Boston (Book 2 Rob and Caroline)

Small favors

Walking down to the dock, I jumped onto a float.

"Where's Rob going?" Julianne asked

"We need ice" I said, "we're running low. He ran into town."

"It's so hard to believe you are engaged, I never thought you would settle down"

"Believe me, I'm as surprised as you are" I said with a laugh. I felt the raft get unsteady on me and I completely tipped over as someone moved the raft.

I went laughing into the water.

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I watched Rob get out of the water with a smile. "You need any help with dinner, babe?"

"Actually, I'm thinking I let Morgan and Sam handle dinner, and you and I go on an ATV ride, you down for that?"

"I like that plan" Rob said with a smile, "lets go."

Heading up the hill and getting on an ATV, I hopped on the back behind him. Wrapping my arms around his waist. "God, I'm loving this already, might be more action than I've seen in months."

"Rob, just be careful, you can't afford a reinjury"

Speeding off onto the road, I couldn't help but laugh, holding on tight.

"No trails" I said, "I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Babe, I'm fine" Rob said brush me off.

"I agreed to this, so just listen to me" I said.

"We are going to find somewhere to park this thing, away from the road, but other than that no trails"

I held on tight as Rob drove around the lake, and honestly I know that he is loving this, the physical touch that it brings him.  He parked at the end of a trail in the woods and turned off the ATV.

I moved around so that I'm facing Rob straddling him, with my back against the handle bars.

"I really like this fun version of you" Rob said moving a stray hair away from my face.

"I need to figure out how to find her more often" I said leaning in and kissing him, "honestly I think being here is part of it.  And the fact that we are getting to build up the other parts of our relationship without the pressure of sex."

"You are just so much fun, this is the girl I fell in love with."

"I want you in Nashville with me next week, and I want to prioritize us, because I know it's a toxic trait of mine that I put our relationship last.  I know that, and I am really really going to work on it."

"Good, because I think we need to be in a place that's just us.  And I really want you to say okay I'm going in at eight and I'm taking off at five.  I will have dinner made when you get home, we can sit and have a glass of wine.  And then I'll give you a massage, and I want you to really trust me and let me and you work together on your vaginismus. Can we do that?"

"Okay" I said, a single tear running down my cheek.

"Baby, what's wrong?" he asked whipping the tear off.

"I'm just scared" I said, the tears falling like water works now.  He pulled me against his chest and ran his  hands up and down my back "I want so hard to just be okay, to be normal."

"It's okay" Rob said, "we will get through this."  He pulled  away, "all I want is for you to first, dedicate some time to this.  And second, trust me and be honest."

"Rob, I want things to be better, I want to feel like a normal girl in her twenties."

"Then we have to dedicate some time to making this better." Rob said, "and we will, and it will all be okay."

"I love you" Rob said kissing my forehead.

"I love you too" I tried to pull it together.

"Let's get you back and get cleaned up for dinner, okay?"

"I wanted coming out here to be fun and sexy, and I'm so sorry that it wasn't."

"Babe, this is life.  It's messy, love is messy."

I moved onto the back of the quad, and we took off. 

Parking it in the driveway I looked at Rob, "come with me into our bedroom."

Walking in through our bedrooms private entrance I closed the door and looked at him.  "I just want to sit here for a little bit" I said sitting on the ground and closing my eyes.  Rob sat down next to me and put his arm around me.

"Babe, I did not say that to stress you out, but if we do nothing, then nothing changes." 

"I know" I said, "and I'm okay with it.  I do trust you, I really do, I just have to remind myself of that."

"Now, let's get you smiling again" Rob said peppering my neck with kisses, I couldn't help but laugh.  "And let's go have fun with your friends.  And let's just be unapologetically us."

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Sitting down for dinner I sat in-between Morgan and Liz, I saw Rob sitting at the other end, near Joe and Sam, Brandon acting silly as always.

"So can I come to Nashville with you next week?" Liz asked "Morgan is in to go too."

"You know, Rob and I talked and I think he's going to go down with me.  Since we will have had everyone here for ten days."

"That will be good for you guys" Morgan said smiling.

"Can't we come too" Liz said, pushing.

"I really think with everything, he's finally getting better.  We're going to see some specialists, and I have a lot to do.  You can come another time."

"And you two need some alone time after having everyone invade your space for ten days" Morgan said, "Rob is being a trooper."

"That too, he's being real patient this week letting me enjoy it how I want to."

"It's cruise time" Sam said loudly standing up.

"I'll stay back and clean up" Julianne said, "you go."

"Thank you" I said, and I meant it with the greatest sincerity.

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"I love fun Caroline" Rob said kissing my cheek as we sat around the fire.

"I think fun Caroline is just about ready to call it a night" I said leaning my head on his shoulder.

"Let's go" he said kissing my cheek.

Heading up, we are leaving half of the crew still up in partying. 

"Babe, thank you for calling it a night early" Rob said as he took off his trunks getting into bed naked.

"Babe, please atleast put on some boxers" I said with a laugh.

"Fine" Rob said getting up.

Taking off my swimsuit I threw on a t-shirt and climbed into bed.  "I've been looking forward to this all day" I snuggled in against him.