Chapter 26: Fun Games and Dangerous Attraction

Elara stared at the amusement park entrance.

This was... not what she expected.

Bright neon lights flashed above the gates, families lined up, laughter and the sounds of carnival games filled the air. Everywhere she looked, kids were holding cotton candy, parents were snapping photos, and there was a man in a giant panda costume waving to people.

And here she was—standing in front of it all, in jeans and a simple white crop top, trying her hardest to look uninterested.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered under her breath.

But then, she spotted him.

Zayden.

Leaning against the entrance, looking like he had just stepped off a magazine cover. Dark sunglasses perched on his nose, black t-shirt, and dark jeans. No suit. No polished business look. He was casual, but still a magnet to anyone with eyes.

She walked over, pretending to be unimpressed, but the minute he noticed her, his lips curved into that infamous smirk.

> "You're here," he said, his voice like velvet. "I thought you'd bail."

Elara rolled her eyes. "What would I bail on? A date where we scream like children on rides and eat overpriced candy?"

Zayden chuckled. "You do have a talent for being cynical, don't you?"

She ignored the compliment and crossed her arms. "I've seen better amusement parks. This one's practically a zoo."

"Yet you still showed up," he pointed out, taking a step toward her. "Let's start with something easy, Blake. A game."

She raised a brow. "A game?"

Zayden grabbed her wrist lightly, pulling her toward one of the booths. "Test your strength. You hit the bell, see if you can make the hammer ring the bell. You'll win a prize."

Elara looked at him, then at the large hammer. She laughed, shaking her head.

"I'm not here to prove my strength."

> "Oh, but you are," he said. "You're just not admitting it yet."

He passed her the hammer and stepped back.

She stood there for a second, eyeing him, then grabbed it and swung it with all her might.

The hammer hit the bell, and the sound rang out loud and clear.

Zayden blinked. "I'll be damned," he muttered under his breath, clearly impressed. "You've got more strength than I gave you credit for."

"I don't need strength for you to be impressed," she said with a smirk, handing him the hammer and walking away. "That was just for fun."

Zayden followed, watching her every move. "You're not fooling anyone. You enjoyed that more than you're letting on."

"I'm not fooling you, am I?"

He laughed, shaking his head. "You're something else, Blake."

They moved on, and the day passed in a whirlwind of carnival games, Ferris wheels, and brightly-colored snacks. Elara started to forget the tension she had felt earlier.

Zayden pulled her into a photo booth, and before she could protest, he wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned in close for the camera.

"Smile," he said, his voice dangerously close to her ear.

She flashed a quick, fake smile, trying to act casual, but the closeness of his body against hers sent sparks racing through her.

The photos printed, and he handed her one. "Keep that. A memory of your fun day."

Elara scowled at him. "I'm going to burn it the minute I get home."

Zayden raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't bet on it."

---

They made their way to the bumper cars next.

Elara tried to stay ahead of him, but Zayden was too fast, pulling her into a car and taking the driver's seat. As they hit the gas, they slammed into another car, laughing as they bounced off and zigzagged across the track.

She hit him with her car when he wasn't expecting it.

> "Oh, so we're playing dirty now?" he said, grinning.

She smirked. "You have no idea."

Then—another bump, this time harder than before. He nearly lost control of his car.

> "Alright, alright, I'll give you that one."

They rode out the rest of the session, laughing, pushing each other's buttons, and sharing something that felt like fun — not forced, not fake.

At the end of it all, Zayden grinned at her.

> "You're not so bad when you're not trying to kill me with your words."

She huffed out a laugh. "You wish."

---

By the time they reached the exit, the sun was setting, the park lighting up in neon, and the energy in the air felt like a shared victory. It was a good day, despite her trying to hate every minute of it.

Zayden handed her a cotton candy stick, his expression almost soft. "You didn't bail. You didn't make a scene. I might actually start to believe you enjoyed yourself."

"I did not," she said immediately, but the playful glint in her eyes gave her away. "But I might've had... a little bit of fun."

Zayden's lips curled into that smug smile again, as if he knew exactly what that little "bit of fun" meant.

> "That's all I needed to hear."