Nicknames

Chapter 18 ~ Laser Tag

Carter💙

Miami was not supposed to be like this. Luna is upset and once again I've woken up with a headache.
Deciding to clear my mind, I head downstairs and outside to workout on the beach. The sun is slowly rising and the cool breeze coming off the ocean is a wonderful way to start the day.

A few minutes later, I hear the back door slide open before a little someone's eyes fall on me. She leans against the side of the patio, watching me as I finish up my workout on the beach. After feeling throughly worked with the sun completely raised I make my way up the stairs and to the patio where Luna stands.

"Good morning, Muffin Butt," I release on a breath as she steps up to me with my towel and gently begins to wipe sweat off my face.

I watch her as she continues to run the towel over my shoulders and down my chest. Her intent concentration is adorable and appreciated because now she will be less likely to pay attention to the way my fingers slip around her waist and to her backside. But she does, just as my fingers trail over the curve of her bum, she grips my forearms and stares up at me, her breathing picking up. Then she drops the towel over my shoulder and steps away.

"I'm still upset about yesterday," she confesses.

I cup her neck and run my thumb behind her ear. "Ok, be mad at me. But just know I don't know how long I can do this."

She steps back and furrows her brows. "What does that mean?"

I shrug. I said what I said. For two years, I've waited and I know I would've waited more but this trip has pushed a lot to the surface and I can't keep fighting my feelings. I can't keep waiting if I'm waiting for nothing.

Luna just nods and steps further away from me. For once when she has looked at me like this, I don't want to take back what I said.

With the excuse that she needs to get dressed, Luna walks away from me. Out of courtesy I wait a few seconds to give her time before going upstairs to shower and get dressed myself.

When I finish I walk into Luna's room to find her sitting on the bed in a pair of black shorts and a black halter top. Does she know about my Lara Croft fantasy?

Ignoring my thoughts, I ask her if she's ready which spurs her to stand up and come along. We leave the house and arrive to the arcade 15 minutes later to play laser tag.

Anna comes running up the moment she spots us and pulls Luna into a big hug, kissing her cheek before turning to me with excitement. "Come on guys! It's us against them."

They already paid for us and once we get geared up we go into the room. I try not laugh at Luna's seriousness. This is probably the closest she has ever gotten to such action. The real deal is more nerve-racking.

Nevertheless we play and have fun, going rounds with Anna, Alex and their friends. Of course our team won every time, we had a trained professional...me

After laser tag we went to the mall where I was forced to go store to store watching Luna buy things, and sometimes buying it for her. I don't really think she needed any of it, but I didn't mind getting it. I'm whipped.

Hours later of shopping we go out to eat with all of them, returning home at around 5 that night. Luna clears the air when we step into the house, but she doesn't address the problem. Like usual she works her way around it, sitting on the couch and asking if I wanted to watch Blacklist.

Of course I did. I wanted to be with her. We agreed to change, and get cleaned up then meet back in the living room for Netflix. Once we are settled, I grab a bag of chips, cut off the lights then pull Luna into my arms. She looks up at me and turns my head to her, looking into my eyes.

"I'm still mad at you," she sighs with furrowed brows. "But I don't want to be. We don't argue and I hate doing it."

"I don't like it either."

Her lips curl into a frown and she rests her head on my shoulder. "I don't know what to do anymore." She admits. "That scares the hell out of me. What are we doing Carter?"

That's a valid question that I ask all the time. I still don't have an answer for Luna. It seems she doesn't have an answer for me either. I didn't think it would be this hard. I don't think it should be this hard. But here we are.

Turning into Luna, I stroke her hair and relax into the couch. "I don't have an answer for you, Luna."

She sighs and shifts closer into my arms, watching what's playing on the tv until it gets late and we both head to bed. Once I'm alone, I begin to think of ways to approach getting Luna. I don't know how to.
But I know I want to be with her on a more intimate level.