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Michael glanced at Bex.
“You don’t have to,” she hastened to say.
He flashed his teeth. “I’d love to, girls. What color fairy shall I be?”
A while later,Michael crossed the grass of the Glamping Grounds carrying a paper bag of discarded candy floss, holding hands with a little girl dressed as a princess, with yellow fairy wings painted on the side of his face. It was the best day he could remember having in a long, long time.
Izzy was starting to lose her steam, and he suspected their trip would draw to a close soon, but he didn’t want it to end.
“Can we ride in the horse cart?” she asked, pointing to the horse-drawn carriage rattling along the beach toward them, led by a pair of dark brown horses.
“Fine by me,” Bex said with an indulgent smile. “Michael? You don’t have a problem with horses, do you?”
“Not at all.”
The carriage groaned to a halt and a couple of kids clattered off. Izzy grabbed Michael’s hand and led them over. Lian’s family had gone home a while ago, but Izzy hadn’t wanted to leave until she’d seen everything, and it seemed both he and Bex were in the mood to give her what she wanted.
“Hi, folks,” the carriage driver—an old guy with a floppy cap—called as he jumped down from his position at the reins and landed in front of them. “Are you after a ride?” He caught sight of Izzy and grinned. “Well, aren’t you just the prettiest princess I’ve seen all day. What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Izzy,” she said, ducking her head, probably recalling her mother’s warning about strangers.
The driver dropped into a low bow, and rose with a flourish. “I’m Colin. How would you like to ride in front, Princess Izzy?”
She giggled. “Yes!” She released Michael’s hand and turned to Bex. “Can I, Mum? Can I?”
Bex nodded. “Go on, honey. Mr. Briggston and I will ride in the back.”
While Colin helped Izzy into the front seat, Michael and Bex clambered into the rear. The bench seat was narrow, and they ended up plastered against each other’s sides. Michael tried not to notice how right it felt to be this near to Bex, or the way she smelled of vanilla and sweet spices. With a lurch, they started forward. The ride wasn’t as smooth as he’d imagined, and his teeth knocked together inside his mouth.
Bex laughed, and the sound of it wrapped around him in the small space like an embrace. “I hope she’s having fun up there. If I get motion sick from this, I want it to be worth it.”
Up ahead, Izzy shrieked with joy.
“I think she’s loving it,” he said.
The carriage bounced, throwing them together, their shoulders colliding. Michael wrapped his arm around Bex to hold her steady. His hand landed on her narrow waist, his fingers brushing over bare skin as her sweater rode up. The brief touch of her stomach seared him to the core, and he heard her gasp. With fumbling hands, he tugged the hem of her sweater down and resettled his palm over it, even though covering her was the last thing he wanted to do.
She’s Wesley’s, he told himself. Even though she wasn’t with his brother anymore, she was the mother of his child. A daughter Wesley didn’t know he had. One Michael would probably have to tell him about. What a depressing thought.
After spending a wonderful day with Izzy and Bex, he wanted to wrap them in a bubble, keep them apart from the rest of the world, and pretend they were his. If he could pass every day with these girls, he suspected he’d die happy. But they weren’t his, and that wouldn’t happen.
Bex burrowed closer, slipping her arm around him, and his heart stuttered. She’d touched him of her own volition, even if it were only to stabilize them, and he hardly dared to move in case he frightened her away. They were pressed together from ribcage to hip, and nothing had ever felt more perfect. His eyes fluttered shut and he hauled in a slow breath to get himself under control.
She’s not yours. Don’t get attached.
The carriage circled around and headed back the way they’d come. He was torn between being relieved their interlude was coming to an end and wishing it would go on forever. For the sake of his sanity, he erred toward the former. The horses slowed, and finally stopped back where they’d started. Reluctantly, he removed his arm from her waist and she untangled herself, leaping onto the beach without a backward glance. He tried not to take it personally that she couldn’t wait to be free of him while his heart was hammering a million miles an hour, intoxicated by her nearness.
“That was the best thing ever!” Izzy yelled, tumbling off the front of the carriage. “I got to hold the reins. Did you see?”
“Izzy is a natural in the driver’s seat,” Colin told them, grinning broadly.
“I want horses and a carriage,” she said as Bex thanked Colin and paid for the ride.
“We don’t have anywhere to put them,” Bex reminded her. “We live in an apartment.”
Izzy’s forehead furrowed, then, not to be put off, she said, “Maybe they could live at Mr. Briggston’s house.”
Michael startled, surprised to be drawn into the conversation. Bex implored him with her eyes not to encourage her daughter. “I don’t have enough space for them either, sorry.”
