The Best Bride. Сьюзен Мэллери
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It had felt like a whole lot more than just a kiss to her.
“And then there was the time the blood bank brought one of those mobile trucks. You know the kind. They stay for a few days and take donations.” Rebecca paused long enough to finish setting the silverware, then looked up and laughed. “He dated both nurses.”
“You’re kidding?” Elizabeth asked. “Both. So much for monogamy, Travis,” she called, glancing back at him over her shoulder.
“I was monogamous. The first one didn’t work out, and her friend wanted to comfort me,” he said from his seat on the floor at the edge of the big dining room. It was one of the few rooms he’d actually bothered to furnish. The rosewood table and hutch had once belonged to his mother. She’d left it behind, along with everything else when she’d left him and his brothers. Their father hadn’t wanted the set. Both Jordan and Kyle lived in apartments. Craig had told him to take it because his three boys would destroy the beautiful pieces in a matter of days.
“Travis, it’s your turn to move,” Mandy said impatiently. “Hurry, ’cuz I’m winning.”
“I’m hurrying,” he told the little girl. He rolled the dice and counted out the squares with his marker. Mandy crowed when he landed on a chute that carried him almost to the bottom of the board. “Guess you’re going to win, huh?”
She nodded vigorously, her blond braids bouncing on her shoulders. She grinned. “Mommy, I’m winning. Come see.”
Elizabeth turned in her chair and looked down at the game. “Very good, sweetie.” She gave him a quick glance. A tiny spot of color stained each cheek, but she didn’t turn away.
Travis was glad. He’d barely had time to recover from his obvious and somewhat painful reaction to their kiss when Rebecca had arrived for dinner. So far he hadn’t had the chance to make sure Elizabeth was all right. He told himself he hadn’t meant to kiss her, but he knew he was lying. He’d been thinking about it ever since her first night here, when he’d briefly touched her lips with his. He’d wanted to know if the heat between them was real or imagined. The still-burning scars reminded him the heat was plenty real. Their kiss had only made him want more.
Which was, he acknowledged, an obvious problem. He didn’t want to get involved with Elizabeth for several reasons. Not only was she a guest in his house, but he knew better than to risk it all with someone like her. She was the kind of woman who believed in commitment and forever. He didn’t know how to do that. If he was honest with himself, he didn’t have what other men had to make something special last. Four generations of failed relationships couldn’t be argued with.
But the kiss had been tempting. He only wished he’d had a chance to ask Elizabeth if everything was okay. But Rebecca and Mandy were in the room. If that wasn’t bad enough, his friend was taking perverse delight in telling Elizabeth a string of stories about his supposed conquests with women.
“What about that trick roper you dated?” Rebecca asked.
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “A trick roper. I don’t think I want to hear about that one.”
Travis shook his head. “That happened about six years ago. Long before you’d even heard of Glenwood,” he said, turning to Rebecca. “You’re repeating gossip.”
“I know. Isn’t it terrific?” She walked over and patted his shoulder. “I love this guy. He is the ultimate male weapon against women. One look and they go weak in the knees.”
He rolled the dice and moved three places. Mandy rolled and won the game. She laughed with delight, then leaned forward and gave him a big hug. He held her close. Funny how both Abbott women got to him. Elizabeth made him want dangerous things, while Mandy made him feel a fierce need to protect her. And a longing to be more. He would give his soul to be a decent father to some kid. She planted a wet kiss on his cheek. Deep in his chest, he felt a sharp stab of pain piercing his heart.
“You’re the best, Travis,” Mandy said.
“I rest my case.” Rebecca headed for the kitchen.
Mandy scrambled off his lap and followed “Becca,” as she called the other woman. He glanced up at Elizabeth still sitting in her seat watching him.
“I took each of the nurses out once,” he said, wondering why he was defending himself. She wouldn’t believe him. No one ever did. “I don’t think I even kissed the second one good-night.”
“Sure.” She smiled.
“The trick roper was an old friend. I’d known her in college. You know people make up a lot of stories about me and my brothers. They think we get a lot more—” He hesitated, searching for a polite word.
“Action?” she offered helpfully.
“It wouldn’t have been my choice.”
God, she was beautiful. The skinny straps of her rose sundress showed off her tanned shoulders. The long line of her neck made him remember how she’d tasted when he’d kissed her there. Her mouth was perfect, pulling into a wide smile. It was her eyes that always got to him, though. There was a wariness in her expression that seemed out of place. Was it that Sam guy who had made her cautious? What had happened in her life? What was the big secret? Hell, a man could go crazy thinking about it.
He rose to his feet and took the chair next to hers. “A lot of people assume my brothers and I get a lot more action than we do. Part reputation, part circumstances.”
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her small ear. “Are you trying to make me feel sorry for you?”
“No, I’m trying to make sure we’re still friends.”
“I would think you have so many women in your life that one more wouldn’t matter.”
He leaned close to her, stopping only when their arms brushed. He was pleased that she didn’t move away. “I’m not talking about women in general. I’m talking about you. Friends?”
She glanced at the tablecloth. He couldn’t see her expression, so he sweated it out. He hated that it mattered what she thought.
“I’m not a jerk, Elizabeth. I’m not what everybody says.”
“I know.” She bit her lower lip. “You’re a nice guy.”
He winced.
“You are!”
“Great.”
“You want to shake on it again?”
He’d rather kiss on it, but hey, he would take what he could. Her hand felt small and delicate in his, but it was her smile that just about knocked him from his chair. She grinned up at him then leaned forward.
“So tell me the real story about the trick roper.”
* * *
They had barely sat down to dinner when the doorbell rang. Travis threw his napkin on the table. “I’ll get it,” he said, rising to his feet.
He walked to the front door and pulled it open. He grinned. “Austin, come in.”
Austin Lucas strolled into the hallway and paused. He sniffed the air. “I smell dinner.”
“You hungry? Louise left plenty.”
His friend shrugged. “I wouldn’t say—”
“Travis, who is it?” Rebecca called.
Austin raised his dark eyebrows. “Sorry. I didn’t know you had company.”
“It’s not what you think.” Travis grabbed his friend’s arm and steered him toward the dining room. Austin let himself be pulled along, but Travis knew his heart wasn’t in it. Austin didn’t go out of his