Page 128 of Power Play

He looked down at me. “I asked you out.”

The simple certainty in his expression made my protest die halfway to my mouth.

“So?”

“Tonight’s mine.”

“That sounds financially ominous.”

His mouth curved. “I can afford carnival tickets, princesa.”

“I know.”

“Then let me take you out.”

Something embarrassingly feminine fluttered inside me.

I had been taken places before. My parents paid for restaurants, dresses, vacations, events, memberships, and experiences most people saved years to afford. None of it felt like this.

Ryan wasn’t spending money because expense proved anything. He paid because he wanted to be the guy taking me somewhere. He opened doors because he liked doing it, and he reached for my hand because he wanted me beside him.

He made care feel personal instead of transactional.

I slipped my purse closed. “Fine.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re smug.”

“I won.”

“You bought tickets.”

“I still won.”

He handed me the wristband and took my wrist before I could put it on myself. His fingers wrapped gently around me while he fastened it. Instead of releasing my hand afterward, he turned my palm upward and kissed the inside of my wrist.

Heat rushed into my face. “Was that necessary?”

“No.” His eyes lifted to mine. “That’s why I did it.”

The fair swallowed us almost immediately.

Ryan had apparently decided the evening required experiencing everything. We stopped for fresh lemonade before making it twenty yards. He bought one because I insisted I didn’t need my own, then drank exactly twice while I finished most of it.

At a ring-toss booth, he accused the bottles of being mathematically rigged after missing three times, then argued with the operator until the guy let him inspect the distance from the line.

“You’re embarrassing me,” I said while laughing too hard to sound convincing.

“I’m exposing corruption.”

“You’re losing a carnival game.”

“Exactly what corrupt institutions want you to think.”

“You play semi-professional hockey.”

“What does that have to do with ring toss?”