Page 72 of Roping My Rival

“I agree. Want to share one?”

“Yeah, we could. Do you want a lemonade? I’ll get those and find us a spot to sit if you get the pizza.”

I want to argue or give him money because this was my idea, but it’s a suggestion to maximize our time, so I nod in agreement. “Sure. I’ll find you.”

After waiting in line for what feels like forever, I score a fresh pizza before they could cut slices for sale. They slice it and box it, and after a few moments, I spot Warren waving to me from a picnic table in the seating area.

“Careful, it’s still hot,” I warn as I set the box down in front of him.

Warren picks up a slice and touches it to his lips. “Not scalding. I’m going for it.” He takes a large bite and closes his eyes. “So good.” He mumbles as he chews, and I have to look away.

“It’s very good,” I agree.

I’m eating pizza and drinking fucking lemonade at the fair with a man I’m getting attached to. Not just as a rodeo partner. It’s more than very good. This is the first night since I was a teenager that I’ve let myself have anything joyful. I’m still feeling guilty about the money I’m about to drop here, but I want to make Warren smile and enjoy himself. He deserves it too.

After our meal, we hit the games alley and try a few. Darts at balloons, basketball shots, and the ever-popular pellet gun shooting the star. Our first head-to-head battle has me beating him by a long shot.

“You almost cleared the star!” he shouts.

“It takes a while to sight these guns, but not bad.”

“Keep going,” he urges, and I signal to the man for another round. After several rounds of being close, I finally clear one. The worker points to a row of animals, and I tell Warren to pick one. He laughs and chooses a stuffed cow. We’re just about to leave when the worker hangs a new giant stuffed animal along the line.

A rabbit.

Warren’s lips part, and I signal for the worker. “What do I have to do to win that rabbit?”

“Trade in the cow and clear the star at the twenty-dollar level.”

I hold out a bill and pick up the gun. The first one is so close I want to argue with the man, but I hand over another twenty dollars. Finally, on the third try, I clear the star, and the man points to the rabbit.

I nod, and he hands it to me. It’s huge with floppy ears and a red bandana, but when I turn to find Warren, it’s worth it.

“I told you I’d win you a giant stuffed animal.”

Warren takes the rabbit with a smile that makes my knees weak.

“Oh my god, Dane. This is the cutest thing!” He runs a hand over the ears like he’s petting a real rabbit. “I can’t believe you kept going to win this.”

“Well, I wasn’t about to let my date down when I promised a stuffed animal.”

The air stills as we both take a moment to let my choice of words sink in. I’m not sure how I’d feel if he were to argue that it’s not a date. Thankfully, I don’t have to worry about that.

“It’s the best date I’ve ever had.” He leans in, sandwiching the stuffed rabbit between us, and kisses me on the cheek. “Thank you.”

Am I blushing!?

What the actual fuck? My neck turns hot, and I feel so exposed, but Warren again knows how to make me feel like I’m not a freak.

“I think the perfect end to this date is the Ferris wheel. I hear it’s romantic.” He slides his hand into mine.

“Even with a giant rabbit? Can we take it on a ride?”

“Oh, we’re taking it. Let’s go.”

Together we weave through the crowd, and the giant rabbit draws a lot of stares, which I don’t mind one bit. It’s not until we’re sitting in the Ferris wheel buggy with the rabbit on the floor at our feet that I relax into what Warren thinks is romantic.

“I think I like the Ferris wheel because you get a view.”