Wild Weekend

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His heart started to pound as he tucked her hair back. He dragged his finger along the curve of her ear and felt her shiver of delight. Christine slowly turned toward him as the song continued to play. Her eyes darkened as she shyly met his gaze.

Travis didn’t say anything as he slid his fingers along her jaw and cradled her face with his hands. Her lips parted as his mouth grazed hers.

He had meant for it to be a brush of lips, a whisper of a kiss. He didn’t expect the crackle of fire between them. It promised something wild and uncontrollable.

Christine tasted of innocence and mystery. Heat and softness. It was like nothing he’d ever experienced before. His skin tingled and he felt that kick of excitement as she yielded and drew him past her lips.

He deepened the kiss as the lust licked through his veins. He dimly heard the flourishing end of the song and the crash of water. All he noticed was how Christine melted into him. The crowd dispersed, jostling them. He instinctively held her close to protect her as someone bumped into him. She clutched his jacket lapel as she hungrily returned his kiss. Travis wasn’t ready to end this. He gathered her against him until her soft curves were flush with his rock-hard body.

Travis knew they were too far from the hotel. He wanted somewhere quiet and private where he could explore Christine inch by inch. Shed their clothes and...

Tension gripped his muscles as he realized he missed something. Something important. He suddenly recalled that someone had bumped right up against him.

The crowd hadn’t been that packed. Dread settled deep in his gut. Was it one of the guys who had followed them earlier? Did they know he had the emerald in his breast pocket?

Travis abruptly pulled away from Christine. He had to stop himself from checking the emerald. Alarm scorched through him and it must have shown as he saw Christine’s guarded expression.

“I’m sorry,” he said hoarsely as he watched Christine press her fingertips against her swollen lips. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” she said as desire shimmered in her eyes. “You did that very well.”

He tilted his head as hope leaped into his chest. He wanted to pursue what was happening between them right now. Travis was about to reach for Christine when his cell phone buzzed. He gritted his teeth and swallowed back a growl of frustration. “I have to get this.”

Christine lowered her gaze. “Not a problem.”

He surreptitiously checked for the emerald as he retrieved his cell phone from his pocket, and wanted to sag with relief when he felt the stone. He glanced at the phone and saw Aaron’s number. He wasn’t surprised. It was a shock that his friend hadn’t contacted him until now.

Travis answered his phone. “Hello?” he asked curtly. He didn’t want any more interruptions.

“Travis? How’s it going?” Aaron asked.

“Good. Why?” Travis heard the underlying tension in his friend’s voice. He glanced around the sidewalk. Pitts and Underwood were nowhere to be seen.

“Okay.” Aaron’s voice dropped to a confiding whisper. “You know how I said you were paranoid because you thought those two guys were watching us.”

“Yeah?” He did another quick survey of the area. Nothing.

“Well, I think someone was in my hotel room.”

Travis’s head came up like an animal scenting danger. It must have been obvious as Christine looked at him with concern. He flashed her a lopsided smile as if nothing was wrong. “How do you know?”

“I did the toothpick trick you showed me,” Aaron said in a rush. “You know, put the toothpick on the top of the door and close it.”

“Found it on the floor, huh?” He didn’t need confirmation. He knew the room had been searched.

“Yes! I also did it for the bathroom door and the closet. They’re all on the floor. I got out of there as fast as I could and called you.”

“Do you need me to drop by?” Travis asked. He saw Christine’s chin dip with disappointment.

“Actually...” Aaron’s tone changed. “I need my emerald now before the game starts.”

Travis rubbed his forehead as he tried to understand his friend’s insistence on playing the game with the questionable group. Did he think this emerald had some protective spell? “You’re still going through with it?”

“Yes, of course,” Aaron replied. “And then I’ll give the stone right back to you. What could go wrong?”

Travis groaned. “Famous last words.”

“You sound different,” Aaron said.

He probably did. He hadn’t felt this frustrated in a long time. He was used to getting what he wanted, when he wanted it. But now he couldn’t follow up on this attraction that flared between him and Christine. “No,” he said through clenched teeth. “I’m good.”

“Wait a second,” Aaron said slyly. “Are you still with that hot chick?”

He glanced at Christine and their gazes held. “Yes.”

“Seriously?” his friend said in a high-pitched squawk. “How the hell did you get her to go with you?”

He couldn’t answer that because he had no idea. “I’ll be right there,” he promised with great reluctance before he disconnected the call.

“You have to leave?” Christine asked.

“I have to drop by the casino,” he said as he placed the cell phone into his pocket. “It won’t take long.”

“No, that’s fine.” She took a step back and crossed her arms. “I’ve already taken up enough of your time.”

“I’m not ready to call it a night,” he said. Especially after that kiss. “I have to do something for a friend and then I’ll take you dancing.”

Her eyes widened. “Dancing? Like at a nightclub?”

He nodded. She looked as nervous as she had when she suited up for the sky jump. He couldn’t imagine why. “I know, I know, you’ve seen one nightclub, you’ve seen them all. But I promise, this one is different.”

“Dancing?” she repeated. She snapped her mouth shut and flipped back her hair. “Eh, sounds a little tame, Travis.”

He gave her a slow, wicked smile. “Then you’re not doing it right.”

* * *

NOT DOING IT RIGHT. Christine nervously thought about Travis’s words as they stepped into the nightclub an hour later. It was more like not doing it at all.

She looked around the nightclub. It wasn’t like anything she had expected, but then she had never been to a club. They didn’t have any around Cedar Valley.

The place was obviously popular, but she wasn’t sure why. The white walls, pink lights and sheer curtains didn’t look exotic or mysterious. The live band was good but she didn’t recognize any of the music. The dance floor was filled with men and women her age, their hands up in the air as they swayed to the beat. Christine’s shoulders tightened as she surveyed the unfamiliar setting. She didn’t know the latest dance moves or what drink to order.

She glanced at Travis, who stood by her side. He had changed into a dark suit and a gray shirt. Christine bit her bottom lip as she looked at her blue dress. It was limp and tired. She hadn’t considered changing. Should she have? This was really the only dress she had to go clubbing.

She frowned. Was she even using the correct verb? Did they use the term clubbing anymore? She just didn’t know.

Christine knew she shouldn’t be this nervous, but it had been so long since she had danced. Dancing meant losing control and surrendering to the music. It revealed what was going on inside her. She couldn’t show that, not back at home.

She always had to be on her best behavior in Cedar Valley. She had discovered that when she first started working at the bank. Her community wanted to know that she was a reliable and serious person. That they could trust her. People had no sense of humor when it came to their money and valuables. And for good reason. But now it had gone too far and for too long. She’d lost a piece of her identity in the process. A sense of her true self.

Christine had yielded to the town’s expectations because she needed the job. She thought it was going to be temporary, but she had stayed and didn’t recognize the gradual shift in herself during the years. The flirty clothes she used to wear were replaced with appropriate work attire in dull colors. She never did anything “out there” or that caused a scene, no matter how much she wanted to. But did any of it pay off? No. Instead of being rewarded for her efforts, her life was in a rut.

That needed to change, even if it meant continuing to take wild weekends away from Cedar Valley. It was going to be a balancing act to keep everything she’d worked hard for and still fulfill her dreams. As fascinating as Travis’s life sounded, she knew it wasn’t for her. She needed a safety net and a place to call home.

“What do you think?” Travis asked, his mouth close to her ear.

Christine shivered with anticipation as his warm breath caressed her skin. She couldn’t wait for him to kiss her again. She didn’t know if that was going to happen, but she couldn’t make the next move. Old habits died hard.

“It’s great.” Christine looked around and saw quite a few bachelorette parties on the floor. She looked at the bar and noticed two men staring at her. It wasn’t a flirtatious look or even one of interest. They were watchful as they zeroed in on her among all the other women in the club.

They looked familiar but she wasn’t sure why. “Do you know those guys?” she asked Travis, gesturing with a nod of her head. “They keep looking at us.”

Travis gave a quick glance. “No, never met them,” he said tightly. “Come on, let’s dance.”

Travis grasped her elbow and led her onto the dance floor. There was barely any room, yet he managed to cut through the crowd with ease. She envied that skill. She imagined he didn’t have any trouble finding a path through a maze or a jungle.

A stunning woman with silky red hair gave him a long, lingering glance. Travis didn’t seem to notice. The redhead was sleek and sophisticated in a little black dress. She was a symbol of effortless elegance, and Christine couldn’t compete. She felt like a broken-down car next to a Ferrari.

Christine hesitated, but Travis gently pulled her forward. Why was Travis with her? He could have any woman he wanted. Was it because he thought she was a kindred spirit? Bold, adventurous and wild? She hoped he never found out the truth.

Travis stopped in the middle of the dance floor and turned around. Christine’s heart began to pump hard as he gathered her close in his arms. Her body was on full alert as she curled her arms over his shoulders. She was surrounded by him. His scent, his heat. Christine looked away, unable to meet his gaze. She felt safe and protected in the sea of people and yet she felt just as she had when she’d been on the edge of the Top of the City Hotel, ready to let go and fall.

She wanted to pursue this. Pursue Travis. It didn’t make sense. She didn’t have flings. She had relationships. Loving, committed relationships with a future. She wasn’t thinking about that with Travis.

And yet, she wanted him more than she wanted to check something off her list. But she couldn’t repeat that mistake. She couldn’t allow a man to distract her from a goal. When she had delayed her dreams for Darrell, she had considered the pros and cons. She thought it had been the right decision to stay in Cedar Valley and make their relationship a priority.

A lot of good that did. She should have put herself and her dreams first. This time her dream list was top priority. She wanted Travis more than she wanted to climb Mount Rainier or get a tattoo, but she simply couldn’t leave Vegas with nothing crossed off her dream list.

As she followed Travis’s movements, her breasts brushing against his chest, Christine fought back the urge to roll her hips against his. She hadn’t crossed anything off her list and she had only two more days here.

What if she crossed one thing off her list before exploring this thing with Travis? The excitement started to fizz through her veins as she grabbed hold of this idea. Just one. That was all she needed. Complete one goal and then she could add Travis to her list.

“You look very serious all of a sudden,” Travis said against her ear.

A one-night stand. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted more than one night, one time.

“Relax,” he continued. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

But she wanted something to happen. Something that would change her life. Her point of view.

“I was thinking I haven’t checked anything off my list since I got to Vegas,” she said. What would be the easiest thing to accomplish? Something quick. She didn’t want to waste any more time. The sooner she crossed something off her list, the sooner she could start her wild night with Travis.

“We’ll have to do something about that,” he said as his hands slid down the small of her back. “What’s on your list?”

You. And by this time tomorrow, Travis Cain will have been added and checked off her list. “How do you feel about the Grand Canyon?”

“I can make that happen.” Travis said.

Christine smiled. “I know you can.”

5 (#ulink_1a7f4fe7-f996-5422-a041-7cb4a2c75f74)

WHAT WAS HE doing wrong? Travis had Christine in the palm of his hand last night. She had been so attuned to his body that they moved as one on the dance floor without thinking about it.

It was obvious that she didn’t want the night to end, yet she went to her hotel room alone. Today she’d refrained from touching him, as if she’d been having second thoughts. He had felt her hot gaze on him, had caught the yearning looks before she glanced away, but she’d kept her distance all morning and afternoon.

It had been agony to be on his best behavior all day, Travis thought as he watched Christine feed another dollar into the slot machine. He knew he had to keep moving to avoid Pitts and Underwood, but all he really wanted to do was stop time, find a private corner and pull Christine back into his arms.

“It’s official. Lady Luck hates me,” Christine announced as she raised her hands and glared at the slot machine. “That’s all there is to it. The world knows what I want and won’t let me have it.”

“An extreme view,” Travis said with a smile. And he knew it was a temporary one. He wondered when she would show a sign of exasperation. They’d had a streak of bad luck, but Christine didn’t allow it to slow her down. She kept looking for the next adventure.

This time she was dressed as if prepared for anything. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore sneakers. Her tight jeans accentuated her long legs, and her snug hot-pink T-shirt had the words Las Vegas emblazoned on the front. As much as he enjoyed the sight of her in the blue dress and high heels, he had a feeling this casual look was more like her.

Travis glanced at his watch and knew they were running out of time. Night was about to fall and Christine had to check out of the hotel tomorrow at noon to catch her flight home. They had spent most of the day trying to find one thing Christine could cross off her list.

Little did she know that he was slowly piecing together her dream list and getting an intimate view of her. She had a fascination with speed and a fear of fire. She felt more comfortable with nature than in an urban setting. And for a woman who seemed to have a lot of friends, Christine didn’t include them in her dreams. All her goals could be done solo.

“I’m sorry.” She pressed her lips together and shook her head. “I didn’t mean that. I’ve been having a great time. I really have. I loved driving the Ferrari, and I can’t believe I jumped off a building. I can’t wait to tell Jill about that.”

Jill. Her best friend, who owned a dry-cleaning store. It felt as if he knew every citizen in Cedar Valley now. It sounded like the kind of quaint town he’d seen only in the movies. The kind where no one locked their doors and everyone looked out for one another. The kind of place that would make him feel claustrophobic. “She won’t believe you,” he said.

“Probably not. That’s okay, because I know I did it,” Christine said. Her proud smile faded. “But I wanted to check one thing off my list. I won’t forgive myself if I don’t do it. I set aside this weekend to work on it. If I fail in that endeavor, what does it say about me?”

“Nothing. It says something about the goals,” he said as he curled his arm around her shoulders and guided her away from the slot machine. He wanted to draw her closer but knew he’d be pushing his luck. “It can take time to achieve one. It could also mean that you have to modify a goal.”

“You mean downsize it?” Christine shook her head. “No, that’s cheating. That’s not what my list is about. It’s about going for it. No compromising. No holding back.”