Page 8 of Cuddling Carly

“I love corn dogs,” Carly said as they walked along the midway. The sounds of games and laughter reached them, as well as the aromas of frying funnel cakes and roasted corn. “But I can’t remember the last time I had one before today. It was so good!”

“I’m glad you liked it, babygirl.”

Carly stopped walking.

Wade kept on like it was no big deal, even though he knew good and well what he’d said. After a few paces, he stopped and turned back. “Everything all right?”

It took her a moment to respond, but she said, “Yeah. Eh, did you just call me…babygirl?”

“I don’t…” He stopped. There was no way he could lie to her. Ever. “I’m sorry. It just slipped out. I sincerely apologize. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or make this weird.”

He was relieved when her stance softened and a smile creased her full lips. “It’s okay.”

It seemed as if she wanted to say more, but the moment passed and they started walking again.

“Look at that stuffie!”

Before Wade realized it, Carly had a hold of his hand and was running full speed ahead toward a strongman game a few feet in front of them.

“That bear is wearing a tuxedo! I need him!”

Barely thinking once again, Wade almost had a slip of the tongue, saying, “Let Daddy win him for you, honey.” Thankfully, though, at the last second, he caught himself and filtered it to, “Let me give it a shot.” Fishing out his wallet, he passed the man running the game a ten.

“Step right up,” the man said. “Just pick up the mallet, strike the plate, and see how high it goes.”

“Let’s see what I can do.”

The wooden mallet was heavier than Wade figured it would be, but then he realized that was probably a trick of the trade to keep folks from wielding it too keenly.

That wouldn’t necessarily work around those parts, he noted silently with a wry smile. He was used to wielding an ax and chopping firewood, setting fence posts, and all other manners of hard work that went with being a cowboy. A lot of guys in that area were.

Unless the game was rigged, this shouldn’t prove too difficult for him.

That assumption was right. He bashed the mallet on the plate, and the metal slider shot all the way to the top, ringing the bell to announced a winner.

The man seemed impressed and surprised.

“Great job! You get to pick any of the prizes you want, sir.”

“The bear! The bear!” Cute Carly announced, jumping up and down.

Damn. Could that girl be any more adorable? And could she give off any more Little vibes than she already was?

Surely Wade’s Daddy radar wasn’t off. She had to be what he suspected she was.

“One bear for the little lady,” the booth’s operator said.

“Thank you!” she said as he handed her the prize. “And thank you!” she told Wade.

He drank in the sight of her hugging the bear and committed it to memory.

Had he come all the way to South Central Texas only to find the sweet Little he’d dreamed of?

Don’t get your hopes up, Wade. You really don’t know her all that well. Just take it nice and slow.

So, instead of scooping her into his arms and twirling her around before showering her with kisses, he simply said, “Glad you got the stuffie you wanted. Where to next?”

“Want to do the haunted house? They have a little one set up over near the ag building. I wanted to do it earlier, but I was too afraid to go by myself.” Her cheeks flushed as she admitted that, and once again Wade found it hard not to hold her.