But the one thing I hadn’t anticipated was gravity. Each time the bucket swung to the outside of the ride’s loop, my rear end slid on the cold metal seat closer and closer to Cowboy. I held a death grip on the bar to keep myself in place, but it was no use. Several laps in, my hips were pushed all the way up against his and the force of the ride’s movement kept me welded to him.
At one point my hand even ended up on his chest to keep my face from pressing closer to his. He grasped my hand and held it lightly in his as I fought to keep myself from ending up in his lap.
He leaned closer and whispered into my ear, “Stop fighting it and just have fun already.”
I sighed. It was no use, anyway, so I did what he suggested.
Even with my body pushing into his, I found that I was enjoying the rush of wind on my face and the exhilaration of the twists and turns. The rock music reverberated loudly into my chest as the bucket zigged and zagged in different directions, like we were being slingshot from one side of the ride to the other over and over again in some weird yet consistent pattern.
The unexpected thrill of speed and gravity had me smiling uncontrollably, but the excitement of being shoved forcibly into Cowboy’s hard body for the duration of the ride was a buzz-worthy event in itself. He smiled and lowered his brawny arm from the back of the seat to behind me where it came to rest on my hip. I was essentially being cradled in his rugged arms…and I liked it. Maybe a little too much.
Our bodies generated heat, while the friction hardened my aching nipples. They poked through my blouse. I knew I should put some distance between us, but his glittering green eyes held mine, keeping me in place. The fast ride invigorated me, but Cowboy’s incredible smile made me dizzy.
As the machine finally slowed, so did my heart rate. That’s when all of my senses returned, and I fully realized the intimate position Cowboy and I were maintaining.
Startled by the pleasure I felt, I pushed away from him so abruptly that he frowned at me. “What’s the problem?” he asked as the ride came to a full stop and the lap bar automatically disengaged.
“Don’t you have to get back to peddling your calendars?” I asked softly, wondering how the hell he managed to get past my defenses. I stood up and stepped shakily out of the bucket, still feeling a little wobbly from the ride. Or maybe it was from the way he had held me.
Cowboy followed me, but I kept going, pretending he was no longer there. Once we made it outside the exit gate, he grasped my arm gently to stop me from walking away. “Anna, why do you keep running away from me?”
Because I have to. “I’m not,” I said, shaking my head in denial. “The ride is over and I’m moving on to the next one. But since I know you have to get back, don’t let me stop you. Please tell Bobbie Jo I’ll check on her soon.”
With that, I turned and speed-walked away. I was in such a hurry to get away from him that I didn’t even pay any attention to which direction I had gone. I’d somehow ended up on the backside of the gaming booths where the carnies had parked their big trucks and travel trailers.
The area was much darker and I had to be careful not to trip over the large electrical cables that powered all of the rides and were running across the trail. I thought about turning back, but I was too afraid Cowboy would still be there, so I kept moving forward, looking for a path that would cut through the booths and take me back to the other side.
I caught sight of a glowing light up ahead and quickened my steps, hoping I’d run into someone who could tell me how to get back to where I came from. But when I rounded the bend, I found it wasn’t a light at all. It was a stack of wooden pallets…one that happened to be covered in flames.
I skidded to a stop. The fire wasn’t large and looked to be contained, but my chest still tightened as turmoil sloshed through my veins. My heart rate accelerated, and my pulse roared in my ears. Every fiber of my being wanted me to turn around and run in the opposite direction. But I couldn’t. I remembered how those all-too-familiar flames had ruined my life by taking something precious from me. I couldn’t—no, I wouldn’t—allow it to happen anymore. I welded myself in place.