Page 45 of Absinthe Dreams
He pops open the door and then lifts me from the truck, making sure he slides me down his body until I'm on my feet. I groan softly, stumbling into him, which earns a deep laugh from him.
"Terrorist," I grumble.
"You fucking love it," he retorts, linking our fingers together.
We stroll toward the entrance hand-in-hand and then pass through the gates. The entire lot is a riot of bright colors and loud music, with happy laughter spilling over the top. Itinstantly brings a smile to my face. I can't remember the last time I went to a carnival.
Trystan buys armbands for both of us, insisting that we'll need them, and then loops an arm around my waist. He keeps me tucked against his side as he leads me toward food vendors, where the smell of sugar and cooking meat permeates every inch of the air.
"Pink?" he asks, glancing over his shoulder at me when it's his turn to order.
"Always pink."
He flashes me that smile—the one that makes me forget anyone else even exists—and then places our order. Within seconds, he's got a giant ball of pink cotton candy in one hand and a turkey leg in the other.
We wander through the carnival while we nibble on the turkey leg and eat way too much cotton candy, just looking at everything. Eventually, he stops in front of a dart game, reaching for his wallet.
"You're going to lose," I tease him.
"I never lose," he says, as if he's mastered whatever trickery these places use to ensure no one ever really wins. He nods at a giant teddy bear hanging from a net. "You're going home with that tonight, Coco."
"If you say so."
"I do."
I stand aside, eating cotton candy while he tries like hell to win that teddy bear. Even when his darts hit the balloons, they just bounce right off half the time. But he just narrows his eyes, focusing, and tries again.
I'm not sure who is more surprised when he actually manages to win—him or the carnie. But the guy hands over the massive teddy bear, and Trystan saunters toward me with a devilish smirk.
"Your prize, princess," he says, holding it out to me.
I grin, shaking my head, and wrap my arms around it. It's soft and fuzzy…damn near as big as I am. He laughs and snaps a photo of me hugging it before we offer it to a toddler in a princess dress and a tiara who keeps staring at it in awe.
She squeals when I place it in her arms, the bear's feet dragging the ground as she races back to her dad's side to show him her new prize.
"You don't mind, do you?" I ask Trystan, just to make sure.
"Nah, baby." He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. "I've wanted to win that goddamn bear for you since I was ten. My job here is finally done. She can have it."
I laugh quietly, grateful for him in ways I can't even explain.
For the next two hours, we eat carnival food, and he drags me on every ride we come across. I spend most of them with my face pressed against his shoulder, shrieking in terror. He spends them with his arm around my waist, holding me tightly.
It's perfect.
Until he pulls me toward the Ferris Wheel.
"No way," I protest, digging in my heels.
His green eyes light up. "Oh, you're getting on it, Coco. Even if I have to carry your pretty little ass on."
"You wouldn't."
"Try me."
I consider my options for a moment. There's not a chance in hell that I'm getting on that Ferris wheel. Hell no. Last time I got on one, I got stuck at the top for half an hour. Do you know how much it sucks to be stuck on top of the world when you have to pee?
"Fine," I lie, already plotting an escape route. "I'll go."
