The Cowboy's Summer Love (37 page)

Rolling down the window, Travis was surprised to see one of the sheriff’s deputies standing there smiling broadly.

“I should have known it would be none other than Travis Thompson,” said the officer.

“How you doing, Darren?” Travis said, sticking his hand out the window. Darren Williams was someone he knew in high school through 4-H and FFA competitions.

Darren shook his hand and laughed. “Doing fine. Though maybe not quite as well as you at the moment. Mind introducing your red-faced friend?”

“This is Tess Morgan, Brice’s sister,” Travis said, giving Tess a look that conveyed how sorry he was to put her in such a compromising situation.

“Nice to meet you, Miss Morgan. I’ve known your brother and this trouble-maker for a long time. Usually they are raising Cain together. I’m sure you’re a welcome substitute for Brice.”

“Oh, well, I…” Tess said, barely able to make words form. She was beyond mortified to be caught necking with Travis like a lusty teen on an exploration mission.

“I had a report that some teenagers were up to no good out here, but since it’s just you two, I’ll head on out. Nice to see you, Travis. I heard about your accident, but it doesn’t look like it kept you down for long,” Darren said, waggling his eyebrows as he walked toward his car.

“Thanks, Darren. Maybe we can catch up one of these days,” Travis said with a wave as Darren nodded and got in his car.

Tess buckled her seat belt, started the truck and didn’t say a word to Travis the entire way home. They turned down the Triple T’s long driveway and were part-way to the house when Tess stopped the pickup and turned off the lights.

Travis stared at her in surprise. He knew better than to say anything on the way home, thinking their romantic first date had certainly ended on a sour note.

Then he started to worry. What if she was so upset she wouldn’t go out with him again? What if she packed up and went back to Portland like she’d threatened before they admitted they loved each other?

Finally, he realized if she truly loved him, she would see him again. She would eventually forgive him for embarrassing her and give him another chance.

She still looked more tempting than Travis could handle. Her thick, dark hair was a tousled mess of waves and curls, her cheeks were still flushed pink and there was a sparkle in her eyes that was hard to miss. Then there was the bombshell dress that highlighted every single one of her amazing curves to perfection.

Along with those sexy heels, how did she expect him to behave himself all night? He was glad Darren showed up when he did and thought maybe the interruption was divine intervention.

Tess glanced at Travis for a minute before she let out a long sigh. She unbuckled her seatbelt and slid toward him. Travis sat completely still, waiting to see what she would do.

“I figure we’ve got less than five minutes before someone decides to come investigate who is parked out here, so I’ll keep this brief,” Tess said, wrapping her hands behind his neck and giving him a quick kiss. “I don’t ever want to be caught like that again, you idiot. I felt like I was sixteen and had done something both legally and morally corrupt. We have to keep control, Trav, no matter what we are feeling for each other. This is worse than the time you and Brice stole one of my bras and took it camping to use as a slingshot. It took weeks for the teasing at school to stop, and this is ten times worse with an officer of the law as a witness.”

Travis nodded his head, hesitant to speak.

Tess gently rubbed his neck with her thumbs, making his cooling temperature quickly start to rise.

“That said, I never dreamed being with you, being loved by you, would be this incredible and wonderful, Tee. You make me feel like a beautiful, cherished, desirable woman and for that I thank you.”

Tess drew his lips to hers and kissed Travis with a passion that wiped his mind clear of all thought. Caught off guard, all he could do was watch as she slid back across the seat, started the pickup, and drove him to the house.

Before she could get out of the pickup to help him in the door, he pulled a small box from his pocket, handing it to her. Tess turned on the interior lights so she could see, taking the box from his hand.

“What’s this?” she asked, turning a curious gaze to Travis. She fought the desire to scoot back over into his arms and get lost in his kisses again.

“Just a little something to say thank you for taking such good care of me,” Travis said with a smile that made a tingle start at Tess’ toes and race through her entire body, making her insides heat.

“You don’t need to give me a gift, Tee. It’s my pleasure to take care of you. Besides, you are kind of special to me,” Tess said with a loving smile.

Opening the box, she broke into a huge grin, removing a necklace with a tiny bronze bee sitting on a topaz drop of honey.

“Do you like it?” Travis asked as she held it up. The pickup light reflected through the topaz, sending out little amber beams into the cab of the truck.

“Oh, Trav,” Tess said, studying the perfect little bee. She didn’t even want to think about how much it cost or how Travis managed to find it. She only knew that she loved it, loved the man who gave it to her.

Looking at Travis with big brown eyes sparkling with unshed tears, she offered him her heart in her smile, hoping he knew how very much this token of his love meant to her. “This is absolutely perfect. It might just be the best present ever.”

“Even better than the doll house Brice and I made you out of shoes boxes and duct tape when you were eight?” Travis asked, with a teasing glint in his eyes.

“Way better,” Tess said, handing the necklace to Travis as she slid across the seat, turning her back to him and holding up her hair.

Travis fastened the necklace and placed a hot kiss on the back of her neck. Tess reached over and turned off the interior lights before spinning around in the seat and pressing close to Travis, giving him a searing kiss that made him wonder if he might melt right through the pickup seat.

When Tess leaned away, she offered a bewitching smile that made him pull her back into his arms as he ravished her with another round of kisses.

The connection of their lips continued to feed the wildly burning fire blazing in both of them. When the porch light flicked not once, but twice, Tess came back down to earth, realizing they were kissing at the back door of the big ranch house.

Giving Travis one more quick kiss on the lips, she hurried out of the pickup and waited as he got his crutches and slid out of the truck.

Helping him up the back steps and into the kitchen, she waved at Trent and Lindsay who were pretending to watch a movie in the great room, kissed Travis on the cheek and whispered, “You idiot, I love you so much. Thanks for the roses and necklace,” before hurrying out the door.

Travis leaned on his crutches and watched her go, not entirely sure he hadn’t dreamed the entire thing.

Chapter Nineteen

Love is not written on paper, for paper can be erased.

Nor is it etched on stone, for stone can be broken.

But it is inscribed on a heart

and there it shall remain forever.

Unknown

The evening before Trent and Lindsay’s wedding found those participating in the event gathered at the Triple T for the rehearsal.

Travis rode the four-wheeler down to the pond, where the vows would be exchanged, and sat on it while they ran through the entire production three times.

Tomorrow, Travis would ride the four-wheeler down to the pond before the guests started arriving and someone would stash it on the back side of the big willow tree. When it was time to return to the lawn for the reception, Trey or one of the hands would give him a ride back up the hill. That way he could at least stand through the ceremony without crutches and not worry about trying to get to and from the pond.

For tonight, no one seemed concerned by the four-wheeler parked in the line of attendants as they went through their part. Travis and Trey were serving as joint best men, but Travis was in charge of holding the ring and would stand first in line followed by Trey then Lindsay’s brother Lonnie.

Lindsay asked Cady to be her matron of honor and one of her close friends from her school years would serve as maid of honor. She asked Lonnie’s fiancée, Maren, to be her bridesmaid.

Cass, of course, was more than ready to fulfill her duties as flower girl as she enthusiastically tossed leaves from a basket down the pathway to the pond. She begged to have her pony, Smokey, in the procession, but when Cady said she wouldn’t be able to wear her fancy dress if she rode the pony, she decided Smokey better stay in the corral.

The happy couple would participate in the nuptials and exchange rings beneath a newly constructed arbor in front of the dock. Set up would begin early in the morning with an evening ceremony planned.

The way the hills shaded the pond in the evening, they decided by six o’clock the worst of the heat should be over and hopefully, with the help of a breeze, no one would have a heat stroke.

As the minister led them through the ceremony one more time, Travis couldn’t help but let his gaze wander over to where Brice and Tess sat watching the proceedings. He wondered if the wedding gave her any ideas about their future. His head was certainly spinning with thoughts about his lovely honeybee.

“The ring,” the minister said again, prompting Travis.

“Sorry,” Travis said with a grin, pretending to hand Trent a ring.

“So on and so forth. I think you’re all ready. Or at least most of you,” the pastor again looked at Travis and shook his head, although he wore an understanding smile.

“But you skipped a part,” Cass said, tugging on the pastor’s hand.

“I did?” he said, bending down so he was on eye-level with the little girl.

“Yep. The kissing part,” Cass said. “It’s icky, but I think Uncle Trent kind of likes it.”

“I’m sure he does,” the pastor said with a laugh. Looking at Trent, he winked. “You heard the young lady, we missed the kissing part. You may now kiss your bride-to-be.”

“Yes, sir. You don’t need to tell me twice,” Trent said, taking Lindsay in his arms and giving her a tender kiss. Before they got carried away, Trey slapped him on the back and elbowed him in the ribs. “Save some of that for tomorrow, bro.”

Lindsay blushed and turned toward her attendants as they walked up the hill to the house.

Cady enlisted Tommy’s help and spent the day preparing a feast for the bridal party, family and friends that were at the house. Travis had even been roped into helping since he could sit and work at the kitchen counter.

In addition to the Thompson clan, Cady’s Aunt Viv and Uncle Joe were there, all the Triple T hands, Brice and Tess, as well as Lindsay’s parents.

Tess was excited about the wedding tomorrow. Not only would she get to spend the evening with Travis all dressed up, but there was just something so touching and sweet about weddings, especially when you could tell the couple was truly in love.

Helping set out the food, she found herself sitting on a blanket beneath the big oak tree, watching the jovial gathering fill their plates and tease one another.

“If I sit down there, you promise to find someone to help me up later?” Travis asked, standing above her, leaning on his crutches. Although he had worked really hard to be at the point he didn’t need to use them, he wasn’t quite there yet. He could go short distances without them, but by the end of the day, he needed the help they provided.