Keep My Heart (Top Shelf Romance Book 7)
Page 109
She snorts. “As if you could handle that. But what about us?”
I take her hand in mine. “We’ll make it work, princess. And you thought I was bad now? I’m going to be a greedy bastard with you until you leave. So dry up those tears. I know you’re going to miss the D, but it’s only six months. And we can video chat.” I wiggle my eyebrows at her. “Plus, I’ll fly up to visit once a month.”
She finally cracks a smile. “But what if I’m offered a position at the end of my six-month term? That’s usually what happens, you know.”
Somehow, I didn’t think about that one, but it doesn’t matter. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Promise me, princess. Promise me you won’t worry about us, and you’ll take that internship. It’s the Harvard of all opportunities.”
I hand the letter back to her, and she returns it to the envelope.
“I promise.”
“Good.”
Leaning her head against the seat, she sighs. “I thought this would be easy.”
“What’s that?”
“Leaving. For years, I wished I could get away from it all. I wished something like this would happen. And now that it has…” Her words fade away.
“My mother told me that not taking risks is how dreams die. If you want this, go for it. Don’t let your worries, insecurities, or fears stop you. I’ve already told you I’m not going anywhere. I would wait a lifetime for you, and I mean it.”
“If you want to see other people—”
“FUCK NO!” I don’t even let her finish. “Knowing you’re mine, no matter how far away is enough for me. I’m not sure if you realize this or not, but I don’t want anyone else, Viola. I want you. Only you.” I lean in and tuck wet, loose strands of her hair behind her ear, and kiss the fuck out of her. She pours herself into me, and I don’t want her to leave. The distance will be hard. But over the years, I’ve learned patience, and I would selflessly wait as long as she needed.
But I can’t help but think about how Viola has always been around. I’m not sure I know what life is like without her, as odd as that seems. Even when Drew and I first moved closer to campus, she would still drive up on the weekends and pester us—mainly me—but she was here. Knowing that she’s moving in a matter of weeks doesn’t give us very much time to be together. We’ll have to make every moment count as the time clock ticks down.
Though I’m sad to be leaving, I’m relieved to have told Travis. He deserved to know as much as Drew did. But him knowing doesn’t make it any easier. I'm pretty sure it makes the decision even harder. All my life, I’ve been stuck in this loop of trying to make the best grades, and when it’s finally paid off, I don’t feel happy about it.
“Will you come inside?” Travis asks when we pull into the driveway.
“Do you really think that’s a good idea? Drew is on the prowl.”
“Fine. Let’s go somewhere else then.”
I’m confused, which seems to be happening a lot lately. “Uh, like where do you suggest?”
“Your dorm?”
I make a face. “Not quite. There would be three girls with cups on the door trying to listen.”
“Alrighty. I have an idea.” Travis picks up his phone and begins texting someone. His phone buzzes a lot, and at the end, he’s grinning.
“What have you done?” I question, warily.
“Let me drive. My surprise.”
“Are you sure you can handle Tatum?” I open the door and step out. He slaps my butt hard before he climbs inside.
“Handle Tatum? I will destroy him.”
Travis reverses out of the driveway, causing the wheels to squeal as he heads toward the stop sign. I’m pretty sure my car has never been driven like that.
“Oh my God. Don’t drive my car like you rented it.”
“I’m driving it like I stole it, princess.” He tilts his head at me as he accelerates toward the freeway. “But the good news is, we’re getting fifty miles to the gallon.”
We talk about everything and nothing all at the same time, not once bringing up the fact that our days together are numbered. As much as I try, I can’t help but think about how much I’m going to miss this. There are still so many firsts to be had, and Drew doesn’t even know. At this rate, we could probably hold off telling him until after I leave, not allowing it to disrupt what we have going on. If it’s not broken, maybe we shouldn’t fix it right now.
An hour passes, and I start to grow suspicious. Travis takes the exit off Highway 580 and loops under the bridge. I look past him and can see the choppy water of the bay. He slows, and then pulls into an empty driveway and a house with no lights on.
“Come on,” he says, turning off the car and leading me up the sidewalk by the hand.
On the front—surrounded by seashells—is the address. A big bay window faces the water, and I can almost imagine people inside looking out. The view is breathtaking.
“What are we doing?” I reluctantly ask.
“We’re walking.”
“Smartass.”
He types a code into the front door, and like magic, it clicks open. The inside is dark, and he runs his hand against the wall.
“Lumos,” I say, and as soon as I do, the lights flick on. “And you think spells don’t work,” I scoff.
“I never said that. You’ve obviously put one on me.” He leans his shoulder against the wall and watches me marvel. The house is beautiful. The ocean-themed décor, paired with the long wall of books, makes it feel cozy.
“Whose house is this?” I run my finger across so many classic books. It’s like I’m saying hello to old friends.
“An old college friend who owes me big-time. His parents bought him this house when he received his acceptance letter and a full scholarship. Instead of dealing with the hassle of selling when he moved to New York, he just Airbnb’s it. So...”
“You called in a favor?”
Travis nods. “And now I’m going to fulfill a fantasy and fuck you against that window.”
The space between us vanishes, and Travis’s lips are pressed hard against mine.
“Do you trust me?” he asks, flipping off the light, allowing the setting sun to bleed in.
“I trust you with my heart.”
He smiles against my lips, running his hand up my shirt, palming my breast. “Good.”
A chill runs down my spine as he undresses me. Though his hands are careful, his mouth is dangerous, needy. Meeting his intensity, I undress him, until we are both standing naked in front of the large bay window. The street is quiet, and when I turn to look outside, the burnt sun sets over the horizon. Travis moves my hair from my shoulder and bites down, causing a mixture of pain and pleasure to soar through me. With his erection against my ass, he moves me forward until my breasts are pushed against the cold glass before he slides in. Just the thought of someone being able to see us makes me want to lose control, and he makes it too easy.
Travis gives absolutely no fucks and takes me hard and rough, just like I want. He tugs at my hair and bites along my neck and shoulders. The intensity of him is almost too much to handle. We aren’t quiet. We fuck loud and hard and don’t give two shits if the world sees us as he slams into me against the window.
I beg for more.
I beg for it harder.
And he’s relentless, one-upping my requests, and I want him to.
The king is using his royal cock in ways I’ve never experienced. And I love it.
The euphoria of him is so much I almost forget my own name, and I’ve resorted to gibberish. I’m pretty sure Travis is trying to break me or leave his imprint, but he already has. I won’t be forgetting this anytime soon.
He flips me around, grabbing my nipple between his teeth as he slams his cock in me. I lean my head against the cool glass, and I have no idea how he’s doing this with broken ribs, but I don’t even question him. He’s in total control tonight. It’s as if he’s fucking away all of his emotions about me leaving, and I’m happy
for the release. I’m happy to forget about it all and be lost in nothing but the moment, for once. My body is a slave to him, and I ride the orgasmic waves over and over again, only to be selfish and want even more. My sexual appetite matches his, and I’m proud of that.
“You’re a dirty girl, V.” He smirks and spins me around, slapping my ass before he continues. He doesn’t even rub it like the book boyfriends in my romance novels. But oddly enough, it turns me on even more. “Don’t even say it,” he warns. “V officially stands for vixen.” He wraps my messy hair around his fist and forces me to look into his eyes. “My V. My vixen.”
“I’ll always be yours, Travis.” The words fall out of my mouth, and my warm breath creates a fog against the glass.
“Princess, when you say things like that…” He groans in my ear, and the emotions that swirl through me are indescribable. I feel him tense behind me, and I push harder against him until he loses himself. Warmth fills me, and he leans his head against my shoulder. We stay like that for a long moment, taking each other in, deep pants and heavy breaths.
Travis takes a step back with me in his arms and glances past me at the window. He rubs his hand across the stubble that graces his perfect jawline. I turn and see my breasts and ass imprinted on the glass and can’t stop the laughter, but I’m not embarrassed. Hell no, I’m proud because somehow Travis has broken my sexual shell into pieces.
“The housekeeper will have fun with that one.” His smile is perfect, and I can’t help but admire his abs and how low his jeans sit on his hips when he zips them. I follow his happy trail all the way down to the lingering hard-on. Swallowing hard, I take a mental snapshot of this exact moment, not ever wanting to forget it.
After a moment, Travis sits on the couch and stretches out his legs. No words are spoken between us as I snuggle in next to him after putting on my bra and panties, compliments of Courtney and Victoria’s Secret. With our naked skin pressed together, he wraps his arms around me, and I focus on his heartbeat and the sound of his breathing.
The clock on the wall lets out a loud gong on the hour, scaring the shit out of me. Travis holds me a little tighter and lets out a loud bark of laughter. I glare at him, then at the clock, knowing that it’s our cue to go. Saying goodbye is going to become harder with each passing day, but I try to push the nagging thought to the back of my mind.
“I don’t want to go.” I pout.
“Let’s stay. I have the house until the weekend.”
My eyes widen. “Seriously? That must have been a helluva thing you did for this guy.”
“He basically owes me his firstborn.” He gives me a cute little side grin.
My eyes widen, and I’m intrigued. “I want to hear more of this story.”
“He helped me with finals, and I helped him snag the girl. She fell in love with his computer programming ass, and the rest is history.”
I burst out into laughter. “Oh my God.”
“It was better than paying for tutoring.”
I smack him on the chest, and he pulls me closer. “You are so wrong for that.”
“So whatcha say, princess? Am I having you for breakfast?” Travis asks, with an eyebrow tilted up.
I need to be studying, but I am ahead at the moment…
Fuck it!
Moments like this will be few and far between, and I don’t want to take another one for granted. I nod before kissing him.
“Bon appétite,” I whisper across his lips.
Somehow we fall asleep on the couch, and hours later, Travis is patting my arm for me to move. He grabs my hand and leads me to the master bedroom. I fold the blankets down from the king-sized bed, and we climb under the sheets. It’s the first time we’ve slept in the same bed together without a care in the world. I roll over, and Travis holds me tight, as if I’m water that will slip between his fingers. But that won’t happen because nothing in my life has ever felt so right.
Not caring about school or Boston or anything, I fall asleep with a smile on my face.
Chapter 11
Travis
It’s been three weeks since I snuck Viola up to the house on the bay, and even though we find every chance to be together, it was one of those moments I’ll never forget.
I hate that we’re keeping it a secret from Drew, but a part of me worries things will change between us once he knows. There’s no saying how he’ll react for sure, but I can’t imagine it’ll be good.
However, now that I have a rental car and I’ve returned to work, it’s a little easier to avoid Drew and meet up with Viola on nights he’s home. She still comes over on Wednesdays, and I still find ways to taste her when he’s not looking.
My phone dings with an incoming text message as I walk into work, and I smile as I read Viola’s name across the screen.
Viola: My financial marketing professor just announced an additional extra-credit project to be added to our finals! OMG, he’s trying to kill me because I’m a sucker for extra credit!
Travis: But marketing is your thing, babe! You’ve got this!
I answer her text, trying to encourage her and brighten her mood. She’s been an absolute mess the last couple of weeks as graduation approaches. I know she’s a genius, acing all her classes, and is already a shoo-in for the apprenticeship this summer, but I know freak-out mode is inevitable until she walks across that stage toward her diploma.
Viola: Since when did you trade in your suit and tie for a pair of pom-poms?
I smile at her smartass response—exhausted, stressed, and still able to run her filthy mouth.
Travis: I’ll role-play for you any day, princess. As long as you’re the one with the pom-poms...and only the pom-poms.
As soon as I walk into my office, she sends another message.
Viola: Cheerleader fantasy? Really?
Travis: Does that really surprise you?
I set my briefcase down and sit behind my desk. I’ve only been back a week, and I already have a huge project. Alyssa has been glued to Blake, so that’s a relief.
Viola: Actually, no. Just know that my fantasy consists of cloaks, wands, and nerdy glasses. Oh, and you must speak in an English accent.
Travis: Hmm, that’s very descriptive...like you’ve been thinking on that for a while…
Viola: A Potterhead never tells…
Travis: I’m sure I could persuade you. You aren’t the only one who can cast spells. Just wait until I Slytherin ;)
Turning my computer on, I start scrolling through my emails. I miss the days of being home with Viola and just being able to lay low with her, especially now knowing she’ll be leaving in a month. I haven’t allowed myself to think about it too much, considering I want to make the most of the time that we have left before then, but I know I’m going to be completely lost without her.
Viola: Show me what you’ve got, wizard boy! P.S. Good luck on your presentation today! I packed an extra invisibility cloak in your bag just in case, but I doubt you’ll even need it! Kill it!
Travis: Now who’s sporting the pom-poms? ;)
Viola: I mean…don’t fuck it up, muggle.
A knock on the door directs my attention up to Blake who is standing in my doorway. He’s been pretty edgy since my return, and I have a feeling he liked my absence.
“It’s time.” He nods his head to the hallway. “Everyone’s meeting in the conference room in five.”
“Right behind you,” I say, grabbing a file folder with my notes and paperwork and double-checking that I have everything.
Standing up, I look around at the once-promising office that has now turned cold. My heart is no longer here, and the thought of starting my own firm becomes more appealing each day. I used to live and breathe this job, but ever since Viola, she’s been the one to breathe life back into me.
I fucking rock my presentation, and once the meeting is over, Blake walks back to my office and asks me to go to a lunch meeting with him. I’m hesitant, considering our history, but he sold me on the comp
any picking up the tab, so why not?
Alyssa watches us both intently as we make our way out. She’s barely said more than a sentence to me, so I know something’s up. I just can’t quite put my finger on it.
I text Viola before heading out.
Travis: You’ll be happy to know I kicked ass and am now heading out for a work lunch meeting. I expect a celebration tonight...in the form of your naked body on top of mine while you yell how much harder you want it.
I slide into the company car with Blake. He takes the driver’s side, and I sit in the passenger seat. He buckles up, and I check my phone once again for her response, but so far nothing. I know she’s swamped right now, so I shrug it off. Talking with her always makes my days go by faster.
“I bet you’re glad to finally be back. I hear bed rest can suck for a king.” Blake’s attempt at small talk is laughable, but I go along with it anyway.
“Yeah, it did. Good thing my roommate’s little sister was around to help me some.” The words flow out before I can stop them.
“Violet, right?”
“Viola,” I correct. “She lives on campus nearby, so she wasn’t too far if I needed anything.”
“How convenient.” I notice his condescending tone and pinch my lips to force back a smug smile. It was very fucking convenient, but of course, I won’t say that to him. The less he knows about my personal life, the better.
Once the awkward lunch from hell is over, and Blake not-so-subtly threatens my position at the firm, I make a little detour before heading home. Since it’s Wednesday, Viola will be over tonight, and I’m going to have to use all the willpower I don’t have to keep my eyes and hands off her.