“Are you kidding?” he said as he gestured her to sit next to him on the creaky porch swing. “In this list is our next adventure.”
* * *
THE STORM SWEPT IN later that night. Christine leaned against the column of her front porch and watched the jagged fork of lightning in the dark sky. She heard the patter of rain on the roof tiles and felt a sprinkle of raindrops on her skin. She was protected from the ferocious and wild elements but she yearned for a closer look.
She’d survived having Travis look at her list of dreams. He didn’t laugh or roll his eyes at some of the fanciful items. He wanted to know the reasons behind the goal and what had the greatest meaning to her. He understood what drove her and she felt Travis knew her better than anyone.
“I should have known you’d like storms.”
Christine froze when she heard Travis’s voice right behind her. She refused to follow the urge to look at him. “Do you like them?” she asked.
“Always have.” He was standing close, his chest grazing her back. “When I was younger, I wanted to harness the lightning. Never figured out how to do it.”
“We don’t get storms around here too often.” Christine rubbed her bare arms to ward off the sudden chill. “It’s usually peaceful and quiet.”
“You should make the most of the lightning,” he whispered in her ear, making Christine shiver.
“I am not running outside,” she said over the crack of thunder. “Knowing my luck, I’d get hurt.”
Travis rested his hands on her shoulders as the lightning flashed, illuminating the sky. “Have you ever made love in the rain?”
“No.” Don’t even think about it. What he’s suggesting is forbidden. Christine pressed her lips together as the thoughts swirled around her mind. She shouldn’t consider the possibility. Someone would see them and she would have to take care of the mess long after Travis left town.
“Have you chased a storm?” Travis asked.
The roar of thunder matched the thrill coursing through her veins. She shouldn’t make love to Travis again. She could fall fast and hard for this man and he wasn’t looking for any kind of commitment. But she might never have another chance to experience the magic they shared.
“There are many things I haven’t done,” she said as she rested her hand on the porch column. “I want to stand in the eye of the storm, but I’m staying here.”
“Why?”
“Because I can have a taste of danger.” She finally turned around and looked at him. She saw the stark need in his eyes and knew it mirrored her own. “And still stay in my comfort zone.”
He rested his hand on the column, taking away any chance for her to escape. “Why do you want to stay on the sidelines?”
“The risks outweigh the rewards,” she said. Right now she felt as powerful as the storm that whipped around them, but she knew she was vulnerable and insignificant. “I need to look after myself. No one else will.”
“I can take care of you,” he said as he met her gaze.
She closed her eyes, wishing she could ignore his words. She knew he could protect her while making her feel wildly alive. Travis could make her want things she didn’t think were possible. “You don’t know me. You don’t know what I need.”
“I know you better than you think,” he said as he rested his forehead against hers. “You follow the rules, but you still don’t get what you want. It doesn’t matter how much research you do or how many baby steps you take. You’re not making your dreams come true. What you need to do is plunge headfirst into trouble. You’d be surprised how much fun the unknown can be.”
What he was suggesting sounded terrifying. “You don’t know how miserable it is to reach for the stars and fall flat on your face.”
“It’s not as painful as letting a dream go,” he continued. “You let a few dreams slip past your fingers because you couldn’t see the possibilities. Everyone told you that it couldn’t happen. I’m here to tell you that you need to take a leap of faith.”
Christine squeezed her eyes shut as the lightning lit up the night sky. Travis saw more than she realized. She didn’t like feeling this exposed.
“Forget the rules,” he said. “Forget your surroundings. Just follow your instincts.”
She tilted her head to the side and opened her eyes. Travis was standing a kiss away from her. “What do your instincts tell you?” she asked in a throaty voice.
“That you are trouble. I have no self-preservation when it comes to you,” he admitted. “I want you no matter what the consequences and that should scare the hell out of me.”