“Yeah, that’s right,” I state flatly. “Why do you ask?”
He sighs. “I was hoping there were some nudie pictures of you floating around on the Internet. I’ve searched, but I can’t find any.”
“You’re crazy!” I hit him playfully in the arm. “I thought you were turning all serious on me for a minute there.” I shake my head and keep walking.
We finally get settled on the couch to watch a movie together, and Travis insists on being the one to pick it out. Once the movie starts, I just about choke on my popcorn.
“Dirty Dancing? Really, Travis?”
“Don’t worry, Andi. I won’t let anyone put my crazy baby in the corner.” He pats my leg, patronizing me and consoling me at the same time.
“How ever did I get so lucky?” I ask sardonically.
“Right place, right time, that’s all I can say,” he says with a shrug.
For the next couple of hours, I actually enjoy watching the movie with him. It took much longer than necessary to watch the movie because Travis insisted on pausing it to try some of the dance moves that Patrick Swayze made look so easy. At one point, I was convinced our bus driver would pull over from all the commotion and loud noises when Travis couldn’t pull the moves off. I haven’t laughed so hard in so long, and it was just what the doctor ordered.
When the movie stops, the satellite channel is on a Hollywood gossip show and they’re running through the lineup of tonight’s biggest stories. Travis and I have remained at the forefront of most of these stories for the last several weeks. I’m just about to tell him to change the channel when something even worse catches my eye.
“This is Syndi Roberson, the new flame of boy toy boxer Luke Woods since his ex-fiancée dumped him for Sound Bar’s front man, Travis Malone.
“Syndi is sporting a new engagement ring. Here’s a close up of her nicely sized new rock. Another significant piece of jewelry that appears to be new is the heart-shaped pendant around her neck.
“If you remember, Luke Woods’s dog tag necklace has a cut out in the exact size and shape as the pendant that Syndi is wearing. If this doesn’t scream ‘new love,’ nothing does, folks!”
I’m stunned completely speechless at first. My eyes are glued to the TV in the exact spot where my ring and my pendant were just shown, even though a commercial is now playing. That’s not what I see at this moment. I see fucking Syndi Roberson wearing my ring and my necklace.
Jumping up from the couch, I scream in complete frustration, pain, and hatred. My hatred toward Luke is severe for giving her those specific pieces. It’s mean, it’s vindictive, and it’s unnecessary. It’s as if he’s intentionally setting out to cause me more pain solely for the sake of hurting me. My hatred toward Syndi is more illogical, but real just the same. She’s openly wearing them, knowing they were mine.
Up until this point, I’ve held on to a sliver of hope that Luke and I would work this out and get back together. I’ve tried to give him time to calm down. I’ve held back from a relationship with Travis because I’ve been so hung up on Luke. I wanted Luke to see that time has passed, but nothing has happened with Travis and me. I wanted him to understand that even though we’re apart, in my heart I still belong to him.
No. Fucking. More.
“This betrayal is more than I can take. It’s more than anyone should have to endure. I thought he’d hurt me before, but this is completely unreal. How could he?” I scream before I even realize I’ve said it out loud.
Travis looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. He’d be right in that assumption. I firmly believe I’d get off on a temporary insanity plea in my current state of mind.
“Andi, what are you talking about?”
“She’s wearing my fucking engagement ring and the necklace I bought Luke. He gave them to her!”
As I’m pacing back and forth like a caged animal, a thought occurs to me. “I paid for his hotel room. He has her there, and I’m paying for his fucking room!”
Travis retrieves his phone and calls Katelyn. “Ms. Morgan needs to have Mr. Woods’s hotel room canceled from her account. Yes, effective immediately.”
Turning to me, Travis simply says, “It’s done. What else do you need, Andi? Anything.”
“What do I need?” I repeat and he nods. “I need to get on with my life and not waste another minute questioning my feelings for you.”
“You’re upset and not thinking clearly right now, Andi. Take some time to let this sink in first. I don’t want you to regret it later.”
“I’m actually seeing things clearly for the first time in a long time. That—” I point to the screen “—just showed me that I’ve had blinders on long enough. Whatever we had between us at one time is now long gone. There’s nothing left to grieve over. I’m ready to move on, Travis.”
He slowly walks over to me, building the anticipation of what he has planned. My burning rage is changing over to a raging inferno of desire. “I told you I’d be here when you’re ready. Are you ready, Andi? Are you ready for me to make you mine?” he asks seductively. “I can make you forget him by daybreak.”
“I’m so ready, Travis. Own me, for tonight,” I offer.
“Baby, when I own you, it’ll be for a lot longer than tonight.”
His mouth covers mine, and he slowly walks me backward to the bedroom. When the backs of my legs hit the bed, his hands still my movements as he slowly peels my clothes off. Taking his time, he savors every inch of my skin. His tongue brands my skin. His fingers leave trails of chill bumps in their wake.
Gasping when his hand reaches into my core, my fingers dig into his skin as he skillfully strokes my sex. Spreading the wetness, plunging deep inside me, and evoking one cry of pleasure after another, Travis watches me as I fall apart from his touch.
“Fuck, you are so sexy. That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he whispers as he leaves a trail of kisses from my mouth to my ear. “I can’t wait to be inside you, Andi. I’ve dreamed of this for so long.”
He quickly sheds his clothes, pushes me back on the bed, and crawls over my naked body. “Put this on me,” he says, handing me a condom. I grasp him with one hand, and he growls appreciatively as I use the other to roll it onto him. Poised and positioned to plunge into me, he stops when just the tip is inside me.
Leaning his head down, he takes my nipple in his mouth as he sucks and nips on it. The anticipation, along with the erotic stimulation, is making me crazy. “Travis, now,” I cry. “I need you now.”
“You have me, Andi,” he murmurs softly into my ear.
Flexing his hips, he drives deep inside me all at once, and I scream out from the welcome intrusion. Taking his time to give me everything I need, Travis takes me over the edge time and time again. He’s an amazingly skilled and attentive lover. Exhaustion finally overtakes him, and he falls asleep with his body wrapped around mine.
Worry descends on me as I listen to his light snoring coming from behind me.
Have I just made a huge mistake?
Or have I just made the best decision of my life?
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
TRAVIS
Waking up with Andi in my arms is the most incredible feeling. I’ve had plenty of women, plenty of one-night stands, and plenty of forced relationships that were doomed from the start. What I haven’t had is someone like Andi, who looks at me and sees the real Travis. She doesn’t see the rock star, the status symbol, or the golden ticket to the sweet life.
She sees me for who I really am and doesn’t expect me to be anything else.
I know Luke must still carry a pretty heavy torch for her. How could he not? Even with his relationship with Syndi being played up in the media, I know the telltale signs of a fake relationship. Even through a camera lens, they’re pretty easy to spot since I’ve been in enough of them myself.
Luke is not in a relationship with Syndi, even though she is very much in a relationship with him. In her mind, anyway. I can’t explain the mystery behind t
he engagement ring and the necklace yet. It may be just a way for them to play off of the notoriety Andi and I have built. Keeping the four of us connected in the news increases the hype for everyone.
Everything’s a game in this business. Another move on a gigantic chessboard to get to the coveted spot, knocking the pawns over as we go. That’s what makes Andi such a breath of fresh air. She doesn’t play the games, she doesn’t look for ways to use people, and she isn’t constantly playing the angles to further her career.
I know she loves singing and she’s fascinated with the crowds cheering her on, but I don’t know that she’s become addicted to this lifestyle yet. I don’t think she ever will be—she’s just too wholesome to be caught up in this rock star world. Being around her reminds me that I’d be nowhere without people who believe in me, give me a chance, and support my dreams.
It’s still really early, barely after sunrise, and I’m not normally awake at this time. Andi’s soft body beside me woke certain body parts up before my brain was even fully functioning. When she starts to stir, I know the very instant that she realizes I’m in the bed with her. Every muscle in her body tenses, she inhales sharply and holds her breath, and her hand twists the sheet into a tight knot in her fist. After her rash decision to purge herself of any memory of Luke, I thought she’d have a flood of regret this morning.
I’m actually glad she does. That tells me just how faithful she really is. It’s been two months since they broke up, and they’ve had no contact at all. Part of her says she still belongs to him and that she’s been unfaithful to him. My mission in life is now to completely remove him from the equation and have those intense feelings directed at me.
“Andi,” I whisper from behind her. “It’s okay, baby. Relax. It’s just me.”
She releases the breath she’s been holding and immediately drags in another. As she exhales quickly and inhales just as rapidly again, I’m afraid she’ll start hyperventilating if she doesn’t calm down.
“Just listen to my voice, sweetheart,” I murmur softly. “Let go.” I wrap my hand around her closed fist. After a second, I feel her hand relax under mine.
“Good. Now breathe with me,” I instruct, taking an exaggerated breath and letting her feel my chest rise. She mimics my movement.
“That’s it. Now, release it slowly,” I say as I let my own breath out. She follows suit.
“Just focus on breathing with me, Andi. Nothing to it.” I feel her muscles start to respond to her calmer state, and her body relaxes against mine more. When she laces her fingers with mine, I can’t help but smile.
“That’s my girl,” I praise her. When I hear her sniffle, I know she’s trying to sort through a mountain of feelings alone.
“Just listen to me, okay?” I ask and she nods. “You feel guilty because you think you’ve betrayed Luke. Because you still think of yourself as his, and you know you’re not that kind of person, right?”
She nods slowly.
“You also feel guilty because you have feelings for me, you enjoyed making love to me last night, but now you’re thinking we moved too fast.”
Sniffling, she nods again.
“You have nothing to feel guilty about, baby. If you need to take things slower with me, we’ll go slower. I’ll wait for you because I’m not going anywhere. There’s one thing you need to come to terms with, though.
“You’re. Not. His. Anymore.” I emphasize each word. “It’s been two months with no contact from him at all. If he had any idea of what he lost when he lost you, he’d be hanging on to the windshield wipers of this bus right now, begging you for another chance.
“All I’m asking for is the chance to prove that I’ll make you happy. I’ve waited so long for this, Andi, and I won’t let you down,” I promise.
My heart soars when she nods again.
“I’m sorry I’m such a mess,” her watery voice says softly.
“I have a confession to make,” I say, leaning up on her shoulder so I can see her face.
“What?”
“I’m glad you are a mess right now. It tells me your heart, your mind, and your body are all loyal to one man. I want to be that man you’re loyal to,” I confess.
“You know, your public persona is so much different than the real you,” she says, squeezing my hand.
“The very fact that you see that is what makes you so perceptive, Andi. When most people look at me, they only see the bright lights and dollar signs. That stuff doesn’t attract you, though. You look at what’s underneath and decide if the real person is worthy of your love.”
“I don’t deserve to be put on a pedestal,” she says, her tone self-deprecating.
“No, I’d never want you on a pedestal. I only want you by my side.”
“You’re quite the charmer, Mr. Malone.”
“Just telling you the truth, Miss Morgan.”
Placing a kiss on her cheek, I decide to lighten the mood and give her some time to process everything. “Now, I’m going to get up and go shower. If you try to get in the shower with me, I will scream. I said to take it slow, young lady, and I won’t be made into your personal sex toy.”
Her shoulders start shaking with her laughter before she lets out a hearty laugh. “Oh my God! Go take your shower and lock the door behind you. I’d hate for the driver to hear your girlie screams for help and call the police on me.”
“Did you just tell me to lock the door? Because you know you can’t resist sneaking into the shower with me, don’t you? I feel so cheap and dirty,” I tease as I get up from the bed. Moving toward the bathroom door, I call over my shoulder to her. “Stop checking out my nice ass, too. I can feel your eyes undressing me.”
“You’re not wearing any clothes for me to undress you,” she retorts.
“You wouldn’t know that if you weren’t looking,” I say knowingly as I stop and peer at her over my shoulder.
Her face blushes bright red just before she buries it in her pillow. Laughing, I continue on to the bathroom to shower. Making a point to lock the door behind me, I send the message that I don’t expect her to join me. I respect her enough to give her time to come to grips with what’s happened between us and where I want us to go next.
My only disclaimer is this—if she knocks on the door, all bets are off. I’m not a fucking saint.
“Thank you for not attempting to seduce me in the shower,” I announce as I exit the bathroom with my towel wrapped around my waist.
She’s wearing her pajamas and sitting up on the side of the bed. The tears have stopped, and she seems to be in better spirits. She smiles sincerely at my jest and shakes her head. “It was difficult, but I managed to control myself.”
There’s no doubt that there’s at least some truth in her words. Her eyes widen as she watches a bead of water that falls onto my chest. They continue to follow it over my stomach until it disappears into the happy trail that starts just under my navel. Her tongue darts out, wetting her lips, before she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth.
Yeah, she’s definitely affected by me, too. “Miss Morgan,” I playfully admonish her. “Are you openly gawking at my half-naked body?”
“Do I need to remind you that you’re in my bedroom with your half-naked body on full display? You can’t expect me not to look when you’re just standing there, looking like…that!” she exclaims, raising her hand up to gesture toward me.
Moving with lightning speed, I push her back on the bed and cover her body with mine. “You can’t say things like that to me if we’re going to take this slower.”
“Then you can’t stand in my bedroom, half naked and wet, and not expect me to look.” She challenges me back.
Smiling appreciatively, I chastely kiss her soft, plump lips. “That was a test. You passed. Congratulations.”
“A test of what? Willpower?”
“Trust,” I say honestly. “You trust me enough to know I won’t push you for anything you’re not ready to give me. We can play, flirt, and tease
all day long. You have all the control, Andi. Whenever you’re ready, I’m here.”
Her eyes moisten, threatening tears. “Do you know how many women would kill to be in my position right now? Literally, this position underneath you, with you all wet and half naked.”
“I’ve had those women before, Andi. Those are not the kind of women who could ever own my heart like you do.”
Kissing her more sensually this time, it takes every ounce of strength I have to stop. When she responds to my kiss, I felt the same deep well of need inside her, but I know she’s not completely ready to commit to me yet.
“I’m getting up to get dressed now, so you can undress me with your eyes in a few minutes. But for now, stop staring at my nice ass and making me feel like just a sex object. It’s demeaning,” I say with a smirk.
Intentionally leaving my towel lying across her when I rise, I watch her eyes immediately jerk to my crotch since I’m standing at half-mast directly in front of her. Tsking at her, I shake my head and walk toward the closet where I left an overnight bag last night.
“You should feel ashamed,” I playfully chide her.
“Why? You said not to look at your nice ass. That’s not what I was looking at,” she calls back to me.
That’s my girl. Whether she knows it or not, whether she admits it or not, she’s my girl.
After Andi showers and dresses, she meets me in the living area of the bus. We stopped somewhere in the middle of the night so the bus drivers could get some rest, too. When I looked out the window, I saw a Waffle House across the street. It doesn’t look like any of the other band members are stirring yet.
“Let’s go eat breakfast before the crowds show up and we cause a riot,” I suggest.
“Let’s go. I’m starving,” she readily agrees.
We dart across the street and have our choice of booths. There are a couple of older men sitting on the bar stools, having their coffee and talking about how much farther they have to drive before they reach home.
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