“That’s a nice color on you,” Travis said suddenly, after the waitress had cleared away our plates.
“Thank you,” I said, feeling myself flush under his intense gaze. I’d changed after work into a deep red, short-sleeved blouse and slim black pants.
“You’re blushing,” he said softly, a smile on his face.
“You look nice, too,” I said, changing the subject. I wondered if he would notice that I had ignored his comment about my blushing. His mouth twitched slightly, and I was certain that he had, but rather than say anything more about it he thanked me for the compliment.
“Would you like anything else?” he asked sincerely.
“No, that was perfect.”
Travis slipped his credit card into the billfold the waitress had left sitting on the table. The waitress collected it, and we sat there for a few minutes, gazing out at the water.
“Let’s go for a walk,” Travis said, after signing the receipt and tucking his card back into his wallet.
I slid out of the booth after him, and he took my hand as we walked to the front of the restaurant. Once again I thrilled at the touch of his skin, the nearness of him, as his strong hand securely held mine. Pushing open the door, Travis led me outside. The air was soft and warm, fragrant with the scent of early spring. We strolled leisurely along the boardwalk, passing couples sitting on benches, parents pushing their young children in strollers, and groups of teenagers laughing and goofing off. The sun was setting, and the sky was brilliant shades of orange and red at the horizon. We slowly walked toward a gazebo at the end of a pier, and I noticed after we reached it that we were finally all alone.
I put my hands on the railing and looked out over the sparkling water, watching as a lone sailboat went by, on its way back to the dock. The river stretched out wide before me, the sunlight glinting off the water, and in the distance I saw other boats bobbing up and down, tethered safely for the night. Travis stood beside me, and we watched them for a few minutes, neither of us speaking, just content to stand there together in the evening light.
After a while, Travis leaned one elbow on the railing, turning so that his body was facing mine. “So, do you remember the first time we met?” he asked easily. I turned to him and looked up, and his dark eyes met mine.
“Of course, you were standing in the reception area when I walked in.”
“Wearing that dress,” he added, with a fond smile.
“You remember what I was wearing?” I asked in surprise. A warm feeling spread through me at the thought of Travis recalling all these months later the very first time we’d met.
“I knew I was in trouble right then,” he said with a laugh. “First day of work, I haven’t even gotten to my desk yet, and you come walking in.”
A smile pursed on my lips as I listened. Travis raised his eyebrows. “You seem to like this story,” he said with a grin.
“It is rather enlightening.”
“So then,” he continued slowly, seeming to enjoy himself, “not only do I find out that you work there, but you’re also a writer. And you’re on the same project as me.”
“You must have thought it was too good to be true,” I joked, trying to keep the mood light.
“Something like that,” he said, his deep eyes burning into mine.
A slight breeze off the water blew a strand of hair into my face, and he reached out and tucked it behind my ear, his fingers gently caressing my cheek as he laid the tendril back in place. I looked up at him and noticed a trace of stubble on his strong jaw—a five o’clock shadow that had not been there earlier today. Even his hair seemed darker now, unlike when the rays of sun had gleamed off a few strands in the morning light. It felt like days had passed since we’d seen each other in front of the office this morning.
His full lips parted slightly, as if he were about to speak, but he closed them again, studying my face as I watched him. His fingers did not move from my cheek, and the warmth of them burned into my skin. They slid down slightly, beneath my chin, tilting my face up toward him. And slowly, ever so slowly, he leaned over toward me until his face was inches away, until I could smell the scent of his aftershave, until at last his warm lips found mine. I closed my eyes, and then I was kissing him back, aware only of his soft mouth and the gentleness of his touch.
After a moment he slowly pulled back, his eyes not leaving mine. It was a perfect, sweet first kiss. I was only vaguely aware of the water lapping below us, the faint shapes of the boats bobbing up and down in the distance, and the moon rising in the sky. At this moment my entire world was him.
As we stood there watching one another in the darkness, the atmosphere between us suddenly shifted. I could feel the heat in the air, the electricity connecting our bodies, and the longing I had to be in his arms. My mind flashed back over a million different moments: lunch together his very first day, drinking hot chocolate in the ski chalet, dinner after the museum, standing in my office crying as he held me, walking to breakfast together at the retreat, sitting in Travis’s car after happy hour. All of that had led up to this very instant.
The distance between us closed, and I was suddenly in his arms. His lips hungrily sought out mine, and they felt hot against my own. My arms wrapped around his neck, my fingers in his hair, as he pulled me closer to him, his strong arms wrapped tightly around me. My heart beat faster as I felt his body pressed against mine, his warm breath on my skin, his lips moving along my jaw line and neck. I never wanted this moment to end.
“I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long,” he whispered, planting gentle kisses on me as he moved his lips upward and once again met my mouth.
“I wanted that, too,” I whispered back.
He gently kissed me once more before letting me go, and I shivered slightly in the night air as I was released from his warm embrace. “You’re cold,” he murmured, lowering his hands to my bare arms, and softly running them up and down to ward off the chill from the breeze off the water.
“Just a little—I’m okay.”
“I should have realized that it’d be cool out,” he said, wrapping his arms around me and gently pulling me closer again.
I slid my arms around his waist and leaned my head against his chest, relaxing against him. “You’re nice and warm.”
He chuckled and rested his chin on top of my head. “Hmmm, maybe I should have asked if you were cold that day we went skiing, back when I first moved here.”
I laughed as I thought about the first day we’d spent together. “Maybe so,” I said with a resigned sigh.
“Think things would have been different then?”
“Who knows,” I said with a smile. “Well, yes, according to Marissa. She thinks we should have gotten together from day one.”
He laughed and bent his head lower then, so that his lips brushed against my ear. “It’s going to kill me to have to admit that she was right about something. We’ll never hear the end of it.”
“Ugh, don’t I know it,” I agreed. “I’ve already been listening to her opinion on the matter for the past several months.”
“So you two talked about me often,” he joked, his breath tickling my ear as he spoke.
“Something like that,” I said, pulling back and smiling up at him.
He leaned down and gently brushed his lips against mine. “So, you’re not busy tomorrow are you?”
“No, not really. Do you have something in mind?”
“It’s supposed to be gorgeous out. I thought maybe we could come back here and have a picnic by the water.”
“That sounds perfect. Do you want me to bring something? Or we could pick up carry out.”
“How about if you just let me take care of everything.” He leaned down and nuzzled his face against mine, gently kissing me once more.
“That sounds even better.”
He laughed, and as he did, I noticed how the corners of his eyes crinkled a little when he smiled. “It’s getting late, and it’s been a long day. I should get you home.”
We started to walk out of the gazebo, and he kept one arm around my shoulders as we slowly headed back down the pier, holding me close. I relished feeling the weight of his arm on my shoulders, the warmth of him beside me. I was exhausted from such a long and draining week and the enormity of all that had happened today, but nothing else mattered now that Travis was here beside me.
Chapter 15
I woke up Saturday morning feeling a surge of happiness. It was almost like I was trying to remember a really great dream, but it wasn’t a dream at all—I really had been with Travis last night. How much had changed in the last twenty-four hours, I mused. On Thursday night I had barely slept, waking up feeling miserable the next morning and wishing that I didn’t have to face Travis at work. Last night I fell asleep with the deepest type of contentment, worn out from the long day and ready to give in to sleep, but full of happiness about Travis.
The sun was beaming in through my blinds, sending slats of light across my bedspread. I stretched in the warmth of my bed, enjoying the warm rays of sun and the delight of sleeping in. It looked like the weather was going to be perfect today. As I thought about the picnic with Travis in a couple of hours, I wondered if he was thinking about me, too. How long it had been since I’d felt this way about someone…like first love all over again. I climbed out of bed and leisurely walked down the hallway to my kitchen. There was nothing like having a relaxing breakfast on weekend mornings, unlike during the workweek when I was frantically rushing around. I put on a pot of coffee and cracked a couple of eggs in the skillet. I stood there scrambling them as the scent of brewing coffee filled the air around me. A few minutes later, I carried my plate of food and mug of coffee into the living room. I settled onto the couch, tucking my legs under me, and turned on the TV while I enjoyed my breakfast. Glancing down at my phone on the coffee table, I realized that I had a new text.
I can’t wait to see you later on. T.
A feeling of warmth spread through me as I realized that Travis had indeed been thinking about me this morning. My mind briefly flashed back to him dropping me off last night after dinner. He’d taken my hand as we stood in the doorway, given me a sweet kiss goodnight. I’d thought about inviting him in, because even though it was technically just our first date, we’d known each other for months. Neither of us seemed eager to rush things though, and I savored the thought of all the upcoming moments we’d have together.
I quickly texted a message back.
I can’t wait to see you either. :)
My phone instantly beeped with his reply.
XOXO
I smiled to myself and then went to get ready. After showering and getting dressed, I headed out to run a few errands before meeting Travis. My cell phone rang as I was carrying my groceries upstairs to my apartment. Glancing at it when I got inside, I saw a missed call from Marissa. She hadn’t left a message, so I decided that I’d call her tonight since I was in a hurry. I put away the groceries and did a little last minute primping before heading out.
As I drove over to Travis’s place, I wondered what his apartment was like. He had moved here fairly recently, so I didn’t imagine that he had gotten completely settled in yet. Plus, being a guy, he probably hadn’t done a ton of decorating. I felt butterflies in my stomach as I parked in the garage of his building, using the guest pass that he’d given to me. I’d spent hours alone with Travis before, and this was just an afternoon together, so it was silly for me to be nervous now. Still, I felt both nerves as well as the thrill of anticipation as I walked down the hallway to his apartment. When I reached 413, I knocked on the door and glanced down at my outfit, wondering if it was okay for a picnic. I’d put on a breezy yellow and white floral sundress and flat leather sandals. I’d taken the time to carefully dry my hair, so that it was straight and smooth, and I had a delicate gold pendant on around my neck. I heard the faint strains of music coming from inside and considered knocking again when I heard footsteps. A moment later, Travis opened the door.
He was wearing a dark grey tee shirt and khaki cargo shorts, his large frame filling up the doorway. I looked up and saw the dark stubble over his strong jaw, his tousled dark brown hair, and the warmth in his deep brown eyes as he gazed down at me.
“Hi Maddy,” he said.
“Hi,” I said, still standing in the hallway.
“You look beautiful.” He reached out to me, and as I stepped toward him, he enveloped me in a hug. I hugged him back, my arms wrapping around his waist. He held me to him, his fingers gently caressing the bare skin on my arms and shoulders, and I felt myself relaxing at our closeness. My cheek rested against his cotton tee shirt, and I noticed the scent of soap, but not the aftershave I’d noticed yesterday.
“Come in,” he said, gently breaking our embrace and taking my hand to lead me inside. “I just got back from the market.”
I stepped into his apartment and took in the surroundings. I hadn’t been sure what to expect, but everything was very sleek and modern. The layout was open, with the kitchen connecting to the living room. The ceiling was slanted upward, giving the apartment a feel of vast space. The ceiling itself was painted a neutral slate grey, which somehow enhanced the depth of the room, but the rest of the walls were stark white. The kitchen was filled with stainless steel appliances—even his coffee maker reflected the overheard light with its steel exterior. As I suspected, Travis did not have much in the way of furnishings or decorations. There was a newish-looking beige sofa in the living room, opposite a sleek flat screen TV. Travis’s laptop was open on the glossy black coffee table in front of the sofa. A rectangular dining table sat off to one side of the room, closer to the kitchen. It was also a contemporary style—just a tabletop mounted on straight legs, no embellishments of any sort. The walls were a blank canvas.
Travis was watching me look around. “I really lucked out with finding this place. This apartment building just opened, and they were offering great move-in specials. I guess most people don’t want to move in January,” he said with a small laugh. “I haven’t really had time to decorate it yet though.”
“You’ve got plenty of time. It’s a nice apartment, though.”
“Yeah, I really like it, and it’s a great location. It’ll be nicer when I get things set up a bit.” He gestured toward the living room, like he wasn’t happy with the way things were there now. I’d been in my apartment several years, and it had taken me a while to pick out furnishings, curtains, artwork, and such. I had a hard time imagining Travis spending an afternoon shopping for curtains though.
“Come on,” he said, tugging me into the kitchen. “I just need to finish packing everything up.”
I followed behind Travis and was amazed when I saw a wicker picnic basket sitting on the counter.
“You actually have a picnic basket?” I asked with a small laugh.
He turned and gazed down at me with an easy grin. “Well, I might have picked it up today for our date.” I smiled up at him in delight, and he lifted our joined hands to my face, gently caressing my cheek with his knuckles. I flushed, his touch making me feel simultaneously nervous and excited all over again. Our eyes locked for a moment, and I wondered if he was about to kiss me, but instead he glanced over to the food sitting on the counter. “So, should we pack everything up? I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”
***
The gentle breeze blew through my hair as I stretched my legs out in front of me, basking in the warm sun. Travis was sitting next to me, leaning back on his elbows as we relaxed on the picnic blanket that we’d spread out in the grass along the riverside. A few other picnickers were settled along the waterfront, but we had selected a secluded spot and had the immediate area all to ourselves. “It’s so beautiful out here,” I said, looking around happily. It was a brilliant day, with the sun high up and a couple of fluffy white clouds scattered across the robin’s egg blue sky. The lush, green trees on the riverbank framed the blue water. There were boats bobbing up and down in the rive
r, some with people sunbathing on deck, a few others with people fishing. Birds were flying overhead, chirping in the trees. It was a completely perfect spring afternoon.
Travis had packed an amazing picnic lunch for us: French bread and brie, grapes, an assortment of crackers, hummus, and an olive tapenade spread. He’d even snuck in a small bottle of wine, which technically we weren’t supposed to have. On top of all that, he’d picked up some fresh chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
I took a sip of wine from my plastic cup and looked over at Travis. He was grinning as he glanced up at me. “What?” I asked with a smile.
“I’m just happy you’re here.”
“Me too,” I said, looking into his eyes.
He sat up slightly, and supporting his weight on one arm, leaned over to give me a gentle kiss. I leaned toward him and closed my eyes as his soft lips met mine. The wind blowing through the trees and sounds of nature around us faded to the background as my focus fell solely on him. Travis’s hand brushed against my leg, and I felt his fingertips just beneath the hem of my sundress as he gently caressed my skin. A thrill shot through me, and all I could notice was the burning warmth of his touch. Our kiss began to increase in intensity, and as his tongue gently tasted my lips, I felt my breath catch at his closeness. After a moment he lifted his hand to my cheek, and softly pressed his lips to mine one last time. I met his gaze, and as our eyes locked, I wondered what would have happened had we been alone together in private, not sitting out on a picnic blanket for everyone to see.
I straightened up, and Travis casually draped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me close. He leaned over and grabbed a chocolate chip cookie, holding it out toward me.
“Did you try these yet?”
“No,” I replied, taking a bite as he held it up for me. “Delicious,” I said with a grin. Travis leaned over and gave me a quick peck on the lips before taking a bite of the cookie himself.
“Where’d you find all this?” I asked, gesturing to the spread in front of us.
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