“Exactly. Pick a safe word or something. You say honey badger, and I’ll know it’s a no-go.” Seemed relatively easy.
She sputtered. “Safe word? Restraints?” The corner of her lips rose in a smirk. “Sorry to break it to you, but I’m not interested in touring your red room of pain, and honey badger is the last thing I’d think of in the middle of sex.”
I grinned. “Noted. You prefer your sex honey badger free.” Leaning down, I brushed my lips over her ear. “And we’ll work up to the leather restraints just to make sure you’re comfortable. Fuzzy handcuffs are always the best way to start.”
She shivered slightly and stepped away, shaking her head like she needed to clear it. “So, roller coaster it is.” Color flushed her cheeks.
“Right this way.” I led us through the fast track lane of the ride.
“People are staring,” she said softly as we passed the waiting line.
“You’re not used to it?” I asked, then caught her flinch. “I mean because of your brother, not…Voldemort.”
“Voldemort?” She sputtered a laugh as we reached the little velvet rope.
“He who shall not be named.” I shrugged. “I figure you grew up as Caz’s sister, so stuff like this has to be pretty normal for you. Passing lines and stuff.” I wasn’t egotistical enough to think that anyone in line actually recognized me. Hell, the attendant at the front only knew because it was listed on our VIP pass request.
“Honestly, I did my best to give Caz some space, hoping he’d do the same, but he never did.” She sighed as the coaster pulled into the dock and the riders shuffled, the new ones taking the place of those who had just finished. “I don’t think he ever really got over losing me that day. Not that it was his fault, because it wasn’t.” She raised her eyebrows at me and said the words emphatically as if I’d ever question her brother’s character.
“I don’t doubt that he did everything he could to find you,” I said softly as the ride attendant checked our passes and let us through. “So, the front car can be scarier, but you might not feel as trapped since there won’t be anyone ahead of us.”
“Front it is,” she said with a nod, straightening her shoulders as we walked into the stall.
These things always made me think of herded cattle, not that I was going to say that to her. She was nervous enough. “You sure you’re up for this?”
“It’s not like you’re sticking me in a closet. I’m good.” She bounced up on her toes as the coaster pulled into dock.
“Here we go.” We shuffled in as the other parties made their way out, putting our belongings into the pocket in front of us, and then she pulled the shoulder harness down, clicking it into place.
“Am I going to fall out of this thing? It feels loose.” She pushed on the bar, her voice pitching upward a little.
“I’ve got you.” I gave it a tug and clicked it tighter, then locked myself in.
The attendant gave his little talk about keeping our arms and legs inside, and then we were off, shooting forward to begin the incline.
Click. Click. Click. The coaster started to journey upward on the track.
“You okay?” I asked, turning my head as much as I could to look at her.
“Um. Yeah. I mean. I think?” Her hands clenched at her thighs.
“You’re doing great.” I offered mine, brushing it lightly over hers, and she quickly laced our fingers, squeezing tight.
Click. Click. Click.
“What happens when we get to the top?” she asked as the breeze whipped over us, thick with September humidity.
“We fall.”
Much to my surprise, she laughed the whole way down.
Four rollercoasters, two spinning rides, and something called The Scrambler later, we finished up our lunch at a picnic table.
“I never pegged you for a funnel cake guy,” she teased as I popped the last bit of sugared dough into my mouth.
“I’ll run it off later,” I answered after I swallowed. “I’m usually way stricter about my diet during the season, but I swear, I smell one of these, and I’m powerless.”
“You like the sweet stuff, huh?” She smirked and took a sip of her lemonade.
“You have no idea.” I devoured her with my eyes, unable to help myself. Tendrils of her hair had slipped free during the rides, and her smile was even brighter than when we’d gotten here. I’d grown used to seeing her suited up or in heels at the arena, but seeing her relaxed and…touchable was twisting me into knots. I’d never been so turned on by the scent of coconut sunscreen in my whole damned life.
The straw slipped free from her lips and our eyes locked, the space between us going taut with a feeling that bordered on anticipation. It was like we’d stepped off the ride only to become the ride, steadily clicking our way to the top.
But the top of what? I couldn’t shake the memory of seeing her in Maxim’s arms.
“So, what next?” she asked, her voice sounding a touch breathless.
“Whatever you want,” I said the words slowly, and her eyes flared.
She gulped and broke eye contact, fumbling for the map of the park we’d picked up along the way. “Um. Let’s try pushing it a little,” she offered, her fingers tracing a path near the colorful designation for the picnic area.
“How far would you like to push it, London?” Shit. Even when I wasn’t trying to flirt, it came out flirty.
She pointed to a ride. “Journey to the Center of the Earth.”
“It’s inside.”
“So the description says.” She folded up the map and stuck it in her back pocket.
Worry spun my stomach. “I’m guessing it’s in the dark.”
“Yep, read that, too.” She stood up from the table. “Let’s try. What’s the worst that happens? I shut my eyes for all four minutes and seventeen seconds?”
She had a point there. I hated the idea of pushing her, but if she was the one stretching her limits, who was I to argue? “Let’s do it.”
We cleaned up our trash and started down the path. The park was at its peak and packed with people, but I kept her as close to the edge as possible.
“You’re sure about this?” I asked as we found the entrance to the ride.
“Are you going to ask me that every time we try something new?” She paused at the board that described the attraction.
“Yep. Every time.”
She shook her head, but there was a slight tilt to her lips. “See, it's a single boat on a track, and it might be dark, but I know it has an end. I can do this.” She nodded, and I wasn’t sure if she was talking to me or herself.
“Okay,” I agreed, taking a breath like I was the one being challenged here. “I just want you to be comfortable.”
She turned and looked up at me with the same look she’d given me in the elevator like she was trying to figure me out.
“What?” I asked gently, pushing her sunglasses to the top of her head so I could see her eyes.
“You. You’re just so…” She sighed.
I pocketed my Ray-Bans and grinned. “Sexy? Charming? Irresistible?”
She scoffed. “Cocky much?”
You haven’t even seen how cocky I can be. I opened my mouth but let the comment go unspoken. “You know what? I’m going to let that one go. Just know that I had the perfect line.”
“Then deliver it.” She folded her arms under her breasts, lifting the creamy swells to the top of her neckline, and my mouth fucking watered. She might be a tiny little thing, but her breasts weren’t. They’d fill my hands perfectly, and my mouth…knock it off.
“It’s highly inappropriate, and I’d hate to be accused of workplace harassment,” I teased.
“Seriously? We’re not even close to work and I’m pretty sure I can handle any of your harassment.” Her gaze drifted down my chest, lingering where my T-shirt stretched tight across my muscles.
If she’d been anyone else, I would have kissed her right there. I would have crushed her body against mine,
picked her up so she could wrap those sun-kissed legs around my waist and take her mouth exactly like I’d fantasized about—hot, hard, and hungry.
But she wasn’t anyone else. She was London, and I wasn’t even sure she was free to be kissed. I couldn’t go another minute without at least knowing.
“Look, I know we promised not to talk about Maxim,” I started. Her gaze snapped to mine and her shoulders tensed, but I pushed on. “But I have to know…how close are you?”
Her brow furrowed. “You’re right. We promised not to talk about him.”
I laced my hands behind my neck and blew out a slow breath. “Then at least just tell me if you’re together. Put me out of my fucking misery, please.”
“What?” She did that fast blink thing. “Together like…”
“Like dating. Sleeping together. Whatever.” Please say no.
She laughed. “Are you being serious right now?”
My stomach clenched. “You know what? Forget I asked. Let’s go on the ride.” It wasn’t my business, and if she was sleeping with my—don’t even go there—whatever, then maybe I didn’t want to know. Thinking about his hands on her would fuel my fucking nightmares.
I started down the fast track part of the line, and London raced after me.
“Jansen!” She tugged at the back of my shirt just as we reached the shade of the giant building that housed the ride, and I slowed.
“It’s really not my business,” I muttered as she moved to keep pace beside me.
“I’m not dating Max. He’s my brother’s best friend.”
“Really?” I studied her just long enough to see the honesty in her eyes, then looked forward so we didn’t walk into a steel railing. We were inside the building, and though we were skirting the massive, twisting line, the noise level was exponentially higher.
“Really.”
We reached the end of the lane, and there was one other couple ahead of us. I turned slightly, wishing the lighting in here wasn’t so dim. “The way he puts his hands on you says something else entirely.”
Not to mention he’d made his intentions perfectly fucking clear in the locker room.
She shook her head slowly. “Friends. Seriously. He’s just…Maxim. That’s why I laughed.”
“Huh. Well, okay then.” That was a huge relief. It didn’t mean the guy wasn’t actively trying to get her, but at least she wasn’t taken yet. I didn’t share. Ever.
“Wait, is that why you didn’t call me back?” The couple in front of us moved, and we shuffled forward.
“Maybe.” I winced.
“Boys,” she muttered as the attendant lifted the rope for us. “Do you have any idea how many of the world’s problems could be solved if you just said what was on your mind?”
“In my defense,” I said, putting my hand on the small of her back as we walked toward the moving platform where empty boats were readying for launch. “You got out of the elevator and raced right into his arms.”
“I would have hugged Caz like that, too,” she said as we climbed into the two-person boat. “Doesn’t mean I’m dating him.”
We took our hard, plastic seats, and the attendant ordered us to put our lap belts on, so we did.
Then it was just us, and another boat maybe fifteen feet ahead that disappeared into the darkness as the platform moved us forward.
“In that moment, I probably would have assumed you were dating Caz, too, since I didn’t know he was your brother,” I admitted as we dipped off the platform and into the water.
She laughed. “I assure you I’m not dating my brother.”
“Thank God for small miracles,” I teased.
Her breath caught as we passed through a misty veil and into complete darkness. A voice boomed around us, saying that we’d begun our journey and must now descend.
London’s hand clutched mine, and the boat plummeted down an unseen slide, throwing up a splash of water as we landed below.
“Holy shit!” she cursed.
“I didn’t know that was coming,” I said quickly as the room around us illuminated in red, the voice announcing that we were in some kind of magma tube or whatever.
“I figured,” she muttered, her hand tightening on mine like a vise. Girl had a grip, I’d give her that.
“Maybe try the breathing thing?” I suggested as we passed some kind of animatronics for…I didn’t even fucking know. The ride didn’t have my attention—London did.
She rolled her eyes at me, and I got the point to stop mansplaining. Her breaths were steady and even as we turned the corner, and I had to admit, the dark red lighting of the place was a little unnerving. I couldn’t see the boat in front of us or behind us as we drifted from chamber to chamber, listening to the ride tell us the different layers of the earth we were sliding through.
The next drop was easy to see coming, and London even cracked a smile as the water rained down, drenching us both.
We turned into the next chamber, and the voice’s tone changed to one of urgency, telling us that everything eventually returned to the surface.
“I’m going to hit you if this thing spits us out of some volcano,” London threatened, but there was no anger in her tone.
“Hey, you were the one who wanted to ride it—”
The whole chamber went black, and the boat stopped.
What the fuck? Was this part of the ride?
“Jansen?” London asked, her voice cracking.
“I’m here.” I dropped her hand and pulled her against my side, wrapping my arm around her shoulder. Shit, I could feel her breath coming faster. “I’m sure it has to be—”
“Ladies and gentlemen,” another voice boomed. “We are experiencing a technical delay. Please remain seated while we work through this unforeseen issue.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” London shouted, her voice reverberating off the walls.
I didn’t even know what to say, so I just held her tighter. “We’ll be out of here in no time.”
“So is your luck bad? Or mine?” she asked, turning her face against my chest.
I rested my chin on the top of her head. “Would it be inappropriate to crack a joke that I get to hold you in the dark?”
She scoffed. Good, my girl was holding on.
“Tell me something.” There was unmistakable urgency in her voice and she gripped the fabric of my shorts in one hand and my shirt in the other. “Anything. Just distract me.”
My mind drew a blank for several panicked seconds.
“Okay. My mom didn’t want me to play hockey. At least not at first.”
“Really?” She burrowed in tighter, and I could tell by the rise and fall of her shoulders that she was nearing hyperventilation.
“Really. I figured out the reason eventually, of course, and I don’t blame her. Hell, I fell in love with being a goalie by the time I was seven, and still didn’t know who my biological father was. There’s just something I love about defending the net, being the last line.”
“When did. You figure. It. Out?” Yup. She was panicking. Shit.
“I overheard my grandfather telling Mom that she couldn’t fight genetics when I made the AAA team. I was thirteen. And I remember that I wasn’t pissed at her for keeping it from me. I’d always figured that dads who wanted to be in the picture were, but how blown away I was that she let me play. She was terrified of me becoming exactly like him, but she overcame it because she knew just how much I loved the sport.”
“That’s. That’s. Amazing.” She was taking heaving, gulping breaths now.
I pulled back just enough to cradle her face. “Tell me what to do here, London.”
“I don’t. Know. I don’t know.” Her face trembled in my hands, and my gut clenched. She’d said the claustrophobia made her feel helpless, but I was right there with her, powerless to take it from her.
“God, I’m so sorry.” Someone had to get us the fuck out of here. I couldn’t even see her, couldn’t read the feeling in her eyes.
�
��I. Chose.” She took a breath and held it. “Distract me.”
“I’m trying,” I promised.
“Try. Harder.” Her face rose to mine and our lips collided.
Soft skin. Hard press. Over before I could blink.
“London—”
“Kiss me, Jansen.” She brought her lips to mine again.
I groaned and gave in to exactly what I’d wanted all along. Damn, she tasted like sunshine and sugary lemonade. So fucking sweet. I licked the line of her lips, and she opened for me without hesitation.
My tongue swept inside, stroking over hers.
Mine.
She gasped, clutching my shirt, and kissed me back, sealing her mouth under mine and giving just as good as I gave it. Electricity shot down my spine with every thrust of her silken tongue against mine.
I sank my hands into her hair and took her deeper, exploring every corner of her mouth until I knew it as well as my own. Fuck, I wanted to see her. Wanted to lift my head to read her eyes, her body language, but there was something utterly sensuous about only being able to feel.
Every sip at her lips, every stroke of our tongues felt magnified as if the world only existed in this kiss—this moment.
“Jansen,” she moaned against my mouth.
I wanted to hear her scream it, to feel her body clench around me as I brought her to orgasm.
My lips found her chin, her jaw, the impossibly soft skin of her neck as I licked and sucked a path to her collarbone. She cupped the back of my head, arching her neck, and another groaned again, concentrating on the little spots that made her breath catch.
“Holy shit,” she whispered. “That feels so good.”
“You’re so fucking sweet,” I replied, returning to her mouth. “I could kiss you forever.”
She whimpered, and I did just that, taking her mouth until we were both breathless, both straining at the belts that kept us locked in place. Just this kiss had me hard and hurting, pushing against the fabric of my shorts.
My palms itched to explore the curves of her body, but I wanted to see—
The lights came back on, and the ride jolted forward, breaking our kiss.
Her eyes were so bright they were almost luminous as she looked up at me, her tongue drifting across her lower lip. Fuck me, it was swollen from our kiss, and she was only more tempting now that I knew exactly how she tasted.
Sterling: A Carolina Reapers Novel Page 6
