Falling into Summer

Chapter 23

Carter

After spending Thursday night savoring Haley, I knew when she left this morning I wasn't going anywhere until I saw her again. But hearing her surprise when she realized I hadn't left, only made me adore her more. Then after watching how happy she was with my family, and how easily she fit in, it just made me so happy that she was here.

Then when she saw the picture I had of her in my room, I had to hide my embarrassment. I had seen it earlier in the week, with my mother's family pictures, and swiped it for my trip. But after my initial reaction, I realized I didn't have anything to be ashamed of... I care about this girl, and if I want a picture of her, I'm going to take it... it didn't seem like she minded.

As we were watching the movie, I couldn't be bothered with wasting a minute looking at a tv screen, when all I wanted to do was stare at her. I wanted to touch her and kiss her... and she let me. I wanted to spend every minute I could memorizing every inch of her face, her lips, and her neck, knowing that I'd need the memories during our week apart, and with that realization my heart began to hurt. But as I watched her fall asleep while staring into my eyes, and I saw how peaceful she was, I fell in love with Haley. I think I always knew I was falling in love with her, but seeing her tonight being totally relaxed and happy, it made me fall head over heels for her... and that's when I realized I have only one thing left to do, and it suddenly became clear to me why I need to go back to Virginia, alone... because what I now know I need to do, Haley doesn't need to be a part of. She's changing what I want out of love and what I thought love was. Haley's showing me love can be kind, patient, and encouraging... she makes me want the kind of love we could have.

With these feelings inside me, I refuse to let her sleep any longer, because I just want to feel her body against mine.

Haley

Carter doesn't let me sleep too long before he wakes me with seductive kisses that ultimately leads to us spending the rest of the night savoring the hours we have left. We take advantage of every minute we can, wrapping ourselves around each other, and keeping one another just a breath away. After some of our most intimate moments, he wraps his arms around me in the dark and talks about plans for the future.

"I wish you were coming with me tomorrow," he confesses.

"Me too," I agree, and I think about all the things we could do together there.

"Promise you'll come with me one day. So, you can meet my cousins, and dad, and my sister," he asks.
"I'd like that," I admit, and it pleases me to know that he sees me in his future. After all, if he's making plans for us then he's had to have thought about me as a more permanent fixture in his life.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," I answer, knowing I'll tell him anything he wants to know.

"What would you do if you got pregnant?" he asks out of nowhere and it shocks me.

"What?! I'm not going to get pregnant," I counter, horrified at the thought.

"You never know. It's always a possibility," he insists.

"Not if you keep doing your part it's not," I demand.

"But mistakes happen... I'm just asking what if you did... What would you do?" he asks again, and I can hear the sincere curiosity and concern in his voice.

"Well, I don't know, I never thought about it... I mean I'm only nineteen, I can't have a baby now... Why are you asking?" I answer unsure where he's taking this discussion.

"I was just thinking... If you got pregnant, I would want you to have it," he explains, shocking me again.

"What? Why would I have a baby if I wasn't going to raise it?" I demand, really not comfortable with his train of thought on this matter.