Willow Smoke (31 page)

She
had
to
agree
with
Nick’s
judgment,
even
if
the
dress
did
leave
her
feeling
half
naked.
Its
scooped
back
only
enhanced
that
feeling.
Would
she
ever
get
used
to
walking
in
the
black
stiletto
heels?
And
then
he
wanted
her
to
dance
in
them!

“This
little
black
bag
will
be
just
the
right
accessory
to
carry.”
The
clerk
stepped
back
to
look
at
Nick.
“Doesn’t
she
look
elegant?
A
beautiful
young
woman.
You
must be proud of your daughter.”

Daisy
quickly
covered
her
mouth
with
her
hand.
She
did
an
about-face
and
watched
Nick’s
reflection
in
the
mirror.
He
turned
pink
and
then
red.

The
clerk
must
have
discerned
her
faux
pas.
“I am sorry.” She paused for
breath.
“You
must
be
a
lucky
man.”

“That
I
am,”
Nick
stammered.
“Doesn’t
she
need
something
around
her
neck,
or
maybe
on
her
wrist?
Nothing
too
showy.
I’m
sure
she’d
prefer
something
understated.”

“You’re
absolutely
right.
Come
with
me,” the
clerk
said
to
Nick.
“The
young
lady
can
come
along,
or
perhaps
you’d
like
to
surprise
her.”

“Surprise.”
Nick
nodded.
“We’ll
be
right
back,
kid. You might try to get used to
those
shoes.
I
know
they
look
like
only
a
few
straps,
but
they
are
sexy.”

Daisy
tried
a
few
tentative
steps.
At
first
she
wobbled
and
then
she
righted.
Maybe
it
was
the
balance
she’d
learned
from
riding
horses, but in a matter of
minutes she
was
able
to
walk
about
without
much
difficulty.
She
remained
uncertain
about
dancing.

“Let
me
put
this
on
you
and
see
how
it
looks,”
Nick
said,
returning
with
the
clerk.

Daisy
leaned
forward
and
Nick
clasped
the
chain
at
the
back
of
her
neck.
When
she
stood
she
turned
and
looked
in
the
mirror.
It
was
a
small
jewel
set
in
a
silver
setting.
It
sparkled
like
sun
reflecting
on
new
snow.
The
jewel
was
lovely;
no
one
had
ever
given
her
jewelry.
How
could
so
much
light
come
from
such
a
small
rhinestone?

“You
have
fine
taste
in
diamonds,
Mr.
Underwood.”

Daisy
gasped
and
her
hand
flew to her
throat.

“Not too much
display.
These matching earrings are just
right.
I’m
not
sure
about
the
gold
bracelet.”
The
woman
paused
jutting
her
chin
forward.
“It may work.” She shook her head. “Maybe
not with this dress.”

“No
matter.
The
bracelet
is
separate.
Okay,
anything
else
we
may
have
forgotten?
How
about
you,
Daisy?
Did
we
forget
anything?”

Daisy’s
eyes
widened.
Her
nostrils
flared.

“Ma’am,”
he
said,
ducking
away
from
Daisy’s
censuring
stare,
“why
don’t
you
go
ring
this
stuff
up
and
I’ll
be
right
along?
I
think
our
young
model
may
have
a
question
or
two
for
me.”

“Of
course.
You
look
lovely,
young
lady.
It
must
be
nice
to
have
a
man
love
you
so
much.
When
you’re
finished,
bring
your
purchases
over
to
my
register
and
I’ll
wrap
them for you.”

- o -

The
woman
was
no
sooner
out
of
earshot
than
Daisy
unloaded
on
Nick.
“What
do
you
think
you’re
doing?
This
is
a
stupid
waste
of
money.”

“It’s part of the
romance, darling.
We’ve
got
a
ball
to
attend,
and
I
expect
my
woman
to
be
the
best
dressed
woman
at
the
ball.”

“Romance?
Bullshit.”
Her
eyes
snapped,
matching
the
sparkling
diamond
resting
at
the
crest
of
her
rapidly
rising
and
falling
breasts.
“I
feel
like
a
whore
accepting
this stuff from you. You don’t have to buy
me
expensive
things
to
get
me
in
your
bed.”

“Whoa,
now
just
a
minute.”
Nick
grabbed
her
by the shoulders. “I may be a lot of
things.
I may be too old. You may be mistaken for my daughter. But I’d never do
anything
on
purpose
to
make
you
feel
like
a
whore.
You
know
that.”

Daisy
rested
her
forehead
against
his
shoulder.
She
sobbed.
“I’m
sorry,”
she
mumbled
half
coherently.
“Where
I
come
from,
a
guy
only
buys
a
girl
things
if
he’s
trying to get into her panties.”

Nick
massaged
the
nape
of
her
neck.
“Humph,”
he
whispered.
“I’m
already
in
them,
so
why
would
I
bother?”

She
poked
him
in
the
ribs.

He
flinched.

“That’s
the
point,”
she
countered.
“I
don’t
know why you do most things. But this is
off the charts. It’s a waste.”

“It’s
not.”
He
raised
her
head
and
wiped
her
tears
with
his
handkerchief.
“Daisy,
no
man
has
ever
bought
you
nice
things.
I
know
that. I’m
different than most men. I
just
want
to
see
you
dazzle—and
you
do.
Who
knows,
maybe
there’ll
be
some
rich
young
man
at
the
ball
who
will
want
to
lay
his
claim
on
you.”