Under the Boardwalk: A Dazzling Collection of All New Summertime Love Stories (55 page)

Laughing, he allowed himself to be led to the short metal fence that closed off the narrow waterway from spectators. Tiny passengers, strapped into tiny seats, held tightly to the sides of the miniature rowboats as they floated along, dragged by a pulley under the water to keep all moving at the same rate of speed.

"Oh, I remember riding in those little boats! I thought I was such big stuff, because I got to ride alone. You must have ridden in them lots of times, living just down the road."

He shook his head.

"How "bout the merry-go-round?" She asked. "My mother and I used to go on together. It would always be our last ride. Then we'd stop for cotton candy on the way home. Did you use to ride the merry-go-round, Jeremy?"

"Once or twice."

"Ferris wheel?"

"Only until I became too cool for anything less than the big, nasty rides."

"Wait here," she told him.

Jody returned shortly with a string of multicolored paper tickets.

"We need three each for the merry-go-round, five each for the Ferris wheel." She held up the tickets. "Unless, of course, you're still too cool…"

Jeremy laughed and took her hand, leading her to the line for the big wheel.

Ten minutes later, they were strapped into a canary yellow gondola and watching the park patrons on the ground grow smaller and smaller.

"Look, from here you can see the lights from the marina," she said.

"And the lights from the roller coaster." He pointed to the south. "That's one wicked-looking machine, isn't it?"

"Oh, I saw it on Saturday night A few of my friends went on, but I just couldn't bring myself to get on it."

"I'm game, if you are."

"After that dinner, I don't think so." She laughed.

"Maybe tomorrow night."

"Maybe. Look, there's the center of town. Three streets over from that red neon sign, on the bay side, is the house we rented when I was little. If it was daylight, we could probably see it from here. What a fun thought, to see the entire island from up above it all."

"Hmm," he rubbed his chin. "There's a thought…"

"When I was little, I used to think that you could touch the stars from the top of the Ferris wheel." Jody said when the ride came to an end and began its gradual release of passengers, giving each car a minute or so stopped at the very top of the wheel.

Her face was so near, tucked as she was into the crook of his arm, and her mouth was so close, that he never thought about kissing her, he just did. Her mouth was warm and sweet and still bore the slightest trace of lemon mixed with sea air. She tasted so good that he kissed her again, parting her lips with his tongue and tracing the contour of her mouth. Deeper and deeper, seeking more and more of her.

Had any woman ever been sweeter to taste, softer to touch? Had he ever suspected that it would be otherwise?

With her hands on either side of his face, she drew him back to her when she thought he would pull away. She'd never been kissed quite like that, and she didn't want him to stop, pure and simple, and so she kissed him until their car was making its last little swing to the platform where they'd get off.

They wandered around the amusement park, holding hands, but not speaking, until finally, on their third pass of the merry-go-round, Jody said, "There's a big black horse draped in scarlet and gold that's calling my name. Want to ride with me?"

"Sure."

Jeremy helped her to the platform when the ride had stopped, walked with her through the crowd of children and young lovers who were threading their way through the handsomely painted mounts.

"Here's my horse," she said as she climbed atop the black horse to sit sidesaddle. "Are you going to ride? There's a pretty mean looking dragon over there that might suit."

Jeremy laughed and nodded in the direction of the bright green beast.

"I'd hate to have to fight an eight-year-old for him. I think I'll just stand here with you, if that's okay."

The music started and the carousel began to turn slowly.

"Ah, that must be the legendary gold ring," he said as they passed the wooden post where the ring hung from a small dowel. "I'm going to have to go for that, you know."

Lights twinkled on and off, the mirrored back of the carousel reflected the gaily decorated animals as they pranced past, faster and faster until the reflection was little more than a blur of color. As the ride began to slow, Jeremy walked to the edge, and holding onto the nearest post, waited to pass the wooden pole. Jody never did see him reach for the gold ring, but as they hopped off the ride, he slipped it onto the middle finger of her left hand.

"I'm afraid it's a little big," he apologized.

"Oh, you got it!" She laughed, delighted that he had done so. "I never thought that anyone ever actually got one of these things!"

"Beginner's luck." He shrugged, gratified that she was so pleased with so small a trinket. "I spent a lot of time on the boardwalk as a teenager, but I never spent much time riding the carousel horses."

"Not macho enough?"

"Not by a long shot. The Rattler, the Twister, the Sea Serpent—those were manly rides."

"Then I guess the spinning teacups were out."

He laughed and drew her close to him as they walked past the arcade where boys in baggy pants and tank tops fed an endless supply of quarters into the machines.

"Now, how about that cotton candy you were talking about? Isn't that what you said you used to end up your nights on the boardwalk with?

Jeremy purchased two paper cones of the spun-sugar confection, and handing her one, said, "You have to wonder just who thought up this stuff."

"It's awful," she said as nibbled.

"Umm. Disgusting." He agreed.

"It's so
simmer
," she sighed. "Cotton candy and boardwalk fudge."

"Saltwater taffy and snow cones."

"Boardwalk pizza."

"Boardwalk fries."

"With cheese."

"Uh-uh. Old Bay seasoning."

"Ooh, that sounds good, too."

"Maybe tomorrow night we should just do boardwalk for dinner," Jeremy said as they arrived back at the motel. "And later, we can take on the roller coaster."

"Not after a meal of boardwalk food."

"Hmm, good point."

"Oh, look. People are swimming in the pool there. Want to join them?"

He glanced at his watch.

"Not tonight," he told her. "I have to get up early tomorrow. And so do you."

"I do?" She frowned. "Why?"

"Because there's something we want to do."

"There is?"

He nodded.

"How early?"

Jeremy appeared to be calculating something.

"Well, if we want breakfast first, we should probably meet at the coffee shop here in the motel by about five."

"And if we don't want breakfast?"

"Five-thirty should do it."

"Are the whales up that early?"

"Whales? Oh, no, that's not whale-watching time. That'll be later in the day. This will be something else. Something special."

"What?"

"It's a surprise," he told her. "You'll just have to wait till the morning to find out."

They stopped in front of Jody's door and she handed him her key when he reached for it. He pushed open the door with one hand and turned on the lights for her.

"So. You game? Five A.M.?" He asked as he gathered her in his arms.

"Yes," she told him as his mouth lowered to meet hers. "I'm game."

He kissed her until something inside him told him he'd better stop while he still could.

"I'll see you at the coffee shop at five," he said, closing the door behind him.

Jody dropped her shoes on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed and held up her hand. The thin band of mystery metal on her middle finger gleamed like the finest gold. She lay back across the bed, dazzled from kisses she could still feel, right down to her toes, and wondering what incredible surprises tomorrow might bring.

"Ah, there you are." Jeremy couldn't help but grin as Jody half stumbled into the lobby at 5:35 the next morning wearing gray shorts and a hooded sweatshirt of the same color.

"Here's part of me, anyway." She covered her mouth to yawn. "The rest of me is still sleeping peacefully back in room three seventeen."

He handed her a tall cardboard cup and said, "You'll be wide awake in a few minutes, I guarantee it."

"Is that coffee?" She sniffed and sighed. At that moment, it smelled like heaven. She could have wept. "Bless you. I need this. You're a prince, Jeremy Noble."

"I am indeed." He took her elbow and guided her through the door and into the parking lot.

"It's still dark out. You know, back at the inn, I'm up every day by at least this hour. But for some reason, I just haven't wanted to get out of bed all week."

"That's 'cause you know you're on vacation and you think you should be sleeping late. But trust me. This will be worth getting up early for." He opened the door to the Maxima and stepped back so that she could slide in.

She could have told him that she'd gladly get up at five any morning, just to look at him. Instead, she asked, "What's
t
his'?'
^r

"You'll see." He grinned and turned on the ignition.

They drove through quiet streets, those same streets that just the night before had been teeming with life. Jody sipped at her coffee, grateful for his thoughtfulness, and tried to guess what surprise he might have come up with.

She hoped it wasn't deep-sea fishing.

"We're almost there." He glanced over and added, "You might need that hood. It might be a little cool."

"Give me a hint."

"Too late. We're there."

He rounded a deep bend in the road and pulled off to the side, to a clearing where several other cars were parked on a sandy lot lined with a narrow row of scrub pines.

"This way," Jeremy motioned to her, and in the growing light she could see that his eyes were dancing— with mischief or pleasure, she wasn't sure which.

Jody followed him down a path leading through the sparse stretch of trees, her curiosity piqued.

"I know. We're going to watch the sun rise." She caught up with him and tucked her arm through his, still holding her coffee cup in one hand.

"Yes." He grinned, and stopping at the end of the path, he pointed straight ahead. "From a slightly different vantage point."

Jody stopped, drop-jawed, in her tracks, and stared at the brightly colored balloon that rose fifty feet above her head.

"It's a… it's a…" she stuttered and pointed.

"Hot-air balloon," Jeremy grinned, taking her hand. "You said you wished you could see the entire island from up above. Well, this morning you'll get your wish."

"From the air," she whispered, horrified as she stumbled along behind him. "I'm not sure that I really meant that I wanted to see it from the
air
…"

He laughed and squeezed her hand.

"Alan Dember?" He called to the tall, thin man inside the balloon's basket

"Right." Busy checking something near the burner, the man responded without turning around.

"Your ad said first come, first served."

"You're the first," Dember called back over his shoulder. "Climb aboard."