Good Girls Don't Date Rock Stars(57)

“That’s it? What did he say? Her breath was stinky?” he said, trying to make her smile as he followed her.

It worked. Setting down her glass, she shook her head at him, her lips curved into a small grin. “You are ridiculous.”

“Why am I ridiculous? This is before they had toothbrushes, right? People probably had some serious halitosis going on.” Taking a step toward her, he brought up his hand to play across her parted lips. “Whereas now we have all kinds of breath-freshening agents that make the dangers of stinky breath almost nil. Unless you eat garlic.” Dropping his head to let his lips hover above hers, he whispered, “And I don’t remember you being especially partial to garlic.”

“What are you doing, Travis?” she asked breathlessly.

“I’m not sure,” he said, brushing his lips over hers softly.

“We can’t do this. What if Charlie came downstairs and saw us?”

Nibbling at her mouth, he said, “I’ve been thinking about us. I want to forgive you, Gem. I want to start over with a clean slate and see where this goes. What do you say?”

Her eyes were giant pools of uncertainty as she looked up at him and swallowed. “What does that mean?”

“It means I want to see if we can have a real life together. You, me, Charlie . . . we can be a family.”

He couldn’t tell what she was thinking, but he wanted her to say yes so badly it was killing him. He felt like he had taken a big step toward being an adult and wanted to have an adult relationship, not just chasing a different skirt every week. And it had all started coming to a head when he’d seen her at that elevator, struggling with her books. He’d realized in that moment that he’d never been able to forget her, and now he really felt like he was ready to make the right move. He wanted the kind of life he’d imagined growing up, and he wanted it with Gemma.

After what felt like forever, she reached a hand up and touched his face. “Can you forgive me, Travis? Can you let everything go, really?”

Turning his head to lay a soft kiss on her palm, he said, “I’m going to try. What about you? For Charlie?”

She dropped her hand. “Sure, Travis.”

He realized she thought that was his only reason, but it wasn’t true. He did want to be near his son, but he hadn’t chased Gemma across two states because of Charlie. He’d come after her because he wanted her.

“Gemma, I just meant that he wants us to stay together, and I think we should give it a shot,” he said, stepping back to give her space but still keeping his hand on her shoulder. “But I wouldn’t be suggesting it if I didn’t want to be with you.”

He felt her relax under his hand, but her expression shifted to one of concern. “What if the media finds out about Charlie and me? How do we protect him?” Gemma wrapped her arms around her waist.

“No one knows about my life here or who you are except George,” Travis assured her. “When I finally tell the media about us, it’ll be controlled. I’ll give an exclusive, no holds barred, and that will put a squash on it.”

“But how are we going to make this work?” Gemma asked, reaching up to grasp his hand. “You’re going to leave on tour for months, and when you come back, it will be for what? A weekend?”

“We’ll figure it out. Maybe you guys can come on the road with me sometimes, too,” he said, but by her doubtful expression, he figured he hadn’t eased her fears. “Why don’t we concentrate on right now, and let the rest sort itself out?”





Chapter Eighteen




* * *





“I DON’T KNOW why we had to bring the dog,” Gemma grumbled as she grabbed the picnic basket off the seat. They’d decided to have lunch at 1000 Springs Park and swim for the afternoon, but Charlie had insisted on bringing Annie. Gemma had protested, but both Travis and Charlie had overruled her.


Travis smiled from across the truck seat as he grabbed the cooler. “It’ll be fine.”

Gemma sighed and watched Charlie running toward the water with the hound close on his heels. “Charles Michael, you get back here! We’re going to eat first, and you still need sunscreen.”

“Mooom!” Charlie protested but ran back toward her.

“Chaaarlie.” She smiled as she mocked him.

Charlie grabbed the blanket from Travis with a groan. It was already getting hot at eleven, and Gemma had dressed in a pair of denim shorts and a plain black tank top over her polka dot tankini. Sitting down on the blanket the guys had spread, she was rummaging for plates and forks when she found herself with a lap full of hound. “Hey! Get off me, dog!”

Said dog’s response was a big wet lick from her chin to her hairline.

Male laughter reached her ears as she dropped the plates and pushed the dog off her lap. “Gross. Off!”

“She likes you, Mom,” Charlie said, sitting down next to her, and Annie switched her affections back to her young master.

Gemma grabbed the pack of wet wipes she’d brought and glared at the dog, who stared back at her with dark, warm eyes. Gemma wiped her hands and face before picking up the plates again and filling them with food. Travis sat down on her other side, and she shifted a bit away when the scent of him started getting to her. It didn’t help that every time she looked up, he was watching her exactly like the dog. Like she was something to be studied for weaknesses and then overcome.