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He felt her tense beneath his touch, her hands balling once again into tight fists, as she rose from the swing.
“At least tell me what it is you’re mad about before you throw another punch,” Travis said, “and don’t take it personally if I punch back,” he added, an amused smile pulling at his mouth.
Tierra met his deep gaze evenly, unsure if she wanted to laugh or start crying all over again. Feeling completely defeated, she collapsed back against the swing’s cushions.
Travis was still eyeing her intensely. Tierra liked his eyes. She imagined a woman could easily lose herself in his eyes, if she were so inclined. Lost in his eyes a woman might imagine herself wrapped in his arms. In his arms, the possibilities that could be fathomed were endless. Tierra felt her breath catch deep in her chest as a flutter of something she didn’t recognize flitted through the pit of her stomach. She shook the sensation away as quickly as it had risen.
Reaching into the pocket of her khaki slacks, Tierra pulled the dreaded letter from inside. Unfolding the tear-stained paper, she barely glanced down at it as she passed it over to Travis.
“Read it out loud,” she said, her tone commanding.
Travis’s gaze moved from her face to the notepaper in his hand. The soiled paper had begun to weather from handling, and the damp moisture of saline had begun to fade away the neatly printed writing. He pulled the document closer and began to read. As he did, moisture puddled in Tierra’s dark gaze, threatening to spill over her cheeks again.
“Dear, Tierra. I hate to do this, but I know it’s the best thing for us both. I won’t be coming back to Dallas. I can’t marry you. I’ve met someone here who makes me very happy. I wish I could be the man you want me to be, Tierra, but I can’t. I hope we can still be friends. I wish you all the best in the world. Damien Porter.”
When he finished reading, Travis let the paper drop into his lap. Beside him, Tierra forced herself not to start crying all over again. She choked back a deep sob as she picked the letter up from where it had fallen and slowly tore it into shreds.
You could have warned me,” she whispered softly. “What? Did you and Damien have a good laugh planning how you’d do it? I bet you can’t wait to rush back and tell him how torn up I was so you two can bust a gut making a joke out of it all.”
Travis was flabbergasted, astonishment registering on his face. He leaned forward, grasping both of Tierra’s hands beneath his own. The torn shreds of paper fluttered down to the planked floor and across the perfectly manicured lawn.
“Tierra, I knew nothing about this. Private Porter never told me what he had written or what his plans were. The only thing he ever said was that it had to do with your wedding plans and that it was important it get to you as soon as possible. That’s all. I swear. If I had known…” Travis hesitated. He couldn’t begin to tell her what he would have done had he known. Suffice it to say, it would not have turned out well for Damien Porter.
Travis had been too nice, Tierra thought as she peered out the window to the landscape outside. She’d believed him when he’d said he didn’t know anything about Damien’s letter. She also sensed he would never have delivered news like that if he had been aware. Clearly the man was a gentleman who cared about her feelings.
Tierra blew a soft sigh past her glossed lips. In the distance she could see Travis interacting with his family as they all stood watching the horses being exercised in the corral. Tierra had been at the window watching him and the other men for some time.
He liked to laugh she noted, observing him as he threw back his head, chuckling heartily. The wealth of it seemed to rise from deep in his midsection, and Tierra imagined that with his deep baritone voice Travis’s laugh could be a balm to a woman’s ears. She couldn’t help but hope that one day the two of them might find something to laugh about together.
She had left him sitting alone on the porch hours earlier, excusing herself to go wash her tear-streaked face and lie down for a nap. The man had still been holding both of her hands tightly beneath his own. Tierra caressed the back of her hand where his skin had touched hers. Her fingers and palm still tingled from the heat of his touch.
“This is ridiculous,” Tierra suddenly spoke aloud, tearing herself from where she stood. She threw herself down against the bed, blowing a heavy sigh. She needed to be plotting revenge on Damien for hurting her, not thinking about some other man’s touch. She desperately wanted to be fishing in her bag of tricks for some way to pay Damien back for the hurt of it all. But for whatever reason, Tierra couldn’t stop thinking about Travis Stallion.
From where she stood in the front foyer, Tierra could see Marla, Eden and their kinfolk cutting up in the family room. The family was having themselves a good time, and Tierra didn’t want to interrupt and spoil the fun with her bad mood.
Trying to escape without being seen or heard, she tiptoed across the polished wood floors toward the front door. Her name being called stopped her dead in her tracks before she could wrap her hand around the doorknob.
“Tierra?” Travis called a second time, coming up behind her. “Is everything okay?”
The young woman winced with frustration before turning around to face the man. “I’m fine, thank you,” she said as she forced a slight smile. “I just have some errands I need to run.” Tierra turned back to the door, opening it widely as she hurried to make an exit.
Still moving close behind her, Travis followed her outside. “Do you mind if I tag along with you? I would really like to see some of Dallas if I can.”
Moving forward, Tierra winced again. She wasn’t in the mood for company. “Maybe some other time, Sergeant Stallion. Right now I would just really like to be alone,” she said as she reached her car. “The peace and quiet will be good for me.”
“Maybe so,” Travis stated, pulling open her passenger-side door. “But I think being with friends would be better for you right now,” he said, a wide grin filling his handsome face. “You won’t even know I’m here, friend.”
Before she could respond, Travis stepped into her Saturn roadster and settled down comfortably in the front passenger seat. It was clear that nothing Tierra could say or do would be able to change his mind. She decided not to say anything at all, hoping the look she gave him would be enough to express her displeasure. She slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
“So, what kind of music do you like to listen to?” Travis asked as he reached across her dashboard and turned on the car’s stereo system. He began to scroll through the local radio stations.
Tierra cut her eyes in his direction. “How is this quiet?” she spat.
The man laughed, his disposition teasing. “Oh, you thought I was actually paying you some attention!”
A deep frown pulled at Tierra’s mouth, aggravation clouding her expression. The man was hardly moved as he winked in her direction. Still smiling, Travis nodded his head as he settled back against the leather seats. His head bobbed in time with the music playing.
Tierra’s own head shook at the absurdity. Shifting into drive, she pulled her car into the circular driveway and pulled away from the Stallion family home. As she navigated the traffic, the sound of jazz music settled comfortably between them.
The midday sun had settled nicely in the afternoon sky. The air was heated with just the hint of a breeze blowing. With the top down and the seductive tunes billowing from the speakers, the day could have been considered almost perfect.
Tierra suddenly wished she didn’t feel so alone. Even with the gorgeous man seated beside her she was feeling like she didn’t have a friend in the world. Heaving a deep sigh, Tierra stole a glance in Travis’s direction. The man’s gaze was fixed on the highway. His head bobbed and he patted his hand on his knee to the beat of the music.
He looked far more relaxed than he’d appeared the day before, his casual styling suiting him nicely. And just like the day before, the man was exceptionally attractive. His rugged good looks could make a woman lose her mind, Tierra thought, admiring the chiseled line of his features and the lush, full lips that pouted ever so slightly. Tierra couldn’t help but wonder what kissing those lips might feel like.
She shook her head vehemently, appalled that just hours earlier she’d gotten her heart broken and here she was now, wondering what it might be like to kiss another man.
“You shouldn’t have come,” she suddenly said out loud, the words coming out of her mouth in a rush.
“Excuse me?” Travis said as he settled his intense stare on her.
Tierra’s eyes flitted from the road to his face and back again. Lord, have mercy, Tierra thought. Why does he have to look at me that way?
She heaved another deep sigh, the air catching in her chest as she held her breath for a brief moment. She reached for the volume button on the car radio and turned it down until the music was barely audible. “I said you shouldn’t have come. This was a bad idea.”
Travis smiled, not bothering to respond. He turned the radio back up, his gaze still focused on the side of her face. He couldn’t get over how incredibly beautiful she was. The woman was perfection personified. Private Porter had to have been a complete fool to let such an incredible creature get away.
His smile widened as the muscles in her face twitched with frustration. Without giving it any thought, he reached a large hand out and rested it on her shoulder. As he gently caressed the bare flesh, he felt her tense beneath his fingertips.
Tierra sucked in a deep inhale of oxygen. She hadn’t expected the man to touch her, and suddenly the heat from his hand had ignited a fire deep in her midsection. It was all she could do to keep from running her car off the road.
“Hey, we’re in this together now, so go with it. So, what are we doing? What’s our first stop?” Travis asked, his hand still teasing her flesh as his fingertips tap danced against her skin.
Taking a second inhale of air, Tierra shifted her shoulder upward, rotating it away from the man’s touch. “I have to go by the florist and cancel my flower order. In fact, I have to cancel everything I’ve ordered for the wedding. I don’t know what you’re doing.”
“What kind of flowers did you order?” Travis asked nonchalantly, his gaze still piercing. “What?”
“Tulips, sunflowers? What kind?”
Tierra chuckled softly, her head shaking at the absurdity. “What does it matter? I’m canceling them.”
“Just curious,” Travis said, his seductive smile returning. “I’m a rose man myself. I want to see my future wife walking down the aisle surrounded by a field of roses.” He crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back into the leather seat.
Tierra rolled her eyes skyward. “Bully for you,” she said, thinking about the classic bouquet of pink and yellow tea roses that she had planned to carry, and the exquisite sprays of roses that were supposed to adorn the chapel and banquet hall.
Travis laughed warmly. “I was just saying.”
As Tierra pulled into the parking lot of the flower shop, she shot him an evil look. “Well, don’t,” she said. “In fact, pretend you’re not even here and we’ll get along just fine.”
As she stared in his direction, Travis met her gaze, allowing her eyes to linger with his for a second longer than necessary. Nodding his head slowly, he said nothing as he exited the car and moved quickly to the driver’s-side door. Opening it widely, he extended his hand to help her up and out of her seat. As Tierra came to stand before him, his beautiful smile widened to a deep grin, pocketing full dimples in each cheek.
“So, really, did you pick roses?” he said. “Because I feel like you would be a rose kind of girl.”
Chapter 5
Travis watched as Tierra stomped up the porch stairs and into the large home. Her vehicle was still vibrating from the harshly slammed door. A sly smile pulled at his mouth as he leaned against the car’s fender, his arms crossed evenly over his chest. He laughed out loud, fully aware that Tierra was angry. And even though she was directing all that hostility in his direction, he understood that Tierra Braddy really wasn’t angry with him.
The two had made three stops. The floral shop, Two Sisters Catering and the Warren Barrón Bridal Shop. With each stop, the shopkeepers had been extremely gracious after hearing that Tierra had essentially been abandoned at the altar.
It had taken some negotiating to get a refund of her deposit for the flowers, but the caterer had only to return the check Tierra had written just days earlier, their bookkeeper having yet to deposit it in the bank.
The experience at the dress shop, however, had been a whole other animal. The elderly woman who greeted her at the door had been excited to see Tierra, rushing to the back room for the Monique Lhuillier gown that was hidden beneath the protective dress bag.
Tierra’s eyes had widened in horror, the large orbs misting with tears. Before the woman could think to unzip the bag and expose the dress, Tierra had begun to cry.
Travis had explained the situation as best he could as Tierra had stood there sobbing uncontrollably.
“I’m so sorry, dear!” the old woman had exclaimed, clucking her tongue and shaking her head.
“So you see,” Travis continued, “Ms. Braddy needs to cancel her dress order.”
“Oh, my!” The woman’s facial expression changed. “I wish we could help you, but the dress is already here. As I explained when we placed your order, your gown is not returnable once it’s delivered, and there can be no refunds.”
“But what am I going to do with it?” Tierra finally gushed. “I don’t need a wedding gown!”
Their sales clerk nodded her understanding. “You understood when you placed the order, Ms. Braddy, that all sales are final. Perhaps you can put it away and save it for a rainy day?”
“A rainy day!” Aghast, Tierra stared at the woman with dismay. “Are you out of your—”
Travis interjected. “I’m sure we’ll be able to find another use for the thing,” he said, trying to lighten the moment.
“It’s not a thing,” Tierra shouted. “It’s my wedding gown! Do you even have a clue?”
Travis shrugged. “Can I see it?” he asked, gesturing to the sales woman to draw down the zipper.
Tierra’s eyes widened in horror as she suddenly rushed between him and the gown. “You can’t!” she exclaimed frantically. “You can’t look at it.”
“Why?” Travis’s expression was curious.
“Because you’re not supposed to see it before the wedding! A groom is supposed to see the bride’s gown for the first time when she’s walking down the aisle wearing it!”
Travis had raised a questioning eyebrow. A slight smile pulled at his mouth as his head nodded above his thick neck. “Whatever you say,” he said softly. He took a step in Tierra’s direction, wrapping his arms around her torso. For a split second he felt her body stiffen ever so slightly, and then she slumped against him in defeat, her forehead falling into his chest.
“I don’t know why I’m mentioning that stupid custom. My wedding is off,” she said, sobbing into his shirt. Over her shoulder, he nodded at the woman who was watching the two of them curiously.
“Thank you,” he said. “If it won’t be a problem, we’ll come back later for the dress.”
“No problem at all,” the woman answered. “We have to do one more fitting, so whenever Ms. Braddy is ready just let us know.”
Maneuvering the teary-eyed woman out the door and to her car, Travis helped her into the passenger seat, taking over behind the wheel. They’d probably traveled ten miles before Tierra’s sobs had transitioned to dry heaves and stale air sighing through her lips. Another ten miles and the woman had grown completely quiet, staring off into the distance as she gnawed on her fingernails.
Travis heaved a very deep sigh, still staring into space after Tierra. She hadn’t spoken one word to him on the ride home. But even as the two of them had ridden back across town in silence, Travis couldn’t help but wonder just how exquisite Ms. Tierra Braddy might look in her dream wedding gown, walking down a chapel aisle in his direction.
After throwing the length of her body across the king-size bed, Tierra grabbed one of the plush pillows from beneath the bed’s down comforter and pulled it to her chest. Rolling onto her side, she hugged the pillow as she drew her knees upward, curling her body tightly around its form.
She felt like crying again but didn’t have any tears left to shed. And she simply refused to shed another drop for a man who hadn’t been worth the time of day, let alone her love. If she cried again anytime soon it definitely wouldn’t be for Damien Porter, she professed to herself.
Tierra squeezed the pillow tighter, digging her nails into the cotton fabric. She took a deep breath and then another, drawing as much air into her lungs as she could.
It was suddenly warmer than she would have liked it to be. She could still feel the heat from Travis Stallion’s body against her own. The man had held her too close, his body feeling so good and so right against her own that Tierra was certain there had to be something seriously wrong with him doing it, and with her for having enjoyed it as much as she had.
“What is wrong with me?” Tierra questioned out loud. She rolled from one side to the other, conflicted by what she was feeling and what she thought she should be feeling. None of it was making an ounce of sense to her.
But she had thoroughly enjoyed being in that man’s arms. He had held her and she had felt safe and secure, her heartache lifted by the sheer warmth of his touch. Right then, in that moment, she would have given almost anything to feel his arms around her one more time.
She hadn’t wanted to enjoy anything about their time together, and she hadn’t wanted to like Travis as much as she found herself liking him. Especially while she was trying so hard to be angry at her ex-fiancé. But Staff Sergeant Travis Stallion had incredible presence. Tierra liked how he commanded attention without an ounce of effort. He carried himself with an air of confidence that only a few men possessed.
He’d taken full control as they’d moved from bridal venue to bridal venue. Each time Tierra had fallen apart, pieces of her spirit unraveling at the counter in front of a sales clerk, Travis had picked her up and put her back together again. He’d done so without hesitation, knowing not a thing about her.
Tierra also liked that he was slightly cocky but not in an unflattering way. He was self-assured just enough that it couldn’t be misinterpreted as arrogance. Tierra imagined that was what made him such an exceptional leader, the reason his soldiers looked up to him.
With no clue to how long she’d been lying there tossing and turning as she thought about Travis, Tierra couldn’t shake the sensation of his hands gently stroking her back as his broad chest had easily kissed the curves of her torso. Even with his hands long gone, his touch still burned too hot for comfort. Tossing her legs off the side of the bed, Tierra lifted herself up and headed for the bathroom, desperately hoping a cold shower would wash the heat away.
The decadent smell of barbecued meat wafted through the late afternoon air. Travis took a deep breath as he moved past the large black smokers positioned on the home’s rear patio. His cousin Luke; Luke’s fiancée, Joanne Lake; his cousin Mark; and Mark’s wife, Michelle, were debating the relevance of Facebook versus Twitter as a marketing tool. Travis hadn’t bothered to throw in his two cents, personally having no preference for one over the other. They both kept him in contact with folks he needed to stay in touch with.
He’d been waiting for Tierra, hoping that she could move herself past her hurt and anger to join them, but there had been no sign of her. His patience had worn thin, and now he was just anxious to see and spend time with the exquisite woman.
Excusing himself, he moved from his cushioned seat, through the back door and into the home’s kitchen. Sisters Eden, Marah and Marla were deftly navigating the room as they prepped potato salad, baked beans and pineapple upside-down cake to accompany the racks of ribs barbecuing outside.
“Hey!” Travis chimed cheerily. “Have any of you seen Ms. Braddy?”
Marah cut her eye at Marla, both women smiling slyly. They both shrugged, a low hum easing past Marah’s lips.
Eden laughed. “No, we haven’t. I think she’s still in her room.”
Travis eyed the three questioningly. “What’s so funny?”
Eden smiled in response. “Nothing. Nothing at all. Why don’t you run up and let her know that we’re almost ready for dinner?”
Travis looked from one to the other, each of them avoiding his stare. As he moved to the door, Marah and Marla both burst out laughing.
“What?” Travis asked again, a befuddled look etched across his features.
Eden shrugged as the three answered in unison. “Nothing!”
Tossing his hands in the air, Travis headed up the stairs. Moving straight to the guest room door, he knocked loudly, calling out, “Tierra? Hey, it’s me, Travis. Eden wanted you to know it’s time to eat.”
When there was no response, he knocked a second time. “Tierra?”
