halfway out, and he was staring, eyes wide, at the magenta teddy photo on the top of the stack.
He rose, silently sliding the photos back into the envelope and refolding the flap.
Danielle couldn’t speak. She couldn’t look at him. The embarrassing shot scuttled through her brain. It was her worst nightmare come true.
He handed her the envelope as the elevator pinged on the eighteenth floor. But, before she could exit, his hand wrapped around her upper arm.
The women glanced at her in puzzlement.
His grip wasn’t tight. She could have easily pulled away, darted for the door, escaped and left town, finding a way to never, ever face him again.
But she didn’t. She complied with his unspoken request.
The door slid shut, and the elevator rose.
While they moved, Danielle turned hot, then cold, then hot again.
The doors opened on twenty-three, and the two women got off. Travis kept hold of her arm. He stayed silent until the doors had shut completely.
When he spoke, his voice was guttural. “Tell me they’re not for Randal.”
The question surprised her so much, she forgot to answer.
“Tell me,” he repeated with an edge of desperation.
“They’re not for Randal,” she quickly told him. “They’re not for anybody. They were a lark, a silly, stupid idea that I regret already.”
He nodded sharply. His hand slipped from her arm. “Okay.”
That was it? One word? What did he mean?
The elevator pinged on thirty-four, the doors opening yet again.
Travis crossed the car. He pressed eighteen again then moved through the doorway.
Danielle’s knees went weak with relief, or maybe it was disappointment. She couldn’t quite pinpoint which.
But then he stopped. The doors started to shut, but he stuck his arm out to block them. He turned fully around, gaze intense, seeming to drink in the sight of her and swallow it whole.
“I’ve tried so damn hard to ignore this,” he rasped.
Heat and desire washed over her again. She told herself to shut up. She told herself to stay still and let it pass.
“So have I,” she confessed in a small voice.
He didn’t move. He waited.
Her stomach contracted. Her blood pounded in her ears. She struggled to suck in oxygen.
Stay put, her logical brain ordered.
There was absolutely no mistaking the hunger in his expression. His eyes were dark, his jaw clenched tight. His entire body seemed poised to pounce.
If she moved, she was done for. They were done for. If she took one step toward him, she’d be in his bed in minutes. And nothing would ever be the same between them again.
She moved one foot, and then the other. In seconds, she was out the door and into the hallway.
He turned beside her, released the door, silently took her hand in his and made his way along the short hallway.
Neither spoke as he swiped his key card in the double doors at the end. One door swung open, soft music greeting them, warm air, thick carpets, soft lighting, scented oil wafting through a richly appointed living room.
They walked inside, and the door clicked shut behind them. Astonishingly, her trepidation disappeared. Her uncertainty and fear vanished. She knew she was right where she wanted to be. She was alone with Travis at last, and all the reasons to keep her distance seemed to evaporate into thin air.
He turned to face her, his own expression relaxing. He smiled gently, blue eyes softening in the dim light. He smoothed back her hair. And with the opposite hand, he twined their fingers together.
“You are so incredibly beautiful,” he whispered.
“How did this happen?” she breathed, wondering if this might be a dream.
“My guess is good genes and healthy living.”
She couldn’t help but smile.
His own smile faded, his gaze zeroing in on her lips, his hand moving to cradle her cheek.
“I’m about to kiss you,” he warned.
“I’m about to kiss you back.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
He leaned in, voice deep and low. “This is going to be fun.”
Her
He rose, silently sliding the photos back into the envelope and refolding the flap.
Danielle couldn’t speak. She couldn’t look at him. The embarrassing shot scuttled through her brain. It was her worst nightmare come true.
He handed her the envelope as the elevator pinged on the eighteenth floor. But, before she could exit, his hand wrapped around her upper arm.
The women glanced at her in puzzlement.
His grip wasn’t tight. She could have easily pulled away, darted for the door, escaped and left town, finding a way to never, ever face him again.
But she didn’t. She complied with his unspoken request.
The door slid shut, and the elevator rose.
While they moved, Danielle turned hot, then cold, then hot again.
The doors opened on twenty-three, and the two women got off. Travis kept hold of her arm. He stayed silent until the doors had shut completely.
When he spoke, his voice was guttural. “Tell me they’re not for Randal.”
The question surprised her so much, she forgot to answer.
“Tell me,” he repeated with an edge of desperation.
“They’re not for Randal,” she quickly told him. “They’re not for anybody. They were a lark, a silly, stupid idea that I regret already.”
He nodded sharply. His hand slipped from her arm. “Okay.”
That was it? One word? What did he mean?
The elevator pinged on thirty-four, the doors opening yet again.
Travis crossed the car. He pressed eighteen again then moved through the doorway.
Danielle’s knees went weak with relief, or maybe it was disappointment. She couldn’t quite pinpoint which.
But then he stopped. The doors started to shut, but he stuck his arm out to block them. He turned fully around, gaze intense, seeming to drink in the sight of her and swallow it whole.
“I’ve tried so damn hard to ignore this,” he rasped.
Heat and desire washed over her again. She told herself to shut up. She told herself to stay still and let it pass.
“So have I,” she confessed in a small voice.
He didn’t move. He waited.
Her stomach contracted. Her blood pounded in her ears. She struggled to suck in oxygen.
Stay put, her logical brain ordered.
There was absolutely no mistaking the hunger in his expression. His eyes were dark, his jaw clenched tight. His entire body seemed poised to pounce.
If she moved, she was done for. They were done for. If she took one step toward him, she’d be in his bed in minutes. And nothing would ever be the same between them again.
She moved one foot, and then the other. In seconds, she was out the door and into the hallway.
He turned beside her, released the door, silently took her hand in his and made his way along the short hallway.
Neither spoke as he swiped his key card in the double doors at the end. One door swung open, soft music greeting them, warm air, thick carpets, soft lighting, scented oil wafting through a richly appointed living room.
They walked inside, and the door clicked shut behind them. Astonishingly, her trepidation disappeared. Her uncertainty and fear vanished. She knew she was right where she wanted to be. She was alone with Travis at last, and all the reasons to keep her distance seemed to evaporate into thin air.
He turned to face her, his own expression relaxing. He smiled gently, blue eyes softening in the dim light. He smoothed back her hair. And with the opposite hand, he twined their fingers together.
“You are so incredibly beautiful,” he whispered.
“How did this happen?” she breathed, wondering if this might be a dream.
“My guess is good genes and healthy living.”
She couldn’t help but smile.
His own smile faded, his gaze zeroing in on her lips, his hand moving to cradle her cheek.
“I’m about to kiss you,” he warned.
“I’m about to kiss you back.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
He leaned in, voice deep and low. “This is going to be fun.”
Her
Similar Books
