4. Beckett
BECKETT
“Are you sure this thing is safe?” I asked, handing the attendant two tickets. I looked up at the giant contraption in front of us. Blue and red lights flickered against the night sky, dousing Sawyer and the giant ass bear in her arms in a soft glow.
She nodded eagerly, damn near vibrating next to me. “Of course it is. I’ve been coming to this thing for years. Plus, it’s the best seat in the house.”
How the hell this thing could be considered the best seat in any capacity was beyond me. The rickety metal platform groaned as Sawyer and I stepped onto it, which seemed anything but safe. “That’s not reassuring, you know.”
“It’s a ferris wheel, not a death trap,” Sawyer deadpanned.
“I don’t know if there’s a difference,” I muttered, shifting my weight. “Has this thing gone through any kind of inspection?”
Sawyer wrapped her slender fingers around my bicep and pulled me to the side.
The attendant barked something about losing our place in line, but she just waved him away.
“Look, if you really don’t want to do this, I won’t make you.
” I waited a beat, watching her play with the tiny buttons down the front of her dress. “But…”
“This is where the bribe comes in, doesn’t it?” I asked, arching a brow.
Her smile may have been shy, but I saw a hint of trouble behind her schemes.
“Well, we’ve done so much with your bucket list…
I thought you might be kind enough to tick something off of mine.
” Our eyes met, playful and glowing beneath the lights.
The different colors danced across her skin, highlighting each soft angle of her face.
It wouldn’t have mattered what she asked me at that moment, I would’ve said yes.
“Tell me.”
“Every Friday night, there’s a fireworks show to celebrate. Everyone says the best view is from the top of the ferris wheel.” She bit her lip and looked toward the sky. “Especially if you have someone to share it with.”
Ah, so the sweet, small town girl next door wanted a kiss.
It was clear she wasn’t used to asking for what she wanted, and that was something I wasn’t used to.
The women I spent time with didn’t falter in going after whatever or whoever they saw fit.
Careful consideration or apologies never crossed their minds, which I usually found myself drawn to. It was easy and uncomplicated.
But this? Watching a bright pink hue creep up the creamy expanse of her chest and neck before settling in her high cheekbones was even better than I could’ve imagined. It was my new favorite sight. One that had my heart racing and cock thickening without her even trying.
I stepped forward, loving the way she had to crane her neck to stare up at me. My hand brushed hers, and I intertwined our pinky fingers. “If you wanted a kiss, all you had to do was say so.”
Sawyer pushed at my chest, but didn’t correct me. “Well, is that a yes?”
I grabbed her wrist and tugged her back toward me. Her hand landed on my chest, settling as I ran my fingertips down her arm. “Sugar, it’s a hell yes.”
Her eyebrows shot up at the endearment. “Sugar?”
“Call it a hunch,” I said, placing my hand on her lower back and guiding her toward the ferris wheel. When I leaned in, she shivered as my breath caressed her neck. “I have a feeling you taste sweet as hell.”
“Oh my god,” she muttered, quickly stepping onto the ride.
All the confidence vacated my body the moment I followed suit.
The basket swung as we slid in close to one another, leaving me feeling more than a bit uneasy.
I rested my arm along the back of her seat and focused on the heat of her skin rather than the grinding of the gears as the wheel began to move.
“Whatever you do—”
“Holy shit,” I whispered, leaning over the edge. The people and lights below us grew smaller and smaller before we suddenly stopped, causing the compartment to shudder.
Sawyer grimaced and finished her warning. “Don’t look over the edge.”
“Why are we stopping? Are we stuck?” I glanced around nervously.
This was why I liked to keep both feet on the ground. I didn’t even like flying, for fucks sake. What was I supposed to do if we got stuck? There was no way I’d be able to climb down this thing, which wouldn’t even be an option if I could. This wasn’t a fucking movie.
I wiped my sweaty palms on my thighs, trying miserably to control the rising panic currently overriding my nervous system.
It couldn’t differentiate between a rickety fair ride and free-falling hundreds of feet to my death.
Each thundering heart beat sent a new wave of misplaced adrenaline coursing through my body. “We’re going to die, aren’t we?”
“We’re not going to die,” she chuckled. Her face sobered as she looked my way. I wasn’t sure what she saw—maybe it was my white-knuckled grip on the railing or how I struggled to take a full breath—but it had her springing into action. “Hey, breathe,” Sawyer murmured.
She shifted gently in her seat and took my face between her hands, leaving me no choice but to focus all my attention on her. Her touch was soft. Reverent, even. It was enough to make me focus on the gentle fingers on my cheek rather than our impending doom.
“With me, okay? In for one, two, three…” She sucked in a deep breath before letting it go slowly. “And out for one, two, three…” I followed her instructions, letting the fresh air and her sweet, tender voice ground me. “One more time. Focus on me, okay?”
I wondered what she must’ve thought about me. Having a panic attack on our first date wasn’t really the precedent I wanted to set. Not that it mattered because we wouldn’t see each other after tonight, but I hated thinking that I’d ruined what little time we had together.
We sat in silence for a moment before Sawyer offered a tentative smile. God, she really was beautiful. “How are you doing?”
“Better now,” I said, carefully sitting up a little straighter.
The carriage rocked slightly as it moved, but it was much smoother than I expected.
“Sorry about that. I’m not really good with heights.
I got trapped in the glass elevator at my dad’s office when I was a kid.
I could see the whole city, and it kind of stuck with me. ”
“Then why did you agree to come on this with me?” she asked.
I shrugged. It’d never occurred to me to say no. Especially not when it was something she was clearly looking forward to. “You asked me to. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
“Oh, Beckett…” Sawyer gripped my hand and intertwined our fingers. “I never would’ve asked if I knew.”
“How many times am I going to get the chance to face my fears with a pretty girl to comfort me?” She rolled her eyes, and I smirked. “Besides, if we’re taking the bucket list seriously, a ferris wheel ride is kind of at the top of the list. It’d be a disservice to the cliché not to do it.”
Sawyer glanced down at my lips. “Is it just the ride itself that’s cliché, or is there another part to it?”
“I feel like there’s something else, but I just can’t remember,” I murmured, leaning in.
Between my panic attack and now, we’d drifted closer.
I could smell her fruity shampoo on the breeze.
Could feel the heat radiating from her skin.
The slight sheen of sweat lining her palms. Or maybe it was mine. I honestly wasn’t sure.
Just then, a loud pop exploded. We both turned just as the first firework fizzled out and a second quickly followed.
“Oh, my god. Look!” Sawyer pointed excitedly as they continued filling the night sky with multi-hued glitter, like artificial stars lighting up the darkness. They were gorgeous. Truly.
But they didn’t hold a candle to Sawyer.
Without thinking, I cupped her jaw, turning her face back toward me.
She didn’t resist my pull. Didn’t argue with me, push me away, or tell me to watch the fireworks.
I counted the freckles spread across her cheeks, wanting to savor this moment of peace that I wasn’t sure I deserved, but couldn’t help myself from taking.
The night was nearly over, and I still hadn’t kissed her. There was no way in hell I could let that pass me by. A notion sweet Sawyer seemed to share.
Her lips parted, fingers threading themselves into my hair, as we collided with one another. The kiss started slow, but our hesitation only lasted for a second. Once I had her taste on my tongue, I couldn’t help but want more.
Despite the noise from the fairground, the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ from the crowd below, and the hammering of my heart in my ears, I couldn’t focus on anything or anyone but Sawyer. She kissed with passion, further tangling her fingers in my hair and pulling me closer as if she couldn’t get enough.
The carriage came to a stop near the top, and Sawyer hesitated for a moment.
I assumed she wanted to look out over the town, to take in the sights, but I was wrong.
She took full advantage of the lack of motion, climbing onto my lap instead.
The evidence of my arousal was fucking unmistakable as she ground down against me.
“Fuck, baby,” I whimpered against her lips. “Careful now.”
Sawyer pulled back, those innocent doe eyes impossibly wide.
“Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you?” She tried scrambling off me, but I gripped her waist, keeping her trapped where she was.
Hell, I didn’t want her to move. I just didn’t want to come in my pants at the top of a fucking ferris wheel, and her eagerness had me damn near ready to blow.
“The opposite, actually,” I chuckled, shifting my hips so she felt just how much she affected me. She glanced down, mouth forming a cute O shape as she realized what I was saying. “Yeah. Oh.”
Her lips quirked, one side lifting in a devastatingly cute little smirk. “Do you, uh, want to stop?”