Page 131 of The Lair

He brushes his nose against mine. “Is our next life included too?”

“Absolutely.”

“Good.”

The world turns quiet for the next two seconds. And on the third, his lips find mine as if we’d kissed a thousand times before.

His hands rove over my back as his mouth moves in sync with mine, devouring me in the sweetest yet most possessive way. And when he tears his lips from mine, he starts kissing his way down my neck in a slow way that has my knees buckling.

Travis can say whatever he wants—that he has trouble identifying his feelings, that he struggles with voicing them—and I believe him, of course I do. But I don’t need flowery love confessions to know what he feels for me is raw and true. I don’t need grand gestures or pretty words when life has taught me that actions are all that matter.

And Travis? He shows me every day that I matter. That I deserve to take up space. That I’m lovable. For me, that’s enough.

“I’m so fucking in love with you,” he mutters against my skin as he kisses his way back up to my mouth—and all right, it feels incredible to hear it too.

Chapter Forty-Three

Travis shutsthe front door of his house behind us a while later. The sound echoes through the hallway as I scan every corner of this place I don’t ever want to be away from again. Why does it feel like I’ve been gone for years? Cooper and Buddy sure feel that way, seeing how they ambushed me as soon as my feet touched the driveway moments ago.

Travis notices me watching them through the window. “They missed you too.”

“Don’t say that unless you want me to burst into tears.” I’m only half-joking.

“Would never want that. Come here, beautiful.”

Travis holds out his hand for me. After he pulls me into his chest, he presses a soft kiss to my inner wrist, desire glinting in his eyes.

We don’t speak. The passion in his gaze, the tenderness of his touch, the trust we’ve built together—they tell me everything I need to know.

This man who grunted at me the first time we met, who installed an extra lock on my apartment door without me having to ask, who made friendship bracelets with me, who opened upabout his past, who offered me a safe haven when I needed it the most—he was always meant to be mine. And I, his. Irrevocably.

My mouth meets his. Gentle at first, and then hungry at once. His big hands cover nearly the entire span of my lower back when he pulls me closer, and that one detail sends my body into overdrive.

Some people might think I’m weird if they read my mind right now, but the fact that Travis is so huge all over makes me short of breath. I don’t know what it is exactly—that he’s so intimidatingly large, nobody would look at me the wrong way if he’s near, that he’s so strong, he could protect me from anything, that it’s just… him. All of those combined.

Now, as he kisses me in the middle of the hallway, I wonder if he’d be big in other places too.

And if I should tell him I’m freaking out about it.

“Travis,” I mutter as I pull away. Suddenly my shortness of breath doesn’t have to do with how good he makes me feel.

“Mm…” He brushes his nose against mine before pecking my lips once softly.

I hesitate. What if he thinks I’m lame?

He pulls away a little further, a notch forming between his brows. “Did I do something?”

“It’s not that. It’s not you at all.”

“What’s wrong, then?”

I’m being dumb. I know that. But the words get stuck in my throat until Travis, this patient man who has chosen me despite everything, squeezes my waist. And then he says in a gentle voice, “We’re a team now. Whatever is worrying you concerns me too.”

Despite feeling like my cheeks are on fire, I confess, “It’s just that I’ve never done this before. I don’t mean kissing, obviously, but what comes after that.”

Why can’t I say the wordsex? Very mature of me.

Travis tilts his head in a way that shouldn’t look so adorable. “Sex?”

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