by Sable Hunter
* * *
As six o’clock rolled around, Bryn couldn’t keep herself from looking out the window. “Heaven help, don’t be so desperate,” she chided herself. “He’ll show. Denver’s a good guy.” She hadn’t realized until now how anxious she was after the scene with Freddy and the bird.
The rumble of an approaching truck made her heart flutter. “He’s here,” she whispered, relieved. Racing to the door to gather her purse, Bryn’s heart dropped when the loud engine passed by. “Oh, nuts.”
She paced for a few more minutes, then returned to the window just in time to see the familiar truck pull into the drive. As he stopped the vehicle and climbed out, he saw her in the window and waved. “Were you watching for me?” Denver asked as she opened her door to greet him.
Busted!
“Oh, I just happened to be walking by the window,” she said, then shook her head. “Not true, I was watching for you. I was afraid you might change your mind.”
“That’s twice you’ve mentioned me changing my mind.” Denver studied her pretty face. “Is there something wrong?”
“No, nothing.” She felt better now that he was here, more secure. “I’m just excited, that’s all.” Walking past him she ran a finger across his chin.
She was excited? For a few seconds, he was frozen in place, wondering what the night would hold. He snapped out of his daze just in time to race to the truck to open her door. “Now, now, little lady. That’s a man’s duty.” He opened the door with a quick jerk and watched Bryn as she stepped onto the running board.
“Thank you.”
She wore a billowy red dress to match the rosiness of her cheeks and Denver couldn’t help but take a nice long look at her beautiful legs as she took a seat. “You ready?” Denver asked after he slid behind the wheel.
Bryn fussed around inside her purse, not really looking for anything, but needing a moment to recover. She’d seen the way he’d looked her over when he got in the truck beside her and her skin was on fire from his gaze. “Ready,” she said, clasping her seatbelt in place. She turned to look at him and could see Denver was still staring at her. “What’s wrong?”
Denver fired the engine of his big truck up and gave her a grin. “Not a damn thing. I just realized I was taking the prettiest girl in ten counties to the carnival.”
There was something so charming about the way he spoke, Bryn was powerless to keep the smile off her face. “You’re being extra sweet tonight.”
“I’m just glad to be with you this evening, that’s all.”
Feeling free from the past and hopeful for the future, she soothed a strand of hair behind her ear and looked out the window into the setting sun as Denver pulled out into the road and the unknown.
They drove mostly in companionable silence as Denver aimed the truck north to the fairgrounds. Bryn knew he was waiting for an answer from her, about the direction their relationship would take. She had one for him, but she wasn’t quite ready to voice it – she was just a little too nervous. Maybe as the evening wore on, she would find the courage and the right words to tell him that she wanted him. Very much.
“How’s the little bull you and Lance rescued from the well?”
Denver chuckled. “I’ll lay those laurels strictly at Lance’s feet. He was the one who insisted on rescuing him. But to answer your question, he’s fat and sassy.”
“Good. I’m glad.” She said no more, her attention drawn to their surroundings. The streets near the fairgrounds were crowded. Cars lined the blacktop and the sidewalks were teeming with little children running ahead of their parents, who called out to them to slow down and be careful. Denver slowed his truck to a crawl to insure he didn’t hit one of the little fellas as they darted in and out of traffic. Bryn felt a thrill run through her in anticipation of the evening ahead. The sun was about to call it a night and the encroaching darkness made the lights shining over the tall oaks even brighter. Unable to contain her excitement, she sat up straighter in her seat and rolled the glass down a little, just enough to hear the exciting commotion up ahead. “Thanks for bringing me, Denver. You are the best!”
His chest swelled with pride. Denver had no idea she would be this excited. He vowed to do everything in his power to bring that same look of wonder to her face again and again. Would she look that way when she came for him? He longed to find out for sure.
Bryn rolled down her window the rest of the way and was practically leaning out as they moved slowly down the congested street. “Can we get cotton candy?” Taking a deep inhale, she could smell the popcorn and fried foods in the air.
Her enthusiasm was infectious, and Denver chuckled a bit. “We can get whatever you want, Miss Bryn. I hear they have deep-fried butter this year.”
Bryn pulled back from the window and looked at him with her nose wrinkled. “Ewww. Who would want that?”
“I don’t imagine it’s very good. Seems like one of those things you do just because you can.”
“Oh, I understand. There’s many things I want to do just because I can.”
“Like what?” He was hungry to know as much about her as he could.
“Sleep late on Sundays. Dance and know there’s no one to tell me to stop. Just get in the car and drive with no destination in mind.”
God, she was so cute. “They all seem totally reasonable to me. Let’s do them together. Okay?”
“Really? You’d like to do those things with me?”
“Oh, hell yeah, I would.”
She gave him a brilliant smile. “Good. Let’s do it. Soon.”
“It’s a date.” Denver could feel his cock stir in his jeans and he fidgeted in his seat to reposition himself, thankful she’d gone back to the window, so she wouldn’t see him tugging at his pants leg.
They drove around for half an hour, finally finding a spot to park that was at least half a mile from the actual fairgrounds. Bryn huffed when they got out of the truck. “We’re so far away.”
Denver chuckled again. “Don’t worry. We’ll get there. This is half the fun. Finding a spot and then the long walk to the fair. Seeing all the happy kids going home with their giant toys. You act like you’ve never been to the fair before.” He didn’t miss the way she averted her eyes at his words. “Have you ever been to the fair or a carnival before?”
“No, the closest I’ve ever come was setting up a booth at a block party to hand out pamphlets for a food drive.”
Denver was fast getting the picture. “So, did they have rides and games at the block party?”
Again, Bryn felt embarrassed. “Yes, but we weren’t allowed to indulge. Is that bad?”
Denver took her little hand in his big, rough, calloused grip. “It’s not bad at all, Bryn. In fact, I’m kinda glad this is all new for you.”
She looked up and away from their intertwined hands and into his eyes. “Glad?”
“I sure am, because that means I get to see it all through your eyes. I consider it an honor and a privilege to show you the best time possible. If that means spending my entire paycheck tonight, then so be it. Now, let’s go win one of those giant teddy bears that’s bigger than you are.”
CHAPTER NINE
Bright lights. Toe-tapping music. Tantalizing smells. A happy crowd.
Bryn was so excited, she wanted to throw her arms out to hug the world. “This is wonderful!”
“Just don’t turn loose of me,” Denver warned her. Making their way through the crowd was anything but easy. “I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t,” she assured him as he moved out in front of Bryn while she trailed behind with her hand in his. She didn’t know where they were going, but Bryn knew she’d follow Denver Bolden anywhere he wanted to go.
“What should we play first?” Denver asked when they finally made their way onto the fairgrounds.
Bryn’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “I have no idea. I want to do it all!” She was feeling more than a little overwhelmed.
Denver squeezed her hand.
“We will. One thing at a time. Are you hungry? Want that cotton candy now? Or should we go on a ride?”
Bryn’s eyes followed the Ferris wheel as it went round and round in the sky, its passengers screaming.
“Not scared of heights, are you?”
“Not especially, but it does look awfully high from the ground.” She gave him a smile. “Let’s have cotton candy first. Pink, please.”
He led her to a booth and bought one of the fluffy clouds on a stick. “Here you go.” They stepped to one side, off the main path so he could help her unwrap it. “Is pink your favorite?”
“I don’t know, I think so. I’ve never tried it before.”
Denver’s heart lurched as he wound a few strands of the sugary substance around his finger. Holding it to her lips, he tempted her. “Try it.” She held his gaze, then licked his finger, gathering up the sweet treat.
“Ummm, that’s good.”
Between her sexy groan and the feel of her soft tongue, Denver was hard again. “Damn, baby.”
“More.”
He snagged another bite for her, then almost went to his knees as she sucked his finger. All he could think of was how much he’d love for her to do the same thing to his cock. “Good?”
“Fantastic,” she whispered. “Can we ride the Ferris wheel now, I’m feeling a bit braver.”
“Anything you want,” he assured her. As he led her to the line for the ride, Denver knew Bryn had no idea how much she affected him. When they were in line, he continued to feed her bites of the candy, stopping between every other one to steal a kiss.
“Don’t you want some?” she asked. “I don’t want to eat it all and you not have any.”
He gave her a loving smile. “I like it better from your lips.”
“Awww.” She snuggled to his side.
Denver couldn’t believe how much fun he was having. When it came time to climb into their car on the wheel, he settled in with her and made sure she was secure. “The view up here is going to be fantastic,” he assured her.
As the wheel began to turn to allow the attendant to load the other cars, she clutched Denver’s arm. “I’ve never been this high before.”
“You’ve never flown on an airplane?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I’ve never even been in a skyscraper. I think the highest I’ve been, is when I climbed out on the roof of the church.”
“What were you doing on the roof?”
“Hiding from the nuns,” she confessed. “I forgot to put starch in their cornettes and they wouldn’t hold their shape.” She held her hands up to show how the white hats had flopped down. “They looked pretty sad.”
She laughed, and Denver laughed with her. “You led those nuns on a merry chase, didn’t you?” When the wheel began to turn, he took her hand. “Here we go!”
Bryn felt her stomach plummet. “Oh, wow!” She held onto Denver’s arm as they climbed into the sky above the treetops.
“Look, you can see the whole Hill Country.”
She gazed out into the night sky. The hills and valleys of the surrounding countryside appeared as a study in light and shadow. “This is unbelievable, a view I would’ve never seen otherwise.”
Denver didn’t pay much attention to the landscape, he was too entranced by the adorable woman who was clinging to him so sweetly. “I love showing you new things, it’s such a turn-on.”
His phrasing caught Bryn’s attention. “Oh, really?” She flattened her palm on his chest, loving how hard his muscles were. “Are you turned-on now?”
“Completely,” he whispered as he cupped the side of her face and sealed his lips to hers. He held the kiss until the car they were riding in climbed to the very top. “Okay, hold on, here we go.”
As the wheel turned and their car seemed to fall off a cliff, Bryn did something entirely unexpected. Instead of squealing and screaming, as Denver expected, she mirrored his earlier move and cupped his face, rejoining their lips. She held the kiss until they got to the bottom and began their second climb. “As great as this ride is, cowboy, kissing you is far more thrilling.”
Denver felt his heart clench in his chest. Aw, hell. He was falling in love.
When the ride was over, she jumped from the car, ready to see and do more. “What’s next?”
Denver stood back and eyed her for a moment. “How about this? Let’s go grab a beer and just stroll around for a bit. See what comes up. That sound good to you?”
Bryn’s eyes lit-up like the fourth of July. “Sure. We can see everything, then decide.”
Denver was loving it. After buying him a beer and her a soda, they strolled over the fairgrounds, sipping at their drinks. “Let’s see. What can I do to impress you?” Denver looked over the fairgrounds. “There’s a booth where I can wield a sledge hammer to test my strength.”
He wanted to impress her? “Yes!” She clapped her hands together. “I’d love to watch you do that.” The thought of Denver’s strength on display made her insides turn to liquid.
“Nah, it’s all technique. Any pencil-necked geek could look impressive if they know what they’re doing.”
She pointed to another booth. “What about the rope-ladder thing, that looks difficult.” Bryn was practically jumping up and down in her excitement.
“Same thing. All technique.”
“How so?”
“The secret is to use the side of the ladder, not the rungs. You move opposite sides of your body. Left leg goes up with right hand and vice-versa.”
“How about a game? I’ve always wanted to try the basketball one. Can we do that?”
“That’s one of the worst ones. The ball is over-inflated, and the hoop isn’t regulation. It’s a sucker’s bet. House almost always wins.”
“You are really sucking the fun out of this for me, you know.” Bryn pooched her lower lip.
Denver put a big arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. “Awww. I’m sorry. Look, there’s the balloon dart throw. Let’s go try that. I bet we can win something there.”
“Okay!” Denver was disappointed when Bryn let her enthusiasm get the best of her. She raced toward the game without him, leaving him holding his beer in one hand and the other hand empty.
Once he caught up with her, he bought some darts with the tokens he’d purchased earlier. “All right, here you go.” Before he could give her any pointers, she just plunged ahead.
“Dang!” Bryn cursed when her first dart bounced off the board without popping a balloon.
“My turn.” Denver hauled back and threw his dart as hard as possible.
“We’ve got a winner!” The game operator announced after a loud pop and a puff of his cigarette.
“I’ll take that fancy banana up top,” Denver told the man. Bryn bounded over with a smile, eager to claim her prize. “Not so fast, Miss Bryn.” He pulled the stuffed banana away from her grasping hands. “This is for me. You gotta win your own.”
Again, Bryn’s lip pooched. “But I thought you said you were going to win me something.”
“I will, but you’ve gotta match my prize first. You get me a second Mr. Banana and I’ll see to it that you get one of those huge teddies we saw on the way in. Deal?” He held out his remaining darts to her.
Bryn still had two of her own shots left. Surely, she could win a prize with two added chances. “Deal.”
With determination, she stepped back up to the line, took careful aim and launched her dart at the intended target right smack in the middle of the board. Her dart sliced through the air, but again, bounced off the balloon and stuck in the ground without so much as making a dent in the bright red rubber surface.
“Dang it!”
“Careful with the curse words, Miss Bryn,” Denver teased. He moved the hand of his stuffed toy up and down. “Only three shots left.”
“I didn’t curse.” Bryn gave him a harsh glare and held up a dart. “This is the one.”
Again, she took careful aim and let fly. The same result o
ccurred, and she cried out in frustration once more. “Hades and tarnation!”
Denver was having a good laugh at his date. “You’ll never make it in the big league, girl.”
“Denver Bolden,” Bryn started. “You best watch that mouth of yours, cowboy.”
“I’d rather watch yours,” Denver fired back.
His flirty words brought her frustration to a screeching halt and all Bryn could think about was kissing him again. So, she did. “If I do this, I want more than a teddy bear for a reward.”
Denver swallowed. “I’m at your service, just say the word.” He kept imagining what that word might be. “Throw it harder,” Denver coached her when she turned around to take her next shot. He had an invested interest in her winning.
“Shhh. I can do this.”
Stepping up behind her, Denver put a hand on Bryn’s side. “Trust me.”
Her body became aware of his presence before her brain did. She felt her nipples stiffen and peak, while her head began to swim. Trust him? Bryn Harmon would trust the man behind her with her life. Heaven knows she already trusted him with her heart, even if he didn’t know it yet. She bit her lower lip to steady herself. “I trust you.”
Stepping away from her, Denver watched Bryn do as she was told. Her arm came back and moved forward with a hard, arching throw. A loud pop echoed in her ears and a smile began to form on Bryn’s angelic face.
“I did it!” She jumped up and down, throwing herself into Denver’s arms. “Oh, thank you, Denver.” She planted her lips right on top of his and he clutched her close to keep her from falling. “What did I win?”
“Sorry, ma’am. You popped the balloon, but it wasn’t a winner.” The operator smirked at her and pointed to a frowning clown face with the dart stuck in it.
“Shucks. How can that be?”
He whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry about it. I told you these things are rigged, just like a casino. “Now, aim for the outside part of the board.”
Bryn saw the operator’s face drop. The smirk was gone now, and he gave Denver the evil eye.