Page 68 of His Heart

Before I could answer, the horn blared and we shot into the sky. The air whooshed by so hard it made me feel out of breath. Adrenaline coursed through my veins and my heart beat fast. My stomach dropped as we fell and bounced upward again.

But it felt fucking amazing.

For a brief moment, I felt free. Brooke screamed and laughed, and I let the exhilaration wash over me. Embraced the fear. Turned it into excitement.

We soared up and down for a while before they lowered us back onto the platform and the ride attendants helped us out. My legs felt wobbly and Brooke had to lean against me for a few seconds before we walked down the short set of stairs.

Brooke’s hair was windswept, her cheeks flushed. I loved it when I got to see this side of her—when the light in her eyes drove out the sadness. I knew it was temporary, so I’d enjoy it while I could.

“Wow, that was intense,” she said.

“No shit.” I put my hand on my chest and took a deep breath. I felt fine. Better than fine, actually. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt so… alive.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “That was awesome. I’m great.”

She laughed again and we walked up the midway. Shivering, she pulled her sleeves over her hands, clutching the edges with her fingers.

“God, it’s getting cold. Are you really not cold?”

I shrugged. “Nope.”

She rubbed my arm and squeezed my bicep. “I guess you have all that muscle to keep you warm.”

Her touch sent a lightning bolt of electricity straight to my groin. I struggled not to let it show on my face as I stopped and turned toward her. “I guess we should go, if you’re getting cold.”

“Yeah,” she said, her eyes lingering on mine.

People walked past, but the crowd had thinned. Music played from loudspeakers and the rides whirred in the background. The lights reflected in her eyes, making them sparkle like fireworks.

It was the perfect moment for a kiss. We stood there, watching each other, like we both knew it. I wanted to kiss her so badly, I could almost taste the cotton candy on her lips. My heart beat hard and my skin prickled with anticipation.

Her eyes flicked down to my chest.

And there it was, the reminder of who I was to her. Of her pain that lived inside me.

I stepped back and shoved my hands in my pockets. “Okay, chilly. Let’s get you home.”

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