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And then in the next moment he lifted his head and settled back in his own seat, leaving her so bereft for a second that she almost reached out to him. She gazed at him, utterly over¬whelmed by how he had made her feel. Never, not even in the first flush of their relationship when she had thought Keith was the be-all and end-all, had he been able to inspire such a physical reaction. Which was scary. Very scary. But exhila¬rating and thrilling too. She hadn't known it was possible to feel so wholly alive.
'I want you, Beth,' he said with remarkable coolness con¬sidering she felt she was about to spontaneously combust, 'but as I said, I'm in no hurry. I've never yet taken a woman who wasn't totally and completely ready, mind and body. I'm not about to start with you. That's a promise, OK?'
She nodded helplessly. Speech was beyond her.
'So we have the odd date, see each other when I'm up in these parts, nothing heavy. You learn about me and I learn about you. We might like what we find out, we might not.' The piercing eyes with their black lashes looked down for a moment and when his lids rose again, his gaze fixed on her face. 'But it'll be a good summer,' he said lazily. 'A very good summer indeed.'
CHAPTER SIX
Catherine was definitely bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when they walked into the hotel bar some minutes later, her gaze moving searchingly over her sister. Beth tried to ignore the silent question in Catherine's eyes and join the small talk Travis was engaging in but it was hard. For one thing, her brain was still trying to assess just what had happened in the car, and another was the fact that Travis had taken her hand as they'd walked into the hotel and seemed in no hurry to let go.
She stuttered and stumbled her way through the conversa¬tion—a conversation which Travis kept flowing with effort¬less ease having metamorphosed into the perfect charming dinner companion—but it was a huge relief when a waiter appeared at Michael's elbow and informed them their table was ready in the restaurant.
After choosing from the extensive menu it only took Catherine thirty seconds to day, 'I'm just popping to the cloak¬room. You coming, Beth?'
The third degree. Beth stared at her sister. But if she didn't go with Catherine now and satisfy her blatant curiosity, her sister would only corner her at some other point during the evening. Better to get it over with.
Once in the ladies' cloakroom, Catherine made no bones about her inquisitiveness but then prevarication had never been one of her sister's attributes.
'So?' Catherine was all agog. 'What gives?'
'What do you mean, what gives?' Beth hedged.
'You were holding hands,' Catherine said gleefully. 'And that looked to be one serious conversation you were having in the car. Don't tell me you were discussing the weather.'
She loved her sister, she really did, but right at this moment she wished Catherine was anywhere but here. How could she explain what she didn't understand herself? Somehow she'd agreed to start dating Travis in the last hour and she would have sworn on oath such a thing was ludicrous this morning. Beth took a deep breath. 'We're friends,' she stated. Then, when her sister gave a horsey snort, she added, 'Just friends. I mean it, Catherine. We've agreed we might see each other now and again when Travis is up here but on a very casual basis. No strings attached, just nice and easy.'
'But you have agreed to see him?' Catherine beamed.
'I just said, didn't I?' Beth tried to keep the irritation out of her voice but her sister's smiling face had a definite 'I told you so' edge to it. 'But it's absolutely no strings attached,' she repeated in case Catherine had missed it first time.
'I've seen the way he looks at you.' Catherine was almost purring. 'He's hooked.'
'Catherine.' Beth frowned warningly. 'It's not like that. Look, he's already told me he's been in love with someone who didn't feel the same and he'll never get over her.'
'He said that?' Catherine's face dropped. 'Really?' Well, he had practically. Beth nodded. 'So it's no use getting your hopes up on his side and you know how I feel about the prospect of commitment. Never again.'
'Never's a long time.' Catherine nodded wisely.
'Not in this case,' Beth said firmly. 'Believe me.'
'And if anyone could change your mind, my money's on Travis.'
'You'd lose your money, Cath. Every last penny. I don't mind the odd date but that's all this can ever be.'
They stared at each other for a moment and then Catherine sighed disappointedly. 'OK, I' 11 take your word for it—for now.'
'Thanks,' said Beth wryly. 'Good of you.'
'But, for what it's worth, I think he's a perfect gem.'
'I don't think Travis is a perfect anything.'
'You know what I mean.' Catherine wrinkled her small nose. 'He's gorgeous, Beth. And I can tell you fancy him,' she added slyly. 'You do, don't you?' she added when Beth didn't say anything. 'It's as plain as the nose on your face.'
