by Penny Henry
She returned to her car in abject misery. The thought of following Travis to New York first appealed to her and was then dismissed. She had no way of knowing his flight plans. He might be taking an internal flight from New York, or an international flight that would take him away from her forever. The lonely vehicle was standing where she had abandoned it.
Today was her lucky day.
Her eventual return to the leisure complex was in marked contrast to her excited departure. She had driven slowly along the connecting streets, wondering which of the aircraft that flew above her carried Travis away from her. She had travelled without music and without hope. She left her car in her reserved space and wandered into the complex. From deep in the building came the sound of laughter and Temple smiled ruefully. Everyone was celebrating her happiness. She turned towards Jill's office. It was farthest away from the bar and she would have peace enough to think. She opened the door slowly. It was the doorway to her first memory of Travis. Tears were running uncontrollably across her cheeks and she made no attempt to blink them back. She saw the pile of work on Jill's desk through misty eyes. It hadn't got any smaller. It would be something to occupy her brain. She needed something to take her mind of Travis. Then she froze.
She had the same eerie sensation of being watched as when she had first entered Jill's office on that fateful day. She was fantasizing. Her imagination was playing tricks on her.
"Congratulations."
Temple spun to take in the Travis’ lean frame lounging against the filing cabinet.
He stepped towards her as she ran into his arms. “Travis! Travis." Temple clung to his warm body. "I thought I'd lost you forever." She pulled his head down and rained wet kisses on his face. "I love you, Travis Campbell. Can you ever forgive me?"
"I came to ask you the same thing," admitted Travis. His eyes were shining with emotion as he lifted her from her feet and held her so tightly that she could barely breathe. "I love you so much, Temple. How could I live without my heart?"
Then they kissed in a whirling, breath-catching passion of almost unbearable intensity. They broke apart with glistening eyes and pounding hearts. Temple's face was wet with the tears that had run together in pain and happiness. "We can hang Melanie's portrait in the dining room," she whispered. "Above the fireplace, where there's plenty of room."
"Why would we need plenty of room?" Travis breathed into her hair.
"For the pictures of our children, of course," she purred as she leant against him.
"I love you, Temple Hart," declared Travis. "I love you with every fiber of my being." His voice cracked and he could only hold her.
"Oh, Travis, I love you so much," Temple cried against his neck. "I've never felt so happy." She was crying again, but this time it was with pure joy. Suddenly Hart Leisure wasn't the most important thing in her life. In fact, she doubted it had been for a long time. Not from the very first time she had set eyes on Travis Campbell. All that was important in her life was held in her heart. The cherished memories of Ben and her father would always be with her. But the most important part of her life she held in her arms. And she was never letting go.
The end
Copyright William Peter Blight © 2014
Titles in the Raw Romance series
Sporting Chance
Nymphomaniac
Double Take