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He broke the kiss again and pressed his forehead to hers.
All of her being cried out for him not to stop, but he let out a slight chuckle. "Sorry, I let things get out of hand there, didn't I?"
"I liked it." She pressed a kiss to his cheek, feeling the slight stubble there, then his jaw, then his chin, working her way toward her mouth as she turned his face toward her with a single fingertip.
"You are amazing and I want you, but not like this. Not after what you went through tonight." He backed off a bit, his hands on her shoulders as their skin parted, leaving her feeling hollow and lonelier than she could ever remember.
"I'm not sure I understand...." She bit her lip, afraid to trust that she understood what she wanted.
"You want me. I want you. We want each other. That feels right. It feels right in here." He touched his fingers to her chest over her heart, but before he could make it feel any better, he stepped even further away. "But I don't want to rush into it with you. I've made a few mistakes in judgement in the past. I don't want to do that with you."
He was making far too much sense and she liked that he wasn't rushing her. Every man seemed ready to hop in bed the second they met her, but he wanted to be sure he was doing things right. While that felt strange, she respected his decision and him.
"Thank you," she said, looking for the right words to explain her thoughts.
"For what? I didn't do anything." His gaze locked on hers. “I was worried I’d upset you or hurt your feelings by rejecting you.”
Kaitlyn shook her head. “You respect me. You’re not just here to get in my pants. You see me as more than just a stripper, a piece of meat to enjoy. I don’t get that often from men.” She could hear how awful the words were and the realization that came with them, and she reminded herself why she did this. She was saving money to start her new life – the life she needed. And helping her friend, of course.
“You deserve respect, Kaitlyn,” he said, tipping her chin back with two fingers. “Don’t let anyone try to convince you otherwise.”
Chapter6
Carter
“Will you stay with me?”She’d been so quiet for so long while drying off and dressing he’d been wondering what was on her mind.
When she joked she didn’t have clothes for him, Carter admitted he kept an overnight bag in his car in case business ever called him away and she’d run out to get it for him, leaving him naked in a towel in her bathroom.
Now, pulling on his pants and buttoning them, he tossed her a glance. “I can; is everything okay?” The request felt off, and the shadows in her eyes told him there might be more going on than she was admitting to him in the moment.
She nodded, her delicate throat flexing as she swallowed hard. Her wide, shining eyes seemed anxious as she glanced over her shoulder toward the door. “I’m probably just being stupid, but I have a weird feeling, you know?” She ran her hands up her bare arms to her exposed shoulders. The tank top she’d put on hugged her curves and she’d opted for athletic pants rather than jeans – a look Carter appreciated and felt like a bit of a dirty old man for enjoying.
He’d seen her naked and now he was getting all warm and fuzzy over her in her gym clothes… damn. Maybe staying would be a bad idea. But the thought of leaving her when he knew she didn't feel safe and he knew Devon was out there ready to pounce didn't feel right.
She needed him and he'd be there for her.
He just had to figure out how to keep his hands to himself in the meantime.
“You've been through the ringer tonight; I don't think you're stupid at all.” He shot her a tight smile and tugged his shirt over his head.
Her fingers slipped in his and she led the way out of the bathroom, but not before he noticed her athletic pants sitting high on her hips made her ass look fantastic. He tried to push those thoughts out of mind as he followed her out into the living room, where he came face to face with her couch. The furniture had certainly seen better days, but he admired her for saving her money to chase her dreams rather than focusing on a pretty living space. The room smelled clean and airy and he knew she took pride in her home even if it wasn't perfect.
Her hand slid from his as she crossed the kitchen and slid the deadbolt home before moving to the window to peek through the curtains as if looking for something - or someone. Carter walked up beside her, peering out but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Still, he knew something had spooked her, and he wanted her to know he was there for her and would keep her safe.
“I can’t shake the idea that… I just don’t know.” Her gaze unfocused, as if she were looking at something beyond him. "You know that feeling when the hair on the back of your neck prickles?" she asked, rubbing the back of her neck as if she felt that sensation right then.
Carter nodded. "I do. And I think you should trust your instincts." He meant the words, and couldn't count how many times he'd trusted his gut and wound up glad he had.
She seemed relieved. "Okay. I worried you'd think I was crazy." She let out a low laugh. "I might be crazy."
"You're not crazy. Things will look less crazy after some sleep." He couldn't promise her, because he wasn't sure he was right. Had his little game with Devon put her in danger? Not more danger than she'd already been in, certainly. Being in Devon's sights left her vulnerable; at least Carter could help keep her safe from the madman haunting her life.
She smiled, but something else flickered in her gaze. "I don't want you to sleep on my couch, Carter. You can take my bed. I'll sleep on the couch."
Crap. He wasn't quite sure why he wanted to share a bed with her, but he did. While he had no intention of making a move on her, he wanted her close - the closer the better. He knew sleeping with her was a bad idea, but she didn't need to know that. "We can figure all that out later."
"Want to watch a movie?" she asked, stepping closer to him as her hands came up to rest on his shoulders. Heat shot through him and he wanted to drag her against him and kiss her deeply. His jaw clenched as he looked into her eyes. Her gaze darted back and forth between his and she slid a hand over his shoulder, her fingers combing through the hair at the nape of his neck. As her gaze lowered to his lips, Carter had a good idea what she was thinking about.
