Do we love Carter or do we love Carter? Yum

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Out of instinct, Nina lifted her lips slightly to shoot a friendly smirk his way. But his serious expression remained unchanged and she felt her face slowly fall at his lack of reception. 

"So, new kid," Ronnie asked from across from the burning fire, "Where did you even come from anyway?" his drunken tone sounded much too sarcastic and it was clear where this was going.

Trish frowned, "Ronnie can you ever not be an asshole?"

Jax though, didn't seem fazed by the rude outburst as his gaze lingered on Nina for a few seconds longer. 

Finally, he smiled.

"No it's okay," he reassured Trish as he looked away from Nina, Turning his attention to Ronnie, "California. Santa Monica if you want to get technical," he stated firmly, before taking the last sip of his beer.

Ronnie let out a laugh, genuinely amused by his answer for some reason, "You one of those little surfer bitches?"

Nina felt Carters chest lift and fall with an exhale, preparing himself for the inevitable. It was always his job to keep his friends in check. A fight was surely going to break out between the two if he didn't intervene. However, Jax didn't seem offended as he calmly set his empty bottle down in the sand.

"I surfed here and there. Waters out there can be real deceiving, lots of shit lurking below. Rip currents that'll drown you, sharp coral that'll slice you, big ass sharks that'll eat you. Now, I don't know about you, but anyone willing to take that on is anything but a bitch. If I'm being honest, I'd say the real bitch was the one with their ass in the sand trying to act tough when they wouldn't last a second out in the break," he let out breathlessly, more cool and calm than ever.

Carter adjusted Nina off of him gently, in preparation for the effect Jax's words might have on a very intoxicated Ronnie, although he started it. 

"Alright buddy, maybe it's time to put the bottle down," Carter suggested as he walked towards his friend. Who suddenly stood up with furrowed brows.

"What the fuck did you just say to me," Ronnie hissed in a disgruntled tone, as he launched from the sand, face scrunched with offense, "I'll slap that look off your pretty fucking face bitch, don't play with me!"

As Carter barriered himself between the two, Jax remained still, looking up at Ronnie's reaction with nothing but amusement. 

Nina wasn't sure what to make of the situation as she watched her boyfriend attempt to diffuse it, but she knew that neither of their reactions were normal. 

Suddenly Jax stood, talking slow steps towards the pair. 

"Everything's cool dude," Carter reassured Ronnie as Jax reached down, pulling the bottle of tequila from his clenched fist. Their gazes locked just as he pushed the glass rim to his lips, chugging it until it was empty.

Wiping his liquor coated mouth, he chuckled, "Yeah dude, everything's cool," he mocked, repeating Carters words to a bewildered Ronnie.

Nina looked on in awe, never had she witnessed Ronnie, a 240lb linebacker, back down from a challenge, even with Carter holding him back.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, adding to the dramatic experience. The clouds over the vast water lit up, giving warning of the incoming storm and thankfully giving everyone a chance to break from the awkwardness that spread within the group. 

As tiny drops of rain pelted Nina's forehead, she stood. 

It was time to get inside. 

Quickly, Trish followed her lead and began to prompt everyone, "Okay team, let's get inside before we melt."

Trish fought her way up the steps to the glass door. Slowly pulling her keys out of her pocket, she squinted at the small lock in front of her. Her hands moved in all different directions trying to get the key in the hole. Nina huffed, looking back to see Carter walking towards them as he continued to talk Ronnie down.

"Gimme that," she said, bumping Trish out of the way to do her job for her. 

"First things first," Trish slurred, as she pushed past Nina to get inside, "Me and Jax get my parents bedroom," her eyes fell low as she looked to Jax, who stepped aside, allowing Nina to walk in before him, "Nina and Carter get my bedroom, something tells me they're the only ones who won't stain the sheets," putting a hand to her mouth, attempting to hide her words, Trish whispered to the group, "If you know what I mean."

'You're drunk, maybe you should be sleeping alone," Nina encouraged, not even bothering to scold her for the embarrassing sheet joke. 

"Pish posh," Trish waved away, pulling Jax towards the stairs.

He looked back to Nina, shaking his head with a slight roll to his eyes and she knew that he wasn't going to try anything. It was clear he didn't view Trish in that way, nor did he seem like the type to take advantage of someone in a drunken state.

She mouthed the word 'sorry', with a shoulder shrug and slight giggle as they disappeared into the upstairs bedroom. 

Carter pushed through the door, guiding Ronnie to the couch as he laid him down before covering him with a fur blanket. She watched as he set up a trashcan next to the end table, incase of any vomiting accidents, along with a full glass of water and two aspirin. 

He took his time making sure his friend was comfortable and secure. His patience and willingness to help in those ways made Nina smile as she made her way to their bedroom for the night. 

Kicking off her sandals and unbuttoning her jeans, she staggered to the plush mattress, throwing herself on the down comforter. Closing her eyes made it very clear of just how much she had to drink. Though it was dark behind her closed lids, she could feel the room spin in a way, to her surprise, made her smile. 

Nina missed these moments, the silence where she could reflect on her memories alone. 

The bed shifted next to her and her smile grew wider as her eyes remained closed. 

"What are you smiling about," Carter asked gently, as the warmth of his finger tips grazed her freshly painted toes. The sensation was enough to awaken her senses more than ever as she softly opened her eyes to him propped up beside her, still playing with her toes.

"You," a moment of silence passed before he finally stopped and turned back to look at her, his perfect hair slightly damp from the sprinkle of rain he was caught in. 

Carter smirked, "Sure it's not all those vodka sodas?" He joked with a whisper.

Nina slowly reached a hand out, touching his sharp nose, her finger carefully trialing along his pink lips as he pursed them to kiss the tip of it. He was beautiful in the sober day but in the drunken night, her body fought urges. 

Smirking, Carter leaned down and kissed her. 

Without even giving it a second thought, Nina cupped the back of his head to deepen the kiss. The sweet taste of liquor and mint filled her mouth as they intertwined their tongues.

Pushing herself up, she lunged forward and pressed on Carters chest, causing his back to sink into the mattress as she straddled him. Her hands felt up the hem of his shirt and she slowly lifted it off of him. This drunken haze had her going wild, she was never this aggressive.

But something was awoken inside her tonight, something she couldn't explain and all she wanted was to feel him. Ripping off her shirt she leaned down to kiss him some more, trailing kisses from his chin all the way down his neck, chest and finally ending at his torso. 

Peering up to him through her lashes, she grasped his belt of his pants. This was further than they had ever gotten before, almost 2 years together and sex was about to happen within seconds. But her mind wasn't thinking rationally as she began to unbuckle. 

Carter cursed, throwing his head back in frustration, "Stop," he whispered, pulling Nina's hand from his jeans, but she resisted and attempted to continue before he sat up, "Nina, stop," his command more firm now as she pushed back gently.

"What's wrong?" Her eyes questioned him innocently, trying to hid the embarrassment she felt. Although they had never gotten this far in their sexual journey, there was something hurtful about Carter rejecting her.  

"This can't happen, not like this," he admitted, running a hand through his hair with a sigh.

Pushing herself to her knees, Nina grasped her thighs and attempted to question him, "Why? It's not like I'm your first," as the words fell from her mouth, she regretted it. They came out in a way, she's not sure they were supposed to. The look on his face told her that they stung, which wasn't her intention. 

At least she didn't think so, but then again, she was upset. And the alcohol wasn't helping. 

"But I'm yours," he explained carefully, exhaling hard and seeming to push past her insult, "And that means something to me and I thought it meant something to you too. I'm just so confused right now, maybe its the medication--"

"Oh my god," Nina let out more loudly than she intended, but in the moment she didn't care as her embarrassment now rose into anger, "What about my medication Carter? You think it magically turned me into some sex addict?"

But to be honest, she wasn't sure what had her feeling this way, or why she suddenly needed him in a way she had never had anyone else.

"I'm sorry, but did you forget the part where you're my boyfriend and maybe, just maybe I'm ready," she couldn't tell if the statement was to convince him, or herself. 

Carter reached his hand out to her, hoping it would calm her down now that she was visibly upset, "I don't care if its the medicine or the alcohol, but I do care if you wake up tomorrow morning and look at me with regret, instead of love."

The breath fell from her lungs as her anger seemed to drain away, replaced with the instant regret of attempting to throw away something that was supposed to be special. He saved her with his patience, just like had always had.

Pushing the hair from her face, he kissed her forehead and pulled her into him. Slowly, they sank into the softness of the mattress and the dizziness she wont felt was now replaced with the comforting urge to sleep. 

What is that noise? 

Opening her eyes, it took her a moment to adjust. The room was now darker than what she remembered when she first closed them.  

Reaching for her phone on the night stand, It was only a quarter after 3. 

She'd only been sleeping for a few minutes. 

But the sound, faint but noticeable, was enough to poke her ears during what seemed to be a sound slumber.

Peeling herself away from Carter, careful not to wake him, she tiptoed to the door, carefully and quietly turning the knob. As the door creaked open, she could now determine that the noise was creeping in from downstairs. 

Perhaps Ronnie ended up getting sick, just as Carter predicted. 

Feeling like she could handle babysitting, she closed the bedroom behind her and made her way down the stairs to asses the damage. Hoping 0he made it into the trashcan, or Trish would surely have his head. 

But as she rounded the bottom of the stairway, he was sound asleep, still in the same position they had left him in.

Frowning at his stillness, the sound once again caught her attention as she looked towards the doors and windows along the wall.

The storm, which had now passed, must have forced one of the glass doors open, knocking it against the frame of the house as the breeze subsided. The sheer curtain hanging from above waved Nina over as she strolled to it, planning to lock up so it wouldn't wake the others.

She was welcomed with the high moon breaking over the storm clouds. Hugging herself, she stepped out onto the deck to enjoy the irradiance for a moment. Chills slowly crept onto her skin just as pair of strong arms wrap around her in a comforting embrace. Nina smiled for a moment, closing her eyes and breathing the memory in.

But the goosebumps stayed.

Letting her face fall, she slowly opened her eyes.

Something wasn't right.

"Now it makes sense, doesn't it?" the voice whispered seductively from behind her.

"Jax?" Nina questioned as she quickly turned to face him, his eyes dark as night, peering down at her as if he were looking inside of her, "Get off of me," she protested, feeling his grip on her arms, "I said get off!" 

But he wouldn't budge and soon, the infamous smirk spread from the corner of his lips as if he was excited by the fight she put up, "I'm in your head, deep inside that pretty little thing," he hissed through his teeth as his eyes trailed up and down her body like she were his last meal, "Was it your medicine that made you throw yourself at him tonight?" he asked deeply, but so casually Nina stopped fighting.

How did he know?

"Or was it me? I saw the way you looked at me that first day. I know what you want and I know what you need," he reassured her, trialing a gentle finger down her naked shoulder, "You going to let me give it to you, or are you going to make me take it?"

Sitting up suddenly, Nina pushed her hand to her beating chest as her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room. Quickly, she felt for Carter and looked to see that he was still beside her, thankfully undisturbed. 

Sliding off the edge of the bed and down to the floor, she brought her knees to her chest and fluttered through every vivid detail of what just played out in her subconscious. 

Two nightmares, just one week apart, was a sure sign that disturbia was creeping back in.