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I sighed and sat back, watching the families and couples stroll by. The carnival lights were bright tonight, the sun nowhere in sight. Children screamed and the salty aroma of popcorn mingled with the sweet scent of funnel cakes and cotton candy.
I spotted three kids running towards the bumper cars line, screaming like banshees. When my arms locked across my chest she blew a breath.
“Should we go now? Am I boring you? I know you have things to do.”
I sat forward and stopped her from taking the next bite of her brownie. “I don’t have to be anywhere for another two hours. I’m in no rush, Jenny.”
“You seem so bored,” she admitted, laughing nervously.
“Not bored.” I looked up and bobbed my head. “I was thinking about how easily I could beat you in bumper cars.”
I grinned as she did. Her smile was so damn perfect, her innocence so sweet. If Mom had met her, she’d have called her a “sweet darling.” Those exact words.
“You’re kidding, right?” She gave me a bullshit look. “I will own you in bumper cars.”
“Wanna bet?” I slanted a brow.
“All right.” She lowered her dessert, giving me all of her attention. “Bet what?”
I licked my lips, and she watched the action, her eyes flicking from my mouth to my eyes instantly. Her cheeks turned red, and she swallowed.
“If you get more bumps, I’ll win that teddy bear you keep eyeing over by the darts game.” She looked towards the game, a guilty smile on display.
“And if you win?” she questioned.
“If I win… you will come back to my truck and let me kiss you again—this time with no interruptions.”
She blinked rapidly, those eyelashes like butterfly wings. She held my gaze, and neither of us moved as my words filled the air.
After several seconds, she pulled it together, stood from the bench, and nodded towards the bumper cars. “It’s a bet, Doomsday!” She jogged for the gates and I hurried after her.
There wasn’t much of a line, which was good. The sooner I could get this done, the sooner I’d have her back in my truck, teddy bear or not.
I couldn’t stop looking at her—watching her. Her laugh was so light, and to know she was laughing with me and not at me made me wonder why I held back for so long.
I didn’t do mushy or sweet or any of that bullshit, but with Jenny, mushy and sweet didn’t feel so wrong. I guess Oscar was right. Mr. Sweet Talk got shit done.
I laughed at the thought, just as Jenny and I buckled into the cars. She pointed two fingers at her eyes and then the same fingers at me, an I’ve got my eyes on you gesture.
I quirked a cheek, glancing at the stoplight on the wall for our cue to go. A buzzer went off, the light turned green, and it was game on.
Jenny came right for me, but I pressed on the pedal, rushing forward and laughing as she hit the wall.
“Cheater!” she shouted.
“Too slow!”
She twisted her steering wheel, coming after me again. I made a roundabout around the ring, but some fucker hit me on the left, closing me in against him and the wall. He held up one hand and shrugged.
I frowned as he backed away and took off in the opposite direction.
“Pussy,” I muttered. I pressed down on the pedal, but just as I took off, someone hit me from the rear.
I looked back, and there she was.
Jenny.
Grinning like a kid in a candy store.
“Gotcha,” she sang.
I made a large U, but it was too late. She’d backed away, and spun around, going around the ring again. She was competitive. That was a good thing. It made this little competition of ours more fun than it probably should have been.
I laughed as I started to get close, people were hitting me left and right, but none of them were keeping me away from winning my grand prize.
Her, in my truck.
My lips on hers, tasting her sweet skin, the brownies she just ate, the cotton candy that melted on her tongue.
Jenny was trapped by two of the young kids that I saw running to get to the line, and when she saw me coming, she squealed. I sneered as I bumped her right in the rear.
I backed out and went in again.
And once more.
Three to one.
I looked towards the green light, waiting for it to flash to yellow.
Come on, fucking buzzer. BUZZ! I need to win!
“Stop it! You’re cheating!” She was laughing so hard, in hysterics. “Oh my gosh! Get these kids off of me! Did you put them up to this?”
I busted out laughing, looking at one of the kids. I inched forward, but he backed away, snickering as he took off and then bumped and trapped someone else.
The other kid did the same, and Jenny was finally free.
