recall the previous night. Think, Kelli! Dread filled her, but she had to know for certain. She took a deep breath and asked one of the hardest questions of her life. “Carter?”
“I love to hear you call my name first thing in the morning.” He rolled over onto his side to face her.
Her stomach went on alert, and her heart skipped a beat. No, this can’t be happening . “What happened between us last night? I mean, did we…?”
Carter placed a hand over his heart. “You don’t remember?” His voice sounded…wounded.
Kelli glimpsed at him, and then laughed at the wounded expression in spite of herself. It was too comical not to be serious…wasn’t it? The laughter eased her tension. However, the question remained—did she or didn’t she sleep with him? And it bothered her that she didn’t remember. The possibility of their sleeping together conjured all kinds of salacious images—a hot, heavy breathing, naked limbs, and skin-to-skin contact. The wait was almost unbearable.
After a long, quiet pause, Carter cupped his palm over her cheek. “No, we didn’t do anything last night but sleep. I stayed on my side of the bed and you on yours…sorta.”
Relief flooded through her body. To have a relationship based on something real was important to her. A one-night stand would jeopardize the plans she had for her and Carter. “What do you mean, sorta? And by the way, how did you wind up in bed with me?”
Carter sat up, leaned against the headboard, and affixed his gaze on the ceiling fan. “You grabbed hold of my arm, pulled it close to your chest, and then rolled over, dragging me into bed with you…literally.” He told her, mocking her gestures perfectly.
“No I did not!” she defended, her cheeks heating in an instant.
“Yes, you did. You grabbed my arm so hard I feared I’d lose it if I moved.”
Kelli concentrated on the last thing she remembered. “Last night you carried me to the bed.”
“Yes.”
“You played with my hair, and then told me to sleep. Not to worry that you’d sleep on the sofa.”
“Yes. Somewhere between that comment and sleep, you decided to use my arm as a teddy bear.”
Kelli smiled. “At least my virtue is intact,” she stated with a sigh of relief.
“As long as I’m around, and you don’t give in to me, it will remain in that condition.”
Kelli’s eyes watered with the overload of emotions in her heart. By no means was she a virgin, hadn’t been since her high school sweetheart took it on prom night, but while she watched Carter’s reactions for signs of doubt, she saw something worthwhile. His expressive eyes showed honor to his promise. She smiled. “You are the sweetest man, Carter Banks.”
He groaned and placed his finger to his lips for a quick second. “Shh, don’t say that too loud. I have a reputation to protect.” Softly, he kissed her. She tasted only sweetness in the man and for that, she soared with delight.
Chapter Seven
Kelli looked at the mini Victorian clock on her dresser. “Six thirty! I only have thirty more minutes to get ready.” She placed her hand over her stomach. Nervousness grew steady by the second. Carter would be by to pick her up for their date at seven o’clock, and her body reacted with charged energy. Although she talked to him on the phone and through text messages on a daily basis, tonight would be the first time she actually saw him since she woke up in his arms two days ago. Her heart raced with anticipation to see him. The idea sent warm feelings all through her body.
Take it easy! her heart warned.
“He’s not like Larry, who used me for his own mind-fuck games and sex.” At the time of her and Larry’s relationship, she thought he’d be the man she’d marry and spend the rest of her life with….happily ever after! But it was a dream, like all high school girls think of their boyfriends. Little did she know Larry had other plans; he wanted her best friend instead. Three months into her
“I love to hear you call my name first thing in the morning.” He rolled over onto his side to face her.
Her stomach went on alert, and her heart skipped a beat. No, this can’t be happening . “What happened between us last night? I mean, did we…?”
Carter placed a hand over his heart. “You don’t remember?” His voice sounded…wounded.
Kelli glimpsed at him, and then laughed at the wounded expression in spite of herself. It was too comical not to be serious…wasn’t it? The laughter eased her tension. However, the question remained—did she or didn’t she sleep with him? And it bothered her that she didn’t remember. The possibility of their sleeping together conjured all kinds of salacious images—a hot, heavy breathing, naked limbs, and skin-to-skin contact. The wait was almost unbearable.
After a long, quiet pause, Carter cupped his palm over her cheek. “No, we didn’t do anything last night but sleep. I stayed on my side of the bed and you on yours…sorta.”
Relief flooded through her body. To have a relationship based on something real was important to her. A one-night stand would jeopardize the plans she had for her and Carter. “What do you mean, sorta? And by the way, how did you wind up in bed with me?”
Carter sat up, leaned against the headboard, and affixed his gaze on the ceiling fan. “You grabbed hold of my arm, pulled it close to your chest, and then rolled over, dragging me into bed with you…literally.” He told her, mocking her gestures perfectly.
“No I did not!” she defended, her cheeks heating in an instant.
“Yes, you did. You grabbed my arm so hard I feared I’d lose it if I moved.”
Kelli concentrated on the last thing she remembered. “Last night you carried me to the bed.”
“Yes.”
“You played with my hair, and then told me to sleep. Not to worry that you’d sleep on the sofa.”
“Yes. Somewhere between that comment and sleep, you decided to use my arm as a teddy bear.”
Kelli smiled. “At least my virtue is intact,” she stated with a sigh of relief.
“As long as I’m around, and you don’t give in to me, it will remain in that condition.”
Kelli’s eyes watered with the overload of emotions in her heart. By no means was she a virgin, hadn’t been since her high school sweetheart took it on prom night, but while she watched Carter’s reactions for signs of doubt, she saw something worthwhile. His expressive eyes showed honor to his promise. She smiled. “You are the sweetest man, Carter Banks.”
He groaned and placed his finger to his lips for a quick second. “Shh, don’t say that too loud. I have a reputation to protect.” Softly, he kissed her. She tasted only sweetness in the man and for that, she soared with delight.
Chapter Seven
Kelli looked at the mini Victorian clock on her dresser. “Six thirty! I only have thirty more minutes to get ready.” She placed her hand over her stomach. Nervousness grew steady by the second. Carter would be by to pick her up for their date at seven o’clock, and her body reacted with charged energy. Although she talked to him on the phone and through text messages on a daily basis, tonight would be the first time she actually saw him since she woke up in his arms two days ago. Her heart raced with anticipation to see him. The idea sent warm feelings all through her body.
Take it easy! her heart warned.
“He’s not like Larry, who used me for his own mind-fuck games and sex.” At the time of her and Larry’s relationship, she thought he’d be the man she’d marry and spend the rest of her life with….happily ever after! But it was a dream, like all high school girls think of their boyfriends. Little did she know Larry had other plans; he wanted her best friend instead. Three months into her
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