Free Fortune's Deception by Karen Erickson Page A

Brittney didn’t even know who her real father was. A humiliation she still didn’t like to talk about to this day.
    She’d always felt alone and at sixteen, when she had moved out of her grandmother’s house, she literally was. Her mother had died a few years ago of a drug overdose. Her grandmother was in a retirement home, now funded entirely by Brittney. She had no one and she always told herself she didn’t mind.
    Now seeing Charlie in his true element, watching him while he absently scratched his dog’s head as he flipped steaks on the grill with his other hand, her heart wanted more. Why should she have to spend her entire life alone with just her money and friends to keep her warm? That was no life. Eventually Lauren and Maddie would find boyfriends, get married, have lives that didn’t involve her. That was the normal progression in life. She was the only one who kept it light and easy.
    Smarter that way, you won’t get hurt .
    Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to attempt something serious. She’d survive in the end, many others did. Why couldn’t she?
    Because you’ve already been hurt so much your heart might not be able to survive.
    “Are you all right?”
    Brittney turned to find Charlie standing next to her, a concerned expression on his face. She hadn’t heard him come back inside. Blinking she tried to smile, but knew it came out a little twisted. “I’m fine, just thinking.”
    He leaned against the counter, crossed his arms. Her eyes wandered over him, taking in those shoulders she liked to clutch, his wide chest, his denim-clad legs. Looking at him made her mouth water, her sex throb.
    “What are you thinking about?”
    “Oh, you know.” She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “How good those steaks smell and how hungry I am.”
    “They’re almost done.”
    “Good, because I can hardly wait.” She went to him, ran her hands up and down his chest, felt the heat of his skin through the fabric of his shirt. His eyes flared at the contact and she tilted her head back, parted her lips in invitation.
    He dipped his head, his beautiful mouth hovering above hers. “I’m not going to start this right now.”
    She jerked back from him. “What do you mean?”
    Charlie shook his head, furthering the distance between them. “We’re not doing this tonight, Brittney. I can’t.”
    “What, you’re not going to fuck me? I thought that was the only reason I came here!” As soon as she said them, she wanted to take back the harsh words. She sounded like a complete gutter tramp, like she was no better than her slut of a mom. Her mother had done the same thing when she was young. Sleeping around, flitting from man to man, never able to stay around too long. Especially because so many of them were losers, drug users or pushers, abusers.
    Charlie wasn’t anything like that. He was just a man. A nice man who managed to get her motor running like no other could. And she was being completely unfair with him.
    His hand smoothed over her hair, his eyes gentle as he smiled at her. “I’m trying to show you a nice time without mauling you the second we lay eyes on each other. I’m using everything I have to keep my baser urges under control because, trust me, Brittney, I want you. I want you so bad but I’m not going to give in to the temptation tonight.
    Tonight we act like a normal couple out on a first date, learning about each other without all the sex getting in the way. When that happens I can’t think straight.”
    “I don’t know how to act like a normal couple,” she blurted. Shit, why did she admit that?
    He leaned in close, his breath tickling her cheek, his lips practically touching her ear. “Just follow my lead and you’ll do fine.”
    She stood frozen, her back pressed against the counter as he went back outside to the barbeque to check on the steaks. He’d surprised her, she had to give him that.
    The entire night ended up surprising her. The food was delicious, the wine giving her a