The List

Chapter Twenty Three

"Why are you picking Cari up, if you're just coming back to the apartment?" Liam questions.

I roll my eyes, in an effort to hide my nervousness. "Because she's tired from driving, so I'm being nice and bringing her back here."

"What are y'all going to do tonight?" He asks.

"Just hanging out, dude." I sigh. "That's all we do."

Liam throws his hands up in defeat. "Alright. It's just odd you're skipping a party with the boys."

"Your sister wanted a chill night, so I said I'd stay in with her; no big deal."

Liam smirks at me, before heading towards the door where Nathan waits. He turns back to face me. "Don't do anything I'd have to kill you for."

A smile breaks on his face so I know he's kidding, but the nerves are even higher in me now. I'm thankful the guys decided to go have dinner to celebrate, before going to one of the parties. This gave me the perfect chance to pick Carrigan up and take her somewhere to make tonight perfect. This is going to be her first time, and I want to make sure it's something she'll remember forever.

Everything could change between us tonight, and that's the scariest part. I could lose this girl, who's become the best thing that's ever happened to me, or it could turn into something great. I don't know what scares me more. 

As the sun begins to set, I hop in the truck and drive towards the dorms. My palms begin to sweat the closer I get to her. Before I knock on the door, I have to wipe my hands against my jeans. Carrigan opens the door, wearing a white, flowy, sundress. Her usual messy bun has been replaced by soft curls bouncing off her shoulder. She smiles, innocently, at me as I stare at the subtle beauty of her. Even with her hair and makeup done, she is still effortlessly beautiful; she doesn't even know it. She looks angelic, contradicting the nature of what will be happening tonight.

"I hope this is okay for wherever we're going?" She questions softly.

"You're beautiful." My mouth speaks faster than my mind allows. There's no doubt in my mind that I know with how innocently seductive she looks right now, I will have little self control.

I clear my throat as she chuckles at my nervousness. "We have a bit of driving, you ready?"

She nods her head and links her fingers through mine.

"Where are we going?" She questions, once we pull out of the parking lot.

It's a surprise." I answer, trying to keep my eyes off of how smooth her legs look as her dress rises higher up her thighs. With the sun setting around us, the scenery changes from desert to fields of green. The lights of the city are further and further behind us, soon the only light we'll have will be that of the moon and stars.

She asks about the details of our games today, smiling when I tell her I pitched a great game, and the three of us got several hits. A few scouts were in the stands today, the pressure was higher for me to be on top of my game. She rolls her eyes when I say that, and reminds me that any scout will be lucky to have me.

"We're here." I grin, watching her face change to awe at the stars above us.

"Rhett." She sighs. "It's beautiful out here."

"I've never brought anyone here." I admit. "I wanted this to be special for you."

I brought her to an abandoned field a few miles from campus. I found it my freshman year after a stressful day. I wanted to go for a drive, and somehow found myself here. The immensity of the forest surrounding, and the silence had me captivated. Bad days, days where I felt alone, or I just needed some space I found myself here. Taking in the beauty of Mother Nature was what I needed to feel at home, away my my real home.