�What�s wrong?� he asked.
�I don�t want anyone to know, Trav. I didn�t want you to know.�
�I love you, Abby. I won�t mention it again, okay? Your secret�s safe with me,� he said, kissing my forehead.
�Mr. Maddox, think you could tone it down until after class?� Professor Chaney said, reacting to my giggling as Travis nuzzled my neck.
I cleared my throat, feeling my cheeks radiate with embarrassment.
�I don�t think so, Dr. Chaney. Have you gotten a good look at my girl?� Travis said, gesturing to me.
Laughter echoed throughout the room and my face caught fire. Professor Chaney glanced at me with a half-amused, half-awkward expression and then shook his head at Travis.
�Just do your best,� Chaney said.
The class laughed again, and I sunk into my seat. Travis rested his arm on the back of my chair, and the lecture continued. After class had been dismissed, Travis walked me to my next class.
�Sorry if I embarrassed you. I can�t help myself.�
�Try.�
Parker walked by, and when I returned his nod with a polite smile, his eyes brightened. �Hey Abby. See you inside.� He walked into the classroom, and Travis glowered at him for a few tense moments.
�Hey,� I tugged on his hand until he looked at me. �Forget about him.�
�He�s been telling the guys at the House that you�re still calling him.�
�That�s not true,� I said, unaffected.
�I know that, but they don�t. He said he�s just biding his time. He told Brad that you�re just waiting for the right time to dump me, and how you call him to say how unhappy you are. He�s starting to piss me off.�
�He has quite an imagination.� I glanced at Parker and when he met my eyes and smiled, I glared at him.
�Would you get mad if I embarrassed you one more time?�
I shrugged and Travis wasted no time leading me into the classroom. He stopped at my desk, setting my bag on the floor. He looked over at Parker and then pulled me to him, one hand on the nape of my neck, one hand on my backside, and then kissed me, deep and determined. He worked his lips against mine in the way he usually reserved for his bedroom, and I couldn�t help but grab his shirt with both fists.
The murmuring and giggles grew louder after it became clear that Travis wasn�t going to let go anytime soon.
�I think he just got her pregnant!� someone from the back of the room said, laughing.
I pulled away with my eyes closed, trying to regain my composure. When I looked at Travis, he was staring at me with the same forced restraint.
�I was just trying to make a point,� he whispered.
�Good point,� I nodded.
Travis smiled, kissed my cheek and then looked to Parker who was fuming in his seat.
�I�ll see you at lunch,� he winked.
I fell against my seat and sighed, trying to shake off the tingling between my thighs.
I labored through Calculus, and when class was over I noticed Parker standing against the wall by the door.
�Parker,� I nodded, determined not to give him the reaction he was hoping for.
�I know you�re with him. He doesn�t have to violate you in front of an entire class on my account.�
I stopped in my tracks and poised to attack. �Then maybe you should stop telling your frat brothers that I�m calling you. You�re going to push him too far and I�m not going to feel sorry for you when he puts his boot in your ass.�
He wrinkled his nose. �Listen to you. You�ve been around Travis too much.�
�No, this is me. It�s just a side of me you know nothing about.�
�You didn�t exactly give me a chance, did you?�
I sighed. �I don�t want to fight with you, Parker. It just didn�t work out, okay?�
�No, it�s not okay. You think I enjoy being the laughing stock of Eastern? Travis Maddox is the one we all appreciate because he makes us look good. He uses girls, tosses them aside, and even the biggest jerks at Eastern look like Prince Charming after Travis.�
�When are you going to open your eyes and realize that he�s different, now?�
�He doesn�t love you, Abby. You�re a shiny new toy. Although, after the scene he made in class, I�m assuming you�re not all that shiny anymore.�
I slapped his face with a loud smack before I realized what I�d done.
�If you would have waited two seconds, I could have saved you the effort, Pidge,� Travis said, pulling me behind him.
I grabbed his arm. �Travis, don�t.�
Parker looked a bit nervous as a perfect red outline of my hand appeared on his cheek.
�I warned you,� Travis said, shoving Parker violently against the wall.
Parker�s jaws tensed and he glared at me. �Consider this closure, Travis. I can see now that you two are made for each other.�
�Thanks,� Travis said, hooking his arm around my shoulders.
Parker pushed himself from the wall and quickly rounded the corner to descend the stairs, making sure Travis didn�t follow with a quick glance.
�Are you okay?� Travis asked.
�My hand stings.�
He smiled. �That was bad ass, Pidge. I�m impressed.�
�He�ll probably sue me and I�ll end up paying his way into Harvard. What are you doing here? I thought we were meeting in the cafeteria?�
One side of his mouth pulled up in an impish grin. �I couldn�t concentrate in class. I�m still feelin� that kiss.�
I looked down the hall and then to him. �Come with me.�
His eyebrows pulled together over his smile. �What?�
I walked backwards, pulling him along until I felt the knob of the Physics lab. The door swung open, and I glanced behind me, seeing that it was empty and dark. I tugged on his hand, giggling at his confused expression, and then locked the door, pushing him against it.
I kissed him and he chuckled. �What are you doin�?�
�I don�t want you to be unable to concentrate in class,� I said, kissing him again. He lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around him.
�I�m not sure what I ever did without you,� he said, holding me up with one hand and unbuckling his belt with the other, �but I don�t ever want to find out. You�re everything I�ve ever wanted, Pigeon.�
�Just remember that when I take all of your money in the next poker game,� I said, pulling off my shirt.
CHAPTER thirteen FOURTEEN
full house
I twirled around, scrutinizing my reflection with a skeptical eye. It was white and backless, dangerously short, and the bodice was held up by a short string of rhinestones that formed a halter around my neck.
�Wow! Travis is going to piss himself when he sees you in that!� America said.
I rolled my eyes. �How romantic.�
�You�re getting that one. Don�t try anymore on, that�s the one,� she said, clapping with excitement.
�You don�t think it� too short? Mariah Carey shows less skin.�
America shook her head. �I insist.�
I took a turn on the bench while America tried on one dress after another, more indecisive when it came to choosing one for herself. She settled on an extremely short, tight, flesh-colored number that left one of her shoulders bare.
We rode in her Honda to the apartment to find the Charger gone and Toto alone. America pulled out her phone and dialed, smiling when Shepley answered.
�Where�d you go, Baby?� She nodded and then looked at me. �Why would I be mad? What kind of surprise?� she said, wary. She looked at me again and then walked into Shepley�s bedroom, closing the door.
I rubbed Toto�s black pointy ears while America murmured in the bedroom. When she emerged, she tried to subdue the smile on her face.
�What are they up to now?� I asked.
�They�re on their way home. I�ll let Travis tell you,� she said, grinning from ear to ear.
�Oh, God�what?� I asked.
�I just said I can�t tell you. It�s a surprise.�
I fidgeted with my hair and picked at my nails, unable to sit still while I waited for Travis to unveil his latest surprise. A birthday part, a puppy�I couldn�t imagine what could be next.
The loud engine of Shepley�s Charger announced their arrival. The boys laughed as they walked up the stairs.
�They�re in a good mood,� I said. �That�s a good sign.�
Shepley walked in first. �I just didn�t want you to think there was a reason that he got one and I didn�t.�
America stood up to greet her boyfriend, and threw her arms around him. �You�re so silly, Shep. Like I would get mad about that.�
�If I wanted an insane boyfriend, I�d date Travis,� America said, smiling as she tilted her head to kiss him.
�It doesn�t have anything to do with how I feel about you,� Shepley added.
Travis walked through the door with a square gauze bandage on his wrist. He smiled at me and then collapsed on the couch, resting his head on my lap.
I couldn�t look away from the bandage. �Okay�what did you do?�
Travis smiled and pulled me down to kiss him. I could feel the nervousness radiating from him. Outwardly he was smiling, but I had the distinct feeling he wasn�t sure how I would react to what he had done.
�I got a few things today.�
�Like what?� I asked, suspicious.
Travis laughed. �Calm down, Pidge. It�s nothing bad.�
�What happened to your wrist?� I said, pulling his hand up by his fingers.
A thunderous diesel motor pulled up outside and Travis hopped up from the couch, opening the door. �It�s about fucking time! I�ve been home for at least five minutes!� he said with a smile.
One man walked in backwards, carrying a plastic-covered grey sofa, followed by another man bringing in the rear. Shepley and Travis moved the couch�with me and Toto still on it�forward, and then the men sat the new one in its place. Travis pulled off the plastic and then lifted me in his arms, setting me on the soft cushions.
�You got a new one?� I asked, grinning from ear to ear.
�Yep, and a couple of other things, too. Thanks guys,� he said as the movers lifted the old couch and left the way they came.
�There goes a lot of memories,� I smirked.
�None that I want to hold on to.� He sat beside me and sighed, watching me for a moment before he pulled off the tape that held the gauze on his arm. �Don�t freak out.�
My mind raced with what could be under that bandage. I imagined a burn, or stitches or something equally gruesome.
He pulled the bandage back and I gasped at the simple black script tattooed across the underside of his wrist, the skin around it red and shiny from the antibiotic he had smeared on. I shook my head in disbelief as I read the word.
Pigeon
�Do you like it?� he asked.
�You had my name tattooed on your wrist?� I said the words, but it didn�t sound like my voice. My mind was stretching in every direction, and yet I managed to speak in a calm, even tone.
�Yeah,� he said, kissing my cheek as I stared in disbelief at the permanent ink in his skin.
�I tried to talk him out of it, Abby. He hasn�t done anything crazy in awhile. I think he was having withdrawals,� Shepley said, shaking his head.
�What do you think?� Travis prompted.
�I don�t know what to think,� I said.
�You should have asked her first, Trav,� America said, shaking her head and covering her mouth with her fingers.
�Asked her what? If I could get a tattoo?� he frowned, turning to me. �I love you. I want everyone to know I�m yours.�
I shifted nervously, �That�s permanent, Travis.�
�So are we,� he said, touching my cheek.
�Show her the rest,� Shepley said.
�The rest?� I said, looking down to his other wrist.
Travis stood, pulling up his shirt. His impressive six-pack stretched and tightened with the movement. Travis turned, and on his side was another fresh tattoo spanning the length of his ribs.
�What is that?� I asked, squinting at the vertical symbols.
�It�s Hebrew,� Travis smiled.
�What does it mean?�
�It says, �I belong to my beloved, and my beloved is mine.�
My eyes darted to his. �You weren�t happy with just one tattoo, you had to get two?�
�It�s something I always said I would do when I met The One. I met you�I went and got the tats.� His smile faded when he saw my expression. �You�re pissed, aren�t you?� he said, pulling his shirt down.
�I�m not mad. I�m just�it�s a little overwhelming.�
Shepley squeezed America to his side with one arm. �Get used to it now, Abby. Travis is impulsive and goes balls to the wall on everything. This�ll tide him over until he can get a ring on your finger.�
America�s eyebrows shot up, first to me, and then to Shepley. �What? They just started dating!�
�I�think I need a drink,� I said, walking into the kitchen.
Travis chuckled, watching me rifle through the cabinets. �He was kidding, Pidge.�
�I was?� Shepley asked.
�He wasn�t talking about anytime soon,� Travis hedged. He turned to Shepley and grumbled, �Thanks a lot, asshole.�
�Maybe you�ll quit talking about it, now,� Shepley grinned.
I poured a shot of whiskey into a glass and jerked my head back, swallowing it all at once. My face compressed as the liquid burned down my throat.
Travis gently wrapped his arms around my middle from behind. �I�m not proposing, Pidge. They�re tattoos.�
�I know,� I said, nodding my head as I poured another drink.
Travis pulled the bottle from my hand and twisted the cap on, shoving it back into the cabinet. When I didn�t turn around, he pivoted my hips so that I would face him.
�Okay. I should have talked to you about it first, but I decided to buy the couch, and then one thing led to another. I got excited.�
�This is very fast for me, Travis. You�ve mentioned moving in together, you just branded yourself with my name, you�re telling me you love me�this is all very�fast.�
Travis frowned. �You�re freakin� out. I told you not to freak out.�
�It�s hard not to! You found out about my dad and everything you felt before has suddenly been amplified!�
�Who�s your dad?� Shepley asked, clearly unhappy about being out of the loop. When I didn�t acknowledge his question, he sighed. �Who�s her dad?� he asked America. America should her head dismissively.
Travis� expression twisted with disgust. �My feelings for you have nothing to do with your dad.�
�We�re going to this date party tomorrow. It�s supposed to be this big deal where we�re announcing our relationship or something, and now you have my name on your arm and this proverb talking about how we belong to each other! It�s freaky, okay? I�m freaked
out!�
Travis grabbed my face and planted his mouth on mine, and then he lifted me off the floor, setting me on the counter. His tongue begged entrance into my mouth, and when I let him in, he moaned.
His fingers dug into my hips, pulling me closer. �You are so fucking hot when you�re mad,� he said against my lips.
�Okay,� I breathed, �I�m calm.�
He smiled, pleased that his plan of distraction had worked. �Everything�s still the same, Pidge. It�s still just you and me.�
�You two are nuts,� Shepley said, shaking his head.
America playfully smacked Shepley�s shoulder. �Abby bought something for Travis today, too.�
�America!� I scolded.
�You found a dress?� he asked, smiling.
�Yeah,� I wrapped my legs and arms around him. Tomorrow it�s going to be your turn to be freaked out.�
�I�m looking forward to it,� he said, pulling me off the counter. I waved to America as Travis carried me down the hall.
Friday after class, America and I spent the afternoon downtown, primping and indulging. We had our nails and toes done, errant hairs waxed, skin bronzed and hair highlighted. When we returned to the apartment, every surface had been covered with bouquets of roses. Reds, pinks, yellows, and whites�it looked like a floral shop.
�Oh my God!� America squealed when she walked through the door.
Shepley looked around him, standing proud. �We went to buy you two flowers, but neither of us thought just one bouquet would do it.�
I hugged Travis. �You guys are�you�re amazing. Thank you.�
He smacked my backside. �Thirty minutes until the party, Pidge.�
The boys dressed in Travis� room while we slipped on our dresses in Shepley�s. Just as I was fastening my silver heels, someone knocked on the door.
�Time to go, ladies,� Shepley said.
America walked out, and Shepley whistled.
�Where is she?� Travis asked.
�Abby�s having some trouble with her shoe. She�ll be out in just a sec,� America explained.
�The suspense is killin� me, Pigeon!� Travis called.
I walked out, fidgeting with my dress while Travis stood in front of me, blank-faced.
America elbowed him and he blinked. �Holy shit.�
�Are you ready to be freaked out?� America asked.
�I�m not freaked out, she looks amazing,� Travis said.
I smiled and then slowly turned around to show him the steep dip of the fabric in the back of the dress.
�Okay, now I�m freakin� out,� he said, walking over to me and turning me around.
�You don�t like it?� I asked.
�You need a jacket.� He jogged to the rack and then hastily draped my coat over my shoulders.
�She can�t wear that all night, Trav,� America chuckled.
�You look beautiful, Abby,� Shepley said as an apology for Travis� behavior.
Travis� expression was pained as he spoke. �You do. You look incredible�but you can�t wear that. Your skirt is�wow, your legs are�your skirt is too short and it�s only half a dress! It doesn�t even have a back on it!�
I couldn�t help but smile. �That�s the way it�s made, Travis.�
�Do you two live to torture each other?� Shepley frowned.
�Do you have a longer dress?� Travis asked.
I looked down. �It�s actually pretty modest in the front. It�s just the back that shows off a lot of skin.�
�Pigeon,� he winced with his next words, �I don�t want you to be mad, but I can�t take you to my frat house looking like that. I�ll get in a fight the first five minutes we�re there, Baby.�
I leaned up on the balls of my feet and kissed his lips. �I have faith in you.�
�This night is gonna suck,� he groaned.
�This night is going to be fantastic,� America said, offended.
�Just think of how easy it will be to get it off later,� I said, kissing his neck.
�That�s the problem. Every other guy there will be thinking the same thing.�
�But you�re the only one that gets to find out,� I lilted. He didn�t respond, and I leaned back to assess his expression. �Do you really want me to change?�
Travis scanned my face, my dress, my legs, and then exhaled. �No matter what you wear, you�re gorgeous. I should just get used to it, now, right?� I shrugged and he shook his head. �All right, we�re already late. Let�s go.�
I huddled next to Travis for warmth as we walked from the car to the Sigma Tau house. The air was smoky, but warm. Music boomed from the basement, and Travis bobbed his head to the beat. Everyone seemed to turn at once. I wasn�t sure if they were staring because Travis was at a date party, or because he was wearing slacks, or because of my dress, but they were all staring.
America leaned over to whisper in my ear. �I�m so glad you�re here, Abby. I feel like I just walked into a Molly Ringwald movie.�
�Glad I could help,� I grumbled.
Travis and Shepley took our coats, and then led us across the room to the kitchen. Shepley took four beers out of the fridge and handed one to America, and then to me. We stood in the kitchen, listening to Travis� frat brothers discuss his last fight. The sorority sisters accompanying them happened to be the same busty blondes that followed Travis into the cafeteria the first time we spoke.
Lexie was easy to recognize. I couldn�t forget the look on her face when Travis pushed her from his lap for insulting America. She watched me with curiosity, seeming to study my every word. I knew she was curious why Travis Maddox apparently found me irresistible, and I found myself making an effort to show her. I kept my hands on Travis, inserting clever quips at precise moments of conversation, and joked with him about his new tattoos.
�Dude, you got your girl�s name on your wrist? What in the hell possessed you to do that?� Brad said.
Travis proudly turned over his hand to reveal my name. �I�m crazy about her,� he said, looking down at me with soft eyes.
�You barely know her,� Lexie scoffed.
He didn�t take his eyes from mine. �We spend every second together. I know her.� He furrowed his brow, �I thought the tat freaked you out. Now you�re bragging about it?�
I leaned up to kiss his cheek and shrugged. �It�s growing on me.�
Shepley and America made their way downstairs and we followed, hand in hand. Furniture had been pushed along the walls for a make-shift dance floor, and just as we descended the stairs, a slow song began to play.
Travis didn�t hesitate to pull me into the middle, holding me close and pulling my hand to his chest. �I�m glad I�ve never went to one of these things before. It�s right that I�ve only brought you.�
I smiled and pressed my cheek against his chest. He held his hand against my lower back, warm and soft against my bare skin.
�Everyone�s staring at you in this dress,� he said. I looked up, expecting to see a tense expression, but he was smiling. �I guess it�s kinda cool�being with the girl everyone wants.�
I rolled my eyes. �They don�t want me. They�re curious why you want me. And anyway, I feel sorry for anyone that thinks they have a chance. I am hopelessly and completely in love with you.�
A pained look shadowed his face. �You know why I want you? I didn�t know I was lost until you found me. I didn�t know what alone was until the first night I spent without you in my bed. You�re the one thing I�ve got right. You�re what I�ve been waiting for, Pigeon.�
I reached up to take his face between my hands and he wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off the floor. I pressed my lips against his, and he kissed me with the emotion of everything he�d just said. It was in that moment that I realized why he�d gotten the tattoo, why he had chosen me, and why I was different. It wasn�t just me, and it wasn�t just him, it was what we were together that was the exception.
A faster beat vibrated the speakers, and Travis lowered me to my feet. �Still wanna dance?�
America and Shepley appeared beside us and I raised an eyebrow. �If you think you can keep up with me.�
Travis smirked. �Try me.�
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