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You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 01

By: FinalStand



*She was a thief in the night; it wasn't my heart she wanted, but my soul*

I celebrated the hell out of my twenty-first birthday. My friend Steve had inherited his grandmother's house when she died, which actually meant that Steve's parents had inherited it and were letting me, Steven, Tyrone, and Curtis stay there for minimal rent while we went to college. It was a great arrangement because Tyrone and Curtis both lived with their girlfriends but kept up appearances at Steve's to keep their parents happy. Steve and I had a run of this two story (plus a basement) Victorian house to ourselves. 

The big downside to my birthday party was that I caught my then-girlfriend Lindsey making out with this guy I barely knew. It was a major crash-dive on my part. I drank heavily and had little recollection of the night after eleven or so. The next morning when I went downstairs for a late breakfast Steve joked that I looked like hell.

I go and gaze into the bathroom mirror. I have apparently been in a fight and by the look of my banged up eye, I can't tell if I had won or not. I stagger back into see Steve and ask him what the hell was going on.

"Oh Dude, you were a major fight," he chuckles. 

"Did I win?" was all I think to ask.

"Bro, you kicked his ass. You fucking threw him off the porch," he laughs. I have a sudden sinking feeling.

"Was it that guy with Lindsey?"

"Nah, that guy bolted right after you barged in on them; seems all he wanted was a fast piece of tail. Lindsey got weepy and wasted and one of her friends had to take her home."

"Oh, thank God I didn't kick his ass, or fuck her. Both would have sucked," I respond. "But then whose ass did I kick?"

"Fuck if I know, Rob" (my name is Robert). "I think he was a senior. He was pawing up this little Hispanic chick; a freshman I think, and she was crying and no one would do shit."

"You came out of the basement with me and Vince. You heard her screaming and took off. You damn near killed the guy."

"Ah shit. Do you think he'll sue?" I groan. Steve finds that hilarious.

"Rob, he had like four inches and thirty pounds on you, and when I last saw him he was running down the street like a whooped dog. I repeat you kicked his ass. Everyone saw it. If you ever catch some guy on campus looking at you then running for his life, that's the guy." Steve won't stop chuckling. 

"Man, I wish I could remember any of that. What happened to the girl?" I inquire. Steve shrugs.

"She was gone by the time we got you calmed down. You went looking for her, but you were pretty wasted. I doubt you found her. I didn't catch her leave."

"Who did she come with?" I ask.

"Not sure; she may have crashed, like a few dozen of the other partiers," Steve suggests.

"Well that was fucked up," I sigh then go and pour me a bowl of cereal and eat. Only later does the pain set in, but in a few days the bruising goes away and I forget the whole thing.

Now, I'm what you would call a sound sleeper. I'm also somewhat of a heat pump in bed, so when the air conditioning is on, I sleep without covers. About a week after the party (and the fight) I begin to feel funny in the mornings when I wake up. I am sweaty. I am also rolling around in bed, which is also unusual. I would have chalked it up to stress if the air conditioning hadn't gone out too. It was an old house after all.

I'm lying in bed and I find myself stirring to wakefulness and I don't know why. I start to understand that the side of the bed closest to the door is hot and I'm sweating on that side. I decide to roll over and sleep on my stomach but I roll into something. I look through a crack in my eyes and stare into the deepest, darkest brown eyes I've ever seen. 

I struggle to remember if I've gone to bed with some girl and don't remember it. She starts edging out of bed. 

"Hi," I whisper and she freezes. I can't describe the look she gives me. It is equal parts desperation, fear, and hope all rolled together into some crazy quilt. She bolts.

I sit up and try to figure what is going on. Belatedly I go into the hallway and look around. The girl's a freaking ninja. I hear and see nothing. I still go around the house peaking around and find not a sign. I chalk it up to the freaky-weird and go back to bed. When I ask Steve if he brought a girl home that might have gotten lost he denies it.

The next night she wakes me up right before dawn. I'm not sure what set me off, but she's halfway to the door before I'm sure what is going on. I call for her to wait to no avail and then chase after her. I find nothing. I'm starting to worry that I've run into a ghost. I check with Steve and to his recollection the house is not haunted by any ghost, brown-eyed or not.

The next night I again get the sensation, but this time I do nothing. She soon gets out of bed and sneaks away. This time I check the house. All the windows are locked and all the deadbolts are on the door. As far as I can tell she's coming in and out by the chimney ... or she's walking through walls –she's a ghost or a ninja I'm pretty sure.

The next night I get tricky and stay up. She never shows and I start feeling stupid, like maybe I'm dreaming this and there is no girl. I contemplate hooking back up with Lindsey in order to get rid of the ghost-girl fetish. Steve reminds me that I would really rather have my dick pierced by a blind man than go back to her.

The next night I wake up with those feelings again. Somehow, I control my breathing and keep it low and steady. My ghost/ninja doesn't move. I take the chance and sleepily lay an arm across her – no reaction. I let it sit there for about a minute then she slowly and carefully puts it back on my side. 

I'm still facing her and I can feel her eyes studying me. Another minute or two passes and I resign myself to her slipping away once more when I feel her nestling into my chest. Her hands touch my pectorals and she places angel-like kisses on my sternum. I haven't a clue what is going on.

I murmur pleasurably and she stops for a few second then returns to activities. I move ever so slightly until I can plant a kiss on the top of her head. She goes totally rigid until I murmur again. That seems to calm her. We keep this up for an hour and then I realize she's fallen asleep against me. I lie there awake for the rest of the night. At five in the morning her phone gives off a vibration, she stirs and glides out of the room.

I decide this shit has got to stop so I convince Steve to let me put a lock on the door that was made in this century. I get a good one and that night I happily go to sleep knowing my ordeal is finally over. This crazy home invader can find someone else to haunt. I wake up with her next to me sound asleep. I'm back to my ghost/ninja choices.

Not to be outfoxed again, I quietly wait for her to go. I listen to her leave, which is tough because she freaking moves one inch above the ground, or so it seems. What boggles my mind is that after she shuts my door, I hear her doing something outside and then I see the latch turn on the lock. She's locked it from the outside! WTF!

The next two nights I give up and pray this isn't part of a satanic ritual. If ghost/ninja shows up, I'm asleep for it. Then a brainstorm occurs to me. I'm going about this all wrong. That night I take my usual place but lay out some milk and cookies for my intruder. I even pick those chewable ones so she won't worry about the crunching waking me up.

Next morning the milk is drunk and most of the cookies are gone and I even have a few crumbs in bed. The next night I add a menu of a few easy to prepare items on my iPod and leave the stylus for her to make her selection. I also leave milk and cookies. It seems my ninja (ghost don't eat cookies according to most folklore) likes ham sandwiches and orange juice.

The morning I see the plate is clean and I have a nice handwritten thank you note. She says she is very grateful for every courtesy I've extended her. She wants to know if there is anything she can provide for me. I ask her name. She tells me it is Carmen. I ask her if I can ever talk to me. She asks that I be patient. I promise to. We remain uncommunicative for two weeks then I suddenly get a note.

'If I wake you will you promise not to talk to me or touch me?' I reply in the positive. The next night she wakes me after only an hour's worth of sleep. I can tell she's ready to bolt for the door. I carefully make room for her on the bed and she settles in beside me. She props herself up on her elbow while lying on her side and looks down into my eyes. I can now make out that she is not very tall, with a slight boyish build, dark skin and black hair. 

Her eyes just won't quit. They are spellbinding. I can sense the deep conflict within her. She lays her head down and falls asleep next to me. I soon follow her into slumber. She is gone when I wake but there is another note thanking me. I'm not sure what I'm getting into.

Carmen and I go at it for the rest of the week and into the next. It is torture not talking to her, but I somehow if I break the spell I'll never see her again. Saturday rolls around and our routine is settling in when she suddenly puts her head in the crux of my arm and runs a hand over my chest. She takes a deep cleansing breath then falls asleep. Again I am soon asleep too.

The next morning I wake up with the fragrance of her shampoo in my nose. I look up into those bottomless brown eyes as she is hovering over me. She's smiling. Carmen leans down and after a momentary look of fright, kisses me lightly on the lips. I have to consciously restrain my arms from wrapping around her. She rubs a hand over my chest and abdomen as she gets out of bed. She slips out the door and she's gone.

I wake the next night to the same thing, but she has a note for me.

'May I speak even if you can't?' I nod and she gives me a dazzling smile.

"May I sleep with you tonight?" she verbalizes for the first time. I nod with a smile. I think we are making progress. 

Apparently I'm making more progress than I know because she strips off her black turtleneck shirt and black jeans showing a very nice set of black peekaboo bra and panties. I was wrong about her being boyish. She curvaceous in an athletic way; more of sculpted muscle and firm definition than a lushness, but her breasts were a nice handful, if not bulging at the seams and she has more hips than I originally guessed; very nice, tight ass. She has a runner's body.

She hops into bed with great enthusiasm to the point where I have to scoot back so she doesn't actually land on me. She quickly wraps her arms around me, rests her head on my chest then goes to sleep.  She wakes me in the same way with the added bonus that I can look over her body as she now straddles me for my morning kiss. She seems very happy and much more relaxed than I've seen her.

The next night I write her a letter with two questions. I want to know if I can say her name in a small sentence, and if I can put an arm over her. After she eats, she wakes me up. She's distressed. She takes a deep breath and sets her jaw defiantly. 

"You may say my name twice a night; once when I arrive and once when I leave. We will try the arm tonight, but if I try it and don't like it we will wait one week. Do you accept my conditions?"

"Yes Carmen, I agree," I say for the first real time. That makes her smile when I say her name. Again she strips off the clothing. This time her underwear choice is burgundy; very sexy. She leaps into bed and immediately wraps her arms around me and puts her head on my chest. After a minute, I thump my chest to get her attention. She looks up. I move with exaggerated slowness with my comforting arm. 

I have it almost there when she cringes and buries her head into my armpit. I move the arm back to my side. She sobs softly for several minutes. I do the one thing that has been safe in the past. I kiss her on the top of her head. She doesn't' seem to mind. After the tears finish, Carmen looks over to me, eye to eye.

"I'm sorry. I ... I can't right now. Don't hate me." I give her my best confused face then shake my head. I try a different tact. I point to one of my hands then cover my other hand then look to her. She thinks that over and carefully nods. I gently place one of my hands next to one of hers. Then, thinking that through, I place her hand on top and let our fingers intertwine. She likes that.

Carmen snuggles in and goes quickly to sleep. I spend an hour trying not to touch her hair because I know she's a light sleeper. I finally nod off and sleep soundly. I wake up to her planting several ephemeral kisses on my eyes, nose, and lips. Her smile speaks volumes. She dresses in silence and I'm trying to figure how to use my few words.

"Carmen, will I see you tonight?" I inquire. It isn't the brightest thing I could say, but I think it is safe. Carmen smiles demurely and nods with a shy little grin. This time when she slips out the door, I sense a feminine gait slip into her catlike walk. Even if she's still a ninja, she's a female ninja.

"Still being haunted?" Steve teases. He's getting ready to head to class.

"Sure, she crawls into my bed every single night," I joke.

"How's the sex?"

"If I have some I'll let you know," I retort. Steve chuckles and heads out the door. I get a kernel of a plan.

When Carmen sneaks in that night I'm asleep as usual. She tickles my nose awake with one of the roses I've left for her. I look up with bleary eyes and then my eyes pop wide open. She's crying. I look around the room. I've put five roses around her plate and the sixth on the side of the bed she uses. I've also scattered rose petals on the floor.

"Carmen, I didn't mean to offend you," I stammer. She shakes her head and places the rose to my lips. She puts the rose on the pillow I bought for her to use and strips down to her bra and panties once more. She snuggles into bed quickly and lies there tensely for about five minutes. She then slowly takes hold of my arm and pulls it on top of her until I'm holding her close. 

She remains tense for several more minutes then Carmen relaxes and falls asleep. I drape one leg over her and fall asleep myself. I sleep like a rock. When she wakes me she is lying on top of me and giving me those butterfly kisses of her. I can't imagine she's ignorant of my arousal but she seems okay with it. I almost make the mistake of kissing her. I purse my lips and wait, but not long. She presses her lips on mine and I feel her lightly tickle my lips with her tongue.

Carmen pulls up from the kiss, scoots down and wraps her arms around me. She hugs me tight for a long time. She takes a look at the time, giggles and quickly dresses. She ghosts out the door, tossing me a genuine smile as she disappears into the darkness.  I'm still trying to figure out what I've gotten into.

Lindsey comes across my path after Applied Calculus. We start talking and she asks me out. I agree mainly because my midnight ninja has gotten me terribly wound up and I'm not seeing relief on that front. We agree to meet at a watering hole and go to a movie. It is nearly midnight when I get home frustrated and unappreciated. Worse, I think I've missed the ninja.

I'm sitting down on my bed getting undressed when my closet door opens and Carmen steps out. She'd been hiding, waiting for me in my closet; this is screwed up. She has an open questioning look on her face. I decide to tell the truth.

"Carmen, I hooked up with my ex-girlfriend Lindsey," I confess to her. She stares at me. Her shoulders slump and she reaches into the closet and pulls out a book bag. She makes for the door and leaves. I try to say something, but that violates our rules. I stuck doing nothing and strangely feeling like I've betrayed her. I strip naked, flop on the bed and go to sleep.

I wake up and feel her weight on top of me. I nearly make the terrible mistake of saying something, but she presses something hard against my lips. I think about for a second then bite down. It is a chocolate covered cherry! I love these. I nibble the other half and accidently lick her fingers. I realize what I've done, but Carmen dispels my fear by giggling.

I get another chocolate covered cherry. She shifts so that my cock rests up against her hip and thigh. I groan so Carmen then she places a finger against my lips for silence.

"Please be patient," she whispers. "Please don't ever leave me again." I must look confused which places her in a conundrum. She wants my silence yet she clearly wants my understanding.

Carmen looks sad and puts her head back down on my chest. I feel her tears on my chest and her sobs on my torso. I've been allowed this before so I do it again. I twist up and kiss the top of her head. She hugs me tightly, her fingers digging into my sides. We go to sleep like this but I'm totally convinced I won't see her when I wake.

I come to with her kisses all over my face. I look into deep brown eyes and I can tell she's smiling at me.

"I want to be with you," she whispers. I nod. "Will you wait for me ... please?" I admit that I have to think about it before coming to an understanding. 

I hold up a finger. She's disappointed but nods. She gets out of bed and dresses. It is my time.

"Carmen, I'll try."

She comes back over to me and hugs me.

"You won't regret this," she whispers intensely and passionately.

I try to come to grips with what I'm doing as dawn comes. I have this spooky ninja girl who is sneaking into my room every night so she can sleep in my bed with me. No sex and I'm not sure there will ever be sex. On the other hand I have a chance with that cheating slut Lindsey who I know will put out whenever I want. She's feeling vulnerable and horny; a good combination if you are a lusty college student.

Lindsey is curvaceous, earthy and full-figured. She's got a great rack and a nice juicy ass. She loves anal sex and always up for a fuck session. She also is as loyal as a slut, which is to say I can trust her as far as I can see her, and not one step beyond. Lindsey and I share the same major, grade about the same, and we should graduate around same time. We have a history.

Carmen is close to a total mystery. I don't know how she gets into my room, much less the house. She's hidden in my closet waiting for me to come into my room and lie down for bed. I've never seen her with the lights on, though she's beautiful by moonlight. Her body is sleek and compact and there is a strong undercurrent of strength and stamina. She's clearly has issues, but she's also definitely devoting a ton of time to me, which has its own intoxicating effect.

I ponder the odds of me successfully cheating on both of them – I'm a guy. Those eyes of Carmen tell me that's a bad idea. She looks right into my mind. She'd know and worse than losing her, I'd hurt her. Not only is pissing off a girl who could harm me in my sleep a bad idea, I don't think I have what it takes to want to lie. I resign myself to blue balls for the time being.

That afternoon I tell Lindsey it isn't going to happen, that we are done. She sobs and says she won't stop trying to get us back together. I wonder where the hell that came from. Was I really that good in bed? If so, why did she cheat in the first place? When I get home Steve gives me some good news. That night I leave a message for Carmen.

I get gently shaken around midnight. Carmen is sitting on the side of the bed looking at the letter. She looks at me frightened and uncertain. She points to the letter and I nod.

"You want to go to a party with me?" she whispers fearfully. "Like a date."

"Carmen, I would like you to go to the party with me; like a date," I confirm.

"I don't want to," she pleads. "I'm not ready. Is it that important to you?" I look at her, moving my hands into a beseeching gesture. She looks conflicted. "Just this once?" she asks. I nod. "Okay."


You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 01



"It is up to you," I tell her. "I would like you to go with me. If you don't I'll be back by midnight so that we can be together."

If I hit her with a mallet I couldn't have gotten a more stunned reaction.

"So if I don't go you will still come back to be with me?" she mutters. I nod in the affirmative. She wraps her arms around me and starts crying. I'd hug her if she'd let me. My arms hang out there helplessly.

"Please hug me," she whispers. I have my arms around her inside a second. I keep my touch very soft and let her push against my grasp as opposed to pulling her in. She makes deep breaths one after another. She finally recovers and is hiccupping back her sobs. "Please let me go." My arms are returned to my sides. She looks up and rewards me with that perfectly white smile.

"When you said you would be patient you really meant it ... thank you," she sighed contently. She starts stripping off her outer garments and snuggles into bed with me, but in a new way. We spoon. She reaches around and places my arm over her and my hand on her taut stomach. I find that highly erotic and it is clearly obvious. Carmen tenses but forces herself to relax. She wiggles in a little and sighs once more. She's soon asleep. It takes me a bit longer.



The party is great and it is good to catch up with friends and acquaintances. I manage to not drink too much and dance with several young women who show some real interest. I could get lucky if I wanted to but I find myself sneaking peeks to see if it is time for me to leave. At eleven thirty I make my excuses and head for the door. I'm putting the keys in my car when I realize someone's snuck up on me.

I turn around and am looking at ... Carmen? She's wearing a short strapless black dress that is barely mid-thigh. She has a small bag and a black cameo choker on. She has two inch black heels that lace up to her upper calf region. The dress is so tight I'm sure she's not wearing a bra, or anything but a thong.

I'm about to say something then catch myself. I settle for ogling.

"Am I ... is this too much?" she whimpers. I have my one line for the evening. I expend it now.

"Carmen, you are absolutely stunning and beautiful, and fantastic, and hot, and sexy, and hot, and desirable, and overwhelming, and ..." I go on and on.

Carmen reaches for my hand which I willingly gave.

"If we go inside I'd really like it if you talked to me and hold me close. If you stay with me I know I will be safe," she says softly. I think that is an odd thing to say, but I count my lucky stars and lead her into the party, an arm around her waist.

"I can't stay long," I whisper to her as we climb up the stairs into the house at which the party is being held. She looks at me confused. "I have a date with a ghost at midnight," I joke.

"I think the ghost will understand it if you are a little late," she smiles warmly, "this one night."



You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 02



*Ghosts are spirits of passions; be it regret, love, or anger and sometimes they are made up of all three*

We stride into the noisy press of bodies. We are equal parts confident and docile. To me it is another party, but it appears to be a major step for Carmen. She clasps my hand in a grip of iron as I maneuver through the crowded narrow hallway. We fight our way to the kitchen where I get Carmen a beer and myself bourbon. Some people come up talk and I introduce Carmen around.

I see Steve and my female buddy Ashe making it over to me. 

"Carmen, I think you know Steve and this is one of my best friends Ashe. She's like a brother to me," I tell my companion. Ashe looks like, and is a volleyball player; tanned blonde and nearly as tall as I am. She and Steve are fuck-buddies but I know they will never be serious. 

Ashe is a motivated woman and Steve's inherently lazy. If it wasn't for the sex, and me, I don't think they could stand to be in the same room together. I find Steve yanking on my arm and pulling me away from Carmen. I stretch out as far as I can, but Carmen isn't letting go.

"Bro," Steve whispers, "that's that chick."

"Which chick would that be?" I whisper back over the music and the human babble.

"Remember a few months back – your birthday; she's the chick your rescued from that guy."

Chick – birthday – guy; Steve's descriptions aren't all that helpful but I finally figure out what he's saying. This was the girl that nearly got raped at my party. Oh fuck. That explains some things.

"And?" I respond.

"She's smoking. Did you hook up here, or did you bring her?" he wonders.

"I've seen her around," I try not to lie. Carmen pulls her way to my side, Ashe in tow.

"Hey little girl," Steve leers, "you're looking good," he tells me date.

"Her name is Carmen," I inform my buddy.

"And her eyes are a little higher up," grouses Ashe. Carmen pulls close to me.

"Fine, Carmen, if you ever want to step up to the big leagues," he hints, "I'm right down the hall from Romeo here."

"I'm with Robert," Carmen states intently. Ashe gives me a curious look to which I shrug.

"So Carmen, what year are you and what are you majoring in?" Ashe asks.

"I'm in Material Science as a freshman," Carmen grins. Ashe has a way of being able to get people to open up.

"Wow," Ashe grins suspiciously, "Rob is a Material Science major too. How weird." I have nothing to say since this is the longest conversation I've had with Carmen since I've known her. "Has Rob told you he's going to start his Masters here next year?"

"Really," Carmen brightens up, "that's great news," Carmen gushes as she hugs my arm extra tight.

"Trouble at twelve o'clock," Steve warns us. He's lousy at telling directions but I can spot the target of his worry. It is Lindsey and two of her pals. Lindsey is looking like dynamite and I feel myself stirring in response.

"Hey Lindsey," I respond dryly. Lindsey glares at Carmen but lets her gaze softens when she sees me.

"Rob, can I talk to you for a moment – alone?" Lindsey purrs. I'm thinking of the nicest way to say no when Carmen slips past me like a blur and slaps Lindsey so hard I feel the impact. Lindsey is a much bigger girl, but the blow knocks her back into her friends. She barely has time to react before Carmen backhands her.

"Get away from him you savage bitch! He's with me now! Me!" Carmen screams like a wild woman. I grab Carmen around the waist and yank her away because Carmen is following the drooping form of Lindsey to the floor screeching and clawing at her. I have to lift her bodily off the ground and back us to the nearby laundry room. She is still clawing and flailing about.

Ashe and Steve cover our retreat. The attack was so sudden that most of the people in the kitchen don't know what's happen. I think you can add me and my friends to that number.

"Carmen," I say in a soothing tone as I set her down, "what just happened?" Carmen is shaking and vacant eyed, tear streaming down her face. She doesn't respond.

"Rob, what is going on? Do Carmen and Lindsey have a history?" Ashe inquires.

"None that I know of," I reply. Steve chuckles; which is standard operating procedure for him.

"Carmen," I start to kiss away her tears. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm here with you. I'm not leaving." That earns me a reaction. She folds her arms around me and starts crying into my shoulder.

"Dude, your bitch 'be crazy'," Steven comments. Ashe elbows him in the ribs. I shoot Steve a dirty look as well.

"Come on Carmen, let's get you home," I say softly. She nods and we head for the back door.

"Watch yourself," Ashe cautions as I head around the house with Carmen. I'm not sure what she means.

Back at my car, I settle her into the passenger seat then get in my side and head toward campus. All freshmen have to live on campus their first year. I ask her what her dorm is and she tells me in a leaden voice. We get there, I park and help her out hers side. On the steps up she finally speaks.

"Is this the place where we split up?" she asks. I'm not sure there was ever an 'us', but ...

"I was thinking we could pick up a change of clothes for you, since you shouldn't be tracking across campus in your little black dress come sunrise. That is if you want to crash at my place tonight," I add. She slowly wraps an arm in mine. Once we are outside of her room she makes me wait while she goes in. Carmen tells me she has a roommate and tells me she doesn't want me to see her naked. I grin at that.

Carmen comes out and we are heading down to the car when I finally break down and ask.

"Carmen, was that a thong you were wearing tonight?" She stops and smiles. Carmen turns away, unzips and lowers her jeans so that I can see more than half an ass cheek. 

"I've been going commando," she grins shyly yet sexy at the same time. I still don't think I'm getting any action tonight.

When she cuddles up to me we are both totally naked and I'm totally rock hard. I obey the rules of our game. I'm silent and still, while she runs her hands over most of my body while she kisses my nipples and my chest. After a while, she moves my free arm (she's resting her head on the other) and places it on her lower back. Right before we drift off, she moves the hand farther down until it rests on her ass. I go to sleep happier than if I'd have a bonus round of sex.

I wake up to the normal round of face kisses. She goes a little farther by biting my nose then lower lip. Her hands never touch my groin, but she's getting closer than normal this morning. Carmen even goes so far as to reach around and grab my ass. I roll on my side to give her freer access. She smoothly caresses it.

"Carmen," I groan, "I can't hold back much longer." Carmen gives a cautious and frightened little smile and slips off. She gets off the bed then sits back down abruptly and kisses me again. No tongue, but passionate none the less. She hops back up and starts getting dressed. I can't think of many things sexier than a girl putting on a tight pair of jeans when you know she's got no underwear on. She put on an electric blue tank top that highlighted her large nipples and her delightfully curved breasts.

I struggle into some jeans that had only been worn once before and hand in hand we go down to the kitchen. It turns out that she is leading me. I pull her around to me and tap my lips. She nods.

"Have you wandered around the place much?" I inquire. She startles a bit then nods, taking in my reaction out of the corner of her eye.

"You know that is a little spooky, right?" I respond. She takes a tighter hold of my arm. "I'm okay with it though. You didn't hurt anybody." She turns and hugs me around my waist.

"Thank you," she says.

"What for?"

"For being you," she replies. I laugh it off and lead her to the kitchen for breakfast. We are finishing up when a bleary-eyed Steve in a bathrobe, and a far more alert Ashe show up. She's in his football jersey so I know what happened between them last night.

"Hey Rob; hey ya little psycho," Steve mumbles as he heads for the bowls.

I catch Carmen giving Steve a hard, measured look. Ashe seems a bit more cautious.

"Hey Carmen," Ashe says. "Can we expect more of you around here?

"That is up to Robert," Carmen replies quietly. Ashe looks to me warily. I try a dodge.

"If Carmen wants to hang around here I'm good with that," I offer.

"I want to be here very much, and good morning Ashe ... Steve," Carmen smiles for most of that. Ashe and I do our level best to keep Steve and Carmen going in different directions for the rest of the meal. After that I have to take Carmen back to her dorm, which Steve finds hilarious, and then I'm off to the labs for project work.

I don't get home until a bit past nine. I've grabbed some fast food and I wolf it down before going up to bed. I figure Carmen won't come padding around until later so I can plan to drift off to sleep unimpeded. She's waiting for me naked in bed. I groan. She lets me climb over her, which seems to scare the fuck out of her, and I lay down on my side of the bed against the wall.

Carmen wraps her naked body around me and I am centimeters from pressing up and penetrating the girl who has already started nodding off. Inwardly I scream in frustration. I slip over her, which scares the crap out of her again, grab some hand lotion and storm off to the bathroom for a little personal attention. Visualizing Carmen's naked body is all it takes. I'm back in ten minutes. 

Those big brown soulful eyes are boring into me when I return. I go put the lotion back on the nightstand, but when I go over her for the third time tonight, she grabs me by the hips and slows my progress until I'm nearly hovering over her between her legs. She lets me pass and I come to rest beside her once more. She lies on top of me and glides off to sleep. This time I join her.

The next few next few nights follow the same routine. I'm jacking-off every night at bedtime and again after she leaves me in the morning. The third morning after she gets dressed but before she leaves she comes over and kisses me,

"Thank you for being so patient," then she gave an unforgettable French kiss.

Later that day in the afternoon Ashe flags me down. She looks concerned.

"Robert," she says. Calling me 'Robert' and not 'Rob' is never a good thing. "I know where I've seen Carmen before. Do you remember Freshman Orientation back in early July? She was one of our kids." Steve, Ashe, Vince, and I had done the orientation for several groups, I sort of lost track of the faces.

"I can't remember," I admit.

"Well, she was one of the quiet ones, but you took her and one other on a trip through Physical Sciences buildings," Ashe informs me. She has a way with faces, but she plans to be a MD one day so I can see how that works for her. I plan to work on nanotechnology where the faces are too small to be seen.

"If you say so Ashe, but is it really relevant? So we crossed paths before. We must have run through two hundred students," I respond.

"I agree, but don't you think that her reaction to Lindsey was a bit off?" Ashe asks

"I think it was totally off, but I haven't been able to talk with her about it. She's very shy."

"Rob, has she done anything that's weirded you out, besides Lindsey," Ashe inquires.

"We haven't had sex yet, if that is what you mean," I offer up as proof.

"That is a bit weird. You normally never go past the third date without her giving it up."

"It is complicated," I confess.

"Well, you be careful with that one. There is something about her I don't like," Ashe informs me.

"Jealous much," I grin.

"Rob, why would I fuck up a perfectly good friendship?" she grins back and she is right.

I'm laying down trying hard not to think about being hard and my little ghost-ninja is dry-humping my thigh and hip while she kisses and licking my nipples. When she got here I asked for three more sentences tonight, but I have yet to receive a reply.

"Do you like this?" she whispers. She looks with those liquid earthen pools she has for eyes. I nod repeatedly and smile. She pulls herself up my body and kisses me on the lips.

"Soon, I promise you. Please be patient a little longer. I am really trying to not be afraid anymore," she continues in that soft desperate but sexy voice. I nod. "What do you want to ask me?"

"Do you remember me from Orientation?" I begin. She stops moving her hands around my body and they slowly recede until they are huddled between us.

"Yes," she sighs.

"Did you come to my birthday party to see me?"

"Yes," she barely manages to get out.

"So I'm the reason you got attacked by that guy," I reason.

"No," she insists, "I was ... I was ... trying ... I'm sorry," she starts sobbing. "It was never your fault." I'm powerless. I can't touch her and I've run out of words. She is shaking against me. She keeps weeping forever then she whispers something.

"You can hold me if you still want to."

I wrap her up in my arms and rock her from side to side.

"I'll do whatever you want me to do," she sobs. I hold her to me and rest my head on hers. We drift off to sleep that way which suits me just fine.

Ashe flags me down coming out of the labs the next day.

"Rob! Hang on a second," she pants. She has apparently run across campus to catch up with me.

"What's up Ashe; problems with Steve?" I ask.

"Forget Steve; I looked into your girlfriend, Carmen Santos" she starts. I audibly groan, but she continues. "Do you know that she started out in Geology but started the transfer process into Material Science during registration?"

"Maybe I gave a good tour; Jesus Ashe, so she likes the same stuff that I do. Does that make her weird?" I counter.

"Rob, sometimes you're dense. If she's not putting out, what is about this girl that has you with blinders on?" she teases. I blush which causes her to arch an eyebrow in curiosity. "That good eh? Some day you are going to have to tell me about her techniques."

"Ashe, I talked to her about it. She came to my birthday party to see me, but things didn't work out. She ran into that asshole first. I just happened to show up in time," I said. Ashe gives me another curious look. We part ways yet are looping around on a collision course.

Carmen is snuggling with her back to me. She wrapped my arm around in front of her and was sucking on my forefinger and thumb. Being naked and pressing my dick against her ass is driving me nearly insane with lust. I can't even speak to her.

"You ... you make me very happy Robert. You make me trust again," she murmurs.

I start to wonder if this is the end of the waiting and now we can get down to business when she figuratively slams me upside the head.

"It makes me feel so safe knowing you are willing to wait," she moans. I moan but for a different reason.

I growl and climb over her. She no longer flinches when I do so which I count as a huge step forward.

"You have to go back again?" she giggles. I shower her with malicious mischief in my glare. My hand lotion and I go back to the bathroom. I hear her sigh sensually as I leave; she really likes my ass.

She gives me a guilty look when I came back in. It doesn't stop her from pressing herself back against me when I climb back in. I'm grateful to my fatigue that leads me off to sleep. As my eyes shut, I feel her turn over so that we are face to face.

"Can I touch it?" she whispers. My eyes fly open. 

She's looking at me expectantly so I give her a little toss of the head. I follow her gaze down my body. I'm pretty sure that I can't get it up right until the electric pulse that passes between us when she takes a single finger and touches my cockhead. 

"Oh," she gasps. I gasp too. "It's ..." I think the word she is looking for is 'growing'.

Carmen starts using to fingers on the head as it expands and pushes up toward her. She traces slow lines along my slit then draws out her touch to surround the edges of the head.

"I've never done for this before," she states softly but doesn't look up to see my response. Carmen surrounds my head with her fingertips and slowly moves her hand up and down until her palm touches the top of my penis.

The feeling becomes so intense that I have to lean my head back and groan. Carmen isn't done with me yet. As she increases her tempo I feel her take a deep breathe. I look back down.

"Robert ... I'm a virgin," she cringes. I'm not sure what she's cringing about. I clearly don't understand her at all.

"I'm sorry I'm not Lindsey," she sighs and the light comes on. I tap myself loudly on the chest. She looks up uncertain to what I want. I look into her eyes. She squints her eyes. "Yes?"

"Big damn deal; I'm not with Lindsey now am I? I'm here with you. Now I'll shut up again," I tell her. She kisses my chest and strokes me harder.

I'm caught up in one of the hard and painful realities of our game. I can't touch her to let her know I'm in pain from her vigorous ministrations. I can't tell her that, or that I'm about to cum. Next thing I know she squawks as my semen splashes her hand and arm. The look she gives me is one of 'Oh my God, I didn't know this would happen!'

It makes me wonder what she expected the results to be. She looks helpless and confused. I take a deep breath and reach for some Kleenex. She takes the tissues from my hand and gets ready to clean up.

"Should I taste it?" she asks. I give a long suffering groan. 

She looks expectantly at me for an answer so I figure I might as well nod. Carmen tentatively licks her forefinger. She seems to mull it over and much to my glee starts sucking her other fingers. I can barely contain myself when she starts licking her arm clean then starts licking my cock, which is valiantly trying to make yet another comeback. Suddenly Carmen giggles. I look at her curiously.

"Now you don't have to rush to the bathroom anymore," she beams at me. I flop back on the bed and sob. It has taken us how many months to get here? Carmen goes back to cleaning me up. I begin realizing how tough going to class is going to be tomorrow. I'll live with being bone-tired if it means making progress with Carmen like this. When I wake up she's kissing me and whispering 'thank you' with this huge grin on her face.

I struggle through the day, but I'm happy. I'm so happy that I almost forget that I've agreed to earn benny points with my Course Councilor by starting to tutor junior classmen in some of the Physical Science classes that I've already passed. She tells me that it will help me when my application for my Master's degree comes up for final review in the spring.

My day goes downhill when I walk into the Library and I see the 'Oh Fuck' look on Ashe's face. For starters, I have to wonder why Ashe is here; she's Pre-Med then I remember the whole thing about her being a good person with people skills and who she actually cares that people learn something in college. I join the circle of about a dozen other tutors.

"Hi Rob," Lindsey says and Ashe give me an 'I told you so' shrug.

"Hey Lindsey, you are a tutor too?" I lamely say. What the hell else would she be doing here?

"Yeah, I'm starting to look to the future and being a tutor helps you get into Master's programs," she grins.

"Who told you that?" I ask.

"You did ... you know ... when we were dating," she smiles. Everyone else finds something else to look at.

"If you need anything, let me know," I stammer. I feel like an idiot, but I claim to be dazzled by her impressive rack.

"I'll do that," she promises. I retreat to Ashe who thankfully shields me. The look on her face is grim and devilish at the same time.

"It gets worse," she tells me. She hands me my list of my students to tutor. The second name hits me: Carmen Santos. I look at her with confusion.




You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 02



"Rob, you have a stalker," Ashe informs me. I shake my head. "Rob, do you think she needs a tutor? You know her; is she smart or stupid?"

"She's sort of smart," I admit.

"She's a stalker, Rob. Save yourself and show that lunatic the door," she commands.

"Robert?" Carmen says pleasantly as she comes up. I note that she's thirty minutes early. That's strange.

"I'm here for extra help. Do you know who my tutor might be for Chemistry?" Carmen asks.

"Ah, it is me," I tell her. Lindsey looks down at her list then over to me. Lindsey walks over beside me and looks at the list in my hands.

"I'll take care of her, Rob. You have two more students than I have," Lindsey says sweetly. The smile vanishes from Carmen's face to be replaced by ill-disguised anger – directed at Lindsey.

"No, I've got this," I say. Carmen does an emotional one-eighty and beams at me so swiftly that my head spins. Oh fuck, I have a stalker!

Carmen stands close to me and waits patiently. When she thinks no one is looking, she puts her forefinger to lips and sucks on it. I groan inwardly. I'm still trying to figure what to do when my other students arrive and I start up the game plan to helping them pass their Finals. Occasionally Ashe and Lindsey shoot me looks. Carmen behaves herself and is surprisingly helpful with another Chemistry student I have. It makes me wonder why she needs a tutor at all.



Carmen snuggles against me, allowing me to wrap my right arm underneath her and the left along her hip. I am at a loss for what to say. She's been quiet the little bit of the night she's been here. As usual she's slipping in while I am asleep and slides in next to me while I am waking up. Tonight I feel her breathing against me. She's awake but her head is nestled underneath my chin so I can't make eye contact.

It takes me a little bit figure out what her mood it. She finally starts kissing my chest and making little circles with her tongue.

"Carmen, can I ask three questions?" I ask. She pauses for a bit.

"Okay," she allows with real affection.

"Carmen, do you need a tutor in Chemistry?" I start.

"No," she says immediately, without hesitation.

"Did you choose me as your tutor?" I ask next.

"Yes," she says a little softer.

"You do know this sounds a little weird, right?" Now that gives her pause.

"I ... please, I feel safe around you," she says in a small voice. I can't help myself; I hug her. She nearly squeezes the air out of me she hugs me so tightly.

"I knew you would understand," she exults quietly into my chest. What the hell am I going to do now?

I'm a guy, it is late, I'm tired and I'm in bed with a highly-unstable woman – I go to sleep. When she wakes me up Carmen tells me she would really like it if we can do something tonight, being Friday. I can feel Ashe slapping me silly for saying 'sure'.

When I get back in the afternoon, Ashe is dressed up waiting on Steve. I am beginning to think Steve is missing most of his classes now he's at home so much. Ashe is a different matter.

"Hey Ashe, what's up?" I greet her. "Is Steve upstairs getting ready for tonight?"

"He is, and where are you taking her tonight?" she responds with wicked smile.

"Who?" I evade.

"Psycho-Carmen, you idiot; I caught sight of her on campus today. Normally she skulks around like some Goth-wannabe. Today she was actually smiling. You either fucked her last night, or you are going out tonight. Since you're evading my question, and are starting to sweat, I think you are going out with her," she smirks triumphantly.

"She is coming over tonight at seven. We are going to hit a few clubs," I give in. Ashe comes up and puts a hand on my shoulder and I stare into her hazel eyes.

"Rob," Ashe sighs, "what part about the girl being insane have you failed to grasp? You can't win this: she's a nut. All she can do is hurt you." Ashe is a really good friend.

I go up and get dressed because right now I don't have a relationship exit plan. I am looking for my good shoes when I realize I've left them in the living room (under a pizza box). I pad down the stairs and hear Carmen's voice.

"I don't appreciate you telling Robert that I'm crazy," Carmen is telling someone.

"Carmen, what are you talking about?" Ashe responds cautiously.

"I heard you call me Psycho-Carmen," she says in a high-strung voice. I have to do something. I have no idea how long Carmen has been in the house. Any second now Ashe will be putting that together too and maybe she'll freak. That can't be good. I climb back up the last stair-step and jump down hard.

"Carmen, did I hear you?" I call out. I do a sox-skid along the hardwood floors in the hall. By the time I see Carmen she's smiling in my direction and she looks radiant and very sexy in her plaid skirt and silky blue blouse. I tell her so. At the same time Ashe looks over Carmen's shoulder at me. She's got that 'Oh fuck' expression on.

"I like your look very much," Carmen tells me.

"Thanks Carmen," I answer then, "Ashe, why don't you see what's keeping Steve?"

"Yes, I'll go do that right now," Ashe hurriedly agrees and eases out of the room. When she's gone I walk up to Carmen and open my arms. 

She steps in and hugs me, putting her ear against my chest and sighing deeply.

"May I?" I request. She looks at me then nods. I weave her into my embrace pull her waist to me. She gets a little tense but put her head back to my chest.

"Are you okay?" I ask. 

She thinks about it then nods. I pick her up by the waist and take her feet off the ground. Carmen gasps and becomes stiff as a board. I hold her there. She slowly unwinds then she starts making a little gargled noise. It takes me a second to realize what she's doing. She's giggling.

"I never thought I would feel this way," she tells me, "about anyone or myself." She kicks her feet in joy.

Somehow I'm trying to reconcile my actions with my intentions, but I can't. I put her down.

"Carmen, have you been here long?" I ask.

"Not too long. I have to admit I'm looking forward to going out with you again; really looking forward to it," she emphasizes to me. It is more social desire than sexual. She's still keeping a tight rein on our sex life.

I'm also doing a little strategic thinking. Her dorm is a mile and a half away. She has a runner's body and regularly runs to my place and back to hers I'm willing to bet. I'm in good shape, but I make the walk to campus because parking is never reliable. Even if we get free at the same time, she could get here before me and I've never found out how she is sneaking in. I am so totally screwed.

"You realize that a bunch of other guys will want to dance with you," I suggest. 

"No!" she insists, "I only want to be with you. Don't let them take me away," she pleads.

"Then you have to accept the fact that I like to hold my dates close when I dance," I assure her.

"I can deal with that," she sighs. "You are the one." And the alarm bells go off in my head.

"What do you mean by 'the one? It is the first you've said that." I ask.

"I want you to be the one who takes me – the first time," she begs with so much honesty and need. I know this is where I show her the door and end this relationship.

"When you are ready," I say instead. She melts into me.

"I knew you would understand," she murmurs. I wish I understood her.

"Carmen, do you think we will ever be a normal couple?" I question.

"What do you mean Robert? Aren't you happy with me?" she whispers.

"Of course I'm happy; it is just that ..." I trail off. How can I tell her that she needs to sneak up on me every night?

"I would never, ever hurt you," Carmen insists fiercely out of the blue. I'm not sure what to say.

"What would you do if we could no longer be together?" I whisper fearfully. Carmen digs her fingers in painfully.

"I would die," is her piteous reply. I notice she's holding her breath.

"I guess it is lucky we found one another then," I tell her while stroking her back.

"I found you and I'm never letting anyone take you from me," she sighs happily. We hear footfalls coming down the stairs. I turned so that I was side by side with Carmen. I kept my arm around her waist.

"Hey, your little psycho is here," Steve teases. Carmen trembled slightly.

"Don't be a dick," chides Ashe. She did eye both Carmen and I warily, but I think for different reasons.

"Carmen, this is Steve's way of saying you look smoking hot," I assure her.

"That's right Carmen. How about you convince Rob here to stay at home and we can have a four-way," he laughs. Ashe smacks him on the shoulder. Carmen shrinks up against me and I can visualize the look of horror on her face. I tackle the problem head on.

"Carmen and I haven't had sex yet. She's a virgin," I say evenly. Carmen trembles.

"Damn! (Slap by Ashe) Ow," Steve snickers. "I'm just saying that after all that noise he made with Lindsey I can't imagine Rob going blue-balls for so long."

"I think that's nice," Ashe smiles. "It helps explain Rob's attitude of ... devotion."

"Thank you," Carmen responds softly. "Maybe I've been wrong about you." I get the feeling that Ashe is dodging a bullet. 

"Let's go out," Steve declares, "I want to get Carmen on the dance floor and slap that sweet ass." I groan.

"We are going out with them?" Ashe and Carmen say at the same time.

"I didn't think so," I say.

"Sure we are," grins Steve. "We can take turns buying Carmen drinks. We'll get her legs spread (Smack!) Ow! ... before the nights over. Stop hitting me Ashe."

"Robert?" Carmen says in a trembling voice. Ashe steps forward and Carmen presses against me.

"Robert will look after you," Ashe insists. "I'll keep an eye on you too."

"I have you Carmen. Do you trust me?" I ask.

"Yes, I trust you; I trust you; I really do," she says as much to convince herself as me.

"Then you have to know that I won't let anything bad happen to you," I conclude. Carmen looks up at me and there is a burning light in these deep, dark brown eyes.

"Then you know I'll never let anyone hurt you," I promise.

"I'll never let anyone hurt you either. I'll make sure of it," she promises as well.

"Well, that's lovely," Steve chuckles, "but I'm thirsty. Let's roll."

"Steve, how about we hit a restaurant first. It isn't even seven yet," I counter.

"Dinner sounds good," Ashe agrees. "Carmen?"

"I would like to go out to eat very much," Carmen tells us. I start moving her to the door.

"I'll drive," Steve announces, "but that means I choose the place." Ashe brushes against me as I head out the door. She gives me a worried look.



You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 03



*Being insane isn't the problem; acting insane is*

Carmen and I are out on the back patio grabbing some fresh air. I'm pretty sure she's not having a good time, but she's toughing it out for me.

"What is your relationship with Ashe?" Carmen asks as she looks down over the river that runs beneath us.

"Only if you promise to tell me something about yourself when I do," I say. The weather is cold, but the heat of the dance club, even on the second level, is keeping us comfortable outside. Carmen nods and I put an arm around her shoulder and pull her close. She tenses slightly, but then curls in next to me.

"Ashe and I went through Orientation together. We hit it off right away. When we got to that part of the lecture when they said less than half of us would make it through, we pledged to help on another be in that top half. When the first semester rolled around, Steve was my dorm mate and Ashe came around and looked me up. We've been palling around ever since."

"Have the two of you ..." searches Carmen.

"No, you have to tell me something about yourself now," I chide her. She takes a deep breath.

"I was raised by my grandparents. My father was never in the picture, and I didn't spend much time with my mom. She didn't like to stay in one place too long," she tells me.

"When Ashe first came to school she had a boyfriend going to State. About half way through the semester she found out through a mutual friend that he was cheating on her. I had access to a car, and she wanted to confront him, so Ashe, Steve and I go on a road trip over the weekend. There is a fight, we all end up in jail overnight, and there are all kinds of trouble," I respond.

"But did you ..." she tries again.

"Your turn," I insist.

"When I was ten," Carmen sighs, "I went to live with my mother. She was not in a good place and she had boyfriends ... and I was sent home when I was twelve." I don't know what to make of that.

"When we got back to school, there were all kinds of academic problems for the three of us, but we pulled through. Steve and Ashe became close. I guess she felt she needed someone and Steve was easy to like. Ashe and I decided to be good friends, even after she dumped Steve. We've never even kissed ... though we have woken up hung over together twice, all our clothes were on," I joke. "Ashe looks out for me -- that's it."

"She loves you, you know," Carmen says as she looks into my eyes. It is eerie and vulnerable at the same time.

"No way; Ashe is one of my closest friends. We wouldn't screw that up by ever sleeping together. What makes you think she's in love with me?" I inquire playfully.

"I've seen the way she looks at you when you aren't looking," Carmen insists.

"Well, that's bad news for her," I reply.

"Why?" Carmen wonders.

"Because I have you, dummy," I tease. I can't describe the look that comes over Carmen's face; it is such a mishmash of hopes, insecurities and fears.

"Please never leave me," she says as she presses her head against my chest. "Promise me you will never leave me. If you do, I'll never find you again." I stroke my stalker girlfriend's hair. Some wild part of me wants to say 'we should see other people' and another wants to make for the Men's room and never look back.

"Whatever you want Kid," I tell her instead.

"I ... I think I'm ready," she whispers over the sounds of music.

"Ready ... for what ... oh that ... listen Carmen, normally I'm all for giving a girl some booze, taking her out to a place where she gets all hot and sweaty and then having my way with her, but I think this would be a mistake for us," I stammer. I can't believe I just said that.

"You don't want to," she looks up at me. She's soaking me in with those eyes and I think she's about to cry when she hugs me tightly and declares, "I love you so much!" Clearly my mind is still reeling from saying no to sex with such a hot girl because normally the 'L' word sends me running for the door. I'm twenty-one for Christ's sake. I'm too young for love. Still, I'm thinking I'm safe until the next sentence. 

"Why did you stay away from Lindsey? I know she can do things for you that I can't. I know she wants to do things to you too," Carmen says in a soft yet intense voice. How in the hell do I safely respond to that?

"Lindsey is out of the picture now. Sure the sex was good," I was going to say great, "but she wasn't faithful. It is hard to regain trust, ya know?"

"Oh, I know all about betrayal," Carmen informs me, "but Lindsey hasn't learned that her betrayal means she's not getting you back. It really makes me angry when she brushes up against you the way she does. She's no good for you."

"Don't worry about Lindsey," I say nervously. "I'll take care of it."

"Leave her to me," Carmen insists and I suddenly see the shoe on the other foot.

"No," I counter, "I said I'll take care of Lindsey and I will. Trust me."

"I trust you, but I don't trust her," she responds.

"I can handle Lindsey," I state clearly.

"That's what I'm worried about," she whispers.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing," she replies.

"Let's go back inside and dance some more," I suggest. "It will get our minds off of other things."

"Okay," Carmen says meekly. Together we lose ourselves in the crowd for the rest of the night.

"I tell you, I found something important," Ashe is telling me the next morning.

"What is it this time? Has Carmen been littering?" I joke

"Well, no," she grins, but I found something weird," she answers. I try to look mildly intrigued. "There was a multiple murder in town six years ago."

"Three guys broke into a house and grievously injured the owner before turning on one another, or so the story goes," Ashe continues. "There was only one person unaccounted for in the crime -- Christina Santos. She was a petty thief who wrangled a job as a housekeeper for the old lady who owned the house."

"Santos is a common name," I respond.

"Christina had a daughter who would be around eighteen now," Ashe informs me, "and the house the crime took place in -- is the house you are living in now. I tell you, Carmen used to live in your house. Isn't that weird?"

I'm imagining a ten year old kid sneaking around an old Victorian mansion. It dawns on me that it's always been a place to crash or holds parties. I've never actually gone looking around the old house. Then again, I'm not a bored, lonely ten-year old likely had no friends.

"Rob, you lived at Steve's grandmother's place when you first met Carmen. She may have known you lived their already. Dude, none of this is chance. You lived in her house, you were in her Orientation class, and she goes to meet you at your twenty-first birthday party. Please tell me you are officially weirded out," Ashe pleads.

"Ashe ... she thinks you are in love with me," I tell her. I look at Ashe expecting her to laugh. She doesn't. She looks shocked instead. Oh crap; what do I do now? "Ashe, if she thinks you love me, you might be in danger. I've told her she's got nothing to worry about but you may want to tread lightly. Remember what she did to Lindsey at the party."

"How can I forget?" she chuckles weakly.

"Well, I've never seen her be violent since then," I smile.

"There is one thing I do want to know about that," Ashe muses.

"What?"

"Whatever happened to that guy that molested her at your party?" Ashe asks. I have no good answer to that.

"Mmmm," I moan as Carmen softly suckles at my nipple. I'm beginning to see why women love this stuff. Carmen is naked against me, her leg tossed across my body as I'm lying on my back.

"Carmen Honey can I ask you a few questions?" I whisper. She thinks it over for nearly a minute.

"Yes Robert," she sighs.

"Did you used to live in this house," I cringe as I ask. She waits a while.

"Yes. It is Ashe, isn't it?" she questions.

"She's worried about me -- us. I think she feels that if we have things out in the open, we'll be stronger for it," I explain. Carmen looks up at me, studying my expression. She wiggles up and kisses me.

"You are a good friend to her," she points out.

"I hope I'm a better friend to you," I answer.

"If I ... if I wasn't around, would you be ... sleep with her," she asks.

"I don't like thinking about you not being around," I respond. She rubs her hands over my chest.

"I love you so much," she moans.

"Carmen?"

"Mmmm?"

"What happened here when you were twelve?" I ask.

"Please don't ask this of me," she replies with such vulnerability.

"You know you can trust me," I try to reason with her.

"Do you trust me?" she throws it back in my face.

"Promise me one day you'll tell me," I request of her.

"If you tell me that you love me, maybe ..." she whispers.

"I ... Carmen, that is a big step for me; I've never told a girl that I've loved her before," I confess.

"Oh ..." she hugs me again, which is a sensation I'm really getting used to, "I'm so sorry I doubted you. I should never ever do that. Have I hurt you?"

"Yes," I tell her. She looks up confused and upset, "but if you give me a kiss I'll forget about it." Carmen crawls up like a graceful jungle cat and poises herself over me, a faint smile on her lips. She lowers her head and gives me a kiss that goes on and on and on.

"Rob, this is Lindsey," I hear over the phone.

"Hey Lindsey," I respond cautiously.

"I don't mean to be a pain, but I don't know very many people who have a car and I'm in somewhat of a bind," she tells me. "Rob, can you pick me up at the hospital?"

"Ah ... well, sure. What the hell happened?" I ask.

"I tripped in front of a car, silly me," she gushes.

"Really?"

"Yes, I was rushing across the crossing and I got tripped up and a car hit me. I probably look like a mess," she confesses.

"Oh, damn. I'll be there as soon as possible. So I need anything special?" I inquire.

"Just yourself," she hints. Oh hell. I tell Steve where I'm going and he laughs his ass off. I ask him to come along, but he makes some crack about three being a crowd. He does promise to tell psycho-Carmen where I'm going to. I strongly advise against it.

When I get to the Emergency Room it takes me about a minute to get Lindsey. They roll her out in a wheelchair, but I'm able to hobble-carry her to the car. After so long without real sex, Lindsey is intoxicating. It doesn't help that she keeps looking over at me with doe-eyes, her clothes are torn up in all the wrong places.

Back at her apartment it dawns on me that she's on the second floor. I look at Lindsey and she does her best to look totally pathetic and in pain. I groan, go over and pick her up. At the midpoint landing she decides to kiss me on the neck.

"I'm seeing Carmen Lindsey," I inform her with as much will as I can.

"I know," she says in a way that tells me she doesn't really believe me. I put her down in front of her door. She fumbles with her keys.

"Please," she begs. I know I'm on the gateway to Hell, but I unlock her door for her and help her over to her sofa inside.

"Can you help me with a few things; my roommates gone all weekend ... all weekend," Lindsey hints.

"Like what?" I gulp.

"Can you help me change? My clothes are a mess. Also, could you come by and check on me tomorrow, I'll be all alone here," she smiles coyly.

"Seriously? You want me to take your clothes off? Carmen would kill me," I declare.

"You've seen me naked plenty of times," she grins lasciviously. "I promise not to bite."

"How about I get you some clothes from your room and you dress yourself because I have to get gone. Carmen is waiting," which wasn't a total lie.

"Robert what can she give you that I can't?" she asks.

"She's devoted to me and she'd never cheat on me," I explain.

"Rob, how many times do I have to tell you I'm sorry? I'm sorry I did as stupid thing but you are the best man I've ever met. You were always good to me ... and the sex was great," she smiles. "The sex was great, wasn't it?" What can I say; it was fantastic.

"It was great Lindsey, but ... how about I come by tomorrow?" I evade. I want to fuck Lindsey so badly my whole body aches. I have to find a way to find sneak past Carmen and spend the whole day here. I have a plan. Carmen doesn't need to know.

"Tomorrow would be great," is Lindsey's sensual reply, so full of promise. I get up, bring her a fresh set of clothes, give her a light kiss good-bye and head out the door.

"Steve has Carmen shown up yet," I call out as I get home. Ashe responds instead.

"She's called, but I haven't seen her," she says. I bound up the stairs. I'm going to pull this off and I'm telling myself how this will make my relationship with Carmen stronger because all that 'sex stuff' will be out of my mind. Carmen is waiting in my room, very unhappy.

"You were with Lindsey," she states evenly. I contemplate denying everything but she pierces me with those limpid pools of earthen fury.

"Yes ... she was in an accident and her roommate was gone so she needed a ride to her place," I blurt out.

"You were in her place alone," she tells me softly. I nod. "Did you ..."

"Oh no," I partially lie. "I kissed her goodbye. That was it. Don't be angry." Carmen walks up and cups the side of my jaw and smiles.

"I'm not angry with you, Robert, but Lindsey should know better by now," she says in an eerily loving voice.

"Tell you what," I blather, "I'm going back there tomorrow and ..."

"You are going back tomorrow?" she stammers with uncertainty.

"Yes, but you can come with me," I try to comfort her.

"I'd like that very much. Lindsey and I should talk," she grins in a serious flip-flop of emotions.

"I'll pick up around eleven thirty," I offer. Carmen seems hesitant.

"Can I spend the night ... I mean ..." she asks softly.

"Hey, why don't we have you move some clothes over so you don't have to run home every morning?" I suggest. Carmen nods happily.

Carmen and I go downstairs together. We catch Steve in front of the TV previewing Pay-per-View sites. Ashe is on the phone.

"I've ordered three pizzas," she informs us, "Meat-Lovers, Cheese, and Pepperoni. Anyone want to tag along?"

"Sure," I respond. "Carmen?"

"No," she smiles, "I'll stay here." I give her a kiss on the cheek and head out the door. I'm barely out the door before Ashe lays into me.

"Lindsey tripped into the path of a car? Isn't that a bit suspicious?"

"Give it a rest," I laugh. "Carmen's cool. She wouldn't really hurt anyone."

"I hope so," Ashe worries. The rest of the drive is filled with discussions of school stuff. We are both doing well, which is no surprise concerning Ashe but a pleasant turn of events for me. I have to do really well to get where I'm going.

We are nearly home when we realize something is wrong. Maybe it is the flashing lights, or the police car, or the paramedics, but I'm thinking that something strange has happened at my home.

"Steve," Ashe calls out as she stops the car and piles out. I'm right behind her. If something has happened to Carmen I'll feel like a total shit for even thinking about cheating on her.

"We live here," I tell the policeman at the door. I show him my ID as proof which is good enough to get me and Ashe inside. A paramedic is in the living room with Steve who looks like someone tossed him in a sack with a wolverine. Ashe runs to him.

"Carmen!" I shout.

"Robert!" I hear from the kitchen. I head there at a run. A policeman is there along with a paramedic. Carmen has blood all over her and looks banged up. She bolts into my arms and I hold her tight. I look to the two civil servants.

"What happened?"

"We are still trying to figure that out," the cop tells me. "When we got here the guy was cut up on the sofa and the girl was cowering here in the kitchen with a steak knife. She gave up the knife without a problem, but we haven't been able to get much out of her.

"Carmen, what happened?" I ask authoritatively. She looks up with that fear I thought I'd vanquished.

"Steve touched me," she whispers. Oh fuck.

"Where did you touch you Carmen?" I persist. Instead of saying, she reaches up and cups each breast. Oh damn.

"So this boy molested you?" the cop asks. I have to do something.

"Not on purpose," I explain to the cop. "Steve is a bit of a dick. He was screwing around and didn't mean anything. Carmen doesn't like to be touched and he knows that."

"Listen, your girlfriend took a steak knife to someone," the cop growls.

"Let me talk to my buddy. He won't press charges," I beg. The cop gives me the nod and I head back to see Steve and Ashe. I kneel by Steve who has multiple wounds on his forearms and hands.

"Bro, tell me what happened with Carmen," I start.

"The bitch is crazy," he hisses through the pain. "She went nutso on me."

"Steve, did you grab her?" I ask. Ashe looks at Steve hard.

"Steve, tell me you didn't sneak up on Carmen and touch her," Ashe growls.

"Guys, I asked her to go get us some beers and she was taking forever so I went in to see what the problem was. She couldn't get the tops off, the dumb bitch, so I reached around and helped her. Then she went berserk," Steve explains.

"Carmen says you grabbed her breasts," I state evenly. Ashe looks furious.

"Fine," Steve admits, "when I reached around I ... may have touched her breasts. What's the big deal?"

"Idiot!" shouts Ashe as she leaps up. She storms off to the kitchen.

"Bro, I don't get to touch her breasts and I've been with her for months. She's not like any girl you've ever known. You can't treat her like that," I snap.

"No kidding; the bitch damn near killed me. I'm luck she was so short. I was able to pop her and get to the phone," Steven informs me. I slowly stand up.

"Steve, you hit Carmen?" I say with barely controlled rage. "You are lucky I don't bust you through the floor. You will not press charges and if you talk to me before Monday I'll kick your teeth in. Do we understand each other?" Steve looks stunned.

I cradle Carmen until the cops and paramedics leave. Ashe takes Steve to the hospital for some shots. She has me wait outside the door while she showers off the blood and I give her some of my old gym clothes when she gets out. She looks like some skeletal orphan girl; my stuff is so big on her.

When Ashe gets back she tucks Steve in the knocks on our door. I answer it. Ashe volunteers to go to Carmen's place and pack her clothes for the weekend. She leaves the bag at the door while Carmen and I snuggle on the bed.

"I ... screwed up really bad Robert. I'm so sorry," she suddenly blurts out right as I'm nodding off. We are both clothed right now. I dare not stress her.

"Why are you so nice to me?" she whispers. I can't answer until, "Please talk with me."

"I'm selfish," I reply.

"Huh?" she questions.

"I wouldn't know what to do without you -- I'm selfish," I respond.

"Oh ... please keep being selfish," she sighs.

Carmen, can I ask something really special of you?" I ask. She waits a while before replying.

"Yes."

"Can I touch your breasts?" I say softly.

"Why?" she responds barely above a whisper.

"I don't want to lose ground with you. I don't want you drifting away," I confess.

"What if I say no?" she replies.

"Then I wait. I think you know by now I'm a pretty patient guy," I grin over to her.

"Then you can touch me," she whispers. She trembles as she says it.

"Are you sure?" I ask. She makes a tiny nod of the head. I push myself down her body until my eyes are even with her chest. 

I make short measured moves as I pull up my baggy sweatshirt that buries her shape. As her flat stomach becomes visible I start planting kisses on her. She shivers so I wait between tugs and kisses. When I get to the bottom of her breasts, I hesitate.

"Are you sure?" Again she gives me that tiny nod.




You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 03



I kiss the small mounds of her breasts, first one side then the other right at their base. Her breathing increases. I tug up the sweatshirt until I'm right at the line of her nipples. Her hands snap down on the hem and hold tight. She is panting heavily and I'm worried I've gone too far too fast. I keep kissing her stomach and lower breasts, but I don't press it.

She says something but I can't make out what it is.

"Carmen?" I say.

"I like the feel of you," she repeats. "I like it a lot."

"I'll stop," I offer.

"No ... I want to do this, but I'm afraid," she tells me. I go back to kissing the base of her breasts. She moans and slowly raises the bottom of the shirt over the top of her breasts. I lightly kiss and lick each nipple then I pull the shirt back down. She looks down at me, her face lights up, and she scoots down. Her hands wrap around me and she gives me her trademark hug.

"I love you so much!"

I don't know why this woman makes me so crazy. I think she's getting to me. Like the fact that I know that she doesn't want me to say anything else. It will break the spell she's woven over the moment, where she's won back that little piece of herself that Steve threatened to shake loose.

It is for the same reason I don't press my hold on her. I'd love to stroke her body, from mid-thigh to her womanhood, across her stomach and to her breasts. With a dozen other girls I wouldn't even ask; with her I'm almost afraid to ask for anything she hasn't offered first. We fall back into the game: her game.

I've taught her all kinds of things, but I haven't been immune. I'm a lot more patient than I ever thought I could be. I've never appreciated the value of a touch, or a kiss until she showed me how much it could be. I don't know if I love her, but I now actually give thought to what the word means and what it means when you say it. It is fucked up.

Now I have to think about Carmen, and Lindsey ... and Ashe. With Carmen I would have screwed Lindsey and tossed her away. I would have never thought of Ashe as anything else but a buddy. I was all the cup size and how hard her ass was, because I know I've fucked a dozen women lusher than Carmen who were twice as sane. Is it really so weird that I don't even miss them?

Carmen stirs against me and I think she's about to say something. She isn't. She's dreaming and it is the first time I can remember that. I wish I knew if this is a good thing or a bad thing.



You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 04



*When it comes down to it can two people be too much in love?* 

I have Carmen in front of me as I ring Lindsey's door. I've promised not to be long. I've promised to call every fifteen minutes and finally I've promised to not go, but Carmen insists that we go together. I have a bad feeling about the whole thing. When Lindsey answers the door, I know I am right to feel this way.

I know that bra. I'd been with her when she bought it. She'd loved the design and feel of it, even though it was a size to small and made her big tits look like they were going to spring free at any minute. It is white like the high cut panties she has on ... and nothing else. She finds herself looking down at Carmen then up at me.

"Hello Carmen ... Rob," she says as she hobbles aside. She looks sexy even banged up with bandages on. I'm not sure what Carmen thinks of the whole thing.

"Hey Lindsey; Carmen was worried about you and wanted to come along," I tell her in my most convincing manner.

"Of course she did," Lindsey answers evenly. "Well come on in." I start to watch Lindsey's backside jiggle away when Carmen goes to her side and puts an arm around her.

"Let me help you," Carmen says. Lindsey looks over to me. I rush to her other side and the three of us maneuver to the sofa. There is a pregnant pause.

"Are you in much pain?" Carmen asks.

"A lot; moving kind of sucks. I'm sore all over," Lindsey tell us.

"I find that ice cream helps with sore muscles," Carmen suggests. "Lindsey, do you have any ice cream?"

"Ah, no; I normally like yogurt," Lindsey informs her.

"Robert, why don't you go out and get us some ice cream," Carmen says calmly. I remember the look on Carmen's face the first time she met Lindsey. She's been normal since then, but after last night I'm totally leery of walking out and leaving them alone.

"Go on," Lindsey tells me, "You know what I like. Carmen and I can talk."

"Are you sure?" I ask.

"Yes," they both say. I resign myself to prayer, give Carmen a kiss on the top of her head and head out of the door.

Only at the local convenience store do I realize that I don't know what Carmen likes so I opt for Chocolate and Vanilla plus the Mint Chocolate Chip that Lindsey likes. I break speed records getting back. I'm more than a little relieved that there aren't police outside. I'm sure Lindsey's screams for help would have been heard.

Carmen answers with a slight smile on her face. I move in with her and find Lindsey lying face first on the sofa, her eyes shut. My heart starts to hammer even louder in my chest then Lindsey moans.

"Hey Rob. Carmen's giving me a backrub. She's got the best fingers. If Material Science doesn't work you she's got a career in Sports Medicine in the bag."

Carmen goes over, kneels beside Carmen and starts massaging her lower back.

"I ... I'll put the ice cream in the frig. Carmen, I wasn't sure what you wanted so I got Chocolate and Vanilla. I got Lindsey Mint Chocolate Chip."

"Get me a bowl," Lindsey murmurs.

"I'd like some chocolate," Carmen grins to me. I head off to fulfill my duties. When I get back I see that Carmen is right at the crest of Lindsey's ass.

"Can I help," I offer.

"You can feed me," grins Lindsey. I sit down next to Lindsey and hand Carmen her bowl. Carmen takes hers and rests it on Lindsey's butt.

As I feed Lindsey her first spoonful, she looks over her shoulder, winces and says,

"Hey, that's cold."

"Sorry," responds Carmen. She picks up the bowl with one hand and massages the cold spot on Lindsey's ass with the other. Lindsey gives me a confused look. I feed her another scoop.

As we are finishing the cold treat, Carmen rubs Lindsey's thigh.

"Lindsey, do you want to go out, maybe to a movie?" Carmen suggested.

"I ... well sure, but Rob will have to carry me," Lindsey points out.

"We can all work together," I offer.

"Here, let me help Lindsey get dressed," Carmen says evenly. Her lack of emotion his beginning to seriously worry me; Carmen is a very passionate woman.

"Thank you," Lindsey answers sweetly. I'm starting to think that Ashe has gotten into my mind as I help Lindsey into her room with Carmen's help. Lindsey makes all kinds of protestations but I feel her leaning into me as I help her sit down. 

Carmen shoos me from the room and shuts the door. I'm heading back to the living room when I recall a feature of Lindsey's place; Lindsey's bedroom and the bathroom share the same air duct. I head to the bathroom.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I hear Lindsey say.

"Robert likes you," Carmen states, "so I've decided to try and like you as well."

"That's ... strange. You have pretty much hated me since we first met," Lindsey points out.

"You aren't going to leave Robert alone, are you?" Carmen says softly.

"I ... I like Rob. We are good for one another. Before he met you I was sure we would get back together," Lindsey tells her.

"I want Robert to be happy," Carmen states. "I think I make him happy."

"He's really great in the sack, isn't he?" Lindsey responds. I feel like a real man -- in retrospect, a really stupid man.

"Robert and I have a very intense relationship. I would do anything for him," Carmen answers.

"Oh, I understand ...Ow ... sorry ... the bra is tricky; I remember the first time we did anal ... Ow!" Lindsey reveals.

"I apologize; I'll try and be more careful. I meant that Robert and I have a very special relationship. I love him and he loves me," Carmen says intensely.

"Um ... does Rob know you feel this way?" Lindsey says cautiously.

"He knows I love him and while he has yet to say he loves me, I know he does," Carmen replies.

"You do realize we almost had sex yesterday, right?" Lindsey expands on the truth.

"I completely trust Robert. He would never hurt me," says Carmen. I really was a sexual impulse away from Hell.

"I trust Rob too. Too bad he doesn't trust me. He will though," Lindsey declares.

"Lindsey, I want us to be friends. Can we agree that Robert should decide who he wants to be with without resorting to these games?" Carmen asks.

"What? What do you mean?" Lindsey sounds confused.

"I promise to not sleep with Robert if you do the same," Carmen suggests. I try not to laugh because they would hear me, but I have to almost admire Carmen's trick. It is going to cost me though.

"How do I know you will keep your word?" Lindsey says suspiciously.

"Don't you trust Robert?" 

"Yes, I guess I do, but how do we ask him without getting him angry?" Lindsey questions.

"Let me take care of that," Carmen promises.

"This I've got to see," Lindsey must be grinning. "Ooohhh ... that feels good. You have really nice hands. Did you pick that trick up with Rob?"

"I love it when Robert touches me, but you are the first girl I've ever touched," Carmen admits. I'm thinking of any excuse that could allow me to walk into Lindsey's bedroom right now just so I can figure out who it touching what.

"Thanks Carmen. I have to admit I sort of thought you were insane after the way we first met then how you showed up for the tutorials," Lindsey says.

"I love Robert. There is nothing I wouldn't do to be with him, even if that means being friends with you," Carmen confesses.

"Thanks, I think. Now let's go see how he likes my cut-offs," Lindsey laughed.

"Aren't you going to be cold?" Carmen observed.

"Hey, you said 'no sex'; you didn't say anything about looking sexy. Besides, I'm the one covered in bruises and abrasions. You can afford to look good in your skinny jeans. I think we've both gone for the tight t-shirt look going on."

"Your breasts are larger than mine," Carmen notes.

"Does Rob like yours?" Lindsey allows herself to be generous.

"I like his kisses," Carmen evades.

"Please don't remind me," Lindsey giggles.

"Let's get out to him," Carmen sighs. I sneak off to the living room before Carmen gets Lindsey out of the bedroom.

"Can I help?" I call out.

"I've got her," answers Carmen.

"Sure," says Lindsey. I decide to meet them halfway down the hall. I hook my arm around Lindsey's waist but tickle Carmen's side with my fingers. I see her look over Lindsey's breasts and smile at me.

"What movie are we going to see?" asks Lindsey. Carmen names off a few flicks, none of which I'm thrilled to go see, but one of which they both want to see. As we are heading down to the car Carmen coughs nervously and asks me,

"Robert, Lindsey wants to see you again. I've told her it is okay." I'm glad I know that Carmen's laid a trap for me.

"Nope," I tell them both. "Lindsey, I think we can be friends, but Carmen's the only woman for me."

"Rob ... Me ..." Lindsey says as she looks at me with hurt in her eyes, "I'd like to give us another shot. Carmen's told me she understands if we want to hang out -- no sex of course."

"For either of us," Carmen adds. "Until you decide, I can wait."

"Okay," I stop them, "let's go back upstairs and have sex right now, the three of us. Then I could tell who I like the best and we can move on from there."

Carmen has the deer-in-the-headlights look. Lindsey looks shocked then smiles.

"Rob, you are so full of shit," Lindsey chuckles then winces, "Carmen, he must have been listening in on us."

"What?" Carmen questions.

"The air vent the bathroom leads to my room and you can listen in from there," Lindsey confesses.

"You ... you listened in on us," Carmen gasps. "Why?"

"After last night, I've been worried about you," I respond.

"Oh," Carmen smiles.

"What happened last night?" Lindsey asks.

"Let me say that it was bad. Steve was Steve in the worst way and I'm not talking to him for a while, if ever again. He hurt Carmen, so she spent the night with me -- all night," I emphasize.

"Carmen, I understand. When Steve grabbed me I put a knee in his nuts. What did you do to him?" Lindsey inquires.

"Wait? Steve groped you too? Why didn't you ever tell me?" I wonder.

"Steve's your best friend, and I was afraid you would believe him over me," Lindsey states. "I'm glad Carmen put him in his place." Carmen scoots around and grabs me.

"Thank you for believing me," she mumbles. 

"Can we get to the car before I fall down the stairs," Lindsey jokes painfully. Gratefully she neglects to ask exactly what she did to Steve. Carmen and I resume our positions around Lindsey and get her to the car. It is freaking weird to hear Lindsey and Carmen talking like normal friends for the rest of the afternoon. Carmen doesn't even freak out when Lindsey give me a kiss on the cheek when we leave for home.

 "I am glad you and Lindsey have buried the hatchet," I tell Carmen as we ride home.

"I would do anything to make you happy Robert. If you want me to be her friend I'll do it. I don't like the fact that she wants to cheat with you but until you get her out of your system I'm willing to put up with her."

I find that statement to be chilling. I thought she liked Lindsey. I believe Lindsey thinks Carmen likes her. How could we be so wrong? I'm not sure what happens next.

"Carmen, I thought about cheating on you with Lindsey," I tell her.

"I know and I forgive you," she smiles and puts a hand on my own.

"Carmen ... how did you know?" I question.

"You're a man, Robert, and you make mistakes. I love you and you've never abandoned me and I'll never abandon you. As I keep telling you, I've found you and I'm never going to let you go."

And right when I thought I was making progress toward normalcy this happens. I don't say anything for the longest time.

"Carmen, what would have done had I been serious about having sex with me then and there?" I inquire.

"I would have given myself to you, of course. I'm yours Robert," she expresses to me with those deep brown eyes of hers. Nice and frightening at the same time.

"Well I'm sure our first time won't involve another person," I assure her.

"I would like to be alone with you too," she tells me. "Can we spend some time alone when we get home?" By home I take it she means my place. Hell I don't often think of my room as home.

"I'd be happy to."

When we get back to the house I go past Steve in the living room without comment and he had the good sense to keep quiet. There is no sign of Ashe. I get into the room and am putting on a comfortable battered old sweat shirt when I turn around and see Carmen stripping down. Our eyes meet when she is finally naked and she slowly slips into bed.

This is freaking weird because I'm always on the inside. If I get in now Carmen will be up against the wall. I've never cornered her before. I move over to the bed and start to climb in.

"No please, I'd like you to be naked as well," she requests in a tiny voice. I can only nod and do as she requests.

I slide into bed and lie there unmoving. Carmen rests a tentative hand on my chest, slowly moving it around and up and down. She moves over and rests her head on my shoulder.

"Please talk to me for a while," she requests.

"Do you want me to hold you?" I ask.

"I would like that very much," she whispers. I snuggle in and wrap an arm around her. She drapes her leg over mine and she places a hand gently down and strokes my cock, making small murmurs as I harden in her grasp. She places suckling kisses on my chest going from my shoulder to my lowest rib. 

I'm about to say something when she "Ssshhh" me. We stay like this for a torturously long time. I suddenly feel a new sensation, a dampness where her womanhood is brushing against my hip. I squeeze her harder against me. Carmen starts trembling so let up. She still has tremors but I'm thinking they are for a different reason. Carmen starts lowering her kisses down my body.

When she passes my belly button I figure out where she's heading and it is all I can do to not explode from the mere knowledge. When she gets down to my cockhead she licks it once then looks up, her face partially obscured by her long black hair. I groan which only makes her grin wider. Her licks become kisses and the kisses become a full lip-lock over my head.

Carmen clearly is unsure of what she's doing. I have little doubt she's never given head before, but I can tell she's trying to be careful with such a sensitive part of my anatomy. In a way I think she wants to ask me if it is good, but she wants to keep with our game as well. She judges her actions by the reactions that play out on my face.

Soon enough I'm tapping on my chest rapidly. She nods her understanding and takes a little more of me into her. There is no sucking me like a fire hose, or deep throating me here. Carmen is in unknown territory but I don't think either one of us care. My orgasm hits and it takes more control than I thought I possessed to not drive her head farther down my penis.

Carmen chokes and sputters. Her head bobs back and I shot a few strands over her nose, mouth and my own stomach making a sticky mess. Some of her hair falls into the goo while she struggles to breathe properly. She looks at me, clearly worried.

"I ... didn't know," she coughs. All I can do is smile and nod.

"I ... oh yes," she giggles quietly. I reach down and point to her hair. She touches it and pulls off some semen. Carmen sighs, wedges her fingers together and pulls some off. She licks her fingers, grins at me again and starts running her tongue over the mess I've made on my stomach. I think she's spending a little too much time down there so I tap my stomach next to her head.

Carmen looks at me and I beckon her to come up. She gets on all fours and approaches me for a kiss, but I instead lick her nose. Carmen is confused for a moment then gives me this weird, pleasantly surprised look. She lets me clean up the rest of her face with her eyes closed.

"Do you ever do this with Lindsey?" she asks with those dark innocent eyes. 

Since Lindsey can take most of me in, and can swallow like a champ, I have to shake my head negatively. Carmen sees this as a good thing. I have her curled up in my lap, member hardening, and her nestling in for a nap. I pull the edged of the blanket up over us and together we drift off to sleep for a bit.

"Guys," Ashe says after a quick knock, "are you two decent?" Carmen shifts on me uncertainly, gives me a quick look and resolves to peek over the covers.

I throw a shoe at the door. Ashe opens it and leers at us.

"I've made sure Steve has some food, but I wanted to know if you two wanted to go out with me."

I look down at Carmen. There is an awkward silence into which she sighs and places her head on my chest.

"We'd be happy to go with you," Carmen purrs. "Let us get dressed." The look Ashe gives me the moment Carmen swings out of bed and reaches for her clothes is one of concern and confusion.

"Carmen, you have ... something in your hair," Ashe tells her. Carmen puts a hand to her hair, looks very pleased yet guilty.

"I'll be right back," she grins. She makes a show of coming over and kissing me on the lips before running off to the upstairs bathroom.

"Care to explain that?" Ashe questions.

"Her being in bed with me, her having some of my ... in her hair, or me not talking?" I say.

"I'm a grown girl: you can say 'cum'. Yes, the whole part where you are waiting for her to make decisions for you is, well ... is that really you?" Ashe asks.

"It is part of the game we play. It has been that way since we first got to know each other. I don't press her and she opens up to me," I respond.

"Rob, are you happy with her? You do realize she's not all together all together, Rob. This girl has a boatload of issues and I don't want to see you get into more than you can handle," Ashe says.

"Damn it Ashe, she needs me. There is something about the way she looks at me."

"That's because she's nuts, remember?" Ashe insists.

"Listen Ashe, I have this under control. I'm helping her through a rough spot," I counter.

"Dude, she loves you, as in totally and completely love/devotion. It isn't healthy," Ashe goes on.

"Trust me Ashe," I tell her.

"I trust you Rob. I don't trust her," Ashe pleads. I pat her arm which is right when Carmen comes padding back with cat-like stealth.

"Robert?" Carmen inquires as she looks at where my hand is.

"Ashe is worried," I respond. "Let's go get some food."

"Sure," Ashe says. Carmen settles into my arm and shoots Ashe a strange look. I shake her up slightly to bring her gaze back to me.

"Do I tell you enough times how happy you make me?" I tell Carmen.

"Oh," she responds in surprise. Carmen stands on her tip-toes and kisses me fervently.

"Oh God, you two are like freaking newlyweds," Ashe groans with a roll of the eyes. I laugh nervously but Carmen remains quietly contemplative.

After some dinner and conversation, Ashe tells me she has something to talk about back at 'our' room. Somehow 'my' room became 'our' room without me knowing. Anyway, Ashe sits me and Carmen down on the bed and sits cross-legged on the floor in front of us. She seems a bit nervous and Carmen is intense. I get the feeling she is territorial about my room.

"Carmen, you are still a virgin, right?" Ashe begins. I'm not sure I like the way this is going.

"Yes," says Carmen defensively.

"Good," Ashe says with a sigh of relief. "There is something I wanted to talk to you about before ... that time. See, how to say this, do you remember the first tampon you put in?"

At this time I'm wondering exactly why I am here. Carmen reluctantly nods.

"Well, you know about Rob's size ..." Ashe states. Carmen nods.

"And you know about his girth ..." Ashe continues. Carmen nods with more vigor. I'm having an 'oh shit' moment.

"I wanted to set you straight on something. Your first time will not be fireworks. It will be more like something you really wish would end. Your muscles aren't used to working in that way so you are going to be in a bit of pain during, and soar afterwards. I didn't want you worked up about some romantic myth, because the second time is much better. Don't let the first time put you off," Ashe explains.




You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 04



"Carmen, you are in good hands. From everything I've heard, Rob is a very responsive lover," Ashe continues.

"Really?" Carmen says evenly.

"Yes. Steve is more of a battering ram -- he's great out of the gate, but not too much fun in the long run, but Steve tells me that Rob has been -- has been -- very successful in the pleasure category."

"Thanks Ashe," I lopsidedly grin, "I think."

"Rob is the only one for me," Carmen insists.

"Good for you," Ashe tells Carmen as she stands up. "I felt someone should give you the Chat. Beyond that make sure to always use protection."

"Thanks Ashe," Carmen says, "I really appreciate that. I'm sure Robert would have taken care of me, but it is nice to know that you care enough about him to have this talk with me."

"Yeah, thanks Ashe," I add. She gives me a wink before she shuts the door. I'm trying to think of what to say when Carmen hops up and starts ripping her clothes.

"Carmen, are you angry with me for talking in the room?" I hazard. She finishes stripping looks at me intently then shakes her head. I start stripping, but apparently I'm not fast enough because she's yanking off my pants and underwear before I'm fully rid of my shirt.

Carmen pushes me on the bed and falls on top of me. I flip the covers over on top of us, settling down. Carmen is lying on top of me, very tense and breathing heavily.

"Touch me like you would Lindsey," she whispers. I'm not a dummy; I do nothing. She waits and waits. Finally I feel her softly crying.

"Why?" she sobs.

"You are not Lindsey, I don't want you to be Lindsey, and I'm not going to treat you like you are Lindsey," I explain. "Can I touch you?" She looks up at me, eye red-rimmed and teary. She nods once before resting her cheek on my chest her gaze on me.

I take it slow and easy, starting with her shoulder blades and working my way out. By the time I cover her shoulders she's let most of her tension bleed away. When her lower back earns my touch she starts purring and wiggling back and forth gently. I'm cupping her ass when she says, 

"Oh, that feels so good."

When I pull her up by both butt cheeks she gulps. I wedge her legs slowly apart from the back and rub a finger down her ass crack. Carmen gives a tight intake of breath. She is struggling to not close up on me as I skirt her anus and slip a finger down to the edge of her pussy. Carmen suddenly bites into my shoulder causing me to yelp.

"Sorry," she whimpers. I respond by easing my finger along her slit, up and down until she's really, really wet. I hold out for a bit until she gives the tiniest bit of a thrust against my hand. I don't slip in more than half a knuckle but Carmen moans more than many women I've sunk into. All I do is move in and out, up and down, for over a minute. Carmen chokes out a sob and shudders.

She hasn't come; I'd know that. This is some other sort of reaction I'm not familiar with.

"Stop please," she whimpers again. I gently withdraw my finger and wait. "I'm afraid." I hug her, rolling her over to her side and inserting one leg between hers. Her legs latch on and hold on tight.

"Robert, I can never pay you back, but I'm never going to stop trying. One day I'll prove myself to you." 



You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 05



*We only know the present; the past is as much a mystery as the future*

Carmen doesn't want to do anything on Sunday; she wants to cuddle in the room all day. I am getting the sensation that she didn't want to leave which is a real issue with exams about to start. I decide on the one thing I know she loves, exercise.

"Carmen, let's run across campus to Maynard Hill just the two of us?" I ask after I get permission to speak.

"That's ten kilometers," Carmen says with real enthusiasm. I try not to groan. "We can run the whole way."

"We'll need to stop by your place and get some clothes," I respond hopefully, trying to cut a few kilometers off of our race.

"Oh, I have a spare set of running clothes in your closet," she grins as she skips over there. I can't remember picking up those. Maybe it was Ashe did it. The fact that she dancing naked across my room makes me worry less than perhaps I should. I get dress with a bit of a mad grin on my face. I also pack my backpack with some water and some apples and carrots before we head out the door.

I don't get humiliated in the fact that I don't fall over dead keeping up with the pace Carmen sets. She does do a little running backwards, smiling with her pert breasts bouncing in order to encourage me – without even trying she's looking so damn sexy. Her running away view looks pretty good too. In the way women do, she feels my eyes on her and she finds it highly amusing, but only with me.

At the cliff overlooking the campus valley we settle down and sit on the grass. She reaches out and puts her hand on my hand.

"Are you ready for exams?" I make an attempt at conversation.

"Sort of; I wish it would be over with. It keeps us apart," she tells me.

"It isn't that bad. Soon we'll have Winter Break then one more semester of normal school," I respond.

"Robert, what do you want to do when the year ends?" she starts then, "Can't we just go somewhere, together?"

"For the summer; what do you have in mind?" I inquire.

"I was thinking more like after college," Carmen looks down. Oh no, we aren't going there.

"Well, I have my Master's program to complete and I'd like to think you would graduate too," I counter. Carmen doesn't look happy and I take a deep sigh. "When do you think that we should think about next semester."

"Now I guess," Carmen says softly but obviously unhappy.

"I was thinking about moving in together. I'm not sure what your finances are like, but my parents have been good with supporting me and I could probably swing a small place near campus with you."

"Really!" she beams. "Where are you thinking about staying?"

"There are some places off Main Street. It wouldn't be much," I reply.

"How about the home you are living in now," Carmen suggests. "I like it."

"That's Steve's place. I'm not sure I want to stay there, especially since I'll be seeing you."

"But if Steve moves out," Carmen persists

"Then his parents would sell it," I sigh.

"We could buy it," Carmen smiles dreamily. "I've always loved that house."

"Oh ... Carmen, that house has to be worth a cool half-million. There is no way we can swing that," I insist. "We are poor college students."

"If I could find a way to get the money, would you live there with me?" Carmen says intensely.

"It would mean I wouldn't have to move," I joke, "but I don't know where we can come up with that much change."

"Leave it to me," Carmen says as she kisses me, "I'll find a way to make this work."

"That still doesn't deal with the matter of Steve living here. He loves the place and it isn't like I can ask him to leave. How about we put some days aside after exams and before we go home for Christmas to pick out a place," I reposition the argument. Carmen studies me and I can see her trying to figure something out. She hugs me and suggests we go back home.

The rest of the next two weeks is a blur. When I'm not prepping for my own exams I'm helping my students study for theirs. I see Carmen occasionally during the day, but she's like thief in the night with her attentions. I barely notice her she is so undemanding, just like old times. On the last night before the end of my exams she leaves me a noting asking me to come to bed early.

Steve and I talk a bit late that afternoon. He was healing up nicely and the doctors say he will regain full use of his fingers. It is sad because I made it pretty clear that I will be spending time with Carmen and he wants nothing to do with her. We decide to be parting ways and I promise to be out of the house by mid-January. We hug. Outside of Ashe, Steve was my closest friend.

I eat my meal in my room and wait patiently for Carmen while I listen to the radio. I look up and she is standing there, looking at me with a strange sense of destiny. Carmen begins to take off her clothes in a deliberate fashion. She almost appears to be in a daze. I know something is about to happen and I am no sure I'll like it.

I am about to say my starting phrase when Carmen fixes me with a fearful gaze. I start stripping down and she stops to stare at me. When I finish getting naked I slide into bed and wait for her. When Carmen joins me she lies on her back and looks up at the ceiling. I prop myself up on my elbow and look down on her.

"I love you," Carmen says out of the blue. She puts a hand on my arm and starts tugging. I'm not sure what to do when Carmen's pull becomes so much more insistent until I fall on top of her. I feel her other arm push against me to hold me off. I sneak my arm past Carmen and use it to prop myself up above her. I also press my face down within an inch of Carmen's.

Carmen looks up less terrified and more innocent and I'm not absolutely sure what she wants. I move one leg over hers and push it down between hers. It don't get resistance so much as blind acceptance. I shake my head. That seems to get Carmen's attention because she slowly develops this adoring smile and nods.

"I want something for us to remember each other by while we are apart and something to look forward to when we return. I want this."

I kiss Carmen on the neck and start working my way down to the nape then to her sternum. I'm moving to her left breast when Carmen lightly runs her hands through my hair.

"Now," Carmen insists. I rise up, look into her eyes and shake my head in the negative.

"I may lose my nerve," she pleads. I go back to kissing her until I suckle at her nipple.

"Please," Carmen whimpers, but I persist. 

I roll my tongue around her left nipple then kiss the bottom of her breast to impress upon Carmen that I'm making progress. By the time my baby kisses get beyond her the bottom curve of Carmen's stomach right before her pubic region she's already pushing up against me. I press Carmen's legs far to the sides so I can have unobstructed access to her private parts.

The sound she makes is so passionate when I place my first kiss upon her lower lips; it is priceless. I rapidly start licking from the top to the bottom until my nose is sticky wet and my tongue is reaching deep into her.

"Please, oh please," Carmen starts chanting as she keeps tilting her head up in pleasure. I wiggle a finger underneath my chin and slip into her very tight vagina. I rub it along the bottom, not so much to find her G-spot, but to get her used to the sensation of being penetrated. When I slip my second finger in she lets out a deep, guttural moan which is my cue to start sucking on her clit.

"Oh!" she gasps as I start pulling her clit into my mouth. Her hands make balls in the sheets and her body tenses. "Please, please, oh please," she goes on and on followed by "ugh, ugh ... Aaahhh!!!! Rob!!!!" as she hits her orgasm. Normally I would be pressing for her clitoris to give me a second orgasm but I don't want to confuse her and apply more stress than the truckload she's already shouldering.

I climb up her body, her knees following my progress along with my hips. She wraps her arms around my neck and begins kissing my lips, face and chin, licking at her juices she's left there moments earlier.

"Now," she purrs with a lot more confidence and determination this time.

I lower my hips down until my cock is playing along her wetness. There are a few false starts as my penis is trying to slip up onto her pubic hair instead of going in. Carmen cocks her hips up and I enter her. Carmen gasps in a startled yelp. It is only my head inside her but I can tell it frightens her. I tap myself on the chest while balancing on one elbow.

I coax her senses along as I move my hand down her stomach to her sex. I rest the back of my hand against her pubic mound and put to fingers onto her clit. Though stuck between our two bodies I'm able to wiggle them in an alternating pattern them in either side of her most sensitive part. Now when I press in there is pleasure with the pain and fear.

"Ugh," she moans. I move me little in and out until I can feel her muscles loosen up. I finally push up into her until I feel something more than muscular resistance. I've been here before, but my only other time I was as confused and uncertain as my partner and pretty much made a mess of the thing. I'm a whole lot more prepared this time.

I hover over her for a kiss, which is a little difficult considering the difference in our sizes. She is so into what's going on it takes her a moment to figure out what I want. She pushes herself up with her stomach muscles and kisses me.

"Yes," she whispers. I move back out and push back in with force.

"Ah!" she yelps. She clutches herself tight to me. I increase my attention on her clit. It causes me a strange pain to see the tears of pain in her eyes, but at the same time she's trying to move her body in rhythm with mine. I'd like to last long enough to finish her to orgasm but I've become too caught up in her own experience I haven't been paying attention to my own thresholds.

"Aaahhh ..." I grunt as I start shooting my semen into her.

"Oh," she gasps. I stop pushing in and start slowly putting. "Mmmm," she sighs as I slip out. I tap my chest once more and I can see her deciding how to handle the moment. She gives a weary grin.

"It hurts; Ashe was right ... I'm kind of glad it is over," she responds sheepishly, "but," she grins, " I know the next time will be much better. You've made me so happy." Sometimes I think she tortures me with my silence. Somehow by surrendering that control to her she draws strength as a person and it reinforces her trust in me. It still can suck.

I roll to the side putting my back to the wall. Carmen lays there for half a minute before curling up to me. She rubs her hand against my chest and starts kissing me there as she likes to do.

"Hold me," she murmurs so I obediently do so. She squirms closer in. "You are going to remember me now. It will be all so much better when I get back, you'll see."

There is nothing I can say, so I rock her back and forth instead.

"Thank you," she mutters before she nods off. I'm wondering why she doesn't want to wash off before going to sleep, but I figure this is her moment. When I wake up again she is slipping back into bed, still very naked.

"Carmen, have you been sneaking around the house naked?" I dreamily speak my first question of the night.

"You don't need to worry about it. There was something I had to take care of, but it is handled now," she lovingly smiles. She pulls back the cover and puts something warm and wet on my crotch. She starts bathing me, which feels nice.

I'm not sure what she could mean by what she's said, but I'm too tired to care. I find it a bit odd that she's been so much less body-conscious considering Steve's still in the house. Maybe she's coming along more than I thought. I'm starting to think we've turned a corner.

"I'm going to love living here," she whispers after she finishes cleaning me up. Suddenly I really want to know where Steve is.

Steve looks at me kind of strange the next morning at breakfast. Carmen has gone off to her final exam earlier while I'm thinking about sending her off tomorrow.

"Dude?" Steve asks.

"Yeah?"

"That is one crazy bitch you've got there," he tells me.

"I've heard that before," I admit.

"No dude, she's nuts; certifiable crazy nuts. She scares the crap out of me," he confesses. I've never known Steve to feel passionate about anyone or anything so this comes as a shock.

"She's intense," I allow.

"Well, all I have to say is better you than me," he says.

"Um ... okay."

"Bro, if you ever decide to ... I don't know ... confront that bitch, let me know. I've got your back," he offers. I'm not sure what to make of that.

"Steve, is there something I should know?" I ask.

"Rob, if you haven't figured it out by now there is nothing I can tell you that will make a difference," he says as he stands up. "I have to get going."

"I thought you were done with exams?"

"No, I'm going home right now. I don't want to be hanging around here right now," he informs me. This is stranger still because Steve's not a big fan of his home life.

"Help you pack?"

"Thanks Bro. With these hands it is going to be a bitch," he grins.

"Are you going to be okay driving home? If you wait until tomorrow, I'd be happy to drive you," I offer.

"Nah, I think not. You and psycho-Carmen have fun here tonight," he laughs.

"Stop calling her psycho; she's sensitive about that," I counter.

"You're right; she's sensitive. Do me a favor and forget I called her that. Now let's pack. I can't wait until I get home. I slept like shit last night," he sighs. I get his stuff and do most of the packing and I waving him off before noon. That's a new record for Steve.

"We have the house to ourselves," I tell Carmen when she comes in. She gives me a shy smile which she keeps as we go and pack up her dorm room and into the front room of the house. She packs remarkably light and I note that most of her clothes are black. I tease her about it and promise to get her decked out in colors when spring comes.

"Do we have to?" she asks quietly.

"Bras are nice, but bikinis are better," I tease.

"There are a lot of people at the beaches – girls too," she points out.

"Afraid they will all be jealous," I smile at Carmen. "They should be." She studies me to see if I'm joking with her. When she sees that I'm not, Carmen gets so close I feel she's trying to crawl inside my skin.

"You are so wonderful. Am I really the only girl for you?" she asks softly.

"Carmen, why do you doubt me?" I respond.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't. It is only that I get afraid some times; I am afraid that I'll lose you," she whispers. "You know I wouldn't know what to do without you."

"Carmen, I appreciate everything you've done for me," I say as I give her a hug.

"You do, don't you," she sighs. "That means so much. You understand me so well." I wish that was true. There are times when I don't feel I know her at all.

"Carmen did you have a talk with Steve?"

"I told him we really wanted the house. I think we came to an understanding," she smiles.

"I'm stunned he didn't hit on you again. Steve can be a bit dense where girls are concerned," I suggest.

"I don't think Steve will ever touch me again, Robert. I think he understands me too," Carmen explains. I find that naïve on her part, but I'm willing to let that lie. Steve understands that I care for Carmen and that should be enough.

That night we don't do much more than cuddle. I get the feeling she's still a bit tender which I'm willing to work around. I've never thought of myself as a romantic, but I'm finding it hard to reconcile my previous approach to women with how I'm dealing with Carmen. Somehow she can press her naked body against me while she sleeps and I'm not waking her up to my sexual attentions. Her body is ripe but off bounds. It is all kind of crazy.

I put Carmen on the bus heading home with a tearful good-bye. I tell her we will see one another in one month, but she cries that it will be too long. She's terrified that I won't be here when she gets back. I ask her to trust me, which she accepts with hiccups and trembling hands. I am polite enough to stay and wave until her bus rolls out of sight. For the first time in months I take a Carmen-free breath. It feels odd.

When I get back Ashe is waiting for me. She looks a little nervous.

"It is okay. Carmen's on the bus heading home so no more stealthy cats sneaking about," I joke.

"Rob, you should take her more seriously. I tell you that girl has more than a few screws loose. I am really worried about you. Has she done anything to weird you out recently?" Ashe asks.

"Well, we finally did the deed," I tell her.

"Oh damn Rob. You were her first. That binds her to you more than ever, which is not a good thing. Did you use your regular charms on her?"

"What do you mean?" I inquire.

"Did you give her an orgasm?" she glares at my idiocy.

"Of course; that is why God gave men tongues and fingers," I tease. Ashe looks uncomfortable.

"Rob, sometimes you are a damn idiot," she sighs. "She's never going to want to let you go."

"Carmen keeps telling me that. It is kind of sweet," I confess.

"No Rob, it means she wants to control you completely. Remember, she's insane and she's crazy in love with you. Anyone who gets in the way of that is in danger – ask Steve and Lindsey."

"Huh?" I question.

"Rob, you can't believe Lindsey 'accidently' fell in front of a car. If it hadn't been for the guys quick reflexes Lindsey could have been crippled or killed," Ashe explains.

"No way," I shake my head.

"Yes way," she counters. "Steve stepped out of bounds and she would have killed him had he not been so much bigger and stronger. Also, I've been looking all over for the guy who assaulted her on your birthday but with no luck. I think something happened to him."

"This sounds so far-fetched; sure she's devoted and kind of a stalker but ... sigh ... maybe you are right. There is something I haven't told you about Carmen; she's been sneaking into my room since we first met. I've changed the locks on my door, checked all the doors and windows, but she keeps finding a way inside and I don't know how. Ashe is that spooky or what?"

"Rob, that means she can kill you or Steve whenever she wants. Why didn't you tell me this beforehand? Maybe we could have had the cops deal with this," Ashe responds.

"And tell them what? I have a stalker girlfriend that sneaks into my house but I can't catch?" I say. "Besides, at the time I was thinking more about not getting her angry with me. Later, I didn't want to hurt her." Ashe looks at me in a way that makes me decidedly uncomfortable.

"That is very sweet of you Rob. You're a nice guy. I've always thought so," she sighs. She then puts a hand behind my head and pulls me into a kiss. This isn't a friend's kiss, or even a 'feel sorry for you' kiss, but a hungry living thing of passion and need.

"I love you Rob. I don't want anything to happen to you. Don't get lost in this girl because there really are other options out here for you. I've wanted you to know ... for a long time," Ashe tells me. She turns and hurries out of the house. Ashe is the best friend I've ever had.

What the hell has happened to my life?



You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 06



*Love is a living thing; it hurts, heals, saves life and takes it away*

The whole gang has gathered by the time I get Carmen 'home' to my place. Tyrone and Curtis are making their required appearance for the semester. They'll be gone within two days and I don't see why they aren't married to their girlfriends yet. Vince and Ashe are also there. Everyone has been drinking a bit so maybe they aren't as careful as they should be.

"Hey Psycho-Carmen," Steve lets in. Carmen stiffens. I'm not going to take this lying down.

"Suck it up Steve. A hundred pound girl kicked your ass; own up and get over it," I snap.

"Steve, don't be an ass," Ashe adds.

"She looks good crawling into my bed naked," Steve glares at her. I'm not sure what to say, but then I'm not a total idiot either. Carmen starts to tremble.

"The night before she left? Yeah, we talked about it," I lie. "She thought it was all one big joke." That brings Steve up short. He expects to slap Carmen, not to be slapped back by me.

"You sent your bitch to my room with a knife?" he asks.

"It wasn't a real knife Bro. What do you think I am; crazy?" I counter.

"Dude, you were punked," Vince laughs. Curtis and Tyrone laugh as well. Only Ashe shoots me a worried look. Carmen instead remains stiff but strokes my hand.

"Let's get your stuff moved upstairs," I tell Carmen. She nods and we go back out to my car and start bringing stuff up. Ashe comes out and helps.

"Thank you Ashe," Carmen volunteers all on her own.

"Steve is being a real dick. I don't want you to think we are all that way," she responds.

"Ashe, I know you are a good friend to Robert. I hope you understand that he is very close to me," she tells Ashe.

"I understand Carmen," Ashe says softly. Carmen stops what she is doing and studies Ashe.

"Okay," Carmen says as if the word has some secret significance. I'm happy to get everything loaded into my room. Fortunately Carmen has little actual luggage and no significant furniture (only one lamp).

Once done, we are sitting around the room in an awkward moment.

"Thank you," Carmen says. "Your advice with Robert was very useful."

"Oh yeah, well it is what girlfriends do for one another," Ashe informs Carmen. Carmen smiles with something akin to affection. I doubt Carmen has any friends. She has certainly never mentioned any.

"Robert trusts you Ashe. I wish you would trust me too," Carmen continues. Her voice is eerie and distant. I reach out and almost do something forbidden -- wrapping an arm around her. Carmen senses my twitching. "Ashe, can Robert and I have a little alone time. We can all go out to eat in a bit."

"Sure," says Ashe nervously. She gets up and exits the room.

"Carmen, do you want to have sex?" I ask. It has been a while and I've been looking forward to some love-making since we parted ways.

"Can you hold me," she requests calmly. I finish stripping and scoot into bed. Carmen's naked form follows me in. The blanket encloses us and I pull her on top of me. She resists for a moment until she figures out my intent -- to snuggle her on top and encase her in my arms. Carmen murmurs for a few minutes. 

She starts moving her arms over my chest and kissing me on my chin and lower lip. She rubs her thigh against my hard-on and sighs contentedly.

"Oh, I've missed you so much," she finally tells me. "Did you miss me?"

"Not in a way I can put words to. It was like a part of me was missing and there was nothing that could take its place," I say. The problem is I feel that way about Ashe too. What in the hell am I going to do?

Carmen hugs me tightly and nestles her head beneath my chin.

"I feel the same way. I was so afraid all the time. I was afraid something bad would happen to you and I wouldn't be there to save you. I know you need me now and I know I need you. Thank you. You make me feel complete." We go back to snuggling for a while until my stomach makes a rumbling noise. Carmen pokes me in the ribs.

"No talking," she giggles. She does roll off of me a moment later and pushes herself out of bed. I watch her starting to get dressed. She notices this and stops. She looks at me then starts to stretch and pose for my eyes. God she looks so hot.

"I can't do this for anyone else," she reckons. "I'm only safe with you, Robert; only you." I can only grin salaciously. Carmen dresses with painstaking care and seductive charm. When she pulls her shirt on I scramble for my own cloths. Only as we are heading downstairs do I think about what she meant by 'only being safe with you' means.

"Rob, Steve is dead," Ashe says in a panicked voice. I step up and hold her close as she sobs into my chest. The three of us had always felt like ... we would somehow last forever.

"What happened?" I ask.

"He was horsing around and spilled over the seventh floor stairwell. He caught the rail, but with his hands still hurt, he slipped and fell to his death," she whimpers.

"Oh crap. I'll need to call his parents. I don't know what I'm going to tell them." Damn, I had spent two weeks with them last summer. Steve wanted me and Ashe around to keep him sane.

"What's going on?" Carmen asks suspiciously as she walks in and sees Ashe and me together.

"Steve died today," I manage to say. It feels so unreal. I almost expect to see Steve leap out of a closet and laugh at me. The look on Ashe's face tells me that this is a waking nightmare.

"Oh," Carmen says, her face turning neutral. "I'm sorry."

"What did you do?" shouts Ashe. She pulls away from me and moves toward Carmen. Carmen doesn't flinch. She doesn't react at all.

"I'll be up in our room," Carmen announces before turning toward the stairs.

"She murdered Steve," Ashe moans. "That crazy bitch hated him and he hated her and now he's dead. He wasn't careful Rob. You've got to save yourself or she'll kill you too."

"Ashe, this is crazy. We have no evidence that she was even there. Steve was nearly twice Carmen's size," I try to explain.

"Rob, every person who gets between the two of you ends up hurt or dead."

"Ashe, Lindsey got hit by a car. She runs across campus all the time. Steve was screwing around in the stairwell the way he's done with me dozens of times. Weird yes; evidence, not so much."

"I'll find evidence Rob. I'm not going to let her get away with this," Ashe promises me with tear-streaked cheeks. I am concerned for Ashe for not only for her grief but because deep down Carmen is unstable. I don't want those things colliding.

"Her being a stalker doesn't make her a killer. She only attacked Steve when she was attacked and the whole Lindsey thing we've patched up. Please, let this go," I plead.

"I'll ...I'll think about it," Ashe concedes. I feel relieved. I take her over to the sofa and make the call to Steve's parents. I'm sure the cops have already called, but I want him to hear from his friends as well. I hope it matters.

"Hello, Robert Lynch?" the old guy at the door inquires a few days later. Before I can ask, he shows me a badge and adds, "August Mitchell. I'm a Homicide Detective assigned to Steven Binder's case."

"Come on in," I say as I back up. "I'm Robert but people normally call me Rob. I thought Steve's death was an accident."

"It is still an open case. It's tough for a man to clear that pedestrian barrier that protects the stairwell so we have to investigate this as a 'suspicious death'," Mitchell tells me. "Now what can you tell me about Steven Binder."

"Steve was my best friend. We met our freshmen year as roommates. We hit it off right from the start. Our sophomore year we moved here and we've been in this house ever since. I've spent a few weeks at his parent's place. I don't know what else to say. He was doing okay in his classes, I don't know of anyone who could stay mad at him, and ... I ... it doesn't make sense."

"Ashe Harwell is ... was our mutual friend. She and Steve dated on and off since freshmen year, but they were friends first. She was never jealous of other women he saw. Fidelity wasn't a strong point with Steve, but I don't know a woman who stayed mad with him."

"Robert?" Carmen asks as she comes down the stairs. Mitchell looks up at her.

"This is my girlfriend Carmen Santos. Carmen, this is Detective Mitchell," I explain.

"Carmen, strange seeing you here; I thought you would never want to return to this town, much less this house," the detective states.

"Oh, I remember you now," Carmen whispers.

"Six years is a long time. How have you been?" Mitchell asks.

"Yes; good," are her clipped replies.

"I'm afraid another death has followed you around," he says speculatively. 

"Steve and I didn't get along," Carmen volunteers.

"There was an episode last semester. Steve grabbed Carmen and she fought back," I confess. "We've worked past that."

"Carmen, I'm glad to see you talking once more. We should catch up about old times," Mitchell requests.

"I'll be upstairs Robert," Carmen responds, turning quickly and leaves.

"What was that all about?" I say with more heat in my voice than I would like.

"Do you know that Carmen was in this house before?" he inquires.

"Yes," I tell him. "She was the care-takers daughter and there was a multiple murder. I don't know what role Carmen played in it."

"Carmen was the only witness but she wouldn't tell us anything. She was nearly catatonic. Eventually we had to send her home to her grandparents, but they were a piece of work too. I always regret that we couldn't do more for her," Mitchell informs me. 

"What happened?" I ask. I can see Mitchell weighing my request. I imagine if he was a better detective, or most likely more than the only homicide detective in a college town I wouldn't get anywhere.

"As best as I could figure out; Carmen's mother invited her boyfriend and two of his buddies into the house to rob the place. The haul was more than they expected and the three fell to fighting each other. Carmen's mother took the goods and left Carmen behind."

"Somehow in the fighting Carmen got the blood of two of the men on her, as well as what we think is her mother's blood. We figure she was wounded in the fighting but she never went to a hospital or clinic, so she got clean away. In six years we having found any trace of her," the detective confesses.

"And Carmen? What happened to her?" I wonder.

"We found her two days after the murders hiding in a closet, dried blood all over her and one of the murder weapons in her hand. Personally I think she killed one of the guys, but I decided not to pursue a case against what someone thought a twelve year old girl probably didn't do to a thirty year old man," he informs me.

"Thanks for that," I sigh. Then something occurs to me. "Detective, where did you find her?"

"Oh, let me think ... top of the stairs, third floor on the right," he guesses. He's named my room. "I'm glad she's found somebody. I had a real feeling about that girl not making it but I'm glad I was wrong."

"You aren't worried about Carmen and Steve are you?" I ask.

"Nah, Carmen wouldn't hurt a fly," he responds. "Carmen's just a kid who had it rough and as I said, I'm glad she's found someone."

"You don't find it weird that she is living back here after all the bad things she went through?"

"Carmen's a good kid and I'm glad she's found a healthy way of dealing with the trauma," the detective tells me. "You told me she and Steve found a way to deal with their problems, beside I doubt she could have lifted Mr. Binder over that barrier. She'd have to be some kind of weightlifter."

"Or crazy-mad," I mutter.

"What?" he questions.

"Nothing; I hope you figure this out. Steve was one of my two -- three best friends in the world," I say.

"I understand," the detective smile," by the way, were where you at one forty-five on Tuesday?"

"Physical Kinetics -- ended at two oh-five, but I didn't out until two-fifteen because I had to ask my instructor about midterm projects."

"Good to know," he nods thoughtfully.

"Detective, it was the day my best friend died. I'm always going to remember it."

"I don't doubt that," he admits. "Well, I have to be going. Thanks for your assistance and tell Carmen I wish her all the best."

"I'll do," I tell him as I escort him to the door.

Carmen is running her fingertips along my arms and chest while we are bathed in the candlelight. She is holding something back and she's been fighting it all afternoon long.

"Yes," she says softly.

"We are going to have to move a new place soon."

"We could buy this place now," she suggests.

"Now that Steve is gone?"

"Yes Robert, now that Steve is gone," she looks down at the bed. I take a deep breath. I want to look into her face when I ask her if she killed Steve. What do I do if she says 'yes'? Do I believe her if she says 'no'? Why is love this difficult?

"Carmen, we can't afford this place. I already discussed that with you," I sigh.

"I have the money Robert. I'll give it to you. Please buy the place for us and make it our home," she whispers. I want to cry inside.

"Where did you get that kind of money?" I cringe.

"Please don't ask me that Robert," Carmen begs while still looking down. "Please."

What in the hell do I do now? 

"Carmen, I want you to tell me ... but you can tell me when you are ready."

God; that is a cop-out. I can't believe that she killed Steve. She knew what he meant to me. She knows how numb I feel without him in my life. I don't want to lose her too.

"Okay Robert," she informs me as she looks into my eyes, "when I can I'll tell you everything I will. I love you."

"I trust you Carmen."

"That's enough for now," she murmurs. "Touch me please. I want to feel good about myself."

I pull her close and stroke her curves until we feel a more mundane hunger overtake us. For the first time I really feel that we are alone in the house. I miss Steve, but I've never seen Carmen happier.

Ashe sits across the coffee shop from me as she sips her milkshake. She looks uncertain.

"I haven't forgotten what you told me," I confess. "It is with Steve and Carmen and school I haven't had to deal with us and that is a mistake. I shouldn't treat you that way."

"It doesn't matter. You are with Carmen," is her depressed reply.

"Carmen and I may be buying the house," I tell Ashe.

"How in the hell?" Ashe gapes. "How did she get that kind of money? I know you don't have that much -- nowhere near."

"Ah, she's going to tell me soon."

"Rob, please don't tell me you bought that?" Ashe wonders.

"I don't know what to think anymore. I ... you, but Carmen is trying so damn hard. Ashe you've always been my best friend but I can't walk away from Carmen. I can't lie to you. If we can't stay friends I understand." Ashe stares at me for the longest time.

"Okay. We are still friends. Carmen is a tough act to compete with, but I can see she means a lot to you. Are the three of us still going to be able to hang out together?" Ashe asks.

"Of course," I breathed a sigh of relief. She looked into my eyes and a felt an uncomfortable tug of emotion.

"I'm still going to look out after you, just so we are straight on that," Ashe jokes.

"I can live with that," I laugh.

"I hope so," she taunts. Why did I feel that I was missing something?

I come home to find Carmen dancing through the house. She smiles widely when she sees me, squeals and throws herself into my arms right as my book bag hits the floor.

"It is ours!" she laughs. I can't believe it; I had only made the offer to Steve's parents a day ago. Carmen kisses me several spastic times before shoving a piece of paper at me. I read it.

"Carmen, this is telling us that they've received my offer, that's all," I tell her. Carmen looks unconvinced in my skepticism.

"They say it is firm offer," she grins. "That's a good thing. This house will be my home -- our home again."

"Carmen, I thought this place would have bad memoires for you," I suggest to her.

"This was the last place my Mom and I were together Robert. It ended in a horrible, horrible way but you've made all those nightmares go away. You've given me back my soul, and back my home."

"Hey, next time," I joke, "if you would tell me what you want it might be easier for me to get it for you."

"Oh," Carmen looks down coyly, "in that case I should tell you that I want you."

"On it," I smile as I pick her up and head for the stairs.

"Robert, how about the sofa?" she says as she kisses my neck. I don't know what to think; Carmen and I have sex once and that in the careful private of our bedroom and now she wants to have sex in the main room of the house? I grab her up by her ass and Carmen wraps her legs around my waist as we start kissing like maniacs.

I lay her down on the sofa and start peeling off my clothes. Carmen is struggling to beat me to being naked. I can see a surge of regret in her eyes but she fights it down. I put my body down on hers and keep the kissing going on. She still has her sox on as I feel my penis poking her vagina. She's moist but not wet so I start rubbing up and down her side. She starts giggling.

"Hey, that tickles," she gasps. I don't stop, just switch tickle points. "Please," she pants.

"Tell me where you want my hands," I tease. Carmen wiggles and looks away.

"Could you ... play with ... my breasts," she whispers. I take my time in obeying, letting Carmen become more comfortable with her own desires.

I soon have her panting in a different way.

"I'm not afraid," she starts to whisper, "I'm not afraid anymore." I'm not in the bedroom so I feel free to speak my mind, but it isn't appropriate. Instead I slowly sink into her. Carmen moans but doesn't tense up. If nothing else, she seems eager almost wanton.

I slip in a little more. She's tight, the tightest I've ever had, but I'm not thinking like I'm in some pornographic tale, but in some kind of twisted love story instead. She young and new and getting adjusted to me in a way I've never experienced before. Somehow this makes the bizarre aspects of our relationship matter less and less.

Carmen brings her legs up around me and entwines them over the small of my back. She pulled herself tightly to me, biting on my shoulder and collarbone until I gasp out in pain.

"Sorry," she whimpers.

"Don't you dare stop," I respond in pants. Carmen goes back to her ministrations but with a little less pain and a bit more tongue. We are both learning about each other.

Suddenly Carmen digs her heels into my ass and draws her fingers like claws across my back.

"Robert!" she screams before a brief spasm wracks her body and she slumps loose. I slow my pace but keep thrusting into her. Carmen puts her hands on my cheeks and holds my gaze as I keep at it. It is such devotion and love there that I lose control. I have my own orgasm and send my semen deep into her womb. 

"Wow," sighs Carmen. "I love the way you take care of me. I love the way you make me feel Robert, it is so ... you."

"Um ... your welcome; thank you, and anytime you want," I smile. I then perfect the moment by slipping off the sofa, tumble to the floor and pulling Carmen down on top of me.

Carmen is able to slip her legs out of the way so I don't land on them, but she lands heavily onto my groin. I grimace in pain.

"Oh God, Robert are you okay?" Carmen says with wide-eyes.

"I'm not going to want to have sex for the next few minutes," I groan.

"Can I kiss you," she whispers.

"I'd really like that," I respond softly. She leans down and kisses me then kisses me again.

"Robert," she says, "can it be like this forever and ever?"

"Carmen, I'll ... I'll try," I reply. Carmen smiles warmly and goes back to the kissing.

Ashe, Carmen and I are sitting around the end of the dining room table eating dinner, going over school and how our first month has gone. Carmen is being quiet, but clearly being less on edge than she's been around company for a while. Ashe is a bit restrained until,




You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 06



"Carmen, can I ask you something?"

"Oh," Carmen makes in an expectant but unhappy voice. It is almost like she's been waiting for this.

"Why did you go home over Winter Break?" Ashe asks.

"Well, I guess you know why," Carmen sighs.

"What's going on here?" I say to Ashe in a warning tone.

"Bear with me, Rob. Carmen, why did you go home?" repeats Ashe.

"I guess because I didn't want Robert's pity," Carmen responds. "That's not why I want him staying with me."

"Ashe, what the hell are you getting at?" I growl.

"Rob, Carmen's only family in Sanford died last spring. She even sold their house before coming to college. I imagine she spent her break in a hotel room."

"Carmen?" I ask. She lowers her gaze and nods her head. "I don't understand."

"I want you to be with me forever Rob. You wouldn't spend Break with me, even when I begged, but I only want it to be out of love," Carmen admits.

"Your grandparents died and you were afraid to tell me? Carmen, you could have come home with me."

"Robert, I don't want to meet your parents; I only want you," Carmen tells me.

"This wasn't what I was aiming for, you two," Ashe informs us.

"What now?" Carmen sighs again.

"Where did the money for this house come from Carmen?" Ashe persists.

"Ah," Carmen sounds surprised and somewhat embarrassed. No one says anything for several seconds.

"Rob, she gave you every penny she has. Hell, she probably can't afford to go to college next year," Ashe states.

"Why are you saying this?" Carmen asks.

"Rob deserves to know how much you are sacrificing for him, Carmen. Not telling him was probably doing you a disservice. I wanted you to cut yourself a break," Ashe informs her.

"Maybe I have been wrong about you." Carmen looks like she is going to cry. She gets up and comes over to Ashe and hugs her. I mouth a 'thank you' to my best buddy.

I walk Ashe out to her car finally happy that my life is coming together at last. I stand next to Ashe and she leans back against the door. As we breathe out puffs of cold air I smile at her.

"Thanks for being so nice to Carmen," I say.

"Rob, she's insane," Ashe states intensely. "Her grandparents died in a gas leak after she was accepted to school here. I had Vince look at some pictures of missing students and he identified one guy who went missing the week after your birthday as Carmen's attacker. Her mom went missing when all those other people died in that home invasion six years ago. Steve's dead and I have never heard that she has an alibi. All these dead people have Carmen in common."

"But you ... just now inside ... you told Carmen ..." I stammer.

"She's given you everything she has from her virginity to her life's savings. She fanatically devoted to you and will do anything for you, even without your knowledge. I'm not going to do either one of us any good if she decides that I have to go too. I can't beat her if I'm dead."

I have nothing I can say. Ashe kisses me on the cheek, gets into her car and drives away. I try not to stagger as I go inside. Here I find Carmen humming as she is cleaning up dinner so I go up behind Carmen, clear my throat so I don't surprise her and wrap my hands around her midsection.

"How are you doing?" I whisper in Carmen's ear.

"That was fun," Carmen smiles at me over her shoulder. "Having Ashe over made this place feels like a real normal family home. I hope we can do this again soon." 

What the hell do I say?



You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 07



*Friendship is the choice of the logical mind to control one's passions*

I've spent all day getting stuff from my parent's place, loading up the rental van, and moving it into the house. The Binder's, Steve's parents, have given me the 'ok' to start the process. They say the bank should approve me by the end of the month since I'm putting more than half of the money down as a deposit. I'm keeping the rest of the money Carmen gave me to make sure she stays in school and for a rainy day fund.

Carmen meeting my folks was awkward. Carmen refuses to open up so there were times when the three of them would be sitting in silence in a room while I was off doing something. Mom tells me that Carmen is a bit 'odd' which is Mom-speak for she doesn't like Carmen. I respond by saying that Carmen is an acquired taste and that she'll warm to them in time.

Tomorrow, Sunday, we are going to go to an estate sell to find more furniture because I'm slowly dawning how huge this place is. Even with the Binders leaving us most of the furniture, we still have a while to go. At least I've convinced Carmen to allow Curtis and Tyrone to stick it out for the rest of the semester. It isn't like they here all that often. 

My phone rings late and I move to get it, but Carmen magically appears and grabs it first.

"Lynch residence," she grins to me, but her happiness quickly fades. She hands me the phone. "It's Lindsey." I take the phone and can immediately tell that something isn't right.

"Rob, can I come over to your place?" she sniffles. She's having a rough night. I look to Carmen who has her neutral mask on.

"Sure. Do you want me to come get you?" I ask.

"I'm at my place. There is a party, but I'll be waiting in the parking lot," she informs me. Since it is around freezing outside, I know I have to hoof it.

"Carmen, Lindsey needs a place to crash for the night. I'm going to go get her. Come along with me in case she needs some help please," I request. Carmen isn't happy.

"Okay," Carmen mumbles.

"Carmen, Lindsey is still a friend. If you don't want me to bring her home we'll find her somewhere else to crash, but don't be like this," I grouse. Carmen stares at me then nods.

"I'll get my coat," she says. We have gotten to the car in less than a minute.

When we get to Lindsey's apartment complex she's sitting out on the curb. It doesn't take me more than a second to realize she's got her head pillow, a toothbrush, and a bottle of mouthwash. She's drunk and definitely not going home tonight. I hop out of the car and get to her. Carmen is right at my side.

"Rob," Lindsey slurs, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know who else to call." I'm still looking for words when Carmen pipes in.

"We are friends Lindsey. We'll fix something up and you can spend the night," which is surprisingly generous on Carmen's part.

"Thanks Carmen," Lindsey grins. "I won't be a bother." We get her into the car and take off a bit before Lindsey starts getting really upset and unloads the story on us. 

"I've been getting drunk, because I've been lonely and Jesse came on to me," Carmen sobs. Jesse is Pam, Lindsey's roommate's boyfriend. "Pam saw us and didn't understand and threw me out."

Knowing Pam and Pam's temper I expect to find most of Lindsey's stuff in the front yard by sunrise which is when I prophesize I'll be back. Pam and Jesse are a volatile combination. Jesse has a roving eye and Pam is insanely jealous. Jesse enjoys yanking Pam's emotions which is why I've never gotten along with him. Lindsey is falling apart in the back seat, so I lean over to Carmen and outline the situation.

"Do you want her to stay with us?" she whispers back.

"It is your home too, but you know the good and bad of my history with Lindsey. I'd like to help her," I weigh out our choices. Carmen studies me again.

"I trust you," is her response. That's not the problem; the problem is how much she trusts Lindsey.

"Lindsey, how about you stay with us for a few days until we find you a new place to stay, or Pam cools down," I offer

"Is that okay with you, Carmen?" Lindsey hiccups.

"Of course, Rob's home is my home, and Rob's friends are my friends. It is Pam who has made the mistake," Carmen smiles back.

That night we tuck Lindsey on to the sofa in the 'game' room. I'm not sure how much sleep Carmen gets, but she doesn't want to talk, or to let me cuddle. She lies up against me, clearly lost in thought. I fade off to sleep worried about her and Lindsey too. At least when I wake up she's beside me.

"Carmen," I use my only question, "are you going to be okay if Lindsey has to stay here a few days?"

"Of course Robert; I trust you," she tells me

again. It isn't me that I'm worried about. We get up and get Lindsey who is snoring adorably just like I've heard her dozens of times before. She's not so happy when she wakes up and less so when we have to face the consequences of last night.

Sure enough we find many of Lindsey's things out in front of her apartment covered in frost. Her coffee maker didn't make the third story plunge but her Blue Ray impacted a bush and lived. After getting up her clothes and gear I go up with them and knock on the door.

"What do you ... oh, it's you," Jesse mumbles.

"I'm here for Lindsey's stuff," I state. Jesse shrugs and tries to shut the door. I stick my foot in and start to wonder that asshat has broken it. I grimace.

"Her stuff is outside, dude," Jesse says with a faint grin that fires up my pain.

"Let us in or I'll deck you," I grumble.

"Fuck off asshole," he sneers. What can I say? I hit him as hard as I can in the face. Jesse squawks and falls into the room. I step in and shove him into the living room. Pam comes out of the kitchen and glares at me.

"What the hell?" Pam snaps.

"Pam, we are here for the rest of Lindsey's stuff. Let us get it and be on our way," I tell her.

"You hit Jesse," she states the obvious proving to me she's still groggy.

"I'll be out of your way in a second," Lindsey adds as she moves around me, keeping me between her and Pam as much as she can. I feel Carmen press up behind me, unusually quiet even for her.

"You are a bastard Rob," Pam snarls.

"Probably," I admit, "but you had better remember to forward Lindsey's mail to me for the next month or so or I'll come back."

"I'm glad she's gone," Pam spits.

"Good for you," I grin. "Have fun making rent."

"Get the hell out," Pam tells me.

"Trust me; all I want to do now is take Lindsey and leave. I'm not staying for the sterling conversation," I joke.

"Bastard ..." groans Jesse from the floor. I can already see one hell of a shiner around his left eye. That's going to be tender for the next few days. Lindsey comes bundling out with belongings stuffed into a gym bag.

"I'm ready," she smiles to me. She does bother looking at Pam or Jesse.

I turn and usher Carmen carefully from the room. Lindsey is rather animated on the way back. Apparently she likes it when I punch people while I'm less than pleased about how much my hand hurts. Carmen remains quiet until we've got Lindsey settled, Lindsey's taken my car for some take-out, and Carmen and I are in the kitchen.

"You hit that man," she states quietly. I think I know where this is going so I try and head it off.

"Carmen, had he attacked you ... well, we both know how that ended up. If Jesse laid hands on you, I wouldn't have stopped with only one punch," I assure her. Carmen looks at me and gives me this weird smile.

"Yes, you did come to my defense, didn't you? I'm glad you beat Jesse up. I wouldn't have wanted him to hurt you," she nods.

"Well, I wouldn't have wanted him to hurt me too; my hand stings enough already," I sigh.

"Your hand hurts?" Carmen says in a worried tone. She comes over and holds my wounded appendage to her cheek, stroking my palm. "I'll make it better."

Carmen gets me an ice pack and makes me sit down while she makes some hot cocoa. She's still fluttering over me when Lindsey gets back with the food. Lindsey makes a big deal over my hand as well, which does a boy's ego good. By the end of the day Carmen is her normal, frisky self. By the end of the next week I'm pretty sure Lindsey isn't moving out anytime soon because the three of us go out and get Lindsey a bed from a second hand store.

"How is it going?" Ashe says over a steaming hot cup of coffee. It is snowing outside and classes have been cancelled for today and most likely tomorrow too.

"What do you think; Carmen and I aren't have sex, Lindsey is walking around the house as if it was 'clothing optional', I need a spare bedroom like nobody's business," I bitch.

"There is always Steve's old room," Ashe suggests. I hate the very thought of that, but I can see how I have little choice now.

"Lindsey gave Carmen some money for rent two days ago -- says she wants to pitch in," I inform Ashe.

"Oh, going for the 'girlfriends' angle," Ashe points out. "I hope she knows what she's getting into playing games with Carmen."

"You've already talked with Lindsey, haven't you?" I accuse Ashe sadly.

"Yes," is Ashe's guilty reply, "she needs to be warned and how to best play along."

"Have you given thought to how Carmen will feel about this when she realizes her so-called friends are lying to her? Assume for a moment she's a human being," I ask.

"I ... Rob, I'm not wrong about her," Ashe insists.

"Fine Ashe, I'm heading home," I say in disgust. How can I describe how it feels to have Carmen laying against me and smiling in her dreams? She has had such a hard life and I've somehow made her happy.

"I'll drive you. It is really coming down," Ashe offers. I look at her and she's not lying. I'm not looking forward to the trip by foot.

"Are you going to be able to make it back to your place?" I point out.

"Rob, I grew up in Canada. This is nothing compared to what I've grown up with," she smiles.

By the time we get to my place it is coming down in flakes the size of Carmen's palm and visibility is down to fifteen feet. The car is skidding all over the place and we've passed three wrecks too.

"Ashe, you are spending the night," I insist.

"Ugh, I have to agree with you," Ashe groans. She looks at my home with real trepidations. As we get out of the car my phone rings.

"Hey Carmen," I say looking at the number.

"Robert, where are you? The weather ..." Carmen starts.

"Carmen, look out the window. Ashe brought me home and now it looks like she's spending the night," I tease her. Carmen hangs up and has the door open by the time we make the Victorian era porch.

"Ashe, thank you," Carmen says to Ashe as she hugs my buddy first. Ashe looks a little taken aback. She pats Carmen as Carmen takes us both in arm and leads into the house.

"Lindsey and I went to the store before it got too bad," Carmen states. I can already smell some sort of cooking coming from the kitchen.

"Lindsey is making us a beef stew," Carmen adds.

"It smells good," Ashe tell us. She makes her way to the kitchen after I take her coat and hang it up. Carmen hovers around me until I'm finished with the coats.

"I was worried," she says softly. I open my arms and Carmen moves in and hugs me as I wrap my arms around her.

"I was never in any danger, lu ... Carmen," I respond. Carmen looks up at me incredibly happy. She knows what word I almost used -- luv; almost. "Ashe wouldn't let anything wrong happen."

"I've never had a friend like Ashe ... Robert, I've never had a friend at all," she sighs.

"I think ... I think Ashe is trying to understand you," I suggest. "Give her time."

Carmen still has an arm around me when we go to the kitchen. I notice she keeps an eye on me as we eat dinner and make small talk about the current events. We burn through much of evening in a strange null world that lies between friendship and passing acquaintances. The only thing we all have in common is me, and no one wants to talk about which way our relationships might be going.

"Robert, why do you want to be with me when you could have Lindsey," Carmen asks me once we have all gone to bed. Ashe and Lindsey are in Steve's old room which doesn't have me in the most positive frame of mind.

"What do you mean?" I reply.

"Her breasts are so ... so much more the types of one guys are interested in," she sighs.

"Oh, you are worried because her tits are large, firm and round, her waist is slender, her stomach just this side of flat, her hips wide and full, and her ass succulent and begging to be grabbed?"

Carmen sinks her head into my chest.

"Because your nipples feel so good in my mouth Carmen; your ass is the only one I want to touch, your stomach is worth ever kiss, and I don't ever want to wake up when I can't look into your eyes. For such a smart girl you can sometimes ask the silliest questions." Carmen looks up at me with tears brimming.

"I can't give you sex ... you're a guy and I know you want to have sex more than I'm willing to give," she persists in this psychological self-mutilation. 

"Would I like to have more sex with you: Yes; am I happy with what you are willing to give me: Yes," I confess.

"Oh," she whispers and as she puts a cheek to my chest I feel a tear roll down.

"Now Carmen, answer something for me," I say.

"Okay, I'll try," she murmurs. Clearly I'm doing something right.

"Why this house; my room; me?" I ask. Carmen takes a deep breath and rubs her hand over my chest. She takes a deeper breath and lets it out slowly.

"When I ... travelled with my Grandparents, I never really had a home. We were always moving around from one ... place to another. When I was old enough I wanted to go to college in the one place that felt like home to me -- here," she begins. "On the day after I got my acceptance letter I came on the bus here."

"I had to, just had to come by this house and ... I saw you," she sighs. "I came up to your room and looked around."

"When I was at class?" I wonder.

"Yes ... and I was in the closet when you came back with Lindsey and you ... with her," she whispers.

"Oh," I respond -- fuck!

"I wanted to be Lindsey so bad, the way she was with you, and I wanted to be with you so bad in a way I'd never wanted to be with anyone. I had to be with you Robert because I knew you could fill in the void this place had ripped in my life."

"Oh."

"Are you angry with me," Carmen whispers.

"No."

"Are you afraid of me now?"

"Yes," I reply softly.

"I'm sorry," she says.

"What void did this place cause in your life?" I finally ask.

"My Mom died here," Carmen replies.

"Sorry," I respond. "How did she die?" My next question should be 'who killed her'.

"I stabbed her in the chest with a knife," Carmen sobs. I don't know what to even think about that.

"Carmen."

"Yes?" she cringes.

"I need to hug you," I whisper. She pulls herself tighter into me and nods. I keep her close, letting her breath play across my chest for a minute.

"How did it happen?" I feel compelled to continue.

"She left me with those two men and her boyfriend while she stole the jewelry from the house. I think the plan was for them to freak out and leave, but they killed the boyfriend instead. The bigger one killed the other and would have killed me if I hadn't killed him first. There was so much blood everywhere and Mom wasn't around so I went and hid."

"God Baby, I'm so sorry, but what makes you think you killed your mother?"

"I was in my secret place -- the one Mom showed me and when she came there ... I didn't know it was her and I stabbed her. Only later when they told me I had Mom's blood on me did I figure out that I'd killed her. Anyway, I couldn't stay in my secret place so I went back to my room -- this room. This is where they found me."

I hug her for more than another minute before it occurs to me to ask.

"Carmen, why did they never find your mother's body?"

"Oh," she mumbled into my chest, "she's right where I left her."

"Where is that?"

"Do I have to tell you? Is it important?" Carmen questions.

"Don't you want to bury her?"

"No," Carmen quietly admits. What in the hell did this woman do to my Carmen? Did I just think of Carmen as mine? Hell did I just take ownership if two murders six years ago?

"Carmen, we have to deal with this," I reason.

"Why? It has rested for six years; can't we leave it? We have each other now. Please." I have to do something, but all I can think of is ...

"I'll do this for you, but there is a price," I say gravely.

"Do you want me to go?" she whispers.

"No, I want to have sex," is the first distracting thing that comes to mind. Carmen tenses then gasps then hits me hard in the ribs. Ow!

"You scared me!" she howls.

"Did I make you happy?" I ask is which my real intent. Talking about killing her mother and some other vicious stupid bastard doesn't exactly put me in the mood.

"Oh, very happy; you love me love me love me ... I knew it." I make Carmen dream of things other than stabbing her mother. I make her feel loved, wanted, and worthwhile. Maybe one day I'll love her half as much as she loves me.

"Rob, Carmen the power is out," Ashe says through a crack in the door a few hours later. I raise my head up from veil of Carmen's hair.

"Huh? Oh, okay. I'll go check on things," I respond. Under the blanket Carmen strokes my thigh.

"I'll go with you," Carmen mutters.

"Lindsey is checking on her phone for the latest weather forecast, but its two in the morning and still snowing," Ashe informs us.

"Great," I yawn, "let us get dressed and we'll meet in the living room. I think the fireplace still works."

Carmen and I get dressed and sure enough, the power is out all along the block. I get out to the back yard and gather up some wood that's been there since last winter. Carmen is getting blankets from the various rooms, Lindsey gathers up some beverages, and Ashe is trying to start a fire.

"Rob, have you ever had this chimney check out?" Ashe asks.

"Oh crap, the flue," I groan. "No one has checked it out since I've been living here," I confess.

"I hope we don't burn the house down," Ashe sighs.

"The house?" Carmen say upon entering the room loaded down with comforters.

"The chimney may not be the safest," Ashe tells her. "A fire in the fireplace could send some cinders up the chimney."

"It will be okay Carmen," I assure her. She nods before Lindsey comes into the room. We decide to not repeat the conversation.

We find some batteries and put them into a radio that Curtis has in his room and it tells us that a 'warm' front has stalled over the area and we are looking at eighteen more inches of snow. Power is out all over the county and it will be a day, minimum, before we get power back. That leaves the four of us huddled under a series of blankets on the sofa in front of the fire.

Carmen is nestled up against my left side and Ashe is against her. Lindsey is asleep on my right, or so I think before her hand rubs up against my thigh. I move away slightly but Carmen stirs so I stop. I look over at Lindsey and attempt to give her a cautionary look. She is looking at me intently, daring me to do something.

"No," I whisper.

"You are hard as a rock, Rob," she whispers back. She keeps her hand moving up.

"No longer your problem," I caution her.

"Damn Rob, I've been good. I've seen you looking at me. I know you want it," she purrs.

"Wanting it and asking for it are two different things Lindsey. I thought you were hot when I first saw you and I think you are hot now; we not going to do that again," I say softly.

"When you went after Jesse and Pam it was like you standing up for me all over again. You have to admit you felt something too," she grinned.

"Lindsey what I felt was pain. I would do it all over again for you, but that doesn't mean sex, it means I care for you," I explain quietly.




You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 07



"She's got her hooks into you good, doesn't she," Lindsey whispers in appreciation of the situation.

"That is one to look at it. Carmen means a lot to me," I reply.

"If you hadn't met her do you think there would be a chance of their ever being an 'us'?" Lindsey asks.

"Yeah; we were good together. I thought about it more than once, but then Carmen came along," I explain.

"Mmmm ... okay. It is still a long way until the end of the year," she teases me before lowering her head to my shoulder. I thankfully put the incident behind me when I feel a tug from the other side. I look into those limpid pools of brown reflecting the firelight. I'm not sure how much Carmen has overheard and I'm looking for some sign of condemnation.

Instead she smiles at me, gives me a kiss and sighs.

"Lindsey didn't mean anything by it," I whisper. Carmen nods.

"I trust you," she responds with a sound barely above a breath. I find it at the same time lovely but creepy.

Lindsey and I get shoveling duty, digging out our cars, not that we have anywhere else to go. Carmen and Ashe get the fun duty of going to the closest convenience story for anything that you can prepare before the dawn of the twenty-first century and electricity. Lindsey suggests that we both will need massages. I remind her how good Carmen is with her hands.

Ashe and Carmen get back in good time with a surprisingly large amount of grub. It would appear that we are one step ahead of our neighbors. Lindsey figures out a way to cook food over the fire so we will have more than canned fruit and pickles. Carmen provides a Swiss Army knife I didn't know she had so we can actually open cans.

Ashe and I are kicking the ice off of fire logs when Ashe gets my attention.

"Carmen was worried about you," she tells me evenly.

"She trusts me;" I say followed by, "What makes you think she was worried? Did she say anything?"

"No," Ashe said, "but I couldn't get her to open up like I normally do. She wanted to get back in a hurry."

"Ashe, she's my girlfriend and I'm here with my ex. Wouldn't you be a little worry?" I suggest.

"With you, nah; I know you and you are as devious as stone. In all the years that I've known have you ever cheated at anything?" Ashe jokes.

"No. Okay; your point is?" I grin.

"Does Carmen have anything to worry about?"

"No," I insist.

"We may be in close quarters for the next day or three so make sure Carmen knows how much you trust her," Ashe tells me. "Lindsey can be 'expressive'."

"I'll make sure," I agree. Ashe didn't say anything else until we were about to take our firewood and go inside.

"I notice you didn't tell me that there was nothing to worry about," she points out. "What do you know?" I sometimes hate how well Ashe knows me. She is like my evil twin.

"Don't tell anyone this Ashe," I say in deadly earnest. She nods. "Carmen had to kill someone in this house six years ago. It traumatized her. She's been fighting to get her life back together since then, so I want you to give her a break. It was one thing, six years ago. That's all there is."

"Okay," Ashe tells me. All I want Ashe to do is give Carmen the same chance that I have.

We stay shacked up for two days before the roads clear up enough to let Ashe get home. Somehow Ashe convinces Lindsey to spend the night with her so that Carmen and I have the place to ourselves for the first time in over a week. Part of me wants to thank Ashe for the private time; part of me thinks that she's letting Carmen de-stress.

The power has only recently come on in this old house so Carmen and I are huddled in front of the fire. I can't wait for the water heater to get stoked and I suggest the Carmen and I shower together.

"I would like that," she responds with that shy yet seductive smile. After a minute she pokes me in the side to get my attention.

"Yes?"

"Can I quite school at the end of the semester?" she asks with a hand on my thigh. I take that as a sign that she wants me to say yes.

"Why? I've seen your work. You are doing okay. You'll graduate with my help," I sound confused.

"I don't like school Robert. I didn't come here for that. I came here for the house and now for you. Without you I don't know what would have happened to me by now. With you this is all I could ever want," she tells me.

"Wouldn't your grandparents have wanted you to finish?" is all I can come up with.

"They didn't want me to come here. They didn't want me to come here at all. They didn't believe in this kind of education. They weren't a normal family," she sighs.

"The detective said something about that. What did he mean?" I say as I stroke her hair to let her know I care.

"They were always moving about. I never had a formal education. I never had any friends. They taught me that no one would care about me. Everything was a transaction to them," she informs me. It takes me a moment to register the undercurrent of that statement.

"Carmen, how did you get into college?" I ask thoughtfully. Carmen is hesitant but not tense. She knows she was going to tell me, but isn't sure how I will take it.

"I hacked the system," she says with some regret.

"Ah, how did you ... where does someone learn how to hack a system?" I wonder.

"Robert, my mother and my grandparents were grifters and thieves. They stole things from people. My whole life I was part of that and all I wanted to do was get out."

"And you want to leave college before someone figures out what you did," I state; not ask. Carmen nods.

"Okay. We'll work through it. I guess this means I'm not going straight for my doctorate," I overdramatically sigh.

"Really?" Carmen gasps.

"What did you expect me to say?" I respond.

"I ... sometimes I expect to wake up and be back there in that life and you'll be nothing but a dream," she says in a happy voice.

"A dream eh? Does this mean we can have sex," I teased her. I was just enjoying her being happy.

"Yes," she responds frankly. I nearly fall over believing she's teasing me back for the first time ever.

"Are you ..."

"Yes, I'm serious Robert. Let's go to the shower," Carmen directs me as she stands and offers me her hand.

"The water will be cold," I warn her.

"I don't care," she smiles. "Tonight we are the only two people in the world." 



You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 08



*Sometimes 'little' white lies are the ones most worth keeping*

(Later that same day)

"Not my best decision," Carmen giggles on top of me. We were lying back in front of the fire. We are clean but freezing and I am trying to get the feeling back into my extremities that the icy cold shower had robbed me of. Carmen seems to be taking some pleasure in stealing away some of that warmth.

"I tried to keep you warm," I say through chattering teeth.

"I'm warm now," she breathes into my face.

"I'm glad one of us is," I reply with a smile.

"No, I'm warm," she insists as her hand rubs up and down my side from ribs to hip. I'm not going to say anything stupid like 'are you sure' because I've frozen my ass off for this and Carmen looks positively eager, not apprehensive. I run my hands down her flanks. Carmen starts wiggling around.

"No, I want you on top," I tell her. She looks a little surprised.

"I don't know what to do," she responds.

"It should be pretty obvious," I coach her. "Put me where you want me and do what makes you feel the best."

"What do you get out of it?" she asks now worried because she's invested so much in my happiness at expense of her own.

"Carmen, you are beautiful to me. I want to feel you and be inside you, but mostly I want you to be happy."

Carmen pushes herself up and back, the blanket pushing away, bathing her brown skin in the light from the flicking flames of our wood fire. I can see her doing the mental-sexual physics of what she's trying to do. For whatever reasons, she opts to reach behind her and touch my penis and position it up. She clutches at the blanket but can't keep it, her balance and her guidance for my manhood going so the blanket drops.

"I'm cold," she whimpers. I respond by moving up and cupping her very pert nipples.

"Ooohhh ... my nipples are so sensitive," Carmen gasped.

"This has been my clever ploy. Cold nipples become very hard and sensitive and now," I say as I pull myself up and place on of those icy nipples into my steaming mouth. "Mmmm."

The sensation is so intense she almost forgets herself as I am guided into her.

"oh, oh, oh," she says in a very small voice, her lips pursed. Carmen moves her hips up and down slightly. "Robert," she pants; then nothing else for the longest time. We hardly need words anymore. I finally transfer my attention to her other nipple.

By this time I am in her enough that she feels safe removing the hand behind her and uses it to hold my head tight against her breast. Carmen starts rising and grinding against me. I sense her gaze on me, detach my lips from her nipples and kiss her. Our tongues roll against one another before she lets me dominate her. It is a sense of power she surrenders to me, part of our growing trust.

I move my hands to Carmen's shoulders, rubbing on the top of the shoulder blades before working down. I slip down over her front to touch her underneath her arms. Carmen giggles and does this wonderful muscle contraction.

"Baby, do that again. It felt great," I gasp. Carmen thinks it over, tries something, looks at me expectantly, then tries something -- the right thing and makes me moan. Her eyes light up.

Carmen does it again and again and it feels like she's milking me and by the expression on her face I must look ecstatic.

"You ... so ... bad," I groan.

"I feel bad," she says in an adoring manner. 

I thrust up into her several times as means of 'punishment' which only appears to make her happier. She has this look that is fascinating and new, yet somehow makes sense. Carmen feels her orgasm coming on. She's fighting it back at the same time as she's relishing it.

"Please come with me," she begs. I pump harder but it isn't enough.

"Scratch me," I pant. "Make it hurt ... a little bit." Carmen looks a little startled then she grins. Her fingers dig into my shoulders and drag their way down. I feel heat start to come over me, but when she drags those tiny daggers over my nipples I lose it. Carmen screams out in triumph and has her orgasm seconds later.

I hold her shoulder up as she temporarily loses control over herself and slumps toward me. Her hands firm up and she gives me this look that has this crazy happy aspect to it.

"I've got you," she whispers triumphantly.

"Was there ever a doubt," I smile before dragging her to me for another kiss. She purrs and wiggles; I've never seen her happier, joined to me the way she is.

(Next week)

I've hooked up with Lindsey coming across campus and we've walked back together. She's upbeat and talking about what 'we' will be doing for Spring Break. She thinks this will be our last time to hit Florida, but I'm trying to convince her that Carmen's not likely to be ready for something that extreme. Lindsey is persistent though, telling me how much progress Carmen and her have been making.

We are stepping along the walkway when Lindsey gets this curious expression on her face. I follow her to the gaze to the door which is ajar. Since it is barely forty degrees out, my immediate worry is for Carmen. I take the steps two at a time and am through the door in a flash. Ashe is lying on the floor in the hall in a pool of her own blood.

'Oh fuck,' I think, 'not Ashe too.' I am kneeling beside Ashe as I hear Lindsey gasp behind me. Ashe opens her eyes and looks up at me. She seems so frail and weak.

"Carmen," Ashe whispers.

"Did Carmen do this to you?" I almost weep. Not Carmen. I know it is entirely my fault.

"Carmen," she repeats in that ghostly rasp. She tries to raise up an arm. I see her fighting to stay conscious. Ashe is still in her down jacket and has two stab wounds; one in the stomach and the other in the side. There is so much blood.

"How did it happen?" I virtually repeat the question.

"Carmen," Ashe pleads with pain in her eyes. He raise up her arm trying to hold my face.

"It's okay Ashe. I'll deal with her this time. I won't let you down," I promise her. I take her hand and move it to my lips.

"Carmen!" gasps Ashe.

She yanks her hand away from my face and points to the stairs.

"Help Carmen!" she whimpers through the pain. I look from Ashe to the stairs and back again.

"Is Carmen in danger?" I blurt out. Ashe nods and points back to the stairs. I'm racing up the stairs as I hear Lindsey talking to 911. If I was thinking with clarity I might acknowledge what a bastard I've been for doubting Carmen, but all I know now is that the person who stabbed Carmen is with her now. If she's dead ...

As I pound up the last stair to the third floor I hear some male voice whispering and Carmen crying in desperate pain. My door is slightly ajar. It would be the refuge that Carmen would seek out, like she did so many years ago. I slam through the door and some guy I can't quite place stands up from my bed having pulled Carmen's pants half way down.

His face has been scratched but my more immediate concern is the hunting knife he grabs up. He's hurt Carmen; he should have brought a God-damn sword because I'm going to beat him straight into the basement for what he's done to Carmen and Ashe. I meet him halfway and though he's bigger, I slam him back; we go piling onto the bed.

We roll off and onto the floor, him on top. He stabs and I grab at his wrist but not fast enough to avoid cut to the arm. He punches at my face but misses while I put my hand around his throat and start squeezing. He's heavier and taller; if Carmen dies I am not sure I have a reason to live. He tries to wrap his hand around my throat; he goes high and I'm able to bit the web between his thumb and forefinger.

The bastard growls as he switches the bit hand up to the one I'm chocking him with. I won't let go so he rolls me around on the floor. I'm able to smack his knife free, but he repays my good fortune by punching me hard in the face. In my stunned state he's able to pull my hand free from his neck. Now it is his turn to start chocking the life out of me.

"She's got to die!" the fucker snarls at me.

"You first asshole," I wheeze through my constricted airway. I pull at his wrists. The blood from where I bit him is making his grip slippery. I switch tactics and start punching him repeatedly in the face. This guy's face is looking hauntingly familiar.

I rock him back with a good right to the chin. His hold breaks and I'm able roll us on onto our sides. His glower of rage takes on a look of fear which convinces me I'm going to bury this bastard. Carmen slams past me and starts stabbing the guy again and again. At first he tries to fight her off with his right arm, but the first knife-thrust is into the left side of his chest.

Blood is frothing on his lips. He tries to swing at her with his left, but I grab it and hold it down. Carmen is weeping and screaming at the same time.

"NO! No, no, no," she screeches. Half of the room is spattered in blood when she finally stops plunging the knife into him. I have doubt this guy is dead, with his eyes staring up unblinking at the ceiling.

Carmen slumps into me still sobbing.

"You got him Honey; you got him," I reach around her and reassure her. Only once I've done it does it occur to me that I've violated our rules. "Carmen, may I hold you?"

"Yes Robert," she mumbles. "Robert?"

"Yes Carmen."

"Is Ashe okay? He hurt her and I knew if I want to my secret place he'd come back and kill her so I came here instead. I knew you would come and save me if I could only hold out long enough."

"Ashe is getting assistance from Lindsey, Carmen. I'm here for you," I assure her.

"Robert," she whispers.

"Yes?"

"He stabbed me ..." 

Carmen collapses.

(Eight hours later)

I walk into the room holding Carmen. I've talked doctors, cops, and one reporter and all I've wanted to really do was talk to my two women. Carmen turns and looks to me with a dreamy quality. She hasn't lost too much blood, but she's on some serious pain killers.

"Baby," I whisper in case she's more asleep than awake.

"Robert," she sighs. "You got hurt?" Carmen is looking at the bandage on my forearm. Compared to the rest of the people stabbed in my house, I've gotten off incredibly lucky.

"It's nothing. The big thing is how are you?"

"They've made me feel fuzzy," she grins.

"Well, the doctor says you will make a full recovery. You'll miss a few classes. You may have to quit school," I tease. She looks pleased with the reference.

"Ashe?"

"She's out of surgery," I tell Carmen, "and they think she'll be awake in a few hours. You saved her life. You bought her enough time for me to get there. You did well; I'm so proud of you."

The look she gives me is priceless.

"I couldn't take another friend from you Robert, I just couldn't," Carmen mumbles. What?

"What do you mean Carmen?" I ask softly. Carmen stops smiling and starts sobbing quietly.

"I ... Steve."

"What about Steve?" I say with a tremor in my voice.

"I pushed him down the stairwell," she admits.

"No," I gasp.

"Yes ... when he tried to hold on I beat on his hand until he let go. I watched him fall."

I blink and I don't know how long it is before my heart even beats again.

"After Ashe saved my life, I knew I had to tell you. If we were going to have a life together you had to know everything," she winces torn by that eternal struggle between love and trust.

"Huh?"

"That was the guy who you saved me from at the party. He came back and talked to Ashe and she accidently led him to me. I guess he was crazy. When I answered the door, Ashe threw herself at him so that I could get away. She is your friend and she risked her life to save mine. I couldn't go on with you once I knew what your friends were really like."

"Why?" I mumble.

"I don't know why she did it," Carmen misunderstood.

"No, why did you kill Steve?"

"He wouldn't let us have the house. I knew we had to have the house if you and I were ever going to be happy." Carmen rasps with utter conviction. I don't doubt her for an instant.

"He was my best friend," I finally say. I feel a tear going down my face. Carmen is clearly insane; Steve had been my best friend and she killed him.

"Is this were you call in the cops and I never see you again," Carmen says with utter hopelessness.

"WHY!" I scream at her. "Why did you kill my best friend? Why are you crazy? Why have you totally fucked up my life?" Tears start streaming down her face and all she can manage is a pain-twinge shrug.

"Good-bye ... I love you," she sobs.

"Good-bye?" I shout. "Where in the hell am I going? I'm helpless, hopelessly in love with you Carmen, because you've tell me you've murdered my brother and all I can think about is keeping you safe. I hate myself for feeling this way and I hate you!" Carmen remains silent and distressed.

"Carmen ... I ... promise me one thing," I plead.

"Yes," Carmen says hopefully.

"No more killing," I insist in a fruitless effort to save my own sanity and soul. Carmen already has all she wants from me so she nods.

"Also, Ashe must never know. It would kill her -- kill us," I add. Again, Carmen nods. I walk to the side of her bed, brush her sweaty hair away from her eyes and kiss her. She's still crying, but now in joy with a smile on her face. We remain only inches apart for the longest time. "Why are you smiling?" I add in an exasperated voice.

"You said you love me," she breathes. Damn it all to hell -- I did.

"Don't get used to it," I snap.

"Okay," she says with utter adoration, which tells me she knows I'm lying to us both.

"I'll take you home tomorrow," I tell her gruffly. I turn and leave her believing that I have made a horrible mistake. I also don't see myself really having a choice.

 I step out into the hallway and I hear a voice flagging me down. It is Detective August Mitchell.

"Mr. Lynch," the man says. "I need a moment of your time."

"Detective Mitchell, it has been a really rough day," I exhibit my bandaged arm, "so could you make it quick. My girlfriend is under observation and my best friend is in the ICU. I am a bit stressed."

"Well, you have reasons to be uncomfortable, but in the manner of the death of Leon Calderas there are going to be people asking questions," the detective informs me.

"That is the name of the evil son-of-a-bitch who expired in my room?" I growl.

"Yes. I imagine that ... this guy and Carmen had a history," Mitchell states.

"He was the guy who nearly raped Carmen at the start of last semester; I already figured that one out," I informed him.

"I think that is correct, but since no charges were filed ..."

"I don't give a crap about that. What I want to know is why did he come back to try and finish off Carmen? The guy disappeared for months after all?"

Instead of answering the man looks over his notes.

"We are working on those details but for now we need to put together the last minutes of his life at you domicile," Mitchell asks. I stared at the man angrily.

"I came home finding my best friend horribly wounded lying on the ground trying to warn me that there was an intruder in the house hunting down Carmen. I raced up to the place Carmen might have fled to and he was there assaulting Carmen. I jumped him. He grabbed the knife, we struggled and the knife got loose. We punched each other a few times. I was afraid for my life when Carmen intervened with the knife and killed the bastard."

"Did you see who attacked Ashe Harwell?"

"No."

"So don't know if Carmen Santos attacked her and that Carmen was pursued by Leon Calderas in order to apprehend her.

"That's laughable," I sneer. "Ashe and Carmen had been talking before Leon showed up at the door. Ashe was standing to the front. Her wounds were to the front. Did Ashe turn her back on stranger in the house to talk with Carmen and be stabbed by her?"

"Several important people are concerned about this young man and how he died," Mitchell counters.

"So, because this guy was a 'somebody' and Carmen is a 'nobody' she's getting blamed for instigating her rape? What happened to her being a 'good kid'?"

"Just between you and me," Mitchell says, "the kid was wack. He left school last fall, but got a withdrawal post-registration. That means someone told the Administration to let this guy have an academic bye. That is caused by a medical leave, death in the family, or a ton of influence. All I know is the Chief is leaning on me to figure out something before the State Police get called in."

I groan. The last thing Carmen needs is close scrutiny.

"How did Leon die?"

"I held him down while Carmen stabbed him," I confess. Mitchell stares at me.

"Was he fighting back? Were your lives at risk?" Mitchell hints.

"He stabbed both of us first. Carmen was bleeding out, I was hurt, and he was busy trying to choke the life out of me; so yes I felt afraid for my life," I growl.

"Good," Mitchell nods, "the wounds on you and Carmen bear that out. Of course, someone beat the hell out of Leon before he expired. It fits with your story though. It might come in handy that I forgot to mention Carmen in my Steve Binder investigation," he winks.

"I think I'll spend the night with Carmen," I conclude. "If someone comes around asking questions it might be handy for me to be around."

"That's a good idea, Rob," Mitchell nods. I look at the man.

"Thank you. Carmen appreciates it," I tell him. He nods again and walks off down the hall.

Carmen looks at me when I reenter the room. She is confused.

"I had a talk with Detective Mitchell and we decided that I should stay with you tonight. If someone comes by we'll deal with them together," I suggest.

"What is wrong?" Carmen asks. Her criminal instincts tell her something bad is coming down the pipeline.

"We killed someone whose parents have some influence. They are looking for someone else to blame for this guy's -- Leon's -- death," I say.

"Don't let them blame you," Carmen sighs.

"I did hold the guy's arm down. I am just as responsible," I reassure her that she's not alone.

"I won't ..." she starts.

"Carmen!" I snap. "This discussion is over. Are we clear?" Carmen's eyes open wide, but she nods her assent. "Now you get some sleep and I'll be in the chair over here. That's an order and we aren't in the bedroom now, so you have to do what I say." Again Carmen nods. I settle into the chair and drift off to a fitful sleep.

(Three days later)

Ashe isn't in great shape, but she's proving to be a great pre-Med student -- she hates being a patient in a hospital and leaps at the chance when I offer to take her back to my home. Lindsey is a big help with Carmen and my buddy Vince helps me get Ashe up to the third floor. Curtis has 'moved in' with Tyrone, allowing Ashe to take his room. Honest; Curtis answered my e-mail and everything.

Carmen hobbles down the hallway to see Ashe once I get my friend settled in. There is a minute of silence as Carmen sits beside her on the bed.

"I ... thank you Ashe," Carmen begins.

"I'm glad I was wrong about you Carmen. When I found that guy at the door, I knew I had made a horrible mistake. He found me out and then followed me to get to you. I should have trusted you."

"Ashe, you saved my life. You bought time for Rob to save us both. I can never repay that," Carmen sniffles. Ashe reaches out a weak hand and lightly touches Carmen's hand.

"I think we both did a bit of saving one another," Ashe admits. "I want you to know that I'll never doubt you again. You and Rob, well, I'll come to accept things are the way they are."

"Ashe, you will always be Robert's best friend," Carmen smiles.

"Can you do me one favor?" Ashe asks.

"I'll try," Carmen hesitates.

"If you are going to hang out with us you have to start calling Rob, Rob, not Robert. Only his mother calls him Robert and only then when he's done something wrong," Ashe grins.




You Can’t Stop Me Ch. 08



Carmen looks conflicted.

"I'll work on it," she offers. Ashe accepts that. I think she still believes Carmen's crazy, but a manageable crazy. I'm praying she's right.

(Two Years Later)

I'm walking onto the porch when Carmen opens the door. Even when I'm early she always seems to know when I'm coming up to the house. She has little Steven on her hip and a broad grin on her face.

"Was he any trouble today?" I ask before kissing my wife and tussle my son's head. He bats at my hand and giggles. Carmen hungrily kisses me back telling me with her body that today's been a good day.

"He's been an angel, like his father," she smiles. "I can tell by your face that you have good news." She knows what it is but allows me my moment.

"I got the fellowship grant. I'm going to get my doctorate," I crow. Carmen hugs me. She knows that getting my doctorate will most likely lead to a teaching position at the college, which will mean staying in the house and home forever.

"I have good news too," Carmen responds. I let her have her moment's hesitation before she continues. "Ashe is going to do her residency at the County General Hospital. She'll need a place to stay until she gets enough for her own place."

"And?"

"I told her I'd have to check with you, but I sort of promised her a room. That way she'll get to spend time with her godson," she grinned.

"Which means we'll have a few nights to ourselves," I tease.

"Only if you want to," she acts demurely.

"I want to ..." I smile.

"I love you Rob," she says.

"I love you too," I respond.

 FIN