“Maverick,” Ben said in a rush. “We sat all the way at the back of the Sea Dragon and it feels like you’re going to get dumped out of your seat when it’s all the way up. It’s so cool.”
“That sounds awesome, Ben. What else did you ride?” he asked. The six-year-old recounted all his adventures in a fast jumble of words. The boy could barely contain his excitement. Mav was glad to see them happy and having fun. They’d had a rough few years, just like their dad. Speaking of . . . “Is Slider here?” he asked Cora.
“He’s working parking right now, so I offered to take the boys around. Who’s better to go to a carnival with than some awesome kids?” She grinned at Sam and Ben, and both of them beamed up at her.
“When can we play games?” Sam asked.
“I’m following you two. Just lead the way,” she said. As the boys ran off, she threw all of them a wave.
Mav and Dare exchanged a look, and he could read the general tenor of his cousin’s thoughts—worry, for Slider. But at least the guy was here. He’d shown up and pitched in. Maverick had no doubt that said as much about his loyalty to Jagger as anything else. And he had to respect that.
“Tickets, please,” the man at the head of the line said. They handed them over and found two cars near each other.
“This is going to be so fun.” Alexa leaned over and kissed him.
“If you keep doing that, it’ll be a fucking blast,” he said.
She threw her head back and laughed.
Grinning, Maverick pointed at Dare. “Fifty bucks, brother.”
Dare flipped him off. And then they started moving.
Maverick couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed so hard. He hadn’t entirely ruled out the possibility of puking, but between the look on Dare’s face, Alexa absolutely howling and screaming in delight, and the way centripetal force glued her to his side, he was having a great damn time.
“That was fucking awesome,” he said when they all got off. He clapped a greenish Dare on the back. “What are we riding next?”
They rode the Sea Dragon—though Dare called bullshit on the very back, which Haven was only too happy to accommodate. They rode the spinning teacups, which was a funny sight with them in their Ravens colors sitting in dainty pastel cups. They rode the Gravitron, where the floor dropped out from under them, rock music blaring in their ears. They walked through the house of mirrors, where Haven got stuck in a little path of mirrors and couldn’t find her way out—a fact that made her want to go through it a second time. And then they made their way to the bumper cars.
“Now this is more my speed,” Dare said.
“But you were so cute in the teacups, see?” She brought up a selfie she’d taken of them on her phone.
“Aw, that is really cute, Dare.” Alexa grinned at him.
“Baby, don’t show that shit around,” Dare said, no heat in his words at all. Maverick busted out laughing. “You have no room to talk, motherfucker.” Dare arched a brow at him.
Mav held up his hands, grinning and shaking his head. “I didn’t say a word.”
They finally got to their cars, each of them taking their own, and then somehow it ended up three on one, everyone coming after Mav.
“What the hell?” he said, laughing and dodging Alexa as she beelined straight for him. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“All’s fair in bumper cars, Maverick. Deal with it.” She rammed him.
“Aw, you’re gonna pay, little girl. Just you wait.” He went to turn the car, but Dare hit him next. The guy grinned like an idiot. Mav just shook his head.
After, Alexa wrapped herself around him. “I’m sorry I crashed my car into you.”
He feigned a scowl and nailed her with a hot stare. Her playfulness was fucking sexy. “I think I know how you can make it up to me.”
“Hey, Haven wants to do the Tilt-A-Whirl again,” Dare said. “Catch ya later?”
“You bet,” Mav said.
When they were alone, Alexa pushed up on tiptoes and put her mouth to his ear. “Does it involve me sucking your cock?” She gave him an innocent look.
“Jesus Christ,” he bit out, the teasing words sending blood rushing south. “You better believe it does now.”
She bit her lip, her look so full of desire that he wanted to take her behind one of the rides right this second. “Mmm, I’ll look forward to that.” She tugged his hand. “But first we need games and stuffed animals. And maybe cotton candy. Or a funnel cake.”
“Whatever you want,” he said, meaning that in every way he could.
“Oh, I love this one,” she said, pulling him toward the game where you shot water into the mouth of a clown to blow up and pop a balloon. They plunked down their money and took up the last two guns side by side.