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“You’re gifted,” Asha argued.
“Special,” Mia said with a nod.
“I never wanted to be gifted or special,” Travis rasped. “After our crazy childhood and our insane father, I just wanted to be normal.”
“You’ve never been normal,” Kade said with a grin. “You’ve always been an asshole. And what happened to the brother who told me he hadn’t met a woman who was worth losing his common sense over? Did you see the picture of you in the paper grabbing Ally’s butt and kissing her like you’d lost it in the middle of a formal ball?”
“Yep. I framed it and it’s on my desk at work,” he admitted non-apologetically. “I’ve joined the psycho men club. In fact, I might have to become the damn president of the organization.”
“Still want to get rid of that desk?” Kade asked with a smirk.
“Hell, no. Not anymore. It’s become my favorite damn piece of furniture in the whole building,” he answered emphatically.
Ally flushed, knowing exactly why Travis used to hate that desk. But they’d had a few more adventures in the office on that particular wood surface, and now he swore he’d keep it forever, even if it did distract him sometimes. But she knew he’d be cursing it again if she wasn’t around.
The men bantered a little longer, the women throwing in their own comments.
Ally looked down at Travis, finally breathing a sigh of relief. Today had been a big hurdle for him, and she knew he hadn’t really wanted to deal with it. But she had enough faith in his family to know that they’d always accepted Travis unconditionally, and she wanted him to know that, to believe that. So she had pushed him, encouraged him, hoping nothing would go wrong. Someday he’d be more comfortable with his special and unique traits, but he’d lived with his gift alone for so long that it wouldn’t happen overnight.
She’d been staying with him since they’d returned from Colorado, and although his house was enormous and had incredible security, it wasn’t ostentatious. Of course, she should have known it wouldn’t be, because that wasn’t Travis’s style.
He’d gone to her destroyed house with her, but almost nothing was recoverable. Strangely, she wasn’t really sad. There were a few personal items that she would have liked to have, but it was almost like she hadn’t even really started living until she’d fallen in love with Travis. And it felt like everything that had happened before in her life was all leading to this…to him. Travis made her feel loved, complete, and perfect. She doubted they’d ever stop fighting sometimes, but it was almost like…foreplay. Besides, Travis wasn’t the type of man who needed a wife who didn’t challenge him. And she adored his loving alpha male, protective personality. It made her feel safe, and there was never a day that she didn’t feel loved, even if he was pissed off at her for something.
“So when is the wedding?” Asha asked inquisitively, looking excitedly at Ally.
“Soon,” Travis said irritably.
“Next year,” Ally answered at the same time.
They looked at each other and frowned.
Travis wrapped a steely arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. “I’m not waiting until next year,” he informed her stubbornly, his voice holding a warning note.
“We haven’t set a date yet,” she told Asha with a wink.
“But it sure as hell won’t be next year,” Travis replied obstinately.
Kade looked at Max. “Should we start placing bets on who will win this argument?”
“Nope,” Max replied with a grin. “It wouldn’t work. We’d both be betting on Travis.”
Asha, Kade, Max, and Mia all laughed as they got up to leave.
“I think we’ll let you two work this one out,” Kade said, slapping Travis on the back as he walked past him.
Ally scrambled to get off Travis’s lap to see everyone out, but he held her tightly for a minute longer, whispering huskily into her ear, “We aren’t waiting that long, even if I have to get out my naughty tie.”
Ally shivered at the thought, knowing that when Travis wanted something, he always got it. When Travis really wanted to be wicked, he knew exactly how to get to her. “We’ll discuss it,” she told him firmly as she got up.
“Not for long,” Travis said ominously, a happy grin on his face now.
Ally smiled back, more than ready to bicker with him because it always ended in the most delicious make-up sex.
Finally, Travis closed the door behind his family and faced her, a look of relief on his face.
“Was it so hard?” Ally asked him tenderly, knowing it had been, and wondering if he wanted to talk about it.
“You were right. I needed to do it,” he answered in a voice husky with emotion. He pulled her against him, wrapping his arms tightly around her and burying his face in her hair. “Thank you for giving me back my family, Ally.” His voice was coarse and raw with emotion.