Page 7 of Only a Kiss

The waiter returned with our drinks, and I eagerly took a large sip of my wine, hoping it would give me the strength to get through this dinner—and not do something monumentally stupid like I wanted to.

“Are you two ready to order?”

Travis looked to me and arched his brow.I nodded, and he gestured for me to proceed.“Steak, medium rare with the potatoes and broccoli.Thank you.”

Travis grinned at me, and I felt a blush heat my cheeks as he turned to the waiter.“That sounds perfect.I’ll have the same.”

When the waiter left, Travis said appreciatively, “A girl who actually eats when she’s out instead of simply ordering a salad.That’s a novelty.”

“I’m awomanwho knows what she wants.And I like meat.”

He cupped his hand over his mouth as he rested his elbow on the table and watched me with amusement and a hint of something else—something that looked like interest, but I was afraid to read too much into it.

I kept my gaze locked on his as I took another sip of my wine.That flutter in my belly flared with excitement when his gaze turned hungry as I put the glass down and slid my tongue along my bottom lip under the pretense of getting any liquid that might’ve spilled.

He looked down at his lap and cleared his throat.When he looked at me again, he had tempered the heat I’d just witnessed.But it was too late.I saw it and there was no longer any doubt.I hadn’t been sure with his other glances, but there was no denying the interest in his eyes only a moment ago, or how he’d once again stoked a fire in my belly that only he could put out.

With his hands.

His mouth.

His cock.God, how I ached to feel that thick cock inside me.

“What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?”he asked.

I let him off the hook since I was actually enjoying myself on a date for once—even if this wasn’t technically a date.“I’m working at the firm where I was an interior design intern.My boss, Shannon, is incredible and really inspirational.When she offered me a full-time position, I didn’t even hesitate.”

His hand stopped as it held his drink suspended in the air, and his brows furrowed.“Shannon Perry?”he asked.I could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he started to put the puzzle pieces together.Instead of the anxiety I’d felt before at the idea, all I felt was warmth blooming between my legs and a reckless urge to drop more metaphorical bread crumbs until he had no doubt that I was his mystery woman.

He dropped it and tried to move the conversation to Jenna—whether to get us back on familiar territory or remind himself how we were connected, I wasn’t sure.But he was too tempting, too sexy, too everything I’d ever dreamed of to stop now.I knew I was playing with fire, but with each sip of my wine, I cared less about the consequences.

“I’m sure you’ll miss Jenna when she leaves for grad school.You two have always been attached at the hip,” he said.

“Yeah, but we’ll get to visit on holidays and whatnot.It won’t really be all that different from college.”We may have gone to the same school for undergrad, but we were in two completely different programs across campus and only saw each other when we made the effort.We knew how to keep our friendship going even when our schedules didn’t support it.

He took a sip of his drink, his eyes never wandering from my face, and I wondered what he saw when he looked at me.“Have you always wanted to be an interior designer?”

I shifted in my chair.That was a deeper question than he probably knew, but I didn’t want to drag the conversation down by explaining how I used to design pretty houses and interiors because they were so opposite to the hostility of my own home.If it weren’t for my older brother, Daniel, there’s no way I would’ve survived it.

“Pretty much,” I said.“I love turning any space into an oasis for the person who’s going to use it.I think everyone needs that happy place.And it’s rewarding to watch someone’s eyes light up with joy when they see the work I’ve done.I like making people happy.”

“I’m sure you do,” he murmured, but his eyes sparked with something I was afraid to identify.

For a second we just stared at each other until tension seemed to sizzle between us, and the space between my legs grew damp.I parted my lips on a silent gasp, and his gaze dropped to them before he snapped it back to my eyes, turmoil there, clear as day.

His mouth opened to speak, but before any words came out, the waiter returned with a small basket of complimentary bread.I gave the waiter a smile, even if it felt strained as I tried to rein in the heady feeling of being this close to Travis, alone.

When I glanced at the man in question, he was already staring at me.He cleared his throat.“I’m sure you’re as bummed as I am that Jenna’s internship goes so long this summer.We’ll hardly get any time with her before she needs to go to grad school.”

There was something in the slight hesitancy in his voice—like he was desperate to cling to Jenna as a lifeline to avoid what he no doubt felt growing between us—that had me feeling bold.I leaned forward on the table, unintentionally pushing my breasts together, but thrilled nonetheless when his gaze darted down and warmed at the sight before he caught himself.

“I’m not really interested in talking about Jenna right now.I’d rather learn more about you.”

His jaw clenched, and he took another sip of his drink, while his gaze locked onto my face like he was determined to figure out my intentions.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” he said, his voice husky.“I’m pretty boring anyway.”

“You’re not boring to me.”

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