Chance’s arm and laughed. The bull and clown bowed before leaving the arena. She was still smiling when she met Chance’s gaze. A current passed between them. Something she never felt before. She could almost believe they were destined to spend their lives together.
He jumped to his feet before she could dwell on what ifs , and pulled her along with him. “Where are we going?” she laughed.
“I’m hungry, and I want to buy you something.”
They started down the steps as his words sank into her brain. Chance wanted to buy her something? She thought back and couldn’t remember a time when someone spent money on her. Presents were a luxury, her mother had told her, and Destiny figured she was probably right.
“What?” Chance asked when he turned to look at her.
She smiled and shook her head. “Nothing.”
“Then come on,” he urged. He smiled, and she knew he could ask her for just about anything and she would probably give in.
There were vendors on the other side of the stands. Chance pulled her along until she thought her arm would be yanked out of its socket. He finally stopped in front of a covered booth that displayed every color hat imaginable.
“Here, try this one on,” he said as he picked up a deep red hat. “It matches your boots.”
Destiny hesitated. She really liked the hat, but she never wore a cowboy hat. When she saw the price tag of $122, she balked. How much could a cowboy make? The hat would be way too expensive.
“Don’t worry about the cost,” he said, as though he’d read her mind. “I can afford it. Besides, you’re worth every penny.”
“Okay,” she said with a frown as she let him place the hat on her head. It felt odd. Maybe he only wanted to make fun of her. If he laughed, she’d cut his balls off.
She frowned.
If he had balls.
“I like it,” he told her.
“You don’t think I look silly?” She glanced in the mirror that had been propped on one shelf. The hat didn’t look too out of place on her head. She glanced at Chance to make sure.
Fire shone in his eyes and she knew exactly what he was thinking. She was pretty sure it wasn’t the hat perched on her head. Breathing took on a whole new meaning as sexy images filled her head.
“I think you look pretty tempting,” he drawled as he stepped closer.
She leaned forward, ready for anything he wanted to give and imagining what she would do in return, but she was stopped short when a group of laughing children ran past.
Reality swiftly returned. Who did she think she was? This was all make-believe. “But the hat’s not for me,” Destiny said. Chance created a fantasy and, for a moment, she bought into it.
“Why not you?” Chance asked.
She shrugged. “Maybe I’m not the cowgirl type.” She reached up to remove the hat.
“Today you can be anything you want. This is a day for magic.” He skimmed his fingers down the side of her face.
His touch left a trail of heat in its wake, along with a hell of a lot of promise.
One touch and Chance made her forget what she needed to do. First, he brought her to a rodeo. Next, he wanted her to pretend to be someone she wasn’t. He seemed to be asking a lot from her lately. But his words were so tempting. How she’d longed for days when she could imagine she was someone else. Days when nothing evil would intrude into her world.
After her mother left her in the store, Destiny had dreamed about being like other little girls. Girls with parents who loved them. She’d wanted it so badly. As if that would ever happen! Her foster parents cared about the check that came in every month, nothing else.
“You can do this,” Chance told her and squeezed her arm.
Startled, she flinched, then realized where she was. There were no more foster homes, no more being envious of someone else. And maybe playing make-believe was coming a little too late, but Chance was right, she deserved this day to be perfect. She deserved it all. No one would ever take away her dreams
He jumped to his feet before she could dwell on what ifs , and pulled her along with him. “Where are we going?” she laughed.
“I’m hungry, and I want to buy you something.”
They started down the steps as his words sank into her brain. Chance wanted to buy her something? She thought back and couldn’t remember a time when someone spent money on her. Presents were a luxury, her mother had told her, and Destiny figured she was probably right.
“What?” Chance asked when he turned to look at her.
She smiled and shook her head. “Nothing.”
“Then come on,” he urged. He smiled, and she knew he could ask her for just about anything and she would probably give in.
There were vendors on the other side of the stands. Chance pulled her along until she thought her arm would be yanked out of its socket. He finally stopped in front of a covered booth that displayed every color hat imaginable.
“Here, try this one on,” he said as he picked up a deep red hat. “It matches your boots.”
Destiny hesitated. She really liked the hat, but she never wore a cowboy hat. When she saw the price tag of $122, she balked. How much could a cowboy make? The hat would be way too expensive.
“Don’t worry about the cost,” he said, as though he’d read her mind. “I can afford it. Besides, you’re worth every penny.”
“Okay,” she said with a frown as she let him place the hat on her head. It felt odd. Maybe he only wanted to make fun of her. If he laughed, she’d cut his balls off.
She frowned.
If he had balls.
“I like it,” he told her.
“You don’t think I look silly?” She glanced in the mirror that had been propped on one shelf. The hat didn’t look too out of place on her head. She glanced at Chance to make sure.
Fire shone in his eyes and she knew exactly what he was thinking. She was pretty sure it wasn’t the hat perched on her head. Breathing took on a whole new meaning as sexy images filled her head.
“I think you look pretty tempting,” he drawled as he stepped closer.
She leaned forward, ready for anything he wanted to give and imagining what she would do in return, but she was stopped short when a group of laughing children ran past.
Reality swiftly returned. Who did she think she was? This was all make-believe. “But the hat’s not for me,” Destiny said. Chance created a fantasy and, for a moment, she bought into it.
“Why not you?” Chance asked.
She shrugged. “Maybe I’m not the cowgirl type.” She reached up to remove the hat.
“Today you can be anything you want. This is a day for magic.” He skimmed his fingers down the side of her face.
His touch left a trail of heat in its wake, along with a hell of a lot of promise.
One touch and Chance made her forget what she needed to do. First, he brought her to a rodeo. Next, he wanted her to pretend to be someone she wasn’t. He seemed to be asking a lot from her lately. But his words were so tempting. How she’d longed for days when she could imagine she was someone else. Days when nothing evil would intrude into her world.
After her mother left her in the store, Destiny had dreamed about being like other little girls. Girls with parents who loved them. She’d wanted it so badly. As if that would ever happen! Her foster parents cared about the check that came in every month, nothing else.
“You can do this,” Chance told her and squeezed her arm.
Startled, she flinched, then realized where she was. There were no more foster homes, no more being envious of someone else. And maybe playing make-believe was coming a little too late, but Chance was right, she deserved this day to be perfect. She deserved it all. No one would ever take away her dreams
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