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Carefully, he adjusted her flower crown, dislodging confetti as he combed the colored ribbons through her hair with his fingers. “I want this night to be special for you.”
There wasn’t a doubt in her mind. “It’ll be special. For both of us.”
“Then we’ll wait. Tonight...” He smiled tenderly. “Tonight isn’t going to be rushed.”
No, Ty wasn’t the type for a quickie in the back seat of a Chevy, not even as a teenager. “Okay. But kiss me again quick, so the wait won’t seem so long.”
He cupped her face. “My pleasure, sweetheart.” When he’d done a thorough job of it, he wrapped an arm around her waist. “Come on. Ireserved some seating near the Little Church.”
By the time the parade started, he had a five-year-old girl in traditional Mexican dress perched on one knee, while her brother rode the other. Cassidy managed to snag an infant from the exhausted mother seated next to her and spent almost as much of the next hour cooing at the baby as she did oohing at the entertainment. She hadn’t realized how much she missed having a baby in her arms, maybe because she’d had so little time and energy to enjoy Hutch at this age. She peeked at Ty from beneath her lashes. Perhaps someday she’d come to the Fiesta holding theirbaby.
“Next year we’ll bring Hutch,” Ty said, interrupting her train of thought.
Startled, she could only stare. “Next year?”
“Yeah. Iknow he had to be in school this week, but the Fiesta is too good for him to miss.”
“Look!” shrieked the little girl. Her dusky curls spilled over Ty’s hand where he held her securely on his knee. “The floats! They’re coming.”
Cassidy craned to see. Sure enough, the first of the platforms slowly motored down the river toward them. For the next hour, she cheered with the rest of the crowd, waving at the participants and clapping for the bands. But her favorite part was when the beauty queens passedby.
The crowd would shout, “Show us your shoes!” And to deafening cheers and applause, the women on the floats would lift the skirts of their hundred pound, beaded dresses to show off their running shoes. The incongruous sight always provoked a laugh. When the last float had disappeared around the river’s bend and the last child had been dropped into his or her parent’s waiting arms, Ty turned to Cassidy.
“Like it?”
“It was fantastic.” She smiled up at him. “Thanks for tonight. I’m glad we stayed. Iwouldn’t have missed it for the world. Especially those fabulous gowns. How did everyone know they were wearing sneakers under their dresses?”
“The beauty queens always do, and it’s our job to make them prove it.” Nearby, aviolin played softly and he reached for her hand. “How about a dance before we go?”
“Here?” She glanced around self-consciously. “Now?”
“Why not?”
He swung her into his arms and she drifted in a leisurely circle, content to be crazy so long as she did it with Ty. To her amusement, other couples joined them in the impromptu dance. With a murmur of pleasure, Cassidy closed her eyes and leaned intohim.
She fitted so beautifully, her head nestling at precisely the right angle between the crook of his shoulder and his chin. And for once her feet cooperated, allowing her to follow his movements with perfect coordination, responding to the subtle press of thigh and hip. Heaven help her, if they danced this well in bed, she’d be a thrilled—not to mention a thoroughly satisfied—woman.
At long last, the final note slipped into the crowd and vanished and an enthusiastic guitarist took over. With a murmur of regret, Cassidy eased from Ty’s embrace. “I guess we should be starting back.”
He cupped her face, his thumb stroking the sweeping ridge of her cheekbone. It was as though he needed to touch her and to keep on touching. She more than understood. Standing on tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around his neck. For a long moment, she gazed into his eyes. On the surface they seemed as green and untroubled as a mountain lake. But beneath she caught a glimpse of fiery determination.
He wanted her with a passion that hurt and had since they’d first met. He’d waited patiently while she’d circled, wary and distrustful, deciding whether or not to allow him close. Well, the wait was over. She’d made her decision.
She kissed him then—akiss of promise and faith, of love and commitment. He practically devoured her on the spot. In time,they drew apart and he stared down at her. She’d never seen him so serious before.
“We’re getting this straightened out. Tonight.”
She didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “Yes.”
It was all he needed to hear. He caught her hand in his and started off in the direction of their hotel. “You looked as excited during that parade as the little girl I was holding,” he commented with amazingcalm.
How could he remain so cool? She felt ready to shatter like a darned cascarone. “Did I?”
“I get the impression you didn’t spend a lot of time being a kid, even when you were one.”
“I had a pretty normal childhood.” It was only later she got into trouble.
“You were raised by your aunt and uncle?”
