“We’ll have to play ball sometime.” Ryan ruffled Matt’s hair before he looked up at the boy’s mom. “See you around, Carrie.”
As Carrie carried Matt away and vanished in the midst of the crowded carnival, Ryan and Megan continued walking along the midway to the closest ticket booth. He went up to the little window and purchased a handful of tickets from the carnie.
“Sure you don’t want to go on the Ferris wheel?” Ryan said with a grin as he turned back to her.
Megan gave a big nod. “Absolutely positive.”
“How about the Zipper?” He pointed toward the huge oblong ride that turned and had baskets spinning all around it and people screaming with both laughter and terror. Amusement was in his gaze.
“Are you crazy?” She shook her head. “Nuh-uh. Nothing that turns upside down.”
“The Tilt-a-Whirl.” They stopped by the red spinning seats that looked like giant apples that went around in a big circle.
She bit the inside of her lip for a moment. “Okay. That one looks safe enough.”
He took her hand and tugged her toward the ride. “Let’s go.”
They waited in line and he settled his arm around her shoulders. “Don’t look so nervous.”
“Ha.” She met his gaze. “What if I throw up on you?”
“Lots of babies in the family so I’m used to it.” He gave her a grin then nodded in the direction of two dunking booths. “If you do, we’ll just have to get a little wet.”
She laughed as she saw someone getting dunked. “Now that could be fun.”
When it was their turn to get on the ride, they climbed into one of the huge apple-shaped seats and strapped in. There was a wheel in front of them.
“That makes it spin, doesn’t it,” she said dubiously.
“Yep.” He grasped it. “Think you can handle it?”
“We’ll find out.” She held onto the wheel, too.
The ride started moving and Megan gasped as the apple started turning and gliding up and down. Ryan turned the wheel and the apple began spinning.
Megan squealed with laughter as she was thrown against Ryan from the force of the movement. Then he was sliding over her way, pinning her against the side of the apple. Back and forth they slid into each other and she found herself giggling so hard she was out of breath by the time the ride ended.
They climbed out of the ride when the apple came to a stop and she was a little wobbly on her feet. He took her hand and they walked down the steps to the gate that led outside of the ride’s barrier.
Instead of another ride, they went through the House of Horrors. She couldn’t help crying out the first time a creature jumped out and startled her, but then she found herself laughing with Ryan at the spook house’s corny special effects.
Daylight waned and the carnival lights lit up the night. They headed away from the midway.
“There’s a country western dance here at the fairgrounds tomorrow tonight,” Ryan said as they walked toward the parking lot. “I’d like to take you.”
They came to a stop beside her Toyota and she looked up at him. He was handsome in a sexy, hardworking cowboy kind of way. She’d enjoyed spending the afternoon and part of the evening with him, enjoyed it a lot.
She smiled. “I’d like that.”
“Why don’t I pick you up at seven for dinner?” he said. “I’ll take you out for Mexican food and then the dance.”
“I’ll meet you there,” she hurried to say. She wasn’t ready to introduce him to her family. “Which restaurant?”
“Maria’s,” he said. “No better Mexican food in the southwest,” he said.
She was glad he didn’t pressure her to let him pick her up. “I’ll be there at seven.”
“All right,” he said with a smile. “Are you sure you don’t want me to pick you up?”
She nodded. “I have some things to take care of before dinner.”
His voice was softer as he stepped in closer. “I’d like to kiss you good night, Megan.”
Her belly flip-flopped. The way he was looking at her made her feel as if she was one of the hottest, sexiest women on earth.
She met his gaze, her breath coming faster and her throat suddenly dry. “I’d like that,” she whispered.
He lowered his head, his mouth hovering over hers for a moment. Her heart rate picked up as he brushed his lips over hers. He pressed his mouth against hers and kissed her.
It was a slow, sensual kiss as his mouth moved over hers. When he drew away she wanted to grab him by the collar and yank him back toward her for a much longer kiss.
He brushed his thumb across her cheek. “What’s your phone number?”