thing.”
He
laughed harder. “Especially with how hard the headboard was banging on the
wall.”
That
had her outright laughing. She looked at him, saw his serious expression, and she sobered slightly, rolling to her side to
face him. “What’s wrong?”
He
didn’t speak right away, just lifted his hand and ran his finger over her
cheek. Surprise filled her at the intimate, gentle gesture.
“What
are you doing? What are we doing?”
she whispered and then gasped when he rested his forehead against hers, closed
his eyes, and sighed.
“What
are we doing, Pearl?” he repeated her question softly, and opened his eyes to
stare into hers. “Tell me this isn’t just me, darlin ’.
Tell me it isn’t just me feeling like I couldn’t handle not having you in my
life, by my side.” He sounded so confused, but so sincere.
“I
don’t know, Travis, but I know that what I feel for you isn’t like anything
I’ve ever felt before. It’s so strong, so confusing, and it ... scares me a
little.”
He
moved his finger along her cheek again, and leaned in and kissed her softly. “I
know, sweetheart. I feel the same way, but I won’t let you go. I can’t, baby.”
She
rolled onto her back, trying to grapple with everything that he’d just said,
what they’d just done, and how she was feeling. She was confused, far more than
what was probably normal for someone, but then again she’d never felt like this
with anyone.
“I’ll
be honest, this is so fucking new to me, so damn powerful and consuming that
just thinking of you walking away sends me into this blind rage.”
She
looked over at him, saw that he was on his back with his hands behind his head.
The light from the bedside table was a muted yellow, casting shadows along his
square jaw.
“No
other woman compares to you, Pearl. No one has ever made me feel the way you
make me feel, especially not in this amount of time.” He looked at her then,
and no doubt he could see the confusion on her face. Had she really heard him
right?
“I … Travis?” His name was spoken so low that
she wondered if she’d actually said it out loud.
He
looked at her, lifted his hand and ran his finger along the edge of her lips.
She parted them because she couldn’t get enough air.
“I’m
afraid of all of this, of how I feel for you and the intensity of it all.”
“I’m
not good for you, but I can’t seem to stop myself.” A small, sad smile tugged
at the corner of his lips. “But even though I should walk away, let you go
because I work constantly, am not good with commitment, and probably will never
be good enough for a woman like you, I won’t let you walk away. You’re my woman
now, mine, Pearl. I’ve claimed you, claimed this.” He placed his hand between
her thighs, and she gasped.
“God,
Travis.”
His
chuckle was deep and vibrated through his chest. “I know, baby.” He tucked her
against his side, and she willingly curled next to him. It felt so good being
next to him, and the fact that he felt a semblance of what she felt made the
experience even more superb. This was her life, she was really going after what
she wanted, and she wasn’t turning back. She’d never turn back.
Chapter
Fourteen
“How
are you settling in?” Brooklyn asked.
Pearl
grabbed two cups and the pitcher of lemonade from the fridge, and moved over to
where she was. She sat at the table, Hot Dog sleeping on the ground by her
feet, and the sound of children giggling coming through the open window. The
guys had gone on their hunting and fishing trip, and although they were due
back tonight, these two days away from Travis after what he’d said to her felt
like a lifetime. It was silly, actually, but the truth was she felt connected
with Travis, and after he told her he wanted more with her, that it wasn’t just
about sex, she wanted to see how far they could go, how close they could get.
“Things
are going well.”
“The
job is working out? I mean working with the
He
laughed harder. “Especially with how hard the headboard was banging on the
wall.”
That
had her outright laughing. She looked at him, saw his serious expression, and she sobered slightly, rolling to her side to
face him. “What’s wrong?”
He
didn’t speak right away, just lifted his hand and ran his finger over her
cheek. Surprise filled her at the intimate, gentle gesture.
“What
are you doing? What are we doing?”
she whispered and then gasped when he rested his forehead against hers, closed
his eyes, and sighed.
“What
are we doing, Pearl?” he repeated her question softly, and opened his eyes to
stare into hers. “Tell me this isn’t just me, darlin ’.
Tell me it isn’t just me feeling like I couldn’t handle not having you in my
life, by my side.” He sounded so confused, but so sincere.
“I
don’t know, Travis, but I know that what I feel for you isn’t like anything
I’ve ever felt before. It’s so strong, so confusing, and it ... scares me a
little.”
He
moved his finger along her cheek again, and leaned in and kissed her softly. “I
know, sweetheart. I feel the same way, but I won’t let you go. I can’t, baby.”
She
rolled onto her back, trying to grapple with everything that he’d just said,
what they’d just done, and how she was feeling. She was confused, far more than
what was probably normal for someone, but then again she’d never felt like this
with anyone.
“I’ll
be honest, this is so fucking new to me, so damn powerful and consuming that
just thinking of you walking away sends me into this blind rage.”
She
looked over at him, saw that he was on his back with his hands behind his head.
The light from the bedside table was a muted yellow, casting shadows along his
square jaw.
“No
other woman compares to you, Pearl. No one has ever made me feel the way you
make me feel, especially not in this amount of time.” He looked at her then,
and no doubt he could see the confusion on her face. Had she really heard him
right?
“I … Travis?” His name was spoken so low that
she wondered if she’d actually said it out loud.
He
looked at her, lifted his hand and ran his finger along the edge of her lips.
She parted them because she couldn’t get enough air.
“I’m
afraid of all of this, of how I feel for you and the intensity of it all.”
“I’m
not good for you, but I can’t seem to stop myself.” A small, sad smile tugged
at the corner of his lips. “But even though I should walk away, let you go
because I work constantly, am not good with commitment, and probably will never
be good enough for a woman like you, I won’t let you walk away. You’re my woman
now, mine, Pearl. I’ve claimed you, claimed this.” He placed his hand between
her thighs, and she gasped.
“God,
Travis.”
His
chuckle was deep and vibrated through his chest. “I know, baby.” He tucked her
against his side, and she willingly curled next to him. It felt so good being
next to him, and the fact that he felt a semblance of what she felt made the
experience even more superb. This was her life, she was really going after what
she wanted, and she wasn’t turning back. She’d never turn back.
Chapter
Fourteen
“How
are you settling in?” Brooklyn asked.
Pearl
grabbed two cups and the pitcher of lemonade from the fridge, and moved over to
where she was. She sat at the table, Hot Dog sleeping on the ground by her
feet, and the sound of children giggling coming through the open window. The
guys had gone on their hunting and fishing trip, and although they were due
back tonight, these two days away from Travis after what he’d said to her felt
like a lifetime. It was silly, actually, but the truth was she felt connected
with Travis, and after he told her he wanted more with her, that it wasn’t just
about sex, she wanted to see how far they could go, how close they could get.
“Things
are going well.”
“The
job is working out? I mean working with the
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