The Carters | ✓

Chapter Five - Firsts

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Anna's POV

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What the shít. He's kissing me. Like, actually kissing me. It's not one of the many dreams I have had about this moment. This is really happening.

His lips move softly, slowly against mine as if he's trying to savour the kiss. I follow his lead, turning to jelly in his arms. But he doesn't let me fall, his strong arms curling around my waist and pulling me flush against him. I lift my arms and curl them around his neck, curving my body into his.

He pulls away after a few moments and breathlessly whispers. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."

I furrow my brows and pull back slightly. "How long?"

He shrugs, "Since I was old enough to have romantic feeling towards anyone."

My eyes widen slightly. "There's no way you've liked me since we were kids."

He laughs, leaning forward to press a kiss to my nose. "Annie, you were my first crush back when I was like... nine. It never went away. You have no idea how much it hurt to see you with Tyler. I hated every moment of it."

"But... You've been with other girls?"

Liam scoffs. "Hardly. It was only after you started dating Tyler that I started hooking up with other girls. I thought you would never look at me that way. I only lost my virginity because I got drunk and started thinking about you with someone that wasn't me. I wanted to forget about you. But I never could."

I reach my hands up to cup his cheeks, seeing the sadness in his eyes. "Liam... I'm so sorry. Why did you never tell me? We- We could have been together. I would never have gotten with Tyler if I knew you had feelings for me. I only went out with him because he was paying attention to me and you weren't. I thought you saw me as your sister."

He sighs and drops his head onto my shoulder, hands gripping my hips. "I'm such a fúcking idiot. I should have just... told you. But I was scared. So, so scared of losing you."

"You could never lose me, bubs." I run my hand over his head, smoothing down his hair as I hold him to me. I feel the tears well up in my eyes. Everything with Tyler could have been avoided if I just told him how I felt.

"I didn't know that." Liam whispers tiredly, arms completely circling my waist so that I'm pulled flush against his chest.

"Well now you do." I tell him softly, dragging my fingertips down the back of his neck, causing him to shiver. "What happens now?"

He's quiet for a moment as he thinks over my question. Then he suddenly bends down and grips my thighs in his hands, lifting me up so that my legs are forced to go around his waist. He starts walking out of the room while I feel like the breath has just been knocked out of me.

"Here's what I think. I reckon we should order in tonight and watch a movie like we usually do. You should spend the night here with me and we should talk about some things because there are definitely some more things that need to be discussed. Then, we'll have our first official date some other time." He suddenly sets me down on the kitchen counter and stands between my legs, looking straight at me. "We have all the time in the world, Annie. I don't want to rush things with you. I want everything to be perfect. And I know it will be. Because everything always is when I'm with you."

I feel like I could cry.

"Okay," I nod and laugh quietly, resting my hands on his shoulders. "I can't believe this is really happening."