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Alarm began to overwhelm her. She'd insinuated to Catherine that she might consider sleeping with Travis in the future. How could she think such a thing? How could she con¬template going to bed with a man who didn't love her but only felt physical desire? But then had Keith loved her? She'd thought he did but she'd been proved wrong. Perhaps Travis's way was the more honest, at least.
When Travis brought the car to a stop outside her gate Beth knew she wasn't nearly ready for an affair. If he wanted to come in she was going to have to make it very plain a good¬night kiss was all he could expect, she told herself frantically.
He didn't. He merely left the car and walked round the bonnet to open her door, helping her out and then pushing open her gate. 'I'll watch you in,' he said coolly, before pulling her into him and kissing her so thoroughly she was vitally aware of the muscled strength of his body and how aroused he was. Nevertheless it was he who ended the kiss, firmly putting her from him and sending her on her way to the front door on trembling legs.
Harvey bound out as soon as she opened the door and after a cursory welcome made straight for Travis, refusing to return to the house until Travis walked him back.
'He's not normally like this,' Beth said apologetically. 'It's just that he's taken to you.'
A small smile lifted the corners of Travis's mouth. A dry, self-deprecating smile. 'If it helps my case with his mistress I've no objection,' he said softly. He came closer and lifted her chin. 'And I do need all the help I can get, don't I, Beth?'
He had known she was panicking as they had drawn up
outside the cottage. She stared at him and then made a small
helpless gesture with her hands. 'It isn't you, not as such,' she
stammered. 'I'm just not ready...' She shook her head.
Travis, I'm confused about so many things still.'
'I know,' he said even more softly. 'Or you would be in my bed right now. Goodnight, Beth.'
This time the kiss merely brushed her lips and in the next moment he turned and walked away, sliding into the car and disappearing into the night without a backward glance.
Beth stood for some long minutes staring after him while Harvey nosed about the garden. It was very still and quiet, the warm air scented with the tang of the trees surrounding the cottage and just the faintest echo of wood smoke.
He hadn't mentioned seeing her again. Her heart began to thump. Had she put him off with her nerves and jitters? Perhaps on reflection he wasn't too keen on getting involved, however lightly, with someone who was carrying a whole load of baggage. Travis would be able to have his pick of many women; he didn't need to waste time with her.
Harvey returned to her side, pushing his cold wet nose in her hand. She gazed down at the big dog and then crouched down and took the furry face in her hands, ruffling his fur as she said, 'What am I doing, Harvey? Have I gone mad or what? Has all this solitude turned my brain?'
Her answer was a long pink tongue across her nose and, laughing now, she stood up. She was thinking too much. It had become a habit since her marriage had ended. She had to do what Catherine had advised and live each day as it came. If Travis wanted to see her now and again when he was in these parts that was fine. It didn't prevent him having girlfriends at home in Bristol—he was still a free agent. This was just a casual thing, friendly, that was all. Anything else was up to her; he'd made that plain.
Nodding to the night sky, she clicked her fingers at Harvey and turned and walked into the cottage, refusing to dwell on the fact that her lips were still tingling from that last fleeting kiss. Or what it would mean to be bedded by a man like Travis. She rather suspected she was going to have to do a lot of non-thinking in the coming weeks. But she could handle this if she kept her cool. That was the key.
She shut the door behind her, staring round the room she had left just hours before and wondering why everything seemed different. Then she realised what it was. She was happy.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Beth was awoken from a deep dreamless sleep the next morning by someone banging on the front door. She sat up in bed just as Harvey began a frenzied barking and at the same time her alarm clock began caterwauling.
Not the most peaceful start to a Sunday morning, then.
Turning off the alarm, she reached for her big fluffy robe and pulled it on over her skimpy nightdress, knotting the belt firmly as she walked to the front door, shushing Harvey in the process. Still dazed with sleep, she didn't even stop to brush her hair.
'Hi.' Travis was on the doorstep and he grinned at her, holding out some bags. 'Breakfast. It's a beautiful day and I thought we shouldn't waste a minute of it as I have to leave tonight'
Beth felt like a dormouse rudely awoken from hibernation. Trying to pull herself together, she said, 'What time is it?'
