Sold #3 - A Haunting Hope

Chapter 11

Travis couldn't help but smile to himself as he stood beside Victoria, riding the elevator up to their office floor. She seemed so nervous, not just about anyone knowing they were together but of anyone even suspecting that they had another reason for both being late and coming in at the same time, other than just coincidence. As soon as they hit the fifteenth floor she slid her hand out of his, where he had been happily holding onto her under the pretence of keeping her warm in the slight wind outside, when really, he just liked being able to feel her hand in his and know that she was there. He knew he was pretty much a soppy teddy bear, but he had never been that guy before and it seemed that only Victoria could bring that out in him, and he liked it, he liked it a lot. Especially when she turned to him in her usual professional manner and began to inform him of the proper etiquette for a work environment, as if he didn't already know it, reminding him that they had to keep their relationship outside of work so that she didn't get stuck with whispered rumours suggesting she was only able to work the Amy Stevens case with him because they were seeing each other. He understood why she felt that way, of course he did Travis didn't consider himself a complete idiot, but he found it rather sweet, especially when just as the eighteenth floor passed them by, he casually wrapped his arm around her waist and gently pulled her into his arms and into a sweetly, lingering kiss. And the moment she was in his arms, Victoria couldn't help but give in to that quiet, and cheeky charm that he had, which only turned her into a drooling idiot when he finally decided to let out that secret part of himself. In an instant, their kiss became much more than one last quiet, lingering kiss before they switched their brains onto work mode and became something much more terrifying for Victoria, who knew that there was no way for her to fight what he did to her and if he wanted to, he could keep her in the background at work and take all the credit for the Stevens case, once it was solved, to himself.

And as long as she still got to enjoy those hot, deliciously irresistible kisses, like the one he allowed her then as his mouth overpowered hers, then she wouldn't care. Just as long as she could enjoy those moments, those special, private moments where he became so much more than anyone could ever guess, so much more than he had ever let anyone see were inside him. But it wasn't until he very slowly pulled back from their kiss, as if to deliberately torment her and looked down at her hand with a smile, before taking it in his and watching their fingers intertwine, that she realised just how much trouble she had got herself in. "We're not going to hide from anyone Victoria, we are what we are and I'm not going to let you disappear off into the background just so no-one knows you're mine." Travis smiled that same old charming, irresistible smile that had made her melt so often the night before, at dinner and in bed and when he kissed her hand and made her promise that she wouldn't pretend things hadn't changed between them, all she could do was nod obligingly, captivated by him as much as she had ever been. She felt so wrong then, letting out a soft laugh as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, not letting go of her hand as he kissed the side of her head and began to torment her about how difficult it was going to be not to kiss her while they were at work. She didn't know why she made the connection, but she suddenly felt very much like a groupie who had managed to sneak backstage at a concert and who had suddenly been given their dreams on a platter by being allowed some time, no matter how short or long it was going to be, to be with the one they wanted to be with. And the frightening thing was, it was almost true. She adored Travis, he was her idol. It was his dissertation, written two years ahead of her first year at law school, in his own first year, that had been the single reason for her going into law in the first place.

Victoria had been sailing along in business school just fine, ready to follow in her fathers footsteps until one of her girlfriends met her for coffee and began swooning over Travis. He had literally only walked into the class two minutes before the end of her lecture, to hand in another assignment he had finished but her girlfriend had kept her eyes glued to him until he was gone. She had even asked her lecturer who he was and begged for any information he might have about him. She had been jealous of her friend's interest of course, she didn't know why, but she had felt it from the first mention of his name and she had always known he would be significant in some way or another. And since Victoria had been waiting for a sign, of what to do with herself, whether to stay in business school or to move on to something she loved, she found her unexplainable interest in him a rather large sign with flashing lights that, for two days, wouldn't go away. So she had gone to the lecturer and asked him what course Travis was doing, if he enjoyed it and whether with her grades, she would be able to apply and when he had given her Travis' very first dissertation to read, as proof of how good he was at the course and so she could decide for herself whether she was interested in it, she had known that it was what she wanted. She wanted to write like him and think like him and be like him. Victoria had wanted his unwavering passion for what he was doing, she wanted his opinions and strength of character, she wanted to do something worthwhile and enjoy it, something she could be proud of. And three weeks later she had been accepted on a trial basis, transferring her credit marks from her business class and doing nothing but studying for the whole first year until she had managed to catch up with the coursework and find her feet. She had never regretted it, and standing there with Travis, feeling the strength with which he held her hand and hearing the sweet way he asked her if she would feel comfortable with him telling his friends of their new relationship, she knew that she had probably made the best decision of her life that day and she almost wished she could thank her friend for making her jealous, because it was that jealousy that had given her everything she wanted. She had a great job she loved and most importantly she had Travis.