Page 254

Ally speared a hand in his hair, stroking the thick strands between her fingers. “Thank you. I’ve never felt that way before,” she told him seriously.
“How?”
“Sexy. Wanted. Beautiful,” she admitted quietly. “I’ll never forget this night.”
“No, you won’t. Because we’ll be doing it every damn night,” Travis rasped. “I meant what I said, Ally. You’re mine now. I’m not letting you go.”
Oh, God. Ally wanted to be his, but she was trying to set herself free, not set herself up for another heartbreak. Travis Harrison might want her right now, and he’d helped her just by giving her a taste—okay, maybe a feast—of desire. But she was his employee, his assistant. “Travis, I’m your employee. We can’t just continue to have an affair.”
Travis sat up, causing Ally to have to straddle him. “The hell we can’t. And it isn’t an affair. It isn’t like either one of us is attached.”
“Then what would you call it?” Ally asked curiously.
“A goddamn fantasy that’s actually coming true,” Travis told her obstinately.
“And when the fantasy ends?” Ally shot back at him.
“It won’t. Not ever,” Travis told her stubbornly. “Christ! If you could spend five years with a man who didn’t give a rat’s ass about you, why can’t you try being with a man who cares about you and what you want?”
Ally looked at Travis’s face, the hurt in his eyes flooring her. “I’m sorry. I guess with you I’d just be waiting until the novelty of screwing your secretary wore off and I’d be hurt again. It’s not you. It’s me, Travis. I’m scared to try again so soon.”
“I’d die before I’d hurt you, Ally,” he told her huskily, his hand stroking her back absently.
An enormous lump lodged in her throat, as she suddenly consideredwhyshe wouldn’t give whatever was happening between her and Travis a chance to grow. Did she think she didn’t deserve a guy who cared? Did she think Travis didn’t really care? Whatever her reasoning, it was self-destructive and ridiculous. He was a man like any other. Yes…he was one of the wealthiest men in the world, but to judge him solely based on that fact was just plain stupid. She knew now that he was a good man beneath his gruff, solemn exterior. And she already cared about him. And he’d showed her more concern than any other person in her life ever had. Maybe that was the really scary part. “I guess I’m just not used to someone who cares. But I’d like to get used to it,” she admitted hesitantly. And she wanted to care about Travis in return. He needed to lighten up, and whether he’d admit it or not, he needed someone who cared abouthimand not his bottom line. And that was something she could and would give him.
Getting him to open up to her wouldn’t be easy, and she wouldn’t have an easy time being vulnerable to him. But couldn’t it end up being worth the risk? Ally lifted a hand and stroked his rough jawline. “Will you let me care about you, Travis?” She held her breath, terrified by leaving herself raw and vulnerable to this man, but wanting him too badly not to take the risk.
He caught her hand in his and kissed her palm. “Care, Ally. I need you.”
Ally let out her breath, relief flooding her body. In opening herself up to Travis, she’d unwittingly allowed him to reveal his vulnerability to her. For a proud, intensely alpha male like Travis, his risk was as big as her own. “I’m afraid it’s too late to start. I already do care,” she whispered softly.
His dark eyes pinned her with a possessive look, but something miraculous happened at the same time. For the first time since Ally had known him, Travis Harrison gave her the happiest, sincerest, and broadest smile she’d ever seen, and she knew she was completely lost. And, seeing his handsome, almost boyish expression, Ally decided he was definitely worth the risk.
“That necklace looks beautiful on you, Ally,” Mia Hamilton said sincerely, her eyes staring at Ally across the table of the casual family restaurant.
All four sets of female eyes at the table flew to Ally, murmuring their agreement appreciatively. “Where did you get it?” Maddie asked curiously.
Ally squirmed in her seat, fingering the lovely unicorn necklace that she hadn’t removed since the day Travis had given it to her. The last week had been the happiest of her life, and not a night had gone by that Travis hadn’t been in her bed. He’d gone to work late every single day for the last week, grumbling that he couldn’t wait until she came back to work on Thursday. Travis filled her days with laughter with his naughty and thoughtful antics, and her nights with dark desire that never went unsated.
“It was a gift from Travis,” Mia answered for Ally before she could decide what to say.
“Wow. It’s beautiful.” Asha reached out, brushing Ally’s fingers aside to examine the small unicorn.
“It was a birthday gift,” Ally murmured. Looking at Mia, she asked, “How did you know?”
Mia took a sip of her water and set it back down before answering. “Because I made it. Travis picked the stones and what I needed to craft it. And he gave me very little time to do it because he wanted you to have it that day.”
Ally gaped at Mia. The necklace she was wearing was a Mia Hamilton design? “I thought he just picked it up somewhere.”
Mia chuckled. “He did. My studio. He couldn’t find exactly what he wanted, so I had to make it for him. Those are the finest quality gems available. And he drew exactly what he wanted, so it wasn’t difficult to design since he did most of the work for me. He knew exactly how it needed to be. It’s unique. The unicorn must have significance. Why?”
Ally’s heart raced, the thought of Travis going to all that trouble and expense just to get her an exact replica of her fantasy unicorn making the piece of jewelry just that much more precious to her. “I write as a hobby. He liked the first story and the unicorn is one of the characters. He wants me to finish the books.”
“And will you?” Kara Hudson asked from her seat next to Asha. “It’s a very romantic gesture.”
“Definitely.” Maddie nodded from across the table.
“Travis has been different lately. He actually kissed me back on the cheek when I kissed him good-bye yesterday. And he’s smiling. Not that cynical, obnoxious expression he gets, but actually smiling. I was thinking he must be getting laid.” Asha gave Ally a sly look. “Am I right?”