He had forgotten that moment, that little warning sign that maybe things weren’t all so perfect in their little world. Yet here they were, back at the same place, and Delaney seemed willing to take that chance and be someone else. What else had she changed in the past five years?
Standing in line, she shifted back and forth, never releasing his hand from a death grip. She couldn’t seem to take her eyes off the ride and the tension in her body was increasing at a rapid rate. Her pulse pounded in her wrist, and her hand was growing clammy and cold. Her face was paler than usual, and her breathing grew shallow and fast, sure signs of a panic attack. Things were going downhill. He had to get her on that ride and her mind off of it.
He slowly lifted her hand to his lips and brushed his lips across the knuckles. She drew in a shaky breath, but was not sufficiently preoccupied yet. He nipped the bend of her middle finger, then licked it quickly, soothing the sting. She looked up and sharply inhaled, eyes widened with surprise. He smothered a grin. Mission accomplished.
She tugged her hand, but he gripped it tighter. “We’re on a date, sweetheart, remember?”
“We’re on a scavenger hunt. This is not a date.”
“I love when you get all prim and proper.” He leaned close, his lips at the edge of her ear. “Remember, I know you, Delaney. I know your sounds, your moans, your ticklish spots and your sexy spots. You can’t fool me.”
She huffed out a quick laugh of disbelief. “You think I’m turned on? I’m terrified out of my wits right about now, and it has nothing to do with you.”
He inhaled deeply, not willing to step away from her, smelling the sweet vanilla of her soap. He nuzzled behind her ear, planting a soft kiss on her neck. She shuddered in his arms, her breath coming shaky and shallow, but not from fear, not this time.
“You can say whatever you want, sweetheart, but I know you want me.”
She jerked back and glared at him through narrowed eyes. Then she stepped forward, her hips against his, where the evidence of his arousal pressed against her. “And you want me. Now what?”
Blood roared in his ears as it pooled south, leaving his brain completely blank. His hands settled on her hips and tugged her closer. Her lips parted in anticipation of a kiss. He lowered his head, needing to taste her, feel her, possess her. Sounds from the amusement park faded to the background; screams from kids echoed the pounding of his pulse, the demand of his body to take her, now, there, immediately. Her eyes closed, and she leaned into his kiss, her lips brushing his. He slid his hand up her back to tangle in the chin-length strands and hold her in place.
“Sir?”
A tap on his shoulder interrupted his train of thought, but he shrugged it off, deepening the kiss, fully absorbed in Delaney. She pulled back, wiggling her head to the side until his lips were next to her ear. A flash of light blinded his eyes, and he blinked.
“What the hell?”
“Ticket, sir?”
Shit. He hadn’t lost control in public since college. Oddly enough, Delaney had featured in that event too, in much the same way. He glanced at her. Her cheeks grew pink and she studied the ground as if she’d never seen dirt before. She tried to step back, but he held her in place, needing the human shield. The pimply faced high school kid leered at them, his eyes greedily checking out Delaney in her white shorts and sleeveless top. Jealousy reared its head, and Ethan stepped between them, blocking the kid’s view and forcing him to look at Ethan. He set his face to its most threatening, and the kid stepped back, stammering an apology.
Ethan shoved the tickets at the kid, grabbed Delaney’s hand and tugged her along. She followed blindly, her eyes still dazed from their kiss. Ethan smirked. By the time she got on the ride, she’d be completely relaxed. He shifted his shorts. Too bad he wasn’t as comfortable.
The attendant clicked them into a seat and moved on to the next couple. He looked over and reality was setting in, judging by the paleness of her cheeks.
He gripped her hand. “We’re perfectly safe. You’re going to love this. Deep inside you, there is an inner wild woman. Unleash her, baby.”
“I don’t think I can.”
The ride jerked to a start, and he squeezed her hand. “You definitely can. Just let loose and feel.”
Her hand gripped his tighter and tighter as the cars chugged up the incline. Slowly, steadily, inevitably. She inhaled, a deep ragged breath, and looked to him, panic in her eyes. For a split second, they were teetering on the top of the ride. The park laid out below them, lights blazing and reflected in the ocean nearby. Then it blurred as gravity took over and the cars plunged down the incline, their bodies pulled up, stomachs turning, the thrill ripping screams from both of them. He pulled her hand up and let the ride take over.
Delaney’s screams echoed with his, and he glanced over to make sure she was okay. She was absorbed in the ride, mouth opened wide, eyes bright with excitement, sheer pleasure on her face. Damn, he wanted to be the man to put that look on her face. Their bodies slid together as the ride turned corners and weaved its way through the remaining tracks, and Ethan let the enjoyment of the moment take over his thoughts. But he burned where her leg brushed his, her breast against his arm, the strands of her hair whipping against his face. Arousal competed with adrenaline, pounding in his body, pooling in a heavy erection that he wouldn’t be able to hide when they got off the ride.
The ride slowed, finally, to a stop at the exit platform, and the bars released. He stepped off the side and held out his hand for her. She stumbled out of the car, falling against him. Reflexively, his hands grasped her waist to steady her, and the sudden brush against his erection had him sucking in a breath, hoping she wouldn’t notice. Her hands braced themselves against his chest and she looked up, eyes wide.
Busted. It was too much to hope for that she would ignore it.
He snagged her sweater from the car and grabbed her elbow, pulling her along with the crowd as they exited the ride. When she would have kept walking out, he stopped her at a monitor.
“We need our photo. Remember? Our purpose for being here?”
She blushed. He pulled money out of his pocket and handed the kid ten dollars. He handed her the picture, and they walked out of the ride area.
“We only have thirty dollars left. Damn, that ride was expensive. You ready for food or can your stomach not handle it?”
“Po’boy.” The words rushed out of her, face still reflecting excitement even as she looked unsteady from the ride or something else.