There they were; the four words he was hoping for. He was not ready for them. They were new and foreign to him, at least with the pure honesty her words carried. This was truly the newest frontier in his life: he was in love with a woman who loved him back, and no one was getting tricked or conned. He felt the tug at his shirt and she took control of him, leading into a kiss. He would let her drag him anywhere if it meant being with her.

Nate was not sure how long the kiss lasted. Apparently it lasted the majority of the wheel ride. They exited the cart as it came to a stop at the bottom, a dreamy smile still lingering. "So where to next, darlin?" Nate could not care in the least where they went now. All he wanted to do was say those three magic words as much as he could, enjoying the intoxication of being in love with Quin.

Mmm. That had been one heck of a kiss. Pleased with her initiative, Quin had Nate fasten the bracelet around her wrist when they were done and then it was their turn to get off the ride. Truth be told, Quin kind of wanted to stay where she was. Another couple of revolutions wouldn’t hurt...but there was a line, and it wasn’t their turn anymore. It was time to get their heads out of the clouds, at least for a little while.

Love changed things, Quin mused as she stepped off of the metal platform next to Nate. Love made a person crazy and content at the same time. The charms on her bracelet jingled, and Quin smiled. She’d have to check some star charts when she got home. Their relationship had changed since the morning and the ones she’d looked at before might have been inaccurate.

As to what she wanted to do next?

”Find somewhere to sit by the water and watch the fireworks?”

Keeping Quin's fingers firmly interlaced with his, Nate could feel the silver bracelet between their wrists and he smiled. So this was what it was like to be in a real, stable relationship. To be in love. He had the love of an amazing, smart, lovely woman who gave a damn about him for the first time in his life. It was a high more potent than any heist or con he had ever pulled.

She would never know why the bracelet was so special to him. He had earned enough money through odd jobs and painting that he could buy it with clean money. Not one dollar of stolen bills touched this gift; it was pure. He would find a way to get rid of the rest of the money. He would keep his life on the straight and narrow.

She had fixed him.

He smiled at the suggestion from the woman who saved his life. "Sounds perfect to me."

As he let her lead him toward the water, he recalled the first day they met once more. He chuckled at his memory of The Pool. "That first day you brought me to that little pond? I still remember putting an arm around your waist. I was so dang nervous. Then again, I was already a little infatuated with you." She had succeeded on giving him that rare feeling of butterflies on the first day. It took quite the first impression to leave a thief thinking a cop was worth taking a chance on, but Quin delivered on that first impression.

Quin smiled at the memory that day at the pond. The place was beautiful, serene. The exact sort of place you take a person when you want them to be impressed. Quin supposed it had worked with Nate. Usually the word "infatuated" was enough to set of little warning bells, but this was Nate who was talking, and he wasn't a creep.

Besides...

" I didn't know what to think. But before I could work it out, I realized I was enjoying myself way too much to make a fuss." She shrugged, "I guess you'd just read my mind."

They walked, and the bracelet jingled against Quin's arm as they found an empty bench and sat.

"And I was pretty thunderstruck too." she finally admitted. "Because it's not every day you meat a real-life southern gentleman in the middle of New York City."

It would be a lie for Nate to act like he was unaware of the advantage his heritage provided him. He had spent the better part of his life playing the Southern gentleman to get ahead in life and more specifically, women. "And it's not every day I meet a woman as exciting or interesting as you in whatever city I find myself in." He squeezed her hand and sat next to her.

Nate opened his mouth to make a comment regarding how long it took him to work up the courage to kiss her, but on cue, the festivities began and the sky exploded into a light show. Bathed in the glow of reds and greens and purples, Nate pulled Quin close and kissed her forehead. "Happy birthday, sugar."