Control: Phase Two

He arrived early. The clock on the dash showed that it had only just gone a quarter past seven when he pulled into her driveway, drawing his truck up alongside her sedan. He switched the engine off and leaned forward in his seat. Through blinds and the small windows at the top of her door, a warm and inviting light glowed.

He decided to wait a while. He tried not to think of whatever preparations she might be making but he knew women could work small miracles in just 14 minutes.

He wondered if she'd heard his truck pulling up. It struck him that if she heard the truck and didn't hear him approaching the door almost immediately that she might begin to think that he was having second thoughts. But he continued to wait.

He wasn't having second thoughts.

Not in the slightest.

There was no doubt because just holding her, for however long it was, had far exceeded his expectations. Perhaps it was because she was his Carter, or maybe it was because they both wanted it, or it could have been the fact that he wasn't trying to comfort a grieving widow, but those moments had been glorious. It was the only word he could think of to accurately describe it.

Glorious.

He hadn't been entirely sure of what he was expecting to be honest, but it was so much... so much more. More wanting. More desperate.

Now sitting in her driveway, seconds ticking by achingly slowly, he was desperate for more.

Movement at the corner of his eye brought his mind firmly to the present, the blinds of her front room twitched so that she was no doubt able to see his truck looming over her car. He knew it was time. Carter wasn't the type to peek until she was ready.

Grabbing the bag of Thai food from the passenger seat, he jumped out of the truck and made his way over to her door. His stomach was churning and twisting in knots. He was not in the least bit hungry but it seemed rude to invite himself over and not bring anything.

Still a couple of feet from the door, it opened just as he raised his hand to knock, it waved awkwardly before dropping by his side.

'Hi.' she said simply, leaning against the door. She was nervous. Her shoulders were slightly forward, both hands held tightly to the door, one arm crossed her body giving distinctly closed and introverted tone to her body language.

'Hi.' he replied with soft smile. 'Can I come in?'

She stepped back and gestured him in with a quick wave of her hand.

He stepped past he and looked around, taking in the layout quickly before heading to the kitchen.

She frowned and shook her head. 'Make yourself at home why don't you.' She said just loud enough for him to hear as she closed and locked the door.

'I will!' he called back.

Setting the food on the counter he reached for the fridge. Jars and bottles clinked as it opened. Beer. Taking it in hand, it didn't escape his notice that it was really cold beer too. Not like she had just picked it up on her way home. He took two bottles and started rifling through drawers to find a bottle opener.

'Drawer by the sink.' she said watching him.

'Ah.' he said closing a drawer filled with spatulas and various kitchen gadgets. Reaching the right drawer he took his time finding the bottle opener. He could feel her watching him and he was enjoying it.

The bottles hissed loudly in the silence, leaving the tops on the counter where they fell he turned and stretched out his arm towards her.

She moved just close enough to carefully take the bottle from him. A little too carefully in his opinion, as their fingers didn't touch. Then she began to drink greedily straight from the bottle.

He leaned against the counter his own beer half way to his lips but he found himself transfixed. He loved the fact that she wasn't trying. She didn't have to. Guessing what 'Phase Two' might entail some women might have gotten all dolled up in a fancy dress and a too much make up. But not her. She just stood there in comfy jeans, white tank top and blue blouse. He'd probably seen her wear it before, only he'd never really taken in the sight properly, never appreciated it like this.

His head tilted, imperceptibly so, as he watched a small dribble of beer escape her lips and begin to slide so very slowly over her chin and down her neck.

He licked his lips wishing he could be licking that beer, her skin instead. Remembering the cold sweating bottle in his own hand he took a quick sip to quench his thirst for now.

Gasping slightly for air, she finished. The bottle made a distinctly empty thud when hit the counter.

He grinned, 'Better?'

'Yeah,' she said with an enthusiastic nod. Her forehead creased very slightly as she brought her hand up to her neck. Two fingers traced the path of the beer slowly up her neck, over her chin to the source. She drew her fingers into her mouth to clean them of the slightly sticky beer. When her gaze found his, those fingers still in her mouth, she flushed more quickly and deeply than he'd ever thought possible. Her digits made a wet smacking sound as she quickly removed them from between her lips.

He could only imagine how transparent his gaze was, completely unguarded, his wants and desires so painfully obvious.

She still wasn't trying but hot damn she was sexy. He wondered briefly if she had always been this innocently hot. In all that time fitting in at the training academy, did she forget the power she could command over men?

Quickly, though possibly not quick enough, he became aware that he was still gawping at her. He watched her shift uncomfortably, her gaze darting around the room.

'Sorry.' he muttered shaking his head vigorously. He chugged more than half of his beer before setting it down quickly to tear off his jacket.

She smirked.

'What?' he said pulling at the cuffs, 'I'm hot, okay?'

She reached out to take his jacket. For a moment it looked like she might say something, but instead she smiled to herself and carried his jacket off to a closet in the hall. His eyes still following her, he smiled at the way she hugged the leather tightly to her chest.

He breathed out loudly quickly downing the rest of his beer. Setting the empty bottle next to hers, he grabbed another two from the fridge. He nearly dropped them when he turned to find her well within his personal space.

'So,' she said barely louder than a whisper, 'Phase two?'

'Ah, yes. Phase two.' He set the bottles aside and closed over the fridge. 'Well remembered.'

She stepped closer.

He breathed deeply.

He was just more than a little surprised when it was her eyes that glanced at his lips first. He couldn't help the corners of his mouth raise slightly before her eyes were back on his.

Everything he needed to know was in her eyes.

Everything he needed was right there in front of him.

He rested his hands on her hips, his thumbs and index fingers slipped deftly beneath her blouse and tank top to touch his beer cooled digits to her warm bare skin.

She gasped.

And in that moment he pressed his lips to hers.

He tried to set the pace, to keep it slow and gentle but that just wasn't happening. Not with the way her hands reached up and gripped his hair. Not with the way she pressed and rubbed her body against him. Not with the way she moaned into his mouth, her lips spreading wider, sucking and demanding his tongue.

He gave in.

In an instant he'd wrapped his arms around her, entire hands pressed against the hot flesh on her back. He turned and lifted her with ease, setting her on the counter. Neither batted an eye as the two beer bottles that had previously occupied the space clattered together and crashed to the floor.

He didn't need to pull her legs around him, they twisted and gripped the back of his thighs, every inch of her clung to him in desperation and want. He groaned loudly, his mouth and tongue working ferociously in tandem with hers. One arm around her torso, his still cool hand drifted down beneath the fabric of her jeans and gripped what he could of her ass.

She moaned, his whole head vibrating at the sound, and for the first time thrust her tongue deep into his mouth. He sucked gladly, touching his tongue teasingly back at hers.

He moved himself against her, hips rocking back and forth and calves flexing up and down leaving no doubt as to what the action was being imitated.

Another loud moan from her and it changed again, drawing his tongue deeply into her it was quite evident she needed something of him inside of her in place of their incomplete union.

But all too quickly the need for air was greater than what their nostrils were able to provide. Their hold on each other as tight as it could be, they stilled, foreheads pressed together, eyes shut tight and their warm breath mingling between them.

His thumbs stroked her skin softly until the ability to speak returned.

'There was nothing...' he drew in another breath, '…controlled about that.'

She laughed very softly.

He grinned, dipped his head and kissed her again.

This time it was slow and soft, mouths barely open, his tongue dared to touch her lips just once or twice. It lasted just moments, that second kiss in comparison with the first, but it managed to communicate something far deeper and more meaningful.

They smiled against each others lips. Their eyes meet for the first time in what seemed like an age.

'My Carter.' he whispered.

She grinned and stroked his neck.

'Yes.'

A/N: And it's here the experiment ends. But the relationship continues in my M-rated full length story – 'Control: The Epic Experiment.'