Renegade Moon (CupidKey) by Karen E. Rigley, Ann M. House Read Free Book Online Page A

seemed glued to his skin. She wondered if he felt the same sensation or if he even noticed the slight contact. She dared not look at him to see.
    The trail ride group had launched and she watched them laughing their way over a ridge. A family wandered down by the creek, and a youngster began tossing rocks out into the water. Destiny wondered just how long she and Eric would sit there, frozen together, bound by a small spot on each of their arms. Would they eventually turn to stone and become a tourist attraction?
    Then Eric suddenly got to his feet, holding out his hand to help her up. She accepted, feeling the searing separation of their arms, and at the same time, the rough warmth of his large hand as it clasped hers. He held it as they walked back toward the Trading Post in silence.
    “Lunchtime,” he observed as they headed toward the Mustang. “Want to get something in the restaurant?”
    Destiny doubted if she could swallow, but she nodded, wanting to prolong this meeting. They drove back up to the town. Her brain had softened, grown incapable of rational thought. The feelings evoked by Eric’s presence, by the memory of his big hand holding hers, overwhelmed her and she could only allow him to guide her into the restaurant.
    There sat Iris Blake Rampton at a wooden round table with Lee Duncan. Dismay swept over Destiny. Lee smiled. Half-rising, he waved them over. Destiny noticed Iris’s expression, the way she ogled Eric, the way she steamed at the sight of his hand resting lightly on Destiny’s shoulder.
    Tension snapped through Eric. He moved his hand and Destiny glanced at him. His dark face became a thundercloud. An expressionless mask dropped over his features, giving nothing away.
    Destiny realized that a link existed between Eric and Iris. They headed straight for the table, responding to Lee’s invitation as though everything were rosy. Sitting down, they exchanged greetings and Lee introduced Iris and Destiny.
    “We’ve met in a way,” Iris said, her voice a mixture of annoyance and amusement. Her violet eyes traveled over Destiny and suddenly Destiny had a vivid picture of herself with tousled hair, sweaty and dusty, no makeup, a very unsatisfactory contrast to the cool and perfect Iris. She fought an urge to tip over Iris’s water glass into her lap, to mess up that lovely outfit. She wished now that she’d flattened Iris, accidentally of course, in the drugstore.
    Crazy emotions played tag through Destiny’s nervous system while she sat quietly, studying the menu as if she could really read it, as if it made sense. A waitress appeared.
    Sawdust and axle grease , Destiny might have ordered, and been just as satisfied, but instead ordered tacos like the others did. At least she thought they’d ordered tacos, but when the food was brought, she discovered Iris had ordered enchiladas.
    Destiny sighed. Enchiladas are eaten with a fork, but there’s no glamorous way to eat a taco. The men picked up their tacos and bit into them, holding them carefully over their plates so that when the taco shell invariably broke and the contents spilled, the plates would perform rescue service. Destiny watched Iris daintily cut her enchiladas into small bites and wanted to start a food fight.
    She gave herself a mental shake. What’s wrong with me? She sat up straighter and lifted a taco, cradling it in her hands to hold it together as best she could, and took a small bite. The shell broke right in the middle, dumping the hot meat and seasonings into her hand. She involuntarily jerked her hand and splat ! The crumbled taco crashed into her plate, spilling over the edges.
    Iris tittered.
    Destiny brushed the remaining crumbs from her hand and rose. “Excuse me. I have to wash my hands.” She quickly fled to the restroom. Hands clean, she wanted to sneak out back, disappear, and leave them wondering what had become of her. But she couldn’t do that. She couldn’t let Iris win that easily, and, make no mistake ,