His breath fans across my face and I close my eyes in anticipation. Colton McDaniels is about to kiss me…again. The earlier preview of his kiss, has wetness pooling in between my thighs.

This back and forth dance we have been doing all night is coming to the finale, ending in explosive fireworks as his lips devour mine. This kiss is not cautious or gentle. It’s laced with the primal need emanating from the both of us.

His tongue his hot, probing and oh so demanding. He grips my waist turning me, lifting me to his lap so that I’m straddling him. I groan at the feeling of his hardness between my legs, his mouth moves to my neck, trailing his tongue from the base of my throat to that sensitive spot behind my ear.

“Colton,” I moan, grinding down on him. He lets out a curse, taking my mouth again in a searing kiss. I move my hands to his strong shoulders, grinding against his hardness again, swallowing his moan I move faster, needing relief.

“Please,” I whimper, not sure what exactly I’m begging for.

“I got you baby,” he whispers, placing soft kisses on my pulse points, my skin ripples with goosebumps as his hand trails from my neck, down my side, brushing the side of my breast, finally reaching its destination as he pops the button of my jeans open.

His touch is gentle as he snakes his hand underneath my panties, finding the place I need him the most. His kiss doesn’t let up as he explores the folds of my sex, I let out a strangled cry as he plunges two fingers into my slick channel.

“Fuck. So wet,” he groans and I whimper again as his mouth latches on to my neck, lightly sucking. My movements become erratic as I fuck his hand at a furious pace, oblivious to the world around me.

“Please,” I need release in a way that I never have before. “I’m so close,” I pant, my grip on his shoulders tightening as I grind down on him, the delicious pressure building inside me is almost too much to take.

“That’s it baby” her curls his fingers up, finding my g-spot, my walls constrict. “Give it to me, Everleigh”. He pushes on my clit with the pad of his thumb and colors start to explode in front of my eyes. As my orgasm hits, before I can even scream out in sheer pleasure, his mouth covers mine, taking in the sounds of my release as it soaks his fingers. Our movements start to slow, he pushes back and I realize he’s been watching me the entire time.

“That was so fucking hot,” he says, removing his hand from my pants, the evidence of what he did to me glistening on his fingers. Without hesitation, he takes his soaked fingers, brings them to his mouth, licking them and groaning as he laps every last drop from his hand.

“Delicious.” He places a chaste kiss to my lips, the taste of my arousal on his makes me almost have another orgasm.

His eyes open and it’s like the reality of what we just did, hits him.

“Shit, Everleigh. I didn’t mean for that to happen,” he douses out the flames of my desire for him.

“It’s fine,” I say, removing myself from his lap, buttoning my jeans and adjusting my shirt. He shifts away from me, fixing the big problem our tryst has caused in his pants.

My heart starts to beat fast in a panic. Colton just made me come. In public. On top of a fucking Ferris wheel.

Awkwardness fills the air and I’m grateful that our hour is up and the ride starts moving again.

Once we get to the ground, Colton’s demeanor is completely different than it was 200 feet in the air.

He helps me out of the car, releases my hand and pulls his phone from his pocket.

“Matt is over by the bumper boats. Is it ok if we go meet up with him and Kelsey?”

“Sure,” my voice is quiet. Colton starts walking a few steps ahead of me and instead of rushing to him, demanding he tell me what happened between us wasn’t a mistake, I keep my pace behind him, not ready for that truth.

As soon as we get to where his friend and his wife are, he visibly relaxes. I hang in the background as he gives Matt a bro hug and Kelsey a kiss on the cheek.

“It’s so good to see you.” Kelsey’s southern drawl is soothing.

“Matt, Kelsey this is Everleigh,” Colton motions for me to come closer.

“Nice to meet you both,” I say, observing the couple. Matt is almost as tall as Colton but leaner, with a boy next door look; clean shaven, light brown, short hair and warm brown eyes. Kelsey is the complete opposite – petite, fairly light with almost white blonde waist length hair and clear green eyes.

“Colton, I didn’t know you had a girlfriend!” Kelsey grabs my hands “She’s adorable” she beams at him. Colton shuffles his feet at a loss of word, not knowing how to explain.

Given his reaction to what happened on the Ferris wheel not that long ago, I speak up.

“Oh, I’m not,” I start to say, snapping Colton to attention.

“Everleigh is Sienna’s best friend.” My heart sinks, knowing that’s how he’s always going to view me. I’ll never be someone more than that to him, our earlier moments nothing but forgotten memories.

Sensing the awkwardness, Kelsey comes to my rescue, linking her arm with mine. “So, tell me about yourself, Everleigh.” We start walking towards the game lane making small talk. I learn that she’s a romance writer and I squeal when she tells me her pen name.

“No shit! I’m obsessed with your Never series!” I exclaim, realizing where the donation of books for the auction came from.

Kelsey and I chat about the books we love, gaining some insight into what inspires her, when she abruptly stops.

“Ooh look an old-fashioned tunnel of love!” I look to the right; the flashing neon hearts are like a stab to the gut.

“Matt remember that one we went on when we were in Kentucky?” She blushes and I giving me the idea that Colton and I aren’t the only ones who had some fun on an amusement park ride.

“Let’s go.” He pulls his wife to him and looks to Colton “You guys coming?” Colton makes a choking noise.

“I need to use the restroom,” I lie. “Meet you over by the games?”

“Um sure” Kelsey, looking as disappointed as I feel, tosses me a shrug. I shake my head, not wanting to bring more attention to the visible tension between Colt and me.

I walk off ahead of Colton, not wanting him to see my unshed tears. I spot the restroom and make a run for it. Before I realize what’s happening I start to fall. I feel a snap in my foot as unbearable pain shoots from my foot up to my leg. Strong hands catch me before I hit the stone ground.

Colton looks down, his face pales. “Shit!” His loud curse cause Matt and Kelsey to come running from their place in line for the ride.

“What happened?” Matt asks as Colton Sets me down on a nearby picnic table.

“I tripped,” I sob, crying from the pain.

“Looks like a loose stone.” Matt bends down, picking up a piece of the path.

“I think it’s broken.” I cry.

“Don’t worry, we’ll get you taken care of.” Kelsey’s voice is soothing but she winces when she looks down at my foot.

“What?” I look down at my foot, my two last toes are pointing in the wrong direction and blood trickles down from what looks like a small stick protruding from the side. Everything starts to fade until I’m sucked into the blackness.

When I come to, there’s an ice pack on my foot, Kelsey is holding my hand and I’m surrounded by park officials. Colton is off to the side, his voice raised.

“This is ridiculous”’ he seethes. “None of these stones are secure!” he leans down picking up another one.

“We’re so sorry, Sir. We will make sure it’s taken care of, along with all of Ms. Mason’s medical bills.”

“You’d better, you don’t want this in my review, do you?” The look in his eyes is threatening.

His protectiveness shouldn’t give me the amount of hope it does.

“We lost you for a second,” Kelsey’s voice breaks through the fog of pain.

“I can’t look at it!” I close my eyes and she laughs. “Don’t worry it’s covered with an icepack and towel. As soon as Colton is done giving them hell, we’ll get you to the hospital,” the calming tone in her voice helps relieve some of the fear.

“But they have to be at the atrium for the press conference.” My worry for Colton’s job weighs more on me than the worry of my foot and the impending surgery I know I’m going to need.

“Let him deal with that,” she rubs my shoulder. Colton glances over at us, anger and concern have his blue eyes blazing.

“Ok, the park has all of your information. They’re bringing over a golf cart to take you to my truck and I’ll get you to the hospital.”

Everything blurs as people rush around me, the beeping of the cart is heard in the distance. My foot is throbbing, I close my eyes and let my tears fall for what seems like the thousandth time in the past three days.

Colton lifts me with care, walks me over to back of the cart, setting me down gently.

Kelsey comes over to me handing me my phone and my purse. “I put my number in your phone, please text me if you need anything. We’re in town till Tuesday.” She squeezes my hand.

We take off towards the parking lot, the bumpy ride causing the pain in my mangled foot to worsen.

“We’re almost there,” Colton soothes from behind me. We stop at the back of the truck, Colton hops off the golf cart, opening the passenger door of the truck. He barks instructions to the two park workers and they gently lift me into the truck, where Colton is hunched over the passenger seat. As he gently turns me so that I’m facing front, my foot bangs against the side of the door causing me to cry out.

“For fuck’s sake watch her damn foot,” Colton yells, the workers mumble an apology.

The ride to the hospital is fast and smooth. Colton uses extra caution when making turns and stops.

When we pull up in front of the hospital, he jumps out of the truck, letting me know he’ll be right back. He disappears behind the automatic double doors, only to return moments later with a nurse pushing a wheel chair and two orderlies.

Between Colt and the two men, I’m taken down from the truck without incident and placed into the wheelchair. The nurse fires off questions as she pushes me into the hospital, through the waiting area, ending up in a room in the emergency department. She types my answers on a tablet.

“Are you in pain?” she asks.

“What do you think?” Colton’s words are sharp as he starts pacing around the room.

I give the nurse an apologetic look. “On a scale of one to ten it’s a thirty-two,” I try to joke, Colton growls.

“Ok dear, I’m going to go get you something for the pain.” She pats my arm, giving Colton a dirty look as she walks by.

Colton continues to pace furious steps around the room.

“I’m sorry.” Those are the only words that come to my lips.

“You have nothing to apologize for,” his attempt to placate me is futile.

“Colton…”

“Everleigh, it’s ok. Accidents happen.” I know he wants to add something about them always happening to clumsy me but he doesn’t.

The silence that fills the room is the loudest noise I’ve ever heard.

“Look, I have to get back.” Colton’s words shock me. Not that I was expecting much from him but leaving was something I couldn’t even see coming.

“Ok.”

“Feel better.” He looks at me like he wants to say something but takes a deep breath and heads towards the door, passing the nurse on his way out.

“Your friend leaving?” she asks, seeing the tears welling in my eyes.

“He’s not my friend. He’s my best friend’s brother.” My voice cracks at the admission. Colton leaving me when I need someone solidifies what I’ve always known. There isn’t anything thing between us, at least not on his end, and there never will be.

I thought winning his date at the auction was a sign, an act of destiny even. The only thing it showed me is that whatever happened on the date, was nothing more than two people getting caught up in the moment. Fate slapped me in the face tonight, telling me in the harshest of ways, that it’s time to move on from this silly crush. Colton is not my other half. In time the memory will fade, my heart will heal and I’ll be able to move forward.

I wince in pain as the nurse starts an IV in my arm, feeling a warmth course through my veins as she injects something into the tube. “This will help the pain. It will probably put you to sleep, which is for the best, considering you’ll be taken down to x-ray shortly.”

“Can you hand me my bag before you go, please?”

“Sure thing, dear.”

She places my purse next to me. Careful of the tubes coming from my arm, I get my phone out. Ignoring the fact there’s still nothing from Paul, I scroll through my contacts until I find the one person I’m looking for. She picks up after one ring, her perky voice, causing the pain in my heart to be stronger than the pain in my foot.

“Sen,” I croak out on a sob.

“Ev? What’s wrong?”

“I need you. I’m at Memorial Hospital, emergency room five”

“What the fuck Ev? Where’s my brother?”

“Back at the park.” Another sob makes its escape and the tears fall freely down my cheeks.

“Son of a bitch. I’ll be there in fifteen.”