Save Me From Me (15 page)

“Way to be creepy,” I say as I smack his arm.

“My bad. Try to be a gentleman, and I get smacked.” He laughs as he opens my door.

“Well, next time, try not being a ninja style gentleman.”

Heading towards the outskirts of town, I have a pretty good clue as to where we are going but I ask anyways. “Where we headed?”

“To someplace I haven’t been in a real long time.” He looks over at me. “Somewhere I don’t think you have either, and if I know you at all, I’m pretty sure you’re going to like it.” He smiles wickedly.

I have this kid-like sensation take over me as we pull into the county fairgrounds where the carnival is set up. The colorful lights are flashing and the music is blaring. People are carrying big, stuffed animals back to their cars as we walk hand-in-hand to the ticket booth.

“You’re right. I haven’t been to a carnival in years.”

“Me neither,” Holden says as he releases my hand, and pulling his wallet out of his back pocket, he walks up to the lady sitting in the ticket booth. “Two wristbands, please.”

“What do you want to ride first?” I turn around to Dani, handing her the wristband.

She looks up at me, biting her lip, and I cock my brow because I know her thoughts aren’t on what she can ride, but who instead. A blush instantly covers her face, and she shakes her head.

“Umm, I don’t care. You pick first.”

I bend down close to her ear, inhaling the smell of her hair as I do. It’s not an overly fruity smell, but whatever it is makes me want to breathe it in more, but I refrain.

“There will be a time and a place for what you’re thinking. Here, and tonight, is not the time or place.” I pull back a little and I’m glad her gaze is focused on me. I want my eyes to drive in what I’m about to say. “But, it will happen.”

As she blushes, she licks her lip, biting it right after. Sexiest damn thing ever. Using every effort, I refrain from pushing her up against the ticket booth. This slightly curvy woman with long blonde waves of hair, bright blue eyes, and full lips is going to have me whipped in record time. She’s not even trying. She doesn’t even work for the attention that I want to give her. Just being herself, and letting me in is the biggest turn on, and it has me wanting to get to know her on every level possible. Not just the physical, naked one. I’ve wanted on that level since day one. But now? Now, I’m glad it didn’t turn out to be a one-night fling. How we first met, well, saw each other, played out perfectly the way it did.

Me trying to hit on her like she was any other girl would have ruined every chance of
this
happening. Whatever the hell
this
is anyways.

“Darlin’, you’re going to have to refrain from doing that again,” I say giving her a knowing look, which causes her blush to deepen.

Dammit, this sexy girl.

I grab her hand and quickly pull her into the crowd before I lose myself in her.

“I think we should ride a few good rides first, and then maybe get some kind of snack. One of them crazy fair foods they always have. Like fried cake batter or some shit.”

She wrinkles her nose in disgust. “Sorry, Holden, but that sounds like shit. How ‘bout we stick to the classics? Like funnel cake. Yeah, funnel cake sounds amazing. I haven’t had it in years,” she says and I can see her eyes light up in excitement from just the mention of funnel cake, of all things. From the sounds of it, this woman will be very easy to please.

“If the lady wants funnel cake, then the lady shall get funnel cake,” I say as I grab her hand, spin her around a couple times, and then pull her into my side where her arm finds its way around my waist.

This—this right here, walking with my arm around her, and hers around me, feels amazing. It feels natural. It feels surreal, as well, and scary as hell. I might just be playing with fire by getting comfortable with her. There are so many unknowns, and I hate unknown variables. I need constants. I need to know the outcome. But for some reason, with her, I just want to know her. Nothing else seems to matter, and that’s what’s so scary about it all.

“The Zipper,” she says out loud, as she eyes the ride that I myself used to repeatedly stand in line all night long to get on as a teen.

“Ahh, the infamous Zipper. Is that your first choice?” I ask, causing her to nod a bit too enthusiastically. For some reason, being here and with her is so carefree. Just like when you’re a kid. You have no responsibilities, and nothing’s bogging your mind down. Tonight, I’m letting everything that tries to get me down take a back seat. I’m going to fully enjoy myself to whatever extent that may be. I will not limit myself. And I will make sure Dani has the night of her life.

We wait in line for a good twenty minutes. I’m pretty sure we are the oldest ones waiting to get on. I’ll have to show these kids how to do this ride some justice. Dani puts her camera in her over-the-shoulder purse, and I help her into the cage. The seats are ripped just as they used to be when I was a child.

“Hey, scoot closer to me, and we should be able to keep your purse put.” Dani does as I say.

“No need to make excuses, Holden. All you had to do was ask.” She smiles.

“I hope you’re ready for the ride of your life, because I am the Zipper king,” I say as I start to get the momentum going as they load the rest of the cars.

“I’m gonna hold you to it.” She laughs as we start swaying more and more. She’s catching on and helping me swing us. Each time the ride moves up, we get closer and closer. I know in no time, I’ll have us spinning without the ride even fully going. I hope she has a strong stomach.

“I’m so dizzy,” she says as we finally stop spinning, as it’s our turn to get out.

“I warned you,” I say in defense.

“That was the funnest thing ever.”

She pulls her camera back out, taking pics here and there while we walk around. We find one of those artists who can draw your face all silly and exaggerated, and I pull her to the line because I want something fun to remember this night.

We sit down, and Dani tells the guy to give her a big rack. I crack up, because in all reality her rack is the perfect size.

“What she meant was for you to draw them to scale.” She elbows me. “What?” I ask, hiding my smile. “No need to make them bigger when they’re already perfect.” Her cheeks turn rosy and I tell the guy, “Make sure you capture those, too.”

After gorging ourselves on funnel cake, we vow that we’ve finished riding and eating. Making our way towards the exit, she stops in front of the Carousel. “I want one picture of us.” I raise my hand to where I’m holding the rolled drawing, and she smirks. “A real picture.”

She gets the attention of two people walking by and asks if they’ll take a picture of us. The older couple happily agrees, and the lady snapping the shot smiles like crazy the whole time.

“Say cheese, guys.”

“Cheese!” Dani and I say together.

I haven’t been to a bonfire in years. So, when Adyn called me, insisting that I go with her and her fiancé, James, I didn’t hesitate. Besides, knowing that it was at one of his coworkers land, I had no idea where we were headed.

“This dude is building a new house and has a shit load of brush piles he’s needing to burn down.” Adyn turns around to face me from the passenger seat.

“Is that safe to just light a bunch of piles up in the middle of nowhere?” They laugh at my question. I bunch my brows together as I try to think why that’d be a humorous question. To me, it seems more than logical.

“Oh, Dani.” Adyn lightly smacks my leg. “They’ll have fire extinguishers, just in case, or barrels of water. I’m sure something.” She shrugs. “Just quit being a worry wart. Tonight is about you having fun.”

I smile in return. She’s right.

Fifteen minutes and some winding dirt roads later, we arrive. They have someone waiting in a pickup by the entrance to lead vehicles as far in as we’ll be able to drive. It’s bumpy as hell. Once we park, we have to walk the rest of the way. I’m very thankful that I decided to wear my boots. I’m sure with all the traffic coming through that it’s snake free, but there’s a real good chance that it isn’t sticker free. And those bastards hurt. I had a cousin once who got a few stuck in his face when we were kids. We were all running around our grandparents’ yard, and somehow, he tripped. I will always remember the cry that he let out afterwards. You would have thought he broke an arm. Like I said, those bastards hurt.

I hear music blaring from the distance, and a thrill of excitement zings through me. People are laughing and shouting to each other from opposite sides of the bonfire. They only have one blazing at the moment, and it lets off just the right amount of heat on this slightly chilly night. The forecast said there could be a cold front coming in and possible storms later. Hell, that’s probably why they even planned to burn the brush tonight. Mother Nature is one hell of a back-up sprinkler system.

Adyn hands me a bottle of beer which I gladly take. Tilting my head back, I let the coolness slide down my throat. A couple more of these, and I should be good to go. Once I get these nerves of not knowing anyone in check, I’ll be more likely to mingle. Until then, I plan on following the engaged couple around like I’m the backseat, sister wife. Knowing this town, that’s exactly what will be going around tomorrow. People are always having to make up shit about someone.

“So, how are things going with you and Holden?” Adyn asks, playing catch up since Joy hasn’t scheduled us together that many days these past couple of weeks.

“It’s going good. I really like him. It’s kind of scary.”

“Why does it scare you?” she asks.

“Because I’ve never had these feelings before. And to have them for someone who will be taking off at basically the drop of a hat terrifies me.”

“You should go with him when that day comes,” she says with all seriousness as she scans our surroundings before looking back at me. “I mean seriously, what’s keeping you here? I know you think you have to help your mom, but the truth is, she was just fine before you moved in with her. You know she’s never going to kick Thing 1 and Thing 2 to the curb, and all they do is make your life a living hell. I say take off with hot stuff, and start a brand new life.”

“I don’t even know if he wants me to go with him.”

She laughs. “Are you blind to the way that boy looks at you? I’m pretty sure he thinks you hung the damn moon. You better let him give you some sexual healing, soon.”

“I’ve been thinking about it.” I laugh back before taking a drink of my beer.

“I mean it, Dani. If you don’t let him flick that bean, I’m bound to do the damn thing myself. You need some relief, and if duty calls, then put me in, Coach.”

“Flick the bean?” I laugh. “You are one crazy butch, Adyn. Nothing against you, because I’m sure you could make me cream my pants in ten seconds flat–”

She points her bottle at me stopping me mid-sentence. “True story.”

“But, I’m not into girls touching my goodies, Babe.”

“Well, you know where to find me,” she says with a shrug.

We walk over to the crowd where James is. I make small talk as I’m introduced to different people, but I never find someone I just click with enough to continue an actual conversation. I’m trying to keep from getting bored, because in all reality, this tops sitting at home in my bed watching a movie or reading. I do like reading. Thinking of that, I really need to hit up the library soon. That idea quickly escapes me as a familiar voice fills the vicinity. Two familiar ones, actually. I’m apprehensive about turning my focus in that direction, but curiosity is a bitch. I almost feel like my brain has to be playing tricks on me.

No way.

I know we aren’t dating, and
I’m
the one who wanted no titles on us, but hell. Really, her? Out of all people? As soon as I see Gage with Loralee following behind him, I quickly turn my attention back to where Adyn is standing, intently watching me, as well.

“You okay?” she mouths where no one can hear her.

I nod in response and tuck myself closer into her. I try to focus more on what’s being said among her circle of friends, instead of letting my mind dwell on Gage, and what the hell he’s doing with her.