The Runaway Mate

Chapter:17

Carly

"Mommy, mommy, wake up!" Aiden cried as he barreled into my room, climbing onto my bed and proceeding to jump on me. I groaned as he landed, knocking the wind out of me, before wrapping my arms around him.

"Come on mommy its time to go!" Aidens excitement was contagious and soon enough I was out of bed and getting dressed into warm clothing. December had arrived quicker then I had anticipated and I was more then surprised when Gracie had mentioned going Christmas gift shopping last week.

She had told me that a lot of the pack was going and that it was a yearly tradition that they have all done together for years. I really had no choice in the matter once Aiden heard about it. The little boy has been waiting all week to go shopping for all of us.

Though he still believes in Santa Claus Aiden has been rambling non stop about being able to buy Christmas gifts for his 'family'. The first time that Aiden had called our pack his family was about a week ago and I had nearly cried when he did.

"Im coming, Im coming." I laughed as Aiden tugged on my hand, trying to pull me down the stairs with him. I saw Xavier, Gracie and the rest of the group waiting at the bottom of the stairs and laughed when Aiden shrieked and ran to Xavier.

Xavier picked Aiden up and spun him in a circle, laughing at Aidens giggling. I cautiously joined the group, skillfully avoiding eye contact with Xavier. Our almost kiss had happened about two weeks ago and since then I have felt nothing but awkward around Xavier. He has been trying to get me to talk to him since it happened but I just haven't had the courage to.

Now that Xavier and I had almost crossed the bridge that would lead to more then friendship my mind has been spinning. Im not completely sure if Im ready for that kind of relationship, not after everything that has happened to me in the last three years.

"You ready to go?" Faith asked me as she gently nudged my side, snapping me out of my thoughts. I nodded my head and followed the group out the door Xavier still had Aiden in his arms and I frowned when I realized that Xavier was strapping Aiden into the booster seat that he had in his car.

I silently groaned when I realized that that meant that I had to ride with Xavier. I slowly climbed into his sleek black car, buckling my seat belt, and turning back to see that Aiden was properly buckled in. Xavier started up the car and for about three minutes we drove in silence.

"Carly will you please talk to me?" Xavier questioned, breaking the silence. I closed my eyes and sighed, not wanting to have this conversation at the moment.

"What do you mean?" I questioned dumbly. I saw Xavier frown from the corner of my eye and glance to me.

"You know what I mean. Ever since we almost kissed you've been acting so different around me and I hate it. Im sorry for what happened, I really am, but you don't need to shut me out. I understand that you don't want to take that step with me and Im not going to try to make you but can we at least go back to being friends?"

Xaviers voice was soft and it immediately hit me in my soft spot. I sighed once again and turned my body to face Xavier, looking him in his bright eyes.

"Im sorry. I just don't know how to handle this. I don't even have my life together and I have Aiden to worry about and then there's Mason and I just cant handle a relationship like .. that at the moment." I breathed out, breaking eye contact. I glanced in the mirror and saw that AIden was staring out the window, ignoring mine and Xaviers conversation.

"I understand that Carly and Im not going to try to make you do something that you don't want to do. Im just asking you to stop shutting me out, I care about you so much." He ended in a whisper.