Intertwined episode 26

🤝INTERTWINED🤝

💑EP TWENTY SIX💑

 

It was already nine in the evening, and Travis had notreturned yet. Each minute I waited for him, I got worried.Had he finally given up on me? Had he finally given in toher? Did he think we were hopeless and that he just had tocontinue with the original terms of our agreement? While I,on the other hand, had decided to keep him for myself, to

go after what I wanted, and what I loved, no matter the consequences?

I had food delivered to the room, and I set a candlelightdinner for us. I showered and dressed in an elegantVictoria’s Secret nightdress under my silk robe. I wanted toshow a bit of effort to Travis…he deserved it after all I’ddone to him.

But as each minute passed by, my hopes were goingdown the drain. It was still his birthday. Maybe he’d decidedto have a bit of fun himself. And forget the one person whohad caused him pain…me.

Eleven in the evening. The food had gotten cold, and theice in the bucket had turned to water. In all frustration, Idecided to give up. Travis probably wouldn’t come backtonight. I called room service to take the food away.

I went onto the balcony. There was a lover’s moon againthat night. It illuminated the skies perfectly. The city lightsproved that people out there still refused to sleep. Proof thatTravis could still be out there somewhere…

I sighed. It would have been perfect. But maybe I’ddecided to fight just a few hours too late. When I decided togive in…I guess Travis decided to give up.

“What was room service doing here?” I heard a voice askbehind me.

I took a deep breath. “Taking away the dinner I preparedfor us,” I said in a low voice.

He didn’t say anything. I turned around to face him. Ididn’t disguise the tears in my eyes. He would knowimmediately that I had been crying anyway.

He looked at my face, and then at the silk robe I waswearing. I should have been embarrassed, but I was soangry, I didn’t have time to feel anything else.

“I’m going to bed,” I said haughtily. “Happy birthdayagain!”

I walked past him, but he was quick to catch me by thewa-ist, stopping me. He tilted my chin up so I would facehim. I stared back at him and raised a brow, making noeffort to disguise any emotion I was feeling at that moment.Let him read me like a book, for all I care!

He narrowed his eyes. “What were you planning to do?”

“Nothing!” I replied.

“You can lie better, Brianne,” he said.

“If you’re so smart, why don’t you say it out loudyourself?!”

“It’s still my birthday, and you promised to give meanything I wanted,” he countered.

“Oh, the wishing line expired an hour ago!” I snapped.Tears seem to fill his eyes and he smiled at me solemnly.

“Are you just doing this because it’s my birthday?” he asked.

“Or is it because you want me as much as I want you?” Hisvoice was a whisper…full of emotion, full of desperation.I took a deep breath. The anger I felt a while ago wasslowly melting away. I just could not stay angry with thisman. I realized that he was my one weakness, too. Healways had been. I looked into his eyes. “Maybe I realized

you’re all I want, too, Travis.”

His arms immediately came around me into a tight hug. Iheard him s-ck in a deep breath. But he didn’t say anything.

“Where have you been, Travis?”

He laughed. “You really had to ask.” He car-ssed theback of my head. “I went back to the office to work…so Icould forget we had a fight. The video logs in the buildingwill prove that. And I’m glad you’re worried.”

Instantly, my heart was filled with joy and relief. Travisbent down to pick me up. Silently, he carried me to thebedroom and settled me down on the bed.

He stared at me seriously…desperately. Then slowly, hek-ssed me, gently at first, and then passionately. I breathedin the scent of him. He nuzzled my neck, and I clung to himfor dear life.

“Travis…” I whispered.

I felt him tug at the strings of my robe. Slowly, he took itoff me, and he k-ssed my bare shoulders. He took off hisshirt and then he came down and k-ssed me again. Iwrapped my arms around his neck, and I k-ssed him backwith the same intensity, the same passion.

He stared down at me, with all tenderness in his eyes.

“This will change everything forever, Brianne,” hewhispered.

I nodded. “I know.”

He smiled at me wistfully. “I discovered I’m going to bepossessive and jealous. I am going to officially end yourquest to find the man of your dreams.”

I nodded happily. Tears welling up in my eyes.

“In return, I offer you my protection, my faithfulness…Iwill try my damn best to fill the shoes of that man you werelooking for. I will try to make you happy, Brianne.”

Tears filled my eyes. I nodded. I touched his cheeks withmy fingers. “As long as you promise you won’t touch anyother woman…I think that is enough.”

He smiled. “I promise,” he said in a sober voice. “Howcould I,anyway? All I want for the rest of my life is you.”

He bent down slowly and k-ssed me again. I felt himreach down tohis p-nts to get out of them until he was only wearing a pair of boxers. There was no disguising how muchhe wanted me. I could feel him against my abdomen. I letout a mo-n of pleasure.

Travis slowly took off my nightdress, k-ssing the skin herevealed. I felt like I was running out of breath. Shærds andpieces of my dreams were mixing with what I saw beforeme. I was unable to believe what was happening betweenus…that finally, this was happening for real.

“Travis…” I whispered against his skin.

“Brianne…” he whispered.

I clung to him for support. His touch was too electrifying.I was afraid I could not handle the intensity of his k-sses andthe magnitude of emotion I felt with every car-ss.

“Travis…” I mo-ned as he k-ssed my neck. He was right.It was my weakest point. I instantly turned mindless at thetouch of his l-ips on that s₱0t.

“Open your eyes, Brianne,” he whispered softly. I did ashe asked. “I want you to look at me, remember me as Imake love to you.”

I giggled softly. I pulled him to me and gave him a k-sson the l-ips. “I will never forget this, Travis.”

He smiled. There was still something in that smile thatwas desperate and yearning. I hugged him to me to assurehim that everything was going to be okay. That every singlething he promised me a few minutes ago, I promised thesame to him.

“This is not a dream, Brianne. This is real,” he said.

“You’re giving yourself to me. I’m pledging my soul to you.”And he went in,side me.

It was everything I ever expected and more. Fireworksseemed to have exploded everywhere. It was as if all mydreams were coming true at the same time. I ignited withevery touch, every k-ss. Hearing him mo-n my name wasthe sweetest of all sounds I could ever hear.

I could feel him in,side me as he had been before…manyyears ago. It was the same, and yet it was different.

We rode the tide of passion together. My peak wanted tobe reached. With Chris, it wouldn’t always last long enoughfor me to get there. But with Travis, I could tell that he washolding back, he was trying to control himself.

“Travis…” I whispered, almost in a plea.

“I know, love,” he whispered. “Just trust me,”

Slowly, I could feel it build up in,side me. I held on toTravis, as I let him ease me into pleasure. Just then, ithappened. I couldn’t turn back, couldn’t hold on. I was leftwith no choice but to let go…to jump into the cliff.

“Travis!” I scre-med his name.

“Brianne…my wife,” he whispered.

My release was long and satisfying. It was nothing I hadever experienced before. He waited for me to finish, andthen he whispered, “I love you, Brianne.” And finally, I felthis body rock as he released himself in,side me.

We lay there for a moment, still joined, still locked ineach other’s arms. I remembered the words he said to mebefore his release. I wondered if he was aware he said them.

Damn! It’s difficult when for years you’ve been sayingthose three words to each other constantly. I desperatelywished he meant that a different way this time around.Travis pulled away slightly and stared down into myeyes.

“Are you okay, love?” he asked.

I nodded. “I am.”

He leaned forward and k-ssed me gently on the l-ips.Then slowly, he pulled out of me. He lay back on the bedand pulled me toward him. He tilted my chin toward him sohe could stare into my eyes. He searched my face, trying toread my expression, searching for any sign of regret, anger,or even remorse.

I giggled. “I’m perfectly sane, Travis. I know whathappened between us. I will never forget it and I’ll never besorry.”

He smiled. “Just checking.” He hugged me to him again.

I sighed. “I don’t have much memory of your face…thatfirst time. I was completely blindfolded. Why didn’t you wantme to look at you?”

He sighed. “Because I was…ashamed of wanting you toomuch! Tom asked me to take care of you, not covet you formyself. For years, I was reminding myself that I wasforbidden to want you.”

“And so you haven’t had any memory of ever having meall throughout these years, either,” I said.

He sighed again. “Memories of you, your body, how youlooked when I took your innocence away from you, even thepain on your face when I first entered you, are so vivid in mymind, I feel like it was only yesterday.”

I pulled away from him so I could stare into his eyes.

“But, Travis…you were supposed to have closed your eyes.”

He chuckled humorlessly. “I couldn’t take my eyes offyou! I was so…enchanted by how beautiful you were, Icouldn’t close my eyes. Damn! I couldn’t even blink. I wasafraid that if I did, you would disappear before my eyes. AndI didn’t want that.”

“You cheated!” I accused him.

“I suffered for it, don’t worry,” he chuckled. “For years,the memory of your body haunted my existence. Andknowing I couldn’t have you made it so much worse for me.”

“Serves you right then!”

He pulled me to him in a tight hug. “It doesn’t matternow, does it? You’re mine now.”

I smiled to myself. “Yes. And you’re mine too, Travis.”

“Yes, love. All yours.”

I stared up at him. “I can’t believe it. We used to be twokids who couldn’t stand each other.”

He chuckled humorlessly. “You couldn’t stand me. Thatwasn’t the same case the other way around.”

I stared up at him. “What do you mean?”

He stared at me for a while and he smiled. “I’ve alwayshad a crush on you, Brianne.” His tone was shy. I was surprised by his confession. “You hated me. I figured theonly way to get a little of your attention was to…constantlytease you. But I guess that plan backfired, huh.”

I laughed. “It did.” I knew I was blushing, and hisconfession made me happy. “Did Tom know?”

He fell silent for a while. When I looked up at him, hewas thoughtful. Then he said, “He did. If there was oneperson who knew exactly what was going on in my mind, itwas him. But he warned me off.”

I sighed. “If he were alive, do you think he’d be happyfor us now?”

“Yes,” Travis replied.

“How can you be so sure?”

He stared down at me thoughtfully. “Because I was alsothe person who knew exactly how his mind worked andwhat he was thinking all the time.”

I smiled and reached up to k-ss his l-ips. “hærd to believethat from being enemies, we would become the best offriends, and then we’d be lovers…”

He chuckled. He leaned down and k-ssed me on the l¡psagain. “Lovers? No, love. Tonight, we just became husbandand wife.”

I playfully slapped my forehead. Yeah! How could I forgetthat? Travis and I had never dated. We got married first,before everything else. And now, this marriage wasconsummated. We truly had become husband and wife.

I closed my eyes. I was very happy! I didn’t think I hadbeen this happy in all my life. It felt like coming home andbeing in the only place I knew I would be safe…and beingwith the only guy I knew could make me complete.

I sighed. “How long do you think this will last?”

“Forever, Brianne,” he whispered. “I want you to be mywife, forever.”

I smiled. Travis didn’t directly say he was in love withme, but for now, it was enough to hear him say he wanted to make this work forever. And I knew no one would care forme as much as he did.

“Have you eaten?” he asked.

I shook my head. “My date sort of stood me up.”

He laughed and hugged me to him again. “Your date wascrying his heart out in his office because he thought he’dnever get to hold you like this at all, no matter how many ofhis masks he put down for you.”

I propped up on one elbow and stared at him. “And howmany more masks are you wearing still?”

He shook his head. “No more, love. I just bared myentire soul to you,”

I leaned forward and gave him a k-ss on the l-ips. “Good.Because you might break me if you don’t.”

“It won’t be possible for me to break you withoutshredding myself to pieces first,” he whispered.

I smiled contentedly in his arms. He said he loved me. Iam not sure if he meant he loved me the same way I lovedhim…but for now, it was more than enough.

“Travis.”

“Hmmm…”

“That beast…that you unleashed…was not terrifying atall. In fact…it was quite gentle.”

I felt him shift to prop up on his elbow. He looked downat me. He had a twinkle in his eyes, and he gave me adevilishly naughty grin. My heart pounded in,side my chest.

I laughed. “Travis…” I almost regretted what I’d said.

“Challenge accepted,” he said in a mischievous voice.

My laughter died as he leaned forward and took my mouthin another heart-stopping, mind-blowing k-ss.