by J. S. Scott
Travis wasn’t curious, but he smirked as he hoped the other man had ended up with the most annoying woman at the charity event. It would serve the bastard right for the way Tate had tortured him about Ally.
He put his arm around her and walked her to the ladies’ room, waiting outside after he ducked into the men’s room to clean himself up, propping a shoulder against the wall as he watched the crowd. The ball was in full swing, the auction apparently over. His eyes searched the dance floor, looking for Tate, but he didn’t see him anywhere.
“I think I look as good as I’m going to get without more makeup,” Ally said in a low, anxious voice behind him.
Travis turned and looked at her. “You’re stunning.” And she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
Ally rolled her eyes at him. “I look like a woman who has been crying all night. My eyes are puffy, my makeup is gone, and my nose is red. I’m not an attractive sight.”
Travis thought she was wrong. He looked down at the ring on her finger and back up at her face, thinking she looked incredible. “You look like you’re mine,” he told her simply, thinking that that made her more than attractive. She looked like a goddamn miracle to him. “Dance with me,” he demanded, reaching his hand out for hers.
She slipped her hand into his with a smile, moving closer to him to whisper, “Don’t forget that my butt is bare. Some barbarian ripped off my panties and I doubt they’re wearable.”
They weren’t. Travis had pretty much shredded them. He checked her skirt, making certain she was covered. “For Christ’s sake, don’t bend over,” he rasped harshly, pulling her into a more secluded area of the dance floor, torn between the desire to hold her in his arms and his territorial need to make sure he didn’t expose her. As he pulled her into his arms, he solved the problem by putting one of his hands on her ass instead of her back, making damn sure her skirt didn’t ride up.
“People are staring,” Ally told him in an amused voice as she followed his lead perfectly.
“I don’t give a shit,” he responded, surprising himself that he really didn’t care. It was a formal occasion, and maybe it wasn’t appropriate to hold her this way, but it felt good. “If they don’t like it, they don’t have to look.”
“Travis Harrison, are you actually willing to do something a little bit scandalous?” Ally teased.
He looked into her deep green eyes, his expression intense. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do when it comes to you,” he told her in a hoarse rasp, knowing he meant every single word. “Tell me you love me again,” he said insistently, knowing he sounded pathetic, but he didn’t care about that either.
“I love you,” she responded immediately.
Travis felt his cock growing hard just from the tender, sultry tone of her words. Unable to stop himself, he stopped dancing and he kissed her, not holding back anything as he tried to tell her without words how much he treasured that love. Ally loved him exactly as he was, asshole and all. She didn’t care about his wealth, his freaky precognitive dreams, or his less than tactful behavior sometimes. She just cared about…him.
Cameras flashed, and Travis knew he’d see a picture of himself in the society pages tomorrow, ravishing his new fiancée on the dance floor of a charity ball. And he’d actually relish it. He’d waited for Ally for years, and he wanted every man in the world to know she now belonged to him. In fact, he’d happily look for the photo tomorrow because he was pretty damn sure he’d frame it.
One week later, Ally watched Travis’s face as he painfully explained to his family the truth about his precognitive dreams, knowing how difficult it was for him. Her heart ached as she sat on the arm of his chair in his living room, his family all listening intently, as though they could sense how difficult this was for him, too.
Max and Mia were seated on the loveseat, Kade and Asha on the couch, all of them completely silent for a few moments after Travis stopped speaking.
“I knew,” Kade finally said, his voice low and uncharacteristically sad. “I didn’t know you were having dreams, and I couldn’t really figure everything out, but I knew everything that happened was more than coincidence. You were there almost every damn time we needed you. Why the hell didn’t you tell me the whole truth? That’s a hell of a burden to have to bear alone, Trav.”
“I couldn’t tell you,” Travis answered in a tortured voice, scrubbing his face with his hands. “You and Mia were all I had, and our father was insane. I didn’t want anyone to think I was as crazy as he was. I just wanted us all to be normal again.” He paused for a minute before adding, “I didn’t dream about your accident, Kade. I’m sorry.”
Kade rose, his face set in a grim expression. He walked to Travis’s chair and said adamantly, “Get up.”
Ally cringed, hoping she wasn’t going to regret talking Travis into telling his family everything. This was her doing, her idea completely. She loved Travis so much, and she wanted him to bridge the distance with his siblings. Ally knew they loved him just as much as he loved them, although he’d never expressed himself well because of his isolation, and right now Travis needed assurances. She just wanted him to be happy, to realize how special he was, and she was counting on his siblings to help.
She watched as Travis slowly got to his feet, staring at his twin’s somber face, his expression uncertain. It took Kade less than a second to wrap his older brother into one of the fiercest bear hugs Ally had ever seen.
“I love you, you asshole,” Kade said ferociously, hugging Travis tightly in his beefy arms. “And you could never be like our father. You’re the glue that held this family together every single time we needed it. I don’t give a shit if you couldn’t tell me about the accident. I wouldn’t be with the woman I love more than life if it hadn’t happened. Sometimes our pain in life is worth it.”
Ally watched, tears rolling down her cheeks as Travis slowly responded, and she saw his big body shudder as he hugged Kade in return, the two of them locked together in a brotherly embrace. She didn’t need to be told that it was the first time Kade had ever felt free to really express how much he cared about Travis because Travis had always kept everyone at a distance in the past.
“I love you, too, little brother,” Travis answered quietly, slapping Kade on the back as they separated.
Ally’s heart clenched as she watched Kade’s face turn into a happy grin as Mia came right up behind him and threw herself into Travis’s arms, her face wet with tears. “I’m so sorry, Travis. So sorry for everything. If I hadn’t gotten myself into trouble, you and Kade wouldn’t have been so distant with each other while I was hiding out in Montana. Max and Kade had each other. You didn’t have anybody,” she choked out on a sob, clinging to her older brother like a lifeline.
“I did, Mia,” Travis crooned, holding his sister and rocking her. “I had you. At least I knew you were alive. I didn’t have to deal with the hell that I put Kade and Max through because they thought you were dead.”
“I would have been if you hadn’t hidden me and kept quiet,” Mia answered, finally pulling back and kissing Travis on the cheek. “Max, Kade, and I would all be dead. You already know I love you, but I don’t think you’ll ever know how much. I’ve caused you the most problems, yet I still know you care.” Mia swiped at her tears as she stepped back, looking her brother in the face.
“I love you, Mia. I always have. And I’m your big brother. It’s my job to keep you out of trouble,” Travis told her almost arrogantly, but he was smiling.
Asha was the next to get her hugs and kisses in with Travis, and Max came forward and shook Travis’s hand and slapped him on the back in a brief hug. Stepping back from Travis, Max said remorsefully, “I owe you an apology, Travis. I hate myself for this, but I’ve resented you since I learned you hid Mia away from me.”
Max returned to take his seat by Mia, and Travis sat back down. Ally reached out her hand and Travis clasped it, bringing her palm to his lips and kissing it tenderly before bringing their joined hands
to rest on the arm of the chair.
“I know you did, Max. And I knew to this day you were still resentful. But I never blamed you,” Travis answered honestly.
“I’m not anymore, Travis. I am so damn grateful, and I don’t know how to say thanks for saving every one of us,” Max answered thoughtfully.
“I can’t believe you all just accept this, that you believe me,” Travis said hoarsely.
Ally squeezed his hand, knowing that his family’s unconditional acceptance meant everything to him.
“Why wouldn’t we?” Asha asked curiously. “When Tate rescued me, he told me that you texted him. How did you know I needed him?”
“I had a vague dream the night before,” Travis admitted. “And I wasn’t feeling good about the whole situation.” He shrugged. “It happens that way sometimes.”
“You have an incredible gift, Travis. I think there are many spiritual things that we don’t understand, but it doesn’t mean that they don’t exist,” Asha murmured. “I’m more grateful than you’ll ever know that you texted Tate that day. I wouldn’t have made it even a few minutes longer without his help.”
Ally wanted to hug her friend for reassuring Travis, for trying to make him more comfortable with himself. “He saved Tate, too.”
Mia leaned forward, a look of awe on her face. “Tell us.”
“He told you?” Travis asked, looking up at her with a frown.
“He did. When my house was destroyed, he told me his story because I told him I thought you knew it was going to happen.”
Ally quickly explained what had happened with Tate to the rest of the family. Travis had already told them about his recurring dreams about Ally, and why he’d taken her to Colorado.
“Holy shit, Trav. That’s amazing,” Kade exclaimed, gaping at Travis.
“It’s peculiar. And so am I,” Travis rumbled awkwardly, but not very emphatically.
Ally sighed, knowing it would take time for Travis to completely accept who he was, but having his family know about it and validate him was an important step.
“You’re gifted,” Asha argued.
“Special,” Mia said with a nod.
“I never wanted to be gifted or special,” Travis rasped. “After our crazy childhood and our insane father, I just wanted to be normal.”
“You’ve never been normal,” Kade said with a grin. “You’ve always been an asshole. And what happened to the brother who told me he hadn’t met a woman who was worth losing his common sense over? Did you see the picture of you in the paper grabbing Ally’s butt and kissing her like you’d lost it in the middle of a formal ball?”
“Yep. I framed it and it’s on my desk at work,” he admitted non-apologetically. “I’ve joined the psycho men club. In fact, I might have to become the damn president of the organization.”
“Still want to get rid of that desk?” Kade asked with a smirk.
“Hell, no. Not anymore. It’s become my favorite damn piece of furniture in the whole building,” he answered emphatically.
Ally flushed, knowing exactly why Travis used to hate that desk. But they’d had a few more adventures in the office on that particular wood surface, and now he swore he’d keep it forever, even if it did distract him sometimes. But she knew he’d be cursing it again if she wasn’t around.
The men bantered a little longer, the women throwing in their own comments.
Ally looked down at Travis, finally breathing a sigh of relief. Today had been a big hurdle for him, and she knew he hadn’t really wanted to deal with it. But she had enough faith in his family to know that they’d always accepted Travis unconditionally, and she wanted him to know that, to believe that. So she had pushed him, encouraged him, hoping nothing would go wrong. Someday he’d be more comfortable with his special and unique traits, but he’d lived with his gift alone for so long that it wouldn’t happen overnight.
She’d been staying with him since they’d returned from Colorado, and although his house was enormous and had incredible security, it wasn’t ostentatious. Of course, she should have known it wouldn’t be, because that wasn’t Travis’s style.
He’d gone to her destroyed house with her, but almost nothing was recoverable. Strangely, she wasn’t really sad. There were a few personal items that she would have liked to have, but it was almost like she hadn’t even really started living until she’d fallen in love with Travis. And it felt like everything that had happened before in her life was all leading to this…to him. Travis made her feel loved, complete, and perfect. She doubted they’d ever stop fighting sometimes, but it was almost like…foreplay. Besides, Travis wasn’t the type of man who needed a wife who didn’t challenge him. And she adored his loving alpha male, protective personality. It made her feel safe, and there was never a day that she didn’t feel loved, even if he was pissed off at her for something.
“So when is the wedding?” Asha asked inquisitively, looking excitedly at Ally.
“Soon,” Travis said irritably.
“Next year,” Ally answered at the same time.
They looked at each other and frowned.
Travis wrapped a steely arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. “I’m not waiting until next year,” he informed her stubbornly, his voice holding a warning note.
“We haven’t set a date yet,” she told Asha with a wink.
“But it sure as hell won’t be next year,” Travis replied obstinately.
Kade looked at Max. “Should we start placing bets on who will win this argument?”
“Nope,” Max replied with a grin. “It wouldn’t work. We’d both be betting on Travis.”
Asha, Kade, Max, and Mia all laughed as they got up to leave.
“I think we’ll let you two work this one out,” Kade said, slapping Travis on the back as he walked past him.
Ally scrambled to get off Travis’s lap to see everyone out, but he held her tightly for a minute longer, whispering huskily into her ear, “We aren’t waiting that long, even if I have to get out my naughty tie.”
Ally shivered at the thought, knowing that when Travis wanted something, he always got it. When Travis really wanted to be wicked, he knew exactly how to get to her. “We’ll discuss it,” she told him firmly as she got up.
“Not for long,” Travis said ominously, a happy grin on his face now.
Ally smiled back, more than ready to bicker with him because it always ended in the most delicious make-up sex.
Finally, Travis closed the door behind his family and faced her, a look of relief on his face.
“Was it so hard?” Ally asked him tenderly, knowing it had been, and wondering if he wanted to talk about it.
“You were right. I needed to do it,” he answered in a voice husky with emotion. He pulled her against him, wrapping his arms tightly around her and burying his face in her hair. “Thank you for giving me back my family, Ally.” His voice was coarse and raw with emotion.
Ally tried to swallow the lump that was forming in her throat as Travis held her tightly, his body quaking. She stroked his hair, wrapping her other arm around his neck, knowing how much all this meant to him. He’d been alone for so very long, having a family but yet never quite being connected to them since the death of his parents. Ally was so grateful that everyone in Travis’s family had tried to convince him that his parents’ deaths weren’t his fault. “I love you,” she told him gently, continuing to stroke his hair to comfort him.
“I love you so much I think it might kill me,” Travis said in a muffled voice, still not loosening his grip on her. “You need to marry me soon,” he added in a more demanding but poignant voice.
“We’ll talk about it,” Ally said, knowing she’d relent. She felt the same way as Travis did, and she didn’t want to wait.
Travis pulled back and met her gaze, his expression intense. “Like hell we will,” Travis grunted.
And then he kissed her, and Ally knew exactly who was going to win this argument as she was swept away by the same volat
ile passion he was feeling, the two of them completely lost in each other.
Two Months Later
Ally knew Travis was on his way, and she whispered her usual countdown.
“Five…
“Four…
“Three…
“Two…
“One…”
She sighed as she watched her handsome husband walk through the door of his office, dressed in one of her favorite dark suits, and shooting her the wickedly gorgeous grin that always made her heart start doing cartwheels inside her chest.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he said gruffly, his eyes roaming over her possessively.
“Good morning, Mr. Harrison,” she responded mischievously. “Let me get you some coffee.” Ally was always willing to go get his coffee when he greeted her like that, which he hadn’t failed to do on any day since they’d returned from Colorado.
Most days, they rode to work together, but Travis had had an early morning meeting, so Ally had driven herself in her new vehicle. Travis had gotten her a Ferrari F12 as a wedding gift, a surprise that she hadn’t quite recovered from yet, although they’d been married a month ago in a small ceremony at his home. Even though the wedding had been small, it had been the most beautiful event of her life, the day she was joined with the man she knew she’d love forever and beyond. Asha, Mia, Maddie, and Kara had all pitched in to get it planned quickly, and they’d had all their family and closest friends at the ceremony and reception, which was everything Ally had ever wanted or dreamed of for a wedding. Of course, Travis had needed to have the best of everything for the wedding, and had shocked her later with a new F12.
Ally was pretty sure he was still anxious about her driving a fast car, and he’d texted her twice to make sure she’d made it safely to work, reminding her to watch her speed. If she was honest, she hadn’t been able to resist using a little of the enormous power of the vehicle, but only reasonably so, because she was still a little nervous about driving a car that damn expensive.