Chapter 42
Just when life had turned so sweet, Josie thought on the ride back, the world flipped upside down. Livie and Travis... A bittersweet coincidence.
Oh, Travis, she sighed to herself, glancing at him next to her. How he must feel so confused right now.
The streets of Los Angeles became a blur. Josie leaned her head against his shoulder as he looked through the pages of his mother's memory book. He was tense. So strained with emotion. Finally, he grunted and closed the book with a snap. Josie said nothing. She snuggled deeper into his side and breathed him in.
"Bartholomew, stop the car," Travis called out suddenly. A skilled driver, Bartholomew didn't jerk. He eased the vehicle into a parking space and shifted to look over his shoulder at them. Josie sat up.
"What is it?" she asked, studying their immediate area. They were close to a line of shops and storefronts.
"I'm sorry," Travis said to her. "I need to go do something. Can I meet you back at the hotel in a couple of hours?"
"Where are you going?" she asked, frowning.
"Just...I just have to do something," he said vaguely. "I'd ask you to come with me, but...but this is something I've always done by myself. Do you mind?"
"Travis..."
He kissed her softly. "I promise I'll explain later. I love you."
"I love you, too," she said, but he was already getting out of the car. "Travis!"
He leaned down to look at her. "I'll see you for dinner, okay? And I'll call you to let you know when."
"But Travis..."
"Bartholomew, stay with Josie, okay?"
Bartholomew nodded, but Josie said, "Wait..."
Travis grinned...that old, teasing grin of his, and Josie couldn't muster the energy to get upset. Then he closed the door and began walking away on the sidewalk. Josie almost got out and followed him, but she sighed and looked back at Bartholomew.
"Are all men like this?" she asked him, perturbed and feeling childishly peeved.
"We can be," Bartholomew chuckled. "But look at it this way...he said a couple of hours, right? A beautiful lady like you in Los Angeles...just a short drive away from some of the best shopping in America... And with a personal driver at your beck and call, who knows all the good boutiques..."
Josie smiled back at him. "Know any place that sells red stickers?"
"Red stickers, miss?"
"Or stuffed owls," she said. "Like the rest of that family, Travis' son has his preferences, too."
"Well," Bartholomew said, pulling out of the parking space. "I'm sure we can find a couple of good toy stores...and maybe a few places for you, too."
Josie sat back against the leather seats. "Considering that my boyfriend ditched me in L.A. to go off and do God knows what, I think I'm entitled to a small shopping spree. Toy stores first, Bartholomew, if you please. Then...one of those over-priced lingerie shops."
Her driver laughed, and a few hours later, Josie had purchased a dozen packages of stickers, two stuffed owls and a child's chemistry set. Oh...and a couple of discreet items for herself -- one being bra and panty set she loved so much she chose to wear it out of the store under her dress after purchasing. Then she treated Bartholomew to a late lunch at the hotel and waited for Travis to call.
However, by the time five o'clock rolled around, he had yet to let her know when he would be back. She sent him a few texts, unanswered, and told herself she'd give him until seven before she panicked.
At a little after six, he finally called. Josie strolled along the beach outside the hotel, feeling the sand between her toes when she heard his ringtone. She let it ring five times before she answered. "Yes?"
"Hey, I just got back," he said. "Where are you?"
"Abandoned somewhere in Los Angeles," she answered, staring out at the sparkling waves.
"Ah, hell, Josie...I'm sorry, I really am," he said. "I was an ass, I know that, but I had my reasons. Can I meet you? I promised I would explain."
Josie let out a breath. "I'm just down here on the beach. I'll be up at the room in a few minutes."
"Okay," he said, and then he made an amused sound. "You went shopping. I didn't dig through the bags, but did you get anything for me?"
Josie rolled her eyes as she grinned to herself. "Maybe."
"Well, I kind of got something for you, too," he said. "But you have to come see it."
"I'll be there in a minute," she said and hung up. With one last look at the ocean, she dug her feet into the sand as she made her way back to the hotel. Letting herself into the room, she called out, "Travis?"
"In the bathroom."
She dropped her shoes on the floor, phone and key card on a table and went through the suite to the bathroom. She saw Travis leaning into the mirror, shirtless, and peeling back a large white bandage from his shoulder.
Her instant reaction? "Oh, my god! Travis? You were shot?"
He frowned at her. "Shot?" Then he chuckled. "No, not exactly--"
She batted his hands away and carefully examined his wound...only there was no soakage of blood. Just red, irritated skin surrounding dark lines. "What is this?" She ripped off the bandage, and he hissed with pain.
"Ow."
"You left me on a strange street in Los Angeles...to get a tattoo?"
"You were with Bartholomew," he said, looking like a little boy being sent to Time-Out. "And I...I've always been alone when I get inked. It's just...the way I am. I'm sorry, Josie, but I did it for you. Look at it."
Josie pursed her lips, feeling femininely wronged, but she dropped her gaze to his arm...and started laughing.
Travis grinned sheepishly. "That's the same reaction the tattoo artist gave me when I explained what I wanted."
"Oh, Travis! You did this for me?" She looked up into his warm, penitent eyes. "You'll get teased for the rest of your life!"
He shrugged. "So, I get teased, but you're my Princess Shosie...you'll always be my princess, and...and I love you. Always."
"It's permanent," she said him, repeating the same thing her father told her when he found out about the small tattoo she had on her back.
Travis spread his arms wide, showcasing all his tattoos. "They're all permanent, and they all mean something to me. Now, you're a permanent part of me, too. I didn't know how else to show you that you'll always be with me, no matter what happens."
"Oh, Travis," she sighed, feeling giddy that he altered a chunk of his flesh for her. She studied the tattoo more, lightly running her finger over the swirls of delicate lines, marking the shape of a princess' tiara, complete with green jewels and the curly scripted Shosie right through the middle. "This must have taken all afternoon."
"A lot longer than I expected," he said, looking into her eyes. "But it had to be perfect...just like you."
"You're going to make me cry," she said, choking up. "To think, I almost got mad at you earlier."
"Just almost? Hell, I would have been pissed," he said. "I'm really sorry, Josie."
"It's okay," she said, smiling at the tiny, random eighth note worked into the edge of the tiara.
He tucked a finger under her chin and brought her gaze up to him. "I can't explain how much I love you," he said softly. "I guess I can cover my entire body in ink and write all the love songs in the world, and it wouldn't be enough. You've been here for me, today, this week, these past few months...for a very long time, never letting me get comfortable, never giving up, always supporting me when I really needed you, and not hating me because of Tristan and Arielle, and...and I'm trying really hard to play catch-up."
"You don't need to play catch-up," she said. "We're together now."
He brushed back her wind-blown hair. "I haven't kissed you -- really kissed you -- in a while."
"I've noticed."
Quietly and tenderly, he touched his lips to hers, and as quickly as a heartbeat, they fused and heated up. He gathered her close, lifting her to sit on the edge of the sink as he stepped between her legs and wrapped them around his waist. His lips, tongue and hands worked together to spread a liquid fire through her entire body, and when his mouth left her to trail across her cheek to her neck, Josie sucked in deep breaths...knowing they were ready.
"Travis...Travis, make love to me," she said.
He lifted his head slowly. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"There's no coming back from that," he said cautiously. "You would be mine forever."
She arched an eyebrow and tapped his tattoo. "Are you giving me an out? Because this right here already says I'm yours."
"I just want you to be sure," he said. "I can wait. I'd wait forever."
"I don't want to wait anymore," she said, gazing down at his bare chest. "But you should know... I've never...um..." And that's where her courage failed her.
"Never what?"
She felt the embarrassed flow in her cheeks.
"Oh," he said in a long breath. "Really? Never?"
"No."
He dipped his head, captured her mouth again -- lovingly -- and then said, "I've never made love before either."
"Travis," she huffed. "You have a son, remember?"
"Oh, I've had sex," he said with a small grin, "but nothing quite like how I feel when you're in my arms. When I'm with you, I've discovered that I've never done a lot of things."
"Yeah?" she asked, practically rolling her eyes at his romantic teasing. "Like what?"
"For starters," he said, pushing the strap of her dress off one shoulder, at the same time he tugged down the zipper in the back. "I've never seen you completely naked. I've never kissed you while you were completely naked...in fact, I believe I've never kissed this spot right here--" He licked the top of her right breast, where the dress loosened. "Or here..." He kissed the dip between both breasts. "Or..." He stared down at her chest, dipping a finger between the fabric of her dress and her skin, and gently dragged the neckline down. "So, this is what you bought for me today? Or did you already have it?"
Josie peeked down at the white lace of her new bra and smiled. "Oh, that's for you," she said. "But if you don't like it, I guess I can take it off."
"The irony of wearing new clothes," he mused. "I like it...and I want you to take it off."
"It does seem to be a problem," she said.
He traced the edge of the lace. "How about you keep wearing it until you think it'll look better on the floor?"
"Hmm," she moaned as his lips found skin again. "I don't know, Travis...I really like my new bra and panties."
"The panties match?" he asked, his breath tickling the side of her neck again.
"Well, of course," she said.
He grabbed her hips and drew her off the sink. "This, I need to see," he said, and allowed her dress to fall completely to the tiled floor of the bathroom. He stepped back and sucked in a breath.
"Jesus," he moaned. "I knew you were beautiful, but..."
Josie grinned and turned in a circle, and he groaned louder. The lacy boyshorts curved over her bottom perfectly, and she knew she looked great in them. She knew Travis would like it. But she also knew they wouldn't stay on all night.
He reached for her, smoothing his palms along the arch of her waist. "Have you eaten since this morning?"
Pausing for a moment, Josie curled her forehead. "Yes...why?"
"Because I also promised you dinner," he said, picking her up in his arms again. "But this might take a while." He carried her out of the bathroom, grabbed a black box from a bag on the counter, and placed her on the bed, following her down.
*****
The scent of Josie's coconut body washed mingled with the ever-present essence of the ocean, and Travis decided that if Heaven had a brand of perfume, this would be it. Her unique smell intensified as her skin heated. He drowned in it. It intoxicated him. He found himself unable to think clearly as the taste of her skin sweetened his tongue.
The bits of white lace covered everything previously forbidden to him, but as he eyes swept over the delicious curves and dips before him, he saw more beauty in the crease of her elbow than in a summer sunset over a field of wildflowers. Damn, she was perfect. From the tip of her nose to the top of her pinky toe. Beautiful, perfect, sweet...they were just words, but while lying with Josie...they were lyrics in a love song, verses in a hymn, the Once Upon a Time's and Happily Ever After's in a fairy tale. She'd given him inspiration many times in the past few months, but he'd never thought he'd feel like this.
And sweet heaven, the sounds she made... The purr rumbling out of her throat when his mouth circled around one of those lacy breasts. The breathless giggle when his tongue counted her ribs. The raspy pants as he nibbled on her belly... Damn, and he hadn't even gone beyond her hips yet. Oh, the scent of her, the melody of her groans when he could finally dip his tongue between her thighs, when he could finally pull one of those poignant nipples between his teeth and suck on her until she screamed.
"Travis..." she breathed heavily, searching blindly for him with her hands.
He placed the heel of his palm on the lace-covered mound between her legs and kneaded gently. "What is it, Princess?" he asked, loving how her scent grew stronger as he rubbed harder.
"Travis...!" she repeated, and her back arched, her body tightening, and within her next breath, she moaned loudly, vibrated wickedly, and slumped back to the mattress.
Travis grinned, kissed where his palm had rested, now damp with her first, abrupt release. "That's one," he said, rising up to his elbows to see the delayed expressions cross her features. "One of many, if you're this responsive."
"God, that felt good," she breathed out, opening her eyes to smile at him.
"And we haven't even gotten to the good stuff," he said.
"That was pretty damn good," she argued playfully. "Can you do it again?"
"I can do a lot more," he suggested, gazing down at her body, "if you're tired of wearing what you bought me."
"Don't you like it?" she teased, wiggling seductively under him.
"I cannot explain how much I like it," he said, "but I cannot make love to you while you're wearing it."
"I guess I could always wear it again later," she reflected, almost as an after thought. "Want to help me decorate the floor?"
"Hell, yes," he said and reached around her back to undo the clasp of the bra. The lacy cups slackened over her breasts, and one daring nipple emerged. Travis immediately wrapped his lips around it.
Damn...she was sweeter here...
She struggled out of the bra while he kicked off his shoes, looped toes over his socks to pull those off, and when the white lace joined his footwear on the floor, her fingers went down to the button on his jeans. "And you can't wear these," she said against his neck as she lifted up in an attempt to strip the remainder of his clothes.
Travis decided to abandon the wet, silken peak his lips had foraged on. She had a point, after all. He quickly shed the jeans and underwear while watching Josie wiggle out of her panties, and Josie's green eyes broadened when she saw all of him.
"Wow," she breathed, tentatively reaching out to touch him. He grabbed her wrist just shy of contact.
"I'm not as repetitive as you," he warned her. "Touch me now, and this night might end quicker than both of us want."
"Aw," she pouted, twisting her hand to get loose. "Please, Travis? I've never... This is one of those things I've never done before."
"Not even touched a man before?" he asked, amazed at her.
"I've been a good girl," she said.
"But you were such a horrible tease," he said.
"I know," she replied, shifting so that she could grab him with her other hand, but he stopped that one, too. "I was damn good at it." She grinned. "And I can make you let me go...I will touch you, Travis. Let me do it now and get it over with, or..."
"Or what?"
"Or suffer the consequences," she said with a sexy purr. He watched as she rose up on her knees before him. He stood on the floor; she knelt on the bed. And her tongue flicked across his chest, her body arching so that the further up she wetly traced a line, the closer her breasts got to his flesh. Those twin tips taunted him. His attention riveted on the swaying motion, on the pink of her tongue, on the shimmy of her butt as she wriggled closer.
"If you keep me from touching you," she said, her breath warming the slick path of her tongue, "you can't touch me either."
Dammit, she was right, he thought.
So, he let go of her wrists and grabbed a breast in each hand, pushing her gently back to the bed. He felt her fingers wrap around his hardened shaft, and she laughed deep in her throat. "I've got you now," she murmured.
"Are you sure you're a virgin?" he asked...his eyes rolling back in his head as her hand manipulated him.
She giggled. "I am, Travis...but I had this roommate in college...third year...she liked porn..."
He lifted his head and stared at her. "Lesbian?"
Josie gave a secretive smile. "No."
"So, no girl-on-girl experimentation in college?"
"Afraid not."
"Are you saying that you have all the knowledge, but none of the experience?"
"Hmm...experience is fine and dandy, I suppose," she said, now feathering her hands and arms around his neck to hug him affectionately. "But I'd much rather be in love with you."
Lowering down on his elbow, Travis said, "You couldn't have both?"
She gave him an impish smile. "I'm also old fashioned about some things."
Pride, passion, and a whole lot of honor filled him. "God, I love you."
"And I love you," she replied. "Shall we continue?"
He started this round with a kiss...and then another kiss...and then a whole-body, thigh-squeezing kiss that lasted through Josie's next orgasm as he savored the source of her energetic release. "Oh...that was even better," she moaned, and Travis slid up her body, hovering and eager to share an entirely different kind of physical satisfaction.
"Are you ready?" he asked, reaching for the box of condoms on the bedside table.
"Yes," she answered, peeking at his attempt to sheath himself with fumbling fingers. "Need some help?"
His breath coming in labored pants, he said, "If you touch me now..."
She hitched a knee up beside his hip as he settled down and positioned himself. "I don't want to hurt you, sweetheart, but...but it might be better to do this quickly."
"I know," she said softly. "It's okay."
He kissed her lips tenderly, maneuvered his. "I'm sorry." And he thrust in sharply, watching her. She flinched briefly, but then she smiled.
"Are you okay?"
"Wonderful," she sighed.
Oh, yeah...wonderful. Travis allowed himself to feel her, surrounding him, so tight, so warm, so wet. He closed his eyes and groaned.
He moved slowly out, and the sensation just got better. He pushed slowly back to her, and the better magnified to amazing. "Just...just tell me if it hurts..." And deliberately, he kept his lazy pace...mostly to help her adjust, but also to indulge in the feel of her. The warmth of her skin where his touched hers. The delicate scrape of aroused breasts along his chest. The sting of fingernails in his back. The silken softness of her hair along his jaw. And the heat of her quickened breath in his ear.
"You're killing me," she said hoarsely.
Travis stopped moving. "Sorry...I'll go slower if you need me to."
Her legs lifted and her heels dug into his butt. "You're going too slow, Travis. You're torturing me! Do I need to take over?"
He grinned at her. "That might be fun."
She slapped his back. "Please, Travis! I appreciate your concern, but I won't break. I'm begging you! Get a little rough!"
Taking the dare, he reared up on his knees, still embedded inside her and unwrapped her from his waist. "Rough? I've had fantasies about these legs of yours...just how flexible are you, Josie?"
Her lips curved. "You are welcome to find out."
Caressing from her thighs to her ankles, he position her feet against his shoulders and thrust...roughly. Josie's eyes closed. "Oh, god," she moaned. "Yes...again..."
Wanting to protect her head, he guided her palms to press against the headboard above her and told her to brace herself. Then he tested her flexibility and his stamina. Faster...faster...harder... She urged him on and on...and he delivered. But five minutes into the best lovemaking of the century, they both started laughing.
Because the bed squeaked.
Obvious, rhythmic squeaking. Loud enough for any of their neighbors to hear.
"Floor," Travis said, and he rolled them off the mattress, with Josie landing on top. She stayed there...she took control of the second half, and all too soon, she groaned and he groaned, and they tightened around each other as they shared their first concurrent orgasm.
The first of many.
Travis and Josie moved back to the bed for the next tour of their bodies and limits. They took their time...lazy and loving. And Travis asked her, "You will marry me, right?"
"If it's okay with Daddy," she teased, directing her mouth down his navel to experience her first taste of a man.
"You can't mention your dad while you're doing that," he said. "It's just wrong."
"Sorry," she said. And Travis relaxed against the pillows as her perfect mouth occupied itself.
"Just warning you," he said as he felt his second climax looming dangerously, "some women don't like the taste..."
"I'll find out for myself," she said...and she did. Travis tangled his fingers through her hair as his body tensed.
"Aww...god, I love you," he growled.
"Mmm...that was fun," she grinned, staring down in fascination as he softened and slumped.
"Come here," he said, pulling her up. "I need to snuggle."
She giggled, but she curled up by his side...and not long after, she fell asleep. Travis held her, planting kisses along her temple and feeling complete.
Life was perfect.