lips, she remembered, as the memory of their kiss wafted into her tired brain.
What was happening to her? Why did she feel like she’d boarded a roller coaster and was in the process of a series of exhilarating highs and crashing lows? Since Travis had walked back into her life, her emotions had been on edge. The battle still raged inside of her, a war of pain and bitterness, desire and hesitation. And her greatest weapon, that defensive shell she’d constructed over her heart, didn’t seem to be holding out. Travis was slowly finding his way in.
“Do you want me to come in?” he asked, his voice telling her he wasn’t going to force her into anything.
She saw the sun setting in the horizon, dipping below the skyscrapers and office buildings of the city.
Did she want him to come in? Yes. No. She didn’t even know anymore.
He pulled up in front of her building and stopped the car, watching her with an expectant expression.
Her heart thumped in her chest at the sight of his light-brown eyes. God, she did want him to come in.
She couldn’t bear being alone anymore, sitting in her lonely apartment and eating Chinese leftovers. Her home had always been her haven, her shelter from the storm of uncertainty that raged outside. She’d never brought a man into that shelter, until Travis.
“Rachel?”
Temptation swirled in her belly. She didn’t want to be alone. She didn’t like to be alone.
Hattie doesn’t like to be alone.
The bitter, nagging voice in the backburner of her brain moved to the center. Her mother’s complete dependency on men and alcohol had always sickened her. She’d vowed never to be like the woman who’d failed miserably at raising her, and letting Travis in would be breaking that vow.
No matter how sincere he seemed, no matter how much her heart cried out for her to spend just another ten minutes with him, she couldn’t let down her guard. Suzanna always teased her, saying she’d end up an old spinster, but it was better to be a spinster than be used by a man. Even if that man was Travis Gage.
“I’m actually really tired,” she said quietly, reaching for the door handle. “Why don’t you call me tomorrow and we can figure out our next move?”
She saw disappointment flash through his eyes and had to wonder what evoked it. Was he disappointed at the thought of not spending time with her? Or disappointed that he wouldn’t be able to get her into bed?
Not wanting to find out, she said a quick goodbye and hopped out of his car. She didn’t turn back once to look at him. Instead, she darted into the building, said hello to the security guard, and took the elevator up to the sixth floor.
Inside her apartment, Rachel let out the breath she’d been holding since saying goodbye to Travis.
“I don’t need him,” she muttered to herself. “I don’t need anybody.” An hour later, as she sat on the couch and listened to the overwhelming silence of her apartment, she was still trying to convince herself of that.
Call her.
Travis ignored the little voice in his head and tried to focus on the stack of paperwork on his desk.
What he disliked most about his job was the paper pushing involved after the solving of a case. He loved the thrill of the chase, tracking down suspects, interviewing witnesses, studying old evidence to find new clues, but writing everything down? Well, that was tedious.
Call her .
No. Not yet. He knew he ought to call Rachel and tell her everything he’d learned, but he simply didn’t have the heart to tell her. Which only pissed him off royally. He wasn’t the kind of man to shy away from saying what was on his mind. He was good at presenting the facts, whether they were positive or negative, and then detaching himself from the consequences. So why couldn’t he do that now, with Rachel?
The thought of seeing her big green eyes widen with confusion and disbelief made him hesitant to tell her the truth. She’d loved her sister, and he knew what he’d
What was happening to her? Why did she feel like she’d boarded a roller coaster and was in the process of a series of exhilarating highs and crashing lows? Since Travis had walked back into her life, her emotions had been on edge. The battle still raged inside of her, a war of pain and bitterness, desire and hesitation. And her greatest weapon, that defensive shell she’d constructed over her heart, didn’t seem to be holding out. Travis was slowly finding his way in.
“Do you want me to come in?” he asked, his voice telling her he wasn’t going to force her into anything.
She saw the sun setting in the horizon, dipping below the skyscrapers and office buildings of the city.
Did she want him to come in? Yes. No. She didn’t even know anymore.
He pulled up in front of her building and stopped the car, watching her with an expectant expression.
Her heart thumped in her chest at the sight of his light-brown eyes. God, she did want him to come in.
She couldn’t bear being alone anymore, sitting in her lonely apartment and eating Chinese leftovers. Her home had always been her haven, her shelter from the storm of uncertainty that raged outside. She’d never brought a man into that shelter, until Travis.
“Rachel?”
Temptation swirled in her belly. She didn’t want to be alone. She didn’t like to be alone.
Hattie doesn’t like to be alone.
The bitter, nagging voice in the backburner of her brain moved to the center. Her mother’s complete dependency on men and alcohol had always sickened her. She’d vowed never to be like the woman who’d failed miserably at raising her, and letting Travis in would be breaking that vow.
No matter how sincere he seemed, no matter how much her heart cried out for her to spend just another ten minutes with him, she couldn’t let down her guard. Suzanna always teased her, saying she’d end up an old spinster, but it was better to be a spinster than be used by a man. Even if that man was Travis Gage.
“I’m actually really tired,” she said quietly, reaching for the door handle. “Why don’t you call me tomorrow and we can figure out our next move?”
She saw disappointment flash through his eyes and had to wonder what evoked it. Was he disappointed at the thought of not spending time with her? Or disappointed that he wouldn’t be able to get her into bed?
Not wanting to find out, she said a quick goodbye and hopped out of his car. She didn’t turn back once to look at him. Instead, she darted into the building, said hello to the security guard, and took the elevator up to the sixth floor.
Inside her apartment, Rachel let out the breath she’d been holding since saying goodbye to Travis.
“I don’t need him,” she muttered to herself. “I don’t need anybody.” An hour later, as she sat on the couch and listened to the overwhelming silence of her apartment, she was still trying to convince herself of that.
Call her.
Travis ignored the little voice in his head and tried to focus on the stack of paperwork on his desk.
What he disliked most about his job was the paper pushing involved after the solving of a case. He loved the thrill of the chase, tracking down suspects, interviewing witnesses, studying old evidence to find new clues, but writing everything down? Well, that was tedious.
Call her .
No. Not yet. He knew he ought to call Rachel and tell her everything he’d learned, but he simply didn’t have the heart to tell her. Which only pissed him off royally. He wasn’t the kind of man to shy away from saying what was on his mind. He was good at presenting the facts, whether they were positive or negative, and then detaching himself from the consequences. So why couldn’t he do that now, with Rachel?
The thought of seeing her big green eyes widen with confusion and disbelief made him hesitant to tell her the truth. She’d loved her sister, and he knew what he’d
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