“What’s wrong?”
“Do I look like the kind of guy who’d be satisfied with a few tickets?”
“Um...is that a trick question?”
He chuckled. “Sweetheart, I’m all access all the time.”
The way his mouth curved up, she could tell he was joking, but heat still gathered low in her belly at his gentle teasing. She could easily imagine what it would be like to give all access to a man like Finn.
All night long.
They ordered corn dogs and slushies as they walked around the fair, and then purchased wristbands and headed toward the first ride. The park wasn’t as crowded as it would be later, but a few groups still stood in line in front of the brightly colored Ferris wheel.
“Why do they keep stopping with people at the top?” Finn rubbed a hand along the back of his neck as he gazed up at the ride.
“It’s part of the fun,” she told him, laughing when he gave her a look like she might be crazy. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of heights.”
“Of course not,” he said too quickly.
“Right,” she agreed. “A man like you isn’t afraid of anything.”
“Oh, I’m afraid of plenty,” he answered, still studying the Ferris wheel. They shuffled forward in line as the older man operating the controls loaded groups on and off. “Going back to Starlight. Losing my family’s bank. Torpedoing my career with this extended vacation. The potential fallout from wanting to kiss you so badly I can hardly think of anything else.”
She drew in a sharp breath, shocked by both his honesty and what he’d said about wanting to kiss her.
“You’re trying to distract me.”
“Or myself,” he countered.
Suddenly the ride operator motioned them to load into the empty passenger car.
When Finn didn’t move, Kaitlin took his hand and led him forward. “One step at a time.”
“This isn’t so bad,” he whispered as they rose about twenty feet off the ground, then stopped while another car loaded below them.
“I used to love the Ferris wheel most of all.” She started to release her grip on his hand when she realized she still held it. But Finn tugged her closer, draping an arm over her shoulder.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because for a few minutes I was on top of the world.”
“Quite a sensation.” His voice sounded slightly strangled as the Ferris wheel gave a shudder and they began to spin.
“You can see downtown from here,” she said, pointing north. “Maybe you can pick out your building.”
When Finn didn’t answer, Kaitlin glanced toward him, then grimaced. His eyes were closed, his shoulders rigid, and his free hand gripped the metal bar like he was holding on for dear life.
“Are you okay?”
“I lied,” he said through clenched teeth. “I’m totally afraid of heights.”
She brushed the hair away from her face as the Ferris wheel rose and fell again. She loved the breeze and the view and everything about the ride.
“I can get the guy to stop it so we can get off.”
Finn gave a sharp shake of his head. “I’m not admitting that to anyone but you.”
She pressed two fingers to her chest when it pinched. Something about seeing this strong alpha male’s vulnerable side made every one of her defenses start to disintegrate.
Inching closer, she wrapped her arm around his waist. “I’ve got you,” she told him. “It’s all going to be just fine.”
That teased a bit of a smile from him. A smile that disappeared when they abruptly stopped at the very top of the ride.
“What the hell...” he muttered.
“Remember, it’s part of the fun,” she promised. “Look around.”
He kept his gaze fixed on hers. “No way.”
“Finn, it’s amazing.” She turned to look behind her, where she knew she’d be able to see Puget Sound in the distance. Her movement caused the car to sway.
Finn muttered a hoarse curse as he gripped her shoulders. “Don’t move.”
“We’re fine,” she assured him with a confident smile. “I told you I’d give you an adventure.”
“You’re going to give me a heart attack,” he countered, closing his eyes again.
His chest hitched in shallow breaths and she could see a thin sheen of sweat along his hairline. Oh, gah. Kaitlin had planned to take his mind off his troubles and instead she was serving up a different kind of stress.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, placing her hand on his cheek. “I didn’t know...”
“It’s a stupid fear,” he said through gritted teeth. “I can manage a ski lift so I figured I’d be okay on this thing. I am okay. Seriously.”
He didn’t look anywhere near okay to Kaitlin. The Ferris wheel jerked and they moved one car length forward, rocking gently as the ride stopped again.
A muscle in Finn’s jaw clenched, and without letting herself think about what she was going to do, Kaitlin leaned in and brushed her lips over his. He didn’t react for a moment but then angled his head so that their mouths joined more fully. Even with the breeze picking up, she could smell the scent of him—shampoo and some spicy cologne. It had been a long time since her body had reacted to a man the way it did to Finn. A long time since she’d allowed herself to act on any sort of physical attraction.
In truth, she doubted she could have prevented this moment. She’d wanted to kiss Finn Samuelson since the moment she’d looked up from her desk to find him glaring down at her. Which was stupid and self-destructive, two things Kaitlin hadn’t allowed herself to be since moving to Starlight.
He deepened the kiss, seeming not to notice when the ride started, then stopped again. At least she was distracting him. And herself. This was safe, she rationalized. An innocent kiss out in public. She could get it out of her system, then go back to ignoring him. Her reaction probably had more to do with a two-year dry spell in the bedroom department than something specific to this man. Sure. That was the ticket. A couple minutes of kissing and she’d be done.
As Finn’s grip on her shoulders gentled, he made a soft sound low in his throat, or maybe the noise came from her. Either way it lit her insides on fire, like a spark to a dry field. His kiss was incendiary and she’d never felt so willing to go up in flames.
She pressed closer and his fingers trailed along her collarbone, the touch featherlight but affecting her to her core.
Suddenly a chorus of wolf whistles and applause broke out around them. Kaitlin drew back, color flooding her cheeks when she realized they’d come to the end of the ride. The Ferris wheel operator stared at them, tapping an impatient foot on the metal stairs.
“You two didn’t get it out of your systems in high school?” he asked with a dismissive snicker.
“Sorry,” Kaitlin mumbled, scrambling out of the car. She straightened her thin sweater as she walked off the platform, not making eye contact with anyone waiting in line.
As soon as they were around the corner, she glanced back at Finn, and they both dissolved into fits of laughter.
“Totally busted,” Finn said, shaking his head.
“Did you see the mom with the two little girls?” Kaitlin grimaced. “She was sending me death glares. Her kids are probably scarred for life.”
“It was a kiss,” he answered. “More likely the mom was jealous.”
“No doubt,” she agreed. “That was a heck of a kiss.”
Finn grinned, then made a show of looking around at the other rides. “I need to find something else really high up. I like how you distract me.”
She gave him a playful shove. “That was a onetime deal.”
He took her hand and drew her closer, winding his arms around her waist. “I hope not.”
“Finn.” She bit down on her lower lip. “We can’t. You know we
can’t.”
His expression turned mulish. “Why not?”
“It will overcomplicate an already complicated situation.”
He leaned in, pressing his forehead to hers. “For a few minutes when I was scared of plummeting to my death in a freak amusement park accident, I actually forgot about everything else.”
“That was the point of this.”
“I thought you were just looking for an excuse to have your merry way with me.”
She choked out a laugh. “I don’t have a merry way.”
“Liar,” he whispered but stepped back from her. “What’s next?”
“We’re keeping you close to the ground,” she told him, earning an eye roll.
“How about bumper cars?”
“Perfect.”
He reached out and smoothed a stray lock of hair from her face. “Yeah, it is.”
Her breath caught in her throat. The way he was looking at her made her feel...everything.
“I’m going to kick your butt in the bumper cars,” she said, forcing a light tone. She had to keep this casual. It was a fun afternoon of blowing off steam. Nothing more.
“We’ll see about that,” he said as they headed toward the next ride.
They went on the bumper cars, the scrambler and then the merry-go-round. Finn won her a stuffed elephant at a game booth along the midway, and then they ate a dessert of sweet funnel cakes.
As the sun began to set, the fairgrounds glowed with thousands of twinkle lights. Kaitlin felt grimy and stuffed and happier than she could remember in ages.
Finn was like a little boy making up for lost time. Although they stayed away from a second ride on the Ferris wheel, he insisted on trying everything else. He was playful and flirty, and while they didn’t kiss again, attraction continued to simmer between them.
By the time they were heading toward the exit, Kaitlin felt dizzy, both from the rides and the unexpected connection she felt with Finn. It was more than physical. She enjoyed him. She liked who she was with him, which was new for her with a man.
“I’m going to wash my hands before we leave,” she said, holding them up, palms out. “I still feel sticky from the funnel cake sugar.”
“Isn’t sticky part of the fun?” he teased.
Oh, sure. It was going to be simple to go back to ignoring her feelings for him.
She made a show of rolling her eyes and shoved the elephant he’d won for her toward him. “Hold Josiah,” she told him.
His brows furrowed. “Who names a stuffed elephant Josiah?”
“Me.” She stuck out her tongue as he took the animal from her, then turned on her heel and flounced toward the bathroom. It had been years since Kaitlin had done any flouncing, but she couldn’t help adding some extra swing in her hips. Finn’s laughter echoed behind her as she entered the restroom.
She moved in front of the row of faucets, glancing up at herself as the water automatically began to flow.
Her cheeks were flushed and although her hair was messy and tangled and her makeup had given up the ghost hours earlier, she couldn’t help but notice that she looked happy. Like she used to feel at the amusement park when she was a girl.
Why was happiness so underrated in adulthood?
Or perhaps just difficult to attain.
She concentrated on her hands as the door to the restroom opened.
“I thought that was you, Kait.”
Kaitlin glanced up into the mirror to find Cammie Pruitt staring at her, a smile on her face more suited to a cat that’d just made a meal of the canary. All those happy memories dissolved like spun sugar on her tongue. Cammie had been a part of Kaitlin’s life when the perception of popularity became more important than her true friends.
“It’s me,” she said, trying to sound casual. A quick check of her reflection as she turned for a paper towel showed her she was doing a terrible job of looking casual. “It’s been a while. You look good, Cammie.”
“Been a while?” The voluptuous blonde let out a shrill cackle. “You disappeared.”
“I moved,” Kaitlin corrected. “Not the same thing.”
“Same result.” Cammie sidled closer. “I saw the guy you’re with tonight. Moving up in the world, huh?”
“He’s a friend.” Kaitlin crumpled the paper towel in her fist and commanded herself to get a grip. She could not show Cammie how rattled this impromptu reunion made her.
“With benefits, I hope.”
“Just a friend.” She turned and pasted a bland smile on her face. “What are you doing here? The rides always made you queasy.”
Cammie nodded as she placed one hand on her hip. “My new guy has a kid who wanted to come. I’m auditioning for the role of loving stepmom.”
“Good luck... I guess.”
“Yeah, he’s a rung up from the old neighborhood.” She waggled her overly sculpted brows. “Not the colossal leap you made, but that’s no surprise. You were always different from the rest of us. Better in some way.”
Kaitlin swallowed. “I never thought I was better than anyone.”
“Robbie did. It’s why he picked you in the first place.” Her hip jutted out and Kaitlin could all but feel the attitude being sent her way. “He was so angry when you left.”
“We weren’t good for each other. Everyone knew it.”
“Not him.”
“It’s been two years,” Kaitlin said helplessly.
“Oh, he’s moved on,” Cammie said with a snarky little laugh. “Plenty of times.” She took a step closer. “But I’m sure he’d like to see you.”
Panic gripped Kaitlin. Robbie had never been abusive, but they were toxic together. That whole part of her life had been poison. A complete break was the only way she could have extricated herself from their self-destructive codependency. And she might be different now but she had no intention of testing her resolve.
She’d left Robbie and Cammie and the hot mess she’d been far behind.
“That’s not a great idea.”
“So, where are you living now?” Cammie asked, the calculating light in her eyes belying her casual tone.
“On the north end of town,” Kaitlin said, and it wasn’t totally a lie. The Samuelson property was on the north side of Starlight.
Cammie’s eyes narrowed. “You’re still in Seattle?”
“I’m in Seattle.” That wasn’t exactly a lie, either. She was in Seattle. At the moment. And planning to get the hell out of town as fast as possible. “It was great to see you.” Now, that was a lie. “I hope things go well with your guy.”
“Yours, too,” Cammie said, moving aside so Kaitlin could pass.
“He’s not mine,” she said over her shoulder.
“In that case, you want to introduce me?” Cammie laughed at her own joke, but Kaitlin didn’t bother to respond.
“Let’s go,” she said to Finn, who was waiting near the ticket booth.
She didn’t wait for his answer but took long strides toward the parking lot, head down like someone else from her past might recognize her. She hadn’t ever gone to the fair as an adult, so she wasn’t expecting to see anyone she knew.
But if Cammie was here because of her boyfriend’s kid, Kaitlin imagined others in her former circle of friends might have settled down. She’d only been gone two years, and this wasn’t exactly the place for a baby or toddler, but still...
Finn caught up with her in a few steps. “What’s the hurry?”
“Nothing. I just want to get back. An escape from reality is great, but tomorrow the real work starts. We can’t be bleary-eyed for it.”
“Are you worried about a funnel cake hangover?”
“That’s not a thing.”
It was easy to find the BMW in the sea of cars that filled the field. The sleek black sports car stuck out like a sore thumb, or
more like a fine piece of silver on a table filled with plastic cutlery.
Just as she got to the passenger door, Finn placed a hand on her arm. “Kaitlin, what’s going on?”
She spun toward him, ready to snap, but stopped abruptly when he held out the stuffed elephant.
“Josiah,” she whispered, unable to prevent her smile. She wouldn’t allow Cammie or anyone else to ruin this day. She’d spent so much of her life living in fear, doing nothing more than reacting to what other people did or said to set her off. It was easy to think she’d changed since her move to Starlight, but how much had she truly grown as a person if a few snide remarks from someone she used to know could put her back to square one?
“Terrible name for an elephant,” Finn muttered but she could hear the amusement in his tone.
“I saw someone I used to know,” she admitted. “From before I left Seattle.”
“Not a friend, I take it.”
“She had been a friend of a sort. We hung out in the same crowd.” She swallowed, then said, “For a while, we dated guys who were best friends, so Cammie and I were together a lot.”
“The boyfriend you left behind.”
“Yeah.” The word was no more than a whoosh of breath, a piece of dandelion fuzz carried along on the breeze.
“Regrets?”
“Too many to count,” she admitted. “But none about walking away. It was just...disconcerting.” She shrugged. “I grew up around here but forgot about the possibility of running into my past. I thought it would be fun. I didn’t think much beyond that.”
“I had fun,” he said, and although his gaze darkened, he didn’t move to touch her.
As much as she wanted him to, she appreciated that he held back. She wasn’t sure her emotions could handle anything more at the moment.
“I’m glad. I did, too.”
He nodded and opened the door for her. “Then it was a good day.”
She smiled as she climbed into the car. A good day.
That would work for her.
Chapter Eight
The Best Intentions (Welcome To Starlight Book 1) Page 7