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I give him my brightest smile, wishing with all my heart for the best night of my life. It won’t last forever, but I can hold on to the memory when I have to go back to the real world.
“Ready.”
I place my hand in Gavin’s, and he surprises me by lifting it to his lips, pressing a kiss to each one of my knuckles. Oh, lord, this man. He’s ruining me already, and we’ve barely spent five minutes together.
What did I get myself into?
FIVE
Gavin
Piaand I make our way to one of the concession stands, and I smile as I watch her bite her lip and peruse the menu.
Everything about her draws me in, from her long lashes brushing against her freckle-dusted cheeks to the graceful curve of her hips. She has no idea how beautiful she is, how intoxicating her mere presence is to me.
Pia looks so small, her body silhouetted by the flashing lights of the circus in the background. Chaos surrounds her, yet she manages to carry a quiet, steady peace with her wherever she goes. My newfound protective urge rises once again, winding itself around my spine and weaving in and out of my cells.
I need to protect her peace. I need to protect everything about this girl.
I manage to tear my eyes away from her, looking over the menu as well.
“You don’t know what you want? I figured that you ate here every day,” I tease. She shakes her head, her golden locks swaying back and forth. I resist the urge to comb my fingers through them to feel their softness. Barely.
“No way. This stuff is way too unhealthy and expensive to eat every single day,” she says, twisting her lips in the most adorable way.
I smile softly. “A special treat then.”
Her eyes flash to mine, a playful smile spreading across her lips. “Exactly.”
We turn back to the menu, and I decide to order a bit of everything. I want to spoil her, to show her that I can take care of her, that Iwantto take care of her in every single way.
Pia shifts her weight from one foot to the other, nibbling on her bottom lip again. I’m not sure if she’s nervous or excited. Perhaps a bit of both. When my girl rocks back on her heels and clasps her hands in front of her, I get the insane urge once again to scoop her up in my arms and cradle her against my chest.
She seems unsure of herself, a little lost, but still eager for what’s next. I know my sweet girl has been through a lot in her short life, but there’s a glimmer of pure hope buried in her heart. How Pia manages to be both innocent and seductive is beyond me, but I can’t wait to show her how special she is. How good I can be for her, my precious little girl.
Something deep in my gut shifts as my heart thrashes around in my chest.Little girl.
I want her to be my little girl, whatever the fuck that means. Does that make me her…
No, I can’t think the word. It’s too taboo. Too forbidden. I’ve never had these urges before, never wanted this kind of relationship with anyone.
“Tell me about yourself,” I rasp as we move up in line. Clearing my throat, I turn to Pia, trying to focus on her instead of my wayward thoughts.
She wraps her hoodie sleeves around her fingers so that they form mittens as she looks around at the people. It’s adorable, but I don’t like that she seems anxious. I want to plop her on my knee and demand she tell me every detail about her day because I’m just that obsessed with her, but again, that would be far too aggressive for my girl. I’ll settle for getting her to open up a little more.
“There’s not much to tell. I’ve lived a pretty boring life,” she finally says.
I frown. “I very much doubt that. You have one of the most unique jobs I’ve ever heard of,” I counter.
She shrugs.
“Well, aside from that, there’s not a whole lot else going on. I’ve been riding horses since I was like five or so. I fell in love with thatSaddle Clubshow and watched every episode.” Her eyes shine with pure joy, and I make a note to purchase every episode of her favorite show on whichever streaming service it’s on. “I begged my parents for a pony, and they signed me up for lessons. When I was fourteen and wasn’t showing any signs of getting bored with horses or riding, they bought me Penny.”
“How old was she when you got her?” I ask.
Pia smiles, relaxing more into our conversation.
“Young. Only two, and she was so calm, even back then.”
