Chapter 7 Travis
TRAVIS
Kendra sleeps like she comes, all in. Her hair’s spread over the pillows, her mouth hangs open emitting soft snores, her legs are tangled in the bed sheets, and she’s taking up way more than half the bed.
A feeling of contentment spreads over me as I watch her. I could get used to this.
It’s only been a few days that we’ve been together, but it’s been a lifetime that I’ve wanted this woman.
She’s frustrated because we haven’t gone all the way, but we’ve got a lifetime together. Why rush? Besides, I need to speak to Quentin first, out of respect for my best friend and MC brother.
And there’s something else I want to do. I want Kendra to know how serious I am. While she’s working today, I’m taking a ride across the mountain to Hope. There’s a boutique jewelry shop there, and I’m going to buy her a ring.
I don’t want her running off again. I want her to be here, tied to me as my fiancé. Once I’ve got a ring on her finger, I’ll tell her brother. Then I’ll claim her. And I’ll put a baby in her belly and keep her tied to me for good.
Kendra stirs and I hate to wake her, but I need to drop her back at the club while it’s still early. I hate sneaking around like this, but it’s only for one more day, and the last thing I want is the rumor mill starting before I’ve spoken to Quentin.
I slip out of bed and get the coffee going, then wake up my angel with a fresh brew.
“Morning, angel.”
Kendra grunts and sits up in bed, reaching for the coffee with her eyes half closed. She’s not a morning person.
Dawn’s breaking over the crest of the mountain as we ride to the compound. As soon as she’s got a ring on her finger, she’ll be staying at my place permanently. But for now, I return her to the room above the bar.
Kendra heads upstairs, probably to go back to sleep, while I head to the office.
I spend the next few hours catching up on inventory, my mind wandering to Kendra and making it hard to focus. I wonder if I’ll stop obsessing about her once we’re engaged and I know she’s mine.
The morning shift comes in, and I chat with Arlo. Maggie walks past, and I notice his eyes following her. She’s proving indispensable in the kitchen, and I hope he doesn’t do anything to make her want to leave. It’s hard enough finding staff to stick around.
Kendra comes down to start her lunch shift. She’s had a shower and her hair is tied back off her face, which is radiant. She smiles at me, and I resist the urge to kiss her.
Soon. Soon I’ll let every motherfucker in this place know that she’s mine. But not till I’ve told Quentin first.
I’m about to take my laptop out to the bar so I can keep an eye on Kendra when I hear the roar of bikes pulling into the compound.
I head to the window as four Wild Riders pull into the courtyard.
It’s Quentin and Prez and the two other guys who went with them.
I frown. They’re not meant to be back for two more days.
Two more days that I had to convince Kendra to marry me and stay on the mountain.
The phone rings in the office, and I head back inside. It’s a query about one of our orders, and I deal with it quickly. I’m about to hang up when Quentin appears in the door frame.
“Hey, brother.”
He’s staring at me, and I wonder if there’s some way that he knows. Me and Kendra have been discreet, but maybe someone saw us. Then he slaps me on the back and grins.
“You’re back early. What happened?”
Quentin fills me in on the meetings they had with new distributors and the ones that were cancelled because of flooding in the area. Entire roads were closed, and they cut their losses and came back. We’ll have to arrange the meetings for another time.
With business talk out the way, Quentin pulls on his beard and looks at me intently. “How’s Kendra? Anything I need to know?”