Promises to a Stallion (Kimani Romance) by Deborah Fletcher Mello Page A

shook her head in response to his bold words. “Look,” she started, “This really isn’t…”
    Her voice trailed off. The words seemed to catch in her throat as Travis suddenly reached both of his arms around her torso to plump the pillows behind her back. As he leaned in close, the aroma of his cologne wafted past Tierra’s nose. She inhaled swiftly, filling her lungs with the scent of him.
    As he fluffed the pillow against her for support, his forearms grazed her bare shoulders. They both tensed, Travis’s gaze melding with hers.
    “Sorry about that,” he muttered softly, drawing his body away from hers. He gestured with a quick nod. “Lean back and make yourself comfortable,” he commanded as he reached for the wicker tray and sat it on her lap. He smiled sweetly.
    “Bon appétit,” he exclaimed as he pulled the silver lid from the plate.
    The meal was an epicurean delight of scrambled eggs, thick bacon, pecan Danish and a bowl of fresh fruit. A large glass of sweetened pineapple juice and a single red rose completed the presentation.
    Travis’s flamboyant removal of the paper wrapper from a plastic drinking straw made her smile and seconds later, still clutching the bed sheet in front of her, she couldn’t suppress the laugh that suddenly followed.
    Hearing the deep chortle that rose from her midsection brought a wider grin to Travis’s face. The sound was pure music to his ears, and he couldn’t help but laugh with her. Reaching out a large hand, he touched her face, drawing his fingers along her profile. His thumb lightly caressed her cheek, and he was mesmerized by the downy softness of her skin. In that moment he would have given anything to cradle her in his arms and never let her go.
    He’d known he was taking a chance when he’d pushed the door open before being invited inside, but he’d been anxious to see her. He’d barely slept, his dreams consumed with thoughts of her. And his instincts had told him that Tierra had really wanted to see him, too.
    As she tried to hide her nakedness beneath the covers, he found himself enamored with the idea of the two of them together. The woman excited him like no other woman ever had before. And in that moment he was visibly excited. Needing a minute, he sat down in a chair that was next to the bed. He crossed one leg over the other to hide the fullness that had begun to swell hard in his jeans.
    “This is crazy!” Tierra said, fighting the last of the giggles that had consumed her. “None of this makes an ounce of sense.”
    “It makes great sense. Now eat up, get dressed and be ready to rock and roll in thirty minutes. I’m anxious to get going. I’m sure we have lots to do today,” Travis said as he came to his feet. “So figure out what it is we have to do today, okay?” He continued to smile down at her.
    Tierra nodded. “I don’t imagine you’re going to let me say no, are you?”
    “The word no is not in your vocabulary today, Ms. Braddy.” Travis moved back in the direction of the door. He turned an about-face to stare at her, softly calling out her name. “Tierra.”
    “Yes?”
    “You are incredibly beautiful when you wake up,” he said, his eyes shining brightly. “Now, get a move on it. We will be leaving on time!”
     
     
    As Tierra pulled her car onto the highway, a wide grin filled Travis’s face. Cutting an eye in her direction, he reached for the radio. Tierra could tell by the look he tossed her that he was half expecting her to complain, but she refused to give him the satisfaction. The man was like a five-year-old as he depressed the buttons to find the perfect song. This time he chose a mix of reggae and Latin beats.
    “So, what’s on our agenda today?” Travis asked, finally leaning back in his seat. “Have we canceled the band?”
    Tierra rolled her eyes skyward then refocused on the road, refusing to give him an answer.
    “No band, huh? I didn’t think so.”
    “What do you mean you didn’t think so? Why