He lifted her chin and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “What is it, princess?”
“You’re, well … you’re staying here tonight, right? I mean … will you stay with me?”
His features softened as his hand slid around to cup her neck. He lifted her to him, pressing his mouth to hers in a fiery kiss that left them both panting. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Jessa was filled with emotion. He’d give her tonight, and she’d keep the memory tucked deep, knowing it would be little comfort when this was over.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, afraid to let go, afraid to hang on.
Garrett Donovan had stolen her heart.
Chapter Fifteen
“No, Garrett.”
“Come on, Jessa.”
“You seriously want me to ride that? I’ll get all wet!”
His lids fell shut and he cursed under his breath. “I promise it won’t hurt, and it’ll be over before you know it. You might even enjoy it.”
Jessa looked up at the ginormous water ride and her stomach turned itself inside out. Nervousness paralyzed her limbs. She shook her head. “I can’t feel my legs.”
“I’ll be with you the whole time,” he promised.
She swallowed a gulp and shook her head again. No way was she getting on that thing. Not in this lifetime.
“It’s perfectly safe,” he purred at her.
She poked him in the chest. “No fair using your sexy voice on me.”
“I have a sexy voice?” He blinked his beautiful eyes and gave her a look that was more rogue than innocent.
“Yes, damn it, you do. Stop using it.”
He leaned in. “You shouldn’t have told me that. I’ll use any tactic to get my way.”
“You wouldn’t.”
His lips quirked as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I would.”
“I’m the ‘keep my feet on the ground’ kind of girl. Not the ‘ride a log up fifty stories and then plummet to the earth’ kind of girl.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “You’re exaggerating, Jess. It’s not fifty stories.”
“But the sign said —”
“Fifty feet, princess. Feet. Not stories.”
“Oh,” she said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. “That makes it all better then.”
She didn’t know how long they’d waited, but it wasn’t near enough time to get her nerves in check. When Garrett had mentioned spending the day together, she’d imagined he’d want to stay in, stay naked. Order a pizza. Maybe catch a game on the TV. But this … this she hadn’t expected.
“Come on, we didn’t stand in line all this time so you could back out.” He laughed and grabbed her hand, pulling her with him as the hallowed out log that would carry them to their deaths arrived. He gave her a sexy smile. “This is nothing. Be glad I’m not taking you on the roller coasters.”
“What are you? Some kind of adrenaline junkie?”
He ignored her. “In you go.”
She glared at him as he helped her into her seat at the front. “You so owe me for this.”
He gave her cheek a quick peck, then hopped into the seat behind her. “Looking forward to paying up, sweetheart.”
Jessa closed her eyes and prayed she could get through this without throwing up. Nervous energy flowed and she felt her cheeks grow warm with … what? Fear? Anticipation?
The ride jerked to a start and they were on their way. A warm, heavy weight squeezed her shoulder in reassurance and she craned her neck, catching the heat that flashed in his eyes as his thumb caressed the back of her neck, just for a second, before pulling away again.
Within minutes, she’d forgotten her fears and was lost in the magic of the ride. She giggled at the banjo-playing animatronic rabbit, the hillbilly music, the happy squeals of the children behind her. By the time the warning signs signified danger ahead, when they started to climb the steep slope, she was enchanted.
As they neared the top, awareness had her knuckles whitening on the bar over her lap and she squeezed her eyes shut, holding her breath.