“What?” Heath plucked off a hunk and put it in his mouth. “Mm. That’s really good, but I’m not sure it’s better than sex.”
“Oh, come on,” Ally teased as she pulled off another hunk and shoved it into his mouth. “Tell me that’s not orgasmic.”
He tugged her against him and took her in a sloppy, sugary kiss. The cotton candy melted in their mouths, and they both came away laughing.
“Maybe if I were eating it off of you…” He arched a brow and licked a sticky speck of pink from the corner of her mouth.
“Dr. Wild, what are you suggesting?” She narrowed her eyes and gave him a limp-wristed wave.
“Exactly what you think I am.” He kissed her again and realized a woman and her young boys were watching them. He draped his arm around Ally, and they walked toward the rides, chuckling and kissing.
The scents of hot dogs and fried foods hung in the air as the afternoon wore on, and the blue sky darkened with the setting sun. They’d ridden the bumper cars, the Ferris wheel, and the roller coaster and had spent hours exploring the park and people watching. They were heading for the beach to stroll along the shore when Heath was drawn in by the lights and sounds of the arcades.
“Don’t waste your money,” Ally said. “No one ever wins these things.”
“Didn’t you see all those people carrying stuffed animals? Of course you can win, and I happen to be a master at this stuff. Pick a prize and I’ll win it for you.” Heath nodded toward the bank of arcades. He’d spent so many hours playing these games with his brothers that he’d learned all the tricks of the trade. Like how he had to toss the basketball high and dead center or it would bounce off the rim, and when playing the squirt gun target game, one movement away from center would cost him the match.
Ally crossed her arms and surveyed the prizes at the water gun shooting game.
“I have a better idea. How about if you win the stuffed cat so Fifi has a friend?” he suggested.
“Me? I can’t win anything. You do it. I’ll watch.”
Heath shook his head. “There’s nothing you can’t do if you try.” He took out his wallet and paid for Ally’s turn. “It’s easy. All you have to do is aim and shoot. As you hit the target with your stream of water, the monkey climbs the tree. The first one up wins.”
Two teenagers were egging each other on beside them as they paid and got ready to play.
Heath moved behind Ally and put the gun in her hand.
“I’m seriously going to suck. You might as well have thrown your money into the ocean.” Ally held up the gun and looked nervously at the teens, who had gone silent and serious, standing with their legs shoulder width apart, arms outstretched, reaching forward, and clasping their guns.
Heath pressed his cheek to Ally’s from behind. “The key is to find the right spot on the target, then not to move. Don’t look at them and don’t get distracted by noises. Look, aim, fire.”
Ally shrugged. “Okay, but I’m telling you…”
The guy behind the counter sounded a buzzer that counted down 3, 2, 1, then buzzed again.
Ally held down the trigger. Heath held her wobbly arms steady as the hard stream of water pelted the target.
“We’re doing it!” she hollered, then looked over at the teens and tilted the gun, missing the target for a split second, which cost them the round. “Aw! Let’s do it again. I can do better.”
The teenagers hooted and hollered as they chose their prize.
Heath laughed as he paid again, and two more players joined them.
“We’ve got this.” Ally spread her legs wider and held the gun with two hands, her eyes narrowed, focused on the target.
Heath smiled at her concentration. “That’s my competitive girl.” He stepped back and let her do it on her own.
When the kid beside her won, she whipped her head around to Heath with a challenging look in her eyes. “Again?”
He laughed and paid for another round. “Want me to try?”
“I’ve got this.” She lowered her chin, aimed, and when the buzzer sounded, she hit the target dead-on, without wobbly arms and without looking away for even a second. Her monkey climbed to the top of the tree and her bell sounded.
“We did it!” Ally jumped up and down and flew into Heath’s arms again.
“No, babe. You did it.”
Ally chose her prize and hugged the stuffed cat to her chest, beaming as they crossed the boardwalk toward the beach. “I’ve never won anything before, and I wouldn’t even have tried if it weren’t for you.”
“You were a natural.”
“A natural, huh? I wonder what I could do with a real gun,” she teased.
“I’d much rather see what you can do with cotton candy.” He pulled her in close. “I have a feeling that you have the ability to master whatever you put that brilliant mind of yours to. Now, if I could only figure out how to get your sights set on me.”
He jumped from the boardwalk down to the beach and reached up to help Ally.