When Roses Collide

Chapter Forty

Travis chuckled and she yelped when he scooped her up into his arms. Carrying her over to the bed, he sat down and snuggled her into his lap. When his arms wrapped tightly around her, she placed her cheek against the warmth of his broad chest.

"I'm not going anywhere, sunshine," he said, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"Are you sure?" she asked, even though she feared the answer. "I don't see things getting any easier. Especially now that they've got an earful of...," she trailed off. Too embarrassed to finish her sentence. Of all the things for them to overhear...it would have to be that. She felt her face start to flush hotly.

"What? So they overheard us making love." Travis put his finger under her chin and tilted her head up to face his tender gaze. "I'm not ashamed of what we were doing, baby." He gave her a libidinous grin. "Granted, I'm not used to having an audience, but I will never back down or turn away from what I feel for you. What I'm more concerned about is you. Are you going to be okay?"

A smile eased its way across her lips as his words chased away her worry.

"I will be if you are."

"I'm just fine. In fact, I'm better than fine." He nuzzled his nose against hers. "I couldn't be happier. I found the one I've always dreamed about."

"I bet you never dreamed I would come with six annoying, overprotective cowboys who suffer from not being able to mind their own business and won't hesitate to hook certain parts of your body to a three point hitch."

He laughed. "The one thing about love, is it doesn't run and I am sure as hell not going to hide it from anyone. And that goes double for your family." He pulled away from her slightly, his expression turning serious. "No matter how complicated it gets, Harley, I will always be right her," he said, giving her a tight squeeze. "Right beside you."

Those words which echoed the same ones her father had spoken to her made her heart swell and tears threaten to fall.

"I love you," she breathed.

"I love you too, sunshine." Bending down, he sealed her lips with his own and she fell into his kiss with a sigh.

He tasted of mint, coffee and something that was wholly Travis...exotic and arousing. He dominated the kiss with an experience which should have alarmed her, but...it didn't. How could it when he didn't just kiss, but made love with his mouth the same way she did a chocolate ice cream cone?

From the first lick of his tongue to each swirl that followed, sent her into a sensual pleasure of frothy desire and only added to her hunger for him. Spirals of need began to stroke along Harley's inner thighs while Travis made a delightful dessert of her mouth. Each swipe of his tongue drove her higher and higher until she whimpered against him.

The towel fell away from her body and pooled around her waist as she raised her arms and dove her hands into his thick hair. Travis's big, searching palms found her breasts. His callouses brushing her erect nipples and making her moan. Harley arched into his touch, his hands warm and roaming on her cooling skin sent waves of shivers through her system. Who needed a robe when he was around, she thought as one of his hands moved from her breast to the small of her back, pressing her flat against his hot body.

Though she had just had two exquisite orgasms, her body trembled with an onslaught of yearning as she worshipped his mouth in a zeal she'd never knew she possessed until Travis Montgomery stepped into her life.

"Harley, we have to stop," he moaned, his voice a jarring distraction to the growing pleasure surrounding them.

"Stop?" she asked, her mind a jumble as she tried to grasp the definition of the word.