'Til Sun Beams Find You [COMPLETED]

Eighteen (Part 2)

In the elevator, Nico stepped closer to the mirror on the wall and inspected her makeup to make sure it was still good in ultra-bright lighting, as she wasn't trying to ruin any of the official photos.

Carter put his hands in his pockets and spent the ride down just watching her move. She used the side of her thumb to fix the outline of her lipstick before she was licking the pad of her thumb and rubbing where the edge of her eyebrow had smudged a bit.

"You look perfect," he told her.

"I know. I always look perfect."

Carter couldn't help but smile the smile befitting of a little boy.

He was so infatuated with her that even the things she said, as tongue-in-cheek as they were at times, only made his heart soften more.

"Don't need some man telling me about myself," she continued as she turned around and gave him a once over. She walked over and fixed the way his dress shirt was tucked into his pants and then smoothed her hands over his jacket. She rested her hands on his shoulders and quickly pecked his lips. "What are you going to say to my parents?"

"I'm gonna say, my name's Carter and I'm in love with your daughter," he said as they got off the elevator.

The music poured out from the reception hall as soon as they did, but they stood by the elevators still, just staring at one another.

"Okay.."

She wasn't worried about her mother because she knew she already approved of Carter. The issue was with her dad actually taking him seriously. It wasn't like Nico introduced every guy she dated to her parents, he was probably just the fourth guy, but every other guy before Carter it was a serious relationship that lasted for months, and there was always a title.

She used her thumb to brush the hairs on his chin into place.

"Is there a title on us?"

She sounded nervous, and her uneasiness put him on edge when he was previously calm.

"Do you want me to say I'm your boyfriend?" He wondered, as he was trying to make out the thoughts between her words.

She just wasn't saying enough and her face held no expression so he couldn't read her.

Nico turned to look at the guests that had taken to the hallway to take group photos at the photo booth they had outside. Of the group of men getting ready to take a picture, she locked eyes with Gabriel, who was already looking at her.

He gave her a smile and nod, silently acknowledging her existence, and whatever small past they had together, and she found herself smiling a toothless smile back. They didn't need to speak or look to one another for much longer. Those few seconds were it, and he went back to wrapping his arms around his friends and grinning for the camera, and Nico turned to face Carter again, who had been patiently waiting for her response.

"I only want you saying that if you plan on being my boyfriend."

"I do plan on that."

"But not right now?" She asked and the tone of her voice made Carter sigh.

"Nico.."

He wasn't trying to argue.

"What? I just don't understand," she added before he could speak. "We spend so much time together and get along really well, have incredible sex, you have a drawer for me at your place and my toothbrush in your holder... you say you love me, but you don't wanna commit?"

"You're picking a fight," he said and she frowned as she dropped her arms to her side.

"I'm picking a fight because I'm asking why you won't commit?"