Haven Harbor • a.i. •

Chapter 60

Ashton's POV:

For the second time today I awoke with Carter asleep on me.

She looked so peaceful in her dreaming state, unlike the crying and hurting girl just hours before.

She was exhausted. Last night had been rough on both of us and today hadn't helped at all. She needed to sleep for not only her health, but to figure out what she wanted to do.

I knew Carter was confused and I wanted nothing more than to help her but this decision on whether or not to be with me was all on her. All I could do was love her and do everything in my power to make sure she felt loved and safe and could also learn trust me again.

Last night she was so hurt and broken that it felt like she had ripped my heart out and I couldn't help but get emotional. I'd never cried about a girl before, but Carter had me wrapped around her finger, and the thought of her leaving me had tears springing to my eyes.

My hand went to Carter's back and I began lightly trailing my fingers up and down her spine.

I didn't know where we were going to go from here. Was she going to let me move back in and see the kids, or was she going to make me stay here until she was ready for me to come back, or was she never going to let me come back at all.

Maybe she needed to take some time to herself to sort out her feelings. I would be okay with that and give her all the space she needed, just as long as that temporary space didn't turn into a permanent break.

Carter shifted on top of me and I looked down to see her moving up my body, her head from where it had been laying on my stomach was now wedged between my shoulder and neck. I stopped my fingers from moving as to not wake her up.

"Don't stop." She suddenly breathed against my neck and a smile played on my lips as I returned to stroking her back.

I turned my head to the side, inhaling her strawberry scented shampoo and nuzzling my nose into her hair. She did the same by nestling her face into my neck, letting me feel the flutter of her eyelashes against my skin.

I noticed the goosebumps on her arms and pulled her tighter against my side.

"Are you cold?" I asked her and she nodded.

Reaching down to the floor I picked up the blanket I had thrown down there the other night and spread it over us, her immediately snuggling into its warmth, making me chuckle at the cuteness of her actions.

"Did you have a nice nap?" I asked her sweetly.

"Yes." She adjusted her head on my neck. "Did you?"

"I did."

She exhaled and then hugged onto my chest tighter. "What time is it?"

"2:40." I said glancing at the clock on the night stand.

"I have to get Ender from school in twenty minutes." She suddenly sat up and I already missed her bodily contact.

"I'll take you." I said and sat up as well.

"It's not that far, I can walk." She tried to wave my offer away but I wasn't having that.

"No, I'm going to take you. Besides you have to get Gracie."

"We." She said and looked at me.

"We?" I raised an eyebrow.

"We have to go get Gracie." She said and I bit my lip trying to hide my idiotic grin from her.

She stood up and stretched her back before grabbing her phone. She sighed before pressing a few times on the screen then held it up to her ear.

I turned away to act like I wasn't listening in on her call.