Hey everyone, welcome to day 16 of the Hart of Dixie countdown to Christmas!

Enjoy!

"Wade," she whispered, against his lips, breaking the kiss slightly.

"Hmm?" Wade asked, resting his forehead against hers.

"As fun as kissing you is," she started to say. "I'm not sure it's for the best," she finished telling him, her voice going soft, barely a whisper by the time she said the last word.

"If that's how you feel, I can accept it," he told her, giving them their own space. "I'm not going to push you into anything, but," he said, licking his lips.

"I appreciate that," Zoe quickly told him, cutting off whatever else he was going to say. "Is it even worth getting involved when we're going to be parting ways?" She asked, not even giving him a chance to answer. "I don't know if I can move on from this even if we do casual, remaining friends, was the one guarantee that I could leave this place with my heart intact where you're concerned," she told him.

"I get it, Zoe, I do," he told her, taking her hands in his. "We are here to have fun and I am having fun," he quickly told her. "But I know for a fact that leaving here now with just being friends is going to wreck me just as much as if we do indulge in anything else," he shared.

She saw his point in things, she does. When it comes to Wade, she really does like him. Yet, she doesn't know if she can do anything more than make out with him. She let out a sigh thinking things over. In the end, she can only come up with one solution that is going to work for the both of them.

"What if," she said, making sure she still has his attention. "We take it as it comes?" She asked him. "We enjoy our time together, no second guessing anything and see where it goes?" She asked, further explaining her thoughts.

"Does this mean I can hold your hand, touch you without repercussions?" He asked. "And does it mean that I can enjoy kissing you?"

"Don't you mean continue kissing?" She asked, raising an amused eyebrow at the wording of the last question asked.

"No," Wade smirked. "I enjoy kissing you, and want to continue enjoying the way your soft pink lips mold to mine," he shared in a husk. "Do you not enjoy it?" He asked, worry written on his face.

Smiling Zoe reached out, holding on to his slim but firm shoulders, "More than I should," she confessed. "You can hold my hand," she stated, standing up, holding her hand out for him to take.

He easily slid his hand into hers, getting to his feet. "Where are we going?"

"Did you know they have a pool here?" She asked him, leading him in the direction of the pool area.

"I do know that," he nodded, having passed the pool area more than once.

They stopped short of where the pool is located, to go to their respective rooms to get their swim stuff, or that had been the plan, but Wade pulled Zoe with him to get his swim trunks, both deciding they'd change in the pool area. Neither one of them was keen on walking through the resort wet from the pool. She didn't mind because she likes holding his hand.

Wade whistled when they walked into the suite Zoe is staying in. She pulled him through the living area to her room. She dropped his hand to dig through her stuff to find her swimsuit.

"When your dad is trying to make up for the fact he bailed, this is what you get," she explained, shrugging her shoulders. She wouldn't have minded staying in a room like Wade and Jesse. She doesn't think she'd make it by spending that much time with her mom without them having their own personal space away from each other.

"No explanation needed," he told her. "Ready for a night of swimming?" He asked, holding his hand out.

"Yep," Zoe nodded, relieved that he dropped everything to do with her dad. She doesn't want sour thoughts of her father to ruin their night.

They entered the pool room as the only group of people were leaving, letting them have the pool to themselves. Wade let Zoe change first in the one bathroom the pool area had.

Zoe dipped her toes into the pool while Wade got changed. Deciding she'd rather sit in the hot tub for a while. Wade joined her with a smirk on his face, sitting right next to her, leaving no spare room between them.

Kissing Wade has become one of her favorite things about this vacation. The one good thing about her dad bailing is that she got to meet Wade. He has been the highlight of the trip this far, and she's certain nothing is going to top the friendship they have made in such a short period of time.

With their skin red from the hot tub and their lips swollen from kissing, they jumped into the pool. Zoe shrieking when she emerged from the depth of the freezing water against her skin.

"I did get you a gift," Wade commented as they floated in the deep end, facing the other.

"I got you one too," Zoe smiled. "And if you hate it, that's okay," she told him, her smile faltering.

"I'm sure that I won't hate it," he tried to assure her.

"Wait until you see it," she told him.

"Then don't judge mine," he told her. "We can exchange them tomorrow over breakfast," he suggested.

"I'd like that," she smiled, swimming to the edge of the pool. Giving Wade his gift when no else was around, is what she prefers. She doesn't want Jesse to mock her on what she got him.

"Where are you going?" Wade asked, swimming after her, ready to pull her back in.

"The hot tub," she informed him. "Wanna join?" She asked with a wink over her shoulder at him.

"Hell yes, I wanna," he smirked, getting himself outta the pool and hitting the button for the hot tub before Zoe got in.

When they were yawning more than anything else they decided to call it a night. Again Wade let Zoe use the bathroom to dry off and get dressed before he did.

On the walk to the elevator Wade handed Zoe his sweater. She quickly pulled the warm fabric over her head, as she was freezing. They rode the elevator in silence until it stopped on Wade's floor.

"Is 9, okay?" Wade asked, holding the doors open. "Will that leave you with time to get ready for the dance?"

"9, is perfect," she assured him, placing a kiss on his cheek.

Zoe wasn't shocked when she arrived for breakfast a quarter to 9 to see Wade waiting for her. The smile she had on her face slipped into a frown and seeing green. She's well aware that she's just friends with Wade and kissing benefits. She shouldn't feel a stab in her chest seeing one of the teen workers flirting with him. Yet, it hurts a lot to see how easy it's going to be for him to replace her.

Closing her eyes she spun around and stormed back to the elevator. If he can replace her so easily while they have a date for the night, she's gonna cancel on him and let him spread his wings the way Jesse wants him to.

"Zoe sweetie," Candice cheerfully said, stopping her daughter. "I went for a walk this morning, saw this dress," she said, pulling the burgundy velvet dress from the dress bag. "Do you like it?" Candice asked, turning to look at her daughter. "Honey, what's wrong?" She asked, taking in her distraught daughter.

"It's nothing," Zoe shared, "thank you for the dress, mom," she said, taking the dress from her mom. "I've decided I'm not going to the dance," she informed her mom, making quick work of the short distance to her room. Once the door shut behind her, she tossed Wade's gift to the floor and fell on her bed, letting her tears soak a pillow.

Zoe sighed, wiping her tears away looking at the dress her mom had bought just for tonight. A dress that wasn't going to get any use from her. She decided she's not going to the dance.