ask for a first date. What he really wanted was to lean in the car and plant a kiss to the rosy lips smiling back at him.
“Maybe,” Tess said, thinking she couldn’t take any more brotherly activities with Travis. Not when she wanted so much more.
“I’ll think of some ideas and let you know,” Travis said, stepping away from the car as she started it up and shut the door. She waved goodbye before driving away.
Travis stood watching until he could no longer see her car. He was military trained. He knew battle plans and tactical thinking. He was going about this process all wrong. What he needed to do was wage a full-scale attack if he was going to get Tess to think of him as something besides another brother.
He looked at Trent and Trey, goofy in love, and briefly considered seeking their help but quickly abandoned the plan. Travis didn’t think he could put up with their teasing and no doubt they’d tell Lindsay and Cady and soon the entire population of Sherman County would know he was in love with Tess.
Nope. This was one battle plan he’d have to formulate on his own.
Chapter Five
Love is a game that two can play and both win.
Eva Gabor
Cady maintained her death grip on the kitchen counter while Trey tried to pry her fingers loose.
“Come on, darlin’. We’ll be late if we don’t get a move on,” Trey said, changing tactics and nuzzling her ear. “You don’t want to keep everyone waiting.”
“I think I better stay home. Just in case Cass needs something or…” Cady said, her knuckles turning white.
“Or nothing,” Trey said, kissing her neck and speaking in the soft voice he used with skittish colts. “You can do this, Cady-girl. We’ll keep you safe. Besides, I’ve never known you to be afraid to try something. You learned how to ride, adopted a child, and married me with less fuss, so come on.”
Cady let go of the counter and looked at Trey. His mesmerizing eyes, the color of the Sea of Cortez, sucked her in and she forgot about her fears. Trey took full advantage of the moment and gave her a kiss that made her lightheaded and weak-kneed. As Cady leaned into his strength, he knew the battle was won. When Travis and Trent came through the kitchen with their bags of gear, he nodded his head, inclining it toward the door.
“Ready to go, darlin’?” Trey asked, gently leading her through the kitchen and mudroom.
“Okay,” she said, not quite recovered from his assault on her senses. Married only five months, his kisses still drove her to complete distraction.
Trey propelled her out the door, grabbed their bag of gear and the snacks she’d packed, hurrying out to Travis’ pickup. Trent, Lindsay, Ben and Brice were going down the driveway in Trent’s pickup and Tess was climbing in the backseat of Travis’ truck. Trey helped Cady slide in next to Tess and they were soon on their way.
“Have you done this before, Tess?” Cady asked as they started southwest toward Maupin.
“White water rafting? No, I haven’t,” Tess said, looking as unhappy to be going as Cady. Between Brice, Ben and Travis, Tess didn’t have an option of saying no. Apparently Cady hadn’t been given the option either. “This may be a one-time experience.”
“I think I might be right beside you in that camp,” Cady said, looking out the window at the passing scenery. She didn’t think she’d ever get tired of looking at the fabulous landscapes of Sherman County. She had so far witnessed fall, winter and spring in Grass Valley and loved each of the changing seasons. As summer approached, she thought the area couldn’t get any prettier with rolling fields of hay and wheat, cattle grazing on green pastures and blue, blue sky.
“How about we promise to help each other through this experience today?” Tess asked, reaching across the seat and squeezing Cady’s hand in hers.
“Deal,” Cady said with a warm smile. “If you tell me all about these Thompson rascals.
“Maybe,” Tess said, thinking she couldn’t take any more brotherly activities with Travis. Not when she wanted so much more.
“I’ll think of some ideas and let you know,” Travis said, stepping away from the car as she started it up and shut the door. She waved goodbye before driving away.
Travis stood watching until he could no longer see her car. He was military trained. He knew battle plans and tactical thinking. He was going about this process all wrong. What he needed to do was wage a full-scale attack if he was going to get Tess to think of him as something besides another brother.
He looked at Trent and Trey, goofy in love, and briefly considered seeking their help but quickly abandoned the plan. Travis didn’t think he could put up with their teasing and no doubt they’d tell Lindsay and Cady and soon the entire population of Sherman County would know he was in love with Tess.
Nope. This was one battle plan he’d have to formulate on his own.
Chapter Five
Love is a game that two can play and both win.
Eva Gabor
Cady maintained her death grip on the kitchen counter while Trey tried to pry her fingers loose.
“Come on, darlin’. We’ll be late if we don’t get a move on,” Trey said, changing tactics and nuzzling her ear. “You don’t want to keep everyone waiting.”
“I think I better stay home. Just in case Cass needs something or…” Cady said, her knuckles turning white.
“Or nothing,” Trey said, kissing her neck and speaking in the soft voice he used with skittish colts. “You can do this, Cady-girl. We’ll keep you safe. Besides, I’ve never known you to be afraid to try something. You learned how to ride, adopted a child, and married me with less fuss, so come on.”
Cady let go of the counter and looked at Trey. His mesmerizing eyes, the color of the Sea of Cortez, sucked her in and she forgot about her fears. Trey took full advantage of the moment and gave her a kiss that made her lightheaded and weak-kneed. As Cady leaned into his strength, he knew the battle was won. When Travis and Trent came through the kitchen with their bags of gear, he nodded his head, inclining it toward the door.
“Ready to go, darlin’?” Trey asked, gently leading her through the kitchen and mudroom.
“Okay,” she said, not quite recovered from his assault on her senses. Married only five months, his kisses still drove her to complete distraction.
Trey propelled her out the door, grabbed their bag of gear and the snacks she’d packed, hurrying out to Travis’ pickup. Trent, Lindsay, Ben and Brice were going down the driveway in Trent’s pickup and Tess was climbing in the backseat of Travis’ truck. Trey helped Cady slide in next to Tess and they were soon on their way.
“Have you done this before, Tess?” Cady asked as they started southwest toward Maupin.
“White water rafting? No, I haven’t,” Tess said, looking as unhappy to be going as Cady. Between Brice, Ben and Travis, Tess didn’t have an option of saying no. Apparently Cady hadn’t been given the option either. “This may be a one-time experience.”
“I think I might be right beside you in that camp,” Cady said, looking out the window at the passing scenery. She didn’t think she’d ever get tired of looking at the fabulous landscapes of Sherman County. She had so far witnessed fall, winter and spring in Grass Valley and loved each of the changing seasons. As summer approached, she thought the area couldn’t get any prettier with rolling fields of hay and wheat, cattle grazing on green pastures and blue, blue sky.
“How about we promise to help each other through this experience today?” Tess asked, reaching across the seat and squeezing Cady’s hand in hers.
“Deal,” Cady said with a warm smile. “If you tell me all about these Thompson rascals.
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