Read Online A Bravo Homecoming by Christine Rimmer - Free Book Online
Authors: Christine Rimmer
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glittered in the light from the bedside lamp.
Travis said, “You were incredible tonight.”
She felt suddenly shy and couldn’t quite bring herself to lift her head and meet his eyes. “You think I passed my test?”
“With flying colors—and remember when Steve took me aside, just before we left?”
“I remember.” Steve Daily was the CFO of STOI and their host at the party.
“He asked me where I’d been hiding you.”
“In plain sight.” She looked up then and laughed. “Wearing coveralls, safety glasses and a hard hat, on the Deepwater Venture. ”
He held her gaze. All night, he’d been doing that. He would look at her and she would stare back at him and somehow, neither of them seemed to want to look away. “I think it’s going to be a piece of cake, getting you that job you’re hoping for.”
“Oh, I hope so.”
“As soon as the week in San Antonio is over, you’ll need to polish up your résumé.”
As soon as the week’s over…
She didn’t want to think about it being over. Why should she? It hadn’t even started yet.
But then she reminded herself not to get carried away with this fantasy of being Travis’s true love. The love part wasn’t real.
She had to remember that.
The possibility of a new life in a new job…that was the goal here.
“I’m flying to my place in San Diego afterward,” she said. “I’ll get to work the minute I get there, get that résumé all ready.”
He kept on staring at her, his eyes so dark and soft. “Good. I’ll be putting out the feelers. You might have to take a serious pay cut to start, maybe pick up a few online classes to get up to speed….”
Actually, she’d been thinking of going back to school. Maybe full-time, to get a degree. But a starter position and some online classes were an option, too. “You know I can do it. Whatever I need to do.” She reached down, slid off one lace shoe and then the other. It felt good to be out of them. She wiggled her toes in the thick bedroom carpet.
He said, “Oh, yeah. I know you can.”
“And I have a good chunk of money saved, plus what my dad put aside for me when he sold the ranch, so I’ll be fine.”
“I know you will.” He held down his hand to her.
She took it without really stopping to think that touching him, right now, when it was just the two of them alone in the room where he would spend the night, well, maybe that wasn’t such a smart idea. She’d been getting lost in way too many fantasies about him lately, getting so she thought of him as much more than her good old buddy Travis.
Much, much more.
His fingers touched hers.
Warmth spread through her from the point of contact.
He gave a gentle tug.
She rose and he reached out and wrapped his free arm around her.
It was like a dream, a magical dream that she wished she wouldn’t have to wake up from. He held her gaze, his eyes so soft, full of admiration. And maybe something more, something hot and hopeful and deliciously dangerous.
And then he moved in that crucial fraction closer.
Excitement crackled through her as understanding dawned.
Travis was going to kiss her—and not just on the cheek or the forehead, the way he did now and then. Not some brotherly little peck, the usual friends-only kiss.
Uh-uh. She could see it in his eyes.
For the very first time, he was going to kiss her the way a man kisses a woman he desires.
Chapter Five
T ravis knew he shouldn’t kiss her. There was no reason to kiss her right now, no one to put on a show for. There was only the two of them.
Alone in his room.
It was a really bad idea to kiss her right now.
But he didn’t give a damn if it was a bad idea. He wanted to kiss her. He burned for it.
The whole evening had been the strangest thing. An exercise in shifting realities.
Being out with Sam, who was like family to him. Sam, for whom he felt frank affection and definite protectiveness.
Sam, who was the same Sam he’d always known. And yet…not the same at
Travis said, “You were incredible tonight.”
She felt suddenly shy and couldn’t quite bring herself to lift her head and meet his eyes. “You think I passed my test?”
“With flying colors—and remember when Steve took me aside, just before we left?”
“I remember.” Steve Daily was the CFO of STOI and their host at the party.
“He asked me where I’d been hiding you.”
“In plain sight.” She looked up then and laughed. “Wearing coveralls, safety glasses and a hard hat, on the Deepwater Venture. ”
He held her gaze. All night, he’d been doing that. He would look at her and she would stare back at him and somehow, neither of them seemed to want to look away. “I think it’s going to be a piece of cake, getting you that job you’re hoping for.”
“Oh, I hope so.”
“As soon as the week in San Antonio is over, you’ll need to polish up your résumé.”
As soon as the week’s over…
She didn’t want to think about it being over. Why should she? It hadn’t even started yet.
But then she reminded herself not to get carried away with this fantasy of being Travis’s true love. The love part wasn’t real.
She had to remember that.
The possibility of a new life in a new job…that was the goal here.
“I’m flying to my place in San Diego afterward,” she said. “I’ll get to work the minute I get there, get that résumé all ready.”
He kept on staring at her, his eyes so dark and soft. “Good. I’ll be putting out the feelers. You might have to take a serious pay cut to start, maybe pick up a few online classes to get up to speed….”
Actually, she’d been thinking of going back to school. Maybe full-time, to get a degree. But a starter position and some online classes were an option, too. “You know I can do it. Whatever I need to do.” She reached down, slid off one lace shoe and then the other. It felt good to be out of them. She wiggled her toes in the thick bedroom carpet.
He said, “Oh, yeah. I know you can.”
“And I have a good chunk of money saved, plus what my dad put aside for me when he sold the ranch, so I’ll be fine.”
“I know you will.” He held down his hand to her.
She took it without really stopping to think that touching him, right now, when it was just the two of them alone in the room where he would spend the night, well, maybe that wasn’t such a smart idea. She’d been getting lost in way too many fantasies about him lately, getting so she thought of him as much more than her good old buddy Travis.
Much, much more.
His fingers touched hers.
Warmth spread through her from the point of contact.
He gave a gentle tug.
She rose and he reached out and wrapped his free arm around her.
It was like a dream, a magical dream that she wished she wouldn’t have to wake up from. He held her gaze, his eyes so soft, full of admiration. And maybe something more, something hot and hopeful and deliciously dangerous.
And then he moved in that crucial fraction closer.
Excitement crackled through her as understanding dawned.
Travis was going to kiss her—and not just on the cheek or the forehead, the way he did now and then. Not some brotherly little peck, the usual friends-only kiss.
Uh-uh. She could see it in his eyes.
For the very first time, he was going to kiss her the way a man kisses a woman he desires.
Chapter Five
T ravis knew he shouldn’t kiss her. There was no reason to kiss her right now, no one to put on a show for. There was only the two of them.
Alone in his room.
It was a really bad idea to kiss her right now.
But he didn’t give a damn if it was a bad idea. He wanted to kiss her. He burned for it.
The whole evening had been the strangest thing. An exercise in shifting realities.
Being out with Sam, who was like family to him. Sam, for whom he felt frank affection and definite protectiveness.
Sam, who was the same Sam he’d always known. And yet…not the same at
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