Crave (Beneath The Secrets #3)

49. Lara

CHAPTER 49

LARA

“Shut the fuck up, look.” Alexei tugs on my hand and points towards the Hook-a-Duck stand at the carnival.

“What?” I chuckle.

We’ve been at this fair for hours. I haven’t laughed this much in a long time. I get the sense he is bottling something up. But then today he’s back to his usual self.

He leans against a low counter. “The flamingo stuffed toy! Do you think Sheila might like it? Maybe it will be like a baby trial for her and Bruce.”

“We don’t need more flamingos, those two are quite enough.”

“Everyone needs more flamingos, Lara.”

I shake my head but I smile. I can’t help it. Being around this goofy ball of happiness makes my day.

He distracts me from my own head.

Following his lead, he rolls up the sleeves of his white shirt. I almost drool when I look at those veiny, tattooed forearms. And so does the woman behind the kiosk.

I clear my throat and shoot her a look. He’s mine.

“Hi, handsome. You here to hook up?” The girl tucks her black hair behind her ear and bats her lashes. I clench my fist and take a deep breath.

Alexei is completely oblivious to her flirting, he gets out his wallet from his back pocket and stuffs a twenty in her hand.

He turns his attention to me with a grin. “Do you want to go first or should I?”

I step forward, and he strokes my hair away from my face.

“If I win, do I get a reward when we’re home?” I whisper in his ear.

“Who said anything about waiting till then?”

When he pulls back, I feel the death stare in the side of my head from that girl.

He steps out of the way letting me stand in front of the little pool with the floating yellow ducks. Reluctantly, she hands me the hook.

“You’ve got four tries,” she says flatly, then pops the gum in her mouth before dropping onto a short stool behind her.

A fuzzy feeling washes over me when Alexei snakes his arms around my waist and rests his chin on my shoulder.

Leaning forward slightly I aim for the first duck, and my ass presses against his crotch.

“I want my duck to be that wet,” he mumbles in my ear, just loud enough for me to hear.

Bursting into a fit of laughter, I completely miss the floating toy.

I’m wheezing and tears are burning my eyes.

I can barely see Alexei watching me with an amused grin through my blurry vision. Every time I go to speak or pick the hook back up, I double back over.

“Y-you. Do. It,” I manage to say before returning to my giggle fit.

I watch from the side, trying to regain some composure, yet every time he glances at me I have to hold my hand over my mouth to stop laughing.

On the second to last try, he hooks a duck.

“YES!” He jumps up, throws the hook in the water and launches himself at me, twirling me round in the air like he’s just won some sort of championship prize.

“You did it.” I hold onto his firm shoulders as he lowers me to the ground.

Stealing a quick kiss, he points to the flamingo hanging up.

“I’ll take that.”

The woman frowns, pointing up at the big sign next to her.

“No. That’s for the small ducks. You hooked a big one.” Her jaw works with a bored expression.

I hold back rolling my eyes. Alexei flashes me a grin, pulling me closer by my waist.

“You have a big duck .” I say under my breath, just loud enough for him to hear.

This time it’s his turn to laugh. Except he holds it together better than me.

“Fine. Fine.” He pulls out his wallet and slams more money on the wooden top.

“Now, I’ll have my baby flamingo.”

“Please.” I add with a fake smile.

“Ergh. Fine.” She rolls her eyes and begrudgingly yanks the stuffed animal from the hook.

“Careful. It’s only a baby.” Alexei shakes his head.

He’s serious.

With his prize secured under his arm and his other linked through mine, we wander between the games and food booths.

“Cotton candy?” he asks, gesturing towards the spinning sugar.

My stomach grumbles. The doughnuts smell amazing. But I forgot to update my calorie app after breakfast. I’m not sure I have enough available to have any more treats. If I indulge, I can’t get rid of it, not while Alexei is around. I don’t want a confrontation. I have it under control at the moment. He doesn’t need to see that side of me.

I’m fine.

Now in front of the stand, I pull my arm out and look at the brightly colored bags.

All of them would make me fatter.

Alexei is busy pointing through the glass at all the different sweets for his order.

He comes back showing his purple and blue candy. “Do you want anything, baby?”

I twirl the ring on my index finger. Trying to do the math.

I had oatmeal and a banana. Maybe if I do an hour in the gym I could have some.

And a salad for dinner?

I shake my head. This is too much.

“I can just have a bite of yours?” I give him a small smile.

“You can have a bite of mine anytime.” He winks and rips off a chuck of the floss and stuffs it in his mouth.

His hand cups my cheek, then he leans down and kisses me. I can taste the sweetness of the dissolving candy still on his tongue as he deepens the kiss.

“Tasty, right?” he says as he pulls back.

I’m hot and flustered. “Very.”

“Let me show you my seat on the ferris wheel.”

I stop him as we walk. “Your what?”

He nods, stuffing another mouthful of candy.

“I know the owner. I like that car. So I have it when I want it. I think better when I’m above the earth. That’s why I skydive.”

“Makes sense. You chasing a high clears your mind. It’s very you.”

And that’s what I love about him. He is unapologetically him. He doesn’t give a single shit what the world thinks of him. He does what he wants, when he wants, and doesn’t take life for granted.

He’s a free spirit. He’s refreshing to be around.