Page 46 of Cherishing Happily Ever After

He was not just going to walk away. Not like that. If they were doing…whatever it was that they were doing, he didn’t get to tap out at the first sign of trouble. No way.

Stephanie tossed the sheets aside and grabbed her oversized sweater. She tugged it over her head, not bothering with any pants, and went out into the main room, where Travis was already grabbing his jacket from the hook by the door. “Where are you going?”

“I think we both need a little space.” His voice was gruff and tightly controlled, as if suddenly the idea of being trapped with her in a cabin for even one more minute was the worst thing he could imagine.

“I don’t think so.”

His head shot up. His eyes widened as he took in the sight of her, which no doubt was probably quite the sight. With no pants on, a sweater falling off her shoulder, and her long, wavy hair mussed from being in bed, she must look like a crazy person.

“Stephanie.” Travis spoke slowly.

He watched her carefully, almost as though he wasn’t sure about her anymore, which was ludicrous because only a few minutes ago he’d had his face between her legs. This man was slowly driving her crazy with his on-again and off-again. After everything they’d shared, she was running out of patience with it.

And she was not going to let things go down this path. Not with Travis. Not after…no. She knew how she felt about this man, and it was different.Hewas different. And if they needed to have a fight, now, so soon, then fine. He was worth fighting for, andwith.She put her hands on her hips. “Is it like that? Really? After…everything.”

“You don’t trust me.”

“I do! I just said I did.”

“I saw it in your eyes.”

She dropped her head. “It’s not that,” she said. “It’s just a lot.” Her voice was soft; the anger had all but slipped away as quickly as it had come. “This is…”

“I need you to know that I don’t sleep around,” he said. “Georgia is the only one I’ve been with in the last twelve months.” Her eyes widened in surprise, and his lips twitched up ever so slightly. “Surprised?”

She nodded. “But that’s not what this is about. Not really. I mean, I know you have a past. I do too. But…” She didn’t know how to say what she was feeling and thinking and trust herself to have it come out right or make sense at all.

He crossed the room so he was in front of her. “Then what?”

“I think you were right.”

His hand came up as though he wanted to touch her cheek, but he wasn’t sure and he drew it back.

Stephanie closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them, her vision swam in unshed tears. “I don’t know if I trust you.”

He opened his mouth to protest, but she continued quickly. “I don’t trust you not to break my heart.”

Travis released a breath and slowly dropped his head on the exhale. They stood that way for a minute. So close, but not touching.

Stephanie backed up against the wall, not trusting her legs to hold her and not trusting herself not to fall into his arms.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Travis lifted his head. His jaw was set with resolution. “Do you remember when I said there would never be anything casual between us?”

She nodded. How could she forget?

He held her gaze with his intensely dark eyes. “I wish there was some way I could make you understand that nothing about you to me is casual or frivolous, Stephanie.” His chest rose and fell with deep breaths, and barely constrained emotion. “And you’re not wrong, Stephanie. I am the kind of guy who doesn’t give a fuck about anyone else. I don’t do relationships. I do not let people in, Stephanie. Never have.”

She squeezed her eyes against the pain of his words. She hadn’t expected it to hurt so badly after such a short time, but with Travis, it hadn’t only been a few days. It had been months of built-up, growing feelings, andlove.

But he wasn’t done talking and his next words took her breath away. “Until now.”

Her eyes popped open. “What?”

“I don’t open up easily, Stephanie, but with you…” He lifted her chin so she looked straight into his eyes when he said, “With you, I am cracked wide open.”

Her body shuddered but she didn’t move. She couldn’t.

“I have never felt this way about another person in my whole life, Stephanie. Not even close. With you, I feel…alive, and I want things I’ve never wanted. And I don’t need months or years of being by your side to know that. I’ve always known that. From the moment I met you, I knew you were different and you were going to change my life.”

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