more night and then make other arrangements.”
“No other arrangements necessary. How are you going to have your way with me if you’re not staying here? It’s going to be hard to tie me up if we are not living together.”
“Are you using sex to try to get me to stay with you?”
“Yes, I am. Is it working?”
“It might be. Let’s go eat, and I will leave my suitcase here for now.”
“Why don’t you just unpack it and put your stuff away? It might be easier.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Have you ever asked a woman to do this before?”
“No.”
“OK.”
“OK, you put your clothes away, or OK you understand?”
“OK, now we go to breakfast.”
“I like your lack of commitment. It reflects well on your character.”
“I agree.”
She grabbed his hand and headed toward the door. Her suitcase remained by the door, and neither one of them felt very good about it. She looked at him as she got into the truck and wondered how he expected her to make any decisions before she ate. “What time are we meeting Adam at the house?”
“We’re meeting him at ten and have plenty of time. What made you decide on Ocean Beach?”
“I found a house that I liked near the beach that was affordable. The small town feel appealed to me as well. Did you know that they have a Christmas parade?”
“Are you going to participate in the parade?”
“I guess, if they let me.” They parked in front of Clayton’s Coffee Shop, and as Cary got out of the truck she noticed Travis checking his phone. She realized that she knew very little about his life and figured it was probably best. The more you knew about someone, the more invested you became and the less freedom you had.
Travis grabbed her hand as they headed into the restaurant. “I could probably figure how to build you a float for the parade.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of helping out with kids, but a float might not be a bad idea.” She looked up at him and felt like she was starting to get attached. She didn’t want that to happen, because she wanted to remain free.
Last week she was on a road trip by herself, hoping for great adventure, and this week she was having breakfast with a man who was trying to get her to unpack her suitcase. If she unpacked her suitcase she was giving up on the idea of adventure, and she didn’t want to do that. No matter how sexy Travis was and how willing he was to share his hash browns, that couldn’t distract her from her plan.
********
They sat on the front porch of Cary’s house and waited for Adam. “It’s better than I thought.”
“It doesn’t look like you were ripped off. It just looks like he wanted a bigger project.”
“I think you’re right. Does Adam take on small houses like this?
“I think he does. Don’t worry, baby. Adam is a good guy and if he doesn’t have time, he’ll recommend someone we can work with.” He looked down the sidewalk and saw Adam walk up with Chad.
Cary stood up and smiled as she greeted the men. “Hello. Thank you for coming out this morning.”
Adam walked up and shook hands with Travis, then took Cary’s hand gently and shook it. “No problem. If you know this guy, then you’re practically part of the family. I want you to meet my partner, Chad. He’ll be your lead on this project if we decide to work with each other.”
Cary looked up at Chad and felt like she was looking at a surfing god. He was almost as tall as Travis and had long, wavy blond hair. His broad chest and big biceps were shown off nicely by the tank top he wore. Cary smiled widely at him and offered her hand as she stared; it was hard to act nonchalant in the presence of such male perfection.
Chad smiled back and held her hand a moment longer than was necessary.
Cary felt herself being pulled back into reality as Travis looped a big, brawny arm around her shoulder. She felt him whisper in her ear to take a breath before she
“No other arrangements necessary. How are you going to have your way with me if you’re not staying here? It’s going to be hard to tie me up if we are not living together.”
“Are you using sex to try to get me to stay with you?”
“Yes, I am. Is it working?”
“It might be. Let’s go eat, and I will leave my suitcase here for now.”
“Why don’t you just unpack it and put your stuff away? It might be easier.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Have you ever asked a woman to do this before?”
“No.”
“OK.”
“OK, you put your clothes away, or OK you understand?”
“OK, now we go to breakfast.”
“I like your lack of commitment. It reflects well on your character.”
“I agree.”
She grabbed his hand and headed toward the door. Her suitcase remained by the door, and neither one of them felt very good about it. She looked at him as she got into the truck and wondered how he expected her to make any decisions before she ate. “What time are we meeting Adam at the house?”
“We’re meeting him at ten and have plenty of time. What made you decide on Ocean Beach?”
“I found a house that I liked near the beach that was affordable. The small town feel appealed to me as well. Did you know that they have a Christmas parade?”
“Are you going to participate in the parade?”
“I guess, if they let me.” They parked in front of Clayton’s Coffee Shop, and as Cary got out of the truck she noticed Travis checking his phone. She realized that she knew very little about his life and figured it was probably best. The more you knew about someone, the more invested you became and the less freedom you had.
Travis grabbed her hand as they headed into the restaurant. “I could probably figure how to build you a float for the parade.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of helping out with kids, but a float might not be a bad idea.” She looked up at him and felt like she was starting to get attached. She didn’t want that to happen, because she wanted to remain free.
Last week she was on a road trip by herself, hoping for great adventure, and this week she was having breakfast with a man who was trying to get her to unpack her suitcase. If she unpacked her suitcase she was giving up on the idea of adventure, and she didn’t want to do that. No matter how sexy Travis was and how willing he was to share his hash browns, that couldn’t distract her from her plan.
********
They sat on the front porch of Cary’s house and waited for Adam. “It’s better than I thought.”
“It doesn’t look like you were ripped off. It just looks like he wanted a bigger project.”
“I think you’re right. Does Adam take on small houses like this?
“I think he does. Don’t worry, baby. Adam is a good guy and if he doesn’t have time, he’ll recommend someone we can work with.” He looked down the sidewalk and saw Adam walk up with Chad.
Cary stood up and smiled as she greeted the men. “Hello. Thank you for coming out this morning.”
Adam walked up and shook hands with Travis, then took Cary’s hand gently and shook it. “No problem. If you know this guy, then you’re practically part of the family. I want you to meet my partner, Chad. He’ll be your lead on this project if we decide to work with each other.”
Cary looked up at Chad and felt like she was looking at a surfing god. He was almost as tall as Travis and had long, wavy blond hair. His broad chest and big biceps were shown off nicely by the tank top he wore. Cary smiled widely at him and offered her hand as she stared; it was hard to act nonchalant in the presence of such male perfection.
Chad smiled back and held her hand a moment longer than was necessary.
Cary felt herself being pulled back into reality as Travis looped a big, brawny arm around her shoulder. She felt him whisper in her ear to take a breath before she
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