Daisy Does It All (Clover Park, Book 2) Contemporary Romance (The Clover Park Series) (8 page)

“So what about you?” She looked at him expectantly. “What does Travis O’Hare dream of, hope for, love, hate?”

“Hoo-yah.” He blew out a breath, thinking fast. This was not the kind of thing he spent any time pondering, but he knew it was important to her. “Dream: retire young and travel the world.”

Her eyes widened. “Really? You want to travel? I always pictured you wanting to stay here. Have you ever left Connecticut?”

He snorted. “Of course I’ve left Connecticut. I’ve seen most of New England. And New Jersey, of course, that’s where I lived as a kid.”

“Have you seen the rest of the country? Europe?”

“No.”

“Have you ever been on an airplane?”

“Nope. My family’s here and so is my business.”

She looked disappointed for some reason. It wasn’t like he could just drop everything to see the world. He owned his own business. And now he had a son to raise. Besides, he loved Clover Park. Nothing he’d seen ever appealed to him as much as home.

“What do you hope for?” she asked.

He kissed her gently on the tender spot below her ear and inhaled her scent, a potent combo of citrus and Daisy. “Hope,” he said softly, “that’s easy. To marry you.”

She blushed and ducked her head.

He leaned back. He needed a little distance or he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off her. “Loves: Bryce, fresh-cut grass, fast cars,
horror movies
.” He smiled. “Hate: nothing.”

She cocked her head. “Really. Nothing bugs you?”

“Nope.”

“Huh.” She picked up her wine and sipped. “So it wouldn’t bother you if someone cheated on you?”

“That’s never happened.”

“What if it did?”

He didn’t like where this was going. “What are you saying?”

“Nothing,” she said a little too quickly.

“I take the vows of marriage seriously. I’d never break that promise.”

“Me neither.”

He shoved a hand in his hair. “Then why are we talking about it?”

She grinned and set her glass down. “You’re mad. Something did bug you.”

He tickled her. She squealed in surprise and tickled him back. He’d spent years wrestling his brothers and had her wrists pinioned in one hand within seconds. He quickly raised her arms over her head and maneuvered her flat on her back, where he’d wanted her from the moment she’d stepped into his apartment.

She stared at his mouth, breathing hard, and he slowly leaned down for their first real kiss. His lips were nearly on hers when she spoke.

“Let me up.”

He released her instantly. “What’s wrong?”

She sat up and smoothed her hair. “Nothing. I just…I think we should take things slow. Rushing things has never worked out for me.”

That horse was already out of the gate as far as he was concerned. They’d done the deed. He wanted more.

She looked toward the door. “Maybe I should go.”

“Stay. I promise not to pounce on you again. Slow is fine. Great, in fact. We can…”
What was it women always liked to say?
“…get to know each other better.”

She raised a skeptical brow. “You don’t sound very sincere.”

He folded his hands in his lap and tried for choirboy despite his raging hard-on. “I’m very sincere.”

“You think I’m weird, don’t you? Asking you to marry me and then not wanting to—”

“I think you’re a timid woman.”

She smacked his chest and laughed. “No one has ever called me timid.”

“No? The stylin’ outfits, the huge laugh, all your adventures. No one ever said, ‘That Daisy Garner is one timid girl?’”

She made a face. “I do not have a huge laugh.”

He tossed his pretend long hair over his shoulder. “Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!”

“Shut. Up.” She picked up her wine, leaned back on the sofa, and shook her head. “You’re a goof.”

“Anything else I should know before we go national?”

She waved a hand toward the laptop. “Everything’s in the blog.”

“I’ll memorize it.”

She laughed.

“Oh, I just remembered something. Be right back.” Trav went to his bedroom and slid open the nightstand drawer. Inside was the diamond engagement ring he’d bought for Daisy and matching gold wedding bands he’d picked up earlier today. They’d need them for both the wedding and for their TV appearance.

He slipped one of the gold bands on his ring finger. The jeweler had told him it went on the left hand because it was supposedly closer to the heart. It felt weird to wear a ring, but he’d get used to it. He brought the other two rings out to Daisy.

“We have to wear wedding rings,” he told her. “Most married people do.”

“Oh! I completely forgot about that. I’m so glad you remembered. Good thinking.”

He took her hand and slipped on the diamond engagement ring. She admired it from all angles. “It’s gorgeous.”

He held her hand and looked at the square solitaire diamond set in gold under the light. He’d spent a fortune on it, so it better look good. “Yeah, it is gorgeous. Wait. The wedding band goes on first.” He slipped off the engagement ring, slid on the band, and put the other ring on top. “I now pronounce you my wife.”

She stared at it, her brow furrowed, like it was a spider sitting there instead of 14-carat gold.

~ ~ ~

Daisy literally couldn’t move. The wedding band on her hand taunted her with her failed marriages, the fallout for her son’s future, Trav’s expectations of her—whatever they were—that she would surely never live up to. Trav tipped her chin up, and she met his hazel eyes, feeling tangled and confused inside.

“Daze, if we want to be believable as husband and wife, we need to practice kissing so it looks real natural for the cameras.”

Her jaw dropped, and her heart started pounding. Practice kissing like husband and wife? Now? When she was ready to run straight out of this apartment?

He stroked her hair. “Come on, you know I’m right.”

She snapped her jaw shut. Took a long swallow of wine. Breathed in and out. She could do this. She flashed him a quick smile that she was sure neither one of them believed was sincere. “Of course.”

She gave him a quick peck on the lips. He slipped his hand around the back of her head and kept her close when she would’ve pulled back. His lips nearly brushed over hers when he spoke. “Not so fast, Miss Speedy.”

He took his time, kissing her cheek, her jaw, working his way up to her ear and down her neck. She felt herself relax as a languid warmth stole through her. She slid her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. His lips met hers, soft at first, then more demanding. She opened for him, and his tongue slid along hers, stroking, imitating the mating she was starting to crave as long-dormant parts of her heated and came to life again.

She slipped both hands around his neck, giving herself over to the sensations. Long, slow kisses. His large, warm hand stroked her back under her sweater. Her hands moved to his chest, gripping his shirt. Lord, she was already hot and wet and aching for more. He slipped his other hand under her shirt, and she felt her bra spring open.

She broke the kiss. What was she doing? She was supposed to be getting to know her future husband not sleeping with him every time he kissed her. Okay, just the one time, but look what happened then.
Hello, Bryce!

“That’s enough for tonight,” she said.

He pulled back and stared at her, his eyes hazy with lust. She couldn’t screw this up. The stakes were high with Bryce’s future happiness in the balance. Maybe if she did everything the opposite of how she’d normally act with a guy, they might actually stand a chance.

“What?” he asked, though she was sure he must’ve heard her.

“Slow, remember?”

He stood and adjusted himself. “Sure.”

She stood, grabbed her coat, and slipped it on. She avoided his eyes. “I think we’ll do fine on Friday. Thank you for dinner.”

“You’re welcome.”

He walked her to the door, and just as she thought she might escape, he snagged her by the belt loop on her jeans, pulling her close so they were within kissing distance again. He cradled her face with one hand, giving her plenty of time to pull back, but something kept her there, lips parted in anticipation. He kissed her long and hard, and her knees gave out. His hands went to her bottom, holding her up, pressing her against his hardness. She moaned and rocked against him.

He pulled back and looked at her, his hands still firmly on her ass. “Daze, I want you.”

Her breath caught in her throat. It was too soon. Her brain knew that. Down under was sending different instructions.
Let us play!

“I should go,” she said, pushing gently against him.

He released her, and she turned away, relieved he’d offered no sweet words of persuasion. Or worse, another scorching kiss.

“I expect a wedding night,” he said in a commanding tone that at once inflamed and irritated her. “And our wedding is Saturday.”

She whirled. “I know our wedding is Saturday! But that doesn’t mean we have to rush—”

“No rushing.”

Good
.

He held the door open for her. “Daze?”

“Yeah?”

“It could take hours.”

She went stock-still, her imagination flooding her poor brain with images of Trav taking his time with those lips, and tongue, and strong, warm hands—

Get out!
Get out now before you run naked into his bed
.

She rushed down the stairs and heard his low chuckle on her way out. Did he think he got the best of her? She was no shrinking violet. She stopped and thought about returning to wipe what she was sure was a smirk off his face, but figured she’d better quit while she was ahead.

Brain trumped hormones.

She was almost sure that was a good thing.

Chapter Seven

Daisy felt like she’d fallen down the rabbit hole into Bizarro-land as she drove to Maggie’s house the day before the interview. She was about to marry Trav, who was still too demanding, but also an
amazing
kisser. Why hadn’t she kissed him before? All she remembered from their one night together was laughing and falling into bed. And she was about to launch what could be her dream-come-true career as a pro blogger, maybe with a paid column or sponsors. She could finally get out of debt.

She parked and got Bryce out of the car, along with a large diaper bag of baby stuff to leave at the house. They needed to make Maggie’s place look like their family home before the
Mornings with Jessica
crew arrived early tomorrow. Trav promised to meet her at her apartment later to help move the baby gear.

Maggie answered the door in a red turtleneck paired with a huge knit black and purple polka-dotted cowl and red velvet pants. At least no tiara today.

“Come on in!” Maggie said, stepping back from the door. She gestured to the living room. “Do you like it?”

Daisy stepped inside. “Oh, Maggie,” she said reverently, taking in the room.

Maggie had recreated the Valentine’s scene from Daisy’s blog, complete with roses, a chain of pink paper hearts hanging from the fireplace mantel, and slow jazz music. It was like stepping into her fantasy life.

“I love it!” Daisy shifted Bryce to her hip so she could give Maggie a one-armed hug. “It’s just like I pictured!”

Maggie beamed and grabbed her hand. “Oh my goodness, look at this diamond ring. Beautiful! Trav knows how to pick ’em. The boy must have spent a fortune on this!”

Daisy cringed. “I know. It’s too beautiful.” She was still getting used to the feel of the two rings and trying not to feel panicky about the wedding band. It had been a long time since she’d worn one. How long would this marriage last? She broke out into a sweat.

“Just enjoy it, sweetie. And look at that shiny gold band. So new! Ah, newlyweds. Well, not yet, but soon. I heard the secret day is on Saturday. I can’t wait. I know you’re keeping it small, so your mother and I just invited Jorge, your parents, of course, Liz, Ryan, Shane, and Rico.”

Daisy had left the planning up to her mom with the only rule being: keep it simple and small. Her mom had been thrilled to have at least one daughter that let her fuss over the details. Liz planned her whole wedding herself. It was still more people than Daisy would’ve liked for a secret wedding, but she couldn’t uninvite anyone.

“That sounds like the most people we should have. No more, okay?” Daisy unzipped Bryce from his bunting. “And keep it hush, hush. We’re supposed to already be married according to my blog.”

“I love your blog, by the way. Wait here. I have something for you.” Maggie disappeared into the dining room.

“Okay.” Daisy looked to Bryce quizzically. “What could it be, Baby Delight?”

He shoved a fist in his mouth, keeping his thoughts to himself.

Maggie returned with a purple gift bag. Daisy reached for it, but Maggie shooed her hand away.

“Just a minute. I have to do this right.” Maggie reached her hand in the bag and pulled out a crocheted daisy pin. “Something old…”

Tears sprang to Daisy’s eyes. It was just like Maggie to do something thoughtful like this. “It’s so cute. I’ll wear it for the interview.”

Daisy handed over Bryce and pinned the daisy to her pink, striped V-neck sweater. Maggie handed Bryce back and reached into the bag again. “Something new…”

A black satin and lace teddy. Oh, Lord, it was the A-line mini she’d described on her blog. She felt herself flush. It was one thing to describe bedroom shenanigans to faceless blog readers, a completely different thing to know Trav’s grandmother read all the gory details.

Daisy touched the satin with one finger. “It’s beautiful.”

Maggie smiled and set it on the coffee table away from Bryce’s grabbing hands. “Something borrowed…”

A romance novel—Kathleen Woodiwiss’
The Flame and the Flower
. “To get your juices cooking,” Maggie explained. “I know after having a baby—”

“Thank you!” Daisy said before Maggie could get into any
juicy
details.
Ai-yi-yi
. The book joined the teddy on the coffee table. “Anything blue?”

“Of course!” Maggie fished the last item out of the bag. Daisy sucked in an audible breath of surprise.

Edible underwear. Blueberry flavor.