‘I chose the perfect nickname for you. You areJunglee,’ she declared confidently.
He grinned proudly. ‘What about you? What’s on your list?’
‘Right now?’ she asked, her eyes widening as the ride picked up speed, and their seat tilted slightly as they moved downward. ‘Surviving this ride is at the top of the list, definitely.’
He tipped his head back and laughed. ‘That’s your bucket list? It’s not exactly ambitious.’
Just then, the hook holding their seat jerked hard, and with a loud shriek, she abandoned the bar and wrapped her arms around him. Her fingers clenched around the curve of his neck, blind with panic.
He moved one strong arm to loop around her waist, anchoring her to him like it was the most natural thing in the world. ‘You’re fine. I’ve got you, jaan.’
Their seat tilted as the wheel turned over the curve, yet it was the way he said that word that made her stomach flip.
The sincerity in his voice felt disorienting, almost too much. She clung to him, her pulse roaring in her ears as they dipped and rose again, the tilt of the seat making her stomach somersault. The wind rushed at them, whipping her hair into her face.
But somewhere between the third and fourth round, the panic dissolved, chipped away by the adrenaline and his calm presence and the way he hadn’t let go of her even once. Like him, she slowly began to yell as they moved down the curve in circles, laughter and screams echoing all around them. It felt cathartic and free, like nothing ever had.
Slowly, the momentum softened, and the movements began to ease. The wheel spun once more, then came to a stop, their seat rocking in the air at the very top. Far below, people began to disembark one by one.
Siya looked at the glittering city lights and the beach below that was alive with music and fireworks. The hush of the full moon made the dark sea shine, slivers of moonlight dancing on its tides. It was so overwhelmingly, hauntingly beautiful that she felt overcome with a horde of emotions.
‘I didn’t expect to feel so happy,’ she said with a breathless laugh, her gaze fixed on the reflection of the moon at the horizon.
‘I knew I would be,’ he said. When she turned, her breath caught because he was looking at her with blazing intensity.
She blinked, realising too late that her arms were still hooked around his neck. She began to pull back, but he didn’t let her go, his arm still firmly in place at her waist.
Her heart did something strange and hot in her belly, and her skin prickled under his fixed, burning gaze. Her attention narrowed to the inches of space between them, and to where his thumb absentmindedly brushed the curve of her waist, like he wasn’t even aware he was doing it.
‘Do you really have to go back for the toast?’ he asked, his voice rough.
‘Yeah, my dad will be expecting me,’ she murmured.
He leaned closer, tracing her lower lip with his thumb as he whispered, ‘Since you won’t be with me when the clock strikes midnight, can I wish you Happy New Year now?’
Warning bells began blaring in her head, reminding her this was unlike her, that he was just a stranger. Yet she leaned in because, for some reason, deep down, she longed for him to erase the distance between them. So, for once, she listened to her heart and nodded.
His hand lifted slowly, the back of his fingers trailing up the curve of her neck, stopping just beneath her ear. His thumb traced the edge of her jaw like he was learning her shape, and she found herself tilting her head back to look into his eyes.
Finally, he closed the distance, and his lips brushed softly against hers. Her skin broke out into goosebumps under the hoodie, and he swallowed her gasp as he kissed her, tasted her, and claimed her. He was soft at first, tentative in his touch, but when a soft moan escaped her lips, his grip tightened around her.
Siya wasn’t prepared for how badly she wanted more of it.
Her hoodie had trailed up and his fingers dug into the soft flesh of her waist, pulling her closer, making her sigh into the kiss. Her hand moved up his toned chest as she deepened the kiss.
When he pulled her bottom lip between his teeth and bit gently, she gasped and tugged at the V of his black tee. ‘Oh, jaan,’ he groaned against her lips, and her heart leaped into her throat.
The wheel jerked forward with a lurch, and they broke apart, breathless and disoriented.
A deep laugh rumbled in his chest as he said, ‘Okay, I’ve got to admit. You may have ruined every future New Year’s celebration for me.’
She smiled and shook her head. ‘You’re ridiculous,’ she scolded him, but secretly savoured the way her lips still tingled.
When the ride came to a full stop, he clicked the latch open, and she felt better as soon as she stepped onto the solid ground. He followed behind her without a word.
They walked together in silence, but every brush of his hand against hers racked her heartbeat up a notch.
She cleared her throat. ‘Thanks a lot.’
