Chapter 2
two
Grace
Iknew returning to Wintervale was a mistake, but I wouldn’t miss my best friend’s wedding for anything. I had hoped Travis would have forgiven me by now—like I have forgiven him.
We were both foolish not to discuss our feelings. I shouldn't have used my new nursing assignment as a way to pressure Travis into admitting he wanted me to stay with him forever. It was silly to put him on the spot like that.
The travel nurse assignment to return to Wintervale couldn’t have come at a better time.
Instead of the usual twelve weeks, I now have only three weeks to decide whether to stay in Wintervale or move on to a new town for my next assignment—and finally forget about Travis once and for all.
Being Sky’s maid of honor will definitely help me get close to Travis again since he’s Tucker’s best man.
It’ll be almost impossible for Travis to ignore me.
The lights on stage might be bright, but I could still make out Travis leaving the table—I could also feel his eyes on me, so I decide to give the song everything I have, throwing my heart and soul into it as I look out into the darkened room at the spot where I can almost feel Travis watching me.
The crowd joins in shouting out baby, baby, baby. The lyrics hit me harder than I expected, as I remember our time together. I silently pray that, just as in the song, we will be able to forgive and forget.
And if we.
The final words come out as a sigh—I’m so tired of being angry at Travis, and this song reminded me of everything we had.
I’m back and ready to fight for my man—hopefully I’m not too late.
But according to Sky, Travis hasn’t dated anyone since me; that doesn’t mean he hasn’t hooked up with some of the tourists passing through.
My heart aches at the thought. I haven’t been able to think about anyone but Travis, let alone touch anyone.
But it’s not like he was cheating if he did—we were broken up.
The crowd cheers, and I smile, not wanting my sour mood to ruin anyone's fun. I walk over to Dale and hand him the microphone. “Thanks, Dale. I needed that.”
“It’s good to have you back.” He smiles. “Travis will come around, eventually.” Dale turns his attention back to the next singer he’s preparing to announce, leaving me speechless.
My body feels numb as I walk to where Sky is sitting, and I realize the whole town probably knows my plan to win Travis back, even though they don’t, but it feels that way.
I take the only open spot at the table. I know everyone here—Hazy, Rayne, and Tessa have all visited me the last time Sky came to see me while she was looking for a wedding gown.
And of course, I know Travis and all his brothers.
“Hey, Grace. It’s good to have you back,” Tucker says, running his hand over Sky’s still flat, pregnant belly, like he can’t get enough of touching her.
“It’s nice to be back.” I wish everyone felt that way. Awkward silence fills the air as I wait for someone else to speak.
It might have been my plan to surprise Travis on stage like that, but everyone at the table is acting guilty about the outcome. I’m not sure what I thought I would accomplish by blindsiding Travis like that—he hates surprises.
Ever since Sky told me she and Tucker were engaged, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Travis, which wasn’t much of a stretch before.
But now, it’s even more intense. It’s like my biological clock has started ticking, even though I’m only twenty-five.
It feels like it’s telling me it’s time to settle down with Travis, and to do that, I need to put the past behind me and claim him—if he even still wants me.
“So, about the bachelorette party.” Tessa breaks the silence. “I was thinking about hiring a male stripper, and since Grace and I are the only two technically single ladies, she is going to help me with the auditions.”
“Auditions?” Tanner says, as Tucker says, “Male strippers?”
“What else are we going to do for entertainment?” Tessa shrugs her shoulders and gives her brothers a look of innocence that I’m sure has gotten her out of trouble many times. “Besides, how am I supposed to build our venue side of the business if we don’t hire what the people want?”
“Sure, if we’re only catering to horny bridesmaids.” Turner snorts, earning him an elbow to the gut from Hazy.
“Historically, wedding receptions have been our top seller, but I want to expand and offer the complete package, from bridal showers and bachelorette parties to rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, baby showers, and anniversaries—covering everything. Maybe even tasteful bachelor parties.”
“Wait a minute, Tessa. You’re planning to have a male stripper at Sky’s bachelorette party, and you think that’s tasteful?”
“As a matter of fact, I do, Tanner.”
Their playful banter is entertaining to watch, but it’s been a long day, and it didn’t end the way I wanted it to. “I’m going to head out.” I give Sky a quick hug.
“It’s still early, are you sure you have to leave?” Sky squeezes me tighter, reminding me how much I’ve missed her. She is the sweetest person I know.
“It’s my first day at the hospital tomorrow. I need my beauty rest.” I gently pull back, disengaging myself from her arms.
“I heard there’s a hot new doctor starting tomorrow. The human resources ladies have already named him the panty melter.” Rayne says, shocking the guys at the table.
“Should the human resources people be talking like that?” Tucker asks what the rest of the guys are thinking.
“Probably not.” Rayne shrugs, as if it’s no big deal. “But they’re usually right when it comes to the new talent at the hospital.”
All three guys’ jaws drop in shock. If they only knew how politically incorrect it is working with a bunch of women—we’re just a little more subtle about it than men, usually.
“I’ll have to take their word for it. I’m not looking to have my panties melted.” At least not by the new doctor—Travis, on the other hand, already has mine soaked.
“Speak for yourself, some of us don’t have a man in our life to scratch our itch.” Tessa wiggles her eyebrows, making all the women at the table laugh and the men groan.
“Gross, Tessa.” Tanner gives an exaggerated full-body shiver of disgust. “I don’t want to hear about my baby sister getting anything scratched.”
“As a nurse, I would advise you never to mention anything about an itch when you’re talking about that area,” Sky says, her face turning red.
“On that note, I’m out of here.” I walk away from the table and out of the bar, thinking about Travis scratching my itch—Sky is right, that does not sound good.
It’s unusually warm for this time of year.
I took advantage of the weather by wearing Travis’s favorite dress.
It’s not too short, but it really makes my legs look long.
He was never able to resist bunching it around my waist and plunging his cock inside me whenever I wore it around him—except tonight.
I step outside, dreading the short walk to my hotel room and spending the night alone. Something else I had hoped would end differently tonight.
“Grace.” Strong arms wrap around my waist, pulling me toward the alley behind the bar.
Normally, I would be shocked, even try to fight back, but I recognize Travis’s voice, and I’m helpless to resist. “What are you doing wearing that dress?” It might be dark outside, but I can see the lust shining in his eyes in the moonlight.
“This old thing,” I tease, twisting my hips from side to side, feeling his huge shaft pressing against my stomach. Damn, we have too many clothes on.
"Shit," he growls, reaching his hand beneath my dress and ripping my panties off. “Tell me to stop if you don’t want this.” Travis looks like a man barely hanging on to his sanity.
“I want you, Travis. Right here, right now.” I run my tongue along the shell of his ear like I know he loves, causing him to lose control.
In a flash, he unbuckles his pants and drops them to his thighs, wrapping my legs around his waist as he thrusts inside of me.
No foreplay, no taking his time preparing my body, it’s like his sole purpose is centered on his primal urges, which I’m one hundred percent on board with, just ask my soaking wet pussy that is more than ready for his huge cock.
“Fuck, you feel so good.” He grinds into me, sinking in deeper with every thrust. It’s a good thing he’s holding me up, or I’d probably melt into a puddle of lust—he feels so amazing inside me. “God, I’ve missed you…this.” He quickly corrects himself, but he’s too late.
“I’ve missed you, too, Travis.” I moan, pushing my hips down, meeting him thrust for thrust.
His fingers dig into my hips, his thrusts becoming more erratic, bouncing me faster and faster until I feel like a doll made for his pleasure.
I grip his shoulders tighter as my orgasm crashes over me.
“Yes, Travis. Just like that.” My inner muscles squeeze him tight, causing him to unleash inside of me, branding me with his seed.
He presses his forehead against mine, breathing heavily and unevenly.
His pupils are dilated with lust until an unseen force replaces that desire, turning into regret.
He lifts me off him, setting my feet on the pavement, reminding me we're outside in an alley just a few feet from the back door of the bar where anyone could walk out and catch us.
“That was a mistake. It will never happen again.” He tucks himself back into his jeans, turns, and walks away from me without looking back—just like the night he left me.
I realize three things in that moment—his cum is running down my legs, that we never kissed, only fucked, and that he still has my panties. That has to mean something.