Blushing, I look away, fighting the warmth spreading through my chest. “It’s your money.”
I’m getting hungrier now, so we decide to try out some of the food stalls. There are plenty of them scattered throughout the fair. Chicago is such a diverse city with people from everycountry living here, and the fair reflects that beautifully. Everything from samosas to Korean barbecue to classic hot dogs tempts us. We stick to an Indian stall selling samosas—hot pastries filled with a spiced potato mixture and deep-fried to golden perfection. They serve them with a spicy green chutney, and we eat as we walk around the fair, the flavors dancing on our tongues.
Ethan insists on paying for everything, which is why I have some money clenched in my hand, ready to beat him to the punch. However, he’s faster than me, which is incredibly annoying. My eyes soon settle on the game stalls. Most of them are aimed at kids, but some target couples and teens. There’s one where you have to shoot targets a certain number of times to win prizes. I wipe my hands on the napkin the stall owner provided. “I want to try that out.”
“Have you ever held a gun?” Ethan asks me, and I lift my shoulders with false confidence.
“How hard could it be?”
He compresses his lips, barely containing his amusement. “Not hard at all.”
For the first two tries, I can’t even get myself to grip the gun properly. On the third try, Ethan finally steps in and helps me hold the gun, his body pressing against my back as his hands cover mine. The contact sends heat racing through me, and I struggle to concentrate on anything but his proximity.
“Hey! No cheating!” the stall worker complains, pointing at us accusingly. Ethan gives him a look so cold it could freeze hell, and the man immediately shuts up. I’m so nervous holding the gun, my body still jerks when I press the trigger, resulting in me missing the target entirely. My goal is the smallest prize, a small stuffed panda bear. The first prize is a large stuffed bear, easily bigger than me.
“I can win the bear for you,” Ethan offers, his breath warm against my ear, but I shake my head stubbornly.
“I want to win that panda, and I want to do it myself.”
He sighs, his chest rumbling against my back. “I guess we’ll be seeing that firework show after all.”
“You’re not funny.” I glare at him over my shoulder, and he grins, unrepentant.
“Right. Let’s get you that panda.”
I don’t know how long it takes, but with him constantly steadying my aim, his hands guiding mine with infinite patience, I manage to shoot three of the seven targets. I’m not even close to winning the smallest prize, but the store worker is tired of us and wants us gone. “Here, lady. You won. Now go away, and don’t come back.”
Clutching my prize, I glance at Ethan with triumph shining in my eyes. “That was a fair win, right?”
He gives me a grave look, playing along with mock seriousness. “I should think so. That was a lot of work. Let’s go get something more to eat now.”
The panda bear is a little grimy, and I wipe it with my sleeve carefully. “I should probably give it a wash when I get home.”
“I could have gotten you the big bear.” Ethan looks displeased as he buys us ice cream from the nearby stall, his protective instincts clearly ruffled. “You should’ve just let me shoot.”
“This is more satisfying.” I beam at the small panda, which fits perfectly in my palm. “Besides, how was I going to lug around that huge bear? It deserves to be in a kid’s bedroom. I’m going to keep mine in my office. You’re going to go right on my desk.”
I kiss the panda’s nose happily, not realizing I have an audience until I hear Ethan’s sharp intake of breath.
Ethan chuckles, but there’s something heated in his gaze. “Will you be kissing it every time you see it?”
“It’s my bear.” I tuck it under my arm protectively, unawareof how the simple gesture makes his eyes darken. “I can kiss it whenever I want.”
He’s about to say something when a child bumps into him, breaking the charged moment between us.
“Timothy! Come here!” A woman’s voice has the child scurrying past us, and I look over to see her scooping up the little boy. There’s another girl walking alongside her.
The sun has begun to set, painting the sky in brilliant oranges and pinks, and the fair is growing more crowded as families arrive for the evening festivities. My eyes linger on the woman carrying the little boy, and I feel a strange wistfulness wash over me. “I always told myself when I grow up, I’d have a house full of children. At least seven or eight.”
Ethan jerks, nearly dropping his ice cream. “That many? Are you planning to raise a football team?”
I laugh, the sound lighter than I’ve felt in years. “Maybe. I just like the idea of a big family.”
“You know a big family requires a lot of sacrifices. A person like you would want to be more involved in their kids’ lives. You might not be able to continue your career.”
His quiet words have me thinking seriously. I lick my ice cream cone thoughtfully, the cold sweetness melting on my tongue. “That’s a long time coming, though.”
“But you’ve already grown up, Natalie,” Ethan points out, his voice dropping to that low tone that always affects me. “The future is here and now.”
