Page 79 of Because I Liked A Boy
Heat flushed through me. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re blushing,” he smirked, tugging me deeper inside.
The air smelled like sugar and grease, kids darting past sticky with candy, rides clattering overhead. Chaos everywhere. My chest tightened until his arm slid around my shoulders, grounding me.
“Relax,” he murmured against my temple. “I’ve got you.”
Then he stopped in front of the Titan, the biggest coaster in the park. Steel stretching so high it disappeared into the clouds.
“Oh, fuck no,” I blurted. “Absolutely not. Pick something smaller.”
Hunter’s grin was lethal. “Smaller’s not my style.” His hand slid low, squeezing just above my ass. “You can handle big. Trust me.”
My knees went weak. “Hunter!”
He only laughed, tugging me toward the line. “Biggest one first. Breaks the seal. Can’t wait to hear you scream.”
I gaped. “You’re talking about the roller coaster, right?”
His smirk curved sinful. “Sure.”
The line moved too fast. Before I knew it, we were strapped into the front row—of course the front row—my hands white-knuckled on the harness.
“Hunter,” I hissed. “This is a death trap. You dragged me here just to murder me.”
Cool as ever, he stretched an arm across the bar between us. “If you were gonna die in my hands, princess, it wouldn’t be like this.” His green eyes glinted. “It’d be a lot messier. Louder.”
“Disgusting.”
“And you’re shaking,” he shot back. “Don’t worry. I’ll hold you when you scream.”
The car jolted, dragging us up. Each clank ratcheted higher, the ground shrinking below. Hunter looked thrilled. His grin was lazy, sharp, eyes locked on me like I was the real show.
“Look at you,” he murmured, thumb brushing over my hand. “Clutching me like I’m the only thing keeping you safe. Which is true.”
“If I survive this,” I muttered, “I’m killing you.”
“Promise?”
The track tipped and dropped.
I screamed, wrecked and raw. Hunter just laughed, gripping my hand so tight I couldn’t have let go even if I wanted to.
By the time the ride screeched to a stop, my legs were jelly. He tugged me up, one arm firm around my waist.
“See?” His lips brushed my temple. “Told you I’d hold you when you screamed.”
“I hate you,” I gasped.
His grin turned feral. “No, princess. You’re addicted to me.”
And God help me he was right.
He didn’t let go of my hand after that. Not through lines, not through spinning swings that left my stomach in knots, not through the log flume where he wrapped me up right before the plunge. His laugh boomed when I shrieked and clung to him, water soaking us through. He kissed me anyway, grinning against my lips like nothing else mattered.
“See? You love me wet,” he teased.
“Hunter!”
