Giving My All to You

“I haven’t done something like this in a long time, so thank you.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. Are you ready to leave?”

Faith whirled around. “Leave? We aren’t going to the amusement park?”

“I hadn’t planned on it,” he said slowly.

She rolled her eyes. “Brandon, we have to go. You can’t just come to the pier and not go. Doesn’t it look like fun?”

Brandon glimpsed over his shoulder at the big Ferris wheel, roller coasters and the tower ride that dropped a person from a height he didn’t even want to think about. Fun? He thought not. He didn’t do amusement parks, rides and games…or at least he hadn’t since his teen years. His type of fun involved silken sheets and soft music.

Faith grabbed him by the arm. “Oh, come on. It’ll be fun. We’re supposed to be sightseeing and there are lots of sights I want to see.”

Usually, women didn’t have a problem with him calling the shots and never questioned where he took them on a date, but not Faith. She’d called him bossy, told him when she didn’t care for something he said and now nearly dragged him toward a place he didn’t want to go.

* * *

When they reached the ticket booth, Faith opened her purse and slid her credit card into the tray. “Two unlimited wrist bands.” Before the woman behind the glass could take it, Brandon snatched it.

Brandon scowled down at her. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Paying for the unlimited ride wrist band. What does it look like?” She reached for her card and he moved it out of her grasp. “Brandon.”

The woman looked on with amusement.

Faith frowned at him. “You’re holding up the line.”

Brandon slipped her card into his pocket and withdrew his own. “Two wristbands.”

The woman swiped his card, had him sign a receipt and handed him their wristbands. When he walked away, she said to Faith, “Honey, don’t be mad at him. I wish I had a man like that. He can take me anywhere,” she added with a chuckle.

Faith realized that the woman had a point. Women would kill to have a man who didn’t mind footing the bill. She just didn’t want him to think she expected him to pay every time they went somewhere. “Can I have my card back now?” He handed it back without a word. “You really should have let me pay, especially since you hadn’t planned for us to come here. I don’t want you to think I can’t pay my way.”

He didn’t reply immediately. Finally he peered down at her. “I never thought that, Faith. And I don’t want to argue.”

“Neither do I.”

“I promised you fun, so…” Brandon gestured her forward.

Faith enjoyed herself tremendously. They rode the Ferris wheel twice and she talked him into getting on the oceanfront roller coaster that provided a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean and the bay. She stuffed her face with cotton candy, a funnel cake and a pretzel, and cradled the tiger Brandon had won in her arms. By the time they walked back to the car, the sun had started to set. “Can we go watch the sunset?”

“Absolutely.” He withdrew a blanket from his trunk and they went and found a spot on the beach. He spread it out, sat and pulled her down onto his lap, then slid his arms around her.

She leaned back against his chest and covered his hands with hers. This one was more spectacular than the one she saw at the restaurant. At length, she asked, “Are you angry about going to the park?”

“No. Why?”

“Just wondering. You didn’t seem like you were having a good time.” Faith angled her head his way. “Do women usually follow wherever you lead?”

Brandon paused before answering. “Usually.”

“Hmph. Figured as much.”

He tightened his hold. “But I’m finding I like it when a woman takes the lead every now and again. And I did have fun.”

They shared a smile and refocused their attention on the now darkening sky. The moon rose, fat and bright, and stars dotted the heavens. “It’s a beautiful night.”

“Yes. But it doesn’t hold a candle to you,” he whispered against her ear. Brandon shifted her until she sat sideways and lowered his head.