Page 26 of Cherishing Happily Ever After

“I saw you at the Knot the other day.”

His lips twitched up into a smile.

“And with all the baking you brought, well…I just assumed that you… What’s so funny?”

“So youdidsee me the other day.”

Busted.

“You did such a good job ignoring me,” Travis continued. “I wasn’t sure if you actually didn’t see me or if you were just playing hard to get.”

Her mouth dropped open. “I was not playing hard to get.”

“But you noticed me?”

Her thoughts muddled in her head.Was it the liquor?She put the coffee down on the table and got up.When was the last time she ate something?The alcohol was clearly going to her head. She flipped open the top of the bakery box and pulled out two honey buns.

“Steph?”

She didn’t turn around. She needed to pull her thoughts together. She was a smart, confident woman. Yet somehow, when Travis was around, all of that went out the window and suddenly she couldn’t think straight or formulate a reasonable thought. Let alone play this game that she was playing with him. A game that, as far as she was concerned, she’d already lost miserably.

She’d tried to keep him at a distance. She really had. Nothing good could come out of getting close to Travis Bishop. It didn’t matter what Nick said. He was wrong. There wasn’t one way to find out. She refused to put herself out there as an experiment for Travis.He either wanted her or he didn’t. There would be no—

“Hey.”

Her thoughts were interrupted abruptly when the subject of her confusion wrapped his hand around her arm and pulled her gently so she faced him. Her breath instantly changed, as if she couldn’t find enough air to pull into her lungs.

He was close, but besides his hand on her arm, they weren’t touching. That was enough.

How was it this man could affect her so instantly and so dramatically?She was used to being around incredibly attractive, strong men. Sheneverbehaved this way. And her body had certainly never responded this way before.

“What are you—”

“You never answered my question.” He stepped closer.

Dammit.

If formulating a thought was hard before…Now, with his proximity, it was downright impossible. He smelled of her coconut soap, mixed with the manly scent that was so distinctly Travis. The combination was heady.

“What question?”

He reminded her of a cat stalking his prey as he stepped a little closer, his eyes focused on hers. “The other day,” he said slowly. “At the Knot. Did you notice me?”

“Yes.” The word was a breath on the air between them. “I noticed you.”

With his hand still on her arm, he pulled her gently closer. “And you were jealous?”

Steph laughed. But she didn’t deny it. A detail that didn’t go unnoticed. His pupils darkened as he watched her.

“Are you and Georgia…”

“Do you really think we’re together?”

She didn’t. Not really. After all, it hadn’t been much more than a month since they’d shared that kiss that could have—no—wouldhave led to more if they hadn’t been interrupted. He wasn’t with anyone then.Was he?

The question hit her. After all, did she really know Travis?

No.

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