--

"Aren't you coming in?" I cry. He stares at me and mumbles something to himself. What? I told him I was hot. Don't get me wrong; I actually like listening to him talk. And I did enjoy hearing him today. But, I had spent two weeks in a hospital quarantined, it really is hot out here, and there's an empty lake. No one's around. I don't think there's anything wrong with what I did.


I love the way we are right now. That hands-on stage that is so often raved about. We've been all over each other for two weeks, and I haven't grown tired of it. That doesn't surprise me; I knew that this guy was one I'd want to stick with for a while. It's odd to think that I had been stuck on him for almost a year, and we hadn't done anything until now. How far we could be.


It doesn't matter. I'm literally elated beyond meaning with this, and it's a known fact somewhere around here that Abby Lockhart isn't easily "elated." I'm starting to wonder if the corners of my mouth are aching with smiles, without me noticing. I guess the reason I'm so happy is because it's him. Carter. John Carter. Not only is he utterly adorable, he's himself. Sweet, sexy, kind, understanding. He's perfect. He knows me. And he actually understands how I operate. Not many people can say that.


I'm still looking at him, slowly lifting my other leg into the air. It feels like I've been trapped within a box for a while. I need to stretch out. It would be a lot more enjoyable if he was in here with me, though.


It's weird to think that we started things off as a couple in a hospital. While quarantined. Because of a smallpox scare. I think that qualifies for least, but yet most romantic setting. Call me crazy, but that's how it seemed. Not at first. At first, it didn't matter if anything was romantic. We were both shaken, and I actually let myself show it. I fell on my knees, figuratively speaking, and he helped me. He told me things would be alright. I guess that definitely helped.


And we ended up having our first kiss there. Right there. A lot of them there in that on trauma room. I don't even remember how many. But there were...many. Another thing that might sound odd to some people: we made love in that trauma room for the first time. We only did this a few times, though. I was a little surprised we even did it more than once in the hospital; I think out of respect we would have waited for the doors to open again and let us out. That may have been the reason we kept out count at three, though.


He nods slowly my way, and I smile. He peels his shirt off and strips his pants from his legs. At this, I sink underwater once more to wet my hair again. When I return to the surface, he's swimming toward me.


"Skinny dipping?"


I shrug nonchalant, then a smirk takes hold. He chuckles at my appearance. I do the same, hoping not to blush anymore as he comes near me. I like playing shy. It truly does work on him sometimes. I come closer to him now, causing another smile to form across his lips. Placing my hands on his shoulders, I lift my chin to meet his lips. His mouth feels perfect against mine. Honestly.


Underwater, his hands are caressing my waist, moving around from my stomach to my back. We aren't close enough. As we're kissing, I press myself up against him. He gladly responds, pulling me as close as we can possibly get to one another. His lips leave mine, and I groan. Bring them back.


They continue their massage on my neck, gently kneading the skin there. I smile against his hair, the closest thing to my mouth right now. I lengthen my arms outward, taking a larger hold on his neck. Planting small, light kisses all over his head, I moan in continuous delight.


While I am seemingly aware of the two of us bare against each other, I can only focus on his hands, his lips, his chest... everything him. I don't know if it's just because I'm in a good mood or something, but he actually seems perfect right now. I would never change a thing about him.


"Skinny dipping," he repeats against me. "Isn't that illegal?"


I shrug again. "We're felons."


"Not the first time."


I give a muffled laugh.


He brings his hands and slowly washes my back. I fall against him kissing his neck and not wasting a minute of it.


The water around us flows and crashes against our form; it only makes the moment more romantic. I find different things romantic, apparently. I can't believe I'm actually using the word 'romantic' now.


His arms slide across my back and move to my thighs. I shudder. His lips are moving the length of my collarbone, to my shoulders, my neck again. This man is a pro at it; he's got a talent. Each kiss makes a little noise off of my skin that I've discovered so angelic all their own. And he does it like its for me alone. Like that is how generous he is.


My arms drape even more over him, extending down the long of his back. They come up and down his bare skin, washing him slightly with the water around us. It hasn't even occurred to me what might be in this water, that we're swimming in naked. And now that the thought has entered my mind, I dismiss it.


As long as no symptoms of disease take over now, I'll be okay.


He parts slightly and kisses under my chin. My eyes are definitely closed now as I go on voicing my feelings of pleasure to him. It's gotten to the point where it's bringing on extreme intensity, to the point where I have to kiss him back. So I do. He stops when he feels this and kisses me back. I love this.


We part again, looking at each other. I can tell his eyes are firmly focused on mine, as mine are his. His eyes are brown. This shade of brown that seems to make me want to stop breathing. Those are pretty powerful eyes. I've never dated someone with eyes like this. I've never dated anyone like Carter.


He presses his forehead against mine and teases my lips again. I giggle breathlessly. The laugh is so quiet, it's barely there. But he smiles anyway and begins to pull one hand out of the water behind me to play with my hair.


"You're good at this," I whisper, but he puts a finger against my lips. I don't even have to open my eyes to see what he's about to do. I just nod and smile some more as he starts kissing me again. I kiss whatever I can in front of me; mostly just his hair and his temples.


I fall against his shoulder, and he hugs me. His arms are heavy and protective around me, as I imagined they would be. As they had been for the last two weeks. I close my eyes. I can feel the golden rays of the sun pouring onto our backs, but the heat's not such a menace anymore.


His arms are still solidly wrapped around me. I smile. It's moments like these that I know we'll have so many of. We're going to be like this for a while.


His hands are cupping my face now, resting directly under my cheeks. I breathe out, satisfied, as he pulls away silently. As much as I want him now, that was one of the most... hey, I'll say it. It really was romantic. How many couples survive weeks with this much passion? I wonder how far we'll go.


He smiles at me, and kisses my nose. I giggle and kiss his.


I think we'll go pretty far.