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'Pleased to meet you, Beth.'
As Mavis turned to her, Beth became aware she was being scrutinised very thoroughly by a pair of blue eyes surrounded by panda make-up. A little taken aback, she murmured, 'Hello, Mavis. I'm pleased to meet you too.'
'I've kept your table once Dave said you were coming.' Mavis turned back to Travis, adding, 'Your jeans are wet. What on earth have you been doing?'
'Washing Beth's dog. We took him for a walk after break¬fast and he managed to disgrace himself.'
'Right.' Mavis nodded. 'Bad as your two then, is he?'
Beth didn't know if Travis was aware that Mavis had put two and two together and made ten with that statement about after breakfast, but she'd seen the gleam in the other woman's eye as she'd glanced at them both. Quickly now she said, "Travis arrived on my doorstep this morning having bought up most of the goodies in the local delicatessen, so if I don't do full justice to your lunch it's his fault.'
'Oh, don't you worry, dear, we've all sorts to choose from.
If you want something light the salmon in prawn and dill sauce is lovely. You two go through to the garden and I'll bring your drinks to you. What are you having?'
Having given Mavis their order and waved at Dave, who was manning the bar with the help of a couple of barmaids, Travis took her hand and led her through the pub and out into the garden. It wasn't at all what Beth had expected, having an almost cottagey feel to it rather than the smooth lawns covered with umpteen picnic tables such establishments usually boasted. Small wrought iron tables and chairs were dotted here and there between riotous flowerbeds and sweet-smelling bushes and tubs, several trees providing welcome shade from the hot sun in some places. The whole garden was on a very slight slope which led down to the banks of the river, a small fence providing protection for children from the deep water, and an army of ducks and swans scattered along the bank on the other side.
Travis stopped at a small table for two set slightly apart from the others under the shade of a silver birch tree which overlooked the glittering water, pulling out her chair and then, once she was seated, sitting down himself. It was only then he said, and very quietly, 'Why so defensive, Beth? Is it really so unthinkable for anyone to imagine we might be lovers?'
She stared at him, flushing. 'I don't know what you mean,' she lied. 'No one's said anything about us being lovers.'
'I saw your face.' The grey gaze was unblinking.
'Travis—'
'What it is about me that makes the thought of our being intimate so repugnant?'
He was angry. He was hiding it under the smooth con¬trolled exterior and his voice was without heat, but she knew
he was angry. Swallowing hard, she murmured, 'It's not like that. I've told you I can't get involved with anyone; I didn't want Mavis to get the idea we were serious, that's all.'
'It's not can't, Beth. It's won't.'
'What?' She broke their shared gaze, her cheeks burning.
'You said you can't get involved with anyone. That's not true. You're a free agent. You can please yourself exactly what you do with the rest of your life.' He leant back in his chair, surveying her from chilled grey eyes. 'I told you I have no ex¬pectations and that we can take this as slowly as you want, so could you do me the favour of at least pretending to relax and enjoy our being together. It's getting a mite uncomfortable, this feeling that you expect me to jump on you at any moment and have my wicked way.'
'I don't.' There was a lump expanding like dough in her throat. Everything had suddenly gone wrong and she was shaken by the swiftness of it. And it certainly wasn't the fact that she expected him to force the issue sexually that was at the heart of her edginess—more that she might not be able to keep her hands off him for much longer. But she could hardly admit that. She had to say something, though, and she didn't know what.
'No?' He leant forward and took her hand. 'Then why are you trembling right now?' he asked evenly. 'You make me feel like the Marquis de Sade, damn it.'
Self-protection vied with confusion and guilt. She didn't want to make Travis feel bad but she didn't know how to explain where she was at without opening herself up to being vulnerable. And that would give him even more power over her than he had at present. She fought with herself for a few endless moments and then took a deep breath. 'I'm frightened I might grow to like you more than I want to,' she said at last.
'I wasn't ready to meet anyone when I met you. I didn't want to be attracted to a man for a long, long time.'
His eyes continued to hold her for another moment as he searched her face. 'That's all it is?'
All it is? Cheek. She had just bared her soul and he acted as though it was nothing. She nodded.
He sighed softly but something in his face had mellowed and he looked like the Travis she was used to again. 'Beth, I've never been in any doubt that you need to sort yourself out,' he said drily. 'And frankly I prefer my bed partners to be there because they are one hundred per cent certain they want to be. OK? It's not just your body I want between my sheets—' she shivered, she couldn't help it, and the keen grey gaze deepened'—but you. Understand? Mind, soul and spirit. I'm greedy,' he added unrepentantly.
