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We were kissing.

I couldn't think about anything else. Not about the fact my hands had long since left my sides and tangled themselves in his hair. Not about the way he moved to straddle the bench so he could slide impossibly closer to me. Not about how his kisses made my lips feel like they were on fire, and there was no hope in extinguishing the flames, so we kissed hungrily and watched the flames build up together.

One of his hands slid down to my neck, and then painfully slowly down my side until he gripped my waist, trying to pull me closer to him. My fingers tugged the ends of his hair desperately, and when I heard the soft moan come from his mouth, muffled by mine, I felt my heart beat quicken even more, if it was possible.

The second the need to breathe was stronger than the need for each other, we parted, but didn't go far. His hand rested on my waist as I looked at him breathlessly, lips swollen from kissing, face flushed, mind wondering how the hell Carter and I came to be making out on the piano bench. His hazel eyes were locked on mine, as if waiting for me to react, before they hardened.

"Who knew that my sob story was such a turn on?" Carter asked with an eyebrow raised while a smirk grew on his lips.

I groaned, "You just had to ruin the moment, didn't you?"

Despite the minimal space between our bodies, it felt like there was practically a physical wall in between us. I saw the way his eyes looked more guarded than they had when he was talking about his mom, like he realized that he let his facade slip and needed to regain his hard exterior. Frustrated with his sudden mood change, I turned and got off the bench, his hand that was previously on my waist dropping to the bench with a thud.

"So you thought we were having a moment," Carter pushes, his voice thick with mocking. "Sweetheart, think again."

I turn and narrow my eyes at him. "Sorry, but is making out on a piano bench after talking about your personal life not a moment?" I shake my head and mutter, "So much for trust."

Carter narrowed his eyes at me this time, his douchebag facade fading as anger replaced his expression. "Are you seriously still saying I don't trust you, even after I just told you about my parents?"

"No," I deny, and then look dead in his eyes. "You don't trust me enough to let your guard down for longer than five minutes. You got freaked out that someone saw the real Carter, the one that actually cares, and you reverted back to acting like some arrogant asshole."

If you heard us arguing like this, you wouldn't think that we had just been kissing the living daylights out of each other. Hell, you wouldn't even think I was able to tolerate the man. But I was stubborn and forward and annoyed and angry and I couldn't help but tell him that I knew what he was doing. From the looks of it, he was pretty surprised that I actually recognized what he was doing, too.

Carter sighed, surprising me, and ran a hand through his hair. Carefully, he stood up from the piano bench, and took a cautious step closer to me. "You're right. But I did it for you."

I scoff, "You're acting like an asshole for me? That's the biggest bullshit I've ever heard."

"Well it isn't," He shoots back immediately, and turns his gaze to the piano, glaring at it again. Poor piano. "You just don't understand."

Although I wanted to hit him, I felt my resolve falter a little at the hardness in his tone. So I took a deep breath and took a step closer to him, waiting until his gaze landed on me again. When it did, I looked in between his eyes for a second, searching them.

"Then make me," I say softly, convincingly.

His eyes float over my face, as if he's contemplating his decision, before he lets out a breath and runs a hand through his hair again. And then he focuses his gaze on me, taking another step closer so we were less than a foot away.

"I like you, Amelia," My heart beats quicker at his words, but stops when his jaw clenches. "But I don't do relationships. I'm physically incapable. I always fuck up. And I don't want to disappoint you."

His words send a shock through me. So he tried to scare me off, make me hate him all over again, by acting like an ass? More importantly, he was considering a relationship with me? As I think about his words, I think about my own capability for a relationship. After what happened with Jake, I wasn't sure that I had it in me to trust another guy anytime soon, let alone commit myself in another relationship.

My heart feels like it's thumping kind of quickly, but not out of nerves. I felt a surge of confidence pour into me, like a burst of energy that somehow came with all the new information. Carter likes me, but doesn't want a relationship; I like Carter, but don't think I'm ready for a relationship. Suddenly, all I could think about was Poppy's words: have a fun summer fling. Before I can really think about what I'm doing, I speak.

"Who said I wanted a relationship?" I fire back after coming to this conclusion, and I watch as his brows furrow in confusion. "I'm not ready for anything serious after what happened with Jake."

Carter's eyes studied me closely before he asked, "Are you saying..."

I shrug. "I'm saying that I like you too," I admit, still high off my confidence. "And if you're not looking for anything serious, and neither am I, then what's the harm in trying something else?"

"Like friends with benefits?" Carter clarifies immediately.

It was weird putting a title to such a thing, considering that I never considered myself to be involved in anything of the sort. At home, I have- well, had- a boyfriend. I didn't do hookups, or meaningless anything, especially not when it ran the risk of my parents finding out. I was so used to being "good little Amelia" when it came to boys.

I couldn't even believe that it was really me having this conversation. I just made out with Carter, and now here I was fearlessly admitting to him that I liked him. Maybe it was because I was at camp, or it was summertime, or Poppy's words about finding a summer fling kept reeling in my mind that made me confident as I considered this title.

"Yeah," I eventually say, meeting his gaze confidently. "Something like that."

Carter, though, still seemed hesitant. "Are you sure that's what you want, Amelia? This isn't something you agree to unless you're positive that you're okay with it."

I think about it for a second, weighing the seriousness of the proposal. What was the harm in a summer fling?

"I'm sure," I tell him, and then smirk a little. "Why, you scared?"

Carter rolls his eyes, a smirk on his lips as well, and leans forward so there are inches between our faces. His breath hits my cheeks, his lips dangerously close to mine, and his eyes sparkling with boyish mischief.

"Babe, I'm not scared of anything," Carter breathes huskily.

I smirk. "Good, because there's a scary amount of work left to do in the dining hall, but seeing as you're not scared of anything, you'll be able to handle it just fine."

His smirk drops as I take a step back and wink at him, then start walking off the stage.

"Tease," Carter mutters.

And, despite the fact that I just made a deal with the devil for meaningless hookups for the rest of summer, I smirk wider.

+ + +

Somehow, like I always manage to do, I found myself leaning against the wall in Cabin 14 beside Poppy in a large circle, drinking my fifth beer of the night while I played one rowdy game of Truth or Dare. The bottle landed on James, who was being told that he had to run around the cabin once... bare naked. Justin was too pleased with himself as he excitedly told his brother his punishment, and James' glare felt wickedly intense on Justin's smiling face.

When I brought my drink to my lips, my eyes lazily scanned the other players, and but I stop when I notice a familiar pair of hazel eyes looking at me. The owner of those very familiar hazel eyes was smirking from across the circle, and when he realized I noticed him, Carter lifted his beer into the air in a mock salute and then took a sip. My lips began to turn up at the corners as I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, but my gaze slid beside him to see Katie glaring at me, and I sobered up immediately.

"I hate you, Justin," James muttered as he stood up from the circle, beginning to peel his sweatshirt off as he made his way toward the cabin door.

Everyone either laughed or gave him his condolences, but I just blinked in his direction before he disappeared outside. The chatter continued around us, but I didn't really listen, until I heard someone shriek and point at the window. In a blur, we see the top half of James' naked body running past the window.

"Poor guy," Poppy sympathized with a sigh, shaking her head wistfully.

"He deserved it," Justin says through his wide grin, then whined, "He stole all my underwear and put it somewhere. He won't tell me where it is!"

I looked at him and raised my eyebrows. "And you think he'll tell you now, after you've made him run ass naked in the cold?"

Justin's grin faded very quickly after I said that, and Carter laughed outright from the other side of the circle. When James came back inside with his clothes tugged on, he was glaring at Justin.

"I'm never giving you back your boxers," James growls. "Get ready to go commando for the rest of the summer, asshole."

Instead of rejoining the circle, James stomped over to the cooler, clearly in search of a new drink. Justin frowned and scrambled up to go after him, probably to beg for his boxers back, but it left us with no one to give a new truth or dare.

"Fuck it, I'll go," Carter surprisingly (can you hear the sarcasm?) offers, and then his gaze darts to me. "Mina, truth or dare?"

I ignore his smirk and stupidly challenge, "Dare."

He smirks wider. "I dare you to play a game with me."

"A game?" I echo, and he nods simply. I scoff and roll my eyes. "Seriously? What kind of dare is that?"

Carter's eyes are practically sparkling as he says coolly, "Strip poker is the game, princess."

Of course, I spoke too soon.

Something about his cockiness just made me even more inclined to prove him that I could beat him. I simply smirked at him and leaned back, very well aware that everyone was awaiting my reaction.

"Sounds easy enough," I say nonchalantly.

He smirks, and I know he can catch me out, but I refuse to give any other reaction. We sit in the middle of the floor, with everyone else either scattered around us or left to get a drink. Carter shuffles the cards and takes two, then I follow suit. I had played Poker with Poppy and Teddy before, and I knew that I had a good chance at winning.

I got bad cards on my first hand, and ended up losing quickly. Carter was all too smug when I was forced to slip my cardigan off, leaving me in shorts and a tank top. I got him back the next time, when I won and he had to take his shirt off. Unfortunately, this ended up being more of a distraction than a victory, because his chest was incredibly toned and my eyes kept slipping from my cards to the Adonis in front of me.

Carter took advantage of my distracted state and beat me in another round. At this point, most of the group had become disinterested, and it was more of a war between Carter and I. I narrowed my eyes at his winning cards, throwing my own on the table before forcing myself to peel off the next article of clothing: my tank top. In an alcohol induced burst of confidence, I pulled my shirt over my head and was left sitting before Carter in my shorts and bra.

What I didn't expect was a sharp in take of breath from my opponent, whose eyes were dark as he took my barely clothed self in. I bit my lip out of nerves, trying to tell myself, a bra is just like the top to a bikini, it's not a big deal. Carter's eyes snapped up to my face, and I could immediately tell what he was thinking with the lust in his eyes and wandering gaze.

"Screw this game," Carter says lowly, his voice coming out more like a growl. "Let's get out of here."

His voice was so sexy that I felt my skin prickle all over, and when he said those words, I found myself nodding eagerly. Before I could get up and escape with Carter, I felt someone roughly grab my upper arm and haul me up. I stumbled in confusion and blinked up at the source, which was a very pissed off Teddy.

"What the hell Mina?" He hissed, eyes ablaze. "Why are you shirtless in the middle of the room with him?"

I frowned at him, trying to pull my arm free of his grip, but he didn't budge. "We were..." I look anywhere but his face. "...playing strip poker. It was a dare, it's not a big deal."

"You're in your bra in the middle of a room full of horny teenage boys," Teddy snaps. "It's a big deal."

I look around and see some people casting glances our direction, and others too drunk to notice. I suddenly feel self conscious and use my free hand to wrap my arm around myself, and still try to pull my other arm free from his steely grip.

"Teddy, let me go," I hissed, because I couldn't disagree with him.

His eyes are still flaming as he mutters, "Seriously, Mina? First Brad, now Carter Miller?"

I could tell he was drunk, and that's why he was overreacting so much. What I couldn't tell was why he thought this was a big deal at all. Sure, being shirtless in the room with countless other teenagers wasn't the smartest decision, but Teddy usually encouraged my recklessness. I mean, I know I made questionable decisions with Brad, but Carter was different. We were friends, and he wasn't half as bad of a person as Brad is.

"She said let go," Carter's presence is so strong and confident I can sense it the second he stands up.

Teddy glares at Carter but let's go of me, and I take a step back to tug on the tank top that had been so hastily discarded. My forehead was set in a deep crease as I frowned at Teddy, wondering why he was so angry at me. Sure, I was making some dumb decisions, but I could decide for myself. Besides, we were just about to leave.

"Why are you so mad?" I voice my thoughts, trying to get Teddy's attention, but his eyes are still set in a hard glare at Carter, who was doing the same.

Teddy's eyes snap toward me, and he's about to open his mouth when Poppy stepped in between us, yanking Teddy's arm to pull him backwards. She gave him a hard look before turning to me and flashing me a reassuring smile.

"He drank too much," Poppy supplements nonchalantly. "I'm going to get him out of here."

Carter mutters something under his breath and then sets his hand on my waist, pulling me closer to him. I glance up at him but his eyes are on Poppy as he says, "No need. We were just leaving."

With one last heated glare in Teddy's direction, Carter pulled me out of the cabin. I shrug his arm off, less in the mood to hook up after what just happened.

"Why the hell was he acting like that?" I ask no in particular.

"Because he likes you," Carter says, like it's the obvious reason, and keeps walking away from Cabin 14.

I frown at his back as he walks away, momentarily too shocked to follow him. Did Teddy, my good friend, like me? All I could think of was the way he reacted after I kissed Brad, and then when he was staring at my lips at the camp games. I thought of how Poppy acted weird when he did these things, and wondered if she knew all along, but wanted to salvage the friendship.

After I realize these things, I catch up to Carter, who was mindlessly walking. "Do you really think so?"

Carter briefly glances at me. "Are you kidding? It's obvious. He was jealous, that's why he was acting like a prick. Do you really not see the signs?"

I bite my lip instead of answering. What the hell was I supposed to do about this?

Carter looks over at me again, but when he sees that I'm deep in thought, he sighs and pulls me to a stop. His hand finds its way under my chin and he tilts my head to look him in the eyes as he demands, "Stop overthinking, it'll kill you."

"It's hard to not think about that," I mutter helplessly. "He's one of my best friends."

I suddenly no longer felt the effect of the alcohol I had consumed in the past few hours. My mind was no longer blurring the lines of my decisions. Just like that, with the realization that my best friend could have an unrequited crush on me, I sobered up.

Carter's brow pinches together as he takes in my saddened tone, and then slips his hand off of my chin, only to take it in his and lace our fingers together. I look down at our hands curiously, and then back up at Carter, but he looks like he's not completely sure what he's doing, either.

"Come on," He says quietly, tugging me toward the boys cabins. "I think I know what will make you feel better."