She swiped at her bangs, then tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Because it’s true.”
He held up his hands in a mock gesture of surrender. “You win. For now,” he muttered. “It’s a beautiful day. Too nice to spend inside.” He glanced around, taking in the rags, cleaning solutions and Good Will boxes scattered around the room. “Definitely too nice to spend indoors cleaning.”
“Got any better ideas?” Carly regretted the words the minute they left her mouth.
A knowing smirk formed on his lips. “I do. Do you like amusement parks?”
“Who doesn’t?” Peter. The traitorous thought formed and she pushed it aside. If he’d returned her call before going to the office, maybe he’d be here now instead of Mike. Then again, knowing Peter, maybe not. Work came first, after all.
She forced a smile. “Disliking amusement parks and carnivals is un-American.”
“So I don’t have to pour on the charm to convince you.” He grinned. “Well? What are you waiting for?” He prodded her gently on the back. “Go get changed, unless you don’t mind roasting in those heavy jeans.”
“You’re serious.” How could she go anywhere with him and keep a clear conscience?
“Of course. I rented a car. Playland is a short half-hour ride from here, or haven’t you heard?”
The last good memory she had of her father was a Sunday when he’d taken her to Playland. “Have you been there before?” she asked, stalling for time.
“Grew up near there.”
“That’s right, I forgot.”
“You’re stalling,” he said with dead-on accuracy. “Are you coming or not?” he asked.
Playland. She reached back into pleasant childhood memories and felt the beginning of a relaxed smile take hold, her first in a long while. Mike reached his bronzed hand toward her. She hesitated, and silence stretched taut between them.
Carly listened to the conflicting voices deep inside her before making a decision. Finally she placed her hand inside his. Just this once she’d follow her heart.
* * *
Carly looked down at her hand firmly enclosed in Mike’s strong grasp. Crazy Glue couldn’t bond more thoroughly than she and Mike had over the past few hours. Unable to resist the opportunity to spend time with him, she had broken her self-imposed promise to keep her distance. One time wouldn’t hurt, she’d rationalized. She now wondered how much rationalizing her father had done during his affair with his twenty-five-year-old secretary.
She gazed around the park and listened to the shouts coming from the brazen riders of the Dragon Coaster, the Tilt-a-Whirl and the Spider. With the exception of the carousel, she had laid her head on Mike’s chest and screamed through each ride. She had loved every heart-stopping minute spent in his arms.
Juggling her newly won stuffed animals, she gingerly tugged on Mike’s sleeve. When he turned, she gestured toward the cotton candy concession stand.
“Two snow cones, one hot dog and a bag of popcorn weren’t enough for you?” he asked with a grin.
She shrugged.
He pulled his wallet from his pants pocket. “I’ll say one thing, you’re not a cheap date.”
“Maybe not, but I’m a fun one.” She laughed. “And I’m not the one who wasted almost fifty dollars trying to win that oversized bear.”
“No, but who was it who sighed and said ‘Oh, he’d look so cute sitting in my living room’?”
“Guilty.” She grinned. “And it was kind of you to accommodate me.” She thought of the cuddly pink bear that now rested comfortably on the backseat of the rental car. “How’s the pitching arm?” She gave his muscled biceps a playful squeeze, drawing her hand back before she succumbed to temptation and explored further.
He grunted and handed her the cloud of spun sugar.
“I love cotton candy.” Taking a bite of the pink fluff, she closed her eyes and let the sugar dissolve in her mouth. “Heaven.”
“Show me.”
At the sound of his deep voice, her eyes popped open wide.
“Just a little taste.” The laugh lines crinkled around his eyes. “Please.”
Before she could change her mind, she stuck one finger into the ball of pink fluff. “Open.” She barely recognized her own voice.
Mike complied. She raised her sugar-laden finger and placed it into his waiting mouth, watching intently as his lips closed around her finger. Warm, wet and welcoming. A rush of dizziness assaulted her, but that was like a small wave compared to the heady rush she received when he nibbled on her fingertip with his teeth. A tidal wave of sensations surged through her. Such a simple act threatened her very being.
She wanted what she’d never realized she was capable of wanting. What she’d never allowed herself to desire. She wanted passion. Wanted to soothe the ache that pounded in every part of her body. She wanted Mike.
And she couldn’t allow it.
Slowly, she pulled back, wiping her now cool finger against her denim shorts. “Well,” she murmured. Flustered and embarrassed, she turned away.
Mike cleared his throat. “You and Pete do this often?” he asked.
“What?” His question had her pivoting back to face him in an instant.
He smiled, the charming grin that came naturally but knocked the wind right out of her.
“Carnivals. Do you and Pete do this sort of thing often?” he asked.
“Oh.” She exhaled a sigh of relief. “No.” They talked, ate in fancy restaurants when he wasn’t working, attended work-related functions. His and hers, but mostly his. Not once did they let loose and have fun.
Why had she allowed herself to believe that was enough for her? Because safety and security were more important to her than a good time. Had her feelings changed so drastically in such a short period of time, or was Mike just the catalyst, forcing her to face things she’d buried for too long?
“I guess Peter doesn’t relax often enough to enjoy something like this,” Mike said.
“No, he doesn’t.”
“It’s a shame. He used to love this place when we were kids.”
“Did your parents take you?” She immediately placed a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “That was thoughtless. I was comparing my own childhood to yours and spoke without thinking.” How could she have been so careless?
He shrugged. “No problem. Pete and I were abandoned a long time ago. We made out okay.”