Page 36 of Forever Home

Looking over towards Jaxson and Knox once more, his eyes meet mine again. There’s something about the depth of his gorgeous eyes that makes me want to swoon. Even if I’m not the swooning kind of girl.

Or am I?

“Hey, so Jaxson wants to check out some of the rides. What do you guys think?” Knox asks, approaching us once more.

Kylie sighs, dumping her plate into a nearby trashcan before wiping her hands off. “Sorry guys, but I really need to get going. I’m exhausted.”

“You’re not really ditching us, are you?” I ask, my eyes quickly darting to where Jaxson stands off to the side of me as if pleading for her to stay.

“Sorry,” she replies with a slight shrug of her shoulders. “I’ve been staying up late painting and not sleeping in. I really need to get some sleep.”

Knox pipes up. “I can walk you back if you want?”

My heart beats faster at the realization that it would just be Jaxson and I left. As much as I used to be fine hanging out with him by myself, that was when we were kids, before everything that happened between us.

“That’d be awesome,” Kylie accepts with a smile on her face as she takes the stuffed animals from my arms. “Can we catch up later?” she asks me.

“Yeah…” I sigh, pushing a smile on my lips. “Give me a call tomorrow.”

I hadn’t expected everyone to dip out on us, but saying our goodbyes to Knox and Kylie, I find myself suddenly excited about being alone with Jaxson. My mind wanders over the possibilities of where the night will lead us. Whether or not I may see a side of Jaxson I’d always wanted to see.

“So…”

His deep voice is like music to my ears. Its ability to thrill me and make me nervous at the same time is a feeling I’ve never gotten used to. But then, do I honestly want to?

The moment I turn to face him, I find myself stuck on how gorgeous he looks. He’s every bit as sexy as he was back in high school. Sharp chiseled jawline, broad shoulders hidden beneath a black t-shirt, hands shoved into the front pockets of his light wash denim jeans.

He literally looks like he stepped out of a magazine, and yet he still reminds me of the man I grew up with. Only older… and a hell of a lot sexier.

Fuck me…

“Sorry…” I reply nervously, glancing around the stalls. “I guess it’s just the two of us.”

“Yeah. Seems like it. Unless you’re planning on heading home as well.”

Home?

“Hell no,” I laugh, shaking my head as I push away the nervousness. “And not get on the Ferris Wheel? You should know me better than that.”

Growing up, the Ferris Wheel was my favorite thing to do and every year it was a ritual for all of us to go on it, despite Sam’s objection to it being way too high. She used to close her eyes when we got to the top, Asher always picked on her for it.

“Can I join you?”

“You’re seriously asking?” I snort. “We’re friends. Why wouldn’t you?”

My answer seems to spark amusement in Jaxson, as he gestures towards the Ferris Wheel. “Shall we then?”

“Yeah, but first… you have to keep up with me and do every ride on the way there.”

As much as I’d love to just ride the Ferris Wheel with him, the two of us tucked up all cozy in that little chair, something in me doesn’t want the night to end yet. A part of me wants to know if there is more, or if perhaps I’m simply imagining old fantasies.

My words are a challenge, and one that Jaxson happily agrees to. One after another, we make our way through the rides. From the abominable snowman that races in a circle going forward and then backward, to the zipper that locks you in a cage with one other person spinning you in circles until you feel like throwing up.

I never imagined waking up this morning that I would be spending time with Jaxson like this, but I’m glad that I am.

Laughter consumes us both by the time we exit the bumper cars.

“I won, and you know it.” I smirk, his eyes going wide as his mouth drops open.

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