His grin covers his face ear to ear. “Well then, glad I can help.” He raises his glass and takes another drink.
Chapter Two
“There’s no way you actually did that,” I say, slapping my hand on the table.
Travis snorts as he laughs, and it’s the cutest thing ever.
“I’m telling you, when you live in a small town, you have to get very creative when it comes to entertaining yourself. Tipping over the sheriff’s tractor seemed like a good idea at the time.”
“Were you ever caught?”
He shakes his head with a huge grin on his face. “Nope. It was a big ordeal too. The city was in an uproar for weeks. They finally blamed it on some weed growers who live in the hills, thinking the sheriff must have pissed them off.”
“I can’t believe none of your friends spilled the beans.”
“Are you kidding me? We saw firsthand how much trouble we would be in. Hell no. We all stayed tight-lipped on that.”
“So then, it is possible to keep secrets in your small town,” I say with a grin, raising my eyebrows.
He flashes me a gorgeous smile. We stare at each other, and I feel that pull, that connection that’s been happening between us.
“Tell me, Travis … how have you been single the entire time you’ve been in San Francisco?”
He takes my hand that was playing with the Sierra Nevada coaster, which originally sat under our drinks. “I’ve never met someone like you.” I blush, and he continues, “I’m serious. Look at the time. Did you realize we’ve been sitting here for four hours?”
My eyes open wide. “Seriously?” I search around the bar to see no one around us.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m learning I’m not a city person. Everyone here is into big clubs or fancy dinners. Give me a barbeque and a backyard with just a few people, and that’s my kind of night. Call me a small-town boy, but the big city doesn’t really fit me, you know?”
I nod, pursing my lips. “Yes. I know exactly what you mean. I moved here three years ago, thinking it’d be exciting but it hasn’t been. I’m over not being able to find parking and then walking three blocks in the freezing cold with the wind blowing like crazy every time I’m in between the buildings.”
He laughs out loud, knowing exactly what I mean.
I grew up an hour away, where it’s normal weather. Here, it’s always cold and windy.
“So, no matter what, you’re leaving the city after you graduate?” I ask. I’m not sure how his answer will affect me, but for some reason, it’s making me nervous.
His lips tilt up in a slight grin. “If you had asked me that yesterday, I would have said absolutely. Now, I guess it all depends.”
My face turns flush as my heart beats rapidly. I don’t get to respond because the bartender walks over to our table, interrupting our moment.
“Sorry, guys, but we’re about to close down.”
He grabs the four beer bottles that cover our table. Besides my shots when he first got here, that’s all we’ve had these past four hours.
Travis looks at me, and I sigh, pursing my lips together as I reach for my purse. Sadness rips through my body at the thought of leaving and going home. Tonight has been the best night I’ve had in a while, and I’m not ready for it to end.
Our conversation has flowed this entire time. I didn’t even notice it’d been an hour since I finished my drink, and I never cared or needed another one. All the stress that had riddled my body as I entered this place is totally gone, and I feel like a completely different person, just being in his presence.
I stand, and Travis covers my hand with his.
“Don’t leave yet,” he says, and I see the sincerity in his eyes.
They click off the lights to a portion of the bar, and we both laugh as he stands. We walk together toward the door. The silence is painful. I’m not ready to say good-bye, but I fear this is it.
As we step outside, I turn to him, taking a deep inhale, readying myself to say good-bye. Before I do, he slips a hand around the nape of my neck and kisses me with so much passion that I melt.
As he pulls away, he holds me close, placing his forehead to mine. “Please don’t leave. Come back to my place for the night.”
With my brain still in a lust-filled haze, I nod and forget my entire life when he kisses me again. Then, he walks me back to his truck, which is parked on the street.
His place is only a few blocks away, but we both stay silent for the entire ride. The air is so thick, as we both know what’s coming and are dying to get the opportunity to touch again.
When he parks, I try to make my mind go blank and think about nothing else but that kiss and the emotions I’ve been missing for so long.
I open the door, and when he meets me at the front of the truck, his fingers slip into mine. He leads me to a bottom-floor apartment. It’s dark when we enter, but I breathe a sigh of relief that he doesn’t have roommates—or at least, they aren’t home if he does.
He clicks on the lights and wastes no time in walking me back to his room. After he kicks the door shut, I’m back in his arms, and his lips are pressed to mine.
All my inhibitions go out the window, and I reach down, pulling my shirt over my head, revealing the black lace bra I have on underneath. His hand runs over my breast as his other hand grips the back of my neck, bringing his lips back to mine.
There’s this urgency between us but also this passion I’ve never felt before. With every breath, I breathe him in, and it opens my heart to things I’ve only read about.
Things I never thought I’d actually feel.
As his lips trail down my neck, I take a deep inhale, letting the emotions run through me like a drug, living in the moment.
I run my fingers under his shirt and slowly lift it until he pulls away from me briefly, so I can remove it completely. Once it’s off, he yanks me closer to him, and the warmth of his body envelops my soul as he holds me tightly while making his way to his bed.
We simultaneously lie down together, him on top of me, and he kisses his way down my neck and over my breasts. He slides the bra strap down my arm, and when my nipple pops free, he sucks it into his mouth, sending sensations directly to my core, which only makes me want him—want this—more.
He unbuttons my skinny jeans, and I shimmy my hips, kicking off my shoes and helping him slide them down my legs until they’re completely off. He stands to remove his own jeans and then his boxers.
When his cock springs free, I lick my lips as my chest tightens. I can barely breathe; I feel so much need to have him near me, inside me, claiming me.
As he lowers himself to me, he tucks his fingers under my panties, pulling them down until they’re on the floor. He reaches for his drawer, and his face tightens when he doesn’t find what he’s searching for.
His eyes meet mine, and I know he’s saying he doesn’t have a condom. I rub my lips together and slowly shake my head side to side, telling him I don’t have one either.
I watch as he closes his eyes and takes a deep inhale. My heart sinks when I realize this probably won’t happen, as neither one of us has protection.
I sigh as I move to make my way up when he stops me and says, “Wait, I have one in my wallet.”