Page 66 of Yours To Hold
“Where do you want to start?”
People are everyone. Bright lights flash from games where stuffed animals hang from hooks. Dings and chimes are loud everywhere. Screams from a few of the bigger rides can be heard.
“The Merry-Go-Round.” Willow points to it, bouncing up and down with excitement.
“Lead the way, Pipsqueak.”
“I want to ride on one of the horses,” she tells us as we move through the crowds.
“You can ride on whatever you want.”
We get in line as the attendant waves the first group of people on. A cool breeze starts to blow through as the sun dips closer to the horizon.
“What do you want to ride, Ivy?”
Mason crosses his arms, eyeing me. “Yeah, Ivy. What do you want to ride?”
I don’t miss the heat behind his eyes.
Damn this man. I want to grab him by the T-shirt and haul him in for a kiss.
But I can’t.
And he knows it.
“I’ll take whatever is next to you, Willow.”
“Yes!” She pumps her little fist. “This is the best night ever.”
The ride comes to a stop and the attendant waves us on after the group of people clears off. Mason waves us on ahead of him. Brushing against his chest, I lean up to him. “Keep it PG, Winchester.”
His growl behind me has me smiling.
“I want the pink horse!” Willow finds a spot with three horses for us, each a more ridiculous color than hers.
Mason secures her, then swings a leg over his own horse.
“Make sure you hold on tight, okay?” he tells her, reaching over and checking the belt one more time.
“I will.”
“Hey!” I grab my phone and pull it out of my pocket. “Smile, you two.”
Both of them turn big smiles on me as I snap a photo.
“Take a selfie! I want one with you in it, Ivy!”
Turning the camera, I smile and frame the three of us in the photo. The ride starts and Willow screams in excitement as I click the shutter.
Sticking it back in my pocket, I hold my arms out, screaming right along with Willow. The horses move up and down as the carousel music blasts over the speakers. The fair swirls by in a haze of colors as we spin around.
Willow’s screams turn to laughs as she moves up then down. It goes by in a blink. It feels as if the ride has just started when it begins to slow to a stop.
“That was so much fun! Can I see the pictures you took?” Willow asks as I unlatch the buckle and help her down.
I grab my phone, unlock it, and hand it to her. “How do we look?”
Grabbing her by the shoulders, I steer her toward the exit of the ride as Mason follows.
