Dealing with Karter

Chapter 22: Homecoming

"Hey," I squeezed his hand. "Don't look at them. It's just you and me. Nobody else matters."

Karter's eyes met mine and I could see the tension leave his shoulders.

"Show me how the Pierce family lets loose," I said giving a little sway to my hips. This made Karter laugh before spinning me with the one hand, bringing my back to his front as we swayed back in forth.

"We do a little of this," he said into my ear making my cheeks blush. The turned me again so that I was facing him, my body flushed against him. He put his hands on my hips guiding me to swing them. "A little of this too. Should I dip you?"

My eyes widened and I quickly shook my head. This made him laugh.

"Mostly a little head nodding and moving from side to side," he said.

I gave a satisfied smile. "Good... who else did you dance like this with?"

It was a very intimate way of dancing. I might be a little jealous over the lucky girls of the past.

Karter smirked. "Are you actually jealous?"

"So?"

He chuckled, pulling my hips a little closer to his. "If it makes you feel any better, no one as beautiful as you."

So he has been with other girls. My assumption was right. No one kissed that good without experience.

"Were they smart? Funny? Good at cooking? Own a cute dog?" I asked wondering who I had to compete with.

Karter furrowed his brows, amusement in his eyes. "Did you not hear me call you beautiful?"

"So? Some people have such a great personality that they become more good looking than good looking people," I told him.

He chuckled. "I don't know Liv, I never cared to know someone other than you."

The little part of me that always saw my self second-- always second to Jared-- was scared. Scared that if he did get to know someone else, that he wouldn't like me any more.

Karter's eyes darkened. "You have that look."

Did he know? Did I accidentally say something out loud?

"I don't care if she's prettier, or smarter, or funnier," he said. "I chose you Livia. I chose your pure heart. I chose your crazy stalking and awkwardness with children. I don't care how perfect other girls are, to me you are perfect Liv. The only thing I didn't choose was falling in love with you. That just happened all on it's own and I do not and will never regret it."

My body tensed. I think I stopped breathing.

In love.

Karter was in love with me.

His eyes widened as he realized what he'd admit. "Listen Livia, you don't have to--"

"I love you too," I said quickly. I didn't need to think twice. I had known it for a while. Known I wouldn't want to be with anyone but him.

"Y-you do?" he asked, a little shocked.

"Of course I do," I said confidently. "You are someone made to love."

I could see it perfectly in his eyes. How much those words meant to him.

"Can I kiss you?" It was less of a question and more of a plea.

I nodded my head before knotting my hands at the back of his neck. Karter pulled me against him as he claimed my lips. We could both feel it. The truth behind our words. The emotion with each movement. He pulled back far enough to lean his forehead against mine. "Do you want to stay or do you want to get out of here?"