Free Seasons by Katrina Alba Page A

changes then and I can hear ‘Everything I Do’ by Bryan Adams playing softly. Halfway through the song, Charlie stops us dead in our tracks. He pulls my chin up so I’m looking at him, still in his arms. I gaze up at him questioningly, waiting for him to say something, but instead, he crushes his lips to mine. I kiss him back and it’s the kiss of a lifetime. His lips are full, soft, and perfect. He kisses me just short of harsh at first, like he’s a drowning man who needs a life preserver and I’m it. He devours me before softening the kiss. I don’t know when, but at some point, I put my hands in his hair, deepening the kiss. It feels amazing, it feels…right.
    I’m brought back to earth when he suddenly pulls away and stares into my eyes as if he’s searching for something. I’m not sure if this is what he’s looking for, but I kiss him again. When we pull apart, he’s smiling. I smile back and touch my burning lips. I’m pretty sure I could kiss him for the rest of my life and be happy. The sound of clapping from afar snaps me back to reality. It’s followed up by hooting and hollering coming from Melanie and Austin. Shit. Charlie just chuckles and takes my hand, pulling me farther away from the fire.
    “Charlie, I don’t want this to ruin what we have. Our friendship has become important to me. I don’t want to lose you,” I ramble.
    “Whoa, Brynn. Look at me.” I look into his eyes and he says slowly as if talking to a child, “You aren’t going to lose me, okay? I know this has been pretty quick, but I have never felt like this about a girl before. The past two weeks of not seeing you, were awful. I thought I had blown our friendship with everything I said when I was drunk. I want this. I want you, but if all you want is to be friends, then I’ll take it. I may have been drunk after the party, but I meant everything I said, Brynn.” He pauses, moving another piece of hair before continuing, “I love you, Brynn Carsten. And I will be your boyfriend, your friend, or your butler if it means you are still in my life, okay? I’m not going anywhere.”
    “I love you too, Charlie.” I don’t know where it came from, but it explodes from me, falling out of my mouth naturally. It’s the first time I’ve said it to a guy, and I mean it with every piece of my being. I have no idea when or how it even happened. It’s as if he slowly wiggled his way into my physical being and wrapped himself around my heart like a blanket. Being with him feels right. The only way it can be explained is he feels like home.
    A look of shock, quickly replaced by the most amazing dimple display I have ever seen takes hold of Charlie’s face, right before he gives me the second best kiss of my life. Which is quickly followed up by the third, fourth, and fifth best kisses, and so on. We spend the night under the stars on the beach talking, kissing, holding hands, and kissing some more. We make it back by the fire at some point and fall asleep in each other’s arms.
    That was all it took. We went from just friends to everything with only a few words. I had never had anything like this before. Truth be told, after watching what happened with my parents, I didn’t really believe love like this truly existed. I had dated, but that was all, just dated. I was terrified to give my heart to Charlie. The truth was I never stood a chance. He stole it with that first dimpled smile he threw in my direction. He worked to prove himself since then, and I loved and trusted him with my whole, wide-open heart. After that night, we were together every free moment we had. The summer passed in a flash of swimming, fishing, carnivals, and bonfires with our friends.
     
    *   *   *
     
    Two months later, the storm door slams behind me as I run out of the house and down the porch steps when I hear his truck pulling into the driveway. Charlie is just getting out of the truck when I leap at him throwing my arms around his neck and wrapping