Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
" Y ou said the only problem with roller coasters was that they made you nauseous, right?" Nathan asked.
"Does this have something to do with why you kidnapped me after work, made me put on a blindfold and drove me halfway across the city?"
"It might," he said in a sing-song voice.
"And here I thought you were up to something kinky."
"Don't tempt me." I felt his hand on my upper thigh, squeezing and kneading. "So. Rollercoasters? You're okay to go on them, even with your heart defect?"
"The doctors gave me the all clear years ago," I told him. "I just avoid them now because they make me feel like puking."
"Problem solved."
Nathan pulled off my blindfold with a grin. I blinked as bright lights filled my vision. He thrust a little cardboard box in my face before I could process where we were. I took it from him and skimmed the wording on the packaging.
"Immediate motion sickness relief," I read out loud. I looked up and registered what was outside the car window.
We were at a small, local amusement park. Nothing big, just a few carnival games and rides, but in the middle of the entire affair was a tall, twisty dragon-themed roller coaster.
I looked to Nathan. "Did you…?"
"I told the pharmacist I was looking for something for a friend who gets sick on roller coasters. She recommended this." Nathan nodded to the box in my hand. "It's a little patch you put behind your ear. I don't know how it works, but it's supposed to be the good stuff." Nathan had a hopeful little smile on his face.
I had no idea how anyone could ever think this man was anything other than genuine, thoughtful and sweet.
"You up for it?" Nathan asked. "I know I kind of sprung this on you."
"I'm so up for it," I told him. "I haven't been on a roller coaster in years. The last time I went on one, I spent hours moaning and retching into a wastebasket."
"How pleasant." He grinned at me and held out his hand. "Shall we?"
The line up to get tickets was long, but before I could get in the queue, Nathan surprised me by shaking his head.
"I've already got tickets." He held up a handful he'd grabbed from his pocket. "I came here earlier while you were at work and bought some so we wouldn't have to wait."
My heart melted a little in my chest.
"Is there anything you haven't already thought of?" I asked.
"Well, I was going to smuggle in some booze in a water bottle, but I figured I should play it on the safe side."
I laughed and hugged his arm. He put it around my waist, pulling me close. I snuggled down into his side.
The line up for the dragon coaster wasn't that long. It was a weeknight, which meant fewer park patrons.
When the ride operator motioned for us to get on, I hesitated a moment. My doctors said roller coasters were now fine, but who could ever really know for sure?
"You okay?" Nathan murmured. "We don't have to if you don't want to."
I gathered myself and took a step onto the ride, seating myself on the wooden bench. I patted the space next to me. Nathan scooted in and put his arm back around me.
The ride jolted forward. I gripped the bar in front of me with a tight, white-knuckled grip.
"If I end up throwing up anyway, it's all on you," I told him. "You'll have to be the one taking care of me and listening to me moan and puke all night."
He pressed a hand to his heart. "I swear, if you start reenacting The Exorcist , I'll be there to hold your hair back and fetch you water."
The ride met its first downward spiral. As we soared through the air, my stomach did flips and my pulse raced, but it was only in excitement. There was no irregular heartbeat, no motion sickness. Just pure, adrenaline-filled fun. I whooped and screamed and threw my hands up in the air along with everyone else, laughing and shrieking at the same time.
After what seemed like forever, the ride slowed and came back to the starting point. My hair was disheveled and messed up. My breathing came in fits and starts. I clasped my hand over my mouth to stifle hysterical giggling, my eyes full of tears.
Nathan's grin faded when he saw me.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
I took a deep, gulping breath. "Let's go again!"
I totally understood now why he craved that rush. It was thrilling. It was intoxicating.
But not nearly as intoxicating as Nathan's ear to ear smile. It was like golden sunshine raining down, lighting up every dark place inside of me.
There was no way I could feel worried or afraid with that smile aimed at me.
Three more turns on the dragon later and I was completely done.
"No more," I groaned. "I might not feel like puking, but my head is spinning and I think I'm starting to get a headache."
"Let's go do something a little more relaxed," he suggested. "There's this cool gondola ride. It like a Ferris wheel cabin, but it slowly ziplines you from one end of the park all the way down to the other."
We stopped to get a bucket of popcorn along the way and took it to the ride. Since we already had the tickets, it was no trouble walking straight up and getting on one of the leisurely-moving cabins.
Once we'd settled in next to each other, thighs pressed together and ankles tangled, I finally felt my rapid pulse start to slow down.
"So how close was the rush of that dragon ride to the rush of being onstage?" I asked.
"Not even one percent," he said. "It takes a lot to compare to being on stage. Very few things match it."
"Sex being one of them?" I teased.
"Sex with the right person."
He took my hand in his, bringing our conjoined hands onto his lap. His thumb played with mine absentmindedly, like a game of thumb war without winners or losers.
"I'm happy you told me about your condition," he said quietly. "It would have been awful, making you do all these things without knowing how bad it might be for you."
"Please don't feel like that," I said. "You aren't making me do anything. I liked zorbing. I loved the roller coaster. I… like just being with you."
Nathan brought my hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to my knuckles. He used his other hand to cup my face. He looked into my eyes.
"I like being with you, too," he said.
Our faces inched closer together until our lips finally touched.
It was the first time we'd kissed since that night after the concert. It felt like ages ago. It felt like yesterday. His touch was familiar, as if we'd been kissing each other our whole lives.
His tongue brushed mine, seeking entrance. I opened to him, letting him slip past my lips. The kiss deepened, our breaths turning heavy.
He tugged me to him until I was practically sitting in his lap. I completed the motion, turning until I was straddling him, both knees to either side of his hips.
The shifted weight sent the small cabin tilting precariously, almost toppling us over. I clung to his shoulders as Nathan caught me before I could fall off him and onto the floor. We laughed into each other's mouths as our kiss broke.
"Maybe we should wait until we're somewhere safer," Nathan said.
"Where's your sense of adventure?"
"Or somewhere more private." He lifted an eyebrow and nodded to the cabin behind us.
An older couple was looking at us, scandalized. I waved to them. They looked away in a huff. Nathan chuckled.
"I'm a bad influence on you," he said.
"You are," I agreed. "I was a model daughter before I met you. Now look at me, sneaking off on dates with a boy and making out in public." I tsked and shook my head mockingly. "Look what you've turned me into."
"I could turn you into a lot worse," he said, voice lowering. "There's so many bad things I'd like to do to you."
My insides fluttered, turning hot and achey.
"And what exactly would those things be?" I asked, pressing closer until our hips fit together.
He brought his lips to my ear and murmured. "You remember that blindfold?"
I let out a small whimper as my inner muscles clenched.
"It comes with matching handcuffs," he added.
"Oh god…" I breathed. "Really?"
He nipped on my ear. "Really."
And for the second time in my life, I said words I never thought I'd hear myself say.
"Then let's get out of here."