Leaning back she looked up into his eyes, her own watery with emotion. “I love you, Nate”
“I love you, Ellie.” He always had, and he always would. His heart was finally home.
THE END
Coming Soon
We are returning to Wishing Well, Texas
Don’t miss Travis & Mia’s story in
Taming Travis (Wishing Well, Texas)
COMING February 2017
Taming Travis: Unedited Excerpt
Mia James.
Damn. Even her name was sexy. As I walked into the storage room I was still suffering from after effects of the earthquake of awareness that heavenly creature had just caused in me.
I hadn’t even known Mia James existed twenty minutes ago, and now it felt like my entire world revolved around her, like she was the sun to my earth. She really was a celestial being. Looking at her was like looking straight at the sun. She warmed me from the inside out faster than my shot of whiskey had and her image was burned into my vision. When I closed my eyes I could still see soft, wavy blonde hair, her bright blue eyes, and her wide, engaging smile.
Shaking my head, I tried to focus on the task at hand and remember what I’d been sent back to get as I scanned the back room searching for some clue to jump out at me. I had just ruled out napkins as my target when my pocket vibrated and I pulled out my phone.
A text from my mom read: Travis William Briggs! Do I need to send out a search party for you and the glasses?! So help me…if you’re not back before the toast!
Glasses. Right.
I thought briefly about shooting my normally sweet and sane mother a smartass response that on any other day would make her smile, but decided against it. Today had taught me that one does not tease Dolly Briggs on her children’s wedding day if they wanted to live to see tomorrow. So far my mom had had two mini meltdowns and I did not want to be the trigger for a major one.
I quickly sent a text back assuring her no search party was necessary and I’d be right there. Then, I walked around the corner to the back of the storeroom and scanned the shelves containing boxes. On the cardboard sides of each was writing indicating its contents. I struck out in the first two rows, but on the top shelf I hit the jackpot. There were three boxes labeled glassware.
Of course. It had to be on the top shelf. I rolled my shoulder, flinching as a stab of pain shot through it. The pain not only continued but increased as I pulled all three boxes down and placed them on top of one another. It morphed into an aching-throb-sharp-pain combo as I bent and picked the stack up. I had to immediately set them back down.
My body was not happy that I hadn’t made it to physical therapy in over a month. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to or suffered from some macho I-don’t-need-a-doctor bullshit. I did need a doctor. The problem was, the nearest PT was sixty miles away. With traffic that could mean three hours driving time round trip then if you added on the actual appointment it was easily four plus.
Farming was not a nine-to-five job that allowed for hours-long breaks mid-day. It was more of a sun up to sun down with a few fifteen minute water breaks kinda gig. And I loved it. What I didn’t love was my new physical limitations that would only heal with consistent treatment. So I was stuck with white knuckling it and modifying my activity.
Looking down at the stack that represented nothing but pain to me, I bent at the knees, setting the boxes down to readjust them for a better grip when I heard the voice of an angel. A stressed out angel.
“This is Mia. Mia James. Her sister. Can you please tell her it’s important?” The anxiety behind her words was palpable.
When I stood I saw the girl that had captivated me with a single glance, looking down at the phone she was holding as she paced back and forth.
“Come on, come on, come on, come on…” She whispered impatiently under her breath.
In my head there was a voice screaming, say something. Do something. Make your presence known. But I couldn’t. Just like the first time I’d laid eyes on her I was stunned speechless. And my vocal chords weren’t the only things that weren’t working. I also couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. I was paralyzed by not just her beauty, but her essence.
I’d heard of people having charisma or magnetism, something that pulled people to them. I’d never experienced it before, but the woman standing in front of me had it in spades. She was like a force field drawing me in that I was powerless against. Not that I’d fight it, even if I could. I’d be more than happy to be deep in her force field.
The screen on the device she was holding lit up with a Facetime call and illuminated her beautiful features, her eyes flashed with momentary relief. “Thank god. They said you were unavailable.”
“I’m with co-counsel going over our closing argument for tomorrow morning. I have few minutes.” A female voice stated in a modulated tone. “What’s wrong?”
“Libby, he’s coming here. Tad’s coming tomorrow and he’s bringing her.” Mia’s voice had sounded anxious before but now was on the border of panicked. “And he’s staying for a week.”
“Why?” The woman snapped, no longer sounding calm and controlled as she let out a forced laugh. “I mean, I know why. He’s a narcissistic sociopath. But, what’s the excuse he’s using?”
“He says that since it’s my first time directing, he wants to be there for me during preproduction. Which is crazy! He’s never done that with any other director, first time or not.”
Someone else might have felt a tiny bit of guilt for listening in on this private conversation, but growing up with six older brothers, one younger one, and a little sister had desensitized my conscience. In our house, if you didn’t clear a room before you opened your mouth and said something private, that was your bad.
“And he’s bringing her,” the voice on the phone stated in disgust.
“Yes! He said it’s the last chance they’ll have to get away before the baby comes, so it’s a ‘work-cation.’” Mia lifted her hand and made air quotes and I couldn’t help but smile, she was freakin’ adorable. “And he had the nerve to ask me to work on her back while she’s here because the pregnancy is straining it.”
“No. He. Didn’t.” Irate fury oozed from every word her sister spoke.
“Yes. He. Did.” Mia continued pacing. “It’s like he’s trying to rub my face in the fact that they’re together and she’s pregnant, like I’m the one that cheated on him or something. But, I didn’t. He left me. He cheated on me. He got another woman pregnant. And now he wants me to treat her?”
“I told you continuing your working relationship with him was a mistake.” The woman on the other end of the line sounded like a no-nonsense, take-no-prisoners gal.
She reminded me of my mom.
Mia shook her head and the golden strands of her long hair fell over her bare shoulder. “I worked too hard to let him run me out like that. I just stopped having to supplement my income with therapy jobs. I know everyone thinks I’m crazy not using my degree after I worked so hard for it, but I don’t care. This is what I love. And I don’t want to start over, somewhere else. I have just as much of a right to work for Spotlight as he does.”
“I’m not talking about your rights, I’m talking about your heart.”
“Well, I’ve decided my heart no longer gets a vote in…anything.” Mia walked faster as she spoke. “It’s been downgraded to background, no more speaking roles. From now on my brain will be the lead in my life. It will also be the director and writer.”
“So, you’re going to stay and do this?”
“Of course, I’m going to stay and do this,” Mia’s tone was incredulous. “This is my show. I pitched it. I’m casting it. I’m directing it. It’s my baby. I’m not abandoning it just because the man I was engaged to is having a baby with someone else and bringing her here to rub my face in it.”
Both women were quiet for a minute and then Mia stopped walking back and forth and her shoulders dropped. “I just wish I had someone to rub his fac
e in.”
“There are services for that. I can have someone there by tomorrow morning.”
Blonde, silky hair fell almost to her waist as she tilted her head and laughed. If I thought she was an angel before, I knew she was now. The melodic sound that came out of her was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard.
When she straightened back up, she stared down at her phone. “I don’t think a male escort is the answer to my problem.”
“Okay, fine.” Undeterred, her sister came up with another solution. “Why don’t you find yourself a hot cowboy and saddle up with him for the week.”
I watched as Mia held up her forefinger indicating the number one “I’ve saddled up with one person and one person only—”
Holy shit. She’d only been with one person.
She continued, “Tad because I loved him, and look how that turned out. No way am I gonna saddle up with someone to spite him, that would be a disaster.”
“Fine. No saddling up. But that doesn’t mean you can’t offer a quid pro quo, like your services in exchange for pretending to be your boyfriend. I know you said you don’t want to go backwards, but this would be more of a lateral move.”
“My services?”
“Yes. Guys love massages, and your fingers are pure magic. Three two hour sessions and make it clear they’ll be no happy endings, in exchange for one week of rubbing Tad’s face in what he lost.”
Mia eyes grew wide with mortification. “I can’t just walk up to some guy and say, ‘Hi, my ex, who happens to be my boss, is coming into town for a week with his pregnant fiancée and I was wondering if you would pretend to be my boyfriend in exchange for three free massages.’”
“Okay, five.” Mia’s sister stated flatly.
Mia’s hand flew up in the air. “It’s not about the amount of massages.”
“Fine. Throw in a dinner, too. Everything’s negotiable.”
“Says the lawyer.” Mia shot back with obvious pride in her voice.
“That’s right. And I have to go lawyer now, but if you need me to draw up a contract or negotiate terms, I’m all over it.”
I watched as Mia’s lips turned up slightly. She didn’t exactly look happy, but I could see that talking to her sister had helped as she scrunched her nose. “Bye, sissy. Love you.”
“Love you.”
When the call disconnected Mia put her phone back in her pocket and ran her hands down her dress as she took a deep breath.
“Tad sounds like a real prick.” Talking about an ex wasn’t my usual opener with a beautiful girl, but there was nothing usual about this beautiful girl.
Mia’s head jerked up and as she sucked in a startled gasp. I was happy to see that the fear in her eyes only lasted until recognition kicked in and a flush appeared on her cheeks as she sucked in a shaky breath of attraction. Maybe the impact of the look we’d shared was not one sided.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” I couldn’t help the cocky grin that spread on my face.
“Were you standing there the whole…you heard my…you heard me…”
“Yes, yes, and yes.” I answered. “And I’d like to know who I speak to about contract negotiations.”
“Ha, ha, ha,” She said dismissively, but her voice was still shaky. “You’re funny.”
“I am funny,” I confirmed confidently. “But, right now, darlin’, I’m not joking.”
The flush on her cheeks darkened, from what I assumed was either arousal or embarrassment, as she stammered, “She was…I was….we were joking…it was a joke.”
I took one step forward, my long legs eating up a lot of the distance between us. When I did, Mia’s eyes widened as she licked her lips. I was sure that she hadn’t done it to be intentionally sexy, but that’s exactly what she was. As I watched her tongue run along the seam of her lips, I inwardly groaned and my jeans grew just a little tighter below the belt. I wanted to comment on what she was doing to me, but I thought if I did it might take me out of the running to lock down the pretend-boyfriend job.
“There are two things I never joke about.” I held up my hand and counted on my fingers. “Money and love.”
Her eyes grew somehow larger. “I’m not going to pay you.”
“You’re right, it’s more of a barter system. Five massages, and five dinners.”
A spark of challenge lit in her eyes and it sent my libido into overdrive. That mischievous twinkle might just be the death of me.
“It was three massages and one dinner,” she corrected.
“Like Libby said, everything’s negotiable. But, I can talk to her—”
“No!” Mia blurted out loudly. Then realization dawned on her as she shook her head slightly. “Wait, what am I worried about? You don’t know her. You couldn’t…”
Her voice trailed off when I took my phone from my pocket and started typing.
“What are you doing?” she asked, not quite as panicked as when she’d walked back to the storeroom, but definitely headed in that direction.
“Googling Libby or Elizabeth James attorney.” I glanced up and saw the self-satisfied look on Mia’s face and knew I was barking up the wrong tree.
My fingers stilled as I lifted my head, and locked eyes with her as if I was searching for the correct name in their depths. The truth was, I was only using the situation as an excuse to stare into her eyes and feel the feelings I’d never felt before when I looked at another person. In reality, I only had one more guess as to what else Libby could be short for and no amount of looking into the crystal blue depths of her mesmerizing eyes was going to change that.
When I was just pushing the creepy-stare-contest limit, I said, “Olivia James, attorney.”
The mouth drop and simultaneous intake of breath told me that I’d guessed right. “How did you know that?”
I clenched my teeth together and made a hissing sound as I inhaled. “That’s a personal question. I wouldn’t feel comfortable answering it to anyone that wasn’t under contract to be my fake-girlfriend for the week.”
She smiled, and I could tell she wanted to laugh but didn’t want to give into it. “You actually are funny.”
“That’s another thing I don’t lie about.”
“Nice callback, but I hate to point out that our arrangement isn’t about love or money, so your honesty in those areas are irrelevant.”
“Wow, are you sure you weren’t supposed to be the lawyer in the family?” I teased.
That actually did get a small laugh.
“It might have been irrelevant, but ya gotta admit, I sounded pretty damn cool saying it.” I tilted my head and gave her my most charming, endearing, and sexiest smile I could. It was a smile that had gotten me out of trouble for as long as I could remember…and got me into a lot, too.
“Fine. You sounded cool.” I could see that she was trying not to let herself fall for my charm and wit. But, I wasn’t worried. I knew she’d already jumped, falling was inevitable.
I clapped my hands together. “Great. Now that that’s settled, what’s on the menu for the week and when do I get my first intro to pure magic fingers?”
The look in her eye was part intrigued, part disbelief, part turned-on. It was what I called the keep-‘em-coming-back-for-more trifecta. I was always happy when I saw it in any female’s eyes, but what I felt when I saw it in Mia’s was more than happy, it was like I’d just conquered the world.
“I never agreed to anything.”
“Yes, you did.” I motioned to an imaginary court stenographer in the corner. “Sally, can you please read back what Ms. James said regarding our relationship.” I lowered my voice several octaves. “Our arrangement isn’t about love or money.”
“Wow.” Mia laughed again and again it sounded just as heavenly as the first time I heard it. “Sally has a very masculine voice.”
“Shh.” I leaned forward and hushed her whispering, “She’s very self-conscious about it.”
She shook her head slightly. A grin still pulled at her
lips as she crossed her arms and took a deep breath. I could see her shutting herself off and erecting a wall. Putting up an emotional barrier between us. I actually thought it was kind of cute that she thought that would work, that I wouldn’t just hop over or bust right through it.
Silly, girl.
“Travis William Briggs! There you are!”
Oh shit.
“Hey, mama!” I looked up to see my mom walking towards me, fit to be tied. I grinned, “I was wrong I guess you did have to send out a search party.”
Dolly Briggs did not get charmed easily. Her face morphed into this-is-not-funny-mom-face. “Glasses. Now.”
“Yes, ma’am.” My Pavlovian response kicked in.
When she saw that I was taking her seriously, her face softened and that’s when she noticed Mia beside me. She stepped forward and extended her hand. “Forgive my manors, I’m not usually like this. Today has turned me into a mother-of-the-groomzilla. I’m Dolly Briggs.”
Mia reached out and shook his mother’s hand. “Hi, I’m—”
“This is Mia James,” I interjected adding, “my girlfriend.”
Beside me Mia tensed.
My mom didn’t seem to notice or if she did she didn’t care. “Nice to meet you, sweetie. You and Travis need to come by for some sweet tea so I can get to know you properly.” After extending her invitation to my “girlfriend” my mom turned her attention back to me. “Glasses. Now.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
After a sharp nod, my mom turned and hurried back out to my brother’s reception.
Mia waited until she’d disappeared out the door, before she turned to me and I noticed that her arms were once again crossed. “You just told your mom I’m your girlfriend. I thought you didn’t lie about money or love.”
“I thought you said that our arrangement wasn’t about money or love.”
“Touché.” She smiled, the same wide engaging smile that had spread across her face when I’d seen her from across the room.
“So,” I held my hand out. “Do we have a deal?”
All He Desires – Nate & Eliza (Crossroads Book 12) Page 22
