Page 57 of Texas Destiny
She laughed then, laughed loud and clear, the melodious sound echoing around the falls. He’d probably never know what overcame him, but he lunged for her, grabbed her waist, and carried her under the water.
When he brought her back up, her arms and legs were wrapped around him. She tossed the hair out of her eyes and laughed. “I’m still not scared.”
He couldn’t help himself. He added his laughter to hers as it floated on the breeze. Deep and strong. The sound shook him, and he fell silent.
Amelia touched his cheek. “You’ve never laughed,” she stated simply.
“Not as a man. Not that I can recall.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “I find that incredibly sad.”
He moved her aside and pushed himself to his feet. “Time to get out and get warm.”
But he could still hear his laughter reverberating between the falls, and it was all he could do not to weep himself.
Wrapped in a blanket, Amelia huddled beside the crackling fire in her damp bodice and skirt. Her drenched undergarments were stretched over a rock to dry.
Night hovered around her. A million stars twinkled overhead. She could hear the waterfalls, the occasional splash of a fish, frogs croaking, and the silence of her traveling companion as he gazed into the fire, his brow furrowed. She wondered where his thoughts traveled tonight.
Based on the depths of his creases, she had a feeling he was traveling back toward a war that had catapulted him into adulthood, stolen a portion of his sight, his smiles, and his laughter.
“A penny for your thoughts,” she said quietly.
He glanced at her. “They’re not worth that much.”
“They are to me.”
A corner of his mouth crooked up, and the warmth raced through her. She’d given him that, small as it was, a halfhearted attempted at a smile that she hoped would one day brighten his life.
“Even when you aren’t asking questions, you’re asking questions,” he said.
“You don’t like questions.”
“Don’t mind the questions. It’s answerin’ ’em that I’m not fond of.”
She eased closer to him. He’d long ago stopped shielding her from the sight of his face. She couldn’t imagine him looking more perfect than he did at that moment. Nor could she imagine him asking her a question of his own free will. “Play a game with me.”
“The checkerboard is at the bottom of the river.”
“I know a game that doesn’t require a board. A simple game, really. I used to play it with my sisters. The rules are easy. You decide if you want to truthfully answer a question or take a dare. I’ll ask the questions or issue the dare.” She smiled sweetly. “The question will be something you wouldn’t want to answer; the dare something that frightens you.”
Horror swept over his face. “You call that a game?”
She slapped his shoulder. “It’s fun. We always ended up laughing. Do you want to answer a question or take a dare?”
“Neither. I’m goin’ to sleep.”
She placed her hand on his thigh, effectively halting his movements. “Humor me. I’ll go first. Ask me a question.”
“Why are you so partial to questions?”
“Oh, that’s an easy one. It’s the best way to find out information. Now do you want to answer a question or take a dare?”
He looked as though she’d just set his favorite horses free. “That wasn’t hardly fair.”
She fought the urge to squeal with the realization that he would indeed play. “You have to choose your questions carefully.”
He narrowed his gaze. “I’ll take a question.”
