Elizabeth sighed contentedly as she leaned back against Dwayne, her head nestled very comfortably underneath his chin. He held her close, his arms wrapped around her waist. She was pressed tightly against him and, she realized with a little smile, there was nowhere else she would rather be.
"We're next" Dwayne murmured quietly to her, jerking his head towards the approaching carriages. She smiled and nodded, looking up at him.
As if on his command, the gates opened and they, along with other couples waiting in line, flooded out onto the loading area. The red carriages of the roller coaster stood empty, waiting to be filled.
The young attendant was telling them about safety protocol as his equally young colleague quickly checked each carriage with a cursory glance. His words merged into a dull drone. She was too absorbed in Dwayne to really pay any attention. They had walked onto the platform in unison, stepping together, still pressed tightly to each other. There was a giggle of laughter to her left and Elizabeth looked, seeing a young couple laughing and kissing each other, completely oblivious to their surroundings. They were playfully pushing and shoving each other, with the tattooed boy trying to land a kiss on the girl's neck. She squealed in delight as he made a move and Elizabeth snuggled back into Dwayne just a little bit more.
She smiled and looked back to the attendant out of politeness.
She felt a small movement, just a little pressure against her head and she knew that Dwayne was smiling at the couple beside them. She knew he was smiling at their own situation, too. She knew it, she could picture it perfectly - just a twitch of a grin but his eyes...they would be sparkling with unspoken humor, knowing.
The attendant said something she didn't quite catch and moved to help his colleague inspect the last two carts.
"This is the perfect date" she murmured to Dwayne.
He kissed her temple, "yeah?"
"No question"
He kissed her temple again, his mouth lingering as he softly but firmly began, "it's not the date, Elizabeth . It's you..it's us"
"Us..." she repeated with a smile.
They'd spent the past hour riding the attractions, sharing drinks, holding hands and sitting closer to each other each time. He had told her their date was going to be classic, All-American and he hadn't misled her. Rides, games and snacks. It was incredibly wholesome...despite the fact that in between the rides and the snacks they had been kissing, laughing, flirting.
There hadn't been a lot of conversation, it wasn't like their other dates but she felt that it wasn't necessary.
Tonight, she wanted him, not his words.
It was intense but wonderful. When they had arrived at the boardwalk, they had naturally and easily entwined their hands and from then...everything had fallen in to place.
Effortless.
"I feel like I've known you forever" she told him in a whisper and he tightened his arms around her.
The bell chimed briefly and another squeal - this one of excitement - broke out from the girl beside them. People started to move towards their carriage.
"Let's go" Dwayne whispered and she nodded, biting her lip in anticipation.
Dwayne gently released her before holding her hand and she stepped forward.
"This is my first time..." she paused in her words, a little flush appearing on her cheeks. Her words had caught her off guard, she really had meant that it was her first time to ride the huge roller coaster, it was such a big landmark on the boardwalk and the beach, she thought it was an interesting thing to say. She hadn't tried it since her arrival, that was all she meant. She said it innocently but she knew, the moment the words had left her mouth that it wouldn't be her only first of the night and that...that right there had taken her off guard, "...on the coaster" she finished, hoping her brief lapse wasn't obvious.
Dwayne smiled at her and, as she turned to meet his eyes, she knew he understood her thoughts.
The intensity behind his eyes almost took her breath away.
He said nothing but helped Elizabeth to sit inside the small carriage before sliding in close. He moved in and kissed her briefly, smiling in annoyance as the metal bar jerked loudly before lowering itself down slowly, interrupting them. Interrupting him. The attendant, perhaps lazy, perhaps used to people not caring in the slightest, allowed them to pull the bar down themselves and gave a brief, cursory safety check by tugging on the bar once.
Elizabeth gave a half sigh, half laugh, thinking how the universe seemed to be giving them all the space they needed that night.
They smiled at each other as the bell tolled once more and the roller coaster jerked into movement. The bells and whistles of the boardwalk, the happy screams, the talking, the music surrounding them seemed to merge into one pulsating burst of sound. As their carriage left the station, chugging easily along the track, Dwayne cupped her face with his hand, moving to brush some hair away from her face.
It felt so intimate, so personal despite them being sat in the front carriage that she blushed, glancing down for the briefest of moments. As she looked back at him, shyly, longingly, she felt his hand trail down past her neck, skimming her breast teasingly, softly before coming to rest on her knee. She took a shaky breath, her stomach rolling with nerves and the first sparks of timid, unsure pleasure. Their touches had been intense but playful, he had held her close, kissed her with passion but this..this was the first really intimate movement between them.
She looked over at Dwayne and he watched her as if reading her thoughts.
She nodded.
The roller coaster was ascending now, easily jerking up the steep slope and Elizabeth bit her lip as she felt his hand slowly, slowly slide up the smooth skin of her thigh. With a new nervousness and a longing she really didn't know she possessed, she shyly cupped his hand before opening her legs just a little more.
The coaster continued to chug along the tracks, going higher, higher and Dwayne allowed her to take the lead.
With a small, tentative smile, she pulled his hands slowly upwards. As their hands reached the slightly damp material of her underwear, she inhaled shakily, a little surprised by the sudden burst of excitement that shot through her. He began to slowly tease her, his fingers dancing delicately against the wet cotton. She couldn't believe how brazen she was being, how brazen he was being. But most of all, she couldn't believe how wonderful it felt. As they reached the top of the roller coaster, the breeze ruffled her hair, tickled her scalp and she was almost overcome by the beauty of Santa Carla, the glittering lights of the boardwalk below and beyond, the dancing waves, the twinkling stars and the feeling of Dwayne's deft fingers between her legs. As she let her own hand slacken, breathing deeply, she felt him slowly push away the barrier between them.
As their carriage turned a smooth corner she closed her eyes, lost in the moment, lost in the feelings.
Lost in Dwayne.
She could feel their carriage preparing to drop and she bit her lip again as a gasp of surprise escaped her lips.
Dwayne's finger pressed softly, then firmly against her.
"Dwayne" she whispered, words lost in the wind, moving her hand to clutch desperately at his leather clad arm. She could feel his muscles moving as his fingers continued their deft movement and suddenly, suddenly as their carriage dropped, as it danced against the wooden tracks, pleasure started to build.
As the roller coaster shot across the tracks, up and down, veering sideways she smiled in ecstasy through the pleasure, head back, letting the wind whip her hair and skin.
She was in heaven.
She inhaled deeply, lost, drowning in a sea of whistles, bells, music, wind and pure delight.
All too soon the ride began to slow and, with equal slowness, Dwayne's hand traced its way slowly back towards her knee. The individual sounds of the boardwalk seemed to identify themselves once more and she could hear the joyful laughter and whoops of those behind them.
They were back to reality, though she didn't want to be.
Cheeks flushed a bright pink and eyes sparkling, Elizabeth, without releasing Dwayne's arm, looked deep into his eyes.
"Dwayne..." she whispered, breathing heavily before their carriage jerked to a halt. A buzzer sounded, interrupting her. People began to file out, laughing, dancing and jumping across the concrete path to the exit.
Eyes dancing with amusement, with lust, with understanding, Dwayne stood as their bar jumped to its upright position. Extending his arm, he helped Elizabeth to her feet, supporting her as she shakily exited the carriage.
Turning to him, forgetting those around her, forgetting the attendant waiting by the exit and holding the chain open for those to leave, Elizabeth stood on her toes before pulling Dwayne into a deep kiss.
"Take me home" she implored as his arms circled her waist tightly.
A/N: Thank you for the reviews and again, a huge thank you to a pair of awesome sisters who read and keep me motivated! This roller coaster scene was inspired by a wonderfully cheesy 90s movie...