This time she was dressed as if prepared for anything. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore sneakers. Her tight jeans accentuated her long legs, and her snug hot-pink T-shirt had the words Las Vegas emblazoned on the front. As much as he enjoyed the sight of her in the blue dress and high heels, he had a feeling this casual look was more like her.
Travis glanced at his watch and knew they were running out of time. Night was about to fall and Christine had to check out of the hotel tomorrow at noon to catch her flight home. They had spent most of the day trying to find one thing Christine could cross off her list.
Little did she know that he was slowly piecing together her dream list and getting an intimate view of her. She had a fascination with speed and a fear of fire. She felt more comfortable with nature than in an urban setting. And for a woman who seemed to have a lot of friends, Christine didn’t include them in her dreams. All her goals could be done solo.
“I’m sorry.” She pressed her lips together and shook her head. “I didn’t mean that. I’ve been having a great time. I really have. I loved driving the Ferrari, and I can’t believe I jumped off a building. I can’t wait to tell Jill about that.”
Jill. Her best friend, who owned a dry-cleaning store. It felt as if he knew every citizen in Cedar Valley now. It sounded like the kind of quaint town he’d seen only in the movies. The kind where no one locked their doors and everyone looked out for one another. The kind of place that would make him feel claustrophobic. “She won’t believe you,” he said.
“Probably not. That’s okay, because I know I did it,” Christine said. Her proud smile faded. “But I wanted to check one thing off my list. I won’t forgive myself if I don’t do it. I set aside this weekend to work on it. If I fail in that endeavor, what does it say about me?”
“Nothing. It says something about the goals,” he said as he curled his arm around her shoulders and guided her away from the slot machine. He wanted to draw her closer but knew he’d be pushing his luck. “It can take time to achieve one. It could also mean that you have to modify a goal.”
“You mean downsize it?” Christine shook her head. “No, that’s cheating. That’s not what my list is about. It’s about going for it. No compromising. No holding back.”
“The list you won’t let me see.” He said it in a teasing tone, but her secrecy was starting to bother him. Why didn’t she trust him with her dreams? She still seemed uncomfortable with his help. Did she suspect he had an ulterior motive? Or was she not used to having support?
“You know some of it,” she muttered as her cheeks turned red. “I wrote it knowing no one else would see it. Some of those goals are private.”
“I understand. When I was growing up, I wanted to climb Mount Everest. I told my friends and they thought it was a joke. They didn’t think I could do it. They didn’t think I would leave home.” A goal revealed a lot about a person. It was more than pushing the limit or boundaries. It showed not only their heart’s desire, but also what they lacked in life. What they wanted more than anything. Travis had learned to be careful in telling someone his dream and revealing why he kept challenging himself. It had been his way of protecting himself. He didn’t want anyone to say his goals were never going to happen.
“And you left home. You showed them. What are your goals now?”
“Never return home. Never stop moving.” Travis sighed and shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts. “Okay, the helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon fell through.” That had been bad luck that all the helicopters were grounded due to high winds. “So did the land sailing. We could zip-line down Boulder Canyon.”
Christine shook her head. “It sounds like fun, but it’s not on my list.”
“Here’s a thought,” he said, leaning toward her and whispering theatrically. “Ignore the list.”
“Right now I would love to.” She glanced up at him, and he saw the glitter of desire in her eyes. She determinedly turned her head away. “But tomorrow I’ll wake up and wish I had stayed focused.”
“There’s nothing wrong with adapting. I had to learn that skill when I first started traveling. Some of my best times happen when I ignore my itinerary.”
Christine stopped and gave him a look, raising her eyebrow. “You don’t strike me as a guy who would have an itinerary.”
She would be surprised. He had a clear itinerary for what he would like to do with her. First he would drag that rubber band from her ponytail and sink his hands into her soft brown hair. Then he would tilt her head back and claim her mouth with his.... The air hissed between his teeth as he grew hard. He was willing to adapt and make changes as long as it ended up with them naked, in bed and satisfied.