An event she’d helped plan. The guests today were sure to walk away with big old smiles on their faces.
Patriot cut the engine, and the guys all clustered in a group waiting for the rest of the Dark Falcons to drive in. Excitement gripped Aarica, and she grabbed Patriot’s hand. They shared a grin.
Once the gates were opened for them, they spread out in their various positions. Booths were set up and manned by the Dark Falcons throughout the fairgrounds, where they’d sell raffle tickets, hot dogs and apple dumplings, with all proceeds benefitting autism.
From beneath an awning to keep them out of the hot sun, she looked at the huge crowd of people milling through.
“At least Hunter did one thing right for the club—he put up enough fliers in the area to draw a decent crowd,” Patriot rumbled.
She laughed despite the darkness behind the reference. “This is so great! I’m so thrilled to be part of this.”
Gliding an arm around her middle, he drew her into his side. At that moment, some people emerged from the crowd, and she waved frantically at Jay and his mom.
The boy’s face lit up when he saw her, and she pulled away from Patriot to circle the table where they sold leatherworks made by one of the Dark Falcons to hug Jay. He squeezed her tight and then pointed to Patriot. Instead of placing his hands over his ears to indicate that he made loud noises, this time he motioned throwing a ball.
Patriot laughed. “That’s right, bud. I’ll come by this week with Aarica, and we’ll toss a ball again. Does that sound good?”
His face split into a wide grin and he nodded.
Aarica traded smiles with Mrs. Post. “I’m so glad you came today.”
“This is amazing. Seriously, I’m so impressed by all the things you’re doing.” Mrs. Post beamed at her. “Jay can’t wait to visit the bouncy house, can you, Jay?”
He looked around for the big red castle and pointed, impatient to get over there.
“You’d better hurry before the line gets too long,” Aarica said with a chuckle. “I’ll see you both tomorrow.”
He paused to pretend to throw a ball again, and Patriot nodded. “I’ll come too. See you then.”
After the mother and son walked away, they got crushed with throngs of people looking at the leather wallets, knife sheaths and more that one of the Dark Falcons had donated. She noticed how many other bike clubs came out to support them, and they were tossing out money right and left. She saw more than one person carrying bags filled with apple dumplings in plastic takeout containers and knew they were snatching them all up to take home to their families at six bucks a pop.
Tank and Catarina strolled up, and Tank clapped Patriot on the shoulder. “We’re here to relieve you and your lady. I’m supposed to tell you the prez says to go have some damn fun for once.”
Patriot barked out a laugh at the message. He didn’t waste time in grabbing Aarica’s hand and dragging her away from the booth. She barely got to throw a wave at Catarina before he dragged her through the crowd. Raising a hand at all his bros as they passed, he marched her right up to the line at the Ferris wheel.
Surprise flitted through her. “We’re going on the ride?” she asked.
“Unless you’re afraid of heights.”
“Nope. I’m just surprised that a tough guy like you would think to bring me to the Ferris wheel.”
He gathered her near and placed his lips at her ear. “Maybe I want to make you come at two-hundred feet,” he rumbled.
Shudders of desire rushed down her spine, and she leaned into his muscled body. “We definitely can’t do that, but I hope you’ll make it up to me later…” She trailed off with a seductive bite down on her lower lip.
“Mmm. You drive me crazy, woman.”
At that moment, Diesel walked by pushing a lemonade cart that looked dwarfed by his size. Patriot poked jeers at him but purchased a drink, and after the man walked off to peddle more of his wares, Patriot handed her the cup.
She sipped the fresh-squeezed delight, so ice cold that she wanted to drink the entire thing in one long gulp. After she passed it to Patriot, a gleam came into his eyes. He tipped the cup up and took a sip. Then he kissed her.
The icy press of his hard lips against hers ignited deep in her core. The lemony sweetness on his lips built that rush of need. And when he parted her lips and pushed an ice cube into her mouth with his tongue, she gasped.
His grin stretched over her lips. “When I have you alone, I’ll slide an ice cube over your clit until you sizzle for me.”
“Oh God,” she murmured on a moan.
They drew apart when the line moved. She found herself gazing toward the mountains in the distance and imagining how they’d look from the top of the Ferris wheel.
Patriot followed her gaze. “I fell in love with you back in those mountains.”
Her jaw dropped. She turned to him, eyes wide. “You…fell in love?”
It was the first time he spoke the words to her. She searched his face for signs of stress over his admission but saw only love gleaming in his eyes.
Planting his hand on her spine, he drew her close enough that their hips bumped, same as that first moment in the mountains. “Yes, baby. I love you more than I can ever put into words. It’s why I haven’t said it aloud—I was hoping to find a way to express it better.”
She cupped his face and kissed him with all the passion burning to life for this man. Her own love overflowed, and she didn’t know if she could find a way to put it into words either.
“Next!”
The ride operator’s call separated them, and Patriot tossed the almost empty lemonade into the trash before grabbing Aarica’s hand and towing her to the waiting seat.
Her stomach lit with butterflies as they began to circle upward. Her hand tight in Patriot’s grasp, she replayed his words over and over in her mind. She hadn’t come to Mersey looking for love, but it’d found her. Her life couldn’t feel more complete than right this minute, looking out over the mountains where their love affair began.
“Maybe we can go back next weekend and finish what we started there.” Patriot stared at the mountains rising up in the distance.
“Really?” she asked.
His gaze locked on hers, and she saw that same expression in the depths that she read at the campfire when he looked at her. “Maybe I better seal the promise with a kiss.”
She nodded and closed the small gap between them.
Patriot skimmed a fingertip over the crest of Aarica’s nipple, down the slope of her breast to her ribs. She sucked in sharply at his barely-there touch, and he felt her quiver as he continued down the flat of her stomach. When he reached the junction of her thighs, she parted for him.
He couldn’t see in the dark of the tent, but he could feel his way. Through her damp curls to her wet clit. She rocked upward as he settled his fingertip over the bundle of nerves and pressed down gently.
He let up the pressure and she issued a tight cry.
“You want that, baby? Just like the first time?” He pressed down again, and she writhed. “Tell me how you like it this time,” he urged.
“I need…that!”
He circled her clit with a slow circle of his fingertip. “And this?”
“Yes!”