With a sad smile, he reached out as if to touch her cheek, then stopped, dropping his hand. “And that fear, my fear of vulnerability, was at the root of my reluctance. I was afraid to love a woman, Randi.”
She nodded, her eyes reflecting the sadness in his.
“I think,” he said after a moment, “that we’ve both been wounded children, darlin’, just wounded in different ways.
I’m only sorry, so damned sorry, it took me this long to realize it.”
Tenderly he ran his eyes over her face, met her gaze. “I love you. I wish to God I’d been able to tell you sooner.”
“Travis, I—”
“I beg your pardon, Mr. McLean.” The steward suddenly appeared, carrying a cellular phone. “Phone call for the lady, sir. You said that if any came…”
“Yes, of course. Thank you, John.” Travis quickly handed the phone to Randi.
Alarm written all over her, she grabbed it as the steward left them alone. “Hello?”
“Randi, it’s Sarah.”
“Sarah!” She felt Travis freeze beside her. “Is something wrong? Is Matt okay?”
“Yes, don’t worry. He’s fine,” Sarah assured her quickly, “and sleeping in his bed as we speak, with a great big Barney-smile on his face. But there’s been a minor glitch, Randi. You recall I was supposed to be driven home by someone named Steve?”
Mouthing the words, “Matt’s okay,” to Travis, Randi felt relief wash over her. “Your friend at law school, yes,” she told Sarah.
“Well, Steve’s car won’t start, and on top of that, Mrs. Casey just admitted she has a crashing headache. So I told her I’d check with you to see if it’s all right if I stay with Matt so she can go home. I’ll put her on if you like.”
Randi had a momentary flicker of concern; Sarah had never minded Matt before, and what if…
She gave her head a shake, recognizing the C-word in one of its sneaky attempts to suck her in. “No, Sarah, that’s all right. Tell Mrs. Casey I hope she feels better. And thanks. We’ll be there as soon as we can.”
“No problem,” Sarah said, “and stay as long as you like. Matt showed me his Barney sleeping bag. If I get tired, I’ll bed down on the floor in his room, so I can hear him if he needs anything.”
Randi thanked her again and hung up, then explained the situation to Travis.
“We’ll head right back,” he said, already moving to the stairs.
He fought to keep his regret from showing; the need to finish this was throbbing in his gut, and he ached from the thwarted hunger to take her in his arms. But she hadn’t given him the signal he’d been waiting for, and now it was too late; he knew how she worried about Matt. Maybe later, he thought ruefully.
“Travis?”
He turned, caught by the plaintive note in her voice.
“Travis, Sarah sounds as if she’s got everything under control…”
He waited, seeing she was trying to tell him something, half-afraid to hope.
“So there’s, uh, not really any reason to rush.” She took a hesitant step toward him, then stopped.
“Go on,” he whispered, feeling his heart begin to pound at the look in her eyes.
“Well,” Randi said, swallowing hard, “it’s just that we confessed we loved each other a little while ago, and…” She hesitated.
“Don’t stop there,” he urged, his love for her shining in his eyes.
She made a small diffident gesture with her hands. “Travis, aren’t…aren’t you going to hold me?”
“Are you asking me to, Randi?” The blood pounded in his veins.
“Asking you?”
“Don’t you remember, love?” he said softly. “The night we spoke in the garage, I made you a promise.’.’
She nodded slowly. “That you’d protect me,” she began, trying to recall his exact words, “even…even if it meant protecting me from yourself.”
“That’s right,” he said, “but there was more.”
She stared at him in bewilderment for an endless moment, and then her jaw dropped. “You swore not to touch me—unless I asked.”
Nodding, he made no move. Yet his eyes blazed with a tenderness so fierce, it nearly staggered her.
“Travis,” she said, blinking back tears, finally aware of what it must have cost him to wait for her, “I’m asking.”
“Gutsy lady,” he said huskily, moving toward her. And heard her laugh through her tears as he pulled her into his arms.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
“WAKE UP, SLEEPYHEAD,” Travis murmured as he nuzzled Randi’s ear. “Time to rise ‘n’ do our best to shine.”
“Mmph,” she mumbled, snuggling into his warmth like the tawny kitten she reminded him of this morning.
He smiled indulgently and drew her closer, relenting for the moment, though he’d have to rouse her soon; they’d be reaching port in an hour, and she’d probably enjoy breakfast and maybe a shower before they docked.
The smile grew. It was his fault she was still sleeping so soundly, but he couldn’t regret it. He’d made love to her several times during the night, the last time, just a couple of hours ago, as dawn was breaking. It was as if he couldn’t get enough of her. Or she, him, he mused as the smile became a grin.
She stirred and he pressed a kiss to her brow. Lord, he loved this woman, adored her, cherished her. The sheer force of these feelings he’d once shunned astounded him, filling him with a humility and gratitude he knew he’d carry in his heart all his days. Without question, she’d become central to his life. She and Matt.
Thoughts of their son had him eyeing the clock. Sarah and Matt would be meeting them at the yacht basin in just an hour, driven by the boyfriend, who’d had his car repaired. A call to Sarah had ascertained she’d be able to mind Matt overnight, but she and Steve had to be back for classes at Georgetown this afternoon, so…
“Randi, darlin’, wake up,” he urged softly.
“Mmm?” A smile curved her lips, and Travis couldn’t resist capturing them with a gentle kiss. He loved holding her this way, when she was all soft and muzzy from sleep.
He kissed her again.
Randi was aware of his mouth before she opened her eyes. Travis, she thought drowsily as pleasure welled inside her, teasing her slowly awake. Travis, I love you.
Her lips parted under his. Like the petals of a flower opening to the sun, he thought, deepening the kiss.
Randi sighed into his mouth. She felt the pleasure grow, creep sweetly along her nerve endings, intensify.
“Lord, kitten,” he breathed as her arms slid enticingly around his neck, “if you keep this up, we’ll miss breakfast, and there won’t be time to shower or…”
The tip of her tongue lightly probed the corner of his mouth, an erotic touch she’d learned from him, and he groaned. “Sweetheart, we’re dockin’ in an hour…”
She tugged playfully at his lower lip with her tee—thanother thing he’d taught her.
“Randi,” he said, his voice thickening as he felt her move sensually against his bare chest, “we’ll be late if we don’t…”
Reckon we’ll be a little late. It was his last coherent thought as he took her mouth with his.
“HI, MOM! HI, Travis!” Matt shouted from the rear window of a gray sedan before the car even stopped. “We’re here!”
Sarah grinned and waved as Steve cut the engine. She got out and came around to get her nephew, who was ensconced in his car seat, which they’d removed from Randi’s car and installed in Steve’s for the trip.
But before Sarah could reach her nephew, Randi and Travis were already there. “Hiya, Tiger!” Travis flung the door wide.
“Hi, darling!” Randi bent to kiss her son as his father helped him out of the seat.
Matt endured hugs from both, but it was clear his interest was drawn elsewhere. “Wow!” he exclaimed as he took in the Sarah Anne’s gleaming hull. “Is that Sarah’s boat?”
Sarah looked abashed as Travis and Randi’s gazes swung to her
. “Uh, all I did was explain how she was named after me—honest! I tried to tell him she’s Daddy’s, but…” She shrugged. “You know how kids get an idea in their heads sometimes and…” She shrugged again.
Randi laughed while Matt tugged at Travis’s arm, obviously bent on dragging him to the yacht for a closer look. “I do,” she said, “but I suspect this is your first acquaintance with the phenomenon in such a, uh, single-minded form.”
“Don’t be too sure of that,” Sarah said with a laugh. “Remember, I grew up with Travis.”
“So you’ve noticed the similarities, too, huh?” Randi murmured as she fondly watched father and son inspecting the boat.
“Yes,” Sarah replied. “But I won’t hold that against the child. In fact, nothing can change my opinion of that little dynamo. What a great kid!”
“Thanks for minding him, Sarah.”
“A pleasure, and, uh—” she glanced at Travis who. stood before the yacht with Matt perched on his shoulder, Matt chattering away a mile a minute “—how’d things go, if you don’t mind me bein’ little-sister nosy?”
Randi flushed. “Well, we…Sarah, I’d like it very much if you were a bridesmaid at our wedding. Do you think you might?”
“With bells on!” Sarah cried, giving her a hug. “Oh, Randi, I’m so glad!”
“Travis?” Matt queried, eyeing the display as his father walked him toward the women. “Why’s Mom sad ‘bout Sarah huggin’ her?”
“I don’t think she’s sad, son.” Travis’s throat closed. Son. Soon, he’d be using the word in a more literal way—after he and Randi made sure their son understood exactly how it had that literal meaning.
“People—” he swallowed thickly “—people sometimes cry when they’re happy, Matt.”
Sarah introduced Steve, a tall soft-spoken man who looked at Sarah with adoring eyes. Travis invited them for coffee aboard the yacht; Sarah thanked him, but declined, because she and Steve were running behind schedule and had to hurry if they wanted to make their classes on time. There was an exchange of hugs and promises of seeing one another soon.
As they drove off, Matt gave the couple a last wave, then glanced at Randi and Travis. “Steve’s okay, even if he doesn’t talk much,” he said consideringly, then his whole face brightened. “But I like my good buddy, Sarah, the bestest. She’s neat!”
“She sure is, Tiger,” Travis agreed, “and so’s her, uh, boat. Would you like to sail on it?”
Matt’s eyes widened. “Oh, wow! Can I, Mom? Can I?”
Chuckling, Travis hoisted him to his shoulders and put his arm around Randi before she could respond. “It was your mom’s idea, Tiger. And there’s even somethin’ better we’re all gonna do.” He winked at Randi.
Matt slanted questioning eyes at his mother.
“How’d you like to sail on the Sarah Anne with us and then sleep there tonight?” she asked with a grin.
“Really?” Matt said, and when she nodded, he broke into a cheer.
“Whoa there, Tiger!” Travis cautioned as the child’s enthusiasm threatened to unseat him. He swung him to the ground and the two adults took him by the hand as they approached the boarding ramp.
“Before we sail, though, son,” Travis added, “we’re all gonna have a little talk, okay?”
“Okay,” Matt said cheerfully. “‘Bout what?”
“The three of us,” his father explained as he met Randi’s shining eyes over their son’s tousled curls, “are gonna have a talk—about daddies.”
And miracles, Randi added silently, swallowing past the lump in her throat as they climbed aboard. Miracles…and answered prayers.
ISBN: 978 1 472 06337 3
WILD HONEY
© 1997 Veronica Sattler
First Published in Great Britain in 1997
Harlequin (UK) Limited
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