Page 73 of Right in Front of You

“I had a nice evening as well.”

I felt his fingers smooth over my shoulder. His right arm was underneath me, securing my body close to his.

“Can I ask you what’s going on with your father? You don’t have to tell me everything but I want you to know that you can.”

Could I? Carter didn’t know what he was asking for.

“I’d rather not talk about him. This moment – you and me, right now – just feels so perfect.”

He let go of a breath and closed his eyes. “You’re right. It is perfect.” He squeezed his fingers around my arm, securing me in his grip, taking a deep inhale at the same time as if he didn’t want this moment to pass. “But I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything. I mean that.”

If I couldn’t take a step forward in life with a best friend like Carter, then I was afraid my past would always define me. I didn’t want it to define me. I wanted it to be the past.

“All right? Then tell me what’s going on between us. Tell me that what I’m feeling is not one-sided, because I don’t think I could stand it.”

I looked up just to see his eyes grow wide.

“You don’t know how I feel?” he asked.

“How would I?”

“But I’ve told you so many times. I’ve asked you out for so many years and you always declined.”

“You were in love with Daisy. And then she died and Nick died. There were so many emotions, how could I have not declined? It was a confusing time for everyone. Besides, you weren’t really using your words the right way.”

“You mean when I told you how proud I am of my hose and that I’m always in heat?”

I laughed. “Among others.”

“Well, if you must know, most of it is true. Especially when I’m around you.” Carter’s voice deepened. It had that sexy grunt to it that made the hairs on my arms stand up.

“I don’t doubt it, Carter.”

I felt his chest shake underneath me as he chuckled. “Molly?”

“Yeah?”

“That fire was one of the best things that happened to me.”

“Why?”

“Because it brought us closer. Can I ask you something else? In that letter – and please hear me out, I’m not going to pester you. But why did you swear on my life, not yours? People usually swear on their own lives.”

I smiled at him, remembering that sometimes Carter needed things spelled out to him. “Because you mean to me much more than I do to myself.”

After a longer pause, he squeezed me tighter. “Hey, don’t say that. You mean a lot, Molly. You’re irreplaceable.”

My guilt swam up to the fore.

“I don’t like the part where I hurt you, because I lied to you and didn’t tell you everything about the barn fire, but I do like the part of us being closer,” I whispered, looking up again, hoping he would ask for more details. Carter already had his half-bandaged hand on my cheek, stroking his thumb back and forth, and I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to because I knew what was coming. I knew what he was about to do, and I promised myself that I’d never let a man be this close to me. But this was Carter. He wouldn’t hurt me. Ever.

The touch of his lips to mine was better than cold ice cream on a hot summer’s day. And it was warm — a warm kiss that soothed my soul, removed my doubts, and created a safety I had never felt in my life. I moved higher to meet him. He lingered around the seam of my lips, teasing and nibbling, playing with me. The tenderness of Carter’s mouth took my breath away. He caressed my lips with his, taking his time, and I enjoyed every second of it. My world was spinning with empty thoughts, which was great, because for the first time in my life, I didn’t want to think. Carter must have reached for the lamp switch and dimmed the light. I could still smell the aftershave on him from this afternoon and as of now, it was my favorite smell in the world.

The tip of his tongue investigated further, slowly inching toward mine, where I met him in the middle and our kiss deepened. He tasted of happiness and hope. He tasted confident; like the kind of a man who would forever protect me from the dangers of the world.

The longer we stayed connected, the fiercer the kiss became, and the wilder my heart beat in my chest. Carter’s breath was becoming uneven and his lips more demanding. I let him take my entire mouth. I allowed him to control it and make it his. I wanted to be his. Tracing his fingers up my arm, his hand slowly grazed over my neck, and I leaned my head back as his lips ventured to my cheeks, then my chin and my neck. His hand swept higher, up behind my head, and he raked his fingers through my hair, the pressure of his palm tilting my head back so that his searing kisses found my mouth again.

I wasn’t sure how long we were making out for, but I didn’t want it to stop. And when we did, I lay my head back on his chest and listened to his heartbeat again. Somewhere in between the pulses underneath my cheeks, I fell asleep.

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