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Chapter Five
Zander and Zsanine were having a blast. He loved that moment when she took control. The longer he spent time with Zsanine, the more of her he got to see. She was varied, layered, intense, and light. Her complexities were intriguing, and her layers satisfying. There was nothing flat about her person or persona. Zander enjoyed her complexities. He was curious to dive deeper into her multifacetedness. She stole Zander’s heart, and he was in no way opposed to it. After all the fast-paced rides, gaming was next.
“Just so you know,” Zsanine began, “I am highly competitive. I do have three older brothers, after all.”
“I’m good with that,” Zander replied. “Just don’t hold it against me if I win,” he continued. “I’m not going to hold back.”
“Please don’t,” Zsanine countered. “I want to beat you at your best effort.”
“So, it’s on then?”
“Oh baby, it’s on!”
There were lots of competitive games the couple could play. Zsanine picked the first one, wack-a-mole.
“Are you sure this is the route you want to take?” Zander asked as the couple stood side by side, hammers in hand.
“Watch and learn, baby. Watch and learn,” Zsanine cajoled.
When the starting bell sounded, Zsanine was focused. She kept her swings to a minimum so that her reaction time was fast. Zander took on a far different approach, swinging hard and using a lot of effort. He stole a look in her direction and noticed how focused she was. Zsanine had every intention of beating him. She wasn’t trying to be cute when she played. She meant business. And when the ending buzzer sounded, Zsanine’s space was the one that lit up, identifying her as the winner.
“Yaass!”
When she did a little shimmy after her win, Zander shook his head, smiling.
“Pick your prize, young lady?” The game administrator said.
“Hmm,” Zsanine buzzed, a finger gently placed against her cheek as though she were in deep thought. Zander hung his arm around her waist as she contemplated.
“The black bear,” Zsanine finally decided. The animal was super cute with a big red heart on his chest. Once she received it, Zsanine held it close, hugging it and rubbing her win in even more.
“Is there another game you’d like to play?” She asked teasingly.
“Oh, this competition is not over,” Zander countered. “Not in the least.”
The duo took the carnival games by storm, playing every one, competing intensely, and then celebrating each other’s wins. By the time they were finished, a few of the security detail had to relieve them of all the stuffed animals they had won. Zsanine couldn’t remember the last time she had so much fun, pure, unadulterated, genuine fun. It was refreshing to be able to be with a guy she liked so much and enjoy his company. Everything didn’t have to be deep or romantic all the time. Playing together was a different kind of romantic.
It was nearly time for the fireworks display. The Las Vegas sky was dark, layers of midnight blue on top of layers of midnight blue. There were few visible stars in the sky. Zander and Zsanine held hands as they made their way to the grassy field close to the grounds for optimal viewing pleasure. Many other carnival participants peppered the lawn as well, gathered in couples and groups, lounging on blankets.
“Right over there, boss,” Isaac directed as he led the couple to their designated spot on the lawn.
“I was wondering why we hadn’t indulged in any eating before now,” Zsanine replied, seeing a blanket with all the carnival treats waiting for them. “Now I know why.”
Zander had a way of injecting romance at the perfect time. They had a wonderfully fun spread of all the goodies one attends the carnival to enjoy, accompanied by a carafe of red wine. Zander made sure Zsanine was comfortable on the blanket before sitting down next to her.
“I thought it would be nice to enjoy the fireworks and the food together.”
“Such a great idea,” Zsanine agreed. “Thank you.”
“For what?” Zander asked as they physically connected, their bodies inextricably close.
“For everything, all of this,” Zsanine replied, finding his beautiful eyes even in the dark. “The flowers earlier today, your thoughtfulness. It’s all amazing and overwhelming.”
“Don’t be overwhelmed,” Zander replied, inclining her to him with a soft touch to her chin. “Just enjoy.”
Zsanine nodded her head. She felt the hot press of tears behind her eyes and blinked hard to keep them from falling. She wasn’t sure why she was so emotional, but it was there, fully present as she remained fully present with Zander. But then she fell quiet, and Zander noticed immediately.
“What’s the matter, love?”
