Chapter 46

Stay here with me.

Oh, how I was tempted. Asher’s body was hard against mine. All I wanted to do was grind on his leg and beg him to kiss me.

But I couldn’t.

We were both here with other people. People we were both avoiding to be with each other. It wasn’t right.

I placed my hands on Asher’s chest and gave a gentle push. He was stronger than me, but he distanced himself instantly at my urging.

He didn’t ask me what was wrong. He didn’t say anything, just watched me with those cool blue eyes as I made mumbling and unclear apologies before darting away.

As I stepped through the narrow alley between the stalls, I spotted Joseph with his cell phone out. My phone rang in my purse right when I came up behind him.

He turned to me at once. “There you are! Didn’t you hear me calling?”

“Sorry,” I said, not just for that but for everything that had happened when I was supposed to have been waiting for him. I wouldn’t admit all of that out loud, however.

Joseph narrowed his gaze at me. “Why are you breathing so hard?”

I swallowed nervously. I couldn’t tell him the truth. “Something… caught my eye and I walked away. When I heard you calling for me, I ran back over here.”

He looked at me strangely, like he didn’t quite believe me but couldn’t prove why. “What did you see?”

“Oh, uh… Those big bears! I was wondering if you could win me one of those, since I gave my other one away.”

This explanation seemed to placate him. “Yeah, of course I can. Show me.”

I led Joseph away from where I had met Asher and tried not look back.

After dropping fifty dollars on the milk bottle toss game, Joseph was still no closer to winning me a prize. I tried pulling him away several times, insisting it wasn’t a big deal, but his ego refused to let him succumb to such failure.

“I’ll get it this time,” he said, slapping another five dollars down onto the counter. The stall attendant cheered as he passed him three baseballs.

Joseph missed each one.

Meanwhile the person beside him knocked down all the milk bottles in one throw.

Everyone turned to look. It was Asher.

“The gentleman wins a prize!” the game attendant announced.

Asher glanced at the girl beside him. She pointed to a bear with camouflage ears.

I watched her with bitter jealousy, not for her prize, but for the man on her arm.

“Let’s get out of here,” Joseph grumbled, pulling me away.

Behind his back, Asher looked at me.

Eventually, we came to stand in the line for the Lover’s Ferris Wheel. I had wanted to ride it, but now that I was here, I wasn’t sure.

Maybe it was superstitious nonsense that any couple who kissed at the top would be together forever, like Asher had said. But what if it wasn’t?

Was I really going to chance being together forever with Joseph?

“I’m not sure about this,” I said.

Joseph looked at me with a raised brow. “I thought you said you could ride this?”

“I can, but…” Maybe I should have lied about it. Too late now.

Joseph smiled at me, but it pulled a bit tight, like it was fake.

“Did you know there is a tradition about this Ferris Wheel?” he asked me.

“I know.”

“You don’t have to worry, Cynthia. It’s only one kiss. It’s not like we haven’t done that and more in the past!” He laughed.

I sunk further into myself. “Maybe we can wait until next year.”

“I thought you wanted us to be a family?” Joseph asked. “Isn’t it better to get luck on our side sooner rather than later?”

I guessed that was true, but I still wasn’t sure.

I asked again and again if we could wait as we moved forward in line, but each time Joseph brushed me off.

Finally, it was our turn. I wanted to run, but the ride attendant held out his hand to help me into the ride car. I couldn’t be rude, and there was nowhere to go.

Please don’t be real, I prayed as I took his hand and sat on the car.

Joseph stepped forward to join me, when someone burst by him and plopped straight onto the empty seat beside me. The safety bar closed and locked before I understood what was happening.

“Hey, what a minute!” Joseph called.

“Two per car, sir. Please step back,” said the ride attendant, ushering Joseph away.

Joseph hopped out of line, rounding to where the fence blocked pedestrians from the ride’s path. “Cynthia!”

Beside me, Asher stretched out as much as he could in the car. He crossed his long legs at the ankles, heels resting on the edge of the foot rest. His arms, he hung over the safety bar before us.

I clutched at that safety bar with both hands. I was frozen in the corner of the ride car, still in disbelief about what had happened.

How long had Asher been waiting and watching, ready to slide in at just the right moment?

And how grateful I was!

As the ride began to move, I exhaled in relief. I was in no danger of being locked into a potential forever with Joseph now, not with Asher beside me.

Down below, both our dates waited for us. Joseph paced restlessly, cursing Asher every time our car came near.

Asher’s date was less tense, chatting up the ride attendant with her phone out. Was she getting his number? While she was here with Asher? I began to get angry on his behalf, despite myself.

“So,” I said, breaking the lingering silence between Asher and I. “Your date.”

He shrugged. “It’s casual.”

Casual? Casual what? Casual sex? Or just casually hanging out?

I wanted to know. Desperately. But I knew I had no right to.

“Are you… upset?” Asher asked, looking at me sideways.

I crossed my arms over my chest. “No,” I lied.

Asher turned in the seat to face me. “Cynthia. You are the one who told me to date.”

“Yeah, well. I want you to be happy.” I know I sounded as bitter about it as I felt, but the feelings were too strong to hide properly.

“Okay.” Asher stretched his arm along the back of our seat, so close but not touching my shoulders. “What about your happiness?”

I shook my head helplessly. I didn’t know what he was getting at.

“Cynthia,” he said. The unusual softness in his voice brought my eyes back to his. His gaze was an ocean, and I was blissfully sinking under the waves.

The orange bulbs cast flickering lights across his face as the ride turned round and round. I never wanted to stop looking at him.

I never wanted this moment to end.

Then, slowly, the Ferris Wheel came to a stop. We were at the top, as high as we could go.

This was the moment of truth. Any couple that kissed here would be together forever.

I willed Asher to kiss me. He was always so diligent about seeing what I wanted and giving what I needed.

I wished he would kiss me.

Please kiss me.

His gaze dropped to my mouth. I licked my lips in anticipation.

He leaned closer.