Page 44 of The Romance Library

‘Bring it on!’

‘Don’t say I didn’t warn you.’

He backed up and just as I thought he was going in the opposite direction, he crashed into me, causing my head to jolt. I returned the favour, and for the next few minutes we repeated the same pattern.

He’d ram into me hard and I’d try and do it back, harder. And he wasn’t fazed. The harder I hit him, the bigger his smile grew. The sadist was actually enjoying it.

When the bell sounded to signal that our time was up, I was a bit disappointed.

‘That was fun!’ He stepped out of the car.

‘Yeah. It was good to crash into you without worrying about getting arrested.’

‘I enjoyed banging you too.’ His eyes darkened and a bolt of pleasure shot straight to my core.

And for the second time today, I wondered what it would feel like if Theo really did bang me.

Our eyes locked for a few seconds, then the screech of a little girl crying because she’d dropped her ice cream jolted me out of my trance.

‘We should… see what other rides they have.’

‘Yes.’ He cleared his throat. ‘Let’s go.’

We went on multiple different rides. Luckily I convinced Theo to go on the tamer ones, like the Busy Bee Coaster, which was like a children’s roller coaster, and the Gallopers carousel. He’d suggested we go on the Waltzer: the car that turned clockwise, then anticlockwise. Although it made me dizzy and my stomach churned a little, I was grateful that none of the rides had been scary.

We passed the Rock ’n’ Roller roller coaster and as Theo stopped, my stomach churned.

‘Fancy a ride on this?’

‘Erm, maybe later.’

‘This is the best time to go on,’ one of the people in front of us said. ‘It’s not normally this quiet.’

Just as I was contemplating how to wriggle out of it without looking stupid, Nancy came up behind us.

‘Great timing! I was just about to call you for the photo. You going on?’ She pointed. ‘Let me take a photo of you two before you do. Then I’ll take another one at the end—as a before and after! Edwin will love that! Smile!’

Theo stood awkwardly beside me and I pasted on a grin, trying to ignore the knots in my gut.

‘You’re up!’ The attendant ushered us forward.

‘You don’t have to go on if you’re scared,’ Theo said, lowering his voice.

‘I’m not! I’m fine!’ I marched forward and got into the car.

As Theo slid in next to me and I started to realise the enormity of what I was doing, my heart thundered against my chest.

I should’ve just said no. But I didn’t want him to think I was weak. I had to do this.

‘It’s not too late to get out,’ Theo said.

‘I’m fine,’ I repeated, trying to convince myself.

As the barriers locked, my pulse raced and my hands started to shake.

The engine started up and the car slowly began to climb up the track. I squeezed my eyes shut. If I just kept them closed and counted to a hundred, it’d soon be over.

The car travelled higher and higher, then suddenly shot down the first slope before racing around the track.

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