“You’re kind of far away over there,” he commented when we’d put our plates down.
I looked at him shyly from the other end of the couch, and scooted closer. When he wrapped an arm around me and pulled me into his side, I nearly liquefied with pure elation.
My bliss was short-lived when a moment later a knock sounded on my door, followed by a voice hollering, “Open the door, girl, I know you’re in there with your nose in a book!”
I pulled away from Travis, eyeing him cautiously. “Looks like you’re about to meet Mabel.”
Chapter 4
I opened the door to an immediately dumbfounded Mabel when she caught sight of Travis sitting on the couch. “You have company,” she stated in shock.
“I know. The pigs flying by are calling your bluff,” I replied dryly as she stepped in, eyeing Travis with blatant appreciation and curiosity.
“He’s a handsome one, honey.” She winked.
“He also has ears, May.” I sighed as she plopped on the couch, clearly planning on staying a while.
“Mabel Anderson,” she introduced, holding a hand out to Travis.
“Travis McAllister. Pleased to meet you. I’ve heard good things,” he replied as he shook her hand.
“Lies.” She waved a hand, eliciting a laugh from both of us.
“Would you like a glass of wine? I was just going to open another bottle,” I offered.
She pinched her fingers together. “I’ll have a smidge, honey.”
I laughed to myself. She always said that and almost always had far more than that.
“So how do you know my girl?” I heard her ask Travis as I poured her wine.
“She’s my nephew’s teacher,” he replied.
“Were you out with Charlie?” I asked as I handed her a glass of wine and pulled a chair over to sit in.
She shook her head. “Harry.”
I shot an incredulous look at Travis before looking back at Mabel. “Are you two-timing Charlie?”
She scoffed. “We aren’t exclusive.”
Travis let out a chortle that he tried to muffle by taking a sip of wine.
“Okay, fair enough,” I replied. “Where did he take you?”
“Bingo. Can you believe that? What does he think, that I’m just ready to wither up and die?” she demanded.
“I’m sure he thought it would be fun,” I put in, unsure why I was defending an old man I didn’t know.
“That man wouldn’t know fun if it bit him in the ass.” She snorted.
Travis barked out an unrestrained laugh, and she shot him a look. “Sorry.” He waved a hand with a grin.
“Don’t be sorry. As long as you take my girl here on a proper date, you have nothing to be sorry for.”
“May,” I groaned.
“Will do, Mabel,” he agreed easily.
I tried to hide my response. Until now I hadn’t been sure if tonight was a fluke, despite desperately hoping it wasn’t.
“Were you in the service?” she asked, her gaze on Travis as she sipped her wine.
“SEALs, ma’am.” He nodded.
“My Benny was in the Army.” She sighed with the same blissful tone she always had when she spoke of her late husband. “We traveled the world. It was so exciting.”
“I’m sure,” Travis agreed. “Was he a career man?”
“Goodness, no.” She laughed. “Sometimes I think that would have been more exciting. He was enlisted for eight years, and that was more than enough. He went into investment banking after that. He was gone just as much, but we didn’t have to move. It was more secure for the children.”
“Are your children local?”
I braced myself for the look of pain that would inevitably cross her face. “My son, Roy, he lives here in Los Angeles. Initially he took after his father and was a very successful investment banker. I’ll never be sure exactly what went wrong.” She sighed sadly.
I wanted to reach out and grasp her hand but knew she wanted to hold her head high in moments like this. I’d only met Roy once, when I’d first moved in, and it had been immediately clear he’d been drinking heavily despite it being just after breakfast time. When we’d talked about it, May hadn’t been sure if alcoholism was the main issue or if it was mental illness that had developed later in life. He didn’t let her get close enough to help.
“My daughter lives overseas.” She continued, her expression brightening some.
“You don’t see them much,” Travis deduced gently.
She shook her head and visibly forced a smile. “That’s why my girl here has been such a blessing.” She offered a smile. “Keeps me company. Tries to fatten me up.” She shot me a mock glare. “Friendship knows no age, it would seem. This one here is the truest friend I’ve ever had.”
I swallowed hard, blinking back tears. It was by far the sweetest thing she’d ever said to me. Hell, it might have been the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to me.
“Back at ya, sister,” I managed.
She winked, setting her wine glass down. “I’ll let you two get back to it.”
“Let me walk you back,” I offered.
“I’ll do it,” Travis interjected, rising and offering a hand to May. I was floored by the gesture.
“Well thank you,” she tittered, taking his hand in hers. I watched the two of them walk out together and had one thought and one thought only.
The man was going to go and make me fall for him.
When he returned only a few minutes later, I was in the middle of cleaning up. “I should get going,” he said regrettably. “I have PT at six tomorrow morning. “
“PT?” I asked confused.
“Physical training,” he explained. “Though we’re not in the service anymore, the guys and I train regularly. Our job demands that we be in shape.”
“It’s clearly working,” I muttered, then groaned.
“Filter?” he asked with a grin.
“Filter.” I nodded.
“I like that you lose it,” he murmured as I realized how close he suddenly was. I was backed up against the kitchen counter as he leaned down toward me, his eyes searching. “You smell like cookies,” he whispered.
A soft “Mm-hmm” was all I could manage before his lips found mine.
I thought it would be soft and sweet, but the second his lips met mine it was as though a spark that had been burning between us exploded. His tongue sought entrance, stroking mine as our lips met in a passionate caress. With a throaty groan, he grasped my hips, pulling me up onto the counter and moving in between my legs.
I moaned into his mouth at the feeling of his body pressed to mine.
I’d never experienced a kiss like this. It was as though my entire body was a living spark, like I’d combust in the flame and willingly ask for more.
I don’t know how long we stayed like that, wrapped up in each other’s arms, before his phone pinged. His lips broke from mine, his forehead pressing to mine as we both fought for breath.
“Holy… Christ,” he gasped.
“Yeah,” I agreed wholeheartedly.
“If I don’t leave now, I’ll have you naked and under me, and I want that date,” he murmured, his lips a breath from mine.
“Do we really need it?” I demanded breathlessly, surprising myself. I’d never wanted a man the way I wanted him. I was willing to forgo just about anything to have him.
“We really need it,” he replied regretfully, pulling out his phone. “Give me your number, I’ll call you right now so you have mine.”
I rattled off the number, and a moment later heard my phone buzz from somewhere in the cottage.
“Can I take you out this week?” he asked.
“I’d like that, but unfortunately the weekdays are tough for me,” I explained.
“All right, how’s Saturday or Sunday?” he replied easily.
“Sunday.” I nodded, forcing myself not to jump up and down and clap my hands with glee.
His face lit with an easy smil
e. “Sunday it is.”
“Thanks for coming to my rescue today,” I added softly.
“I was glad to come to your rescue, Em. Not that you really needed it,” he replied seriously. “Despite your propensity to fall on your ass,” he added with a cheeky grin. “One thing I know for sure about you, you can handle yourself just fine.”
Yep. Definitely falling for him.
Chapter 5
“Hiking? He’s taking you hiking?” May wrinkled her nose in distaste as she watched me get ready that Sunday morning.
“I like the idea,” I replied honestly. “It will give us a chance to get to know each other, and he planned it so we could take Able.”
She smiled knowingly. “That boy knows the way to your heart is through that dog.”
“I don’t know about that,” I muttered as I assessed my outfit. Since we were hiking, I had limited options, which I actually appreciated. The weather was a bit cool, so I’d chosen a cute green pullover, leggings, and tennis shoes. I braided my hair, draping it over one shoulder, and put on a bit of makeup.
“You look beautiful as always,” Mabel assured me with a wink. “I’ve always loved you in green.”
“Thanks, May. What are you up to today?”
“The girls and I are going to get our hair done,” she replied, referring to the feisty group of women she hung out with. “I’ll leave you to it. Can’t wait to hear all about it.” She grinned.
“I think you’re more excited about this than I am.”
She looked at me knowingly. “Somehow I doubt that.”
She had me there.
I walked her out and returned to finish up. A knock on the door sounded just as I was dabbing a bit of perfume behind my ears.
When I opened the door to find him dressed in a black Henley and jeans with a ball cap pulled low over his brow, I wondered how he got more handsome every time I saw him.
Suddenly I was a bundle of nerves. How should we greet each other? A hug? A kiss? I was rooted in place, frozen with indecision.
His gaze swept appreciatively over my frame as he stepped into my space without hesitation and took my mouth in a tender kiss.
“Hi,” he greeted with a smile, his lips a breath from mine.
“Hi,” I breathed, hoping my knees were still in place, because at the moment it felt as though I’d lost them altogether.
He pulled back, smiling down at me. “You look beautiful. Ready to go?”
I nodded. “I just need to grab Able’s leash and some water.”
Able was jumping excitedly around our legs, and Travis knelt to greet him.
“You sure it’s okay that we bring him?” I asked.
“Absolutely.” He nodded. “It’ll be fun.”
“Where are we going, anyway?” I asked as I locked the door behind us.
“I thought we’d do the Griffith Observatory trail,” he shared as we walked side by side out to where his Jeep was parked. “It’s a relatively easy hike but the views are amazing. Have you been?”
“No, I’ve been meaning to,” I replied, excited by the idea. I’d heard it was one of the most scenic spots in all of Los Angeles.
“Well, today’s your chance.” He smiled, opening up the hatch for Able to jump in the back.
We pulled away from the curb, hitting the freeway where traffic was uncharacteristically light. He drove as he seemed to do everything, with a graceful confidence that if I had to guess, he was largely unaware of.
“Damn, I think some of our view might get blocked by these clouds,” he muttered, peering out at the gloomy sky.
“That’s okay.” I waved a hand. “It’s kind of a nice change. Back home we had real weather, and I kind of miss it sometimes.”
He glanced over at me. “Oh yeah?”
“The weather turns on a dime. I’d be scraping ice off my windshield in the morning and wearing a tank top by the afternoon. It’s beautiful.” I looked out the window, watching the overcast sky fly by overhead. “The people are nice, but very serious about their food.”
He chuckled, but I gave him a serious look. “Don’t get in the way of an Iowan and anything that involves corn, has been fried, or involves a scotcheroo. Just some tips for survival if you ever visit.”
He eyed me with a playful twinkle in his eye. “Scotcheroo?”
“Only the best dessert known to man.” I retorted. “Peanut butter, Rice Krispies, and chocolate.”
“Sounds good. Though I have to admit, I don’t have much of a sweet tooth,” he shared, as though he was divulging some deep dark secret.
“Might as well turn this car around then, this will never work.” I sighed dramatically.
He pulled off the freeway, and I assumed we were getting close to the trailhead. “I would think that would mean we’d work perfectly. All the more for you,” he pointed out with a grin.
“You have a point,” I mused. “Are we here?”
“Just about.” He pulled into a parking lot. “Doesn’t look like there are many people here today, good,” he commented as he killed the engine.
“Does it get crowded?” I asked, hopping out of the passenger seat and shutting the door.
“It can.” He let a very excited Able out of the back. “Are you going to let him off leash?” he asked as he strapped a backpack on his back.
“Yeah.” I nodded. “I’ll only leash him if there are problematic dogs around. He’ll stay close.”
We walked side by side toward the path with Able bounding ahead.
“Did you grow up in the area?” I asked curiously.
“Nearby. Then I enlisted, toured the world, but ultimately ended up coming back. It was a central location for my business, and Sam was here. I didn’t want to be too far from her.”
“What a good big brother.” I smiled warmly.
I could have sworn he blushed under his ball cap. “Yeah well, I have a lot to make up for. I should have been there more for her growing up.”
I knew the feeling of sibling guilt all too well. “I’m sure you did your best. It’s all any of us can do.”
“You’re speaking from experience.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yep.” I nodded, admiring the hills surrounding us as we crested a small rise. “When you have shitty parents, being a sibling takes on a whole new meaning.”
“I know exactly what you mean.”
I looked over at him and felt the connection that had been building between us grow that much stronger. I offered an easy smile, feeling lighter than I had in a long time for having shared something so simple and yet so foundational to who I was.
Able loped off into the trees, and I grimaced at seeing him return with muddy paws.
Travis chuckled. “Someone’s getting a bath later.”
“Oh God, giving him a bath is a nightmare.” I groaned. “It’s like every commercial for detergent or paper towels on steroids.”
He threw his head back and laughed, the sound ricocheting off the canyon.
I shot him a droll look. “You think it’s funny because it won’t be you covered in mud and dealing with a wet dog who needs constant comfort since he’s afraid of water.” I sent Able an incredulous look, still surprised that my dog became a shivering, whining wuss anytime the faucet turned on.
Travis grinned. “Maybe if you’re lucky I’ll stick around and help.”
I looked down at the ground, grinning at my feet—all too excited by the idea of spending more time with him.
When the observatory came into view, I stared in awe at the iconic building jetting toward the gray sky.
“I thought we could stop here—I brought some lunch.” He gestured toward a bench and the backpack he wore.
“Wow, I’m impressed. And starving,” I replied gratefully as we plopped side by side on a bench that overlooked the observatory. I pulled out Able’s water pack, setting it on the ground for him as Travis began pulling out items from his pack.
“Sandwiches, apples, and water. Nothing fancy,” he
reported, laying out our lunch.
“It’s perfect,” I argued, reaching for a sandwich and eagerly diving in.
He watched me with a hint of amusement.
I covered my mouth, which was full of food. “What?”
“I just like that you aren’t afraid to eat.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Afraid to eat? Is that like a phobia around here or something?”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re not far off,” he muttered, taking a bite of his own sandwich.
We sat eating in comfortable silence as Able lay at our feet.
“I’m glad it’s not crowded today, but I wish you could see more of the view,” he commented, looking out at the cloudy sky.
“Another time.” I shrugged easily. “I’m actually glad it’s not blazing hot. No one wants to sweat their tits off on a first date.” I clapped my hand over my mouth, groaning behind it. “Dammit.”
He looked over at me with a dimpled grin. “You and your filter almost made it. Almost.”
I hung my head in defeat. He reached over, tipping my chin up to look at him. “I’ve told you. I like that you say what you want around me. It’s refreshing.”
“Oh good. We’ll pretend it’s intentional,” I replied dryly.
He wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into his side, and I relaxed into him, my embarrassment forgotten. He had a way of putting me at ease that very few people had ever been able to do. Although, I supposed no one had ever really tried.
After a while he kissed the top of my head. “Ready to head back?”
No.
“Sure.” I nodded, rising and helping him gather our garbage. We headed back toward his Jeep, the weather turning gloomier until a drop or two of rain hit my shoulder.
He looked at me in dismay. “We might get a little wet.”
I looked back at him, confused by his reaction. “It’s just water. You were a SEAL, you can’t tell me you’re afraid of water?”
He laughed. “No, baby. I’m not afraid of water,” he assured me, the term of endearment seeming to slide off his tongue effortlessly. “Most girls don’t like to get caught in the rain.”
I lifted a brow. “Who the hell are these women who are afraid of food and water?”
Claim (Talon Security Book 2) Page 3