My future son is trying to change the past!
Every time he changes something, the new memory pops into my head.
I get out of my bed and grab my keys. I have to stop him, but how can I?
I could get to the lab. Go back. Stop him from doing what the devious guy is obviously planning.
I run out the front door and hop into my car, but before I can start the engine, another memory hits.
I stare up at the stranger that strongly resembles my beloved daddy. "Nice to meet you, Seth!" I shout excitedly over the pumping music of the party. "Are you a senior?"
He smiles proudly. "Yeah." He has a calm presence like he's not nervous around me at all. He's so cool! He seems to remember something. "What about you?" His head ducks closer to mine so he can hear me.
"Oh, I'm a sophomore. Physics major."
"Law for me," he says.
"Oh, that's just like my dad!" I tell him happily.
Seth's eyes narrow.
"Oh. Sorry. I guess it's creepy for a girl to compare you to her father right away. It's just... you look like him too." The two drinks I've had are making my tongue loose.
"I really don't want to hear that," he growls.
I stare up at him, shocked. Jeeze, did I blow it, or what? My cheeks get super hot. "Sorry. I guess I'll just..." I look back at my friends, who are watching encouragingly.
He grabs my arm, gently. "No, I'm sorry. Don't take offense, mo—I mean... Danielle. It's a pride thing."
His hand is really warm. Wonderful, really. Saving myself for the one I love has been a hard trial. And it's not like I'll ever get to be with him anyway, right? I mean, what normal girl gets a crush on her dad, the one person on Earth that she can't have? Stupid fantasy.
"Hey," Seth says. "You want to go somewhere a little quieter?"
I smile at him. I guess I didn't blow it after all. He really is good-looking with his dark eyes and curly brown hair. Better looking than dad, even. "Sure!"
I pull myself out of the memory. He's getting to her. Me. Past me. This is bad. I pull out of the driveway and head toward the lab.
Seth doesn't realize what he's doing. What if he succeeds? If he changes too much, maybe I won't yearn after my dad anymore and maybe I won't go find him when I use the time machine for the first time.
And if that happens, daddy won't fuck me. And if daddy doesn't fuck me, Seth won't even exist.
And if he doesn't exist, who stops me from going after daddy?
It's making my head spin. I just know that it's going to be bad.
I have to get back there and tell him that my dad is his dad.
I just hope to God that evil bitch Dr. Samuels is in the lab.
I fly into the lab parking lot and spot the doctor's car. I pull in crookedly beside it and get out, running for the door.
I suddenly realize how dad must have felt when I went back into his past. He knew I was changing things, but didn't know how to stop me.
At least I have a plan.
I step into the lobby and flash my volunteer ID. I rush down the sterile hallway. Then, so vividly, it makes me dizzy, I have another memory and crash into the wall.
Seth and I wander out, past drunken partiers and onto the frat lawn. "There's a park not far from here," I tell him. "I'd never go there at night, usually, but..." I check him out. "I think you'll be able to protect me."
He flashes straight, white teeth in a grin. "I won't let anyone touch you, I swear."
I believe him. "How tall are you?"
"Six three."
"Wow."
"And you're five five."
I laugh. "Good guess."
"Right," he murmurs, grinning.
I blush, happy to have his attention. "Oh, you think you're pretty cute, huh?"
"I know you think so." He moves closer so we walk side by side.
How surprisingly sexy. "How do you know that? Am I drooling?"
He laughs. It's a rich, wonderful sound. "You've told me before."
"What, like, once upon a dream?" I ask wryly.
He laughs again! "Sure mo—I mean Danielle."
"What's with that?"
"What?"
"Do you have a girlfriend named Monica or something? You keep trying to call me something else."
He chuckles lightly, taking in my expression. "You're jealous." He sounds surprised and pleased.
I open my mouth to retort, but nothing witty comes to mind. "Maybe a little."
"I promise I don't have a girlfriend. That make you feel better?"
I giggle. "It makes this a little more interesting. It means your options are open."
"Oh yeah? What did you have in mind?" His dark eyes watch me intently.
I shiver at his gaze. I think he's attracted to me. Like, really into me. It feels amazing. "For example, you wouldn't be opposed to kissing me."
He stops walking. The park is only a few yards away, but I stop with him.
I realize I've just said something very forward and I feel kind of shocked that I basically just offered to kiss a stranger. Nervously, I look up at him.
His lips are parted, his breath is deep and steady. And his eyes stare down into mine, somehow gentle and fierce at the same time. It looks a little like love. I know that's crazy.
He chuckles. "I wouldn't be opposed, no."
My breath escapes me. So cute! I wouldn't mind at all if he kissed me. And that's odd for me. I can usually only compare men to my dad and they all fall short. But that comparison isn't nagging me now.
I tug on his hand. "Come on. Let's go sit on the swings."
He smiles indulgently. "Okay... Danielle."
Even though I basically told him he could kiss me, he's not rushing me. I lead him through the park and to the swings. The fact that he's not pushing just makes me want to kiss him more.
We sit in the swings and he rocks himself back and forth with his long legs.
"What's your last name?" I ask him, letting my legs swing.
His eyes dart to mine, suspiciously. "Why?"
"Well," I say grinning devilishly. "If I'm going to give you my first kiss, I should at least know your last name."
"Your first kiss?" He sounds surprised, maybe even confused.
Oh damn. What an embarrassing thing to admit. Logic will lead him to realize I'm a virgin. Well done, Danielle. Truly. "Yes."
He looks off in the direction of campus for a second. "Crowley."
"Seth Crowley. That's pretty nice. You know, I've always liked the name Seth."
"Really?" he asks, grinning. It's like he has a secret.
"Yeah. There was this boy in kindergarten who used to bully me. His name was Billy."
"Billy the bully," Seth says, knowingly.
"Yeah! That's how I always think of him. Anyway, Billy used to chase me around and pull my hair."
"What an asshole."
I giggle. "He was pretty awful. But there was this cute boy with blonde hair. He was tiny, you know? But he stood up for me. He told Billy that you can't hurt a pretty girl." I grin. "That was Seth."
"Did you like him?"
"Well, not really. I had a hard time being interested in boys even then."
"Why?"
I glance over at him. His head rests against the chain of the swing. His whole attention is on me. His eyes are dark but focused. His face framed by unruly curly black hair. And suddenly I realize that I'm turned on. Fully aroused by him and I hardly noticed it coming on. "Just waiting for someone special, I guess."
He nudges his swing into mine. "I'll take that kiss now."
I struggle to free myself from the memory and find that I'm sitting on the cold floor of the lab hallway. Nineteen years of not giving in to lust and my own son is making me waver? I don't want to see what comes next but it pulls me powerfully back.
His lips brush against mine, slowly and carefully. Tingles rush down the back of my neck. My nipples harden. His hands circle my waist, warm and welcome.
"Mmm," I murmur, then blush at the sound of my voice.
He breaks the kiss and lets himself swing back into place.
My fingers run across my bottom lip.
"How was it?" he asks.
I stare at him. "It was perfect."
He bites his lip to stop himself from grinning, but it doesn't really work. Cute! "It's late. Let me walk you to your dorm."
I don't want to stop hanging out with him, though. Feeling a bit bold, I say, "Maybe we can go back to your place for a while?"
His eyes jerk to mine and I can see that he's started breathing hard. Almost as though he doesn't want to, he lets his eyes drop to my breasts, then my legs. They snap back to mine. "Aren't you afraid I'll take advantage of you?"
"Afraid? No."
"Don't you want to take it slow, though? I mean, I want to keep you."
"Keep me?"
"I don't kiss just anyone."
That makes me grin. "So, do you want to take me back to your place or not?"
He smiles. "More than anything."
"Danielle!" I hear a firm voice call. "She's coming out of it now, but you still better come."
I pull myself out of the memory. Dr. Samuels is staring down at me, her cell phone at her ear. "Good, the sooner the better." She ends the call. "That was your dad. What's the matter with you?" she asks.
"Someone's trying to change the past," I tell her. "My past. I can feel it happening."
She helps me to my feet. "But who?"
"My son."
She stares at me. "What?"
"It's a long story, doctor. Right now I need you to let me use the machine."
"It can't take you back into your own past. It's not ready for pin-point time travel yet," she protests, trying to stop me from barging into her lab.
I scurry by her and barge in anyway. "Where is it?" My eyes scan the room but there's no time machine. "What did you do with it?" I demand.
She frowns. "My colleagues had some... disputes about the ethical implications of my machine. I've had to secure it to another location."
"Where?" I yell. "Where..." I stumble.
I follow Seth up to the second floor of the dorm building. He hesitates at a door. "I just, uh, changed rooms, so it's pretty bare."