Nothing more than a challenge.

Once again she scolded herself. The challenge was over. If that’s all he’d been in this for, then why was he still around? In hindsight, she wondered now if that was why she’d been so anxious to get it over with in his library that first night—to see if once he’d won the challenge he’d run. If it really was the case and all he’d been in this for was the challenge, then it was better to pull the rug from under her feet sooner rather than later before she was in too deep.

Even though the night had ended the way it had with him dismissing her so unceremoniously, okay rudely, he’d apologized almost immediately, and she’d heard the sincerity in his voice when he was able to do so in person. Now that she knew the whole story behind those painful photos she couldn’t possibly hold his reaction against him.

She waited for Felix where she was holding their spot to watch the main street electrical parade that was about to begin in a few minutes. Since there were still a few minutes until it started, he’d gone off to get them some water. The bothersome thoughts she didn’t want to have about his pretty publicist were still on her mind when the announcement came over the speaker. The parade was about to begin and the lights went off. Ella looked around anxiously for Felix as the announcer began speaking in an electronic voice about the magical parade about to start when Felix was suddenly behind her.

He pulled three different colored glow necklaces around her neck and handed her a bottle of water. Then he sat behind her, bringing his legs on either side of her, and pulled her closer up against him. Ella was still busy admiring her pretty necklaces like the ones so many kids around her wore. As silly as it was, she couldn’t help feeling excited. They were so bright.

“Thank you.” She turned to kiss him, touching him gently on his fake goatee. She’d already told him it made him look sexy as hell.

Then the music started. It was loud, and it throbbed through all the speakers around them, making her heart beat a little faster with excitement. Then the lit floats came one after another, each one more beautiful than the last. She’d seen this on television and on YouTube on more than one occasion, but being here, witnessing it in person, hearing it this loud, and feeling the vibration of the music was exhilarating. For a moment, she thought she almost felt choked up.

“That’s it,” Felix whispered in her ear then kissed her cheek. “I’m getting you season passes.”

She nodded, smiling big, but couldn’t pull her eyes away from the beautiful twinkling floats. The day couldn’t have ended better, but then it did. The fireworks show started immediately after the parade, and it was spectacular. It was the perfect ending to the perfect day with her amazing new boyfriend. Ella felt like the luckiest girl on the planet.

When it was all over, Felix said they should stay put and wait for the crowds to disperse a little instead of trying to herd along with them to the exit. So they did. They moved off to the side of the passing crowds, and he leaned against a planter, pulling her up against him.

He leaned his forehead against hers and smiled. “You have fun today?”

She nodded, smiling big. “It was one of the best days of my life.”

“Really?” he asked, looking a bit surprised.

“Yes! Everything was as amazing as I imagined it would be.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her face against his big hard chest. “Even waiting in the long lines was so much fun because I got to spend all that time just talking to you.”

He rubbed her back and she felt him chuckle. “That’s exactly what I thought. When we first got here today, I thought I was gonna hate the waiting, but it was the best part because of you.”

She looked up at him and smiled, feeling all kinds of craziness inside her. Now she was the one a little surprised. “Really?”

“Really,” he said then kissed her so softly she closed her eyes and sighed. He held his lips against hers for moment without moving, almost as if he were holding his breath. “I love you,” he whispered. She opened her eyes wide and looked into his. “I hope that doesn’t freak you out, but I do. I’m fucking crazy about you.”

“Really?” she asked, her voice squeaking as she felt the warm tears fill her eyes.

He nodded, kissing her again quickly, and then hugged her tightly. “Yes, Ella,” he said against the side of her head. “I really, really love you.”

“I love you too,” she managed to say without her voice breaking.

He pulled away and looked at her, the surprise in his face overwhelming. “You don’t have to say that just because—”

“Oh my God, I’d never,” she said before he could even finish saying it. “What’s there not to love, Felix? You’re amazing. You have such a huge heart. You love me.” She felt her lip quiver. “And you make me feel like a princess. Of course I really love you.”

He kissed the tear that escaped her eye and pulled her up against his chest. “Jesus Christ, Ella,” he said, inhaling deeply, “can you feel my heart?” She nodded, knowing hers was pounding just as hard. “That’s what you do to me, baby.”

“My heart’s doing the exact same thing,” she said against his chest.

Ella didn’t want that moment to ever end, and it was as if he didn’t either because they stayed that way, neither one making an effort to pull apart, for a long time. Finally, after the crowds had thinned down to just a few stragglers walking down Main Street, they decided to start walking.