The wheel turned, and they rose slowly, in a backward motion. Ali clutched the bar so tight her knuckles went white.
Morgan leaned over and put her mouth to Ali’s ear. “I promised I wouldn’t rock it, and I was telling the truth,” she whispered.
It was lucky there was a metal bar holding Ali in place as she flinched, then screamed.
Okay, she hadn’t been joking when she said she hated Ferris wheels.
Morgan threw an arm across Ali to soothe her.
The carriage swayed as they made their way to the top of the wheel.
Ali blew out a long breath that lingered in the air in front of her. “Fuck, fuck, fuck! I forgot how much these scare me.” She clutched Morgan’s arm. “It’s all Nicole’s fault.”
“Sorry for making it worse by whispering when you weren’t expecting it.”
Ali’s eyes widened as they rode over the top of the wheel and began their descent. “Maybe you should do it again. Take my mind off what’s currently happening!” she screamed. “Damn it, I hate these things!”
“Look at the gorgeous snow-covered forest!” Morgan motioned with her free hand. “Breathe in the pines.” They went on for days. “Looks like it might even be a Christmas tree farm.”
“I guess it’ll soften the blow when this carriage snaps off and we fall to a prickly death,” Ali replied.
They sailed round and past the wheel operator, who didn’t seem bothered by their first-spin rocking. He was more interested in his phone and his cigarette.
Ali took a few deep breaths.
Morgan squeezed Ali’s thigh. It flexed under her fingertips.
Ali turned her head just as Morgan did, and their gazes locked.
Ali’s inviting lips were mere inches from her own.
They were stuck like this.
There was no backing away, nowhere else to go.
Morgan cleared her throat just as the snow started again. She grinned at Ali, squeezed her thigh once more, then threw her head back, opened her mouth and let the snow fall into it. She heard a laugh, and when she looked sideways, Ali had copied her pose.
Morgan pressed her body back into the seat, Ali’s thigh warm under her freezing fingertips. She should have bought some gloves, too. Then again, that would have been another barrier between herself and Ali. Right now, she wanted to strip away as many as she could.
“Is tasting snow and looking anywhere but down the perfect distraction technique?”
“Fuck, yes,” Ali replied. “I might stay like this for the rest of the time. Also, I forgot my ear muffs, so my ears might be about to fall off. Another top distraction.”
Ali shook herself, then glanced at Morgan. Their gazes collided again. “Stop staring.” She put a hand over her eyes. “I know I’ve been a pathetic scaredy-cat ever since I jumped on this thing.”
But Morgan shook her head. “No you haven’t. You’ve been entertaining.” She smiled, then took it all in as they sailed upwards again. “And just look at the view! Snow-covered fields, Christmas trees, the twinkly lights, you.”
Morgan performed a slow blink. Shit, had that really just come out of her mouth? Ali was lovely, but she was still Nicole’s sister. There was protocol to follow. Or had that gone out of the window now? When she was 15, kissing a 12-year-old would have been wrong. But now she was 38? Kissing a 35-year-old was perfectly acceptable.
Ali stared, her mouth ajar.
At least Morgan had distracted her from the view as they rose to the top of the wheel again.
Morgan opened her mouth to do damage control, but the wheel jolting stopped any sound coming out.
Then it jerked again, before stopping completely as they reached the top.
“What the…” Morgan began. She peered over the side of the carriage. Not a good move. She moved quickly backwards, pushing Ali left.
