Crushing On You: Travis and Gabriella (An Emerald Falls Romance, Book One)

by Christine Kersey

  With his heart pounding, he watched as she began her ascent. Her feet seemed to grab the bark of the tree with ease, and as she went higher and higher, he ricocheted between being terrified and being dazzled.

  “I think you’re high enough,” he called out when she’d reached thirty feet.

  She looked down at him, her face beaming with joy. “You think so?”

  “Yes. Definitely. Now get back down here before I have a heart attack.”

  Laughter reached his ears, and as a warm breeze ruffled the leaves, he found his attraction to this crazy woman growing exponentially.

  How had he not noticed her ten years ago?

  Gabby took in the view of the surrounding area—from her vantage point it was spectacular. Thick trees along with dark green grass spread out before her. Houses here and there, along with a few people enjoying the pleasant evening.

  “Gabriella? Are you coming down?”

  Something about the desperate worry in his voice gave her a feeling of comfort, but she’d tortured him enough.

  “Maybe you should stand under the tree to catch me in case I fall,” she called down, only half-joking. Though confident that she could descend without falling, it had been many years since she’d done this. The climb up had been easy enough, but going down was always the challenge.

  “Okay,” Travis said, and when she looked down, he was standing right beneath her.

  “You know,” she said with a laugh. “If I fall on you, it’s gonna hurt.”

  “Yeah,” he said. “I know.”

  Yet he didn’t move.

  Gabby smiled, warmed by his concern, then she began her descent. It was definitely harder than she remembered—her muscles weren’t quite as strong as they’d been when she was a teenager—but slowly she made her way down. When she was six feet from the ground, she lost her footing and began to slip, but before she could fall, Travis gripped her waist, and a moment later her back was pressed against his chest as he kept her upright.

  The feel of his muscled body against her back sent a jolt of longing through her and she wanted to sag against him, but instead she held still, savoring his closeness.

  Chapter 12

  Travis didn’t want to let go of Gabriella. “That was close,” he murmured in her ear. “But I’ve got you.”

  “Thank you.” Her voice was a bit breathy. Was that because she had almost fallen, or was it because he held her in his arms? Wanting to turn her around so they would be face to face, he scrambled for an excuse to do so. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, he slowly turned her around before stepping back slightly so that they were less than a foot apart. He looked into her face, then his gaze swept over her body. “You didn’t get hurt, did you?”

  She smiled. “No, Dr. Haywood. I’m fine.”

  He returned her smile. “Good. I’m glad I can take you to dinner instead of the hospital.”

  Gabby stared at Travis, kind of stunned at how quickly things had progressed. From chatting in her living room to standing in the circle of his arms talking about going to dinner, all in less than half an hour.

  That had to be a record for her.

  She held back a laugh What had come over her? Normally she wasn’t the type to flirt so shamelessly. Maybe she was finally getting over her shyness. But that was too much to hope for. Still, she would ride her bravery for as long as it lasted.

  “I’m glad too,” she finally said. The euphoria she’d felt as she’d climbed the tree surged through her again. “It was worth the risk. I haven’t done that in years, but it was awesome.”

  He let go of her and ran his hands through his hair. “I hope you don’t have any plans to do it again anytime soon.”

  She cocked an eyebrow, surprising herself with how easy flirting with Travis seemed to be. “Why? Don’t you have time to come over and spot me when I do?”

  He laughed. “If you want me to be your spotter, I’ll make myself available.” Then he frowned. “But I don’t know if my heart can take watching you climb so high again.”

  “Maybe you should try it yourself. Then you’d be more comfortable.”

  He shook his head. “No. Definitely not.”

  “Hmm. Okay. Well, to be honest, I don’t think I’ll be doing a lot of tree climbing in the future.” She held up her right hand. “I think I got a few splinters and they kind of hurt.”

  His face brightened. “That I can do something about.” He smiled at her. “Let me see.” Then he took her hand.

  It was as if a current of electricity ran from his hand right into hers. Her eyes locked on his, which were studying her face, and she knew he was as attracted to her as she was to him.

  The first thing Travis noticed was the softness of her hand, but that was immediately overshadowed by the energy running from her hand to his. With his gaze locked on hers, it took all of his self-discipline to turn his attention away from her eyes and to her hand, where he saw several tiny slivers embedded under the skin on her palm. “Do you have a pair of tweezers?”

  “Yes,” she said, her voice soft. “In the house.”

  Reluctantly, he released her hand and looked up to see her watching him. “Why don’t you bring them out here where the light’s better?”

  “Okay. Anything else?”

  I wouldn’t mind a kiss from you. Surprising himself with the thought, instead, he said, “If you have some rubbing alcohol, pour some over the tweezers first.”

  She nodded, then she turned away and walked into the house.

  Glad to have a few moments to regroup, Gabby did as Travis instructed, then paused in front of the bathroom mirror to look at her reflection. Her face seemed to glow—whether that was from the exhilarating climb or from being touched by Travis, she didn’t know. Then Travis’s words from earlier rang in her mind: I’m going to be interning at the clinic for another ten months, but after that…

  The stark reminder that he wouldn’t be around for long was like splashing ice water on her face—it woke her up to reality. The reality that if Travis wasn’t going to stay in Emerald Falls, then she wasn’t so sure she should open her heart to him. If she did, she would end up with a broken heart. Why would she want to do that?

  Frustrated that things couldn’t be easy for a change, she heard her aunt’s voice in her head: Gabby, sometimes the best things in life are the hardest to achieve.

  Nodding in acknowledgement, she carried the tweezers out of the house and handed them to Travis, all the while trying to push down the fierce attraction she had to him, had always had to him. Now that she’d actually spent time with him instead of just admiring him from afar, the pull he’d had over her from the moment she’d seen him ten years earlier had only grown in intensity.

  Travis took Gabriella’s hand in his again, this time running his thumb over her palm as if he were checking for splinters when in reality he was enjoying the tender softness of her skin. Keeping his focus on her hand, he heard her quiet intake of breath.

  Worried his touch had caused her pain, he asked, “Does it hurt?”

  “No,” she said on a whisper.

  Holding back a smile because his gentle touch had caused her reaction, he began removing the splinters. “They’re not too deep,” he said as he pulled one out. “So it shouldn’t be too uncomfortable.”

  Trying to steady her breathing—she didn’t want him to know that his ministrations occasionally pinched, but she also didn’t want him to know the effect of having him right there, holding her hand and caring for her, had on her, she slowly blew out a breath.

  “That should do it,” he said several minutes later as he lifted his gaze to meet hers. She noticed he hadn’t let go of her hand.

  “Thank you.” She took the tweezers from his other hand and smiled.

  Then he lifted the hand he’d worked on to his mouth and pressed his lips to her open palm.

  “Oh,” she said with astonishment. When his eyes met hers, she saw him smile.

  “Now,” he said. “I believe we had
an agreement.”

  For the life of her she couldn’t recall what that could be. “We did?”

  He laughed, her hand still held in his. “Yes. You said if you climbed thirty feet up and then back down, I would take you to dinner tomorrow night.”

  Feeling like an idiot for having been so distracted by his palm-kiss that she’d forgotten the deal that she’d come up with, she felt a blush rise on her face. “Oh. Right.” Then she remembered the caveat. “But I didn’t make it completely down on my own. You had to…” She remembered the way it had felt to have his hands at her waist and wanted to feel it again. “…to help me down the last bit.”

  “Hmm. That’s true. What does that mean for our deal?”

  Wanting to take control, she smiled. “That means I have to take you to dinner tomorrow night.”

  His smiled. “I don’t remember that being in the deal, but I’m okay with that.” A moment later he released her hand. “I should probably get going. What time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow?”

  Eager for the next twenty-four hours to fly by, Gabby smiled. “How about six-thirty? Will that give you time to finish up at the clinic?”

  He smiled in return. “I think so. I’ll see you then.”

  “Okay.” She watched him walk to his car, and moments later he drove away. Sighing softly, she tried to forget that there could be no future with a man who would be leaving the town she had just made her home.

  Chapter 13

  “Guess who I’m having dinner with tonight?” Gabby said as she walked into Chloe’s classroom the next day after school had let out.

  “Who?” Chloe sat at her desk and adjusted the clips she’d used to hold her shoulder-length, auburn hair back.

  Gabby’s face brightened with her good news. “Travis Haywood.”

  Chloe’s eyes widened. “No way.”

  Nodding, Gabby smiled.

  “How’d that come about?”

  Slightly embarrassed to tell her, Gabby sat on the edge of Chloe’s desk as she gave her all the details anyway.

  “You climbed a tree? Really?”

  “I know. It’s dumb. But that’s what happened.”

  Chloe leaned back in her chair. “I don’t think it’s dumb. I think it’s awesome.”

  Gabby tilted her head. “You do?”

  “Yeah. How many women would climb a tree to impress a man?”

  More embarrassed about it than ever, Gabby could only laugh. “Right. Me Jane, you Tarzan.”

  “Well,” Chloe said, her eyebrows raised. “It looks like Travis liked it.”

  “I suppose so.”

  “Anyway, I hope you have fun with him.”

  Glad she’d come to talk to Chloe, Gabby said, “That’s the thing though. It sounds like he’ll be leaving Emerald Falls next summer.”

  “Oh. That’s too bad.”

  Gabby stood. “Yeah. So I don’t think I’ll be spending all that much time with him. I mean, if he’s going to be leaving, what’s the point, right?”

  Slowly nodding, Chloe said, “Yeah. I guess so.” Then she smiled. “Unless you can convince him to stay.”

  For some reason that had never occurred to Gabby. But before she could convince him to stay, she would need to figure out where he was going and why he wanted to go there.

  Standing on Gabriella’s porch, his finger hovering over the doorbell, Travis pictured Gabriella climbing the tree. Fear surged through him at the memory. Then, with a rush of released breath, he shook his head and smiled at her recklessness. At least, he considered it reckless. She’d been completely confident in her ability to succeed—something he admired.

  He pressed the doorbell, and as he waited to hear the approach of her footsteps, he considered if going out with her—taking the time to get to know her—was a wise path to take. Moments later, when she opened the door and he saw her beautiful smile, he pushed aside his concerns. “You look lovely.”

  Her smile only brightened, though she looked away from him as if his flattering words had embarrassed her. “Thank you.”

  After she’d gotten home from school, Gabby had spent some time picking out the perfect outfit to wear on her first date with Travis Haywood. Finally settling on a flattering pair of slacks paired with a blouse that set off her skin tone, she’d then spent quite a while fixing her hair and doing her make-up. Now, as Travis stood on the threshold of her cottage complimenting her, the shyness she’d battled her entire life returned.

  Why couldn’t she feel as carefree as she had the day before when she’d climbed the tree?

  Frustrated with herself, but knowing it was because this date was something she’d fantasized about for ten years, she forced herself to meet his deep-blue eyes and hold his gaze. Pulse racing, Gabby reminded herself to breathe.

  Something about the look in Gabriella’s eyes captured Travis’s complete attention and he wanted to feel her in his arms again. Briefly considering suggesting she climb the tree just so he’d have an excuse to help her, instead he asked, “Are you ready?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  He helped her into his car, then after getting behind the wheel, he turned to her. “Do you have a preference where we go?”

  “No,” she said. “I’m up for anything.”

  “I’m kind of in the mood for barbecue.” He glanced at her as he pulled onto the road. “Does that sound good to you?”

  “That sounds great.”

  It had been quite a while since Travis had been on a proper date. Between his schooling and then getting started in his career, it just hadn’t been a priority.

  Not to mention that no woman had caught his eye. Not like Gabriella had.

  Kind of surprised at how captivated he’d become with the woman he’d only recently met, Travis glanced at her before focusing back on the road. “How’s Sadie doing?”

  Gabby didn’t want to talk about her cat. She wanted to know what Travis’s plans were when his internship ended in ten months. Still, she wasn’t comfortable just asking him outright—he might want to know why she was asking and she wasn’t about to admit her attraction to him and how much she wanted him to stay. Not after what had happened with Brandon Monroe. She believed Travis was attracted to her, but she’d also believed Brandon was in love with her. How wrong she’d been. No, she wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

  “She seems to be doing fine,” Gabby said about her cat. “The wound doesn’t seem to be so tender, so I guess that’s a good sign.”

  “Definitely.”

  Wanting to turn the conversation back to Travis, she said, “You know, you never did tell me what you like to do in your free time.”

  He laughed. “Yeah. I guess we both got a little distracted by tree-climbing.”

  Pride that she’d mostly succeeded washed over her. “I can teach you how to climb that tree if you want.”

  He shook his head. “I prefer to keep my feet firmly on the ground.”

  They pulled into the parking lot and Travis helped her from the car before leading her inside the restaurant. Five minutes later they were sitting across from each other in a booth. They ordered their food, and as they waited, Gabby again asked Travis about his hobbies.

  He chuckled. “To tell you the truth, I’ve been too busy with my education to have time to do anything else.”

  “Come on. There must be something you like to do when you have a day off.”

  He tilted his head. “When I was younger I used to enjoy skeet shooting, although I haven’t done it in years.” He paused. “Have you ever tried it?”

  “No.” Gabby sipped her lemonade, then she gathered her courage and said, “Maybe you can teach me how.”

  He smiled. “I think that would be a lot of fun.”

  Pleased that he hadn’t laughed at the idea—even she had trouble picturing herself shooting a rifle—she was even more pleased that he hadn’t rejected the idea of spending time with her in the future.

  They chatted about other things, their food arriv
ed and they began eating, and when a natural opening to ask him about his future plans and why Emerald Falls didn’t figure into them didn’t happen, she decided to be bold and ask him directly.

  “Can I ask you something?” she said as she speared a piece of chicken in her salad.

  His eyes lifted to meet hers. “Sure.”

  “Yesterday you implied that you weren’t planning on staying in Emerald Falls after your internship is done.” She tilted her head. “Why is that?”

  Chapter 14

  Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything yesterday. Then again, why shouldn’t he have? It was the truth. Yet…yet, now, he wasn’t in such a hurry to leave.

  He held back a frown.

  This was only their first date. He shouldn’t get ahead of himself. Gabriella may not turn out to be someone he wanted to be with, so he shouldn’t go making promises he wouldn’t be able to keep. Besides, he had aspirations. Ones he’d been working towards for a long time. He didn’t want to screw that up now.

  Deciding to steer Gabriella away from thinking he could offer more than he was ready to commit to, he said, “Emerald Falls isn’t where I want to stay. Eventually I’d like to join a large, established practice in a more populous city. Maybe even run my own practice one day.”

  Gabriella nodded, then her lips briefly lifted in a smile before she turned her focus to her salad.

  Clearly, that had been the wrong answer. But it was the truth. It was what he’d been working towards. No reason to sugar-coat it. Better to be honest and upfront from the start. Manage expectations and all that.

  Still, a sense of disquiet settled over him.

  Gabby took a swallow of her drink.

  That answered that.