Kara You have failed the Queen Mothership. Blood pounded in my head as I raced out his door, down his driveway, almost tripping in my haste. I kept running until my couch potato lungs gave out on me. My legs went weak and I had to stop. I crouched on the sidewalk, burrowing my head on my knees, trying to catch my breath. What the hell was that? My lips throbbed. Sore. But the delicious kind of sore. Like I'd been doing something bad, and it was a secret because it felt too damn good to share. I could still feel the imprint of his lips on mine, still taste him on my tongue, still hear the sounds he made. The sexy moans and growls he made at the back of his throat. I made a tight squealing sound that sounded like a hyena giving birth. God! That's right. Only God can help you now. You have failed the fort! I repeat: You have failed the fort! Retreat! I have failed nothing! I just kissed him... That's right! You gave your first kiss away just like that? And note, it wasn't just a kiss. There was dry humping involved. Girl, you wild thing, you! Shut up! After protecting the castle for twenty-one years, you're just going to lower the drawbridge to a guy you just met yesterday? What's wrong with you? I wasn't going to sleep with him. I just... I just wanted to feel... wanted. For once. That's not the whole truth. Yes, it is. There have been a couple of guys before who liked you, but you never paid them any attention. Granted, the other one didn't shower, and the other one never blinked. And not one of them was as hot as Cameron, but who is? Still. There's another reason. What is it? There's no other reason. You like him. I slammed my hands against my ears, trying to shake off the voice in my head. You like him. There's never been anyone who challenged you like Cameron has. He's not intimidated at all. No matter what you dish out at him. I just met the guy yesterday! It's going to be midnight soon so two full days now, FYI. But you're deflecting. Why you deflecting, sister? That's not what I asked. Leave it alone. You eavesdropped in their conversation when they were in the living room. I didn't hear all of it! Only towards the end because I was actually really trying to give them privacy but... You, sly grandma, you! But what you heard, you liked. You heard him going easy on Dylan when other guys would just dismiss or laugh at your brother. He was kind to him. And that, my friend, was your downfall. Cameron's kindness was your downfall, wasn't it? And when they came back from the kitchen, you saw how Dylan looked at Cameron. Dylan already adores him. Don't be falling for him now! With all your talk of standards, where are they now, huh? You gave in so easily. I'm so disappointed. I'm going to bash your head in two seconds if you don't shut the hell up. He didn't even want foreplay. He wanted the pearl in the shell right away. The caramel in the middle. The egg yolk. You're just like any other girl to him. He was horny, and you just happened to be there. You were supposed to talk to him about your contract, not suck his face. You probably didn't even kiss that good. He dominated that kiss in epic proportions. "Enough!" I yelled into the night, ignoring the uneasy flutter I felt in my belly. "He's an experiment. That's all he is to me. He'll be gone after his motorcycle is fixed. End of story." I rose, dusted my hands. And shivered. I didn't bring my jacket when I left my house earlier because I was so pumped. I didn't notice the cold either when I left his house. But now I did. I crossed my arms and rubbed them for warmth. Then screamed and jumped in fright when I felt something land on my shoulders. I spun around, moved into a karate position, got ready to run. And choked on air when I saw that it was him. He picked up the leather jacket that fell on the ground when I spun around, shook it, and offered it to me. His face, too beautiful even in the dark, was set in severe lines. His eyes when they looked at me were indifferent now. Why did my stomach drop suddenly? It wasn't the reaction I'd expect to see on him after... what happened in his living room. But then again, he didn't get what he wanted from me, did he? So why was he here, holding out a jacket for me? It was all so confusing. And frustrating. Was there a training center I could enrol myself to get high education in this? He was looking at me, but I couldn't figure out what he was thinking. His shields were up. The shields that kept people out. I sensed them around him before, but I never got the full effect of them until now. It made me... sad. "You're freezing," he said. No hint of the warmth in his voice that used to be there before. "Why don't you wear this?" But the way he said it wasn't a request. It was an order. With an arrogance in his tone enough to flicker my temper.