“I need to make a stop before we hit the wheel,” I said and guided him toward the shopping center. “It will only take a few minutes.”
We dodged parents and strollers with screaming kids, and groups of tourists looking both lost and astonished. I kept my attention on Jake and didn’t miss the note of apprehension in his expression. He stuck close to me, and I did my best to guide him around the people.
I showed him into a Build A Bear Workshop, where the crowd thickened with excited children and flustered parents. I purchased a plush bunny complete with a dress, fairy wings and magic wand for Amelia. The whole ensemble rang up at over $50, which surprised him but as a doting uncle, it didn't feel like enough.
With a little smirk, I said, “I love spoiling my niece. She’s into fairies now.”
“How old?” He asked over the commotion.
“Six. I love that little girl. Whenever I’m having a bad day, she knows all the ways to make it better.”
“I like kids,” he said softly, touching a plush toy. “They’re cool.”
I wanted to ask if he thought about having some of his own but shelved that question for later. It took us nearly an hour to get through the checkout line, have the bunny stuffed, walk over to the wheel, and wait for our turn to get on. We settled on the Sky Wheel, and I sat next to Jake. I feigned a yawn and stretched, wrapping my arm around his shoulders.
“Smooth, sir,” he murmured, his cheeks plumping.
“This okay?”
“Yeah.”
As the wheel carried us toward the sky at a sluggish pace, I mulled over my thoughts. “Today has been nice. I work a lot, so I don’t get the time to appreciate the simpler things. Wake up at six, then spend a half hour in the gym doing some cardio. Shower, rush through breakfast, and get to the clinic at nine. Lately, the highlight of my day has been lunch.”
His smile widened and he scooted a little closer so that we were flush against each other. His frame was warm and solid, reminding me what it was like to be next to someone in a more than platonic way. All I had to do was tip my head to the side to claim his lips and I would be in heaven.
“After lunch, I go back to work until four or five. I rotate Saturdays with my father serving the VIPs. Sundays are normally family days which as of late, includes tracking my wayward sister down. I haven’t had a lot of time for myself. So, spending the day with you has been really nice.”
“It has,” he echoed as we reached the summit of the ride. “I’m having fun.”
I stroked his shoulder softly with my thumb, liking the way the softness of his sweater glided across my skin. I’d always been the cuddling type and couldn’t help wanting to get a little closer to him. To my surprise, he rested his head against my shoulder and closed his eyes.
“You aren’t scared of heights are you?” I asked softly as I traced circles on his shoulder.
“No.”
“Good,” I said and looked down. We were about to peak, the people below growing smaller. We were so high that I could see far across the lake. “Hey, we can probably see the water cribs from here—”
I lost my train of thought as I looked at him. His eyes were open but hooded as if he’d been watching me and liked what he saw. His throat shifted hard, and he quickly looked away.
“What’s a water crib?” he muttered.
My heart thumped in his chest, and I figured this was the perfect moment to get a little closer. Heck, we were on a Ferris wheel after all. I touched his chin gently, urging him to return to where he’d been.
“I want to kiss you,” I whispered. “It’s not too soon, is it? Just a little one? I really want to.”
He smiled shyly and squirmed. “Is that it? No spiel about how we’re on a Ferris wheel and everyone should kiss on one at least once in their life?”
The levity in his voice gave me the signal I was looking for. I leaned in and pressed my lips against his. He gasped, but didn’t jerk away or tell me to stop, just stayed where he was. I pecked his lips in a chaste kiss again and this time he responded. It sent a jolt through me. I wanted to move in hard and fast, but I reined myself in. He clawed at my jacket as he responded to every gentle, careful kiss. The little moan that escaped his lips was the cherry on top of my sundae. I pulled away with a shit-eating grin, too damned proud of myself. He blushed and covered his smile with his sleeve.
“Big buildings on artificial islands that pump water toward the shore.”
“W-What?” He asked, his tone husky.
“Water cribs,” I clarified. I wanted to kiss him again. His lips were red and soft looking. Those little testing pecks hadn’t been enough. I wanted to explore his mouth, swallow his breath, and feel him cling to me with need.
“Oh…right.” After a moment, he settled next to me and rested his head against my shoulder. I buried my nose in his hair, savoring this simple moment. I’d take what I could get.
“I’ve never kissed on a Ferris wheel before,” he murmured softly.
