“I didn’t mean it.”
“Seems like you did.” He inches toward me. “Give me the towel.”
My hands fly up in defense, and I shake my head, laughing nervously. He curls his fingers, demanding. “I really didn’t mean to,” I repeat, but he reaches out, snatching the towel and rolling it tight. “Travis…” I warn.
From the shit-eating grin on his face, I know he’s not letting me off the hook. I spin, ready to make a run for it, but he hooks an arm around my waist, dragging me back into him. We slam against the porcelain sink. He grunts, taken off guard, and the towel falls to the floor. He starts tickling me relentlessly, knowing how freaking ticklish I am. I kick and squirm, laughing as I try to escape, but his hold is strong.
“Stop,” I wheeze, pressing my ass against him, attempting to create distance. Then he freezes, dropping his hand and straightening his spine.
I’m about to ask about the sudden change when I feel something poke my ass cheek. Travis clears his throat but makes no move to step away. “Sorry,” he whispers, his breath brushing across my neck.
I consider playing dumb, but he’d see right through me. I shrug, feeling his hand that’s still curled around my waist slowly start to fall, skimming the exposed skin where my shirt lifted up during our battle.
“It’s fine,” I say, fighting the urge to shiver from his touch. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a man’s hands on me. I miss it. It’s my love language—physical touch, intimacy, even words of affirmation. I want it all. Not the love part, I don’t need all of that. I’ve never been one to tie myself down. The one time I attached myself to a man, he was the wrong man. I promised myself I wouldn’t go through all that again. But I love having someone to share my body with, and Travis knows mine so well. It’s why I proposed that we only sleep together back when we were fooling around. What’s the point of exhausting myself with other people, when he could please me better than anyone I’ve ever met?
“I—”
He’s cut off by a pounding on the door. “Hurry up! Some of us have to piss!” Calvin calls from the other side. I jump away, afraid that somehow he has suddenly gained X-ray vision and can see through the door.
“You’re all set,” I tell Travis. “All you have to do is blow-dry and style.”
He swipes the towel off the floor, dumping it into the laundry basket in the corner, which reminds me, I’ll need to find a laundromat this week. I’m running out of clean underwear.
“Thanks.” He opens the door for me.
Calvin stands on the other side, face scrunched in annoyance. It’s a permanent look these days. “Jesus, what took you solong in there?” His eyes dart between Travis and me suspiciously.
“What the fuck does it look like?” Travis points to his newly pink hair. “Aren’t you potty trained by now?”
A giggle slips from my throat, and Calvin jerks his head my way. I roll my lips, trying to hide my amusement, and slide past them. I have actual work I need to do today.
9
TRAVIS
I stare at my phone,watching the seconds tick. It’s 4:03 a.m. and I haven’t gotten a goddamn minute of sleep. Not even after taking three sleeping pills. It’s like they kick-started my brain, and sleep became impossible. So, I’ve lain here, waiting. Trying everything under the sun to fall asleep.
Liam is snoring, I can hear him from his bunk, and it’s pissing me off. Dude falls asleep so easily. It used to be like that for me, but after a couple of weeks on the road, sleep has become harder and harder to find.
Giving up, I hop from my bed. I check Penn’s bunk, but he’s sleeping, too.Dammit.I was hoping he’d be up to keep me company.
Walking to the front, I find Tanner out cold, which means Calvin is driving. I hesitate, not sure if I’m up for talking to him at this hour.
Fuck it, I have nothing better to do. Maybe he’ll bore me to sleep.
I approach the front, and he jolts. “Holy hell! You scared the shit out of me.”
“Sorry,” I say, not meaning it one bit, and drop down in the passenger seat. “How much longer until we stop?”
“About two hours. You know, I’m glad you’re awake.”
“That makes one of us.”
“The sleeping pills not helping?” he asks, glancing at me.
“Obviously not if I’m awake right now.”
“Right. Well…” he trails off, forcing me to turn in the seat to face him. He stares ahead, not saying anything.
