Page 101 of The Lighthouse at the Cove
“Are you a chicken?” she asked, challenging him.
“Are you seriously calling a firefighter a chicken?” A captivating smile spread on his face.
She handed the remaining pieces of her pretzel to a befuddled-looking Becca before grinning at Reid. “Then prove you’re not a chicken, Lieutenant Turner,” she ordered before taking off.
“I’ll show you!” Reid called after her.
She dashed toward the ride, but just as she reached the line, strong arms grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up in the air. She shrieked and giggled as Reid held her close.
“I’m not a chicken,” he whispered in her ear, and his deep voice sent a riot of shivers cascading over her skin. “I accept your challenge.” He set her back on her feet, tilted her chin up toward his mouth, and then lowered his lips to hers.
She held on to his shoulders and lost herself in the moment, not caring there were crowds of people around them. When he released her, she trailed her finger over his chiseled jaw and enjoyed the feel of his five o’clock shadow. She wanted to memorize every detail of Reid’s handsome face, every muscle of his body, even the sound of his voice.
“There you go again,” he said with a chuckle. “You keep zoning out on me, Ky. What’s up?”
“Nothing.” She pulled him toward the ride. “Come on, Lieutenant Turner. I’m still not convinced you’re not a chicken.”
He laughed and shook his head while they took their place in line. Kaiah scanned the large crowd moving around the carnival.
When they reached the front of the line, Kaiah hopped into the seat and fastened her safety harness while Reid climbed in beside her.
A teenage girl made her way down the line, checking all the harnesses and then giving a thumbs-up to a young man sitting in a booth.
“All right,” the guy’s voice called over the intercom. “Who’s ready to scream?”
The roller coaster jerked to life and then started its journey forward, going up, up, up, up on the bright red track. Kaiah’s stomach dipped before tying itself into a knot. She grinned over at Reid.
“Hold my hand,” he said.
Gladly.Kaiah reached out and wove her fingers with his, imprinting the warmth of his skin and the feel of his calloused hand against hers.
The roller coaster came to the top of the hill, hesitated for a second, and then started its plummet. Kaiah sucked in a breath, opened her mouth, and screamed.
The roller coaster kept going down, down, down, twisting and turning and zooming away. She screamed again as the roller coaster took them upside down—still twisting and turning as it accelerated through more turns.
The roller coaster made another dip, and Kaiah gripped Reid’s hand as she screamed with delight. After a few more dips, twists, and turns, the roller coaster slowed down and came back to the station. When the train came to stop, Kaiah released his hand.
“What’d you think?” she asked as they climbed down the stairs toward the souvenir stand.
Reid grinned. “Nowthatwas fun.”
“Should we go again?” she asked. “Or are you afraid?”
“I suppose I can do it once more.”
“Yay!” She dragged him back to the line. “I guess you’re not a chicken after all.”
Piper sang softly to herself in the back seat of the Suburban, her hands moving the teddy bear Reid had won for her up and down tothe beat of the song. Kaiah smiled at the little girl, and her heart felt heavy at the thought of saying goodbye.
The line of homes that had become familiar to her whizzed past the window. After riding the roller coaster two more times, she and Reid had met up with Becca, Cash, and the girls, and they rode the carousel, bumper cars, Tilt-A-Whirl, and other rides before playing games until the carnival finally closed.
Kaiah had enjoyed each moment with Reid and his family, but as the evening wore on, guilt nagged the edges of her conscience. She’d lied to him about the phone call. Reid had been nothing but kind, supportive, and generous ever since he’d picked her up at the mechanic’s shop the day her car broke down, and he deserved better.
When he stopped the SUV at a red light, Kaiah took a quivering breath and then faced him. “Reid, I have to tell you something.”
“Okay...” He rested his arm on the steering wheel.
“I lied to you.”
