Always (Always Series Book 1) Page 18

  “Are you going to work late those days, like today? Because I don’t like Tate coming home to an empty house. So, if you’ll be late, I’ll work it out with Roger and make sure I’m home early those days for her.”

  “You’d do that?” I mean, I know he’s amazing and treats Tatum so well – like his own – but the fact that he’s willing to adjust his life, even now, for her astounds me. This man cares so deeply, but you’d never know it looking at his rough exterior.

  He looks up at me standing in the doorway to the bathroom and smiles. “Of course I’d do that. She’s my family, too. Josie, I knew that having you meant I’d get to have her, too. I love you both. I hope you know that. I’d do anything for my girls.”

  I smack my hands on my thighs with a huff of exasperation. “Seriously, how is it possible that you’re so amazing?”

  “It’s au naturel, pretty girl, just for you.”

  I tip my head back and laugh before running and jumping on him in bed. He catches me, turning me quickly and caging me in under his body that’s on all fours over me. I lift my head to kiss him, but he pulls away with a smirk. I try again, but he shakes his head no. I try a third time, but he puts his thumb to my lips, rubbing it across them.

  “You have to answer a question before you can kiss me tonight,” he says slowly, his eyes not leaving my mouth.

  I just wanted to kiss him, soft and sweet, but the game he’s playing now has me wanting so much more. “OK. What’s the question?” I ask, wrapping my legs around his waist and rubbing against him. He closes his eyes and lets out a groan from the friction. Two can play this game.

  He leans down and runs his nose up the side of my neck. Stopping at my ear, he nibbles it before whispering the words I wasn’t expecting.

  “Marry me.” His lips ghost against my ear, sending goosebumps down my arms as a shiver runs down my spine. I gasp, and my voice gets stuck in my throat when I try to speak.

  Travis sits back then, still straddling me on the bed. He runs his knuckles across my cheek as he looks down at me with a breathtakingly handsome smile on his face. The gold flecks in his eyes shine as he takes me in. Holding my left hand, he lifts it to his lips and kisses my wrist, my palm, each of my fingertips. He stops at my ring finger, sucking it into his mouth, the feel of his velvety tongue seducing me. His eyes never leave mine the entire time.

  When he pulls my finger from his mouth, he kisses the top knuckle. It isn’t until his lips leave my skin that I notice the ring that’s sitting on my finger that wasn’t there before. It’s a slim, white gold band with a sapphire in the middle with diamonds on both sides of it. I tear my eyes away from the ring and look up into his that are still watching me. “Travis,” I say his name softly, still unable to put into words what I want to say. Instead, I reach up, cupping his face, and kiss him hard and long, hoping he understands my answer.

  He pulls away first, looking at me again, drinking me in. “I didn’t hear you answer my question. You cheated and kissed me anyway,” he smirks.

  “I didn’t actually hear a question. I heard more of a statement,” I counter. “Did you want to still ask your question?” I ask with innocent eyes.

  TRAVIS

  This girl. This woman. Damn her sass.

  She looks at me with those big, beautiful blue eyes. The very eyes that were the reason I picked a sapphire ring instead of a diamond. As soon as I saw it at the jewelry store, it reminded me of her eyes that I drown in daily. The eyes I dreamt about when we were apart. The eyes that have loved me in every way there is to love a person. The eyes that saved me – and continue to save me – from everything that threatened to destroy me. The eyes I love with everything in me.

  I pull her up to sit on the edge of the bed, while I slide down to my knees in front of her. Taking her left hand, I kiss the ring on her finger again. “Josie, will you marry me?” Her smile is instant, spreading across her beautiful face. She bites her lip and nods as tears begin to pool in her eyes. “I need to hear you say the words, pretty girl.”

  She lets out a short laugh then. “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you, Travis Gellar.” And then she’s pushing me until I’m on my back on the floor and she’s straddling me. She peppers kisses all over my face saying yes over and over.

  “Josie, you are my whole world. I love you so much.”

  “I love you, too, baby. I love you, Travis, with my whole heart.”

  I pull her down and take her mouth in mine, showing her how much I love her. How she’s all I need to live and breathe.

  She sits back, once we’re both panting, and holds her hand out, looking her at her ring. Her eyes are flooded with emotion, clouded with lust. “It’s so beautiful.”

  “I knew it was yours the second I saw it. I’ve had it since before you started treatment.”

  “But we’d only been together a couple weeks at that point.”

  “I knew I wanted to spend my life with you, Joes. It was never a question on my part.” I shrug and take a deep breath. “Come on, pretty girl, it’s been a big day. Let’s get you to bed.”

  We crawl into bed and Josie curls into me, letting me hold her. I take in her scent of lavender and honey, like I do every time she’s around, and get lost in her. This girl – this woman that’s going to be my wife.

  I’m the luckiest sonofabitch on earth.

  * * *

  Josie’s been gone all day. She should be done working soon, but I’m getting antsy waiting for her. Tatum is at her dad’s this weekend and sitting in this empty house is driving me crazy. I know that Josie had an open house today, but I’m not sure where. I decide to call Candace and see if she’s still there.

  “This is Candace with Primark Realty. How can I help you today?”

  “Hey, Candace. It’s Travis.”

  “What’s up, dude? Missing your woman all caveman-like?”

  I roll my eyes because only she would say something like that. “Something like that. Is she still at the open house?”

  “Yes, it should be done in about an hour.”

  “Mind giving me the address?”

  “You’re so freaking cute, you. Sure. It’s 22 Walnut Street.”

  “Thanks.”

  “No problem. Just remember to wipe up any butt prints before you leave, OK stud?”

  I can’t help but chuckle. “Got it. Later, Candace.”

  “Bye, Trav.”

  I’m already in my truck by the time I hang up the phone. It’s only about a ten-minute drive to the house, and when I see the sign and balloons out front, I know I’m at the right place. The house is quiet, except for soft classical music playing when I walk in. Josie has her back to me where she stands in the kitchen looking out into the backyard. By the way she hasn’t moved, I don’t think she heard me come in, which excites and scares me a little.

  I walk up behind her, so close that I can feel her heat and smell her, but I’m not touching her – yet. But she spins around to face me before I can do anything, smacking her lips on mine.

  “I missed you today,” she says.

  “Missed you, too, pretty girl. I couldn’t wait any longer to see you.”

  “I’m glad you came to see me. It’s been surprisingly dead today.”

  “Want to christen some rooms?” I ask, wagging my brows at her. “Candace said I just have to wipe up any butt prints before I leave.”

  “She did not,” Josie laughs, but she knows it’s true before I even answer.

  “Oh yeah. She definitely did.”

  “Well, do you want a tour?”

  “Of your body, yes.”

  “Travis, we can’t do that here.”

  “Why not? No one’s here. Come on, show me around.”

  “I’ll show you the house, Trav. That’s it.”

  “Uh huh.”

  “Travis!”

  “That’s right, yell my name.”

  “Ohmygosh!”

  I laugh as I follow behind her. She shows me the upstairs first, with four large bedrooms an
d two full baths. The main floor has an open concept with a big kitchen and dining area, living room, half bath and den. She shows me the three-car garage next that I drool over, followed by the backyard with a deck, fire pit, and brick pizza oven. By the time we get downstairs to the finished basement with another full bath, office, gym and entertainment room, I’m in awe. This house is amazing. It’s a dream out of a magazine. Now, after taking the time to actually look at it and not just Josie, I’m surprised she hasn’t had much traffic on it.

  “This place is incredible. It’s like a dream.”

  “I know. I love it. It already feels homey, don’t you think? It’s the perfect house to grow a family.”

  I swallow harshly before saying my next words. “Or perfect for a ready-made one.”

  Her head snaps up to look at me. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying it would be perfect for us. For our family. Get a fresh start.”

  “Travis... I don’t know.”

  “How much is it? Can we afford it with both our incomes?”

  “I… I’d have to sit down and do the numbers, but maybe.” She pauses. “Are you serious?”

  “Yes. One hundred percent.”

  She wastes no time pulling out a calculator, notepad and one of the flyers for the house. She’s asking me all kinds of questions about my income, adding in all of hers. I don’t understand half of what she’s adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing; but when she looks up at me with that big, beautiful smile, I melt for her all over again.

  “It’ll be tight with their asking price, but if we can talk them down, we could do it. We could buy this house, Travis. We could have a home that’s ours. Yours and mine.”

  “Then let’s do it, pretty girl.”

  We drive back to her office, where she drafts up an offer to submit on the house. We went low, thinking we’d have more room to negotiate when they countered.

  A half hour later, we’re eating Chinese take-out when her phone rings. The way she looks up at me after she answers tells me all I need to know. We got the house. Josie stays collected while on the phone, but as soon as she hangs up, she flies into my lap.

  “We got it! We got the house! Ohmygosh, Travis, we’re buying a house together!”

  “I know.”

  “Aren’t you happy?”

  “Josie, I’m happy wherever I am with you. I love the house, don’t get me wrong, but I would have been just as happy if we didn’t get it because I’d still have you.”

  Chapter 20

  Josie

  I feel like I’m living a dream lately. Cancer treatments are done, I’m engaged to the sexiest man alive and we’re buying a dream house to start our life together. I’m on cloud nine!

  But like all good dreams, I have to wake up and face the day. I have to tell Adam that I’m marrying Travis and we’re selling the house. I know he’s going to freak out. He only tolerated Trav and me because of my cancer. So, now that we’re past him playing nice, I’m sure he’s going to be just thrilled that it isn’t a ‘phase’ as he called it before. He had been upset when I told him that we were together and called me dirty names but let it go at the time for my sake. He didn’t want to cause more stress for me, he had said.

  Now, I’m not sure how he’s going to react. Adam is a jerk and never loved me like he should have, but he’s never physically hurt me, and I don’t expect him to start now. I’m just not sure I’m ready to hear him berate my relationship with Travis, either. I need to be honest and upfront though. I refuse to hide what Travis and I have ever again.

  I asked Adam to pick up Tatum from my house instead of from school and if he could come early so we could talk before. He agreed. Now I’m waiting for him to show up.

  The doorbell makes me jump when it rings, knowing what’s on the other side. I make my way to the door and open it with a smile to greet my ex-husband.

  “Hey. Come on in,” I greet him, trying to calm my nerves.

  “Hey. What’s all this about? Everything alright? Is the cancer back?”

  “No, it’s not that. I’m doing fine – great actually.”

  “Then what’s going on, Josie?”

  I walk into the living room and sit down as he follows me, sitting across from me. And then his eyes look at my ring finger that’s sat empty since we divorced years ago.

  He angrily looks up at me. “Start talking, please.”

  I decide to just spit it all out at once. “Travis and I are getting married and we’re buying a house. We should move in in a couple months, and I’m going to sell this house. Did you want to buy it?”

  “The fuck you are!” he yells at me, his face turning red.

  “Excuse me?”

  “You are not marrying that dipshit piece of trash and moving my daughter from the only house she’s ever known.”

  “I wasn’t asking your permission, Adam. I’m respectfully letting you know. And just so you are aware, both of our kids are happy for Travis and me. Tatum loves Travis, and she’s excited about the new house. We were able to show her yesterday. It’s still in Graves, and she won’t have to change schools.”

  “I can’t believe this,” he scoffs and stands, pacing back and forth. I decide to give him time to process everything, sitting in silence.

  After a few minutes, he turns and looks at me. “I can’t believe you’re marrying a child. What kind of mother are you?”

  “A damn good one!” I roar, standing to meet him toe to toe. “Travis is twenty-two, owns his own successful business and has been nothing but amazing with Tatum. He’s not a child, or a pervert, for your information. And he treats me a hell of a lot better than you ever did. If Ollie can support his best friend and mom, you damn well should be able to.”

  “I can’t believe you.” He shakes his head in disbelief.

  “So, I guess the only thing to discuss now is if you have any interest in buying the house or not.”

  “I hated it when I lived here; I definitely hate it now knowing you’ve fucked that trash in our bed.”

  The sound of skin hitting skin resonates in my ears before I realize I instinctually smacked him across the face. “Get out!”

  “What about Tatum?”

  “You can wait for her outside. You are no longer welcome in my home.”

  “What about the kids?”

  “They can see you at your house or meet you somewhere else. But until you apologize and treat my future husband and me with respect like I have you and your multiple call girls, I don’t want to see or speak to you, and you are not welcome in my home with my family.”

  “You always were a crazy bitch. Glad I left your fat ass when I did.”

  “Fuck you!”

  “Been there, done that, sweetheart, and it wasn’t that great. One of the many reasons I left you.”

  I school my tears and stomp to the door, tearing it open. “Get the fuck out, you bastard.”

  I slam the door once he’s through. My back hits it, and I slide down in a puddle on the floor. My tears fall freely from the hurtful things he said to me. We might not have ever loved each other well, but we always seemed to fight like champs.

  I hear Adam greet Tatum when she gets home from school. He convinces her to just go with him without saying bye, which is probably for the best, and leaves for the weekend.

  * * *

  I must have fallen asleep in front of the door from crying. I wake to hear Travis walking in from his day at the garage. I push myself up to sit against the door and rub my eyes. I’m attempting to stand when he walks around the corner and spots me.

  “Hey. What are you doing there? You alright?” he asks cautiously.

  “Yeah, I’m OK. I fell asleep.”

  “That’s a strange place to fall asleep,” he says, crouching down in front me, running his knuckles down my cheek with a grin. “You sure you’re alright?”

  “I told Adam about us and the house today. It didn’t go well.”

  He stiffens then, his jaw c
lenching. “Did he hurt you?”

  “No, not physically anyway. We fought, and he said some nasty things – hurtful things. I kicked him out.”

  “Where’s Tatum?”

  “She’s with him.”

  “Do you want to talk about it more? Tell me what he said?”

  I shake my head. “No. It doesn’t matter. I told him he wasn’t welcome in our home until he apologized and showed us respect. I don’t see that happening anytime soon. Nothing much left to say. You’d just get angry if I tell you what he said. It won’t do any good.”

  “Then what can I do for you?”

  “Love me. Hold me,” I say putting my hand on his cheek. I just need to feel him – his warmth – right now.

  He turns his head and kisses my palm. “Always.”

  Travis scoops me up in his arms, carrying me upstairs. My face is against his hard chest, muscles flexed from carrying me. I love feeling his strength, his protection, around me. I rub my nose up to his neck, taking in the smell of gas and oil, musk and spice and him. I wish I could burrow into him and never leave.

  He sets me down on the bed and stands up. He hovers over me, eyes darkened with hunger. It’s the same hunger I have.

  “Make love to me, Travis,” I whisper, breaking the silence, slicing through the lust that’s circling us like a tornado.

  His tongue licks his lips before his teeth rake over the bottom one. I know he’s contemplating what to do because it’s the first time I’ve asked for him like this since before my surgery. He never asked or pushed for it, and I know it was because he knew I wasn’t ready. But I’m ready now. I need him now.

  “Are you sure you’re ready, pretty girl?” he asks, his voice rough and sexy, making me tingle. Looking up at him, I nod.

  I pull my shirt over my head and unclasp my bra, letting it fall to the floor. It’s not the first time he’s seen me naked since the surgery, but it’s the first time I’ve given him time to study me, stare at me, touch me. My eyes trail up his body when I hear his shirt fall to the floor with mine. All my nerves drift away when I see the way he’s looking at me.