Before You Go

Chapter Three

I ended up wearing the March 15 shirt Carter bought yesterday to sleep in. I was too cold to sleep naked under the sheets and I didn't want to pick up our clothes that was strewn all around the room at two in the morning to keep myself warm. His March 15 shirt was the nearest item of clothing to me, so I decide to wear it for the rest of the night.

It seems like Carter likes it though, because he has been looking at me for the past fifteen minutes and I'm just lying down on the bed watching television. He's leaning against the closet, and the look on his eyes is telling me he's undressing me in his mind, even though I only have his March 15 shirt on.

"You could always take a picture, Carter." I roll my eyes. "It will last longer."

"Oh I'd love to, Val, but I don't want to waste my time getting my phone when I can be looking at you in my shirt." he smirks. "I'd love it even more if that shirt finds its way to the floor."

"In your dreams." I scoff.

"You were in mine."

I choke on air. It's answer I definitely did not expect at all. I know it's just his counter response to what I said, but I feel butterflies in my stomach and I blush.

I can't really consider Carter and I friends. We just met, but I've been honest to him more than I have been to myself.

We're like acquaintances.

Acquaintances don't have sex.

We're not acquaintances then. So maybe we're like friends with benefits, but there are things we do that even friends with benefits don't do.

We're a cross between best friends, strangers, and lovers.

"Why don't you show me the swimsuit you bought yesterday?" he smirks and lies down beside me on the bed. "I can rate how you look."

"As long as it won't end up on the floor."

"But that's the prize if I give it a ten out ten." he winks at me and I lightly shove his shoulder. "I'm serious, though. Put it on. I want to go for a swim."

"So bossy." I remark, but still stand up anyway to get changed. I can feel his gaze following me, so to tease him, I take slow steps, moving my hips side to side. When I reach the bag with my swim wear, I bend down slowly to pick it up.

I smile when I hear a muffled groan coming from Carter. Mission accomplished.

"Keep teasing me like that Valentine, and you'll find that shirt on the floor." he says. I can't see his face, but his voice sounds like he's begging and warning me at the same time.

Pushing my luck even further, I lift the bottom of his March 15 shirt up and take my time. The hem climbs higher and higher, now exposing my back, until I pull it over my head.

I don't hear anything from Carter, so I sway my hips as if I'm dancing to music. I pick up the bottoms of my swim wear when I hear him, and he's already behind me. I didn't hear him walk to me.

"I warned you, Valentine." his voice is now raspy against my ear and his arms snake around my waist. "You asked for it."

***

We didn't get to swim at the hotel's pool after all. 

We're walking along streets, looking for a restaurant since Carter is hungry. We checked out of the hotel when we left since we won't be staying another night. I've got work tomorrow, and so does he.

I don't know what he does for a living, and he doesn't know what I do either. I want to ask him, but it's the kind of questions that are beyond limits. Sure, I can ask him how his childhood was, how many siblings he has, or where he grew up. But questions like what he does for a living, what his last name is, and where he lives are just off limits.