Page 4 of Mister Fireman

“Hmm… then I’ll call you Dejvi.”

That made me smile. “You know they say women like to call their men by their real name because it makes them feel special. Is that what’s going on here?”

Enjell chuckled and shook her head. “Seeing as you’re not my man… I don’t think so.”

I wasn’t her man—yet.

When we began to lift into the air, she groaned and gripped my hand. “Dejvi.” Her voice trembled and eyes squeezed shut. “I-I shouldn’t… Is it too late to get off?”

“Wh—are you okay?”

Her head shook rapidly. “N-no. I’m s-scared of h-heights.”

Concern had my heart racing as I rubbed her back and leaned forward slightly. I looked her face over intently, though her eyes remained tightly shut.

“Enjell… why in the hell did you agree to ride this if you are afraid of heights?”

“Because I come every y-year and n-never have the courage to do it. I-I wanted this year to be d-different,” she whined before releasing a panicked hiccup and breaking into a loud sob that made me fight my laughter. She was really in distress and could have avoided it completely.

“Shh… it’s going to be all right, love,” I assured her, wrapping my arm around her and pulling her close. “Focus on my voice and take deep breaths for me.” Enjell did as I said. “Fear is just a feeling. It doesn’t control you. You’re here on this ride, and nothing bad is going to happen to you. Keep breathing for me, Enjell. When you’re ready, I want you to look at me.”

“I-I can’t, Dejvi.”

“Yes, you can.” I tilted her face in my direction slowly. “Do you trust me?”

She released a sound I wasn’t quite sure how to describe and nibbled her bottom lip. “I think so.”

“Okay, then trust I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Open those beautiful eyes and look at me.” Enjell’s eyes slowly fluttered open. A tear escaped one of them as she stared at me. Swallowing hard, she blinked before shutting her eyes again. “Open those eyes, love.” With a huff, she allowed them to flutter open again. “I’m glad you decided to face this fear with me.”

Enjell sniffled as I wiped her cheek. “I’m not sure why I did, but it’s not so bad, I guess.”

“Can you look straight ahead? You don’t have to look down, but can you look out into the sky?”

I took her hand into mine and kissed it. She considered my challenge for a while then nodded.

“I can try,” she almost whispered.

For some reason, the softer and more tender I had to handle her, the more masculine it made me feel. I felt responsible for her in a way, and it made something inside of me feel whole.

“You’re my good girl, so I know you can do it.”

Her brows wrinkled as she tugged her bottom lip between her teeth. Our eyes remained locked for a few seconds before she slowly looked straight ahead. The grip she had on my hand began to loosen.

“It’s not so bad,” she said quietly before releasing an innocent giggle.

The light in her eyes as she looked at me made me want to do whatever I could to make this happen for her again and again. Not the fear, but the removal of it, and the chance to experience a first with her.

“You’re beautiful, Enjell.”

Her hand went to my cheek. As her thumb caressed it, she said, “You are too.”

I didn’t believe in instant love, but I believed God could plant confirmation in you when you’d found the one. I may not have been able to put my finger on what it was, but there was something about this woman that told me she was my mine.

My one.

My rib.

“You were right,” I blurted to avoid kissing her. Slowly, I pulled her hand from my face. “I was taking a picture of you. I’d set up to take a picture of the Ferris Wheel and planned to wait until you walked by, but you were so beautiful I couldn’t resist taking a picture to remember you by. I’m sorry for not admitting that and possibly gaslighting you. That wasn’t fair of me at all.”

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