Georgia

Chapter 8

Caroline

The air starts to get a little cooler, the light shining from the full moon getting dimmer as clouds start to cover it. I'm sitting on one of the chairs at the small table, Luke's laid out on a blanket on the floor in front of me. His hands behind his head, legs crossed at his ankles looking so handsome and sexy.

Michelle is going to flip out when I tell her about all this. Thinking about telling Michelle only makes me wish I had my mom around. I can imagine her sitting on the edge of my bed her hair pulled up into a messy bun, wearing those pale pink satin pajamas she always wore, listening intently as I tell her about my night, her face lighting up when I tell her about my first kiss. I miss her.

I bring my thoughts back to Luke which probably wasn't a good idea because all I can wonder is what's going to happen tomorrow? What can happen, really? I'm a plain, shy high school senior living on the other side of the country. He's a good looking college guy in a band with I'm sure tons of beautiful college girls chasing after him.

Don't do this Caroline I tell myself, don't overthink, don't let your head ruin it. This night has been what it has because I haven't put much thought into it. I've surprisingly put my trust in this man that I barely know and let whatever happen happen. I'm going to continue that, if tomorrow I go home and we never see eachother again then that's what it was supposed to be. I really hope it's not though.

"Well that's not true" Luke says, "I saw you swaying a little back there."

We've been talking about just random stuff all night, right now the conversation has led to my inability to dance. "That's cause I was sitting down, my top half isn't the problem." I say pointing down towards my feet, laughing. "That should be pretty obvious though since the first time you saw me I was tripping over my own foot!"

"Is that what happened?" Luke says with a laugh, "Here I was thinking you fell cause you were swept off your feet by my devastatingly good looks!" He winks.

"Oh yeah right!" I say pushing his shoulder with my foot. He grabs my foot, sits up, reaches for my waist and starts to tickle me. I'm squirming and laughing, he gets up and pulls me to my feet in front of him.

"Let's dance, shy girl."

He wraps his arm around my waist, takes my hand in his and starts swaying back and forth. He's humming a slow soft melody as we're moving, my breathing starting to increase the closer he pulls me to him. He kisses me, his lips so soft, his mouth warm on mine. I slide my hand from his shoulder to his hair tangling my fingers in his soft brown curls. Our kiss deepens, his hands grabbing at my back like he's desperate to pull me closer to him. He pulls back, both of us catching our breath and starts to lay me down on the floor. I hesitate for just the slightest second. He feels it.

"We don't have to do anything you don't want to, Caroline." He whispers softly.

No questioning, no thinking...I want him. I want him like I've never wanted anyone. Not trusting myself to say the words I reach up to him and pull his face to mine. I look him in the eyes and kiss him.

And right there in an old tree house under a starry Georgia sky in the most gentlest perfect way I could ever have imagined with this incredible sweet sexy man, I add just one more first to the night.

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Luke

Laying here in the tree house looking up at the night is something I've done millions of times. This was where I came after I'd get in a fight with my parents. I'd come here to write, to play, to lose myself in the sky and quiet. This is where I came after we lost Chris, when I couldn't handle hearing Mama cry anymore. I always thought bringing anyone up here with me would feel wrong, like the place would lose the comfort it gave me if I brought someone else into it. Being here with Caroline though just feels right. A lot of things about Caroline feel right and it surprises me.

I've kept my distance when it comes to women, I've never had a problem dating it's just that none of it has ever lasted past a few weeks. They didn't end badly, it just never got to a point that I wanted to take it to a more serious level. The closest I've come is Katie and even with her we've never fully commited to one another. This year Katie is going to be transferring to Georgia Southern, this wil be the first time we'll be seeing eachother everyday, the first time we'd actually have a chance at having a real relationship. We talked about it a little when she found out she'd gotten the transfer. I was happy, it was gonna be good to have her there everyday, to see where we'd go but now, well now I don't know how I feel.

Caroline sort of took me by surprise the same way her touch takes my breath away and I can't help but wonder where it could go. Can I really expect it to go anywhere? She's going home today, I'll be back at school next week that's a lot of distance between us. Her giggle brings my thoughts back to our conversation.

I'm up on my feet now holding her close to me. Humming a Lenny Kravitz song, moving back and forth not knowing what tomorrow is gonna bring and right now just choosing to focus on this moment with her. I kiss her, her soft lips following along with mine, my heart racing. She has her hands in my hair pulling me closer to her. I pull away looking at her hoping she wants me as bad as I want her. I start to lay her down and she hesitates a little. I admit I'm a little disappointed but I reassure her that we don't have to do anything she doesn't want to.

She pulls my face to hers, looks me in the eyes and I can see it, right there in her face I can see that she wants me. She kisses me, her kiss says it all and laying down in this place on this perfect night I make love to this beautiful shy girl, holding her close and never wanting to let her go.