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“The dress is a little tight. I’m having a hard time breathing,” she said, avoiding his eyes.
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it,” Chris said, placing a hand underneath her chin and forcing her to look up into his eyes.
Damn, he wasn’t going to drop it.
“You went to get Travis this morning,” Tori said.
It was more of a statement than a question, but Chris nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I thought… I thought you left again.” Tori’s cheeks warmed with embarrassment, and she tried to look away from the softening blue gaze.
Chris held her chin firmly in place and brought his lips down to meet hers.
Despite her residual anger and frustration, she melted into him, throwing her hands around his neck and letting him lift her up to him.
He turned, slamming the door with a foot and pinning her against it. Her hazy senses were waking, and she inhaled the smell of him — soap and testosterone. It was a heady mix.
She deepened the kiss, running her hands through his wet hair and pulling his head closer. She felt him slowly back up, carrying her with him only a few steps before he loosened his grip and her feet found the wooden floor.
He turned her around, stepped back, and slowly eased open the zipper of her dress.
“Get some sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow. Charlie and Travis are staying the night. I need to get back down there and try and piece together the mess he’s made.”
Chris kissed the crook of her neck, and then he was gone. Her body felt chilled without the heat of his arms around her, but it was her heart she was the most worried about. It hurt, it bled, and she still wanted his sexy ass.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“So, are youguys going to tell me what’s going on here or not?” Claire asked as the boys sat and ate the delivered pizza in brooding silence.
No one said a thing.
“Okay, fine. Let’s start with direct questions. Travis, where have you been living?”
Travis looked to Chris and Charlie before answering.
“All over. St. Louis most recently.”
Travis looked down, staring into his plate of food and shoving another bite of pizza in his mouth.
“Is it true you’re building a house up here, too?” Claire asked, turning her attention to Charlie.
Charlie nodded. “Well, Chris is building it, but yes.”
“You’re moving back to Sweetbriar?” Travis asked, shooting a look around the room.
Aw, hell. Chris had wanted Travis to find out from him and Charlie, but Claire was determined to get them talking.
“I am. I think it’s time to come home,” Charlie said, looking out the living room windows out into the star-filled night sky.
Travis snorted. “Why in the world would you want to come back here?”
Claire cut him off, moving to Chris for the next question.
“What are your intentions with Tori?” A smug smile spread over her face.
Chris shifted in his seat, aware that all eyes in the room were now on him. Well, they might as well know. Having Claire on his side couldn’t hurt.
“My intentions are to make Tori mine and to keep her safe and happy.”
