Page 35 of Tied to You

I roll into him, lust and desire buzzing between the two of us. I can feel it. Can feel every inch of my skin starting to awaken. My muscles that were being tightly held start to loosen, my feet melting further into the soft surface underneath as I give in to him.

It’s like he’s waiting. Waiting for me to do something. Does he need my permission? It’s like he’s expecting me to push him away. Reject him. Give him a reason to hate me. Or, is he like me? Has he thought about this moment like I have, over and over? Has he tortured himself, wondering what this would feel like?

Our first kiss.

One thing’s for sure, I hadn’t expected him to be so… gentle. He feels attentive. Calm. The complete opposite of how he was only moments ago. “Tell me to stop.” His words vibrate against my lips. The telling rise and fall of his chest showing me he’s much calmer on the surface than he is on the inside.

I don’t think I can. “Travis,” I merely whimper, losing my breath.

He lets out a gravelly sigh, his lips lingering between every kiss. “You need to tell me to stop, Mollie.”

Still mouth to mouth but millimetres apart, I bite my bottom lip, my teeth sinking into the flesh. I don’t want him to stop. I don’t think he wants me to either.

“Fuck,” he growls. “Don’t do that.”

“Why?” I falter, looking at his lips, wanting to taste them again, my brain racing with what we’re doing. Whatarewe doing here?

“Why?” he asks questioningly, sucking in a breath.

I look up, seeing his eyes jumping between mine. They no longer look at me with contempt or anger. No. Now they look full of something I’ve not seen before on him. Hope?

A flash of satisfaction swims across his features before his hands lift to cup the sides of my face, making all sorts of feelings bounce around inside me. “Because this can only lead to chaos.”

Chaos?Is that what we are? Staring up at him, my hand on his arm tightens. I try to read what his body’s telling me. Try to gauge if this moment of madness is real or if I’m somehow dreaming with my eyes open.

As if in answer, his fingers slide into the back of my hair, effectively holding me still. He goes to speak, but abruptly slams his mouth closed.

“Travis?”

We both freeze hearing Mick shout.

I look up at him, suddenly breathing heavy, my heart hammering in my chest. “Shit,” I say quietly.

Travis spins me, pushing me back out of sight. “What?” he shouts down to Mick, his eyes still fixed to mine.

“Where are you?” Mick hollers again, his footsteps edging closer.

I don’t move.

“Up here,” Travis says, as he grabs for the pitchfork I carried up here and steps down onto the next hay bale. “Mollie said about the rats.”

There’s a definite pause before Mick replies. “Right. Well, where is she?”

My breathing quickens.

“Bathroom, I think. She asked me to take over.”

Another silence. “And you did?”

I hear Travis let loose a breath, seeing his body stiffen slightly. “What you getting at, Mick?”

“Nothing, boy. Get down here. Blackjack’s gone into labour. I need to find Mollie; she’s supposed to be helping me.”

I hear Mick’s feet padding away, and when I deem it safe enough, I make my way to Travis, taking tentative steps. “That was close.”

Travis turns, looking at me, burning flames flickering in his eyes. They cut like knives as he scratches at the hat on his head before letting out a sigh. Defeated. “That was a mistake.”

Rooted to my spot, I wasn’t expecting him to say that. He kissedmeafter threatening to push me over the edge. I’m so confused. This isn’t what I expected to happen. Wanted, yes, but did I think it would actually happen—him and me? Never. My vision blurs and it isn’t welcomed. At all.