by Becki Willis
He sat down, his hesitation slight before pulling her against him. Their relationship was still new enough to be awkward, but Kenzie immediately leaned back against his chest. As he wrapped his arms around her middle, she hugged them to her, content to simply be in his embrace.
“I missed you,” he confessed, the words a kiss into her hair.
“I’ve missed you, too, Ranger.” She reached her hand behind her to touch the unfamiliar stubble along his lean cheek. He pressed a kiss into her palm and she sighed with utter contentment.
“Maybe I can actually sleep tonight,” he mused softly. “I don’t think I’ve had a decent night’s sleep since the last time you slept in my arms.”
She nodded in understanding. “I know I haven’t.”
They lingered for a long moment, content in the silence. Finally Travis spoke. “Come on, darlin’, let’s go get a good night’s sleep.” He held her hand as they walked into the bedroom.
Kenzie crawled beneath the covers and Travis laid his long body on top, covered by a light quilt. As she curled into his arms and snuggled against him, she smiled.
“The perfect day,” she whispered into the darkness.
“Mmm,” he agreed groggily, pressing a kiss into her hair as his body fully relaxed for the first time in weeks. “Perfect.”
Chapter Twelve
It was a wonderful feeling, waking up in Travis Merka’s arms. For long moments, Kenzie lay there watching him sleep, amazed at how different he looked in slumber. Even before, when they slept in the same bed while on their quest to uncover secrets from her letter, he had held a part of himself in reserve. He never completely let down his guard, even in sleep. However, this time was different, and it warmed her heart, knowing he trusted her enough to lay down all his defenses. With his body completely relaxed, he looked so much more approachable, more affable.
He was such an honorable man, full of honesty and integrity and all his self-imposed rules. She smiled, thinking how his rules made her crazy, but knowing, too, that she would not change a single thing about him, even if she could. His rules were part of what made him the man he was. He was now the yardstick she used to measure all men, her new high standard of what a real man should be.
She watched him a few moments longer, worried about the new worry lines she saw around his eyes. He was too slim, she thought, too weary looking. His under-cover mission was obviously dangerous. With a sudden stab of fear to her heart, she blocked out thoughts of what a world without Travis Merka would be like. Prayers were foreign to Kenzie, but she stumbled through one now, asking that this man be safe.
Knowing he needed the sleep, Kenzie carefully extricated herself from his arms and silently slipped from the room. This was one thing she could do for him, one thing she could give him- the gift of undisturbed, peaceful slumber.
***
Less than half an hour later, she heard him stirring. He stumbled into the dining room where she sat having coffee and surfing the internet. One look at him, and she felt her heart melt and ooze all the way down her body, draining away her sanity and what little scrap of resistance she had left where he was concerned.
His blond hair, now long enough to be in disarray, was tousled from sleep. The rugged beard edging his jaw was darker this morning, giving him a rakish look that did strange things to her stomach. His brown eyes were warm and relaxed, with fewer lines puckering the edges. His wide, muscled chest was bare, still marred by only one single flaw: the long, red slash left by Foto’s knife and the surgeon’s efforts to save his life. The raised pink scar was slowly fading but it would always be there, a testament to how he almost gave his own life to save hers. Sleep pants hung low from the sharp angles of his hips, drawing her eye past the flat, smooth plane of his stomach. Her eyes traveled down his impossibly long legs, to the oddly erotic sight of his bare feet.
“I woke up and you were gone.” Still rough with sleep, his voice was a blend of disappointment and accusation.
“You were sleeping so peacefully, I was afraid I would wake you.” She was surprised her voice came out so normally, when parts of her body were dripping with need. Her heart was still puddled somewhere low in her stomach.
“Thanks. I can’t believe I slept so late.” He looked slightly embarrassed.
“It’s barely eight o’clock in the morning.”
“I know. Late.”
Kenzie laughed. “Stop by tomorrow around noon, I’ll show you how ‘late’ is done.”
“Is that coffee I smell? No, don’t get up. I’ll get it.”
She let him serve himself, since her knees were still questionable. “What would you like for breakfast?”
“I don’t care. Guess we could grab some cinnamon rolls or something.”
“No!”
Getting a cup from the cupboard, Travis looked back toward her outburst. “I thought you liked cinnamon rolls.”
“Not-Not anymore. Too sweet.” Too tempting. And too much of a reminder of her own weakness. The reminder was all the more painful, knowing Travis was involved in a dangerous undercover mission while she had doubted him and contemplated cheating on him. Well, maybe not exactly cheating, she thought, since they had no commitment. None other than her heart, anyway. It seemed to be firmly committed.
“So what would you like?”
Did he really want her to say? There was only one obvious answer: him.
She pulled her thoughts together, glad he was busy making himself coffee. “I’m not much of a cook, but I can manage breakfast. Hardin went shopping last week.”
“What did you two do before he came along and cooked for you?”
“I’ll have you know we both cooked yesterday. Makenna’s was that crooked chocolate cake that looked like someone had sat on it, and mine was that plate of slightly burnt brownies.”
“Hey, I had one of those. They were good and crunchy.”
Kenzie sighed. “Too bad they were called Gooey Delight Brownies.”
“How about we go out for breakfast? My treat.”
“And what else do you have planned for me today?”
“Uh, didn’t know I needed plans,” he stalled, coming out of the kitchen with his steaming cup.
His look of surprise was like a slap to her heart, which had finally reassembled itself in her chest. “So you were just going to breeze into town for the one day, spend the night with me, and just vanish the next morning?” she asked frostily.
“You make it sound like it was a cheap one-night stand. We didn’t even have sex,” he said irritably.
“Believe me, I am well aware of that fact!”
“Kenzie, you know where I stand on that issue.”
“Yes, I am well aware of where you stand. All the way across the room. Across the state, in fact.”
Travis scowled. “I knew yesterday was too good to be true,” he muttered. “We spent the entire afternoon together without arguing a single time.”
“Well, it was a holiday, after all,” she said sardonically. “I guess today it’s back to fighting as usual.”
“So what did you have in mind for today?” he asked, his tone almost weary.
“I don’t know. I was just under the mistaken impression that we would spend the day together. Some people, after all, actually like to spend time with me.”
“Meaning Mr. Sweetie Pie,” he practically growled.
She merely shrugged, indicating that the answer was obvious.
“Okay, so what did you and Sweetie Pie do while he was here?”
“You mean besides eat cinnamon rolls?” She recklessly threw the words out with a too-sweet smile. “He let me plan the entire day. Whatever I wanted to do was fine with him.”
“Okay, so fine. You plan our day.”
She immediately perked up. “Seriously?”
He looked more determined than enthusiastic. “Seriously.”
“Anything I want?” she clarified. When he looked skeptical, even worried, she laughed. “Not that, although you’d get no
complaints from me.” She laughed again when a faint blush stained his gaunt cheeks. She found it totally adorable that such a strong, confident lawman was so easily embarrassed by his personal life. She let him off the hook with a toss of her raven curls. “But anything else I want to do?”
“It would need to be legal.”
“Why, of course, Mr. Ranger Man,” she said, batting her eyes innocently. “Okay, you’re on! Go get dressed. After breakfast, we’re headed to the mall!”
***
Travis assumed she intended to drag him through the mall on a shopping spree, adding to her already expansive wardrobe. He was surprised when they entered a trendy sports-clothing store and approached the men’s display of swim trunks.
“What size are you, Stix?” she asked, thumbing through the colorful selection.
“Why are we looking at swimming suits?”
“Because I don’t want your jeans to get all wet, silly! Here, you can try these on over there. And what about these?” She saw the look of horror that crossed his face as she held up the bright Hawaiian print. “No? What about these?”
“I don’t need swim trunks, Kenzie.”
“Fine. We’ll look for regular shorts. I doubt you brought any with you, right?”
“I don’t wear shorts.”
“Not even at the gym? Why? Is there something wrong with your legs? You know, I’ve never even seen them before.” She gave her shoulders a little shimmy. “I’m excited.”
As he rolled his eyes in exasperation, his gaze swept over a colorful display of women’s bikinis. “Fine,” he said suddenly. “You pick a suit out for me, I’ll pick one out for you.”
Sensing a trick, Kenzie frowned. “Uhm, I don’t need a swimsuit. Shorts and tee shirt will do fine.”
“No, no, they might get wet. I have no idea where we’re going, but you don’t want to get your clothes all wet.” He grabbed the two pairs of trunks from her hand and pulled her along to the nearby display. “Okay, so let’s find you a bikini.”
“A bikini?” she cried in horror. “No way. Absolutely not.”
“Why not?”
“Travis, women with my figure do not wear bikinis. Or they shouldn’t, at least. Just because something comes in your size does not mean you should wear it.” As if on cue, a very rotund woman stepped from the dressing room, wearing a very skimpy swimsuit. Kenzie shuddered, turning away from the sight. “I rest my case.”
“I think you have a perfect figure,” Travis said, letting his dark eyes skim over her. Her skin warmed under his gaze. “Curvy and full in all the best places.” Her heart skipped a beat at his low murmur. “Very sexy.”
Kenzie jutted out her chin in determination. “Even cheating won’t win you this argument. No bikini.”
“Fine. A one-piece. But I get to pick it out.”
“Maybe,” she wavered.
“Okay, I’ll just wear my jeans then.”
“No, no, I want to see what earned you the name Stix. I’ll agree to a one-piece, but I’m wearing shorts over it.”
Seeing the determination set upon her face, Travis did not argue, merely moved toward a new display of one-piece swimsuits.
Twenty minutes later, Kenzie shooed him back into the dressing room after paying for their purchases. “You’ll need to get changed now.”
“Now? I’m not walking through the mall in my swim trunks!”
“Why not? They come all the way to your knees. You’ll be fine.”
“Aren’t you going to change?” he challenged.
“No.”
“Then neither am I.”
“Okay, have it your way. But a pedicure is much easier in shorts than blue jeans.”
“A what?”
“A pedicure. Come on, we have an appointment in five minutes.”
“There is no way I am getting a pedicure.”
Kenzie whirled on him, her green eyes blazing. “Travis Merka, how many weeks have you been gone?”
“Three.”
“How many times did you call me during that time?”
“Three.”
“You promised to call me last Friday. It was Monday before you finally did. How many days is that?”
“Three.”
“At the least, at the very least, you owe me three big pay-backs.”
“I told you why I couldn’t call before that, darlin’. And I told you, in my mind I talked to you every single day.”
“But I never knew that, Travis.” Much to her chagrin, her voice thickened with tears. “If you had just told me that, you would have saved me a lot of heartache. But you didn’t, so now you owe me. And you said whatever I wanted to do.”
“I didn’t know it involved getting some sissified nail polish on my toes,” he grumbled as he reluctantly followed her out into the mall.
“I promise, no nail polish. Unless you want a nice clear coat on your finger nails,” she grinned, catching his hand and examining his nails.
He jerked his hand away. “No manicure. Hands are off limits.”
“Lots of men get manicures.” She sent him a covert look to gauge his reaction. “Craven’s hands are very smooth. I think he probably gets his hands done.”
“Bully for him. He’s not undercover in a motorcycle gang,” he said darkly.
“Gang?” Her breath hitched on the word.
Travis avoided her question by asking one of his own. “And how do you know how smooth his hands are?” he grumbled.
“Whose hands?” Kenzie asked with wide, innocent eyes. “Here we are. And look, they have two chairs side-by-side, just for us.”
The tall, lanky Texas Ranger made quite a spectacle, his long legs hitched at the knees to maneuver his feet into the washbasin. The denim on his jeans was shoved up as high as possible, revealing very muscular - but very white- legs. Amid a half dozen women, the rugged cowboy was clearly out of place.
Kenzie grinned with glee, loving his discomfort. When she suddenly started laughing out right, he turned to her with an angry glower. “What is wrong with you, woman?”
“This-This reminds me of you in the yellow Bug!” she laughed. “You looked like a clown in a tiny little circus car, your knees tucked up to your ears, your head too tall to hold up straight, and that silly flower flapping back and forth with every bump! Of all cars for you to steal!”
He looked appalled at her loud mention of ‘stealing’ a car. “I borrowed it,” he corrected stiffly. “The rightful owner was compensated for their assistance in the matter.”
“Even if they had no say-so in the matter!” Still chuckling, Kenzie recalled their time in Wyoming with fondness. Despite being chased and making a hasty getaway, they had managed to go on their first date and attend her first carnival. She still had the five dollar stuffed antelope, the one that cost Travis fifty dollars to win.
As the manicurists worked magic on their feet, Travis slowly began to relax. Kenzie reached over to take his hand, feeling only slightly guilty at putting him through the ordeal. “You had fun at the carnival, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” he admitted grudgingly.
“Then trust me. You’re going to have fun today, too.”
“I get nervous every time I hear you say the words ‘trust me’,” he muttered. He glanced down at the manicurists hovering over their feet, speaking in a language he did not understand. From the covert glances the women cast his way, he imagined they were making jokes at his expense. Crooking an eyebrow at Kenzie, he scowled. “So when does the fun begin?”
A smile tickled Kenzie’s mouth as she ran her gaze over him once again. Bursting out in gleeful laughter, she said, “Oh, it already has!”
Chapter Thirteen
The Guadalupe River State Park was surprisingly sparse this early in the day, despite the holiday weekend. Kenzie and Travis meandered down the lazy waters of the River on inner tubes, their arms and legs dangling over the sides of the circular rafts as they drifted downstream. The recent draught rendered the water at low level, and mor
e than once the rafters had to reach out a hand to navigate around the larger rocks and boulders strewn throughout the shallow riverbed.
“I love the cliffs,” Kenzie proclaimed, gazing up at a particularly steep and impressive limestone bank that edged one side of the riverbank. “If I ever build a house, I want to use native limestone.”
“And where would you build this house?” Travis asked curiously. “I thought you had dug in your roots and were never moving.”
“Not from the apartment, silly. Just the city.”
When Kenzie left home - a term she used lightly - eight years ago, she settled in Austin and swore to herself that it would be her last move. After living in dozens of towns throughout her childhood, she longed for roots; central Texas was now her home.
She looked around her surroundings, completely content in the quaint countryside an hour and a half from the city. On their left, rugged cliffs climbed high toward the blue overhead sky. On their right, huge cypress trees - with massive trunks and giant roots all gnarled and twisted - draped heavy limbs low over the river, casting a green hue upon the water. The image was twice as nice, reflected back by the mirror of water.
Kenzie knew Travis had a small horse ranch an hour away from Austin, near LaGrange; would it be a betrayal to that vow if she edged sixty or so miles out of the city? Her heart answered for her.
Travis let a moment settle between them before he spoke. He tried to sound nonchalant, but there was a deep timbre to his voice. “So how far out do those roots extend?”
Her heart clattered in her chest. His question hinted of a future for them, something her soul craved.
“I want to see your ranch, you know,” she said quietly, and saw the surprise in his eyes. The pleasure. Her next words were hopeful. Breathless. “Will you take me there?”
Travis turned his brown eyes upon her and nodded slowly. Almost as an afterthought, he spoke. “When you look at me that way with those big green eyes, I would take you to the moon, if that’s where you wanted to go.”