"So... are you going to say anything? Because that would be pretty nice..."
I was still thinking about the fact that I could leave now.
"This is... news," I finally managed.
Carson laughed. "That's one way to put it."
Then, I watched as his eyes softened, his gaze reaching the giant bandage on my forehead.
He bit his lip and looked away. "I understand why you'd want to leave. I haven't really done much but cause problems."
"That is true," I agreed.
The edges of his mouth quirked up at that.
"What?" I said defensively. "It IS true."
Yet somehow, I found that I was reluctant to leave.
Against my better judgement, I liked the way my heart pounded whenever he was around, and I loved the way he smiled, with his devilish dimples, and I loved the way he made ME smile.
He watched as my mouth formed a faint smile, and the sincerity of his gaze surprised me.
His eyes dropped to my lips, and his voice dropped to a whisper. "Tell me what you're thinking."
See, there my heart goes again.
He smiled, watching me carefully. "You're blushing. I really hope it's because you're thinking of me, and not that John guy. You know, I still want to know who that guy was-"
"He's no one," I assured him, laughing slightly.
He grumbled to himself, and I found it very attractive.
Carson hoisted himself on the bed beside me, and sat next to my legs, his body turned towards mine.
I sat up straighter, watching his movements.
"I know you have a lot to think about," He began, looking into my eyes. "But I just want you to know that if you just say the words, I'll let you go. Say the words, and I won't bother you ever again. I'll disappear."
For some reason, this brought a frown to my face.
He watched my reaction carefully. "Before you say anything though, there's something I want to do. Something I need to do."
I raised my eyebrows feebly.
Carson then leaned over me, resting his hands on either side of my head on the headboard.
His emerald gaze once again rested on my lips.
I wet them instinctively, and this seemed to affect him greatly.
Then, he began to lean in closer.
I sucked in an involuntary breath as he brought his lips down to hover over the soft skin below my neck.
I closed my eyes as they lightly brushed against my collarbone, then moved up to rest against the side of my neck.
He placed a gentle kiss there, and then drew back, gauging my reaction.
My heart was pounding even more than usual, and every part he touched was on fire.
As he drew back I opened my eyes again and took a moment to look at his face.
That's when I noticed a cut right above his left eye, probably from the fight.
I reached a hand out to it, lightly brushing against the cut. "When did this happen?"
"The fight," He answered, still looking sincerely into my eyes. "It was worth it."
Then, without breaking eye contact, he gently took my hand from his forehead, and brought it to his lips, kissing my palm slowly, intimately.
My blush was immediate, and suddenly, all my hesitations flew out the window.
He put my hand back and leaned in again, slowly threading his hands through my blonde hair, and brought my face close to his.
My eyes closed as he pressed his lips against mine.
It was soft at first, and so delicate it almost wasn't there.
Then the kisses grew more hungry, more desperate, as one of his hands slid around my waist, bringing my body flush against his.
Our bodies fit together like pieces of a puzzle, and he pulled me impossibly closer.
I slid my hands up under his shirt, feeling the hardness of his stomach. I brought them up, sliding over his strong muscles and abs.
He made an unintelligible noise in the back of his throat at this, and I brought my hands up to his face, tangling them in his wavy, soft blonde hair.
It was something I had fantasized about since I got here, as embarrassing as it was, and it was every bit as soft as it looked.
He kissed me harder, with a fierceness that surprised me, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, crashing his lips against mine again.
Suddenly, there was a bang on the door.
We both jerked out faces apart and stared at the door, as Aileen yelled, "What are you guys doing in there?"
"Nothing!" Carson called back, trying not to sound as breathless as he was.
Then he looked back at me, and a slow smile spread across his face.
He leaned over and kissed me tenderly on the cheek, whispering, "I've wanted to do that since the first day you got here." Then he drew back and grinned. "And I've got to say, I'm not disappointed."
I smiled back, my heart never slowing.
That's when it hit me.
I don't want to never see him again.