I waved goodbye to a dumbstruck Leighton.
Two minutes later, we were seated in a private car, a partially enclosed orb with a bench on either side and an attached umbrella overhead to block out the California sunshine. Not that that would be an issue at night.
Nellie took the seat across from me . . . at least until the ride started. The second we shoved off from the ground, she leapt across the space, planting herself beside me.
For a minute, we just took in the view, or at least I did. She kept her eyes firmly shut and her hands clenched tight. I was starting to think this might have been a bad idea. From the looks of it, she was about three seconds away from hyperventilating.
“Nellie, we can ask them to stop the—”
“I owe you a huge apology,” she blurted out.
“What?”
She smiled sadly. “I never should have snapped at you at the theater. I was frustrated by the whole holiday party crap and, frankly, a little embarrassed—”
“You had nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“Believe me, I know.” She fumbled with her scarf. “I just . . . It was a vulnerable moment for me, and let’s just say, I’m not very good at feeling vulnerable in front of other people.”
That made two of us.
“That’s not an excuse for treating you like crap or pretending like you were just some random guy, when you’re anything but.”
“It’s okay. I understand.”
She arched her brow. “But?”
My lips kicked up to one side. “But, I also don’t want to get in the way of anything.”
“You’re not,” she said, shaking her head with vigor. “Holy fuck,we’re up high.”
I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and closed the distance between us. With my other hand, I gripped her chin, turning her face back toward mine.
“Eyes on me,” I growled. She must have recognized the warning in my tone because her eyes snapped up to meet mine. “Were you going to tell me you were afraid of heights?”
“No.”
Well, at least she was honest.
“Why did you say yes to riding the Ferris Wheel?”
When her attention started to wander, I lowered my hand to her throat. There was no real pressure, just enough to make her squirm, no doubt soaking the seat beneath us. She could tell me to stop at any time and I would. But we both knew she wanted this.
We both knew she was my naughty girl. And naughty girls needed to be punished.
“I don’t do well at giving up control.”
“That’s now what I asked.” She practically purred when the hand around her throat slightly tightened. “Why did you say yes to riding the Ferris Wheel, Janelle?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Because you asked me to.”
That was all I needed to know. I slammed my lips down on hers, tangling our tongues together when she opened her mouth on a gasp. There was nothing sweet about this kiss. This was a good old-fashioned, desperate tongue fucking, a duel to the finish, only there were no losers here.
She threaded her fingers through my hair, scraping my scalp in a way that sent shivers down my spine, all the way to my cock. This time, I was the one moaning. “Fuck, Janelle.” I groaned into her mouth.
Before either of us had time to overthink it, I released her throat and lowered my hand to the hem of her skirt. Inch by inch, my fingers danced across her upper thigh, until finally nudging the wet material covering her core.
She tore her lips away. “What are you doing?”
