by J. H. Croix
He forced himself to beat back the need to wrap her in his arms again. A few risky moments had sent him stumbling inside. She stood before him, practically glowing with vitality in the cold, winter afternoon. He gulped in the bracing air and cast his eyes between her and Ben. “You know I only ended up there trying to get the moose’s attention off of Danny. Boy, he’s a handful, huh?”
Janie grinned. “I keep telling him if we could only figure out how to channel his energy.” Her grin faded. “Seriously, thanks for that. He moves like lightning and broke free from the line before I even realized it. Anyway, I need to get back to class. I’ll catch you guys later, okay?”
“You got it,” Ben said as he spun around and headed toward their vehicle.
Travis watched Ben walk away, surprised at his rapid retreat. He glanced down at Janie, thoughts tumbling through his mind. Mostly, he just wanted to ask her if he could see her again. Now would be his preference, but that wasn’t an option. “Don’t suppose I could bring dinner over?” he asked abruptly. He figured with Stella hobbling about on crutches and it being a school night, dinner out and about wasn’t an option.
Janie stared up at him, her hazel eyes pulling at him. She finally nodded, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of pink. “Sure.”
Her one word answer pleased him so much, a grin split his face. “What’s Stella’s favorite takeout?”
“Glacier Pizza. She’d eat it all day, every day if I let her.”
“Done.”
Moments later, he caught up to Ben and climbed into the truck beside him. “Ready?” he asked once the engine rumbled.
Ben glanced to him. “Of course.”
Travis started driving back to the station. He was pulling into the parking lot when Ben spoke again. “So, Janie Stevens, huh?”
Travis brought the truck to a stop and glanced to Ben. “What about Janie?” he asked.
Ben threw his head back with a laugh. “Dude, you’re worse off than I thought.” He unbuckled his seat belt and started to climb out. “By the way, Janie’s awesome.” He threw that comment over his shoulder and strolled into the building, leaving Travis to wonder just how ridiculously obvious he was.
Chapter 9
“Mom!” Stella called from the couch.
Janie stepped away from the sink where she’d been cleaning up the dishes left by Stella earlier today. She cornered the bottom of the staircase and glanced to Stella. “Yes?”
Stella pointed to her backpack, which was leaning against the edge of the coffee table and out of her reach. “I forgot to get my biology book out.”
Janie quickly strode to the backpack and set it on the floor where Stella could reach it. Pansy had snuggled into a spot between Stella and the back of the couch. Her tail thumped against the couch when Janie came close. Janie reached over to stroke her head quickly before stepping away. For the most part, Stella had learned to navigate with her crutches, but she was constantly forgetting things like this. Janie had decided it was easier to drive Stella to school than worry about her navigating up the driveway with the winter weather settling in, which Stella just loved. Janie glanced to Stella who’d already reached in and pulled out her massive biology tome. “So, recital practice tomorrow, right?”
Stella looked up with a nod. “Uh huh.”
“How about you do your homework in Mrs. Cooper’s classroom before recital? I won’t have time to get over there to pick you up and bring you home in between.”
Stella shrugged. “Sure. Mrs. Cooper won’t mind.”
Mrs. Cooper was Stella’s music teacher and her absolute favorite teacher. Mrs. Cooper took Stella under her wing early on after Stella came to live with Janie. At the time, Stella’s aptitude for being surly and quiet could’ve won her an award had there been such a thing. Mrs. Cooper saw through it and supported Stella’s natural ability at piano, a much healthier aptitude than her surliness.
“What’s for dinner?” Stella asked as she filled out an answer on her homework.
“Travis is bringing pizza. I’m supposed to text him what kind you want.”
Janie stomach did a little flip when she spoke his name aloud. The effect Travis was having on her was starting to make her feel half-crazy. Although she was still a little annoyed with his manly attitude at the playground today. She was perfectly capable of handling herself with moose. Anyone born and raised in Alaska had encountered them hundreds of times. Her mind wandered to his piercing blue gaze and rugged, muscled body, which sent a wash of heat through her.
“Glacier Pizza? On a school night?” Stella’s questions came out rapid fire as a grin spread across her face.
“He offered, so I told him Glacier Pizza was your favorite.” She glanced at the clock on the wall above the windows. “What kind do you want tonight?”
Stella wiggled gleefully on the couch, her bright pink cast rolling back and forth with her feet. “Pepperoni and…” She paused, tapping her fingertips on her book. “…one with olives and feta.”
Janie couldn’t help but grin. “I’ll see if he’s planning to get one or two pizzas.”
She slipped her phone out of pocket and texted him quickly. “I’ll finish up in the kitchen while you get your homework done,” she said as she turned away. Before she made it back to the sink, Travis’s return text buzzed. Two pizzas it is. See you in a bit.
A simple reply and it sent her pulse skyrocketing. She couldn’t believe she was this worked up about him bringing pizza over. She’d be having dinner with him and her teenage daughter who was laid up with a broken ankle. All in all, it was completely unromantic, yet here she was thinking about their kiss the other night. She’d barely been able to sleep after that. With her mind spinning over thoughts of Travis and her body aflame, she’d been stirred up and restless. With a forceful shake of her head, she set her phone on the counter and finished washing dishes.
A while later, Janie looked across the table at Travis. Stella had gone to bed a few minutes ago, although she’d valiantly fought against her tiredness. Janie had just returned from making sure Stella was settled in bed comfortably. She felt she might be over-worrying, but she didn’t want Stella’s crutches falling with a crash like they had last night. Stella was alternately annoyed with Janie’s extra attention and good-natured about it. Pansy had taken to sleeping on the floor by Stella’s bed as well, so Janie took comfort in thinking perhaps Pansy was worried too.
“Stella seems like she’s doing okay,” Travis said.
Janie laughed softly. “Most of the time. Mornings are the hardest because she likes to sleep until the absolute last minute. Being on crutches slows things down a bit, so I’ve been making sure she’s up a good half hour early. Otherwise, she’s adjusted. We didn’t plan it this way, but getting Pansy when we did worked out great. She’s a good distraction for Stella right now.”
Travis chuckled, the low timbre of his laugh sending a prickle up her spine. “Good timing, huh? How long does she need to wear her cast?”
“They said four to six weeks. Stella loved hearing that.” Janie shook her head. “I guess they’ll take a look at four weeks and make a decision. They said she should heal pretty quickly as long as she’s good about keeping it stabilized. I’m hoping for four weeks. That means she’ll have it off before Christmas. If not, she’ll manage.”
Travis flashed a grin. “I’m sure she will. She’s being a pretty good sport about it.”
“After the first day, she’s handled it like a champ. I’m so relieved her thing is music instead of a sport. Otherwise, who knows how many practices she’d miss? Her music teacher set up a footrest for her when she plays piano, so she’s good to go.”
While their conversation was focused on Stella and rather mundane, Janie’s body was humming with a low current of electricity rolling through her. Her hyperawareness of him was unsettling. Restless, she stood up from the table, carrying her empty wineglass to the sink. She resisted the temptation to fill it again because she’d already had enough wine to p
ush her close to being tipsy. She also needed to somehow keep her wits about her since she barely seemed able to do that with Travis anywhere nearby.
A prickle raced up her spine, and she spun around to find him walking across the kitchen to her, carrying an empty pizza box and his plate. When she saw him glance around as if looking for the trash, she pointed to the corner, which was conveniently far away from her. With flutters twirling in her belly, she turned back to the sink and needlessly rinsed her wineglass before putting it in the dishwasher. In seconds, he tossed the pizza box in the trashcan and walked toward the sink, setting his plate on the counter beside her.
“Can I help with clean up?”
His low voice sent another prickle up her spine and a swirl of heat in her belly. She forced herself to take a deep breath, feeling ridiculous about how at mercy she was to his presence. She turned the faucet off and angled sideways, carefully keeping a small distance between them, although every fiber of her yearned to close the distance and feel the hard muscled planes of his body against hers again. His elbow was resting on the counter, his posture relaxed and just oozing masculinity. For crying out loud, all he was doing was leaning against the counter and she could hardly keep her eyes off of him.
She looked down at the floor, but her eyes had their own ideas and immediately flicked to him again, tracking up his body. He wore faded jeans of denim so soft, his muscled legs were easily visible. With one hand hooked in a pocket, the waistband of his jeans angled down, offering a glimpse of his muscled abs. He wore a faded navy t-shirt that didn’t do much to hide the planes of his chest. She doubted he worked out because she knew the life he lived kept him fit, but holy hell the man’s body looked like it was carved from stone. Her eyes finally collided with his. Her pulse lunged and her breath caught. His eyes had darkened and held hers locked to his.
They stood there, frozen in place for several seconds, before Travis moved. He slowly pushed off the counter and took one step, just one step, and he was right in front of her. He cleared his throat and angled his head to the side.
“I want to kiss you,” he said, his words plain and his voice gruff.
Conflicted as she was about him when she was able to think clearly, she was entirely incapable of thinking just now. All she wanted was to kiss him. Now.
She tried to speak, but she couldn’t seem to make a sound. Wordlessly, she nodded. In a flash, he closed the fraction of distance between them and tangled his hand in her hair, fitting his mouth over hers. This kiss didn’t start slow—it was a wild dive. She couldn’t imagine any man kissing more masterfully than him. He kissed with pure confidence—licks, kisses and nibbles alternating with deep strokes of his tongue. By the time he pulled back, she was startled to discover she hadn’t collapsed. She was aflame inside and out, her skin hot and flushed.
He lifted his head, his eyes locking with hers. The depth of need she saw there grabbed at her viscerally—an emotional, physical pull so intense she couldn’t look away. They stood still, their breath heaving in the quiet kitchen. Her nipples were so tight they ached, and she could feel the moisture between her thighs. She was snapped out of her fevered state when Pansy came trotting into the kitchen, whining softly.
Janie took a quick step back with Travis straightening and turning to look toward Pansy. Still slightly unfocused with her body humming and need sliding through her, Janie glanced down at Pansy who came to her side, wagging her tail and glancing back and forth between Janie and the stairs. Janie looked over at Travis. “Let me go check on Stella. Maybe it’s weird to think Pansy’s trying to tell me something, but…”
He nodded. “I was thinking the same thing. Go ahead.”
Janie jogged up the stairs with Pansy right on her heels and glanced in Stella’s bedroom. Stella was still asleep, but she’d twisted in her sleep in such a way that her casted leg was caught at an odd angle between her bed and the wall. Janie glanced down at Pansy and stroked her head quickly. As she approached Stella’s bed, she heard a soft sound from Stella. While she might be asleep, she must be in some pain. Janie carefully leaned across the bed and adjusted Stella’s leg. She managed not to wake Stella and placed an extra pillow between Stella’s leg and the wall to keep her from rolling like that again.
Pansy curled up with a sigh on the floor once Janie gave her another pat and walked quietly out. When she got back downstairs, Travis was leaning against the counter. “Everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. Her bed’s right up against the wall, and her leg got twisted. She wasn’t even awake, but Pansy seemed to know she wasn’t comfortable.” Janie shrugged. “She’s a sweet dog. Anyway, I straightened it out and made sure she has a pillow by her leg. Should be fine now.”
He nodded slowly, his eyes on her. Already, that hum of desire was swirling around them again. Yet, she couldn’t relax. She glanced over at him, trying to figure out what to say. He saved her from bumbling through she didn’t know what. He pushed back from the counter. “I should probably get going.” He moved toward the kitchen door, snagging his lightweight down jacket off the coatrack. As he shrugged his jacket over his shoulders, he caught her eyes. “Look, uh…” He paused and gave his head a small shake. “I, uh, don’t want you to think… Well, I don’t know what you might think. I guess I was trying to say I’d like a chance to see you again.”
Before she realized what she was doing, she was nodding. A slow smile spread across his face. He stepped to her and dipped his head. In seconds, she was on fire again. It seemed they weren’t capable of anything like a quick, casual kiss. Travis tore his lips away from hers, swearing softly. When he glanced over at her, she couldn’t keep a giggle from escaping. It was ridiculous really. He grinned. “I’d better go. How about I give you a call before the weekend?”
“Sounds good.”
He held her gaze for a long moment before turning and stepping out into the cold. A blast of air came through the door when he opened and closed it. The icy air was a balm to the heat coursing through her. She shivered at the contrast. Turning away from the door, she walked to the windows at the back of the house and looked outside. Moonlight fell across the bay in a glittering path, the water rippling under its glow. The mountains were dark, hulking shapes in the night sky. Her breath gradually slowed, her pulse following. She finally made her way upstairs, poking her head around Stella’s door to find her sound asleep. Pansy’s tail thumped softly against the floor.
Chapter 10
Travis kicked the door shut behind him and strode down the hall at the fire station. Winter was setting in swiftly, and it was damn freezing this morning. He headed straight for the break room. “Oh yes, fresh coffee,” he commented to himself when he smelled the strong brew as soon as he stepped into the room.
“Perfect timing,” a voice said.
Travis glanced up to find Darren Thomas, Diamond Creek’s police chief, coming into the break room from the opposite side. The fire station and police station shared administrative support and the break room. “Hey Darren, looks like your timing’s about as good as mine. You go first,” he said, gesturing to the full coffee pot.
Darren flashed a smile, his brown eyes crinkling at the corners. “No argument from me.” He stepped to the coffee pot, snagged a cup and filled it quickly. He passed it to Travis before filling another for himself.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Travis said with a laugh.
Darren shrugged. “It’s a few seconds wait.” He paused and took a long swallow of coffee. “Damn, I needed that.” He looked to Travis. “So what’s up?”
Travis had just taken his own gulp of coffee. He slowly sank down into a chair by the round table in the room. “Not much. You?”
Darren sat down across from him and brushed his brown hair out of his eyes. “The usual. With summer over, things are a little quieter for us.”
Travis nodded. “You know the deal, same for us. How’s Risa doing?” Risa was Darren’s wife, and they were expecting their first child in a few months.
Darren, usually a somewhat somber guy, flashed a wide smile. “She’s great. She keeps complaining that she feels huge, but she looks beautiful.”
Travis grinned. “Well, she is beautiful. Still haven’t figured out what she sees in you, but…” He let his words trail off.
Darren chuckled. “I still haven’t figured out what she sees in me, but I’m not complaining.” He paused to take another sip of coffee and leaned back in his chair just as Sylvia rounded the corner of the door and walked into the room.
Her eyes bounced from Darren to Travis. “Hey boys, how’s it going?”
Travis lifted his cup in a greeting. “Now that I’ve had some of your coffee, my morning’s much better.”
“Ditto,” Darren offered with a grin.
Sylvia stepped to the coffee pot to help herself before joining them at the table. They chatted casually for a few minutes until Ben passed by the door with a quick wave. Sylvia’s gaze swung to Travis, her eyes narrowing. “What’s this I hear about you and Janie Stevens?”
“Huh?” Travis asked, slightly startled at the abrupt shift in topic.
Darren pushed his chair back, the legs scraping on the floor. “Have mercy on him, Sylvia,” he said with a quick grin before he clapped Travis on the shoulder on his way past the table.
Travis felt suddenly uncomfortable and shifted his shoulders before taking a slow sip of coffee. Sylvia looked at him thoughtfully. After several beats, she spoke again. “I was just teasing, you know? Ben seems to think you might have a thing for Janie. He ‘s ready to place bets on how long it’ll be before you admit it.”
Travis groaned and ran a hand through his hair before leaning back in his chair. “Ben’s being ridiculous.”
Sylvia laughed softly. “Ben was the class clown when he was a little boy, and he hasn’t changed much since then.” Her expression sobered. “Based on your reaction, I’m guessing he’s right about Janie.”
