Page 220 of Boots, Bucket Lists & Bad Ideas
I glance out the side window to see we’re not even at the top yet, and we have the other half of the wheel to load with passengers.
I don’t tell him that. I don’t want him to spiral out of control.
Instead, I decide to distract him from the fear clawing at his throat.
I reach out and cover the top of his hand with my palm. A tremor pulses through his hand, and his gaze flicks to our hands, fixating on the touch between us.
“What’s the most unusual thing you’ve eaten?”
A moment passes as he registers my question, blinking like he needs time to reach him.
“Huh?”
“Like octopus or ant eggs?”
“Good lord, woman,” he groans. “Don’t talk about ants.”
I chuckle. “How’s your body healing from those bites?”
“The burning is gone.”
“So is mine, but I wasn’t attacked like you.”
“By tomorrow, I should be mostly human again. My back got it worse long term, but the other spots were definitely more memorable.”
He smiles at me, but when his eyes drift beyond, his face drains of color.
He drops his hand back to stare at our hands again, his jaw ticking.
“Is my hand irritating your skin?”
“No, ma’am. I like it. I like it a lot.” His grip on the bar loosens, but his chest still rises and falls in ragged breaths.
His hand turns over, and our fingers interlace together. Natural. Perfect. Like they were always meant to be. Despite his fingers being so big that they engulf mine.
The gesture is small, yet it stirs up a storm inside me. My stomach flips, and my core tightens.
Making out at the top doesn’t seem like a bad idea, but I know he’ll never be able to handle it.
Besides, it’s too soon. Way too soon.
“So,” I start, pushing down the thrilling thought. “About that octopus?”
“No, I haven’t eaten any damn octopus.”
His body doesn’t jerk this time when the ride starts and stops for the next group of people.
“Is that actually a thing?” he asks. “Do folks eat octopus?”
“Yes. We get a lot of requests from guests at the lodge.Sannakjiis the name, and it’s quite a famous dish in Korea. Not something people eat every day, more of a specialty.”
“Oh yeah.” His shoulders loosen.
“It involves live octopus chopped into pieces and served immediately, often still wriggling on the plate.”
“I’ve tried Rocky Mountain Oysters.” His tone slightly relaxes. “Cajun and Texas-style. So I reckon I could handle some octopus.”
Rocky Mountain Oyster, also known as deep-fried bull or calf testicles, is usually served at festivals as a quirky local delicacy.
