The Perfect Spiral (by Ashley Constantine) novel Chapter 106

Chapter 106 of 106: Chapter 106

“Alex, you’re the only girl I’ve ever felt this way about. No one else could ever compare to you. I was selfish in high school, keeping the other guys away from you. You were always the talk of the locker

room…”

His voice trailed off, his eyes never leaving mine. “All those other girls meant nothing to me. I could be talking to any one of them, but the moment you walked into the room, my attention was gone. My eyes were drawn to you.”

He paused, his gaze softening. “I lived to see you in school. It made my day when I did. When I didn’t, I’d come over to your house just to catch a glimpse of you. Even if it was just for a second.”

“You’re so beautiful, Alex. It kills me to know that you don’t believe me. I’m the luckiest man alive to have you as my girlfriend. You have no idea.”

He kissed the side of my head, and I leaned into him, wrapping my arm around his waist. “If you keep saying things like this, Carter, I’m going to end up looking like a mess! You’re so sweet. I’m lucky too, to be able to call you my boyfriend.”

“Do you know how many glares I get on a daily basis?” I teased, but his lips remained pressed against the side of my head.

“Probably the same amount I get when I’m with you, babe!” His muffled words made me laugh. Lies. All lies.

“It’s true. I see guys checking you out all the time, so I make sure they know you’re mine and mine only. So, I get the glares too.”

I shook my head, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. Knox had ordered a dessert for us to share. Sharing is caring, right? To my surprise, an assortment of cakes and pies arrived, each in small slices for us to try.

My eyes widened at the sight of them, my sweet tooth practically doing a happy dance. I fed Knox a piece of chocolate cake, his favorite, and noticed a smudge of icing on his lower lip. I leaned in, kissing him and tasting the icing.

“You had some icing on your lip,” I whispered, my tongue darting out to lick the remaining icing.

“Thanks. I should put icing on my lips more often then. I think icing is our thing. First, it was my mom’s cupcakes, and now this cake?”

He scooped up a piece of key lime pie and fed me some. I covered my mouth, laughing at his antics. “Your mom’s cupcakes though! I would get fat from eating them… But yeah, icing can be our thing. I remember that day so well. It started off pretty good but ended so badly.”

I sighed, thinking back to that day. As strange as that kiss was for me, I liked it. But then I had to go shopping with him. I had to get ignored. I had to get food with him. I had to get ignored.

Then I just gave up. I couldn’t do it. The memory of that day weighed heavy on my heart.

“Hey, I know I didn’t stick up for you, Alex. And I should’ve. But I thought you were going to fight back. Then I saw your face when we got out of the car. Seeing you cry broke my heart in half.”

“I didn’t realize you were still sensitive after the breakup. I didn’t take that into consideration when I should’ve. I’m sorry that I didn’t stick up for you. I’ve been trying to make ”

“You don’t need to make up for it, Knox. What happened, happened. You can’t change the past, and you most certainly do not need to make it up to me,” I cut him off, his eyes focused on me, listening intently.

“Babe, I know you don’t feel like I need to, but I do. I can’t let that happen to you again. I don’t want to see you cry because of me. Ever. If you do cry because of me, I will comfort you and apologize endlessly.”

I couldn’t help but giggle at his earnestness. His serious expression softened when he saw my smile. “Apologize endlessly?” I laughed, shaking my head. He was so naive about relationships. This was his first one, after all.

“Yeah? Isn’t that what boyfriends are supposed to do?” He asked, his face so innocent it was adorable. He reminded me so much of Adam.

“Kyle told me that in every fight or situation, the girl is always right, even if they’re wrong.” I laughed even harder at my brother’s advice.

After a few moments, I looked at him, biting the inside of my cheek. I stroked his face softly, and he leaned into my touch. “Knox, I’m not like normal girls. I will admit when I’m wrong. Not often, but I will… We will fight, but that’s how it goes. No relationship is perfect. But please, only apologize to me if you mean it.”

He nodded, taking a sip of his drink. He had limited himself to only one beer.

“I’ll always mean it, baby doll. I love you,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my cheek as we finish off our dessert. Knox takes care of the bill–a very large bill.

I glance up at him, guilt gnawing at me. I should at least offer to pay for half. As I reach into my clutch to try to reimburse him, he grabs my hand and pulls me out the door.

“Knox! Wait, I need to get my-”

“No! As long as we’re dating, you’re not paying for anything. I won’t let you,” he insists, flashing a smile over his shoulder as he holds the door open for me. The darkness engulfs us until the flashes of cameras begin.

They’re so frequent, it’s almost like daylight. He pulls me closer to his body as we make our way to his car. I press my hand against his abdomen, feeling the hard ripples of his abs through his shirt.

Once we reach the car, he opens the door for me. I buckle my seatbelt, watching the strangers snapping pictures of us. The door opens again, the overhead light illuminating the interior of the car.

As he slides into the driver’s seat, he takes my hand and starts the car. “Thank you for dinner, Knox. I really enjoyed it,” I say, glancing over at him. He grins back at me, leaning in for a kiss.

I meet him halfway, pressing my lips to his. As he focuses back on the road, he lifts our intertwined hands to his lips, pressing kisses to my knuckles every so often.

“You look so beautiful, babe. Every time I see you, it’s like the first time,” he says, breaking the

comfortable silence in the car.

I watch the trees blur together as we speed past them, the intermittent glow of the streetlights racing across the hood of the car. The cool air conditioning sends small chills up my spine.

“Ugh, Knox! Don’t get me started like last night!” I laugh, resting my head back against the headrest.

His laughter sends a surge of warmth through me. I love the sound of his laugh—it’s like music to my

ears.

“You were so cute last night, babe. Crying over Jack and Rose-”

“Stop! It’s one of the best love stories ever written. He died for her! No guy would ever do that!” I roll my eyes at him, teasing me about my emotional reaction to the movie.

“I would’ve done the same for you, baby doll,” he whispers so softly I almost miss it. My heart skips a beat at his words, and I feel his warm breath on the back of my hand.

“If it came to it, Carter, you wouldn’t have,” I tease, raising an eyebrow at him. I lean closer to him across the armrest, challenging him.

He leans in, not saying anything, just staring at me. His intense gaze sends butterflies fluttering in my

stomach.

His eyes glint in the dim light, and a smile tugs at his lips. He kisses the back of my hand again, watching my reaction.

As he turns his attention back to the road, I freeze at his next words.

“If you landed in New York and said your name was Alex Carter, I definitely would have,” he says, making me swallow hard.

My stomach twists into knots. My heart pounds in my chest as his eyes lock with mine. My breath comes in short, erratic bursts as I process his words.

Alex Carter.

“Hey Becca! Open your eyes, sleepyhead! We’re almost at our hotel.”

I woke up startled. Ugh, my neck hurt. How had I managed to fall asleep during a thirty–minute ride? I turned my head and looked at my best friend, Kate.

She practically jumped with excitement, sitting behind the steering wheel of my Prius.

“Why are you yelling?”

“Are you kidding me?! Tomorrow you and I will be settling into our dorm, and tonight we are going to our first college party at the infamous Kappa Alpha fraternity! I don’t even know which I am more excited about!”

“Let me guess? I bet it’s the party!” I laughed because she’d noticed my sarcastic tone of voice and frowned.

“You’re no fun!”

“Sorry, Kate, I promise to behave.”

“I honestly can’t believe that our parents let us leave for college before tomorrow’s move–in day. I thought we would be coming here with them in tow, but I guess the fact that we’re both eighteen and never got into any trouble, they let it slide! I’m glad they don’t know our secrets!”

She winked at me, and I laughed.

“So, tonight is the party, and it will probably be my first one–night stand at college,” Kate continued. “Tomorrow, we will meet our parents and get settled into our dormitory!”

“Do we need to go to the party? Maybe we could just take a walk around town and find our way to the dormitory?”

“Rebecca Dawson, you’re starting to piss me off! We had a deal! You promised me you would go with me to this fucking party, and you will go with me. Even if I have to drag you there!”

“Okay, Kitty Kate, I give up. No need for violence!”

“Good girl, you know I love you. Besides, why do you need to walk around town? Home is only thirty minutes away. We have been here hundreds of times, and it’s a small town, nothing like the Big Apple, where you can be lost within a few minutes!”

“You have a solid point, girl. How long until we get to our hotel? I need to use the bathroom badly.”

“First you fell asleep, now you want to pee… Where is my best friend and what did you do to her, old lady?”

“Shut up, Kate!” I lightly smacked her thigh, and she laughed.

“Well, thanks to my driving skills, we’re here! Go check us in, and I will park your

I groaned but followed her orders.

Later, Kate caught up with me as I strolled to the room we had just checked into.

car.”

I took my time using the bathroom and then walked back into the room to find Kate already in her lacy red underwear, staring at two dresses on the bed.

“You should go with the strapless pink dress. You look sexy in it.” I plopped myself down on my bed and looked at my friend. Her nose wrinkled with concern.

“Do you really think so?”

“Yeah, but you will need to choose a strapless bra.”

“Consider it done.”

Kate laughed, unclasped her bra straps, and put on the pink dress I suggested. She looked stunning and unbelievably sexy.

Red curls enveloped her baby doll face, with its full lips and light green eyes. She already had makeup on, and it only made her look more beautiful, and also more mature. But I guessed that was her intention. We would be freshmen at the party, and she didn’t want that fact to stand out to everyone.

“You look perfect, Kate. That dress hugs all your curves in all the right places, and your cleavage… God, I almost pity the boys at the party!”

Kate spun in front of the mirror, looking at herself from all sides. She winked at her reflection and

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