“Hey,” she said, pulling the candy-coated stick away from his mouth. “Lips off my spoils.”
“I lost to a girl. The least you can do is share your cotton candy.”
She pursed her lips as if considering his logic. “I’m nothing if not a good sport,” she said, returning the sugary cloud to its former position near his face.
Miracle’s eyes dropped to Hardy’s mouth and stayed there. He felt heat rush to his lips, as if he could actually feel her gaze upon them like a physical touch. Slowly, he opened his mouth and snatched a piece of fluff with his tongue, pulling it slowly inside. It dissolved into a puddle of sweetness that was still no rival for the remembered taste of Miracle’s mouth.
Miracle licked her lips as she watched him. Hardy smothered a groan, wishing he could pull her tongue into his mouth at that very moment.
“Are you two in line?”
A man with two small kids had stopped behind Hardy and was peeking around his shoulder. Hardy looked from the man to Miracle and he smiled.
“Yeah, we’re in line.”
Reaching out, he took the cotton candy from Miracle’s hand, laced his fingers through hers and tugged her forward into the short line in front of the Ferris wheel.
CHAPTER NINE
The line moved quickly, much more quickly than Hardy would’ve liked. Miracle left her hand in his and Hardy could’ve stood there all night just holding it. In her silence, he was completely focused on the feel of her small hand enveloped in his—how warm it was, how soft it was, how electricity seemed to jump and tingle up his arm, even at such an innocent contact.
He offered to hold her polar bear. She dared him to touch it. They both laughed.
The rest of the time, Hardy watched Miracle from the corner of his eye. He glanced around occasionally to see what she was looking at, but for the most part, he couldn’t keep his eyes off her. She watched the people that passed them. She seemed both curious and fascinated. Each time a new batch of carnival-goers would unload from the Ferris wheel, she would smile in what seemed like anticipation and squeeze his hand excitedly. His heart skipped a beat each time she did it.
When it was their turn, Hardy took the polar bear and helped her into the little car. He sat down beside her, situating the stuffed animal on his other side. “You ready?” he asked, knowing what her answer would be. She practically hummed with excitement.
Miracle met his eye. She held his gaze for several seconds before she nodded and smiled widely. For a moment, Hardy wondered if she’d meant she was ready for something else, something like him, but she quickly turned away and the moment was gone. He wasn’t entirely sure he hadn’t imagined it into existence just because he wanted it so badly, wanted her so badly.
As the wheel turned and they inched their way toward the top, stopping routinely to let new passengers replace the old ones, Hardy sat back to watch Miracle. She was leaning forward, looking down at the ground. The wind ruffled her hair and blew her delicious scent across his face. When he sat up as well, the car tipped forward, swinging threateningly.
With a squeal, Miracle leaned back, plastering herself against the back of the car. Her eyes were wide when she turned them on Hardy. He realized he’d scared her.
“Sorry. I didn’t do that on purpose.”
Slowly, Miracle’s lips curved into a smile. “Do it again,” she said, cautiously leaning forward once more.
Grinning at her bravado, Hardy leaned quickly back in his seat and then forward, causing their cart to swing again. Miracle half squealed-half laughed, clearly thrilled. Hardy felt the sound in his chest like a living organism.
When the Ferris wheel had picked up all its riders, it began its slow circular movement, lifting them high off the ground and then dropping them low. Miracle leaned forward and looked at everything, noticed everything. Hardy sat back, arm draped across the seat behind her, and ignored everything else in favor of observing Miracle.
She asked him the occasional question, but otherwise remained quiet as she took it all in. Hardy was simply mesmerized by her, a state he found himself in more and more often of late. When the Ferris wheel took them for their third ascent, Miracle leaned back in her seat, her body fitting beneath the crook of his arm as though it was designed to do just that. Hardy quelled the urge to wrap his arm around her and pull her in closer. He held his breath when she sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder, gazing contentedly up at the clear night sky.
“I’ve never seen a more beautiful night,” she said quietly.
Hardy had to work to pull his eyes away from Miracle, but he did it, looking above them at what had so thoroughly impressed her.
At first, the sky looked exactly as it did on any other night—dark with a smattering of stars, like he imagined the night sky looked almost anywhere in the world. Before he turned his attention back to Miracle, however, he tried to view the wide expanse as she saw it, to see what she was seeing. It was then that Hardy realized the sky wasn’t just dark; it was the color of the darkest blue velvet, rich and luxurious. The stars twinkled against it like so many sparkling diamonds and the perfectly-round moon hung in their midst like a shining silver medallion. It was the same night sky he’d seen all his life, but tonight it was breathtaking.
When Hardy finally turned his attention back to Miracle, it was she who was watching him this time. Her eyes glowed more brightly than the moon and a sweet smile graced her lips.
Hardy opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He was awestruck by her—by her beauty, by her vision, by her incredible soul.
He’d never experienced another person before. But he experienced Miracle. He felt her as though her presence were diaphanous fingers that wrapped him in warmth, weaving their way around his heart like a cocoon. He knew he’d never be the same without her.
Her hair rustled against his shirt when she nodded. “I know,” she said enigmatically.
Hardy knew she was probably referring to the sky—like I know, it’s beautiful!—but he couldn’t help wondering if he was wearing his heart on his sleeve and she knew what he was thinking. Even if that was the case, he couldn’t stop it, couldn’t stop what he was feeling. He knew that his life would never be complete, that he would never feel whole again if he had to live without Miracle.
She turned her face back toward the sky and Hardy’s mind spun as the Ferris wheel edged them toward the ground.
How can I feel this way about someone I just met? This can’t be real. I’m in highschool, for godssake! Besides, I don’t have room for her. She doesn’t fit into my life, into my future.