Claim (Talon Security Book 2) Read online

  He slung an arm around me as it began to rain. “Apparently, I’ve been missing out.”

  I looked up at him. “Maybe we both have.”

  ****

  “Don’t let him get into the living room!” I shrieked from the bathroom as Travis frantically grabbed for an escaping Able. He’d carried him into the house, where we’d attempted to put him in the bath.

  For such a big dog, he was freakishly nimble.

  “Shit!” I heard Travis exclaim from the living room, quickly followed by “Got him.”

  A moment later, he reappeared, covered in mud and a very unhappy Able as he carried him back into the bathroom. “Let’s shut the door this time, hmm?” he muttered.

  I couldn’t help it, I lost it. I had to bend over, such was the force of my laughter. We were both covered in mud, wet from the rain, and jammed into my tiny bathroom with a dog who wanted to be anywhere but near a bath.

  “She thinks this is funny,” Travis muttered to Able, setting him back into the bath.

  “No, I think it’s hilarious,” I corrected him. “And hey, you volunteered to stay.”

  “I did, didn’t I?” he replied, his face splitting into a grin. “Guess I’m a glutton for punishment.” He turned to Able, who was shaking like a leaf as I soaped him up. “Bud, you’re a big dog. You’re acting like a Chihuahua. And trust me, my sister has one, I know this for a fact.”

  I tried to hide my grin at his earnest lecture to my dog.

  “He has baggage,” I defended. “We all do.”

  “True,” Travis muttered as I shut the water off and toweled Able off.

  “Now you won’t judge when you notice I don’t bathe my dog a lot,” I added dryly.

  “Also true.” He chuckled. “Do you want to grab something to eat?”

  I stood up, done drying Able. “You mean you don’t want to run screaming?”

  He bit his lower lip and slowly shook his head, eyeing me with what looked a hell of a lot like lust.

  And with that, my entire body liquefied. “Um, okay, sure. I just need to shower.” I looked down at his muddy clothes. “And so do you.”

  “I have a change of clothes in the Jeep, if you don’t mind my using your shower,” he added.

  A naked Travis in my bathroom? I might not be able to concentrate, but I certainly didn’t mind.

  “That’s fine,” I managed to squeak out just as he opened the door, letting a very relieved Able out of the bathroom.

  “What sounds good?” he asked thirty minutes later as we walked back out to his truck, both freshly showered.

  I shrugged. “I could go for anything, but a burger sounds pretty good.”

  He grinned. “I know just the spot.”

  We ended up at a divey-looking burger joint on Melrose. “I promise, this is the best burger in LA,” he told me as we pulled up the curb.

  “I’ll take your word for it.” I laughed, eyeing the dilapidated building skeptically as I slid out of his Jeep.

  He came around to my side, and I was something beyond thrilled when he took my hand, leading us inside.

  “McAllister! To what do I owe the honor!” a sarcastic voice boomed from the kitchen the moment we walked inside.

  “Oh you know, I like to grace you with my presence occasionally.” Travis grinned. “How you doing, Curtis?”

  An older man’s face with the biggest smile I’d ever seen appeared through a pocket window. “Ooo-wee, and you brought a sweet little honey with you. Who’s the lucky lady?”

  “This is Emerly, and watch it,” Travis tacked on sternly, though there was no malice in his expression.

  “Hi.” I offered a wave as Travis led us to a table.

  “Your usual?” Curtis hollered.

  Travis lifted his brows toward me. “You okay if I order for you?”

  I nodded. What the hell?

  “Make it two,” he called back.

  “So, you come here often?” I surmised.

  He chuckled. “I wouldn’t say often. Not exactly a healthy option, but it’s damn good food.”

  “How do you two know each other?”

  He shrugged. “I helped Curtis out of a scrape once.”

  “Did that boy just say a scrape?” Curtis’s incredulous voice moved closer as he walked out of the kitchen to stand beside our table, spatula in hand. “This boy”—he pointed his spatula at Travis— “walked in on me being robbed at gunpoint. He took those knuckleheads out with his bare hands. He eats free for the rest of his life.”

  Travis leaned toward me as though sharing a trade secret. “But I always leave a big tip.” He winked.

  More than enough to cover the meal, I presumed.

  Curtis wandered back to the kitchen, and I stared at Travis, wondering just who was sitting in front of me. “Your bare hands, huh?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “I had the advantage, they didn’t see me coming.”

  “Is now the part where you say you did what anyone would?” I asked quietly.

  He offered a soft smile. “Maybe we have that in common.”

  “Maybe.”

  Once the food arrived, we lapsed into comfortable silence. I for one was far too busy enjoying the best burger I’d ever had.

  As he drove me home, I couldn’t fight my disappointment that the best date of my life was coming to an end.

  “Okay?” he asked, glancing over at me before his eyes returned to the road.

  “Yeah, I had a great time,” I replied honestly.

  “I did, too. If this date could go on longer without me taking things farther than I intended, I’d invite myself in,” he replied, his voice an octave deeper as we pulled to the curb and he cut the engine.

  I swallowed hard. “Oh?”

  “Yeah, oh.” He nodded, opening his door and coming around to my side, helping me out. “But I think my self-restraint can handle walking you to your door.”

  I wasn’t sure mine could.

  We walked hand in hand through the dark until my cottage came into view. “You using the flashlight I gave you?” he asked, squeezing my hand.

  “I am, thank you.” I smiled as he followed me up onto my little porch, stepping immediately into my space.

  His fingers swept the loose hair from my face as he stared at my lips with such intent that I forgot everything but the need coiling deep in my belly.

  “You’re so beautiful, Em,” he murmured reverently.

  Under his gaze I felt like the most beautiful girl in the world. Until he kissed me and then I ceased to be… anything. I was nothing but sensation.

  His soft lips took mine with barely controlled desperation. When his tongue met mine, I had to clutch at his shoulders as my knees gave out.

  His arms wrapped around me, pulling me as close as two people could be while fully clothed. I got the sense both of us yearned to ditch the material separating us.

  It was on the tip of my tongue to invite him in. I knew instinctively he would accept if I did. Somehow, I found some restraint and pulled back and rested my forehead against his firm chest.

  He wrapped me up, pulling me into an embrace so intimate it shocked me that we’d just met. “Night, Em.” He kissed the top of my head.

  I pulled back, my fingers lingering on my swollen lips. I knew I’d feel him there for days. “Night, Travis.”

  My only consolation as I walked into my cottage alone was that I’d see him again as soon as I closed my eyes.

  Chapter 6

  How’s the hottest teacher in the Western Hemisphere doing today?

  The text from Travis came later that week after my yoga class. Our texts throughout the week had been frequent and increasingly flirtatious.

  Oh, so the girls in England are hotter than me? Australia, maybe I’ll give you that. But England? You sure? I shot back with a grin.

  I’d met some pretty hot English girls in my travels abroad in college, but I just had to give him shit.

  I’m sorry, I meant the world.

  I grinned
at his response. Good, just wrapping up a class.

  Yoga?

  Yep... The advanced class. They’ll be hurting tomorrow. What are you up to?

  Heading to Sam’s for a bit and then bed. Been a long day.

  I threw my phone in my bag and walked toward my car, about a block away. It pinged away a moment later, and I pulled it out to discover a text from Sam.

  Having people over, come!

  My brow wrinkled. Travis hadn’t made it sound like a party, and despite how short of a time I’d known him, part of me felt insulted that he hadn’t mentioned it.

  Oh, yeah? I think I’m just headed home

  Sid’s home. We’re celebrating... Pllllleeeaaase? :)

  I clicked over to my conversation with Travis.

  Sam is inviting me over. That ok with you? I bit my lip, immediately regretting my decision. If he’d wanted me there, he would have said something.

  Oh, yeah? Sure.

  His response was less than enthused, which immediately put me on edge, but I chalked it up to misreading tone via text.

  I sent the text to both of them. Ok, see you shortly.

  I ran home to change, excited to see Travis and my friends. I let Able out and threw on a sundress with tights, boots, and a jean jacket. I added a scarf since it was a bit chilly, and after a moment of indecision left my hair down.

  “Sorry, bud,” I apologized to a confused-looking Able when I fed him dinner and prepared to leave. “I’ll take you for an extra-long walk tomorrow.”

  It was a relatively short drive to Sam’s and I was soon pulling up to their adorable gray house with white shutters.

  “Hey!” Sam greeted excitedly after I rang the doorbell. “So glad you could come over.”

  “Teacher Emerly?” Hudson’s shocked little voice sounded a second later as he stepped out from behind his mom’s legs with a tiny dog close behind.

  “Hi, bud.” I smiled, kneeling down to greet him. “Who’s this?” I asked, despite having met Trixie before. I wanted to give Hudson a chance to introduce her.

  “Trixie,” he replied proudly.

  “She’s so cute,” I crooned, petting the small dog.

  He nodded proudly. “She lufs me.”

  “I bet,” I said sincerely with a quick wink to his mom.

  “To bed, bud,” Sam said a second later as I stood up. “Daddy’s gonna take you.” She said a second before her handsome husband appeared.

  “Hey, Emerly,” Sid greeted. “Nice to see you.”

  “Nice to see you, too. Welcome home,” I replied.

  I tried like hell not to look around for Travis, but so far had only caught sight of Caden and Danny and another man I’d never met.

  “It was kind of an impromptu thing, but I wanted you to be here,” Sam shared once Sid had whisked Hudson off to bed.

  I was incredibly flattered that she’d want me to be a part of what was obviously an intimate get-together. “Thank you.”

  I followed her through the living room and into the kitchen, where she poured me a glass of wine.

  “Hey, Em!” Danny greeted as she joined us in the kitchen.

  “Hi.” I smiled, accepting the hug she offered.

  “Who’s the blonde?” a male voice inquired.

  “The blonde?” I responded incredulously.

  Sam waved a hand. “That’s just Theo. We only let him out of his cave on occasion.”

  “Clearly tonight shouldn’t have been one of those nights,” I added dryly.

  Theo let out a booming laugh, throwing his head back. “I like her.” He pointed at me before he grabbed a beer and left the room.

  “Not sure I feel the same!” I called after him.

  After Sam had stopped laughing at our exchange, she looked at Danny. “Trav should be here soon,” she shared before looking back at me. “We have to get the deets tonight. I feel like he met someone.”

  My cheeks heated. I’d wondered if Travis had talked to his sister about us. Clearly he hadn’t.

  I shouldn’t have come. This suddenly felt incredibly awkward.

  “Let’s go out back,” she suggested, taking my hand and leading us out back to their beautiful backyard.

  We made ourselves comfortable in their plush outdoor chairs, and ignored Caden and Theo’s debate about football. At least, I was fairly sure that was what they were talking about.

  Sid emerged not long after, heading directly for his wife. “Hi, baby.” He grinned, pulling her to standing so he could take the seat and pull her into his lap.

  “They’re always like this when he gets back,” Caden informed me with an eye roll.

  “Good.” I smiled with a wink toward my friend.

  “McAllister, thank God! You can help me convince this idiot that the Rams are going to pull it out this year,” Theo hollered, his gaze turned toward the house.

  My heart pounded in my chest as I turned to find Travis standing in the doorway to their patio, looking more handsome than any man should.

  His gaze met mine briefly before he looked at Theo. “You’re not gonna get much help from me there.” He chuckled, joining our group and taking the seat next to Caden, despite there being one open next to me.

  I swallowed back the dread coiling in my belly.

  “Trav, you’ve met Emerly, right?” Sam asked. “Hud’s teacher?”

  “Sam, seriously? We gave you a ride that night you guys were blitzed.” Caden chuckled.

  She smacked her forehead. “Of course. Duh.”

  “Is duh still a thing?” Theo asked. “I really don’t think it’s a thing.”

  She shot him a glare. “I just said it. So, it’s a thing.”

  Theo looked to me as though I was some expert in slang. “Is it a thing?”

  “It’s pretty dead in the three-year-old circles I run in,” I replied, earning another deep laugh from him and a collective one from the group.

  The guy was growing on me, I had to admit.

  “Anyone heard from Declan?” Danika asked. “I thought he’d swing by.”

  “He’s dealing with some shit, I don’t think he’ll make it,” Theo replied.

  Travis shot a sharp look to Theo. “Does he need something?”

  “He’s fine,” Theo was quick to reassure him.

  I assumed Declan and Theo worked at Talon along with Sid, but didn’t ask.

  We sat outside talking for a while. Aside from a few glances, Travis didn’t acknowledge me, and I knew I wouldn’t be staying much longer. Everyone headed inside when it got too cool to sit outside, and I headed for the bathroom.

  “It’s her, isn’t it?” I heard Sam squeal from a bedroom next to the bathroom I was about to go in. “I knew you were seeing someone!”

  Travis merely grunted.

  My heart sank.

  “You like her,” Sam stated. “And as you should. She’s smart and beautiful and fun.”

  “She’s quirky,” Travis replied with a noncommittal grunt.

  Quirky? Of all the adjectives he could use to describe me, that was what he settled on? Was this some kind of joke to him?

  My eyes burned with tears that I furiously blinked back as hurt like I hadn’t felt in years coursed through me.

  I turned on a heel, no longer needing the bathroom and unable to hear anymore. What I needed was to get the hell out of there.

  “Em, you okay?” Danny asked worriedly when I practically ran for the front door.

  “Fine,” I stammered, knowing I was a second from losing it. “I just, um—I forgot I have to take care of something. It was good to see you.”

  With that I streaked out to my car, needing to get the hell out of there. I fired the engine up and tore away from the curb.

  I wasn’t sure where I was headed. I didn’t want to go home, not yet.

  For a little while I just drove, unsure of my destination, relieved when the inevitable LA traffic delayed my decision.

  Finally, I ended up at the beach. With the cold air against my face and the salt
water palpable in the air, I took my first deep breath of the evening.

  There were things I didn’t love about Los Angeles. I’d struggled to find my niche. There were only two real seasons, summer and a winter that hardly counted. But being able to come to the beach whenever I wanted? That was a nice perk.

  I sat in the sand for a long time, letting the cold air numb my limbs, trying to let Travis’s words roll off my back.

  I’d thought he appreciated my quirks. I’d thought he might want to explore things. Not keep it a secret that we’d spent time together.

  As I made my way back to my car, exhaustion weighed heavily on me. Sadness did that. I was well versed in the feeling.

  I’d left my phone in the car and it immediately pinged when I started the engine up. A quick glance showed numerous text messages, none of which I planned to read or respond to.

  Instead, I headed for home, ready to fall into bed and oblivion.

  Chapter 7

  “Are you going to talk to me about what’s going on?” Mabel asked the following evening as I sat nestled on her couch, a hot toddy in hand.

  She’d sworn it soothed whatever ailed. I wasn’t so sure it could soothe a broken heart, but I was willing to humor her.

  “Travis just wasn’t who I thought he was.” I sighed.

  “In what way?” she pressed as she moved in closer beside me on the couch, taking my hand in hers.

  “He didn’t tell his sister or his friends that we were… whatever the hell we were starting to be,” I muttered. “He pretended like he barely knew me. And then I overheard them talking.” I swallowed hard at the memory.

  “Heard who talking?”

  “Him and his sister. She’d picked up on something between us, despite him obviously not wanting her to. She said he’d be smart to date me. That I was smart and beautiful.”

  “As you are,” Mabel put in proudly.

  “He just said that I’m quirky,” I said hoarsely.

  “Oh honey.” She sighed. “Maybe you misunderstood what he was trying to say.”

  I shot her a teary look of incredulity.

  “All right, all right. It’s not great,” she agreed. “But I know that man has feelings for you. Real feelings. I saw that within a moment of being around the two of you.”