Chapter 98: Before the Protocol Party

Ariana sat in one of the armchairs with her knees drawn up and her fingernail between her lips, as she got lost in his mother's journal. She couldn't stop reading and she came back to reality when she heard Carter sigh as he walked into the living room.

"Are you really going to read that all day?" Carter smirked as he panted and tried to catch his breath.

Ariana peered up from the pages and blushed as she took in his gym clothes. He wore a blue tee and black gym shorts. Sweat coated his skin and his hair was held back in a ponytail, but a few strands had slipped out from the hair tie. He brought a blue water bottle to his lips as he smiled at her. His biceps were swollen, and she could tell he had been working out a while in his personal gym.

"Did you know..." Ariana closed the journal and set it in her lap.

"Did I know what?" Carter walked up to her and sat down on the arm of the chair, stealing the book from her lap to flip through it.