Aubrey (Revolving With Axis)

009:

His voice was low and tender, such a contrast to the voice he'd used in the garage.

"I love roller coasters." I gulped, and the ragged smile that whipped out with my trembling voice made him laugh.

I couldn't keep my eyes off him when he smiled and laughed like that. There was something weirdly contradictory about Rafe Stryker. He seemed-- at least in his professional life-- to be very punk sophisticated. I would have been intimidated by him, just knowing about him, but the fact that I'd actually met him before I knew who he was-- well, it changed my perspective. He was like a kid, but a really confidant man also. What was it about him? Something tender and willing, and eager to please, at the same time as being very worldly and knowledgeable.

"I love roller coasters too. When we're done on this we'll go do the coaster. Then we can get a pop and some cotton candy. Do you like cotton candy?"

I wiggled my shoulders in a take it or leave it kind of assent. "Yeah."

He looked out over the ocean and smiled kind of whimsically. "I'd like to plaster cotton candy all over your stomach and chest and eat it off."

"You did not just say that." I was terribly embarrassed and shocked.

He snorted and wiped his hands across his eyes. "What do you think I said?"

I stammered. Had I miss-heard him? Let's hope so. "Well, what did you say?"

"I like the way the lasers in the middle of the wheel are hitting your stomach and chest and we're about to get off."

I stared at him. There were lasers and other brilliant neon lights flashing and hitting us both as we went. The darkness around us was complete. And-- we were about to get off.

His hand on my elbow steadied me. I noticed how he also made sure the attendant guy was steady, as he'd seemed to stumble there for a second. The guy looked at him fairly carefully and I saw his mouth drop open. It was obvious he'd been recognized.

Rafe grabbed my hand and pulled me along, quickly, until we were running through people milling about and lines that were waiting for treats. He was serious and I was laughing. We arrived at the line for the roller coaster just as it finished loading and we were the next in line to get on. He turned to me, both hands on my hips and his grin was entirely too sexy. His eyes-- his lips-- gees, this guy really had that charisma.

He pulled me up to him, close, my hands rose to his-- what? Not over his shoulders, but along the top of his chest. Through the hoodie he was still quite well muscled. I thought of the tattoos earlier. My hands would have been above the design and near where a chain circled.

"You look at me like I'm ten feet tall." He ground out, pulling me still closer. "Are you serious that we're not going home to make love?"

His words really startled me. Was that all that was on this guy's mind? It couldn't be, he barely knew me.

Maybe I was noticing it more just because I'd never been attracted to anybody the way I was to him.

His question did not need an answer.

"I guess I will have to watch your music videos. You said they were the entryway to your psyche or something."

"Yeah, you want to get know me better?"

"At least one side of you. Yeah." I whispered, still holding his heated gaze. I knew that what he'd said on the Ferris Wheel had been what I'd heard and not his flimsy excuse words. My cheeks reddened.

"Well, they're not for the faint of heart, or for the kiddies."

I cocked my head and stared up at him. His palm covered one of mine against his heart, the fingers rubbing back and forth with far too much pent up energy. He looked in that moment-- in those flashing neon lights and lasers-- harmlessly dangerous.