Always Adam

Chapter 40

Mike and I drive home for Christmas Eve. The day before we have all our friends over to celebrate Christmas. Ava and Nat make a wonderful dinner. Cooking is not for me. Cody and Gabby seem to be building some sort of relationship. I am so happy for him. He's taking it slow. Really slow. They are still in the getting to know you stage. After dinner they go out to the sunroom to talk alone. Later we will all exchange gifts. Carlos pulls me into my room and his lips are on mine. We have been doing a lot of making out. Carlos hasn't gone any further so far and to be honest I am thankful. I don't know if I would stop him if he tried. He definitely makes me hot.

We end up on the bed. My hands make their way under his shirt and up his back. His back is warm and muscular. A brief image up another back seeps into my head. I pull away. Carlos stops and looks down at me. A quick flash of disappointment passes through his eyes. He quickly replaces it with a smile. He sits up and pats the spot next to him. I crawl up next to him. He pulls a small velvet box out of his pocket. "I didn't want to give this to you in front of Ava," he says. My heart melts a little. He has been so considerate of Ava since I told him she was having trouble with us.

I reach up and pull his lips to mine. "You are so sweet," I tell him. "Open it," he says. I open the box and gasp at the beautiful earrings inside. "Are these diamonds," I ask. He grins sheepishly. "Yes, they are diamonds." I look at the beautiful tear drop shaped earrings. "They're beautiful Carlos," I tell him as I pull them out of the box to try them on. "Beautiful like you Carly," he says as I put the second earring in. Our lips meet and I pull him back down on the bed. I can feel him hard against me. Mixed feelings run through me. I want him, but I don't.

A knock at the door sends us rolling apart. "Yeah," I call out. "We're going to do gifts soon," comes Nat's voice. "Alright," I say sitting up on the bed. Carlos sits up next to me. I reach over into the night stand and pull out a small box. I hand it to Carlos. "Merry Christmas," I tell him. He looks from me to the box and opens it. "You bought me a Rolex," he says shocked. "Put it on," I tell him excitedly. I watch as he puts the watch on. It looks incredible on him. "Don't be using this to pick up chicks," I tease him. "No worry there," he whispers. He gives me quick kiss since everyone is calling for us. We head out to the living room.

We laugh as we exchange gifts. Mike got Nat a classic boxed horror DVD set that we all gather around to watch after the gift exchange. I bought everyone nice gifts this year. I got Mike got a new pair of running shoes. Nat and Ava, I got gift cards for a spa day. Not knowing Gabby all that well I settled on some perfume and lotion Ava told me she likes. I got Cody a leather jacket. I have to say he looked pretty hot in it. I think Gabby got wet just looking at him. I got Marcus a similar jacket. After putting on the jacket him and Nat disappeared upstairs for a bit.

I kiss Carlos goodbye around two in the morning. Mike and I leave for our parent's homes around noon. Ava left earlier for her grandma's. I missed the Wednesday's dinner at her house. Ava said her gram missed me to but understood why I never came to see her. She was mad at Adam for screwing things up with me. She told him I was the one. Nat and Marcus were still in bed when we left. I drove since Mike's car was a hunk of junk.

"You and Carlos seem pretty serious already," Mike says as I drive. I glance over at him and raise my eyebrow. "I'm just saying things seem to be moving really fast." I think about what he is saying before answering. "I've known him for a long time Mike. I probably would have been dating him already if not for Adam. I really liked him back in school. I just liked Adam more. Besides, he's the first guy I've really been into since Adam." Mike doesn't say anything else on the ride home.

I stop in to say hello to Mary and Pat before going home. Mary hugs me tight. "I've missed you so much Carly," she says. "You are like a daughter to me. I'm so sorry about what happened with you and Mike. I'm just glad the two of you worked through it. I don't want you to be a stranger around here," she tells me when her hug ends. "I've missed you to," I tell her before engulfed in another hug. "Come on dad," Mike complains. "I missed her too," he says letting me go. I tell them I need to get going and head over to my house. Funny how it took me all these years to think of it and call it my house.