Page 30 of Cherishing Happily Ever After

“Aren’t you?”

“And you aren’t?” She tipped her head in challenge.

“Oh, I never said I wasn’t.” He widened his eyes as he very subtly bit his bottom lip.

The combined effect caused her insides to quiver and twist into an aching knot.

“I think it goes without saying that I amveryattracted to you, Stephanie.”

Travis hadn’t moved from the couch, but he might as well have been only inches from her for the way he was making her feel simply with his words.

She wrapped her arms around her waist in an effort to…what? Keep from reaching for him?She could no longer be sure exactly how she would react with him. Her behavior was almost completely unrecognizable when it came to Travis Bishop.

“Which is why,” he continued, “I’m curious about this wholejust friendsthing.” He used air quotes. “I mean, we’re obviously both attracted to each other.”

They were. That wasn’t a secret.

Stephanie sighed and swallowed hard. “You want the truth?” She was way too old to play these games, and the cabin waswaytoo small to even try.

“I think so.”

She shook her head at his smug grin. “Okay.” She leaned against the wall. “We can only just be friends because I’m in a stage of my life where I’m no longer willing to compromise on what I want.”

“And you don’t want amazing sex?”

His smile was innocent, even if his meaning wasn’t.

“Oh, Idowant amazing sex.” She lowered her eyelids. “And lots of it.”

“So what makes you think you’re going to have to compromise on that with me? Because I can assure you that—”

“There’s more to life than amazing sex.”

“Is there?” He crossed his arms over his chest.

Stephanie swallowed hard. “Travis, what I want, you can’t give me. And it’s more than just amazing sex,” she added quickly.Because I’m one hundred percent sure you can give me that.

He didn’t say anything right away, and for an awkward moment Steph thought maybe she’d gone too far.

Finally, he put his hands on his thighs and stood. “I think we should have a drink for this conversation, don’t you?”

It was late. They should probably go to bed.And would alcohol really help? Or would it make it even harder to ignore the growing feelings she was having for him?

“Sure,” she found herself agreeing and when a few minutes later, Travis handed her a glass of wine and she dropped back down into her chair, she took a healthy sip.

Travis watched her carefully while he, too, took a sip of his wine and slowly put the glass down on the table in front of him. He bent to rub the puppy’s tummy. When he sat up, he was still looking straight at her. “What can’t I give you, Stephanie?”

She didn’t hesitate before answering him. What was the point? They’d come this far and if they were ever truly going to get past the awkwardness between them and actually bejustfriends, they had to get it out in the open. “You can’t give me the future I want,” she blurted. “I’ve done casual,” she continued. “I’ve done flings and I even had a one-night stand, once.” He raised his eyebrows in surprise, but she kept going. “I’ve done the no-strings thing. I’ve done the relationships that I thought were going somewhere, but weren’t. I’ve done the relationships where I’ve been used and taken advantage of. I’m over it. All of it. I’m ready for more.”

He nodded slowly while she spilled out everything she was feeling, but didn’t interrupt her.

“I see Faith and Logan, and Hope and Levi. They’re happy. Building their lives and creating something that means something. Together.” She took a quick breath, but she wasn’t finished. “Nick and Charlotte with Amelia and their family growing even more, and…well, all the babies.”

“You want babies?”

“Yes. No.” She shook her head. “Someday. But what I really want is a relationship, a family, roots.” She dropped her head back and looked up to the ceiling for a moment. “A place to call home,” she said when she was looking at him again. “Apersonto call home. Something permanent and real.”

He absorbed what she’d said and threaded his fingers together. “And you don’t think I can give you that?”

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