Page 37 of Until We Kiss

Carter.

Who never once acted like it put him out?

Carter.

“You’re a good person,” Dorian says. “Always have been.”

“Thanks,” I say, voice rough. “Seems like a lot of people are having to assure me of that recently.”

The line moves, the guide calling down to us. And then Rory is getting harnessed, and he flags Dorian over. I guess they’re jumping together.

The guide takes Carter and me in. “Solo? Or together?”

Carter glances at me, brows rising.

“Together,” I’m already saying.

Carter smiles.

Five minutes later, tied so we’re facing each other, Carter’s dimple pops out as we stand on the platform waiting to take off. I can feel his heart racing nervously against mine.

He bounces on his toes, which bounces me, our arms wrapped around each other, sideways to the plunge below. I don’t fully register anyone else around us, just Carter, amber eyes on me.

“You ready?”

And then we’re off, weightless, both of us letting out a whoop, feeling like there’s nothing holding us back, rushing through the air, the water coming fast before we’re caught, pulled by the tether, laughing and hugging each other.

He kisses me. It’s so quick that I doubt anyone would see it, his lips brushing mine right before we’re yanked into the first big bounce, his eyes going wide as we snap back into weightlessness, his expression so damn happy.

Some of these moments in Clua might be the best of my life.

I don’t want to come down from that bungee high.

I hold onto it as we take the stairs back down, tuck it next to my side like a football. Rory and Dorian went off somewhere, so I’m just with Carter, singing with him when he breaks into a song on the way. He stops in the middle of the crowded walkway and does a little stanky leg.

If I did that, people would stare at me in confusion and then hurry away awkwardly. When Carter does it, they stop and join in.

It reminds me of that morning with the stretch of white sheet between us.Most people don’t take me seriously.

But they do. Maybe not in the way he sees, but he’s got twenty people doing the stanky leg in the middle of a wooden walkway on a tropical island over spring break.

Theyseehim. All that big, fun personality. All that energy.

An hour later, after Carter and I wander around the tents for a while, Dorian and Rory finally show up, and we head to the beach.

“You ready for that last game?” Dorian asks Carter as we toss down our towels.

Carter pauses, a dollop of sunblock on his palm. “That’s today?”

Dorian frowns. “When else would it be? We’re leaving tomorrow.”

Carter slaps the sunblock on his shoulder, rubbing it absentmindedly. “I don’t know.”

“Why don’t you know?” Dorian asks.

“I…‍” Carter keeps slathering sunblock on that one arm, and I feel himnotlooking at me. He’s got a few red spots on his shoulders where he missed yesterday, and I hold my hand out for the tube.

He hands it over. “Thanks.”

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