Chapter Twenty Seven

"What step are we doing today?" I ask, as I climb into his Range Rover.

He shrugs. "Whichever you want to do." He says starting the engine.

I've done every step except break the rules. I'm still trying to build up to that one. Hayes said he promise he won't let me end up in jail. He probably wouldn't but I'm not ruling it out just yet.

"I feel like taking a risk" I tell him.

He smirks. "Still scared of breaking the rules"

I roll my eyes, ignoring him. "I want a tattoo."

He doesn't say anything but his body tenses up. "You want a tattoo?"

I nod my head. "Yeah."

"I could do it for you." He says. "But I'm not."

I frown. "Why not?" I ask. "You did Daire's." I point out.

"I did." He admits, nodding his head "I thought you were over Daire"

"I am" I say. "But why won't you do it?"

"Because I'm not getting you tattled up."

I shrug my shoulders. "Okay fine. I'll find someone else to do it."

"Like who?"

"You're not the only one I know who's a tattoo artist"

Actually he is the only one I know but we are in California. It can't be that hard to found someone. I'll ask Teri to help me. She knows a lot of them.

"You don't know anyone." Hayes tells me."Why do you want a tattoo?"

"I don't know." I admit. "Just to get one."

"If you give me a good reason, I'll do it for you."

I perk up. "Really?" He nods his head. "Just one reason?"

"Just one good reason" He corrects me. "Let me know at the end of the day and we can get it tonight"

I smile. "Sounds kinky." He lifts one of his eyebrows. "We're going to be alone in a tattoo parlor, you're going to be touching me..." I shrug."It can lead to other things."

"You're the only one would think of that." He says, but the corner of his mouth tilts up.

"I learned for the best." I say, leaning back against the seat. "You know you're going to regret this, right?"

"I've done worst things." He says. "And that's only if you give me a good reason."

"I can give you one right now." I tease.

"Not if you want to survive." He responds back.

"I'm willing to test the theory."

"Well I'm not." He tells me. "You might not like your life but I happen to."

"You're the one who taught me to take risks" I point out. "Are you backing out, Cipriano?"

"I never back out." He says. "But there are limits."

"Sure there are." I say.

He glances at me for the corner of his eye.

"You do realize we're driving 75 miles down a dangerous highway, right?"

I shrug. "I never said I make the brightest plans but I'm pretty sure we will survive"

"Not a very high percentage." He says.

"But there's still a percentage" I defend myself.

"Like I said not a very high one." He repeats. "We can argue all day but we know who will win."

"Are you sure about that? I'm pretty good at persuading people."

He grins. "Keep telling yourself that, Boo."

"I am!" I exclaim.

"I'm good at persuading people." He says. "You're good at following."

I narrow my eyes at him. "You make it sound like I follow everyone like a lost puppy." I say.

"Your words, not mine."

"And beside," I add. "you have mind control over everyone, especially girls. You can make anyone do anything you say with one look."

"Do I have mind control over you?" He asks, smiling.

I scoff. "Hardly. You do what I say"

"Do I?"

"Yeah because I have you wrap around my finger."

"You got me there." He admits. "But I can't give you everything you want"

"We'll see about that."

He stops the car in front of Teri's car. Of course we were the last one here at Santa Monica. I step out the car.

"How about that kiss now?"

I smile sweetly at him. "Sorry it expired two minutes ago. Better luck next time"

"Okay, Boo, I'll remember that"

"Remember it, write it down, take a picture. I don't give a-"

I'm cut off by Teri.

"There you guys are" She walks over to us. "I brought the wrist brands, already, but we have an hour or so to kill before we go to the pier."

We spend to the hour walking around the bay and eating ice cream. Daire and Gina found a shop selling just about everything. They each came back with four bags on their arms and sunglasses on their face.

We stop by the cars so they can put their bags in and by the time we get to the pier there's a line forming.

"This is exactly why I went a head to buy the wrist brand." Teri tells us, pointing to the line.

"I'm glad you did." Daire says. "I wouldn't have been able to wait in that line."

We show the man our wrist and he nods us in. We walk around, looking at everything.

"Hey!" Teri yells at an unknown guy. He looks at her. "Can you take our picture?"

He holds out his hand for her phone and we crowd around each other. Hayes has his arms wrapped around my waist, Teri and Shawn are in the middle, Gina is leaning against Chris and Daire has her hands on her knees. in the front. The guy takes two more normal picture before we take a silly one.

Chris is in the front showing off his non existing muscles, Daire hops on Gina's back, Shawn is making a stupid face, Teri sticks out her tongue, Hayes isn't looking at the camera and I bend my knee and extend my arm out in front of me.

Teri thanks the guy and we walk to a booth, selling cotton candy. While we were walking around, a ride catches my the corner of my eye.

I stop. "Guys we're going on this"

They stop and look at the ride I wanted to go on.

"Why, Audrey?" Shawn asks. "We're not little kids anymore."

I shrug. "Then don't ride it."

"I wanna go." Teri says, walking over to me with Gina behind her. "Come on Daire."

"We're gonna safe the fun stuff for later." Gina says.

"When it's dark so we can scare Chris." Daire adds.

We get in the short line and climb into the bumper car. I made sure I didn't get trap in a corner and stay away from Teri and her reckless driving. Gina got trap by two little kids and couldn't go anywhere. Daire is being chased by Teri.

"Teri stop" Daire says. "I feel like I'm about to get a whiplash."

The guys are waiting for us when we get off the ride. We walk to another ride and got on it. I swear I think I was about to run into Gina. We were moving fast.

"Okay if you kids are done with your baby rides" Shawn says. "It's time to have so real fun."

The ride the guys wanted to ride has a long line. This ride better be worth it. My eyes follows the super long roller coaster and I look at Chris.

"Are you sure you can handle this?" I tease.

"Yeah I'm sure." He says. "This ride is nothing compare to other rides."

"He's scared of the Plunger." Gina informs us.

"I'm not scared." Chris defends himself.

"Like how you weren't scared last time you rode it." Teri says. "You were screaming before the ride even started."

"I was not" Chris says. "I was shouting in excitement."

"Sure whatever you say, Chris." Shawn says, patting his back.

When it's our turn, Hayes pulls me to the front of the ride, Shawn and Teri sat behind us, Gina and Chris behind them and Daire sat with some girl.

"Let's take a picture." Teri says.

She gives me her phone and Hayes holds it out in front of him. He snaps the picture and the ride begins.

"Why did you pick the front?" I asks, holding onto the bar in front of me.

"To see your reaction."

I look at him. "Do you think I'm going to scream?" I asks. "If you are, sorry to disappoint. I don't scream."

"We'll see about that." Hayes says.

The ride is nice. We went around the pier. The water has a nice color to it thanks to the sun setting. I did scream but unlike Chris is actually was out of excitement.

"Next ride" Daire says after we get off the ride. "I'm riding with one of you. The girl I was sitting with was holding on so tightly to me, I'm gonna have her fingerprints on my arms."

"You don't have to worry about that" Shawn tells her. "We're riding the Plunger."

"About time." I say. "You've been talking about it all day. Time to see this scary ride."

The sun set when we got to the Plunger and Chris decides not to ride it. He said he wants to watch my reaction. As if.

The Plunger is nine story high. That's not so bad. I can see why Chris backed out but I'm still going to ride it.

Hayes sits on the end, I'm in the middle with Teri and Shawn is at the other end. Daire and Gina are on the other side.

When the operator ensures everyone is strapped in, he starts the ride. We slowly move up the tower.

"Let me know when you want to hold my hand" Hayes says.

I roll my eyes. "That will be never. But you can hold mine if you want."

I hold out my hand to him. He grabs it and gives it a light squeeze.

"I won't judge you, if you decide to scream"

He rolls his eyes. "I don't scream, Boo."

I arch my eyebrows. "You sure about that?"

"I'm sure about a lot of things." He says.

Where we were, I can see the whole pier. It's beautiful at night and all the lights are on.

We reach the very top and we drop. The air rushes past me and I can't end utter a scream before the ride is over.

I move my wind blown hair out my face and unstrap myself.

"Well that was fun." I say, going down the steps. "What's next?"

Hayes grabs my waist. "We'll catch up with you later."

He drags me away and I look at him. "Where are you taking me?"

He doesn't say anything. He leads me to the Ferris Wheel. Hayes doesn't seem like the type of guy to go on a Ferris Wheel but then again, he does surprise me a lot.

"You aren't the type of girl who dreams about getting kissed at the top?" He asks.

I shrug. "I imagined it a few times." I admit. "When I dated Jason, I expected him to do it and we would share this spontaneous, one of a kind, kiss but he never did. So I stop imagining it."

"Jason sounds like an asshole." Hayes tells me. "What did you see in him."

"Jason wasn't a bad guy, he just had bad intentions, to say the least. I don't think he truly intended to hurt me the way he did but he did. I guess that's way I'm afraid of falling deeper for you. I scared you're going to leave me."

"That'll never happen." He promises me. "I'll always be there for you."

I look at him. "How do you know that?"

"Because I can't imagine my life without you, Audrey. I told you before you made me feel things I never felt before. You bring the best out of me. I could never leave you. But you can always leave me."

"Yeah I could always leave you." I tease.

He rolls his eyes. "Way to ruin the moment."

I laugh. "But I won't. I couldn't leave you all heart broken. I'm still trying to figure you out."

"Not much to figure out. Whatever you want, just say it. I'm all yours." He tells me. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"We're at the top" He tells me.

I look away from Hayes and he's right. We're at the top. We can see everyone and everything. Even the bright moon in front of us and the billions of stars.

"We are at the top." I say. I'm still looking out in front me, staring at the beautiful sky.

"And that's not even the best part." Hayes tell me.

"What's the best part?" I ask.

"This." He gently turns me head and leans in for one slow, heart pounding, fire igniting, kiss.

"Was that spontaneous enough for you?"

I grin. "Even better."

Hayes is the type of guy who likes to throw surprises at you. He's the type of guy who you can never get enough of. He's the type of guy who you wish you can fall in love with.