Chapter 31
Caren was pretty certain that she was never going to walk again.
“You okay, Goldie?” Travis asked her as he carried her into the bedroom and settled her down on the bed.
They’d just shared a shower after he’d fucked her against the wall. He’d had her pressed up against it almost before the door shut on his apartment. And then he’d taken her on the floor.
Finally, he’d fucked her nice and slow in the shower.
And now she was dead.
“I’ve died. Don’t worry about me. I might come back to life after fifteen hours sleep, four cups of coffee, and a bagel. Then again, maybe not.”
He settled in next to her. She noticed that he hadn’t bothered to dress either of them. How the heck was she going to find the energy to get up and find some pajamas?
Travis drew her against him with a chuckle. “Poor baby. Too much?”
“Wash your mouth out,” she said with a grin. “Never too much.” She yawned. Loudly. “Oops. Sorry.”
“Never be sorry,” he told her, rubbing her ass.
Oh, that was so nice.
“Do you think Rory is okay?” she asked.
“Thought I had distracted you enough that you wouldn’t worry about her.”
She managed to lean up on one elbow to stare down at him. “Oh, was that your plan? It had nothing to do with wanting to make me scream your name and beg you to come over and over? You were simply distracting me?”
He grinned as he put his hands behind his head. Damn it. It was difficult to pretend to be mad when he was looking so delicious.
That chest of his was a piece of art.
“Hey, my eyes are up here,” he teased.
She raised her eyes to his. “I know. I’m checking out the rest of you.”
He rolled her over onto her back and she squealed, giggling.
“Oh, you were, huh? And did you like what you saw?”
“Hmm. Yeah, it’s not bad.”
“Not bad?” he said with mock fury. “Not bad? You brat.” He started tickling her and she let out squeals of laughter as she attempted to fight back.
In the end, he managed to pin her to the bed as she stared up at him with what she thought was probably a goofy grin on her face.
“I love you, Travis Andrews.”
And then she froze as she realized what she had just said.
Fuck.
Bollocks.
Monkey balls.
What the fuck was she thinking? It was way too early to tell him that she loved him. Would she scare him away? She’d already told him that she’d had a crush on him as a teenager. That was humiliating enough.
“Sorry,” she said hastily.
He frowned down at her. Shit. What was he thinking?
Oh, bollocks.
“Why are you apologizing after telling me that you love me?” he asked gruffly. “Did you not mean it? Do you regret saying it?”
“What? No! Of course I meant it. I just . . . it’s too early, isn’t it? For me to say that to you, right? Have I scared you off?”
“You really think that telling me that you love me would scare me off? All it means is that you are even more mine than you were before.”
“Really?” Caren wasn’t worried that he hadn’t said it back. Because she’d loved him for the longest time. It wasn’t fair to expect him to fall in love with her after a short time.
“Really.” Leaning in, he kissed her. “And it’s a good thing since I love you too.”
“You don’t have to say that,” she whispered.
Travis raised his eyebrows. “Do I strike you as a man who says things just because he thinks he has to?”
“No. No, you’re not that man at all.”
“No. I’m saying it because I mean it. I love you, Caren Stanford. And you are mine.”
She nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck as tears dripped down her cheeks.
“Tears?”
“Good ones,” she told him as he kissed her cheeks.
“I only want you crying good ones from now on,” he bossed. “Or tears that I give you during a punishment or a scene. Understand?”
“Yes, boss!”
“That’s Sir to you. Although ‘boss’ has a nice ring to it as well.” Leaning on his side, he grabbed a tissue and cleaned her up.
Sometimes it felt like she was always a mess around this man.
“Tomorrow, we’ll go to your apartment and get your stuff. You don’t have much so that won’t take long.”
Um. What?
Why would they need to do that?
“And you can let your landlord know that you don’t need your apartment anymore. I’m guessing you’re on a short-term lease? When does it end? Do you need some money to cover it?”
“What are you talking about?” she asked, trying to keep up with what he was saying.
“You’ll be moving in here.”
“Why?” she asked. “We had this discussion, remember?”
“That was before you said you loved me. Now that you love me, you’ll move in here.”
“Hmm.” There must be some logic in that statement, but she just couldn’t figure it out. “Travis, you’re moving really fast.”
She thought she’d been going fast, but she was going turtle speed in comparison to him.
“You love me.”
“That cannot be your answer to everything,” she told him.
“Why not?” He raised his eyebrows. “Do you not love me?”
“Yes, I love you, you irritating caveman! That doesn’t mean that I’m automatically going to move in with you! We just started dating. We can’t just start living together!”
“Why not? I love you. You love me. You’re mine. I’m yours. What more do you need?”
“We’re still getting to know each other.”
He scoffed. “We know each other. We’ve known each other for years.”
“I just need you to slow down a bit, okay? Let me catch my breath.”
Travis stared down at her for a long moment. Was he going to get mad?
“I want to say no,” he told her. “But I’m guessing that will be the wrong answer.”
“Travis,” she murmured, cupping his face between her hands. “I love you. I want to be with you. And I will move in with you. Just not yet, okay?”
Maybe she was being crazy. He was her dream. The person she’d always loved. But that didn’t mean she knew him that well anymore.
And he had to get to know her too. Saying they loved each other so soon was probably crazy. Way too early. But she just knew that she did. Even if he was going to drive her nuts sometimes.
“How long do you need?” he asked.
Caren bit her lip to fight her smile. “I’m not sure.”
He grunted. “Fine. I’ll give you some time.” He lay on his back staring up at the ceiling.
She leaned up on one elbow to stare down at him. “You will? How long?”
“Don’t know. I was thinking an hour or two.”
Caren had to smile. “You’re cute.”
“I’m not cute. I’m manly. Handsome. Sexy.”
“Yep, you’re all of those things too. And I love you.” Leaning down, she kissed him softly. Then she deepened it before pulling back with a groan. “I physically cannot do anything more tonight. I’m beat.”
She attempted to get out of bed, but he reached over with an arm and drew her back into his embrace. “Where are you going? Do you have to pee again?”
“No!” she cried. “I’m getting my pajamas.”
“You don’t need pajamas.” He drew her so close she was cradled against him, her bottom pressed to his stomach and his arm wrapped around her.
“What if I get cold?” she asked as she yawned, growing sleepy.
“I’ll keep you warm.”
“What if there’s an emergency?”
“Then we’ll both be naked.”
“What if I like to sleep with something on?” she asked.
“You can wear me. And if you have something on, then I can’t sleep like this.” He slid his hand between her legs to cup her pussy.
Dear Lord.
He really expected her to sleep like this? No way was that happening.
Not . . . happening . . . at all.
That was her last thought as she drifted off to sleep.