I’m gonna see if I can find my wallet,” he said before rushing off. Decker tried to stop him, but the ride attendant for the Ferris wheel opened up the gate and practically shoved us through to our carriage. The metal seat looked more like a cage, with rusted bars closing us in. I could see why couples liked this ride; it gave a semblance of privacy, perfect for a romantic tongue tango while the world passed by below.
But it was definitely not something I wanted to do with Decker Harris. Based on his expression, he was having the same thoughts as me. Neither of us wanted to spend ten minutes on a Ferris wheel together, but it seemed like fate had other opinions.
“Excuse me sir,” Decker began while pulling at the cage door, which was locked. The attendant completely ignored us and grumbled annoyingly before going over to his station.
Trying to lighten the awkward tension, I overcompensated with teasing and humor. “What’s wrong, Decker?” I asked. “Are you afraid of heights?” Decker turned in his seat to stare at me, a scowl perched on his lips as he looked me up and down. The attendant turned on the machine, and we started ascending. And then, something strange happened. Decker’s face drained of blood, turning his skin as white as the sheets on my bed. I watched in fascination as he dug his nails into his thighs. Up, up, up. Sweat broke out on his brow, and he squeezed his eyes shut. When Rose challenged us earlier, I had no idea that this would be the fear he’d face. Part of me wanted to tease him like he’d done to me, but this seemed more than just an aversion to spinning around. He looked scared to death.
I could’ve easily made fun of him. I could’ve easily dangled his fears in front of his face, but for some reason, I didn’t want to.
“I’ll tell you a truth if you look at me,” I bartered. I knew fears pretty well. Sometimes you just needed to focus on something else until the pain passed. I once knew a guy that told me the only way to get through something scary was to think of something even scarier.
Slowly, ever so slowly, Decker opened his eyes and pivoted his head to look at me. Deep pools of black velvet stared back at me, his face twisted in a grimace. His chest was heaving up and down as he tried to breathe in the air. The fear was clearly evident on his face, and for some reason, I reached out to grab his hand, not realizing where it was placed. The edge of my pinky finger grazed against his crotch, but I decided to ignore my fumble.
“Well,” he began.
Letting out a slow sigh, I leaned closer so that all he could see was my face. “When I was a little girl, I used to steal candy from the local convenience store. Not often, but once every couple of months. I felt like such a little thief and was even proud of myself for getting away with it. Last year, I spoke with the owner, and she told me she knew all along. I was so embarrassed.”
Decker reached up to tuck a blonde strand behind my ear. His hand lingered on my neck, cupping my face in his palm. “I’ve been afraid of heights my entire life,” he whispered. The cage we were in came to a sudden stop, forcing us to rock back and forth. He squeezed his eyes shut once more, and I sensed that he was about to start hyperventilating.
“Look at me, and I’ll tell you another truth,” I promised him in a soft voice. He leaned even closer to me, his movements so slow that I almost didn’t notice it. In a flash, his eyes opened, and he stared at me. Our noses brushed. Our breath mixed.
“My first kiss was when I was twelve. He walked me home, and it started to rain. We hid under an oak tree, and he clumsily pressed his lips to mine,” I whispered, not sure why I was talking about kisses when Decker was so close. He moved even closer. There was almost nothing between us now.
I felt consumed by his presence, and if I were being honest, it scared me. My skin was buzzing, and I wasn’t sure if the flopping in my stomach was from the ride or him. I turned my head to escape