Burning Ice - Chapter 30: Chapter 30

When Nate showed up at my door, leaning casually against the frame like he had all the time in the world, I couldn't help but be caught off guard. A date? To a carnival? It was the last thing I expected. But then again, Nate had this way of keeping me on my toes.
And how could I say no when he looked like that? Faded jeans that hugged him just right, a plain black hoodie that stretched across his shoulders, and that cocky little smirk that made my stomach do somersaults. It wasn't fair, really.
The carnival wasn't the kind of place I imagined Nate taking someone, but it was perfect. There was something so simple and easy about it, like we could just exist together without any expectations or rules. I didn't even care that a few people stopped and stared as we walked through the gates, their whispers barely audible over the hum of the crowd.
"Is that Nate Griffith?" someone murmured behind us.
I glanced back, catching a quick flash of a phone aimed in our direction before I turned away, pretending not to notice. If Nate saw it, he didn't let on. His arm stayed around my shoulders, steady and protective, like he didn't give a damn who was watching.
And neither did I.
For once, I wasn't worried about what people thought or what they might say. I wasn't ashamed to be seen with him, not even for a second. If they wanted to talk, let them.
I let myself relax, letting Nate steer me toward the food stalls first. I'd forgotten how much fun it could be to just... laugh. To let go. And with him, it was so easy.
He tried to act like he wasn't watching me, but I caught the way his eyes lingered every time I smiled or laughed at one of his stupid jokes. Like he was memorizing the moment. Like it mattered to him.
And that? That was a dangerous feeling.
When we reached the game stalls, I didn't even bother hiding my amusement as he failed spectacularly at the ring toss. Watching Nate—calm, confident Nate—get so frustrated over a carnival game was probably the highlight of my week.
"Don't even think about laughing," he warned, his jaw tight as he lined up another shot.
"Too late," I shot back, grinning as the ring bounced off yet another bottle.
He eventually won, of course because he refused to give up and handed me a sad little stuffed bear like it was a prize from a championship game. I couldn't stop laughing as I hugged it to my chest, but there was something sweet about the way he looked at me then, like the whole night had been worth it just for that moment.
The Ferris wheel creaked and swayed as it climbed higher into the night sky, the city fading into a blur of distant lights below. I leaned back against the bench, the cool metal pressing against my legs, and stole a glance at Nate. He had one arm draped over the back of the seat, his fingers brushing my shoulder lightly, like he couldn't help but touch me.
From up here, the noise of the carnival melted away into something softer. The laughter, the music, the clinking of game stalls, all of it felt distant, like we were in our own little world.
"Not bad, right?" Nate asked, his voice low, almost drowned out by the wind.
I smiled, watching as the car inched closer to the very top. "I'll admit, it's kind of magical. You're doing better than I expected."
"Better than you expected?" He raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching into a grin. "What, you thought I was gonna take you to a dingy sports bar?"
I tilted my head, pretending to think. "I mean, I wouldn't put it past you."
He laughed, the deep sound warming me in a way that had nothing to do with the blanket of his arm. "Good to know you had such high hopes for me."
The car rocked slightly as we reached the peak, and the Ferris wheel came to a stop. The view from up here was breathtaking, the lights of the carnival sprawling out like a sea of stars, their colors blending into the night. I felt the rush of the height in my chest, the thrill of being so far removed from everything below us.
I turned my head to find Nate already watching me, his gaze steady and unguarded. "What?" I asked, my voice softer now.
"You," he said simply, his lips curving into that crooked smile that never failed to undo me. "You look happy."
"I am," I admitted, my voice catching just a little. "I don't think I've had this much fun in... well, ever."
His eyes softened, and for a second, I thought he might kiss me. But then he reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone.
"What are you doing?" I asked, laughing as he held it up between us.
"Taking a picture," he said, angling it to capture both of us with the carnival lights glittering in the background. "I don't want to forget this—forget you like this."
"Like what?" I asked, my cheeks heating as I leaned in closer.
"Smiling," he said, his voice quieter now. "Like you're not carrying the weight of the world for once."
I swallowed hard, his words hitting me somewhere deep. Before I could think too much about it, he snapped the photo.
"Perfect" he said, glancing at the screen before tucking his phone away.
"Let me see!" I protested, reaching for his pocket, but he caught my hand, his fingers wrapping around mine.
"Not a chance," he said with a smirk, his grip firm but playful. "This one's just for me."
I rolled my eyes, but the warmth in his gaze made it impossible to stay annoyed. And then he shifted closer, his free hand reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.
"Billie" he murmured, his tone more serious now.
"Yeah?" I breathed, my heart thudding against my ribs as the wind tugged at my hair.
He didn't say anything else. He didn't need to. Instead, he leaned in, his lips brushing against mine in a kiss that was both gentle and deliberate, like he was savoring every second.
The Ferris wheel started to move again, but I didn't care. The world tilted, the lights below swirling together, but all I could focus on was the way his hand cradled the back of my head and the steady, unrelenting warmth of his kiss.
When we finally pulled back, my cheeks were flushed, and I couldn't stop the stupid grin spreading across my face.
"Cheesy enough for you?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement.
"Maybe" I said, biting my lip to keep from smiling too wide. "But I didn't hate it."
"Good" he said, wrapping his arm around me as we descended toward the ground. "Because I've got a whole night of cheesy planned, and I'm not letting you off the hook now."
I leaned into him, letting myself relax into the moment. For the first time in a long while, I felt weightless.
We lingered at the carnival for a little while longer, wandering through the glowing pathways and soaking up the last bits of the night. Nate insisted on winning me one more prize—a stuffed unicorn from a dart-throwing game that he, of course, made look effortless.
"I'm pretty sure this one's good luck," he said, handing it over with a grin.
I laughed, hugging the plush toy to my chest. "You're really laying it on thick tonight, huh?"
"Maybe" he said, not even trying to deny it. His arm slipped back around me as we walked toward the exit, the night air crisp against my skin. "But I don't hear you complaining."
I didn't argue because he was right. For once, I didn't want the night to end.
But as the crowd started to thin and the carnival lights blurred into the dark, my feet began to ache, and the adrenaline of the evening started to fade. I glanced up at Nate, who was already looking down at me like he was reading my mind.
"Wanna call it?" he asked, his voice low and easy.
"Yeah," I admitted.
His eyes flickered, something soft and unspoken passing between us. "Come back to mine," he said, his hand tightening slightly on my shoulder. "We can throw on a movie or something. No pressure."
I hesitated for half a second, not because I didn't want to, but because I was still getting used to how easy it was with him. Like he was offering me something simple and safe in a world that always felt a little too complicated.
"Okay" I said finally, my voice quiet but sure.
The drive back to his place was quieter than the ride to the carnival, the kind of comfortable silence that didn't need to be filled. Nate rested one hand on the wheel and let the other fall to the console between us, his fingers brushing mine every so often as the city lights slipped past the window.
When we pulled up to his building, he reached over to open my door before I could even think about doing it myself. I rolled my eyes at the gesture but couldn't help the little flutter in my chest as he waited for me to climb out.
Inside, his place was warm and familiar, the kind of space that felt distinctly him—clean but lived-in, with a few trophies lining the shelves and a worn leather couch that looked as comfortable as it was expensive.
"Make yourself at home," he said, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it onto a nearby chair. "I'll grab us something to drink."
I kicked off my shoes and wandered toward his bedroom, where I'd been a few times before but never quite like this. His bed was unmade, the sheets rumpled in a way that made me smile. It wasn't perfect, but it was real.
By the time he came in with two glasses of water, I was already curled up on the edge of the bed, flipping through his streaming options on the mounted TV.
"Anything specific you're in the mood for?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at him.
"You pick" he said, setting the glasses down on the nightstand before climbing in beside me. His arm slid around my waist, pulling me back against his chest as he settled in.
I scrolled for a minute before landing on a classic, one of those cheesy action movies that neither of us would take too seriously. He chuckled when he saw my choice but didn't protest, his chin resting lightly on my shoulder as the opening credits rolled.
The warmth of his body against mine, the steady rise and fall of his breathing, it was all so soothing that I almost forgot about the movie entirely. At some point, his hand started tracing lazy circles on my hip, and I let myself sink into the feeling, my eyes fluttering closed.
"You good?" he murmured, his voice low in my ear.
"Better than good" I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
The movie played on in the background, but neither of us paid much attention to it. The room was quiet except for the soft hum of the TV and the occasional shift of movement as we adjusted our positions. Nate's arm around me was a comforting weight, grounding me in a way that made everything else feel distant.
I could feel the steady rhythm of his breathing against my back, and I relaxed into him even more, my body molding against his, my fingers tracing small patterns on his hand. I had never been one for long stretches of quiet like this, but with him, it felt easy—natural, even. I let myself savor it, the way his warmth seeped into me, the way his presence was calming.
"I can't believe you took me to the carnival," I said after a long pause, my voice low. "That was..."
"Unexpected?" Nate finished for me, his lips close to my ear.
I laughed softly, nodding. "Exactly. But it was perfect."
He didn't respond right away, but I felt the slight pressure of his chest against my back as he adjusted his position, wrapping his other arm around me so that I was fully tucked into him. It was the kind of move that felt like something between instinct and intention, like he wanted me close, wanted me to feel... safe.
"I'm glad you had fun," he said, his voice rougher now, as though the closeness was making him a little less guarded. "I don't know if I've ever taken anyone out like that. It's just—well, I don't know, it felt right, you know?"
I tilted my head slightly to look up at him, our faces just inches apart. The proximity sent a small flutter through my chest. I could feel his breath on my skin, the familiar pull of his presence just enough to make me want to stay in this moment forever.
"I get it," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "It felt right to me too."
His eyes searched mine for a moment, and I saw that flicker of something—something more than the playful banter we usually traded, more than the teasing or the easy smiles. There was something deeper in the way he looked at me now, something I couldn't quite name but that made my pulse quicken.
Before I could think too much about it, Nate leaned in, pressing his lips to mine in a kiss that was slow and deliberate, a little more serious than the one on the Ferris wheel. His hand slid to the back of my neck, gently pulling me closer, deepening the kiss.
I responded without hesitation, my own hand rising to trace the lines of his jaw, my fingers brushing the stubble there. There was no rush, no need to hurry. The kiss was warm, familiar, and the world outside seemed to disappear completely.
When we finally pulled back, I was breathless, my heart thundering in my chest. I could still feel the heat of his lips against mine, the lingering intensity of that moment.
"You're really something, you know that?" Nate said quietly, his voice thick with something I didn't quite understand.
I smiled, resting my forehead against his. "I could say the same about you."
We stayed like that for a while, nestled together under the soft sheets, the movie long forgotten. The only thing that mattered in that moment was the quiet comfort of being with him, the way everything just felt... easy.
I didn't need anything more than this.