"How do you know I'm a fair-junkie?"
"I guessed," he said as he reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a box with a pair of black, Doc Marten boots in my size.
"I don't think your Converses are going to fare very well."
"How do you know my foot size?"
"Another guess."
His hands wrapped around my waist and he lifted me onto the seat of his bike.
Hold on, Ember," he said and I watched as those wonderful hands lifted my foot, slipped the Converse off and rubbed my heel, and arch. My eyes closed from the sheer ecstasy of his touch. His fingers caressed every inch of my foot before he pulled on the boot and tied up the laces. He finished and moved to the other foot to which he paid equal attention. I contemplated a scientific study of foot-massages and the loss of brain cells, since I was feeling pretty mindless at that moment.
"Ready?"
"Um." I was lucky not to drool and roll my eyes into the back of my head. He grinned as he reached for my hand to link our fingers before pulling me along.
"Do you mind if we do the Ferris wheel first?"
I smiled as my heart hiccuped because the Ferris wheel was my absolute favorite. "Not at all."
He paid for the tickets and helped me into the chair. As soon as we were seated, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close.
"Are you cold?"
Being so close to him, I was more likely to ignite, not freeze. "No."
As the ride began its slow, circular spin, I studied Trace and the boyishness about him that I found to be absolutely charming. He caught me staring at him and before I could turn my head he leaned over and brushed his lips over mine having the effect of the back of my head blowing off.
The thought popped into my head that if Trace and I ever actually had sex, I'd probably explode, literally, but somehow I knew it would be so worth it. His hand moved to cradle the back of my head and when that mouth settled more firmly over mine, yup, I felt my blood begin to burn, but oh my.
He didn't take the kiss deeper; he seemed perfectly content to feast on my lips and I felt myself melting. He pulled back and his eyes were darker and burning with desire but there was something else there, too -- something infinitely darker that sent chills of anticipation skirting down my spine. His thumb rubbed over my lower lip as he held my gaze.
Before I could embarrass myself by doing something truly appalling like launching myself at him, the ride stopped. We climbed from the ride before Trace reached for my hand and linked our fingers. It was perfect, walking hand in hand, with Trace as we slowly strolled around the fairgrounds.
At one point we passed a cotton candy stand. "Oh, we have to get some," I said, which was met by a blank stare from Trace. I turned more fully to him and held his blank expression.
"Have you never had cotton candy?"
"No," he replied and I couldn't have been more shocked by his answer.
"Never?"
"No."
"Well, that's a crime. Come, let me introduce you to spun sugar."
I reached for his large hand, which he wrapped around mine, and I felt a connection to him that went deeper than the physical one. We approached the stand and I held up the money to the kid working the machine.
"One, please."
It was huge, the mound the kid spun for us, with enough sugar to satisfy even my sweet tooth. Trace and I stepped away from the stand and I held the cloud of blue sugar up to him.
"Just pull off a hunk."
As he reached for the cotton candy, I watched him and noticed an almost boyishness about him. I couldn't help the pang of sadness that filled me as I wondered how a man approaching thirty could never have experienced cotton candy. My eyes stayed on his as the spun sugar disappeared into his mouth.
"It dissolves," he said mostly to himself and then he sought and found my gaze as a smile spread over his face.
"It's delicious!"
I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to do that more than I wanted to take my next breath.
"Hold this for a second?" I asked. He took the cotton candy from me and I stepped into him resting my hands on his shoulders as I lifted myself up on my tip toes before I pressed my mouth to his. I tilted my head and wrapped his face in my hands as I licked his lower lip. I heard him growl deep in his throat before his arms came around me and pulled me close. My tongue sought entrance and when he parted for me, I tasted him fully, running my tongue over his, licking the roof of his mouth as I lost myself in him. I pulled my mouth from his and he tightened his arms around me in response. I had the sense that he didn't want to let me go and I ran my lips under his jaw, trailing them down his neck before I forced myself to take a step away from him.
I held his gaze before I whispered, "You're delicious."