Page 35 of Destry

She crossed her arms, lifting her chin. “I’m not scared.”

I smirked, stepping even closer. “Then prove it.”

She glared but I could see the stubbornness in her eyes.

“Savvy,” I murmured, brushing my thumb against her wrist. “You’ll be fine.”

She didn’t answer.

“Just trust me,” I said, softer this time.

She sighed, looking between me and the Ferris wheel. After a long pause, she muttered, “You’re not my friend.”

I grinned. “That a yes?”

She groaned. “Yes.”

The line was short but it didn’t matter. Savvy’s nerves got worse the closer we got. I could see it in the way she kept glancing up at the ride and shifting on her feet with her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

“You okay?”

She narrowed her eyes. “I’m reconsidering all my life’s choices.”

I laughed, pulling her in closer as the Ferris wheel came to a stop and the operator waved us forward.

“Too late now.”

She groaned again but climbed in, sliding onto the bench seat and I took the spot right beside her, making sure she was close enough to feel me.

The ride started lifting, and to her credit, she held it together for the first few rounds, at least.

She didn’t talk much, just sat there pressed against my side with her hands gripping the bar a little too tightly.

I leaned back, stretching an arm along the back of the seat. “See? Not so bad.”

“I think I hate you. This is definitely bad.”

I smirked. “No, you don’t.”

She dropped her shoulders forcing herself to relax and that lasted for all of ten seconds before the ride stopped at the very top and everything went to hell.

The second the Ferris wheel jerked to a halt, Savvy’s whole body locked up. Her fingers gripped the bar tighter and her breaths became short and uneven. When she glanced over the edge, panic crossed her face. I immediately sat up. “Hey, it’s okay?—”

“Nope,” she said, shaking her head. “Not okay. Not okay at all.”

I frowned, realizing just how bad this was. I expected her to be nervous and maybe a little tense but she was in a full-blown panic.

“Savvy,” I said calmly, reaching for her hand. “You’re fine.”

She shook me off and her breathing started coming faster now. “I’m not fine. We’re stuck. At the top.”

She was scared, really fucking scared, and that didn’t sit right with me.

“Come here.”

She shook her head, still too panicked to focus. I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into my lap, making her straddle me.

She gasped, gripping my shoulders, but I didn’t let her go.

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