LITMIR.BIZ

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Chance.”

      “Don’t cry, princess,” he said gently as he reached over and gave her a hug. “It’s all right. I’ll get you another one.”

      While Fee used the napkins to clean off Cassie’s shoe, he went back into the store to replace her ice-cream cone. By the time he returned a couple of minutes later, Cassie was all smiles and chattering like a magpie once again.

      His mind wandered as his niece and Fee discussed the newest version of a popular fashion doll—and he couldn’t help but notice every time Fee licked her ice cream.

      “Chance, did you hear me?” Fee asked, sounding concerned.

      “Oh, sorry.” He grinned. “I was still thinking about doll accessories.”

      She gave him one of those looks that women were so fond of when they thought a man was full of bull roar. “I said I’m going to take Cassie to the ladies’ room to wash her hands.”

      He nodded. “Good idea.”

      As he watched Fee and his niece walk into the store, he shook his head at his own foolishness and rose to his feet to walk over to his truck to wait for them to return. If he and Fee didn’t make love soon, he was going to be a raving lunatic.

      But as he stood there thinking about the danger to his mental health, he realized that making love with Fee wasn’t all he wanted. The thought caused his heart to pound hard against his ribs. He wasn’t thinking about an actual relationship, was he?

      He shook his head to dispel the ridiculous thought. Aside from the fact that neither of them was looking for anything beyond some no-strings fun, he was hesitant to start anything long-term with any woman. His father had been the most honorable man he had ever known and from what he remembered and everything everyone said, Charles Lassiter had loved his wife with all his heart. If his father couldn’t remain faithful, what made Chance think that he could do any better?

      “Uncle Chance, Fee said we could play fashion show with my dolls the next time she’s at Grandma Marlene’s house,” Cassie said, tugging on his shirtsleeve. “When will that be?”

      He’d been so preoccupied with his unsettling thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed Fee and Cassie had returned. “I’ll talk to Grandma Marlene and see what we can work out,” he said, smiling as he picked Cassie up to sit on his forearm. “How does that sound, princess?”

      Yawning, Cassie nodded. “Good.”

      “I think someone is getting sleepy,” Fee said when Chance opened the rear passenger door and buckled Cassie into her safety seat.

      “She’ll be asleep before we get out of the parking lot,” he said, closing the door and turning to help Fee into the truck.

      When he got in behind the steering wheel and started the engine, Fee smiled. “After she goes to sleep, we’ll have some time to talk.”

      “About the campaign?” he guessed, steering the truck out onto the road.

      “I’d like to hear what your main objections are to being the spokesman,” she said, settling back in the bucket seat.

      “Being the center of attention isn’t something I’m comfortable with and never have been,” he said honestly.

      “But it would only be some still photos and a few videos,” she insisted. “We could even cut out the few personal appearances unless you decided you wanted to do them.”

      “Yeah, those are out of the question,” he said firmly. As far as he was concerned those appearances she mentioned had been off the table from the get-go. “Like I told you the other day at lunch, I don’t intend to be a monkey in a sideshow. What you see with me is what you get, sweetheart. I wouldn’t know how to be an actor if I tried.”

      “What if we filmed the video spots on the ranch?” she asked, sounding as if she was thinking out loud. “I could have a cameraman take some footage of you riding up on your horse and then all you would have to do is read from a cue card.” She paused for a moment. “We could probably even lift still shots from that.”

      He could tell she wasn’t going to give up. “I’m by no means making any promises,” he said, wondering what he could say that would discourage her. “But I’ll have to think a little more about it.”

      “Okay,” she said slowly. He could tell she wasn’t happy that she hadn’t wrangled an agreement from him.

      Reaching over, he covered her hand with his. “I’m not saying no, Fee. I’m just saying I need more time to think it over.”

      When she looked at him, her expression hopeful, he almost caved in and told her he would be her spokesman. Fortunately, she didn’t give him the opportunity.

      “That’s fair,” she said, suddenly grinning. “But just keep in mind, I’m not giving up.”

      “It never occurred to me that you would,” he said, laughing.

      * * *

      Fee sat in the middle of the bed with her laptop and an array of papers spread out around her on the colorful quilt. She was supposed to be working on the Lassiter PR campaign. But in the past hour, she had found herself daydreaming about a tall, handsome, green-eyed cowboy more than she had been thinking about ways to restore the public’s faith in his family.

      Watching him interact with his niece that afternoon had been almost as eye-opening as witnessing his skill at helping a cow give birth to her calf. Both times she had seen him interact with his niece, he had listened patiently when the child spoke and always made Cassie feel as if everything she said was of the utmost importance to him. Someday Chance was going to be a wonderful father and Fee couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy for the woman who would bear his child.

      Her heart skipped a beat and she shook her head to dispel the unwarranted thought. What was wrong with her? Why was she even thinking about Chance having a child with some unknown woman?

      It shouldn’t matter to her. By the end of her month’s stay, she would be back in Los Angeles scheduling commercial spots for the family campaign and working toward her goal of becoming Lassiter Media’s first female public relations vice president under the age of thirty. And unlike being in Wyoming, she would enjoy the convenience of not having to drive forty miles just to reach a town where she could shop or dine out.

      But as she sat there thinking about her life back in L.A., she couldn’t seem to remember what the appeal of living there had been. Her condo building was filled with people she didn’t know and didn’t care to know. And for reasons she couldn’t put her finger on, the job promotion didn’t seem nearly as enticing as it had a week ago.

      As she sat there trying to figure out why she was feeling less than enthusiastic about her life in California, there was a knock on her closed door. Gathering the papers around her to put back in the file folder, she turned off her laptop and walked over to find Chance standing on the other side of the door.

      “It’s a clear night and the moon is almost full,” Chance said, leaning one shoulder against the door frame. “How would you like to go for a ride?”

      “On a horse? Surely you can’t be serious.” She laughed as she shook her head. “I’m not that experienced at riding during the day. What makes you think I would be any better at night? Besides, don’t wild animals prowl around more in the dark? There’s probably something out there with sharp teeth and long claws just waiting for me to come riding along.”

      “Slow down, sweetheart. You’re sounding a lot like Cassie,” he said, laughing. “We won’t be going far and other than a raccoon or a coyote, I doubt that we’ll see any wildlife. Besides, you won’t be riding Rosy. You’ll be on the back of Dakota with me.”

      She gave him a doubtful look. “And you think that’s an even better idea than me riding Rosy?”

      He grinned as he rocked back on his heels. “Yup.”

      “I’ll

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