"Don't take this the wrong way, okay, but your loft is a little sparse."
Travis choked on his sip of wine. "Sparse?" he said. "That's quite a politically correct way of putting it," he said with a laugh. "I can see that you're going to be great with clients."
Lily blushed at his compliment. "Thank you," she said, her words tinged with a measure of surprise.
"A woman's touch, your touch, is precisely what this place needs."
The doorbell rang, and he went to collect the Chinese food. As he paid he realized that he really was glad to have Lily in his house. For a brief moment he had worried that he would feel cramped by her, but it was just the opposite. She was so warm.
And beautiful.
And sexy.
Travis's cock grew hard, reminding him, very firmly, that he and Lily hadn't yet had a wedding night.
He carried the take-out cartons into the kitchen, utterly starving, but not for food. "Are you hungry?" he asked. When Lily shook her head it was all the invitation he needed. Reaching for her hand, he drew her back toward the bedroom.
Just outside the door he pressed her up against the wall. "I want to do what we did after the fashion show. Exactly what we did. Do you remember?" His voice was husky, and his dick was so hard it felt like it was going to burst. Lily nodded, and he slipped his thighs between her legs, the silky material of her skirt no barrier at all. "But today," he said, "I want to do it all naked."
Lily bit her lip, her white teeth leaving an impression on her plump red mouth. "Good idea," he said, leaning over to suck her bottom lip into his mouth at the same time that he unzipped the long zipper at the back of her dress. The dress had a built-in bra, so when he slipped it off her shoulders, her breasts were bare and beautiful.
"Oh God, Lily," he said, "I've been dying for you."
He bent his head down and tongued a nipple. She moaned and pushed her chest into his mouth. He slipped the dress all the way off her shoulders, then slid his thumbs into the thin waistband of her lace panties, shoving them down her hips. All the while, he tongued her breasts, first one sweet nipple, then the next, until they were stiff points.
Once Lily was naked, Travis tore off his own clothes, never taking his mouth away from Lily's soft, hot skin. He sucked at the pulse point on her neck, relishing the rapid beating of her heart, loving the musky smell of her arousal.
He kicked his jeans off and pressed his nakedness against Lily. Pinning her wrists above her head, her back arched against the wall, her full breasts pushing into his chest, he slid one thigh between her legs.
He groaned with pleasure when she began rubbing her wet pussy against him. "That's it, Lily," he urged. "Come against me, sweetheart," he said as he pushed his muscles hard into her clit.
With a gasp her eyes opened wide, then fluttered shut. Frantically, she rocked against his leg, and Travis pushed back even harder. He needed to suck her tits more than he needed to breathe. Without breaking rhythm he bent his head to the succulent flesh and nipped at her.
"Travis," she gasped, as his mouth closed over her nipple. His cock was sliding against her thigh, and he had to force himself to hold on, not to blow all over her leg.
As soon as she stilled against him, Travis slid down to his knees and buried his face between her legs. "No," she protested, "I can't take any more," but he ignored her as he lapped at her, loving her taste.
He pushed her open with his finger and tilted his head so that he could slide his tongue in, hard and pointy. Lily sat down onto his face and he held her up with his thumb on her clit. He rubbed tight circles on the sensitive nub, moving his tongue in and out, first slow and shallow, then fast and deep. When she began to convulse, he slipped two fingers into her and latched on to her clit, sucking hard and fast.
She cried out, but he couldn't make out what she was saying as she came hard against his lips and fingers, clamping down on his fingers with each contraction.
Even though he really wanted a repeat of her masturbation performance on the night they'd first hooked up, he couldn't wait for it. Standing back up he said, "Wrap your legs around me, sweetheart."
Her eyes were unfocused at first, but as comprehension dawned, she said, "I can't. You won't be able to--"
"Just do it," he growled.
"What about protection?"
"We're married now," was all he said, and she blinked in surprise, then, thank God, when he didn't think he could take it anymore and was about to drag her to the ground, she lifted one thigh around his hips. Roughly, he pulled her other leg up and slid into her pussy, hard and hot. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been inside a woman unsheathed. Lily clenched around him, and the sensations were incredible. She wrapped her arms firmly around his neck and pushed her pelvis into his, taking him even deeper.
"Lily," he groaned into her neck. He reared into her again and again, his orgasm so overpowering that he forgot everything but the feel of Lily's hot cunt sucking his cock. He shot deep into her. "I love you," he groaned, as she cried out his name. He held her up, panting and sweaty as he waited for his heart to stop beating doubletime.
"I love you, too," she whispered into the hollow of his shoulder. They untangled their damp limbs. When Lily's feet touched the floor again, Travis felt bereft of her comforting heat, her solid weight in his arms.
"Ouch," she said as she pointed her toes and flexed her leg muscles. "I think I'm cramping."
"Need a massage?" Travis asked, his wicked intent clear.
Lily ran into the bathroom. "You've got to catch me first, big boy."
Travis pretended to chase her and by the time they were standing under the dual showerheads of his shower, they were giggling and tickling each other. Teasing touches turned into full-blown caresses, and even though he thought he'd eased his intense need for Lily in the hallway, Travis realized that he'd merely taken the edge off.
"Come here, you." He soaped Lily up from her shoulders to her ankles. He'd never felt so at home before. Not until Lily. Pulling the nozzle from its holder, Travis washed her off, spending extra time between her legs.
She swatted him away. "I think I'm clean now, Travis," she said sternly, even though her eyes were dancing.
Travis pretended to give it careful consideration. "Open your legs a little wider," he said, and when she obeyed he shook his head. "No, I'm afraid I've missed a spot." He hit her clitoris with a stream of water, sending her into an instant explosion. She opened her legs wider, pink, wet, and all his. Travis couldn't stand it another moment. Sitting down on the tiled seat of his luxurious shower enclosure, he pulled her down onto his cock. And as she rode up and down, calling out his name, sending him into another spiraling orgasm, Travis knew that he'd never love anyone as much as he loved Lily.
15
LILY'S LIDS WERE HEAVY as she opened her eyes. For a moment she didn't know where she was. And then she remembered: Travis's loft. Not because of a one-night stand. Because they were married.
Married.
It was still too much for her to take in, even though she wore his ring, and he'd shown her the Italian paperwork last night when they were sitting in bed eating chow mein and kung pao chicken.
"We're married," he had said in the hallway when she'd asked him about a condom, as if that answered everything. And she'd been so stunned she hadn't been able to do anything except give in to the moment.
Everything had been such a whirlwind the past week that she didn't have a clue when she was supposed to get her period, so she didn't know if she should be worried about getting pregnant or not. She wished they had thought things through a little better, instead of getting wrapped up in the heat of the moment.
A baby. What if she got pregnant, and that was when Travis decided he'd had his fill of her?
She noticed a note on the pillow. "Had to get into the office for an early meeting. Meet me at noon at the office and I'll take you to lunch. Can't wait. Love, Your Husband."
Lily held the note to her chest as she looked out a
t the oak tree beyond the bedroom. She couldn't believe how well Travis was taking their accidental marriage. Previously a confirmed bachelor, now he was slipping the word "love" and "husband" into his notes? She wished she had the nerve to ask him about the big change, but she was too afraid of what he might say.
What if he laughed in her face and said, Gotcha! like it was all some horrible practical joke?
Lily closed her eyes. She had to stop doing this to herself. Every day with Travis would be a slow death if she kept waiting for the axe to fall.
The clock on the bedside table said 10:00A.M. How could it have gotten so late? After showering she realized she didn't have any clean clothes left in her suitcase. Travis's walk-in closet beckoned, and even though she told herself she was just looking for something she could wear until she picked up some clothes from her apartment, what she was really doing was snooping.
Inhaling his potent scent, she fingered his Prada suits and Ralph Lauren ties. She buried her face in his T-shirts and opened up all of his drawers to see what he had hidden.
"What was I expecting to find?" she said aloud, hating herself for being so suspicious and negative. "A dead body? A marriage certificate to Miss America?"
Thoroughly sick of her bad attitude, she grabbed a starched white shirt and pair of black slacks that looked like they might fit her. "Please don't be too tight," she prayed as she slipped them up over her hips.
They were snug, but when she examined herself in the full-length mirror, Lily was surprised by how good she looked in Travis's clothes. Sexy, yet classy. She knotted the shirt at her waist and turned up the collar. The legs of the slacks were a couple of inches too long, but when she slipped on her sexy red high-heeled sandals you couldn't really tell. She applied mascara, swiped on some lip gloss, and the look was complete.
She rushed out and hailed a cab, incredibly nervous about going to see Travis at his office. She'd never been in the large, glass-fronted building, but she'd driven past it many times.
She paid the driver and took a deep breath before pushing through the large front door. One look at the lithe blond secretary with enormous breasts who sat at the reception desk and Lily was tempted to tuck her tail between her legs and run.
How had she thought she could ever compete with the women in Travis's world?
"Hello?" the young girl said.
Lily hated how meek her voice sounded in reply. "Hi," she said, having to swallow before continuing. "I'm here to see--"
Travis leaned down from the railing above and whistled. "Wow," he said as he took in her improvised outfit. "Don't you look sexy? I'll be down in a second."
Lily blushed at his compliment and walked on trembling legs toward the leather couch by the stairs. She smiled at the receptionist, but the girl had a glazed, stunned look on her face and didn't smile back. Lily studied her hands on her lap, not knowing what else to do with herself.
Even though she was pleased that he thought she looked good, she wished he hadn't called it out for everyone to hear. She could hear them thinking, Her? He thinks she looks good? Where have his standards gone?
Before she knew it Travis was down the stairs and had pulled her into his arms. "Hi, gorgeous," he said, before giving her a thoroughly distracting kiss.
Coming up for air, Lily said haltingly, "I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your clothes."
His eyes hot, Travis said, "You can wear anything of mine that you want." He leered down the front of her button-down shirt. "Especially if you don't wear anything underneath it."
Lily reddened again, but managed to tease him, saying, "I was wondering how long it would take you to notice."
"The minute you walked in the door," he said with a wink. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up the stairs. "I want to introduce you to everyone before we go."
Oh God, it was going to be Italy all over again, an instant replay of the humiliation and hurt that she had gone through when Travis had been confronted with Luke and Janica during the festival. Lily wanted to run. This was never going to work. She couldn't face the embarrassment that was bound to be on Travis's face when he realized that playing a husband in a foreign paradise and actually being a husband in the real world--at the office, no less--were two very different things.
Lily looked down at her clothes, desperate for an excuse to postpone the inevitable fall. "Like this? Maybe we could do it later?"
"I want them to meet the brightest new interior designer in town," he said, ignoring her protests.
Lily numbly shook hands and smiled so much her lips felt like they were going to crack off. She cast a sidelong glance at Travis, watching for dangerous signs--a little stiffness, nervous laughter maybe--but he was as cool as always. Could that possibly be pride she was reading in his eyes?
"Now that everyone's here, I think it's time to make the announcement that Lily and I were recently married in Italy."
He held her hand tightly, which was a good thing since she nearly fainted. Travis's behavior couldn't have surprised her more. Not only was he claiming her as his own, but his joy radiated through her. His employees cheered loudly, and another round of handshaking, hugs, and backslapping ensued. But through it all, Lily couldn't help but think that the women were giving her the evil eye and the men were wondering what kind of magical sex tricks she had up her sleeve to land a guy like Travis.
Finally, they were out on the street in the blinding sunshine. Lily was glad for the excuse to slip on her sunglasses so that Travis couldn't see the confusion and terror she couldn't hide. Right around the corner from his office, he opened the door to a French bistro.
The man behind the podium beamed. "Monsieur Carson."
"Jean-Luc, I am delighted to present my wife, Lily, to you." Travis's formality was enormously cute, and it helped Lily to relax a slight bit.
Jean-Luc fell all over himself to welcome Lily, and she felt much better by the time they were ensconced in a romantic booth with a chilled bottle of champagne. She gulped from her glass like the wine was water. When she looked back up at Travis his smile was wide and relaxed.
"Guess what?" he said, looking like a happy schoolboy who had gotten out of class early to go play.
"Um..." Lily said, her mind having gone completely blank.
"I have just rented the perfect space for your new business. Retail up front, office in the back. Great demographics."
All the wind knocked out of her. "My new business?"
Travis was so thrilled by his announcement he didn't notice her rapidly paling complexion. "James had remodeled the space for a previous client, but since they moved to the East Coast, it hit me how perfect it would be for you. And you know what's even better?"
Lily took another huge gulp from her champagne glass before saying, "What's that?" in a remarkably steady voice.
"It's down the block from my building. We'll practically be working together. And of course I'm going to turn all of my clients on to you, honey."
She croaked, "Great," and this time Travis paused and seemed to notice that everything wasn't right. Covering, she smiled. "I think I'm still a little dehydrated from the flight." She gulped down more bubbly. Feeling woozy and somewhat drunk when Travis insisted on showing her the new storefront, she didn't have the strength to resist.
Two blocks away, there it was--an old storefront that had been beautifully fixed up, like the fashionable stores on either side. It was a sunny street, with mature, leafy trees, and for a moment, the big city disappeared. The first waves of excitement pushed through her shock.
"Oh Travis," she breathed, as they got closer. "Can we go inside?"
Stopping in the middle of the street he swung her into his arms and hugged her tight, kissing the top of her head. "I knew you'd love it."
Lily's eyes misted. How did he know her so well when she hardly knew herself?
A second later he slipped the key in the lock and Lily saw her dream business in full color, 3-D. "Antiques up front, from France and Italy. I can't wait t
o travel all over the world to find the perfect treasures." Travis held himself back so that she could lose herself in the space. "And a design studio in the back." She turned to the man she loved. "It couldn't be more perfect, Travis. You're amazing."
His face lit up. Lily threw the lock on the door. "You don't have to get back to your office right away, do you?" she asked as she began unbuttoning the top buttons of Travis's dress shirt.
Staring at the curve of her breast that was now revealed, Travis drawled, "I don't own the business for nothing." Their wild, yet sweet, lovemaking was the perfect way to christen the building.
AS THE WEEKS FLEW BY Lily was busier than she'd ever been. Between looking for a house with Travis and setting up her own design business, she barely had time to worry about their relationship. Their nights were filled with lovemaking, and they often met at lunchtime for a quickie before grabbing something to eat.
Travis had insisted on throwing a huge postwedding party for everyone they knew at his loft, but by the evening of the party, Lily wanted nothing more than a hot bath and a good book. At the same time, she was glad she was too exhausted to care about whether his friends liked her or not. She just plain didn't have the energy to worry about it. Because although she still felt like an alien intruder in Travis's perfect world, she had learned to roll with it during the past month. And oddly enough, he didn't seem to think there was anything weird at all about having her in his life, day and night, either as a coworker on their design projects or as a wife.
But while Travis was clearly taking all of his life changes in stride, Lily felt like she was barely staying afloat. Hopefully things would settle down to normal soon. In any case, she was looking forward to seeing Janica and Luke that night at the party. She had barely exchanged three words with either of them since returning from Italy.
She propped a large houseplant under one arm as she turned the key. Putting the plant down in an empty corner of the foyer, Lily walked into the living room and surveyed it with pleasure. She had brought several pieces of furniture into Travis's home and with some colorful uplifting artwork and bright, puffy pillows everywhere, the loft was starting to feel like home. The caterers were hard at work setting up buffet tables.