Her stomach flopped over. “Why would I want to get away from you? You’re not going to be weird or anything?”

They rose even higher, and Olivia peered over the side at the shrinking ground beneath her. She hadn’t been on a carnival ride in a long time and forgot how . . . somewhat scary it felt at first. No control when you’re on a ride like this.

“Joking. I thought you wanted to be near me,” Spencer said, stroking his beard. That thing was definitely coming off on one side.

Then she actually registered his words.

“What does that mean?”

“That you like me,” he said as they rolled to the top and stopped with a jerk.

“Oh.” She clutched the bar as if she could stop the rocking of the cart. He slid an arm around the back of the cart and tried to center his weight, slowing the rocking.

“You’re not going to fall,” he said.

“I know. I just don’t like rocking like that. And why do you think I like you?”

“A little birdie told me.”

“Oh, well, that little birdie had no business telling you anything about me. She’s meddling where she shouldn’t.” Olivia felt a flash of anger at Chase. She’d asked her not to say anything, and here she sat, swinging thirty yards above the earth with a guy who thought she was into him. And maybe she was. A little. But now she had to wonder what, if anything, Spencer hoped to gain by noting her attraction. “Are you making fun of me?”

He drew back. “No. Of course not. I’m a little rusty on my flirting skills, so I’m sorry if they came across as too teasing.”

“Flirting? Why would you flirt with me?” Olivia couldn’t keep the shock out of her voice.

“Because you might be fun to unbutton.” His teeth flashed against the darkening sky.

“What?”

“Philosophically speaking, of course. You are an enigma. Very in control and reserved in your emotions. I wanted to coax you out by flirting with you a little but . . .” He rubbed a hand over his face. “I’m, like, totally botching this. What I’m trying to say in an unintentionally weird and somewhat skeevy way is that I’m attracted to you, too. I mean, if you are attracted to me like Chase suggested.”

Olivia knew her mouth had fallen open. He was attracted to her? Her?

Right as he was about to say something, the Ferris wheel cranked up, and they dropped.

Olivia screamed.

Spencer laughed.

It took two rotations before she could even breathe again. “Oh my God, I don’t remember this thing going so fast.”