My eyes catch a glimpse of a gigantic teddy panda displayed at one of the shooting galleries. I can feel my heart pounding with excitement as I approach the stall.
“Oh my, that panda!” I exclaim.
With his usual nonchalant attitude, Nate replies, “What my baby wants, my baby gets.”
The attendant at the stall then explains the rules to Nate—he has to shoot all the targets to win the giant panda. Nate confidently picks up the air rifle, aims, and fires. In seconds, the targets fall one after the other. I look at him in awe, amazed at his sharpshooting skills.
I gently kiss his cheek and my heart fills with gratitude. The panda is almost as big as me.
“Shall we take our prizes back to the truck?” Nate inquires. Together, we go to the truck and carefully place our prizes inside.
As we return to the pier, Nate suggests getting some food.
“Sounds good to me,” I reply, my stomach grumbling in agreement.
We soon find ourselves in a quaint diner with a retro, fifties theme. The vibrant neon colors and black-and-white tiled flooring are a feast for the eyes. The extensive menu offers a wide variety of dishes to satisfy any craving.
We spot a booth with bright red, leather chairs. I settle down and order freshly made pancakes while Nate orders a juicy burger. As we wait for our food, I can't help but feel grateful for the lovely day we've had so far.
“I'm really enjoying myself, thank you,” I say to Nate, smiling.
“It's my pleasure, baby. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself,” he replies warmly.
Nate's sudden movement draws my attention to him as he swiftly reaches for a tissue from the holder. His tone turns from casual to concerning as he addresses me, “Oh, baby, one of your cuts has opened up.” He gently pats the tissue on the cut, applying just the right amount of pressure.
As he carefully tends to my wound, I instinctively hold onto his hand, keeping it in place on my face. Our eyes meet and I can't help but blurt out, “I never expected to get so attached to you. Do you feel the same way?” He seems caught off guard by my sudden confession, but his response is immediate and heartfelt. “I'm fully attached. Wherever you go, I go, Tessie.”
A friendly waitress approaches our table and sets down the plates of hot, steaming food. The scent of freshly cooked pancakes wafts up to my nose and I can't resist pouring a generous amount of rich, amber-colored maple syrup over the fluffy stacks. The aroma is irresistible and we dig in eagerly, savoring every bite of the delicious meal.
Nate takes a big bite of his juicy burger, savoring the flavors that explode in his mouth. With a grin on his face, he manages to utter, “This is nice,” while still chewing. I chuckle at his enthusiasm and take a bite of my fluffy pancakes, relishing the sweetness of the maple syrup.
“Thank you for winning that giant panda. Your shooting skills are truly impressive,” I say, my eyes wide with admiration.
“Well, I have to give some credit to the army for training me,” he replies modestly, sipping his soda.
I am about to ask Nate some questions about his time in the army when he interrupts me mid-sentence. “No, baby. No questions about the army yet, please,” he says in a gentle tone. It seems like he wasn't quite ready to delve into that topic yet, so I respect his wishes and shift the conversation to something else.
After we finish our delicious meal and pay the bill, we walk hand in hand towards the pier. As we stroll on the wooden planks, we catch sight of the magnificent Ferris wheel in the distance. Looking at it, I turn to Nate and ask, “Wanna go on?”
Nate stares at the towering Ferris wheel and stutters, “Uh...uh…” I can sense the fear in his voice and realize he is scared of heights. “It's ok,” I comfort him. “You don't have to if you don't want to.”
He blushes at my words and surprises me by admitting, "I am scared of heights.” Finding him cute, I can’t resist leaning in to kiss him on the cheek and whisper, “Oh, baby.”
Taking a deep breath, Nate looks up at the Ferris wheel again and says, “If you want to go on the wheel, we will go on it.” I can see the determination in his eyes as he takes a gulp and braces himself for the ride.
Nate's grip on my hand tightens. I smile reassuringly and squeeze his hand back. We sit in one of the rusted metal carts and begin our ascent into the sky. We're only halfway up when the ride suddenly stops to let more people on. Despite the unexpected pause, I can't help but feel the excitement coursing through my veins.
“It's not too bad,” Nate says, looking around at the colorful lights and bustling fairgrounds below. The Ferris wheel lurches back to life and we continue our ascent. As we reach the top, my breath catches in my throat at the breathtaking view before us. We can see for miles—the glittering sea stretches out before us, gently lapping at the beach's golden sand.
I feel Nate shift in his seat, and I lean into him, feeling the warmth of his body against mine. I can tell he's a bit nervous, but I'm here with him and that's all that matters. We sit there, suspended in the air, with the carriage gently swaying back and forth. I turn to him and ask if he's ok. He takes a moment to look around at the breathtaking view before returning to me and saying, “I'm ok I have you next to me.”
Before I can reply, his lips meet mine and we kiss passionately. The intensity of our kiss matches the height we're perched and I can't help but lose myself in the moment.
His voice quivers as he speaks, “Don't make me get all worked up at this height.” I can hear the fear in his voice.
I try to ease his nerves. “It may take your mind off the height,” I tease.
He gently places his hand on my face, his touch as warm as the setting sun. “You look so incredibly beautiful in the sunset,” he whispers in my ear, his voice as soothing as a gentle breeze. I can feel his nervousness, so I smile at him and take his other hand, holding it tightly as we both bask in the beauty of the moment.
I bring my lips to his once again. Slowly, I unbutton his flannel shirt, feeling his warm skin beneath my fingertips. “I want to kiss your heart,” I breathe.
I move my head down and plant a tender kiss on his chest, right where his heart beats. I lean back. I notice my lipstick has left a perfect imprint of my lips on his skin.
He gazes downwards, his eyes glimpse my lipstick mark on his chest, and he can't help but chuckle. The Ferris wheel suddenly jolts and begins to move once again as we gradually descend back to the ground. He has a warm sense of contentment and I can sense that he is truly happy at this moment.
Nate and I disembark from the Ferris wheel and Nate playfully says, “The things I do for you, Tessie Billings.” I can't help but giggle as I reply, “But it was absolutely breathtaking once we reached the top.” The view from the top of the Ferris wheel was truly magnificent. It was a moment I'll never forget.
As the day winds down and the sun starts to set, Nate and I make our way down the pier towards the car park. Just as we're about to get into the truck, Nate spots a small tattoo parlor and stops dead in his tracks. He peers inside the window, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “I've got an idea,” he says with a grin.
Without hesitation, we venture into the parlor, seeing a heavily tattooed man sporting a long, bushy beard. Nate wastes no time asking the man if he's available for a small tattoo. The man nods in agreement and Nate turns to me with a kiss before telling me to take a seat.
As Nate disappears into the back with the tattoo artist, I sink into the plush, leather couch, taking in the parlor's eclectic decor. I can't help but wonder what kind of tattoo Nate is getting as I pick up a magazine and begin to flip through the pages.
After waiting for some time, I start to feel restless. I get up from my seat and begin pacing around the waiting area, looking at the fish tank. Suddenly, Nate emerges from the back room with his flannel shirt unbuttoned. As he approaches me, I notice something different about his chest. Upon closer inspection, I see that he has gotten my lipstick mark tattooed on his chest, right where I had kissed him earlier. The sight took me by surprise.
The bright red tattoo of my lips on his chest is a striking contrast against the dark ink of his other tattoos.
