Page 20 of Sever
“Where’s the fun in that?” He takes my hand just as the car flips again, this time leaving us suspended upside down.
I spend the rest of the ride screaming my head off while Ryder laughs uncontrollably, and by the time it’s over I can barely stand upright. I stumble and he catches me, holding my hips and guiding me off the ride.
He nods toward the bright flashing lights and buzzers going off. “Wanna play a game?”
“As long as they don’t go upside down.”
He walks up to a water gun game that is almost full of people. I sit down and he looks over at me. “I’m gonna play and win you something.”
“Really? Are you trying to say that I couldn’t beat you?”
He chuckles. “I’m nottryingto say that, I’m saying there’s no way in hell you can beat me.”
I look at the guy and hold up two fingers. “Two please.”
The guy holds his hand out and Ryder drops some money into his open palm. “What are we playing for?”
I rub my chin, wondering just what I can get him to agree to. There are plenty of things that spring to mind, but I’m too chicken to say any of them out loud. “Hmmm, bragging rights?”
Ryder crinkles his nose, as if he’s just smelled something really bad, and shakes his head. “How about, if I win, then you have to wear that hat the rest of the night.” He points over to a top hat with fireworks coming out of the top.
“Okay, well if I win you have to wear that.” I nod to the collection of feather boas, my eyes zeroing in on the bright pink one. It’s the most flamboyant of the lot and would look perfect on him.
Ryder claps his hands, rubbing his palms together. “You’re going down, princess.”
The guy goes over the rules and then the buzzer sounds. My knuckles throb as I grip the water gun tight, not daring to look away from my target.
Please, please, please.
The winning bell sounds, I look up to see the light flashing above me. I jump up, launching into a victory dance to end all victory dances, then look over at Ryder. “You’re gonna look so pretty,” I say, hands clutched under my chin, my eyes widen. He scowls at me and I laugh. “One of the pink glitter boas, please.”
The guy hands it to me and I wrap it around Ryder’s neck, the cheap feathers tickling my hands and making my nose tingle. I stand back and survey my masterpiece. “If only I had a camera on me.”
Ryder’s eyes darken. “You're gonna pay for this one.”
He lunges toward me and I run. I’ve never been a fast runner so it doesn’t take him long to catch me, his hands wrapping around my waist, knocking me to the ground and tickling me until all the breath is squeezed from my lungs. I try to wriggle away from him but it's no use. He’s just too strong.
I’m about to pass out when his hands fall away and I stagger to my feet, trying to catch my breath.
I turn to look at him and the insult I had dies on my lips. His blue eyes bore into me and I’m frozen. His hand reaches up, pulling my neck toward him before our lips touch.
I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t for his lips to be this soft. I wrap my arms around his neck as he pulls me closer, and when I feel his tongue press at the seam of my lips, I open my mouth. His tongue slowly eases into my mouth. I’ve never been kissed like this and I let him take the lead, trying to mimic his movements.
As we pull away, fireworks start to go off in the next field and he turns me in his arms, pulling my back to his front, wrapping his arms around my shoulders, holding me close as the colors dance across the night sky.
I don’t think I could have asked for a more perfect night.
