Christina Smith [A Moon's Glo Riley's Secret (epub)

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.Apprehension flowed through me at the sound.We started to slowly move backwards.“Are you really sure they won’t mind? I mean you’re only eighteen and they let you use their speedboat?”He looked at me and paused.“I told you, it’s one of the perks of working for them.Now relax and enjoy.Being on the water at night is amazing.” Once we were out of the way of the other boats he pushed down on the throttle and we really took off.The wind whipped my hair, blowing it in my face.I had to hold it back so I could see the lights glowing off the shore as we sped by houses and businesses.He was right.It was awesome.He spun us around the lake, pointing out his cottage, the Riley estate and other houses he knew of.Most were members of the board of directors for the charity he helped run.After driving around for a while he pulled up to Lake Wapoose.It was an amusement park that was nestled along the lake, a place where families could enjoy rides and picnics by the beach.It was very popular when I was growing up.Mona had taken me a few times.He stopped at the dock, the sound of the water slapping against the boats echoed around us.After he anchored us, we hopped off the boat and strolled up the hill and into the crowd.It was busy tonight; the lights, the music and the people working the games yelling at us to play.It was loud, noisy and very exciting.I felt like a kid again.The air smelled of popcorn, grease and the sugary scent of cotton candy.“Hey, buddy, you want to win a prize for your girl? I bet she likes dolphins,” a guy in a red Wapoose amusement park T-shirt yelled from his booth.He held up a big blue stuffed dolphin.Nate strolled over and plunked money down onto the counter.“Nate, don’t.These games are really hard to win.” I stood beside him, touching his arm.He turned to me, gave me a wink and threw the ball, knocking the group of five bottles down.That earned him a small stuffed pig.He threw a couple more times, knocking them all down on each try.The worker looked shocked as he handed Nate the big dolphin, taking the pathetic-looking pig back.“Thank you, I’ll sleep with him every night,” I said after he handed me the soft plush toy.We turned away from the game and started walking, falling in with the crowd.A shrill alarm went off beside me, making me jump.I looked over and saw a little boy had won at the water pistol game.He jumped up and down shouting, “Wahoo!”I smiled and took Nate’s hand.We wandered around watching the kids go on rides and play games.I felt at peace here.Nothing complicated at an amusement park; just play and have fun, that’s it.I didn’t have to worry about fires, old friends or snooty, stuck-up parents.“Are you hungry?” he asked as we came up to a food stand.“Not really, we just had dinner a few hours ago.But I could eat some cotton candy.”He bought a cheeseburger for himself and a pink cotton candy for me.As I munched my treat and he gobbled his burger, we strolled down the parkway toward the fishpond.We stopped and watched a little girl in ringlets pull up her magnetic rod, which held a blue plastic fish.Her grin was big, showing dimples and a few missing teeth.After a little boy with a backwards hat took over we headed back into the crowd.“Do you come here often?” I asked, pulling some cotton candy from the stick and popping it in my mouth.The string of sugar melted instantly onto my tongue.“No, but I like to take the boat out and I’ve driven past a few times.The lights are pretty at night.” He leaned in, taking a bite of my cotton candy.“Umm, that’s good.I’ve never tried it before,” he mumbled, his mouth still full.“Really? Not even when you were a kid?”He chuckled in a way that made me think I was missing something.“Come on, we’re going on this ride.” He took my hand and pulled me onto the Ferris wheel.I wasn’t really a fan of heights, but I ignored my fear and took my place next to him.When the ride started and we slowly ascended, he took my right hand in his.I used the other to squeeze the dolphin.“You’re afraid of heights aren’t you?”“A little.How could you tell?”“I could feel you tense.” He rubbed my hand soothingly with his thumb.“Don’t worry, you won’t fall.I won’t let anything happen to you.”I stared into his intense blue eyes and I knew he meant every word.“Nate?”He had turned away, looking down at the scene on the ground, the people milling about, going on rides and playing games.“Hmm?” he said absently.“Why did you change your mind? Last week at school you didn’t want anything to do with me.Was it because Eddie was going to fix me up with his friend?”He gave me a warm smile, his face aglow with affection, but for a split second, his eyes looked tortured.“You heard that, did you? I thought I heard the door open.” He sighed and bowed his head.“I couldn’t be with you, like I said, but I couldn’t see you with anyone else.It would kill me.It was bad enough watching you date guys at school, but to see you every day at Riley House and listen to the two of you talk about you and his friend—I couldn’t do it.So I was selfish.When you kissed me, I realized I couldn’t pull away again.” He leaned in to touch his lips to mine.The movement made the cart sway and we just happened to be on the top.I grabbed hold of him, fear gripping me from the inside.“Don’t move!”“We won’t fall, I promise.”I looked down at the ground.God, we’re high.I needed a distraction.“So how long have you felt this way about me?”“Oh, I don’t think you need to know that.”“Come on, you said you watched me date guys, so that means you liked me before now.And by the way, it wasn’t many.” Since the cart stopped moving, I gently let go of his denim jacket.“Fine, I’ll tell you.” He sighed heavily.“I wanted to be with you since the first time I saw you.”I raised my eyebrows in shock and then a slow smile crept up upon my lips.“Three years ago?” He nodded.“I was leaning over a table in the cafeteria.I felt someone behind me, so I turned around and you just stood there staring at me with your intense blue eyes [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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