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Smiling back, he leans in, his lips dipping closer until they ever so gently brush against mine. It’s as though he’s testing the water, seeing if the temperature is right to jump in.
Pulling back is the last thing that I want to do, but the back and forth with him is too much to bear. Either we are, or we aren’t. I can’t play in this imperfect limbo anymore.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, when I pull back and rise to my feet.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore.”
“Lexie…”
“I’m going to head home tonight.”
Carter hops to his feet, rushing to my side. “What do you mean you’re going home? You can’t. Your job. My therapy.”
I shake my head. “I don’t care about the job.”
“Bullshit.”
“I mean it, Carter. I can’t sit here and pretend that I don’t want to be with you. I can’t do this push and pull we’ve been dancing around the past few days. I can’t act like I don’t love you when I do.”
“You… love me?”
“I know you don’t have any reason to trust me or believe what I’m saying, but yes. I love you, Carter. I have from the moment I laid eyes on you.”
He stands in front of me, strong and silent.
“If you want me, I will do whatever I have to be with you. Otherwise, I can’t. I can’t be your therapist… or anything else.”
“I don’t want to lose you, Lex. I…” Carter’s head falls back, his eyes pointing toward the darkening sky above.
“Goodbye, Carter.”
I take no more than one step when I feel Carter’s hand on my wrist.
“I can’t say goodbye to you. I won’t.” He pauses. “I don’t care that you lied to me. I don’t care that you’re my coach’s daughter. All I care about is how you make me feel, and I’ll be damned if I’ve ever been happier than I have been since I met you.”
Tears well in my eyes as I hope and pray that I understand what he’s saying.
“I love you, Lexie. I’m not letting you go.”
“Are you sure? Are—”
His lips cover mine in a kiss filled with love and promise.
When Carter told me he loved me, I thought I was going to fall over from shock. I had expected him to say it’s over, that after I lied to him, I wasn’t worth taking a chance on. He didn’t, though. He took me in his arms and told me he loved me. He’s made us real. Again. Finally.
Chapter21
Carter
The day has been a whirlwind—my conversation with Cody, finding solace in Lexie, professing my love to her. Quite the fucking bombshell, even for me.
There’s no denying it, though. I love Lexie. A part of me already knew it, but she sure as hell helped solidify it when she told me she was leaving. Picturing a life without her was nearly impossible.
I have no idea how this woman, who has only been in my life for a short while, has managed to infiltrate me so deeply. The how and why aren’t important. The connection is. The love is.
As much as I would love to hold Lexie all night here on the beach, the fact is us being together definitely causes some issues. Issues we need to face head-on. Including her father. My coach.
“We should head back to Dayton and talk to your dad.” Being upfront seems like the best option for success here.
