Page 56 of Texas Destiny
She laughed. Lord, he loved her laugh. He loved the sparkle in her eyes, the way her lips curved up.
She splashed water at him. He couldn’t afford to play with her, afraid he’d wrap his arms around that slick body of hers, pull her against him, and never let go. Instead, he settled on the sandy bottom and leaned back on his elbows, allowing the cold water to lap around him, fighting a losing battle, trying not to notice how her white cotton was melting against her flesh.
She dropped her head back, her throat an arched column of ivory. He’d like to lay a dozen kisses from the tip of her chin to the base of her throat.
“Sometimes, I wish this journey would never end,” she said, wistfully. She lowered her gaze and met his. “But it will, won’t it?”
“Yeah, it will.”
She slid through the water until she neared him. “And all I’ll have are the memories of the time we shared,” she said softly.
The molten heat flowed through him with her nearness. He was surprised the water surrounding him didn’t steam. “We probably ought to get out now,” he suggested as he started to rise.
She placed her hand on his bare shoulder, and he dropped back into the water. “Amelia—”
“I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” she said.
“You didn’t embarrass me. It’s just that every now and then we start heading down roads we shouldn’t, and I just figured you were fixin’ to get on one of those roads.”
“Because I’ve enjoyed the time I’ve been with you?”
He nodded.
“That first day I met you, I expected this to be the longest trip of my life. I never thought I’d find myself hoarding moments with you as though they were gold.” She pressed her finger to his lips before he could protest. “Do you know which moment was my favorite?”
He shook his head, held by the glow of her gaze.
“After we crossed the river on Sorrel, before you returned to the other side for the wagon … and you smiled.”
He grimaced. “Woman, you must be part-near blind. If it looked anything close to what it felt like, it should have given you nightmares.”
“I could pull out my mirror—”
“Nope.” He sank deeper beneath the water. “I don’t like mirrors.”
“You’re not scarred that badly.”
“It’s got nothing to do with my scars.” And he’d be damned if he’d explain himself. Not this evening, not when their time together was drawing to a close.
She sighed heavily. “I’ll admit that the left side didn’t go up as high as the right side, but I still liked your smile.” She touched her fingertip to the corner of his mouth. “Smile for me again.”
He pressed his lips together.
She placed her thumbs on either side of his mouth and tugged up. He jerked back. “I can’t smile if I’m thinkin’ about it.”
“Then don’t think about it.”
She scooted back, skimmed her hand over the top of the pond, and sprayed him.
“Don’t do that,” he ordered.
She smiled mischievously. “Why?” She splashed water on him again.
“Because I said, that’s why.”
“Oh, I’m scared,” she teased as she spattered water at him again.
“You’re gonna be, if you don’t stop,” he threatened.
