Page 45 of The Romance Library

‘Shit, shit, shiiiitt!!!’ I screamed as it hurtled to the left before shooting upwards and dropping down at what felt like a million miles an hour, taking my poor stomach along for the ride.

I felt sick. My heart was beating so fast, any minute now it was going to fly from my chest.

The screams of exhilaration and happiness from the other passengers rang in my ears. They were enjoying it, but I was so scared I could feel the tears welling in my eyes.

This was a huge mistake.

Just as I was about to start sobbing like a baby, I felt a warm hand resting on top of mine.

‘Breathe,’ Theo said in my ear, his warm breath tickling my skin. My eyes were still squeezed shut. I could hear his voice over all the background noise. ‘You’re going to be okay. I’ve got you.’

He squeezed my hand tighter, and somehow even though the roller coaster was still zipping around the track at lightning speed, I felt my heart rate slowing.

The sensation of my hand inside Theo’s warm palm was so comforting. It made me feel safe. Like I was wrapped in a cosy blanket.

‘It’s almost over,’ he said, gently squeezing my hand again. ‘Let’s count from fifty to one together. Forty-nine, forty-eight, forty-seven…’

I counted with him, and before I knew it, the car slowed down, then stopped.

‘There,’ he said. ‘It’s over. You can open your eyes now.’

When I slowly opened them, Theo’s face was in front of me. And as my gaze met his a fluttering sensation erupted inside my belly.

Theo could’ve easily taken the piss out of me. He could’ve called me a wuss for being afraid of a stupid ride. But he didn’t.

There wasn’t spite or evil in his eyes. Only concern and kindness.

‘You okay?’ he asked softly.

‘Yeah,’ I mumbled. I was still trying to get my head around what had just happened. I looked down and saw that we were still holding hands. I sent a message to my brain to let go, but it didn’t register.

‘How was it?’ Nancy beamed with enthusiasm. My head jerked up and I quickly snatched my hand away from Theo’s.

Nancy was holding her phone up, ready to take a photo, and the last thing I needed to see in the town newsletter was a picture of me and Theo holding hands.

Yeah, we were supposed to pretend to like each other, but this wasn’t a fake-dating romance situation.

‘We should get out,’ I said to Theo as I stood up and stepped out of the car. ‘They need to let the new people on.’

‘Yes, of course.’ He followed me out.

After we’d posed for a couple of photos, Nancy finally left us alone.

‘Er, thanks, for…’ I said as we started walking.

‘It was nothing.’ Theo waved his hand dismissively.

I was tempted to agree, but the truth was, it wasn’t nothing. What he’d done was kind. Thoughtful.

As I thought about how my palm had felt in his, I swallowed hard because the reality was, it didn’t feel like nothing. It felt like more.

And that was a big problem.

14

Theo

After closing my room door, I plonked myself on the edge of the bed and dragged my hands down my face.

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