Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 3

already have," Noah says as he allows Aaron to pull him up from the couch.
    "Okay, now you're just taunting me."
    Noah only laughs at that, and Aaron thinks, yeah, the rest of their lives thing is looking pretty good.
    THE END
    Author bio: Elizah J. Davis has lived in various parts of the United States, but currently resides in the Pacific Northwest, enjoying the abundance of coffee readily available there. She earned her degree in creative writing after she realized journalism involved too many facts and not enough unicorns. She loves stories of all kinds, but has a particular fondness for romance and fantastical adventures. When she isn't busy making things up, Elizah enjoys reading, laughing at cats on the Internet, buying girly shoes, and trying to come up with world domination plans that don't require the donning of pants (her endeavors towards which have thus far been unsuccessful).
    Goodreads
    Twitter
    ****

FOR THOSE WHO WAIT
    by Azalea Moone

    It starts with a dare. My friends know I've been crushing on Ben for months. They make a bet for one kiss. This week, Ben is operating the balloon ride on our town annual carnival. Can I just ask him to accompany me (I can tell him that I'm afraid of heights but curious to try) and maybe I can steal that kiss when I'm up there. Do I dare?
    ~ Ami

    genre: contemporary
    tags: college; sweet (no-sex); first person; carnival
    word count: 4,696
    Back to Table of Contents

     
    FOR THOSE WHO WAIT
    by Azalea Moone
    Every year, our town celebrates its heritage days, a weeklong carnival that I have loved ever since I was a kid. This year was no exception. The roar of the crowd had me energized. The screams and hollers from ride goers pumped me up. I wanted to do just about everything, from playing midway games to checking out the local events, such as the dirt car races.
    It was the last day of the carnival, and I'd been here all day doing almost everything I had wanted to do. The only adventure I hadn't explored yet was right in front of me. And there was a really good reason I was hesitating. Ben.
    We'd met in college just six months ago. I was a freshman, he a sophomore, and we were studying the same courses in Information Technology. He'd squeezed by me as I sat at one of the cramped computer desks. The corner of his book nicked the back of my shoulder, damn small spaces, and he turned around with concern to apologize.
    My face flushed, but it wasn't the slight ache from the bruise on my shoulder, it was him. What turned me on about him wasn't those dreamy hazel eyes, that probably noticed me with my mouth hung open like a rabid dog, or the smooth, broad jaw line. Okay, so maybe it was those things, but what really made me want him was that smile. Shy and modest right before he turned away.
    From that moment, I had a hard time keeping my eyes off him. We'd been assigned courses together, I'm sure just by chance, and in our Business Communication class we sat right next to each other.
    "Hey," he'd say every morning, that same gorgeous smile on his lips. But every time we'd start up a conversation, we were interrupted.
    "Hello?" Jamie's voice snapped me out of it. I'd been looking at Ben again. "You seriously have a crush, Chase."
    "Do not. He's just..." Just what? Sexy? Hot? Gorgeous? Jesus, I was dying.
    "Aw, Chase is so in denial," Jamie teased, poking me in my side.
    "Come on, you've been crushing on Ben for months." Tim wrapped his arm around Jamie's shoulder and pulled her in.
    They weren't a couple per se but, damn, if they didn't still act like it. We'd been friends for a while; Jamie and I met in senior year and we decided to go to the same college. I'd met Tim, her very open, very straight, off and on boyfriend, my first week in college.
    "It's just a crush." I shrugged with embarrassment. "Besides, I don't even know if he's... into me."
    At first, I had no clue Ben was even there. After running out of ideas on what to do next, I happened to spot a colorful striped balloon taking off into the air earlier in the day.
    Balloon rides? That looked awesome, so we gathered at the entrance gate on the opposite side of the lot with our fare, gazing at the vivid yellow and blue balloon. I stilled when Ben turned away from the balloon and approached the gate, wearing a worker's apron. "Ready?"
    Jamie must have felt the rift in the air, because she grabbed hold of my shirt sleeve, pulling me away. Maybe it was a good thing. I certainly didn't want to stand there stumbling like