The Choice - Nicholas Sparks [72]
“I figured,” Travis said, unable to read her expression.
“He won the best ball tournament today.”
“Good for him.”
Again, a silence descended between them.
“I think I need some fresh air,” she finally said, rising from the couch. She made her way to the sliding glass door and stepped outside.
Travis watched her go, wondering if he should join her or whether she needed to be alone. From his spot on the couch, her image against the railing was shadowed. He could imagine heading out to join her, only to hear her suggest that it might be best if he left, and though the thought frightened him, he needed to be with her, now more than ever.
He made his way out the door and joined her against the rail. In the moonlight, her skin was pearly, her eyes darkly luminous.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“Don’t be. There’s nothing for you to be sorry for.” She forced a smile. “It’s my fault, not yours. I knew what I was getting into.”
Gabby could sense that he wanted to touch her, but she was torn about whether she wanted him to. She knew she should end this, that she shouldn’t let the evening progress any further, but she couldn’t break the spell that Travis’s declaration had cast over her. It didn’t make sense. It took time to fall in love, more time than a single weekend, yet somehow, despite her feelings for Kevin, it had happened. She sensed Travis’s nervousness as he stood beside her, and she watched him fortify himself with a last sip of wine.
“Did you mean what you said earlier?” she asked. “About wanting a family?”
“Yes, I did.”
“I’m glad,” she said. “Because I think you’d be a great father. I didn’t tell you before, but that’s what I thought when I saw you with the kids yesterday. You seemed so natural with them.”
“I’ve had a lot of experience with puppies.”
Despite the tension, she laughed. She took a small step closer to him, and when he turned to face her, she slipped her arms around his neck. She could hear the little voice inside warning her to stop, telling her that it still wasn’t too late to end this. But another urge had taken hold of her, and she knew it was pointless to deny it.
“Maybe so, but I thought it was sexy,” she whispered.
Travis pulled her tight against him, noticing how her body seemed to fit against his. He could smell a trace of jasmine perfume on her, and as they stood holding each other, his senses seemed to come alive. He felt as if he’d reached the end of a long journey, unaware until this moment that Gabby had been his destination all along. When he whispered, “I love you, Gabby Holland,” against her ear, he’d never felt more sure about anything.
Gabby sank into him.
“I love you, too, Travis Parker,” she whispered, and as they stood in each other’s arms, Gabby couldn’t imagine wanting anything more than what was happening now, all regrets and reservations swept aside.
He kissed her, then kissed her again and again, leisurely exploring her neck and collarbone before rising to meet her lips once more. She ran her hands over his chest and shoulders, feeling the strength in the arms that held her, and when he buried his fingers in her hair, she shivered, knowing that this was what the weekend had been building toward all along.
They kissed on the deck for a long time. Finally she pulled back, and took his hand to lead him inside, past the living room and toward the bedroom. She motioned toward the bed, and as Travis lay down, she pulled a lighter from the drawer and proceeded to light the candles she’d set out earlier. Her bedroom, dark at first, gave way to a flickering glow that bathed her in liquid gold.
With shadows accentuating her every movement, Travis watched as Gabby crossed her arms, reaching for the hem of her shirt. With a single movement, she pulled the shirt over her head. Her breasts pressed against the satin outline of her bra, and her hands drifted slowly downward to the snap on her jeans. A moment later, she stepped out of the crumpled pile at her feet.
Travis was mesmerized as she moved toward the bed and playfully pushed him onto his back. She began to undo the buttons