Connections | ✔️

Thirty seven

Valerie P.O.V.

A small, wet splash hit the top of my cheekbone, and then another, causing me to pull away from Carter's embrace.

"Did you feel that?" I whispered, drawing my hand up to touch the damp skin. He shook his head before raising one palm up to the sky. Surely, a few raindrops fell onto his outstretched hand.

"Oh it must be spitting." Just as the words left his mouth, a flash of lightning lit up the night sky and the sound of thunder crackled threateningly above us. We turned our heads upwards as huge, dark cumulonimbus clouds came rolling in ominously.

Carter quickly bent down and grabbed our shoes before taking my hand in his. "Come on let's go!"

We rushed across the sand and onto the boardwalk to seek refuge from the incoming storm. One heavy drop turned into two, then four and eight, as the amount of water multiplied and cascaded relentlessly from the heavens.

"Oh my gosh!" I laughed breathlessly as the rain came pouring down, drenching us from head to toe as we raced barefoot back to the bungalow. "That came out of no where!" I exclaimed, as Carter reached into his back pocket for our key. We quickly head indoors for safety, away from the storm.

"Yeah," he chuckled, shaking out his hair, sending flying droplets of water everywhere.

"Hey!" I shielded my face away from him. He shook his hair out once more with a cheeky grin, splashing me with the coldness.

The sound of the rainfall drummed against the roof and deck, as the humidity of the storm and the cool breeze of the ocean flowed through the room.

I quickly removed the necklaces I had on to lay them out to dry, before running a hand through my wet, unruly hair. As I was standing there, I suddenly noticed Carter's very suggestive appearance. His white shirt had gone see-through and clung to every inch of his tanned skin nicely. His broad, defined chest, alongside his abdominals were shown off delightfully through the thin, wet material. That's my boyfriend? I bit my lip as my eyes ran over the sight, sending silent thanks to the rain gods above for pouring down on us, well, on him. He began unbuttoning his shirt one by one, before slipping it off his shoulders behind him. Oh my. Am I watching Magic Mike?

His gaze flickered over to me before smirking. Crap. Busted. I'm probably gawking at him hardcore, as if he was the last gallon of sweet, sweet ice cream left on the planet. I quickly turned my head and cleared my throat casually, proceeding to make my way to the bathroom to strip off my own soggy clothes.

He caught me from behind, before spinning me around to face him. "You know what I love about you Valerie?" he said amusedly. "I love that you're so real. Your emotions always come through on your face," he smiled. I could see it now. The faint twinkle in his eyes that were full of love.

"Say that again." I whispered in awe.

"I," he kissed the back of my knuckles. "Love," he pressed a soft kiss on my forehead. "You." He whispered, just below my ear.

I grinned before tip toeing up closer to him. "and I love you." I smiled against his lips.

"That sounds so good coming out of you," he grinned. He took my hand before leading us into the bathroom, and reached inside the shower before turning on the hot water. He placed a hand on my hip, and one on my face as he leaned his forehead down on mine.

"I never got to say how beautiful you looked tonight," he whispered, swaying us from side to side. I rested my hands on his shoulders as I got lost in his eyes and his touch.

"You didn't need to," I shook my head and smiled. "You always tell me I'm beautiful Carter," I said softly.

"Well then let me show you."