Travis (10 page)

“Tomorrow,
what?” Travis asked, obviously obliging her by taking a small step back.

He
was too close. So close she was overwhelmed by the spicy, rich scent of him. A
musky combination of clean sweat and that sexy cologne he favored, apparently
still the same as it was back then.

“I’ll
meet you tomorrow.”

“Where?”

“I
haven’t thought that far ahead yet,” she mumbled, trying to figure out whether
this was a good idea or not. Surely it wasn’t, but for some reason, she wanted
to hear what he had to say.

Kylie
stared up into Travis’ face, forcing her eyes to remain on his, refusing to
glance down at his perfect lips, resisting the urge to wonder what they’d feel
like on hers. She noticed how his features had softened from a few minutes ago.
His eyes sparkled with what might be interest, and she knew there was no way
she could say no to him. She had never been able to say no to Travis. From the
moment she met him, Kylie had fallen head over heels in love with this man,
willing to give him anything.

“I’ll
pick you up,” he offered.

“Ok,”
she finally replied, knowing that arguing with him wasn’t going to get her
anywhere.

When
Travis turned to go, Kylie watched, her eyes glued to his perfect body. The way
his wide shoulders tapered down to a narrow waist. Not to mention, his better
than perfect ass. Suddenly it was getting way too hot in her house.

“I’ll
be here at ten. That work for you?”

Kylie
almost laughed. She wasn’t sure why he even asked the question. His initial
statement was more of a command than anything else. But ten would work for her.
“Ok.”

“See
you in the morning, Kylie.” With that Travis strode out the front door. She was
grateful for the glass pane because she was able to watch him until he
disappeared around the other side of his truck.

And
that’s when it hit her.

What
the hell did she just do?

Ten
minutes later, as she was walking across the living room like a zombie, Kylie
stopped, glanced around her house, just realizing where she was. Pressing her
hands to her forehead, she headed toward her bedroom, her brain stuck on
Travis. Since the second he walked out the door, she’d been reliving the scene
from ten long years ago.

“What
do you mean you’re sorry? What the hell does that even mean?”

The
look on Travis’ face devastated her long before he even attempted to explain
himself. He couldn’t possibly be saying what she thought he was saying.

He
was sorry? For what?

Kylie’s
heart was thumping painfully hard against her ribs, an ache suddenly so powerful,
she had to clutch her chest. Three weeks. They’d only been married for
three
weeks,
and he was sorry?

 “Look,”
he started, but before he could continue, Kylie felt the tears begin to stream
down her face.

Travis
moved closer, pulling her up against him, pressing his lips to her forehead as
she breathed in his scent, knowing without even hearing his explanation that
this was going to be the last time. She saw the intentions on his face when he
blurted out his apology moments ago.

Shaking
off the memory, Kylie headed to the bathroom. Maybe a long, hot bath and a good
book would do her some good. At this point, she desperately wanted to escape
reality if only for a short time.

After
all, her own reality seemed to be changing drastically from one day to the
next. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know what tomorrow would bring.

♂

“Hey,
sugar. What’ll it be?” the waitress asked, but as the familiar voice raked
across his raw nerve endings, Travis didn’t even glance her way.

“Scotch
neat,” he told her, turning his head to glance toward the back of the small,
dingy bar that he’d frequented more times than he could count. Since the day he
turned twenty one he’d been coming here, hanging out with friends, then his
brothers as they became old enough. Seemed like so long ago, but at the same
time it felt like just yesterday.

Two
minutes later, the waitress brought his drink and he retrieved it before
heading to the back, avoiding the playful sweep of her hand across his back. He
wasn’t interested, plain and simple.

“Well,
look who showed up to the party,” Zane said, clapping Travis on the back.

He
hadn’t expected any of his brothers to be at Moonshiners, but he’d seen Zane’s truck
in the parking lot before he came in. He’d like to think that’s why he stopped.
He didn’t want to admit that he’d been looking to drown his thoughts in alcohol
or anything crazy like that.

“Who’s
winning?” he asked just to make conversation.

“Well,
it sure as shit ain’t me,” Zane laughed, his eyes tracking the beautiful
brunette currently sweeping the pool table clean as she took shot after shot,
dropping balls into pockets left and right.

“Hey,
V,” Travis greeted Zane’s fiancé once she finished.

“Hey,
Trav. You look like hell,” she told him.

Damn,
the woman had gotten pretty fucking mouthy in the last few months. Not that he
could say anything to her because Zane was an overprotective mother fucker.
Travis might enjoy giving his brothers a rash of shit, but he knew better than
to pull their women into the fray. Not that he would. Travis liked to think his
father had raised him well. He might’ve pulled some stupid stunts in his day,
but he always put women first, ensured they were respected and all that.

“Thanks,”
he said, tipping his glass toward her before downing what was left.

“You
wanna play her?” Zane asked, knowing good and damn well Travis wasn’t going to
say no.

“Lady
breaks,” he muttered as he set his empty glass on the table, signaled for the
waitress and then took the extra pool stick from Zane’s hand.

“Good
luck,” his brother whispered loudly.

“Right.
Like I’ve got a chance in hell.” Travis knew better than to think he was going
to beat Vanessa Carmichael. He’d seen her wipe the table clean one too many
times, including against his brother Brendon who, up until V shamed his ass,
had been the reigning billiards champ in their neck of the woods.

Ten
minutes later, Travis was resuming his position at the table, taking his fresh
drink in hand and watching as Zane gave it another shot. Rather than watch a
repeat of what just happened, he spent a few minutes just observing others in
the place.

“You
looking for company tonight?” the sultry drawl came from behind him, but Travis
didn’t turn to look. He knew the voice, also knew he wasn’t interested. Just
like he wasn’t interested when she came onto him a little while ago.

“Have
I ever said yes to that question?” he asked, keeping his back to her.

That
didn’t last long because Ellie Franklin eased her way around to his side,
pressing her large, fake tits against his arm. Yeah, he was so not interested.
Considering she’d been with at least two of his brothers over the years, maybe
more, and half of the rest of the male population, Travis wasn’t going to touch
her with a ten foot pole.

Much
to his relief, Zane chose that moment to saunter up beside him, pretending he
didn’t notice that the waitress was practically dry humping Travis’ leg. “Can
we get another couple of beers over here?”

Ellie
frowned, but apparently the woman knew she had a job to do and she disappeared.
Travis thought about leaving, knowing she’d be back any second with the beers
and probably an offer for a hand job in the bathroom. As much as he needed a release,
he’d prefer to stick with his own hand, thank you very much. At least he knew
where his had been.

“What
brings you in here tonight?” Zane questioned as V came to stand beside him,
tucking herself perfectly against Zane’s body as though they were made for one
another.

And
from the looks of it, they actually were.

Travis
thought about Kylie and the way she would fit just as easily against his body,
her soft gentle curves pressed so intimately against his chest, his stomach,
his... Then, like a sucker punch to the solar plexus, another image appeared,
overriding the censored version. This one included Gage, and he was opposite
Kylie, sandwiching her between them.

Oh,
shit.

“Hey,
E.” Zane’s voice jarred the image from his mind, and Travis glanced up to see
their brother Ethan walking toward them. Beside him was the guy who’d taken
Zane’s place as the mechanic for Walker Demolition.

“Slummin’
again, Trav?” Ethan joked, slapping Travis on the back as he moved around,
squeezing between V and Zane. If Travis didn’t know better, he would’ve sworn
Ethan was trying to get as far away from Blake as he possibly could.

Considering
the rumor Travis had heard, he would have expected the two men to be all over each
other. Then again, Ethan was a private person, much like Travis, never hinting
at his relationships – current or former – so it made sense that he was trying
to put some distance between them.

Didn’t
mean Travis liked the idea of his little brother hiding.

Fuck.
Like he had room to talk. He was a damn hypocrite is what he was.

“How’s
it going, Blake?” Travis asked, not wanting to chat, but figuring it was the
polite thing to do and much better than letting his own thoughts take over.
Since Blake was technically employed by Walker Demolition, he sort of had no
choice. Besides, if he didn’t, Ethan would rip him a new asshole as soon as the
opportunity arose.

“It’s
goin’,” Blake answered. “What brings you down here?”

Shit,
what was with everyone and their questions? It wasn’t like Travis didn’t hang
out at Moonshiners at least once a week, sometimes more. Granted, he’d been
avoiding the place for the last few weeks because he’d preferred to brood in
privacy.

“Just
checkin’ on the young’n.”

Zane
obviously knew Travis was referring to him, which earned him a one finger
salute. Of course, he returned it with a grin.

“All
right, boys,” V said, grinning as all four of them looked her way. “Who’s my
next victim?”

Travis
settled in for the duration. No sense in going to the house. It was empty. No
one waiting for him there. In fact, the only thing that might possibly greet
him were the divorce papers he was avoiding like the plague.

“I’m
in,” Travis barked, downing the rest of his second Scotch before heading for
the pool table.

♂

Gage
picked up his cell phone.

Put
it down.

Picked
it up again.

Fuck.

As
he pushed his truck up to eighty, Gage forced himself to keep his eyes on the
road, to ignore the inner voice telling him to call Kylie. He was just a few
minutes outside of Killeen, and it would be so easy to just veer off at the
next exit and head her way. If only he had a valid reason to show up on her
doorstep one more time. Since she hadn’t called him one single time in the two
months after he’d walked out of her house with his heart in his throat, he
didn’t think it would go over well.

But
Gage wanted to talk to her. Hear her voice. See her smile and listen to the sweet
southern cadence of her voice. God, he missed her so much, and he knew he had
absolutely no right to. He just couldn’t get his mind off of her. No matter how
hard he tried. He didn’t expect to see or hear from Kylie again, but he
couldn’t help but wish something would happen that would give him one more
opportunity to try and make it up to her. Despite his better judgment, hope
still sprang eternal in his fucking chest when it came to her. Hell, if he
didn’t know better, he’d think he had actually fallen for the woman.

But
she wasn’t the only person he’d been thinking about. And as much as it pissed
him off, Gage wanted to see Travis, to hear his voice and know that the man
might harbor some sort of feelings for him, even if it was hatred. Feeling ultimately
alone in the world, Gage was more than willing to believe someone was thinking
about him, wishing that he was there.

Only
he didn’t believe it.

Nor
did he deserve it.

He
should’ve been worried about facing the music and explaining himself to those
who knew him best. The very same people he’d lied to all these years about who
he really was. At this point, his secret life had been shattered and he had
nothing else to hide from anyone. Not only was Chance Reed officially dead and
gone, his separate life as a cop had also been revealed after he apprehended
Jake Sanders months ago. And he couldn’t even blame Travis for that one. If he
had to make the choice all over again, although he hadn’t been given much of
one at the time, he’d have stepped in to ensure Zane was protected the same as
he had before. Only this time, he wouldn’t need Travis to threaten him with
bodily harm.

Fucking
asshole.

Taking
the ramp that would take him from I-35 just outside of Austin to Coyote Ridge,
Gage turned his truck toward home. Pressing his foot on the gas, he pushed the
truck up to eighty five, just a few miles over the speed limit on the toll road
that would lead him right where it all started. Part of him was anxious to get
back, to take some time to think and maybe decide what he wanted to do next.

If
he was lucky, he’d find Kaleb first and have a chance to explain himself. He
wondered whether Kaleb would forgive him. Then, after they had that little
chat, Gage hoped like hell Kaleb would understand Gage’s need to back out of
their little arrangement.

That
was one thing Gage had promised himself. Until he could hash out what he was feeling
for Kylie and Travis, he wasn’t going to engage in any more threesomes. Even if
he didn’t stand a chance with either one of them, Gage wasn’t going to risk
pushing them any farther away.

No.
He’d much rather be alone. And yes, he was insane to wish that there might be a
chance of either one of them wanting something from him, much less both of them
at the same time. He just knew that the chances of that happening were about as
good as the weather man predicting an ice storm in hell overnight.

Thirty
minutes and twenty five miles later, Gage realized there would be no getting
lost in anything other than his own thoughts and perhaps a bottle of whiskey.
The deserted parking lot of Walker Demolition told him just what he was to
expect as far as a welcome home party. Putting the truck in Park and shutting
off the engine, he stared at the small office and the empty parking lot that
surrounded it.

There
was no one there to greet him, whether they were happy to see him or not. Even
the call he made to Kaleb a few minutes before went unanswered, leaving him to
his own devices.

He
was tempted to drive over to the farmhouse just to walk around, but he knew
that would only bring up more memories of Kylie and he didn’t need any help in
that department. He couldn’t blame her for being angry with him, but that
didn’t stop him from thinking about her. Craving her.

Gage
backed out of the gravel lot, turning his truck toward the main road. He just
wanted to drive for a little while longer. Maybe before he ran out of gas, he’d
come up with somewhere to go. If not, he’d have a long way to walk.

At
least he would have something else to focus on if that was the case.