Page 100 of Nanny for the Firefighter

“I seem to remember that you were insistent on making it go as fast as humanly possible.”

He smirks, chuckling under his breath. “Oh, you know how teenage boys are. I was just trying to get you to think I was tough and manly.”

I throw my head back in a laugh as we circle around the ride at a leisurely pace. “Ha! That was not the way to do it. Being nauseated doesn’t really make you think a guy is cute.”

Laughing, Mason starts spinning the center wheel a bit faster. “You sure? Cuz I’m a fair bit stronger than I was when I was a teen.”

“Oh my God, don’t. We paid an arm and a leg for that food, and I’m not throwing it up.”

Mason gets us spinning like mad but doesn’t keep it going for longer than a minute or two. We’re rolling with laughter as we let the ride slow back down, and then it comes to a stop.

We stumble off, dizzy as fools, and collapse on the nearest table.

“You are such a dick! You owe me another beer for that.”

Bowing his head, Mason does his best to get to his feet. “Of course, m’lady.”

All I can do is laugh at him, and I swear this is the happiest I’ve ever been. Life feels damn good right now, and I can actually picture it staying that way.

Which is a change, and a very welcome one at that.

After a few hours, it’s finally time to make our way back to the car, and I am thoroughly tired.

“Oh, God. So much food. I’m not going to eat for a week.”

“You’re telling me,” Mason adds. “I don’t even want to think about how many calories and processed food chemicals we just wolfed down.”

I giggle, following Mason past the stanchions and onto the much quieter street. Most people have gone home, and the Summer Fest grounds behind us are basically emptied out at this point.

Crickets chirp in the distance as we walk hand in hand toward the truck, and I let out a pleasant sigh, ready to end this great day next to my man in bed.

But then I notice something out of the corner of my eye. Just as we’re passing by a building with a large window at the front, I swear I see a man reflected in the glass.

He’s tall and blonde and wearing an evil smirk on his face.

“What?”

I stop abruptly, whipping my attention to the park across the street where the man was standing.

At least, that’s where I thought he was standing. But when I look around there’s nothing. I trade glances between the reflection on the window and the shadowy area by the tree where I thought I saw Jai.

Still nothing.

“You all right?” Mason squeezes my hand, stepping in front of me with his brow down over his eyes.

“Umm,” I look around at all the nothing still there in the park, “yeah. I’m sorry. I thought I saw something. Must be going crazy.”

Mason smiles, stepping up to kiss me quickly before starting up our walk to the truck again.

“Nah. Not crazy. Just tired.”

I nod, trying to shake off that feeling of eyes peering at me from the trees. “Yeah, could be that."

We’re only a few steps away from the truck, and when we get there, Mason opens my door for me. I watch him circle around the front of his truck to the driver’s side, still feeling a little unsettled.

As Mason pulls open his door, we both hear his phone ring from his pocket. He stops, getting the thing free, and swipes to answer.

“Hello?”

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