Hope could be a dangerous thing, but occasionally it could pay off big time.Travis thinking of a future for the three of them was a wish that had bubbled deep in her heart for a while now, and his making it a reality made her love for him grow tenfold.
Parker’s watery laugh filled the air as she stared at the marvel of a man ahead of her.“You’re actually going to leave your apple farm?”Picturing the orchard without him in it was impossible, but she’d thought the same thing about the two of them being an item and here they were.
Travis smirked.“Not going far.Will take a good seven years to plant more cherry trees, get them to actually bear fruit, but yes.This will be my home now.With you.With Kit.”He rested his forehead against hers, Parker trying not to faint at the good fortune of not only finding love, but finding it with someone willing to change and grow with her.“I’d go a lot further than this if you needed me to.”
Parker shook her head.The world was a big place, and even though she’d barely scratched the surface of traveling it, she didn’t need to.Wanderlust was never something she’d dealt with.If anything, she’d been searching for home her entire life and now she’d found it in this place with this man.
“No.I love the orchard and I love your family.”She kissed his cheek and nodded back at the old house.“Besides, we’re going to need somewhere to live and work while we fix up this house and wait for those trees to mature.”
Travis nodded.“Very true.”He started walking them back toward the property line, a thoughtful expression on his face.“Think Kit will be okay with it?”
Parker stopped to consider his question.“With this place?”
Parker looked up at the two-story home, imagining what it could look like even a year from now.Fresh paint, a new door, and a whole lot of love filling the inside would make it a great place to raise a family.As she stood there, she could also picture her daughter running all over the land, making friends with every animal that wandered the property and inviting friends over for birthday parties held in their newly restored home.Maybe even a sibling or two for Kit along the way could happen.That thought brought a smile to her face.
Parker smiled.“I think she’ll more than approve.”
Travis shuffled his feet, something he only did when he was nervous.“That’s good, but I meant more with me.”Travis rubbed the back of his neck, his eyebrows joining together.“Had you all to herself for a long time.Think she’ll accept me busting in on your good time?”
Parker cupped his cheek, loving the brush of his beard against her skin and loving even more that she would get access to it for a lot longer than she dreamed possible.“As long as you keep letting her paint your nails, I think she’ll be okay with anything.”Travis’s eyes still looked nervous, so she dropped the teasing to put his mind at ease.“Yeah, we had good times, but we also had bad times, Travis.What we didn’t have was another person looking out for us, caring about our well-being and happiness the way that you do.That’s not something she’s going to mind having around one bit.”
His chest seemed to deflate with relief as they started walking back toward his parents’ property.“Thank you,” he grunted.
“What are you thanking me for?”The barren land of their land gave way to the thick grouping of apple trees that were nearly bare from the harvest.Parker would miss harvest time once it was gone, but she now had so many more things to look forward to.
Travis pulled her to a stop just under one of the trees at the back of the orchard.“For forgiving me, for loving me.”He drew her into his chest, his strong arms wrapping around her and holding her close.“For letting me give you your dream.You gave me mine.”
Parker smiled, tears of joy gathering at the corners of her eyes.“What dream did I give you?”The smile on Travis’s face was enough to tell her what he’d meant, and without saying another word, Travis started to show her that the dream that had come true for him was her.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Travis
Travis had meant the kiss he’d given Parker under one of his favorite trees to be a chaste one, but one taste of her sweet lips had him going back for more.Not only had she forgiven him his trespass, but she’d agreed to try and make a life with him on the farm,theirfarm.To say he’d been nervous when he took her over there was an understatement, but as she’d done so time and time again over the last two months, Parker showed Travis that she was the perfect woman for him.Without hesitation, she’d accepted his offer.There was still the matter of getting Kit on board, but Travis figured that if nothing else, offering to take Boots with them would seal the deal.That old barn cat didn’t know it, but she was getting a new life just like he was.
Parker moaning against his mouth brought Travis out of their new future and back to the present where he had a beautiful woman who loved him pressed up against his body.Groaning with need, Travis started to kiss his way down the side of her neck and over to her ear.“Think it’s ‘bout time for that make-up sex, don’t you?”
