by Megan Green
I’d been so surprised when I saw that old, chipped mug in his cupboard during my first week here. I’d given it to him so many years ago; it was amazing to me that it hadn’t shattered into a million pieces by now. But then that was Carter. Always taking extra care of the things that were special to him.
Especially me.
He tucked me into his side as I pulled up the movie of the evening—The Sandlot, of course—only letting me go to get up and grab the pizza when it arrived. We ate together, completely wound up in one another, taking turns quoting our favorite movie lines and laughing when we both tried to speak at the same time.
Now, the movie over and dinner cleared away, I head into the kitchen for the last part of my surprise.
Grabbing a lighter and a grocery sack filled with the supplies we need, I head back into the living room and light the large candle I placed in the center of the coffee table earlier that evening.
“What’s this?” he asks, his eyes perusing my body as I bend over to arrange my bounty.
I take a wooden kabob skewer out of one of the packages and stick a marshmallow on the end. “You want a s’more? And don’t you dare tell me you can’t because you haven’t had one yet, so you can’t have s’more.”
He chuckles softly. “Oh, you know me too well.”
“That I do,” I add, holding out the stick and turning to get another one ready for myself.
We spend the next ten minutes roasting marshmallows and making our treats, the scene entirely reminiscent of all the times we spent out at the fire pit behind my house, growing up. Only, now, there’s no fire, so we have to make do with the flame from the candle. And, when I take a bite of my s’more, causing the gooey marshmallow and melted chocolate to ooze out of the sides and run down my chin, Carter leans over to help clean up my mess.
With his tongue.
The movement ignites a fire in my belly, and only one thing can douse it. And it’s the one thing he said he wouldn’t give me until he thought I was ready.
So, instead, we spend the next hour making out like teenagers, our hands roaming and our tongues tangling. It’s something I haven’t done since my senior year of high school, and I forgot just how exciting something as simple as kissing can be.
And, when the candle finally burns its way down to the end, flickering out and leaving the room in complete darkness, I can’t help but marvel at the sudden change in direction my life has taken.
A month ago, I was preparing for my wedding, excited about marrying a man I thought I loved.
And, now, here I am, spending my nights roasting marshmallows and kissing my best friend.
And nothing has ever made me happier.
Chapter 15
Carter
“Are you ever going to tell me where we’re going?” Avery asks for the millionth time as she bounces in her seat beside me.
When we woke this morning, I told her to get dressed in something comfy because I had plans for us. She took my advice, her little legs clad in tight jeans and a red-and-black-plaid button-down knotted over a plain white tee.
In short, she looks cute as hell. Hopefully, she won’t be too upset over how dirty I plan to make the two of us.
“We’re almost there, Smalls. Hold your horses,” I reply with a grin, glad to see she is excited about our expedition.
Avery has been true to her word these last few days since the morning she tried to initiate sex. She’s been full of nothing but laughter and smiles. When I’ve been at home, that is. I’ve spent far too much time away from her arms, and now that I have a full day off to do whatever I want, I am going to make sure she knows just how much I appreciate everything she’s done to show me how serious she is about us.
I’d be willing to bet it’s been years since Avery’s been on an ATV, something the two of us always loved doing with our dads when we were younger. Avery thrived in the forest and the mud back then, and I just hope that hasn’t changed too much in the years we’ve been apart.
But, when I pull into the parking lot for the rental place, I know immediately that I have been worried for nothing. A wide smile spreads across her face as soon as she sees the various outdoor toys, the bouncing in her seat picking up speed until I’m almost concerned she might bounce right out of the roof of the car.
“Carter!” she squeals. “Are we going riding?”
I laugh. “Nah, just thought I’d bring you all the way out here to look at them. See, there they are. Now, we can go home.”
She reaches over and playfully slugs me in the arm. “Don’t be a smart-ass. Oh, I want that pink one!” she shouts when she sees a pink ATV come into view.
“Actually…” I say, bringing my hand up to nervously rub the back of my neck.
I should’ve known Avery would want her own ride. I just took one look at the side-by-side ATV on their website and fell in love, visions of Avery and me off-roading through the trees, hand in hand, flooding my mind instead of actual sense.
“I, um…I sort of already reserved something for us. A RZR. But I can see if they’ll let us switch.”
She shakes her head. “Oh, no. I’ve always wanted to try one of those side-by-side thingies. Sammy’s family got one out on their ranch, and she says it’s the most fun. I just haven’t had a chance to go out there and take a ride with her yet.”
I blow out a breath, relieved to hear she’s not disappointed that she won’t get her own four-wheeler. Pulling my car into the stall next to the building, I quickly hop out and go check in. After everything is paid for, the guy behind the counter gives me the keys and points me in the direction of our ride for the day.
Avery must’ve been watching through the window because, when I step out of the shop, she’s no longer in the car. I turn and look around the yard for her, my eyes landing on her small figure parked right behind the steering wheel of our rental.
She holds her hands out for the keys as I approach.
“I don’t think so, Smalls. Scooch over,” I say, coming up to the driver’s side and giving her a gentle nudge.
Her jaw hardens. “I don’t think so, Hughes. I’m driving. Now, give me the keys.”
“Avery—” I start, but she immediately cuts me off, “Carter.”
My eyes narrow, knowing there’s no way I’m going to win this one without a fight.
“Best two of three?” I ask.
Her hard face softens, the corners of her lips curling up into a sly grin as she holds her fist out in front of her.
“One, two, three, shoot,” I say as the two of us bounce our fists.
My hand stays curled into a fist while hers lays out flat.
“Ha!” she shouts, pumping her arms in victory.
I shake my head.
“I said best two out of three. I could still win this one.”
She leads us off this time, and instead of keeping my hand in a fist, I shoot it out flat like Avery’s just was, knowing she always does rock after paper.
But, instead, her fingers form a V, and she slides them over my hand in a cutting motion. “Woot, woot!” she says, lifting her hands in a raise the roof motion.
I grab her hands, stopping her movement. “Stop that. Nobody raises the roof anymore. And what the hell, Smalls? I’ve known you for years, and you never throw scissors after paper. It’s always rock.”
She shrugs. “Maybe back when I was young and dumb and didn’t realize you could pick up on my patterns. Now, get in, loser.” She reaches out and snatches the keys from my fingers, shoving them into the ignition and starting it.
I jog around to the other side, sliding into the ATV and buckling my seat belt before she can take off and toss me from the vehicle. It isn’t exactly how I pictured this afternoon going, but after a few minutes, the sulking frown disappears from my lips, in its place a joyful smile.
Because this is fun.
Avery handles all the dips and grooves in the road with practiced ease, never once hesitating or second-guessing herself when an obstacle pres
ents itself. We fly down the trail at top speed, mud splattering out around us as we go. And, when we hit a particularly sharp corner, causing the wheels to spin a little as she glides through it, Avery throws her head back in laughter, her right hand coming out to grab mine and grip it tight.
Now, that’s more like it.
Avery drives for another hour or so, taking us further up the mountain path. When we reach a small clearing, I tap her shoulder, nodding toward a grassy area where we can eat lunch.
She catches my meaning, steering the side-by-side over to the meadow and cutting the ignition.
She turns to face me, her eyes wide and her smile beaming as she leans her head against the headrest. “That was so much fun. Thank you for bringing me, Car.”
I lift her hand to my lips, pressing a kiss to the back of it, not even caring about the tiny specks of mud dotting the otherwise pristine skin. “Anything for you, Smalls. Now, let’s eat.”
I reach into the back and grab the cooler I arranged to have placed there for us. Avery must not have noticed when she climbed in because her eyes widen at the sight of it. I lift another compartment and pull out a folded blanket, the soft fabric clean and safe from the dirt and debris from the ride up.
At least until we sit on it.
Avery climbs out of the ATV and follows me over to the grass, watching as I spread out the blanket and gesture for her to sit.
She tosses the keys to me as she steps onto it, giving me a wide smile. “I suppose I’ll let you drive back. It’s the least I can do after a spread like this.”
I laugh as I climb onto the blanket with her, crossing my legs underneath me when I reach her side. Leaning over, I drag the cooler over to where we’re sitting, pulling out item after item, loving how the excitement on her face grows with each and every one.
Cheese. Grapes. Sliced apples. Nuts.
Two chicken salad sandwiches, complete with flaky croissants.
And, to top it all off, I pull out two tiny bottles of moscato—Avery’s favorite wine.
She squeals when she sees them, throwing herself at me and pinning me back on the blanket before peppering my face with kisses. I chuckle as she attacks me, loving every moment of her soft body on mine.
When she finally pulls back and lets me up, she dives straight for the grapes, popping a few into her mouth before pressing one against my lips. I let her slide the fruit into my mouth, teasing her fingertip with my tongue before letting it break free.
She lets out a content sigh. “I have to admit, you’re far better at this wooing thing than I anticipated. Who knew you had tricks like this up your sleeve?”
I reach over and grab the plastic baggy full of cheese, pulling out a few cubes and feeding her one like she did me with the grape. And, just like me, she trails her tongue along my finger before she lets me pull it back out.
“No tricks here, Smalls. Just years and years of biding my time and coming up with ideas should the opportunity ever present itself.”
She crawls over into my lap, leaning her back against my chest and settling herself into my arms. We sit like that for several minutes, taking turns feeding each other and stealing kisses between bites.
She finally breaks the silence that’s fallen over us, her voice full of wonder. “It still just amazes me how blind I was for so many years. If I’d only opened my eyes sooner, we could’ve been doing things like this a long time ago. It makes me sad to think back on all the years we’ve missed out on, simply because I was too stupid to see what was right in front of me.”
I shake my head, lifting my hand to her chin and craning her neck back so that she can look me in the eye. “You’re not stupid, Avery. It just wasn’t our time back then. Now, in this moment…this is our time. And, if I have it my way, this will be our future.”
She grins up at me. “Why, Carter Hughes, are you saying you want me to be your girlfriend?”
The word sounds so asinine, so completely inappropriate in regard to the depths of my feelings for Avery. But, considering I’m the one who insisted we take this slow, trying to jump straight into terms like soul mate and love of my life would be pushing it.
Girlfriend will just have to suffice.
For now.
I nod, dropping my lips to hers for a quick kiss. “Yes. Avery Grant, will you be my girlfriend?”
She giggles. “Oh, the poor single women of Seattle. I can hear hearts breaking all over the city as we speak.”
I level my gaze on hers. “None of them ever held a candle to you, Smalls.”
That elicits another wide smile, and she lifts her mouth to mine for another peck.
“You’re such a sweet-talker.”
“Not sweet-talking if it’s true,” I reiterate, realizing it’s time I let her in on my biggest secret.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she says with a wave of her hand. “Like I said that day at the Space Needle, Carter. I see the way women look at you. There’s bound to be plenty of heavy hearts when they realize you’re officially off the market.”
Grazing the backs of my fingertips over her cheek, I look her square in the eye. “There’s only ever been you.”
She beams at me. “You’re adorable.”
“It’s true. It’s only ever been you, Avery. And I mean that in every possible sense.”
Her brows furrow. “What do you mean?”
Taking a deep breath, I dive in headfirst. “I mean, I’ve been in love with you since the day we met. Nobody has ever come close to matching the feelings I have for you. And, as such, things have never progressed…physically…with anyone else.”
“Physically?” she questions, her face scrunched tight with confusion.
“I wanted my first time to be with someone I loved. And I’ve only ever loved you.”
Her eyes widen, realization spreading across her face as my words sink in.
“Carter, are you saying—”
“Yes, Avery,” I say, letting out a heavy breath, “I’m a virgin.”
Chapter 16
Avery
We ride down the mountain in silence, the two of us both content to just take in the scenery and be with each other. On the outside, I’m cool, calm, and collected. Just an average girl out for a ride with her boyfriend. But, on the inside…
On the inside, I’m a huge, jumbled heap of emotions.
Carter’s admission rocked me far more than I let on. After my discussion with Sammy, I’d been forced to realize that Carter had never dated anybody seriously because of me.
But this?
I hadn’t been expecting this.
Never in my wildest dreams had it occurred to me that Carter might have been saving himself for me. I mean, you always hear about women wanting to save themselves for someone special. But a man? I thought it was just a rite of passage for a guy to lose his virginity before graduating high school.
It was something Carter and I had never talked about back then. I’d just assumed he was sleeping with whomever he’d recently been spotted with, and I’d certainly not wanted to hear all the details of my best friend’s latest conquest, so I’d never asked. I’d assumed he never shared because he understood that. That he was respecting me and my innocent ways. Back then, I’d fully intended to save my virginity for my wedding night.
Until Miles had come along…
Ugh. Let’s not go there today, Avery. You’re with Carter, out here, in this beautiful forest, and that man is the last thing you need on your mind right now. Especially after everything Carter just told you.
I shake off the thought, glad to know at least part of my brain is still functioning and can help steer me in the right direction.
But I can’t help but remember my first time, given the circumstances.
It was with Miles, of course. Until Carter, he was the only man I’d ever even wanted to sleep with. And we were in the back of his truck.
I wish I could say he had this whole elaborate setup for me. That he took me out there and made love to me under the
stars, candlelight flickering in the background and my head cushioned by dozens of fluffy pillows.
But, no, Miles took my virginity in the bed of his truck, an old, ratty beach towel the only buffer between my bare back and the rusted metal. At the time, I told myself it was romantic. But I can see it now for what it really was.
A horny teenage boy who had probably fucked countless other women right there where he took me.
A shiver runs down my spine, causing Carter to shoot me a concerned look. I smile in response, not wanting to tell him where my thoughts just took me.
Because it doesn’t matter. Not anymore.
My first time with Miles might’ve been lousy. But I’ll be damned if I let my first time with Carter be anything but spectacular.
And, if he thinks he’s going to get me to wait much longer, he’s got another thing coming. I wanted him before. But, now that I know he’s been waiting for me…
I don’t need any more time.
I’ve known this thing between Carter and me is different and real from the moment his lips first touched mine. Hell, if I’m honest with myself, I’d known it long before that. I hadn’t been hesitant to hear about Carter’s escapades in high school just because I was a shy little girl. I hadn’t wanted to picture him with somebody else.
I’d always told myself it was because he was my best friend and, by rights, mine. The idea of another woman stealing him away from me had never sat right in my stomach. But it had been about more than just being his friend. Deep down, I’d always wanted Carter to be mine in every sense of the word. I’d just been too stupid to realize it.
And, now that he is, now that we can finally start this next chapter of our lives…
I’m going to make damn sure he remembers every single second of it.
Chapter 17
Carter
