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“Why what?” she snapped.
“Why do I make you lose your mind?’
It was Ruby’s turn to pause. For a moment, he thought she might throw the flowers and toss the wine, but then she sighed. “Travis, I’m here. And that’s a big step for me. I didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to do the family thing because we’re not family anymore. But then I realized I don’t know what the hell we are, so I’m here. Let me in.”
Travis leaned forward. “What’s the password?”
“What?”
Okay, now he was being a dick. “Password?”
She studied him for a few seconds and then reached up, pressing her lips against his in the sweetest kiss he could remember. She was soft and pliant, and his heart pounded so heavily, he was sure she heard it. He opened his mouth, and it was all she needed. Her tongue slipped inside, and she nipped at him, deepening the kiss until both of them were breathing hard. Slowly, she extracted herself.
“Will that do?” she asked, voice throaty with that hint of rasp that drove him crazy.
Travis nodded. “That will do.” He stepped aside, and she walked by, her scent surrounded him seductively. It wasn’t fair, really, the arsenal of weapons this woman possessed. And all of them warheads with his name emblazoned on them. The thing was, he’d take every single one of them because she was here.
She’s here.
Travis followed her into the house and plopped the diaper bag onto the island. He scrounged around in the kitchen, found a vase and handed it to her, and then waited until she’d added the flowers and water. Once that was done, he grabbed the tray of condiments and pointed to the sliding door.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked, giving her one last out.
“No.” Ruby opened the door and headed outside.
Hours later, after Hudson and Rebecca had excused themselves and Brad and Gwen had left, Travis and Ruby found themselves alone in the backyard with his brother and Regan. They’d had a great meal—his brother grilled up a mean steak—and a lot of laughs. There’d been no awkward moments, no questions asked that were intrusive, and the evening seemed to be a success. He settled back in his seat, his hand loose on the chair behind Ruby’s head, though a part of him was tense. The part that was waiting for something to happen.
“When do you leave for training camp?” Regan asked, settling back against Wyatt.
Yeah. Here is was. That something waiting to happen.
“A couple of weeks. I have to get back to the gym, and then we’re on the ice for training camp mid-September.”
“Gosh,
summer has flown by,” Regan said with a smile. “And so much has happened. I think it’s wonderful the two of you found your way back to each other. It’s like a movie or something.” She laughed. “True love always wins.”
Ruby moved and hunched her shoulders. She didn’t reply, and Travis didn’t know what the hell to say. But Regan was unaware and, still smiling, looked at Ruby. “I suppose you guys are going to do the long-distance thing? Or are you headed to the city with Travis?”
Silence met her words, and Regan looked at Travis. “You guys have talked about this, right?”
Wyatt cleared his throat. “I think we should mind our own business, don’t you?”
“I can’t move to the city,” Ruby replied coolly, pulling at the edge of her dress. “The spa takes up a lot of time, and my brother lives here, so……”
“Oh, right. I’ve been meaning to book a treatment. I’ve heard it’s an amazing place to visit. I just don’t have a lot of time between the hospital and my practice.”
“That’s okay, baby.” Wyatt nuzzled her neck. “I’ve got magical hands.” His brother’s hand was under Regan’s top, and that was enough for Travis. He jumped to his feet.
“I think it’s time for us to head out.”
“You sure?” Wyatt didn’t look their way, even when Regan slapped his hand.
“We’ll see ourselves out.”
Travis and Ruby walked through the house and paused on the street. Fog curled along the path, glowing from the moon’s reflection. It was eerie and somehow fit the mood. Gone was the ease of the evening just passed. There was something between them now, something thick and dark, and it made his gut clench. He hated not knowing where he stood with this woman.
“My truck’s parked down the way,” he said, eyes on Ruby.
