The heat becomes a fire, and I leap off the bench. But he’s only a step behind me. He scoops me up and into his arms bridal style.
“You’re going to get it now,” he growls.
“Are you going to throw me in the pool?” I ask, not afraid at all.
“I love you too much for that,” he murmurs. “How about a ride instead?”
Love. Sean just said love. Should I acknowledge that slip of the tongue?
“I was wondering when you were going to do something romantic,” I tease, tickling the hair at the base of his head.
He shivers. “You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were a member of the family already.”
“I learned from the best.”
“So, in your humble and unbiased opinion, am I the best Bentley?”
I laugh, remembering the time I told Trent he was the better Bentley. He might have been better back then, but Sean is the best, for me.
“I suppose. But don’t let it go to your head.”
“Too late.”
The Ferris wheel operator motions us forward, informing Sean he will have to let go of me. To which Sean replies never. And then the ride operator threatens to not let us ride, so I have to tell him it was a joke.
But Sean takes one look at the waiting carriage and frowns. “We’ll wait for the next one.”
“Sean,” I tug his arm. “That one’s fine.”
“Nah, it looks like a bolt is missing,” he says, eyeing the operator.
The guy rolls his eyes and starts up the ride again.
Sean tucks me into his side as we watch the Ferris wheel spin and I wrap my arm around his waist, placing my little arm on his chest. He takes hold of it like it's a gift, pressing a kiss on it. Then he turns my face kissing me like it's all he's thought about tonight. His fingers trace the ties up my back, then get lost in my hair.
“Uh-hmm.“ The operator clears his throat and I untangle my lips from Sean's. He motions us forward as the ride slows down.
Sean lets me get settled first before stepping on. Once the bar is over our legs Sean pulls me into his side.
I lean into him, enjoying his warmth as the ride starts up again. We pass by the tops of trees, then over houses. The neighborhood below us is lit with thousands of Christmas lights and it's magical to experience it from up here. We circle back down then head up again but the ride slows when we reach the top.
“Hey, Sunny?” Sean whispers, pulling me tighter as the ride stops to let more people on.
I nuzzle in closer. “Yeah?”
“Why did you name your shop Sunny’s Sweets?”
“I liked the nickname,” I shrug.
“Me too, but there’s more to it than that. Although I am excellent at giving nicknames.”
He laces his fingers through mine and I give a resigned sigh. “When I moved here, I was lost in the dark. But that day you introduced me like that, something flipped like a switch in me. I’d been planning to hide for the rest of the year. But all at once I wasn’t in the shadows anymore, I could just be myself. Everyone knew me. Everyone said hi to me. You think I’m your sunshine, but you were mine.”
He pulls my chin up until I can read the look in his eyes telling me very plainly how much he cares for me.
“Would you call me crazy if I said I loved you?”
I bite the inside of my cheek, my heart racing. “Honestly, Sean, nothing you do surprises me anymore.”
