He shuddered just thinking about it. Just a little bit longer, and he could leave. He just needed to find Olivia, and they would leave the carnival for a quieter place. That thought had his eyes travelling around even harder. A group of teenagers moved past him, and then he was gifted with the most beautiful vision that quickly morphed into a nightmare. Olivia sat on a podium with a man kissing her, as Heath saw red. That was his woman. He had been pursuing her for a month, and he wasn’t about to allow some punk to set in and claim his prize. As the man pulled away, Olivia gave him a strained smile, before the man walked away.
Heath felt a tightness in his chest ease. Olivia didn’t seem into the kiss. He wouldn’t beat the shit out of the guy after all, but then, another man came up to her and planted his lips on hers. What the hell was going on? Heath started storming towards her, when an arm held him back. Heath whipped around with his fist raised, but then stopped, when he saw that it was Mike.
“Dude, really?” Mike’s eyes darted between his and the fist.
“Let me go.” Heath warned. He had never threatened one of his teammates before, but he was seriously close to it now, if Mike didn’t let him go, so he could beat the man currently kissing Olivia.
“So, you can make an idiot of yourself? No, you need to calm down first.”
“Fuck that. She’s up there kissing some dude.” Two in the span of a few seconds.
“For the carnival.” Mike said slowly, as if talking to a simpleton. Heath might as well be, because he didn’t understand what Mike was saying. Mike rolled his eyes and pointed at something over Heath’s shoulder. Heath turned and followed the finger to a banner over Olivia’s head he had previously missed.
Kissing Booth.
Well I’ll be.
She wasn’t making out with other guys. She was working a kissing booth to raise money. Kathy had told him she was working at the carnival, but he hadn’t put two and two together, until Mike explained. Now, he felt like an idiot. He had been about to start a fight for no reason. That definitely wouldn’t have earned him any points with Olivia. Mike just saved him from making a major mistake.
“Thanks, buddy.”
“Wow, I have never seen you so territorial about another woman before.” Mike said wide-eyed.
Heath hadn’t either. Normally, he didn’t care if a woman he was checking out went for another guy. He would brush it off and go after someone else. What the hell was it about Olivia that was driving him crazy? Pursuing her for a month, going to carnivals, and now, he was even going to get in a fight over a woman. Another first, and he didn’t like it. She shouldn’t be any different, and yet, she was. Now was his chance to prove it.
“I’m good. I just didn’t know she was working the kissing booth.” Heath lied smoothly.
“Thought someone was moving in and winning her over, where you failed?” Mike chuckled evilly.
“No,” Heath stressed. “But this works out in my favor now.”
“How so?”
Heath gave him a wicked smile. “Because she’s working the kissing booth and has to kiss whoever buys a ticket. She can’t say no anymore.”
Mike didn’t look convinced. “So, you think forcing her to kiss you is going to change her mind after a month, and she’s going to fall into your arms and tell you to have your wicked way with her?”
When Mike put it like that, it almost sounded negative. “That’s a brilliant plan. Thanks.”
Mike shook his head. “I wish you the best of luck.”
“You’re not coming with me?”
“And risk you trying to punch me again; this time for kissing your girl? No thanks.”
“I wouldn’t have punched you.” Heath mumbled under his breath, though in reality, he might have. He was doing a lot of irrational things, when it came to Olivia. That should be a warning sign to stay away from her, but he couldn’t. For the life of him, he couldn’t stay away from her.
“If you say so.” Mike still easily heard him.
Heath ignored him, heading for the ticket booth to purchase a ticket. He couldn’t believe he reduced himself to purchasing a ticket to kiss a woman. If the rest of his friends were here, they’d all laugh at him. The renown ladies’ man buying a ticket just to kiss a woman. He didn’t care, but Mike was right. He and Olivia would kiss, and she would finally stop resisting him.
Heath stood in line for several agonizing minutes, watching man after man come up to Olivia and kiss her. She was always polite to them and smiled, but he could see that it was false. He was shocked to see her working this booth, as she seemed the quiet and reserved type, but he wasn’t going to question his luck.
Before he knew it, he was the next person. Olivia’s eyes zeroed in on him with shock and irritation by the flare of her nostrils. It was the first spark of life coming from her, since he spotted her. Heath couldn’t hide his grin. This was turning into a beautiful day. That was until he saw the look of fear in Olivia’s eyes, when the man in front of him sat down in front of Olivia, and Heath saw red.
Chapter 4
This day couldn’t get any worse.
