Chapter 24 #2
Touched, Liana reached out to caress the tension from his face.
“I’d never ask you to make such a sacrifice for me.
And I don’t want you to ask it of me, either.
If one of us is going to give up everything it has to be done freely, or all that’s good between us will be lost to resentment.
I know if we’re going to be together, it has to be me who walks away from the life I had before.
All I’m asking for is some time to make sure that’s the best thing for me.
Do you understand what I’m trying to say, Travis? ”
“Yes, I think so.”
“We’ve known each other for less than two weeks, even if they were the two most wonderful weeks of my life.”
“Mine, too.” He sat on the floor and drew her into his embrace.
“It’s still only two weeks.” She rested her head on his chest. “I need some time to figure things out.”
“How much time?”
“I don’t know.”
He tipped her chin up so he could see her eyes. “I want you to marry me, Liana.”
She shook her head. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t say that to get me to stay.”
“You’ll insult me if you accuse me of that. I do want to marry you, but I wasn’t planning to ask you when we were sitting on the kitchen floor.”
“Travis . . .”
“Wait.” He silenced her with a kiss. “Hear me out.” Caressing her face, he said, “I love you, Liana. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone.
I want us to have a life together, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen.
You’re telling me you’re not ready for that just yet, so I’ll wait.
A year, two years, however long it takes.
But I don’t want you to leave here on Sunday and not know that I want us to have it all. ”
She combed her fingers through his hair. “In a perfect world, I’d love nothing more than to marry you and have children with you—a handsome dark-haired boy with his daddy’s devastating grin—”
He looped a lock of her hair around his finger. “And a beautiful violet-eyed princess with her mommy’s silky hair.”
Liana’s eyes filled with tears. “Don’t,” she whispered again. “Please.”
“We can have it, Liana,” he said urgently. “Anything and everything you want. I’d give you everything, if only you’d let me.”
She punched his shoulder half-heartedly as tears cascaded down her face. “I knew I couldn’t just have a fling.”
He laughed softly and brushed away her tears. “I knew you couldn’t, either.”
“Then why’d you let me try?”
“Because I wouldn’t have missed this time with you for anything, no matter what’s ahead for us.”
“I do love you, Travis,” she said, looking up at him. “I know I’ve hurt you by not saying it more often.”
“You’ve said it.” He pressed his lips to hers. “That’s all that matters.”
“We’re going to be late for dinner.”
He stood up and held out his hand to help her up. “Do you think another half hour will matter?”
“I don’t suppose so. Why?”
“I want to be with you right now, Liana,” he said, his face serious and sad. “I need you.”
She took his hand and led him into the bedroom where she undressed him, then shed her own clothes, and followed him into bed.
He held her tight against him for a long time before he even kissed her. When he pulled back from her, Liana was stunned to see tears in his eyes.
“Travis.” She cupped his face, and brought his lips to hers for a soulful kiss.
“Look at me,” he said as he entered her.
Liana shifted her eyes up to meet his.
“Tell me again, Liana,” he whispered, holding his body still. “Just once more.”
Steeped in the sensation of being filled by him in every possible way, she reached up to caress his face. “I love you, Travis. I love you so much.”
“And I love you. No one else will ever love you the way I do.” He began to move but didn’t let her look away.
Forty-five minutes later, they sped away from North Point before the reporters could hop into cars that lined the access road and give chase.
Liana showed him a couple of shortcuts that bettered their lead, and by the time they reached Middletown, they were almost certain they had escaped.
“That gets the old heart pumping, doesn’t it?” Liana asked, placing her hand on her chest.
“Sure does,” he agreed. “I wasn’t aware I’d be doing NASCAR driving when I bought this car.”
Liana laughed and relaxed against the soft leather seat. She directed him to Memorial Boulevard, past First Beach and up the hill to Bellevue Avenue, the same neighborhood as Newport’s famous mansions.
Travis whistled when they drove through a stone archway. “This is where they live? I knew they were loaded, but I never imagined this.”
“The house has been in my Uncle Charlie’s family forever.”
“Was it weird for you growing up knowing she had so much and you had, well—”
“Less?” Liana asked with a laugh. “Not at all, because as snooty as Enid can be with other people, she’s never pulled that crap with me.
I wouldn’t let her get away with it. I have the best memories of this house.
We played fabulous games of hide-and-go-seek on the third floor and had tea parties and Christmas parties. ”
“It’s funny how your uncle, who grew up with all this, is so normal,” Travis said as he helped her out of the car.
“He’s the loveliest man.”
“I was always so relieved when he came to the pre-wedding meetings with Edith and Enid,” Travis confessed.
Liana laughed. “Believe me, I know what you mean. He keeps them under control.”
“He’s the only reason I didn’t kill the two of them before the wedding.”
“Oh, you’re bad,” Liana said with a teasing grin. “That’s my aunt and cousin you’re talking about.”
“Then I don’t need to tell you.”
“No, you certainly don’t.” She stopped him at the foot of the stone stairs and reached up to kiss him. “Thanks for coming tonight.”
“Happy to,” he said with a grimace.
Liana laughed and kissed him again.
The door opened, and Enid let out a squeal when she saw them kissing. “I’ve been reading about you two all over Europe! Quit that lip locking and get in here, will you?”
Travis nudged Liana to go on ahead of him.
She and Enid embraced at the door.
“You and I are so going to talk later,” Enid said in what she considered to be a whisper.
“Liana doesn’t kiss and tell,” Travis said.
“She does to me,” Enid informed him. “And how are you, Mr. North?”
“Just fine, Mrs. Littleton,” he said, resorting to the phony tone he reserved just for her. “And you?”
She reached up to kiss his cheek. “I’m divine, but I have a bone to pick with you.”
“Why? What did I do?”
“I just asked you to drive her home not create an international incident.”
Travis laughed. “I believe you put a few other ideas in her head that went far beyond a simple ride home.”
Liana blushed. “Travis . . .”
“I sure did.” Laughing at her cousin’s discomfort, Enid looped her arms through theirs and escorted them into the living room where the others were enjoying cocktails.
One full corner of the room was piled high with wedding gifts waiting to be opened.
Travis and Liana were greeted with hugs and kisses and handshakes.
“There they are!” Uncle Charlie said. “We were beginning to worry.”
Travis and Liana exchanged guilty glances, and he smiled when her cheeks turned bright red.
“Sorry to worry you,” Liana mumbled.
“We had a little trouble getting through the media’s defensive line,” Travis added.
“Well,” Edith said when Charlie had fixed drinks for the new arrivals. “Let’s have dinner.”