredible.”

She exhaled sharply. “I shouldn’t be here.”

Jalen tilted his head, amusement flickering in his eyes. “Yet here you are.”

Chrysti crossed her arms, shifting her weight onto one hip. “If you make this weird, I’m leaving.”

Jalen pushed off the truck and stepped closer, closing the gap between them. He smelled like cologne and confidence, and it was already messing with her head.

“C’mon, Chrysti.” His voice was low, teasing. “You’re really gonna stand here and tell me you don’t want to go in there and dance with me?”

She clenched her jaw, ignoring the heat creeping up her spine. She did want to dance with him. She wanted to feel his hands on her hips, his body moving against hers, and his breath on her skin.

Yet that was exactly why this was a mistake.

Jalen took another step forward, lowering his voice even more. “Let’s just have a good time. No pressure.”

Chrysti held his gaze for a long moment before sighing. “Fine. Let’s go.”

Jalen grinned, offering his hand. “That’s my girl.”

She ignored the way those three words sent another shiver down her spine and brushed past him, heading toward the entrance of El Bar. Jalen followed her inside.

Once they were inside, Chrysti hesitated. She was not usually this reluctant in a club setting, but something about Jalen’s presence made everything feel different.

The way his eyes kept flickering down to her lips and body and the way he watched her was all throwing her off balance.

She looked around the dimly lit club, the red and blue neon lights flashing across the packed dance floor. The bass was heavy, and the crowd was moving in sync with the music, but she still felt stiff.

Jalen leaned in slightly, lowering his voice so she could hear him over the music. “You want a drink?”

Chrysti exhaled, running a hand through her long dark waves. “Yeah. Tequila. Straight.”

Jalen smiled. “That’s what I like to hear.”

He disappeared toward the bar, leaving Chrysti alone for a moment. She rolled her shoulders, trying to shake off the tension.

Why does he make me feel so damn ... flustered?

A few minutes later, Jalen returned, holding two glasses. He handed her the tequila and raised his own glass, a simple bourbon on the rocks.

“To what?” Chrysti asked, arching a brow.

Jalen studied her for a second, then clinked his glass against hers. “To you finally letting your guard down.”

Chrysti scoffed but didn’t argue. Instead, she threw back the tequila, the burn spreading down her throat as she set the glass down on a nearby ledge.

Jalen watched her closely, his own drink still in his hand. “Ready now?”

Chrysti licked her lips, already feeling the warmth from the tequila settle in. “I don’t know. Are you even a good dancer?”

Jalen chuckled and downed his bourbon. “Guess you’ll have to find out.”

He set his glass down and held out his hand. Chrysti stared at it for a second, then sighed before taking it.

“Just don’t embarrass me.”

Jalen grinned, pulling her toward the dance floor. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

They went to the middle of the club where plenty of people were dancing to DJ playing Hip Hop music.

The next song he played was Fuckin’ Problems by A$AP Rocky. Chrysti cautiously turned around and backed into Jalen, careful not to press into him too much.

Jalen couldn’t help but smile as Chrysti cautiously eased into him, with her movements slow and deliberate like she was testing the waters.

The beat of the song was thick with bass, rattling through the floor, making it impossible not to move. She kept a small space between them at first, rolling her hips in a smooth, controlled rhythm, just enough to tease.

Jalen watched her, taking in the way her body flowed with the music, how effortlessly she moved. She was holding back.

He stepped in closer, just a fraction, his large hands resting lightly on her hips, not forcing, just guiding. She didn’t resist, but she didn’t fully lean into him either.

Jalen leaned down, his lips close to her ear. “You don’t have to be scared of me, Chrysti.”

She scoffed, throwing a smile over her shoulder. “I’m not scared of you.”

Jalen chuckled, his grip tightening just a little as he lowered his voice. “Then dance with me for real.”

Chrysti exhaled, closing her eyes for a second, letting the music take over. She rolled her head to the side, biting her lip, then pressed her body fully against his. Jalen’s hands flexed against her hips.

She grinded into him slowly, testing him, seeing how much he could take before he lost that cocky smile and gave her something real. Jalen’s hands traveled lower, gripping her waist with a little more intent now.

He moved with her, matching her rhythm, his lips barely an inch from her ear as he murmured, “That’s more like it.”

Chrysti’s breath hitched, but she didn’t stop. If anything, she moved even slower and deeper, feeling him more now. Jalen exhaled sharply as his fingers pressed into her skin. He pulled her just a little closer.

Their movements became more and more in sync, and it became more obvious that Chrysti was allowing herself to relax.

The way she moved against him, so slowly and deliberately, was pure sin. She knew that every roll of her hips, every subtle press of her body against his was sending a new wave of heat flooding through him.