Sharp needles of excitement prickled her skin. This was it! She powered down her computer, put on her coat and grabbed her suitcase. “Thanks, Mags.”
“Have a great time honey.” Maggie stood up and hugged her friend. “And don’t think about anything. Just enjoy yourself.”
“I’ll try.” Lia hugged Maggie back and gave her a short, breathless smile before she turned to leave. She pulled her suitcase out of the office, the steady droning of its wheels accompanying her every step.
When it was time to leave, Travis was waiting for her outside. He was leaning against his car and her heart skipped a beat when she spotted him. A huge smile appeared on his face and he gave her a small wave. Lia grinned back happily.
Travis beamed at her and bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips. “Hey, baby. I missed you.”
Lia smiled back. “I missed you too.”
Travis put her suitcase into the trunk of his car. “All set?”
Lia nodded.
“Great. Let’s go.” He opened the passenger door for Lia and helped her inside.
They arrived at a tiny airstrip reserved for private jets.
“Are we flying with one of those things?” Lia asked in a wooden voice, pointing to a small private plane.
“Sure. Why, what did you expect? A crowded passenger plane?” Travis chuckled.
Before they got out of the car, Travis looked at Lia and said “Close your eyes and put out your hands.”
“Okay. What for?” Lia did as he commanded. She felt him place a small box in her hands. “Open your eyes now” he ordered. When she opened her eyes she saw a small robin’s egg blue box with a white satin ribbon tied in a bow. “Well, open it”, Travis said grinning. She gently untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. Inside was a diamond tennis bracelet. Lia felt her heart sink to her toes.
Lia took a deep, calming breath. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”
“What?” Travis gaped at her. “You can’t do what?”
“I can’t accept this. You have to take it back. And I can’t go to Mexico with you,” Lia enunciated each word carefully.
“Why on Earth not?”
“I can’t take your gifts or your money.”
Travis held up his palms. “Lia, I don’t get you. We’ve had such an amazing time together. I just want to take you on a short vacation and give you something nice. What’s wrong with that?”
“Because I can’t be bought.” Lia said.
Travis ran a hand through his hair. “Is that what this is all about?” His eyes were full of disappointment. “I wasn’t trying to buy you. I just wanted to do something nice for you.”
Lia hung her head. “I’m sorry, Travis. But I think we should end this now before one of us gets hurt. I just don’t think we have a future. We’re too different. There’s no point denying it.”
Travis gaped at Lia, his face a mask of shock. “You don’t think we have a future?” His voice was barely above a whisper.
Lia’s heart filled with sadness at the obvious sorrow she caused him. “I don’t want to hurt you, Travis. I never wanted to. But I’m afraid we can’t carry on like this. I can’t keep taking your money and pretend that I’ll ever be comfortable with it.” She tugged at her necklace. “I’m really truly sorry, but I’m not for sale. I’ll refund your donation.”
Travis scoffed. “I don’t care about the money.”
Lia sighed. “I’m really sorry. I’ll get a cab back home. Good bye, Travis.” With that, she took her suitcase and walked away. Travis looked after her, speechless.
CHAPTER TEN
Lia spent the whole weekend in bed. She replayed their conversation at the airstrip in her head over and over again, wondering if she should have made a different call. But every fiber of her being protested against getting on that jet–she just couldn’t let herself do it.
Maggie texted her Saturday evening, asking if she got sunburnt yet. Lia broke down and called her friend, explaining everything.
“Oh, honey, this is all my fault,” Maggie said. “I shouldn’t have pushed you into it.”
“No, don’t blame yourself,” Lia replied, sniffling. “It was me. I ruined everything and now Pages doesn’t have a future” she sobbed.
“Do you want me to come over?” Maggie asked, concerned.
“Thank you, but I’d rather be alone right now.”
“Sure, I understand. But call me if you change your mind, all right?”
Lia thanked her friend and hung up. She turned on the TV and drowned her sorrows in a marathon of her favorite sitcom.
On Monday morning, Lia woke early. She dreamed she was with Travis and even though she didn’t exactly remember what her dream was about, it left a stifling sadness in her chest. Her limbs were heavy as she walked to her closet and picked out an outfit at random. As if sensing her mood, the city was coated in a fog as thick as cotton candy. It was with a great effort that she dragged her body through the fog and made her way to the theater.
The usual upbeat morning show was on the radio when Lia walked through the door. “Morning,” she said to Maggie.
Maggie got up from her chair and hugged her friend. “Honey, I don’t want to pester you, so I’m going to say it just once. I’m here for you, whenever you feel like you need to talk.”
Lia smiled at her friend gratefully. “Thank you.” She sat down at her desk and turned on her computer. Then her face fell. “Oh, Mags. I forgot. I have to write a check.”
“Right.” Maggie didn’t ask what for she silently placed Pages’ check book on Lia’s desk. Lia examined the little piece of paper that had so much power over her. It was the last string connecting her to Travis, and she was about to cut it.
She filled out the section on the amount, signed it, and wrote Travis’ name up front, her heart skipping a beat. Tears welled up in her eyes. For the thousandth time, she wondered to herself, did I make the right call? But the check remained silent, its sole existence proving that whether right or wrong, her decision was final.
I’ll mail it on my way home, she thought and laid the check aside. .
A little before lunchtime, the doorbell rang. Lia and Maggie exchanged a glance. “Who on Earth is that?” Lia asked.
Maggie shrugged. “Maybe some delivery. I’ll get it.” She got up and left the office. Lia turned back to her computer.
Footsteps announced Maggie’s return a short time later. “Lia,” she said from the doorway.
Lia raised her head. “What is it?”
“Someone’s here for you.”
“Travis,” Lia breathed, her eyes wide. “What are you doing here?” she asked, her heart beating thunderously.
“Hi,” Travis said, a small smile on his lips. “I brought you lunch.” He raised a paper bag and put it on Lia’s desk.
“OK guys, I just remembered there’s someplace I really need to be,” Maggie announced. She grabbed her bag from her desk and was out the door in a second. She turned back from the doorway and gave Lia a manic grin before she closed the door behind her with a thud.
“Thank you. You didn’t have to do that. I was just getting ready to send the check. But since you’re here, I can give it to you now.” Lia said. She stood up and pulled Maggie’s chair to her desk. “Please, take a seat.”
Travis sat down. His face was flushed and he looked much younger than his age. A strand of hair fell into his forehead. Lia felt the familiar urge to reach over and smooth it back into place.
“Listen, Travis, I’m really…”
“No, you listen,” Travis interrupted. “I’m really not good at this, so please hear me out.”
“OK,” Lia nodded.
Travis took a deep breath. “All my life, I’ve lived off my father’s money. I grew up in a bubble of wealth, and I only met two kinds of people. Those who were wealthy, and those who wanted to be wealthy. All the girls I’ve dated swooned over our properties, our privileges, and I have to admit it, I liked that. I liked that I had something that ev
eryone wanted.” He paused, running his hand through his hair.
“It gave me power. And I didn’t realize that it put me in a tight box. An extremely comfortable box, but still a box, limiting my possibilities and slowly but surely degrading me as a person. Because of my box, I gave up on my dreams and wasted years of my life doing nothing. I didn’t even try to break out, I was so used to being a prisoner of my own laziness.”
He stood up and started pacing around the office. It took his long legs about four strides to cross the small office. He went back and forth, wringing his hands, making Lia dizzy. “And then I met you. At first it just amused me how different you were from the rest. But I couldn’t really get you. I have to confess, at first I even thought it was an act to get my attention.”
Lia’s eyebrows shot up and she opened her mouth to protest but Travis held up his hand. “I realize my arrogance and foolishness. As I got to know you better, I saw how different you were from all of the other people I’ve met before. You are strong-willed, determined, driven. You’re independent and kind-hearted, you’re a dreamer and still a realist. You’re an incredibly complex person, unlike anyone I’ve never met before. I realize now how I inadvertently offended you by all of this rich person stuff. The yacht, the private jet, the tennis bracelet. Please, you have to know that I never wanted to offend you.”
He looked out the office window. “You inspire me in ways you may not even realize. Because of you, I saw that it’s important to follow your dreams, even if it’s difficult, or probably exactly because it’s difficult. There’s no point otherwise.” He turned back to Lia. “I understand if you don’t want to have a relationship with me now. But you have to know that I won’t give up. I’ll keep turning up in your life every month and I’ll keep asking you if you want me. And if you turn me down, I’ll give you another month and ask again.”
He walked back to her desk and frowned when he saw the check. “I was really disappointed when you decided not to come to our weekend, because I wanted to tell you that I’m about to turn my life around. I told my father that I needed to be more than just his son. I need to figure out who I really am, what I am worth.”
Lia beamed at him, her heart filling with pride for his bold decision.
Travis smiled at her gratefully. “Without you, I’d never have taken this important step. I owe it all to you. And because we’re here, together, alone, I think this qualifies as our third date. With this, you’ve fulfilled all of your obligations to me, so there is no need for this.” With that, he tore up the check, before Lia could protest. “I have one more thing to say. I’ve never said this to anyone, because it’s never been true. Up to now.” He looked deep into Lia’s eyes. “Lia Malcolm, I’m in love with you.”
Lia felt tears welling up in her eyes, and her heart beat furiously. It was all too much, all at once, and she was overwhelmed by her own emotions. She was stunned, speechless.
Travis misunderstood her silence. “You may not love me like I love you. Maybe not right now, but you will, I guarantee it. As I said, I won’t give up until you do. I love you, Lia Malcolm.”
He turned on his heels and started toward the door. Lia jumped from her chair, panicked. “Travis, wait!”
His expression was a mixture of hope and despair. It almost broke Lia’s heart to see him in pain like this. “Wait. I want to tell you something as well.” She fingered her necklace and tugged on the gold chain. “I know I can come across as harsh sometimes, but I never wanted to hurt you. Please, don’t go. I want you to know. I love you too.”
A slow smile spread across Travis’ face, and soon he was beaming, pure joy shining through his eyes. He took Lia into his arms and lifted her off of her feet, spinning her around in a circle. Lia laughed and cried at the same time, and held onto him tightly.
Travis bent his head and kissed her deeply, passionately. Lia returned his kiss, melting into his embrace. Butterflies were dancing in her stomach and she wanted this moment to last forever. She pressed herself even closer to Travis—and felt his growing erection against her tummy. She broke the kiss and looked at him, her eyes full of mischief and desire. “Well, technically we’re on a date, right?”
“Right…” Travis said uncertainly, raising an eyebrow.
“So, considering how our previous dates ended, I don’t think we should break our tradition.” Blood rushed into Lia’s face at her own boldness.
Travis grinned. “I like your way of thinking. But…” he looked around, “are you sure about the venue?”
Lia walked to the closed door and turned the lock. She checked her watch. “We have about 30 minutes before Maggie comes back, I think.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Travis took her in his arms and kissed her hungrily. His hands slid down her back, cupping her bottom. Her hands found Travis’ belt and started fiddling with its buckle. His confession, her elation and the quite forbidden thing they were about to do, got her very hot and bothered. She undid his belt and slid his pants to the floor along with his boxers.
Travis stifled a groan as Lia took his almost painfully hard cock into her hand. He undid the buttons on her jeans and pulled them down as she wriggled free. He lifted her in his arms and sat her down on her desk and pushed her back. He opened her legs and pulled her thong aside with one hand so he could stroke her slit with the other. He looked deep into her eyes as his fingers circled her nub. He bent his head between her legs and she felt herself surrendering completely to him as he flicked her clit with his tongue and dipped his fingers deep inside of her pussy. Ribbons of ecstasy rippled through her body as she pulsed in his mouth.
He stood and turned her over so she was leaning over the desk. He touched the tip of his erect cock to her swollen clitoris from behind and they both shuddered with pleasure and anticipation. Lia fumbled for a condom in her purse on the desk. Travis wasted no time taking the condom from her hand and sheathing his erection. Lia then took Travis’ cock and gently guided him into her wetness. She threw back her head in ecstasy as she felt him inside her. A moan escaped from Travis as he slid in and out of Lia’s core. He wrapped an arm around her and twisted a hardened nipple between his fingers.
She gasped and pulled his hips to hers while he buried his face into her neck. “I can’t believe my luck,” she breathed.
“Nor mine,” he whispered into her ear.
Lia felt another climax nearing. She leaned over on all fours and begged Travis “Take me, please. Deeper.” Travis was eager to comply. He abruptly stopped and Lia whimpered with disappointment. He turned her over and entered her again, this time facing her. She dug her fingernails into his back to stop herself from crying out as he quickened his stride. When Travis couldn’t control his groans any more, Lia kissed him passionately and he moaned into her mouth as her walls pulsed around his cock and they climaxed together.
EPILOGUE
(SIX MONTHS LATER)
“Ouch!” Lia cried out but she didn’t move.
“Let me see,” Maggie said in an urgent whisper and elbowed Lia in the side again. Lia shuffled aside grudgingly and Maggie crouched down beside her. They were standing on stage and peered out at the auditorium from behind the closed curtains.
“They still keep coming,” Lia said, barely controlled excitement vibrating in her voice. The auditorium was loud with chatter. People kept filing in steadily, greeting each other and looking for their places. It was the first night of Pages’ new show, King Lear, and the evening was sold out.
The smell of fresh paint still lingered in the air. Lia loved the smell. To her, it represented new chances and new beginnings. She ran her fingers over the heavy red velvet curtain. It was also new, as were quite a few of the stage props and special effect gadgets that Ronnie insisted on. It was all possible, thanks to Pages’ main sponsor, Paulson Technologies.
“It was awfully kind of Travis’ dad to donate all that money to us,” Maggie whispered. “We couldn’t have done this without it. Ronnie was beside himself when we bough
t that new fog machine.” She giggled, blushing a little. Lia suppressed a smile, imagining how Maggie and Ronnie probably celebrated the new fog machine, along with all the other props. They’ve been dating for the past four months now, and Lia had never seen either of them happier than they were now.
“Oh, that reminds me. I need to see how Travis is holding up.” Lia let the curtain go and walked off the stage. She passed a few of the actors lining up for the first scene. She grinned and gave them the thumbs-up. “The auditorium’s packed. All eyes on you. But no pressure, guys.”
The actors groaned. One of them threw a yellow tennis ball at her. She ducked, laughing as the ball bounced off of a metallic tree with a deep clang. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist,” Lia said apologetically. “You’ll be great!” She continued backstage, looking for Travis. She had an idea where she would find him.
She rounded the large metal structure that constituted one of the most important settings for the performance and climbed to the loading gallery. The air smelled of petroleum, grease and sweat. It was the smell of work, and Lia loved it. And yes, there he was, studying the props and settings from upstairs. Lia stood still for a moment and admired him. He was bent forward, his face a mask of concentration as he regarded the stage and checked for the umpteenth time if everything was in place. His hair was as unruly as ever and fell into his eyes with every move of his head, but his face was somehow calmer and more mature than before.
Lia walked up to him and hugged him from behind. His tense muscles relaxed a bit as he felt her arms around him. He put his hand on her arm and leaned into her embrace.
“It’s going to be great, you know,” she whispered into his ear. He still smelled of mint and wood.
“I hope so.” Travis turned around and faced her. His eyes were filled with worry. “But what if something collapses? Right in the middle of the scene in the woods. Or in the castle. Or…”
The Auction: The Billionaire Wins a Date Page 11