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He grabbed her hands and pulled her up. She didn’t resist. Just looked a little shy. He placed his hand under her chin and brought it up. “I’ll try to be gentle,” he said and drew nearer until he felt her breath on his lips.
“Like hell,” she said and brought her mouth to his—always in control, this woman—in a crushing kiss that turned to softness as she opened her mouth farther and he tasted coffee and maybe a little honey.
This was what made it all worth it. High school. Her terrorizing him since she first met him.
This moment.
…
Meredith studied the yearbook, unable to stop the wide grin that split her face. “It really was a mullet. I mean, you were just asking to be teased.”
Travis pulled off the pillow he’d put on his head when Meredith had dug out her senior yearbook a few minutes ago. “It wasn’t a mullet. I just needed a trim.”
“Oh, sure. Just four inches off the back,” she said and giggled. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his stubbly cheek.
It was almost midnight, and they’d spent the past couple hours getting…better acquainted. Much better acquainted. In the bed, the shower, and downstairs on the kitchen counter.
Against Meredith’s initial protest, Darcy had been determined to leave Travis and her mother some time alone together after their declaration earlier, announcing she was going to Allie’s to have dinner with Violet and maybe watch a video or two. One glance at Travis, who had been giving her that slight smile with the knowing gleam in his eyes that told her just what plans he had for her, and Meredith’s protest had died on her lips.
Travis wasn’t content with the chaste kiss she’d planted on his cheek and pulled her up to lie on top of him, their skin deliciously pressed together. “Wow. You’re like the energy bunny,” she said as she felt evidence that he was ready to get better acquainted again. “You just keep going and going…”
“That’s not a complaint, is it?” he asked and nuzzled her neck.
“It’s just an observation.” She tilted her head to the side to give him better access, closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling of his touch. His scent. His…everything. Another smile tugged at her mouth. “An observation based on…what was it you said? My wit? Intelligence?”
“Are you fishing for another compliment? I should have added how stubborn and controlling you were.” But she felt him smile as he said this.
“Is that right?” She sat up, careful to wiggle just the right amount to cause him discomfort. “And those are bad things?” She leaned down and bit his bottom lip, pulling back as he tried to deepen the kiss. “Maybe you just don’t have enough experience with women in control to realize how good that can be.”
She moved again, and he groaned.
“I’m sorry, did you have something to add?” she asked sweetly.
“Not at all. Just keep doing what you’re doing.” But his eyes were open now, and he was grinning again. “Because I know one thing about you. You never will fail to amaze and surprise me, Meredith Sanders.”
She squeezed her knees, earning another groan, and laughed. “You’d better believe it.”
Then she proceeded to show him just how amazing and surprising she could be.
She maybe even surprised herself.
Epilogue
Travis watched as Meredith fought back tears as she said good-bye to her daughter. Something she seemed to give herself permission to do a lot more these days. “You’re going to call me the minute you arrive.”
“Yes, Mom. And I’ll call or email you every night. I promise.” Darcy let Meredith wrap her arms around her and squeeze her like a python as she leveled a look at him. “If she’s this bad when she drops me off at Wellesley in two weeks, I’m canceling her plane ticket.”
“Smart-ass,” he said and chuckled.
“I mean it,” Darcy said, pulling back. “I’m only camping with Cassidy and her parents for four days. Two hours away.”
But he could see that despite her objection, Darcy was secretly pleased by her mom’s overwhelming and constant stream of love and affection. As Meredith had told Travis, she was never going to let anyone doubt her love for anyone she cared about. Particularly when it came to her daughter. And him.
“Lord help you, Travis, if you’re still letting Mom spearhead the opening of your security company’s Salt Lake branch.”
“It’s temporary,” they said at the same time, even though he might be the only one who meant it.
Having Meredith know everything that was going on, every case he was on, was making him bat-shit crazy. As was the way she had of distracting him, from keeping his eyes on his target while doing a job, what with her various disguises—like last night’s surveillance, for instance, which had seen her outfitted in fishnet stockings and a leather skirt that was more like a headband than an item of clothing. It had taken every iota of strength for him not to rip through those stockings and have her mount him right there during a job. Now later…that was another thing.
