"No question about that."
"Good." She gives a little bounce in her seat. "Holy crap. You put my seat belt on me while we kissed?"
"Being a gentleman for my lady." Teddy snorts a laugh. I shut the door and pull out my phone to check if I've missed anything. I see I have an alert from Tristan, but I ignore it. Must not be too important because he's not blowing up my phone.
I'm not sure how I'm going to handle this, but I've got time. Not a ton, but some. If I tell him now, he might head home, and I need him to keep his girl in another country. The longer she's there, the longer I have my Teddy Bear all to myself.
Chapter Eleven
TEDDY
Ican't stop the small squeal that leaves me when I see the lights of the carnival up ahead. I'm so excited I can barely contain myself.
"I want funnel cake, a corn dog, and oh, that ice cream that's in little balls. Tiny, tiny." I try to show him with my fingers.
"I think it's called Dippin’ Dots."
"Yes!" He's so worldly, always knowing things. "The two of us make a good team." Killian grunts his agreement. "Or maybe, like, a couple." My cheeks heat, and I glance out the window.
"Couple," he repeats. I can't stop the smile that forms. It's so big it hurts my cheeks. I get it under control before I turn my head back toward Killian as he pulls into the grassy field they are using for a parking lot.
"You know, since we're doing labels or names, I was thinking. You call me Zolotse, so I should give you a nickname too."
"If you want," he agrees.
"But I want you to want it."
"I want everything you'll give me, Zolotse." I want to crawl over into his lap right now and kiss all over his handsome face.
"Prince Charming might be too long, and you have more king vibes." I puff up to make myself big to show him. I get one ofhis smiles. "Everyone uses babe, so that's out," I tell him. "But I guess everyone uses the one I was wanting to use, too."
"You can use whatever you want." I love how he says everything with a firm confidence. I swear the tone is almosteveryone can fuck off.
"Okay then, sweetheart it is." I smack the dashboard, making it official. I test it out on him for good measure. "Sweetheart, do you think this crown works for the carnival?"
"I favor that one." He did pick it out for me this morning.
"What if someone tries to steal it off my head?" I've heard of these things happening in the news. I’m pretty sure people will think it’s fake, but you never know. Killian lets out a chuckle as though me even suggesting that is ridiculous with him by my side. This man continues to get more and more attractive.
"They won't," he reassures me through his laugh. "Let me get your door." I sit tight and think of all the victories I’ve had today: Ro isn’t mad at me, Killian and I are now a couple, I got to give him a nickname, and checked eating at a diner off my list of things I wanted to do. And I’m about to attend a carnival, too. I quickly pinch myself as Killian opens my door for me.
“Why did you hurt yourself, Zolotse?” He’s staring down at the small red mark on my arm, his brows furrowing together. He looks both unhappy and concerned at the same time.
“I was just making sure this was real. That you were real, and I wasn’t dreaming or something.” I tell him the truth as I step out of the car. His fingers skim over the red spot so gently. I’m not even sure how he manages to be so gentle with how ginormous his hands are.
“I don’t care for this.Weare very real.” I love how he says "we" with such firmness.
“No more pinching.” I go to take his hand, but he stops me.
“It’s busy.” He instead wraps his arm around my shoulder and tucks me snugly into his side. Killian’s eyes are takingeverything in. You’d think he’s memorizing every single detail and registering what is safe and what isn’t. “You’re tiny.” I might be on the short side, but I’m not tiny. Although compared to him, I suppose everyone is.
“But you can see over everyone, so I think you’ll be able to spot me, sweetheart.”
Killian tilts his head to peer down at me. “You’ll stay close.”
“It’s kinda where I enjoy being.” I pat his chest. I go to wrap my arm around his back, my hand hitting a hard object that’s not noticeable with the jacket he tossed on, covering his tattoos. "Killian?” Why does he need the prop gun? "Do I need my lightsaber?" I joke.
"You've got me." Okay, then. I'm not going to push on questioning him wanting to have it. I'm over here in crown jewels and a dress that most might call too puffy. This is a judgment-free zone.
