by Lynda Chance
Travis sat down with her and steadily made his way through the food. When he was finished, he began clearing off the table and stacking the dishes in the sink.
She made a motion to get up.
"Just sit. You're not cleaning this up tonight. The dishes can soak overnight in the sink."
Within moments, the sink was full of hot soapy water, and the table was cleared.
"Thank you, Travis."
He wiped his hands on a dishcloth and turned to face her. "No problem, Angel.
Let's get you settled." He took the few steps back to her and started to lift her in his arms.
"I c-can walk."
"Why should you have to?" He gently swung her into his arms and shouldered his way through to the living room where he deposited her on the couch. He handed her the remote. "Find something to watch. I need to work on the books for awhile."
Selena settled into the couch and flicked through the channels until she found an old movie. She had seen it before, but never in English. She tried to concentrate and study the structure of the words.
It was difficult because her eyes were continually drawn to Travis. He sat behind his desk, flipping through a pile of receipts and logging them into the computer. He worked steadily, and only once did she glance up and find his eyes on her.
The impact was electric.
Her heart started beating a wild tattoo in her chest when he continued to study her.
He tossed the pen down, and stood up and moved over to the couch. He picked up the remote, and turned the volume down until it was muted almost completely. He sat back on the couch and in one movement, picked her up and slid her over to him until she was sitting in between his spread thighs, with her back to his front, much as she had been earlier on the bed when Juan had walked in. His arms wrapped around her and she felt his lips on the back of her head. Shock went through her.
This was a bold move and screamed of an intimacy that she didn't know they had.
With one arm wrapped around her, hugging her tightly below her breasts, he picked up one of her hands and twined her fingers with his. He played with her fingers and inhaled the scent of her hair. His hand gently moved her hair away from her neck, and he put his lips softly on her. His lips and tongue make a wet path up to her ear.
Selena closed her eyes in ecstasy. His large body completely wrapped around hers, and Selena felt safe in his arms. He smelled good. So strong, so male, so perfect for her. He was a gruff, hard man, but he could be so sweet at times. It was a combination she found enthralling.
Selena felt his breath on her ear as he spoke softly to her. "I have to go into Laredo this week for supplies. I want to take you with me. You'll enjoy a day off the ranch, hmm, Angel?" The words crooned in her ear and his hand continued to play with her fingers.
"Y-yes. That sounds n-nice." Her words were breathless.
He continued in his low, whiskey smooth voice. "And I thought we ought to go to the courthouse and get a license."
Chapter Seven
His lips were touching her ear and Selena found it hard to concentrate. "Yes.
Okay." She was completely distracted by his male hardness surrounding her. His arm was holding her tightly, and her breasts were pressed against him. "A l-license f-for what?"
He tipped her face toward his, and covered her mouth with his. He sipped at her lips, and Selena's mind shut down, her physical response to his kisses taking over.
He gently took her tongue with his, and lazily kissed her for a few moments. He lifted his head and her eyes were captured by his.
"A marriage license."
Selena gasped. "What--what for?"
His mouth moved back to her ear. "Because I want to marry you, Angel." The arm that held her around her front turned slightly and his hand blatantly captured a breast. "I need to marry you."
Selena was inundated and drowning as feelings shot through her. Namely, joy that he was feeling the same thing she was.
His thumb lightly stroked over her nipple and a tremor of desire slid from her breast down to her feminine core. He continued the smooth strokes, back and forth, and her breath hitched.
She turned in his arms and tried to speak. She wanted to tell him how she felt, how she was growing to love him, and that she would marry him.
Before she could form the correct words, he spoke again.
"You want to marry me, don't you Angel?" She sat on his lap, and he looked at her beautiful profile. She was exquisite. His words became cajoling. "I want to marry you, so much." He ran one finger down the smooth slope of her tilted nose. "It would be nice, don't you think?"
"N-nice?" she asked softly.
"Sure." His voice stayed low, seductive. "You can quit worrying about your future.
You can stay here with me, and I'll buy you whatever you want."
Her voice trembled. "I d-don't want you to b-buy me any--anything."
"No?" His voice was seducing her with his gentleness. "What do you want? You tell me what you want, and if you marry me, stay here with me, promise to be mine, just mine, I'll give you whatever you want." He lifted her chin with one strong finger, and turned her face to his. "Anything."
Selena hesitated. How honest should she be? Marriage was one of the most important things in life, and she wanted to be honest with him. "Two things, y-yes?"
Travis felt success close at hand. "Absolutely. Whatever you want. How much ever you want."
Selena lowered her eyes and spoke softly. "I want to be s-safe. And I want l-love."
Silence met her words.
Travis felt gutted.
Keeping her safe was no problem.
But he didn't know what love was, let alone how to give it. He didn't even know if it truly existed. But he did know one thing, he wouldn't lie to her.
"Selena, baby, you'll be safe here. I won't let anyone ever hurt you again. You can take it to the bank. And I'll be good to you. I'll honor and respect you. But sweetheart, I don't know about the love thing. I want to tell you we'll have love in our marriage, but I don't want to lie to you. I don't know how to love anyone. No one has ever loved me, so--"
Selena's gasp cut off his words. She couldn't bear it if what he said was true. It was so sad. "Y-yes. Your mother, your father, they love you."
"No, baby. I've never had a mother. She died giving birth to me. And my father--" A harsh look passed over his features that had Selena's heart aching for him. "Well, I'll spare you the details, and just say he never loved me. Ever. And I've never had any other family."
Her eyes searched his. Her heart was breaking for him. She reached up and laid a hand to his scarred cheek.
He closed his eyes briefly and when he opened them, he couldn't identify the emotion shining from hers. "Please, Selena, just marry me. Put me out of my damn misery and say yes. I want you so--"
"Yes."
"Yes?" He stared into her eyes. "Yes, you'll marry me?" Travis waited for her confirmation.
"Yes." Selena lowered her eyes as shyness overcame her.
Travis felt a knot of relief unclench from deep within. "Selena, baby, we need to be clear on something. I have to make sure you understand what I want from this marriage. There can be no mistake." He put his hand under her chin and lifted her eyes to his.
His voice dropped an octave. "Do you know what I want?"
Selena nodded her head. "Yes. You w-want free housekeeping."
"No. Hell no, that's not what I want--"
Selena lifted her hand in return and placed it softly on his cheek. A blush crept over her face. "I know what you want, Travis."
Their eyes tangled and held until Selena moved her hand behind his head and applied pressure to bring his face toward hers.
Travis felt his heart beat out of time when Selena instigated the kiss.
His lips dropped to hers and her fate was sealed.
****
The next day after breakfast, Travis watched her moving around the kitchen, cleaning up. The pain she had experien
ced the day before seemed completely to have disappeared. Letting her go to her room alone the night before had almost broken him. He wanted to get this deal tied up and completed before he went insane.
"You look much better today, Angel."
Selena turned to face him, a smile on her face. "Yes. I'm fine."
"Is the pain gone completely? Could we make the trip to Laredo today?" Today was Monday, and he didn't want to put off something that would get him one step closer to his goal.
Twin dimples formed on her cheeks. " Si. I am ready. I have made a list."
"A list?" Travis couldn't think of why she would need a list at the courthouse.
"Yes. A list for supplies." She indicated the kitchen with her hand. "For food."
Understanding hit Travis. His mind was on one track. And it would stay on one track until he had her under him.
"Then let's go."
The trip to Laredo was accomplished in under forty minutes. Selena couldn't help but compare it to the trip she had made weeks before. The big, black truck ate up the miles, and Selena leaned back in comfort in the bucket seat. This truck bore no resemblance whatsoever to the farm truck she had ridden in before. The dash was wood grain, and the seats were made of leather so soft, she sunk down and had to concentrate to keep her eyes open. This truck was the Texas equivalent to a rich man's Lexus or Porsche. She looked over at Travis behind the wheel and tried to contain a hint of guilt for what she was doing.
Was she taking the easy way out? Was she using him for her own ends? Trading sex for safety and food?
Marriages of convenience were as old as time. And she already had strong feelings for him. She just prayed she wasn't committing a sin.
They were in and out of the courthouse in no time. Her papers were all in order, her social security card enabling her to get a marriage license without a hitch. There was a three day mandatory waiting period in Texas, so they would have to go home with the license, but without the marriage taking place.
Selena felt a mild sense of shock when they walked down the courthouse steps and Travis said, "We'll come back Thursday and get married."
She agreed in a mild voice and he hustled her back into the truck, opening the passenger door for her and holding her hand as she stepped in.
She watched the streets of Laredo in a daze until they pulled into the parking lot of a fashionable building. She registered the jewelry store in front of them as he was bustling her inside.
It was still early, and the manager didn't have any other customers.
Travis walked in and asked to see engagement rings. The manager beamed and started pulling out diamond rings on black velvet trays. The trays came from the middle of the case, between the smaller rings and the larger diamonds.
Travis gave the manager a slight nod and pointed to the large diamonds. No words were spoken between them, but the manager straightened and pulled the larger tray from the display case.
Selena saw the exchange between the two men and tried to contain the shock and exhilaration that screamed up her spine. She hadn't even thought of getting a ring, and here he was trying to buy her a big one. "No, Travis, please, not those."
Travis turned from the rings back to her. "Why not?"
"Be-because, they c-cost too much. I don't need--"
He cut her off by reaching out and dragging her to him. He laced his arm behind her back and teased softly, "I can probably afford it."
There was humor in Travis's voice and confidence in his movements. His eyes glittered into hers. "Take a look."
Travis turned her toward the rings. "Pick one, baby." He raised his eyes to the man behind the counter. "I want a set for her, and a plain gold band for me. Can we get them sized and ready for pickup on Thursday?"
"Yes, of course, sir. Not a problem."
Half an hour later, Selena looked down at her finger as they were leaving the shop.
Miraculously, the set that Travis wanted for her and she loved and agreed on, fit her perfectly already. The huge diamond glittered on her finger.
In Mexico, she came from a wealthy family. But she had never owned anything that compared to the ring on her finger. A two-caret diamond with smaller baguettes surrounding it, it was set in platinum and sparkled as it caught the sun.
Her excitement was intensified by the knowledge that he was going to wear a ring, too. A ring that would mark him as her husband.
She was still in a daze as they pulled into the parking lot of the huge warehouse store to pick up the supplies they were going to buy in bulk.
She gently put her hand on his arm as he turned off the ignition.
"Thank you, Travis."
He slipped the key from the ignition and turned to face her. "Do you like it?"
"Yes. It is beautiful, but much too expensive. You should not have bought one so big."
"I wanted it to be big enough to be noticed right away. You're mine, and everybody needs to know it."
Selena's breath caught. "I don't have anything to give you in return. I have no money to buy you a wedding gift."
Travis reached out and caught the hand with the diamond on it. He laced his fingers through hers. "You don't need any money. You know what I want you to give me. Just in case you haven't figured it out by now, let me tell you how it's going to be."
Selena nodded once and listened while he held her hand in an unrelenting grasp and spelled out her future.
"This is going to be a traditional marriage, Selena. We're both going to have our jobs in this relationship." His voice was deep and serious. "My job is going to be to honor and protect you. I'm going to work hard and make the money and buy you anything you want, within reason. I'm going to pay all the bills and keep a roof over our heads. I'm going to keep you safe. Your responsibilities in this marriage are going to be to keep me fed, keep my laundry done, and keep the house clean." He paused and brought her hand up to his mouth. His lips opened and he placed an open mouthed kiss on her knuckle above the diamond ring. He gazed into her eyes. His voice lowered. "But your number one priority will be to sleep in my bed.
It's not going to make me happy to hear any excuses. When I'm ready for bed, I don't want to have to come looking for you. If I make a move toward the bedroom, you need to drop what you're doing, and get your sweet little ass in my bed. And baby, I mean day or night."
At his words, Selena felt a shaft of desire so strong she trembled with it. The picture he painted of their marriage was blatantly sexual. A shiver of delight danced down her spine. And this he was warning her about?
His grip on her hand intensified when he felt her shaking. "Do you understand me?
Do you want to go forward with this, or are you thinking of running? Because baby, if you want out, now's the time. It will probably kill me, but I'll leave you in Laredo if that's what you want. I'll get you a nice hotel room and pay it up front for a few months. You're a smart girl, you'll make it on your own."
Selena felt panic at his words. Not from being left on her own in Laredo, but from never seeing him again. Panic at the thought of the marriage not taking place.
"No." The single word was breathless.
"No, what?" Travis felt his gut clench.
"No, I don't want to stay in Laredo. I want to marry you. I under--understand how the marriage will be." She watched him from half lowered eyelids.
Travis felt a fierce sense of satisfaction at her agreement.
Thursday couldn't get here soon enough.
****
The three days before the marriage took place flew by for Selena. She wanted everything perfect for Thursday, so she spent all her time cleaning and cooking and stocking up the freezer. It was easy now with so many choices from all the supplies they had bought. She couldn't believe what the bill totaled at the store in Laredo, but most of it was for the bunkhouse kitchen. This was no small ranching operation.
The days before Thursday seemed to drag by in slow motion for Travis. Staying away from Selena was the most difficult thing
he had ever done, and every time he saw that ring on her finger, the connotation of it was like a red flag to a bull. He spent long hours working on the already perfect irrigation system for the heat of the summer coming up. When that didn't keep him outside long enough, he spent long hours riding the fence lines.
He came in late Wednesday night and found his supper warming in the oven. He took the plate out and wolfed it down, and went in search of Selena. He looked out the window at the streaks of color in the sky. He hadn't realized it was so late. He walked down the hall to her bedroom and heard the bath running. Images of her wet, naked body intruded on his peace. He tried to shake it off and went and sat at the computer.
He opened his email, and found the message he had been waiting for. The detective he had hired to find Selena's grandparents, had finally found a decent lead. The last name was not enough to go on, but the combination of her father's distinctive first name and social security number was enough to open doors.
The man would keep him posted, but said that he was close.
Travis knew he should share the information with Selena, but decided against it.
He had a couple of reasons for his decision. He didn't want to get her hopes up, in case her grandparents couldn't be found or were even dead, but the main reason was because he flat didn't want to. He recognized the insidious emotion slithering down his spine as fear, and it pissed him off that he could be even slightly vulnerable to her. He pushed that thought to the back of his head, and concentrated on his main ambition.
There was plenty of time for her to find out that he was helping with the search for her grandparents.
After she was safely married to him.
Travis wasted another few minutes waiting for Selena to finish her bath. He wanted to talk to her before morning. He started hearing noises from her room and knew she was finished. He walked down the short hallway, tapped on her door and opened it.
What he saw almost gave him a heart attack. Selena stood next to the chest of drawers, dressed only in a tiny pair of pink bikini panties and nothing else. Her hair flowed down her back in loose, wet curls, and she had automatically turned toward the sound of the door opening. She crossed her arms over her naked breasts and her breathing became erratic when she saw him standing in the open doorway, staring at her.