twinkle in his dark eyes.
âWhy did you leave home?â
âIâ¦didnât like Hollywood.â
âOh? Most girls would have loved it. Especially with a movie star mother and plenty of money to buy things with,â he prodded.
âI suppose,â she said tightly.
âAnd plenty of stepfathers to spoil you,â he added.
She felt a tremor go through her slender body. She wrapped her fingers around her forearms, clasped across her chest, and hoped he wouldnât notice the sudden paleness of her face.
âYes,â she said tightly. âPlenty of stepfathers.â
He glanced at her. âBut not to spoil you,â he guessed quietly. âWere they why you had to leave home, little girl?â
She bit her lower lip. âPlease, King, pleaseâ¦!â
âOh, hell, forget it!â he lashed out. He concentrated on maneuvering the turn onto the main highway, his eyes darting right and left as he pulled out smoothly, not even jerking her as he shifted gears on the powerful sports car and accelerated.
âYou worry me to death, the way you bottle things up inside you, Shelby,â he said after a long silence. âYouâll have ulcers one day.â
âItâs my life,â she said softly.
His jaw tautened. âDoesnât Danny care that you sit and let yourself be whipped to death by the world at large?â
âI donât need protecting,â she said with a tiny smile.
âDonât you, honey?â he asked roughly. His dark eyes burned over her for an instant. âYouâre as vulnerable as a butterfly.â
âNot so vulnerable,â she murmured, remembering how her life had been all those years ago.
âThen why wonât you fight back?â
She smiled. âIâm hardly a match for you, am I?â
Something alien flared in his eyes for an instant. âNot at your age, no.â
Both her thin eyebrows went up. âI didnât realize you were so old.â
He only smiled, if a slight turning up of his chiseled lips could be called that. âYouâd be surprised.â He glanced at her. âHave you and Danny set a date?â
âWhy bother?â she asked. âYou told me you werenât going to let us get married.â
âSarcasm, Shelby?â He did smile then. âThatâs a change.â
âI wasnât being sarcastic.â She stared at him openly, her eyes touching every hard line of his face.âKing, why donât you want Danny to marry me? Is it because of my background, or because of me?â
His face hardened. âRemind me to tell you all about it someday when weâve got more time.â
She wanted to tell him that it was all a farce, that she and Danny would never have that kind of relationship. But sheâd promised Danny not to tell.
âIâm not like my mother,â she murmured, and didnât even think heâd heard her.
He pulled into town, quickly whipping the sleek, low car into a parking space just off the street. All around, parade members were getting ready. Band players in Mexican dress were practicing on their instruments. Children in colorful Spanish costumes were dancing around the streets where traffic was already moving at a snail pace. It was truly a festival atmosphere.
King cut the engine and turned toward Shelby. His dark eyes met hers levelly and held them for so long that her complexion went dusky.
âYouâre just like your mother,â he corrected gruffly. âYouâre her image.â
âThatâs the outside,â she replied.
âThatâs all there is,â he said matter-of-factly.
âIâm glad youâre so sure of that.â
He lit a cigarette, glancing out the windshield to where the local high school band in its colorful Mexican uniforms was lining up in formation. Further away, the Branntâs little white compact car was just pulling into a parking space