AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sharing the hot dog turns out simple after an uneven tear down the middle. The deep-fried corn cob, on the other hand, not so much. Inevitably, we take turns nibbling rows. It’s offbeat to be so intimate with a stranger, to feel the whirl of thrill beneath my diaphragm.
And when he looks away, I ogle him more than is appropriate.
“Haven’t seen you around town before. Do you live in Lake Lavender?” The town isn’t the smallest of small towns, so it is possible to not know everyone.
He shakes his head and swallows his bite. “No. Just in town for the festival. I live in Seattle.”
Out-of-towner and easy on the eyes.Perfect.
“They mentioned our small town festival in Seattle?”
“Not sure. I’m a journalist for Washington’s Hidden Gems magazine. We’re always searching for something new to publish. Fun events and places to see.”
Out-of-towner, easy on the eyes, and he travels. Even better. The likelihood of us bumping into each other again is slim. If he is only here for the festival, his chances of returning are minimal.
“Well, I hope you get lots of juicy tidbits while you’re here.”
He eyes me for a beat and I get lost in the carnival lights reflecting on his lenses. No, not the lights. It’s more than the lights. Behind his lenses, I spot something else. Something magnetic and captivating. A hint of his amber irises. Swallowing, I blink a few times and focus onhim.
“So far, tonight has been the best yet.”
Is it the best because of the festival? Or is there another reason? Like me.
Knowing my luck, I misinterpreted him. In general, I read people well. Pick up on words left unsaid. In this instance, my hormones may override my foresight. Just becauseIfeel something doesn’t mean he does too. Only one way to find out.
“Yeah. Big carnival junkie?”
He subtly shakes his head. “Not so much. Honestly, heights and I aren’t the best of friends.” He points to the scar hidden behind his glasses.
“What’s made it so great then?”
He cocks that right brow again as if I’m being daft. “Maybe it’s this blonde I spotted near that tent.” He points to the tent where I almost lost my precious fried foods. “She has a killer smile and offered to share her food as repayment for saving her twenty pounds of carnival delights.”
When was the last time a man flirted with me? Truly flirted. Most just let on to what they want and the deed gets done. But this man, his flirting… a flush spreads across my skin. I fight to disguise the quiver of my body.
“Yeah, think I saw her. What a klutz. You like her smile?”
He clamps down on his lips, fighting a smile, and nods subtly. “Caught my eye.”
“Hmm.”
Minutes pass with nothing more than silence and smiles. We finish eating and he tosses the trash in the bin nearby. When he returns, I hoist one of the bags on my hip like a toddler as I reach for the other.
He jogs up and takes the second bag. “Here, let me.”
“Thank you.”
We head for the car lot and Ifeelhis gaze on my backside. Heat rolls up my spine and spreads to my limbs. All without a single touch or word spoken. Our walk is blanketed in silence, but his proximity speaks volumes. Calls out to and beckons me closer.
At the car, I stow the bags in the passenger seat—half tempted to buckle them in—then close the door. I spin to face him and stop short, my breath caught in my chest. I swallow but don’t dare move otherwise. Not with his lips right there, mere inches away. They are all I see—that and his tongue as it darts out to moisten his lips.
I want to taste them too.
I push up on my toes and lean into him. Feel the heat of his breath dance over my skin. Smell the sweetness of honey as it spills from his lips. Hear the slight hiccup as he watches me stare at his lips.
Without hesitation, he presses his lips to mine. Soft yet intense. Gentle. Needy. Hungry. His lips caress mine in an all-too-familiar dance. It isn’t until a moment later, when his hands grip my hips and drag me closer, that I lose all sense of gravity.
His lips leave mine and trail along my jaw. Nibble my ear. Suck the lobe. Make me gasp as my legs become jelly. My legs give out and he catches me. Pins me to the car and continues tasting my skin.
