Page 21 of Reversal of Fate

12 – Close Encounter

Carter hadn’t expected this turn of events, not after what had happened at the fraternity party. Julie should be circumspect of any man right now, particularly of a stranger. Yet she was still so trusting.

He hadn’t lied to her: he wanted to help his family, carry on the family’s genes, not just for them but for the greater good. But the sacrifice he’d expected to make for humanity’s future wasn’t a sacrifice at all. He liked Julie. She was bright, sweet, and unpretentious. And apparently totally unaware of the effect she had on him.

It was a surprise to him too. After all, Julie was a virgin and inexperienced, yet her inviting kiss sent heat charging through his veins, making him want to press her against the door and make love to her right there.

Fuck, he cursed himself, slow down. That’s not how you treat a virgin. Not if you want her to invite you back.

Julie’s lips tasted sweet, and the way she pressed her body to his, was more of a temptation than any experienced woman’s wiles. Experience meant nothing. True desire even in the absence of experience was more of a turn-on than any practiced lap dance, striptease, or seduction.

Julie moaned softly into his mouth, and he intensified the kiss, feeling how the virgin in his arms was awakening and blooming into a woman with desires and needs. He was glad that he was the one who would fulfill those needs for her—if only he managed to suppress his own need until he could show her that her pleasure mattered. That she mattered, more than she knew.

Carter ripped his mouth from Julie’s, but kept his arms around her, not wanting her to think he’d had enough. He couldn’t help but notice that he was breathless. From just a kiss? He gazed at her lips. They looked almost swollen. Instinctively, he stroked his thumb over them.

“Was I too rough?”

Her cheeks flushed in a pretty red. She shook her head, then moved her face closer to his, offering her mouth once more. But he didn’t respond to her invitation this time.

“Julie, I think we should get off the porch, or people will start talking about some stranger mauling you.”

She chuckled. “We can’t have that happening.”

“The mauling?”

With a giggle, she said, “The talking.”

She dug into her handbag and found her house key. But when she tried to put it into the lock, the door creaked open.

Carter realized immediately that he’d neglected to make sure the door had snapped in behind him in his haste to get to Julie.

Julie cast a fearful look back at him. “Break-in?”

“Let me check.” He opened the door fully and stepped into the foyer, Julie right behind him. “Stay here. I’ll check all rooms.”

Julie nodded.

Carter did a sweep of the first floor rooms, the living area, dining room, kitchen and storage area, and the powder room. As expected, there was nobody. However, since anybody could have entered after he’d raced out of the house, he took his job seriously. Motioning to the staircase, he indicated to Julie that he would look upstairs too. A sweep of the second and third floor bedrooms and bathrooms revealed no intruder either.

He went back downstairs.

Julie still stood in the foyer, a can of mace in her hand.

“You won’t need that,” Carter said, glad to see that she was prepared to defend herself. “The house is empty. Maybe one of your roommates forgot to lock the door on her way out.”

“You’re probably right.” Julie closed the entrance door, and it clicked shut. “See, it was a good idea of me to invite you in.”

He put one arm around her waist and pulled her to him. “So you’re planning to use me, hmm? Is that all I am to you, a bodyguard?” He swept a purposefully lusting look over her cleavage. “It’s not the worst body I’ve ever guarded.”

She slapped him playfully and giggled. “Not the worst? You sure know how to get to a girl’s heart.”

Carter laughed out loud, and a wide smile appeared on Julie’s face, a smile that encompassed her eyes. He’d never laughed like this with any of the girls he’d dated. But with Julie it was different. It felt as if he knew her, as if they’d been friends for a long time. Yet, it didn’t take away from the excitement of knowing that they both wanted more than just that one kiss.

“I have other ways up my sleeve, if you want me to show you,” he said and let his hand slide down to her backside. Before she could answer, he added, “But only if you want to. If not, we can talk all night. It’s your choice. It’ll always be your choice.” Because it had to be. If he had any chance at winning her trust and her affection in less than a week, he had to trust in her first, trust that she would make the right choice.

She tilted her head to the side, contemplating something. “You’re different from the other guys.”

“Which other guys? Are you telling me I’m not the first guy you’ve invited to your room?”