Brynna (Stone Society) - Faith Gibson Page 0,19
try the shirts on, Brynna took everything to the laundry room. When she returned, she took a deep breath. “Travis, we need to talk. Can we go outside?”
Travis’s smile fell. “Uh, yeah. Sure.” He placed his full glass of tea in the sink and turned toward the back door.
Brynna caught his hand. “Hey, it’s nothing serious. Well, actually it is, but it’s nothing bad, okay?”
When they got to the door, Brynna said, “Hang on.” She returned to the kitchen and grabbed two beers out of the fridge. Travis opened the door and allowed Brynna to walk through first. Always the gentleman. She handed one bottle over, then cracked her own and swallowed half the brew before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Travis was grinning when she looked at him. “What?”
“I love how you dress like a proper lady, then you chug half a beer like it’s nothing.”
Brynna snorted, making Travis grin harder. “I’m no lady,” she teased.
“You are when you need to be.” Travis sipped his own beer.
Brynna stopped at the fountain and stared into the water. It was one of her favorite things about the property. One of the less pretentious decorations her father had installed. She knew most homes didn’t have fountains, but this one was pretty instead of being too large and over the top.
“What’s going on?”
“What do you mean?” Brynna wanted to set her bottle down and take Travis’s hands in her own, but she was afraid of being rejected, so she held her beer tightly. She was worried about telling him the truth. It had been Gautum who, on one of their frequent phone calls, told Brynna she would know when Travis was ready to move on from losing his girlfriend. Travis wasn’t the same sad man she had met a month and a half earlier, and the shy smiles he gave her were more frequent. So was the longing in his eyes.
Being Gargoyle, Brynna was in tune with his moods, and she’d had enough lovers over the centuries to know what lust looked like. On those nights she’d spent sleeping on his sofa instead of going home to an empty house, she had heard the sounds coming from his room after he’d gone to bed. What Brynna didn’t know was who Travis was thinking about when he took care of his needs. She wanted to think it was her, but she wouldn’t blame him if he was picturing Rachel instead. He had been planning on proposing before the human was taken from him, so it made sense he had loved the girl.
“Come on, Brynna. I haven’t known you very long, but we’ve spent all my free time together. I know when you’re keeping something from me.”
“You’re right; I am. I’m just not sure how to tell you or if now’s the right time.”
“You said it wasn’t anything bad.”
“No. Not to me it isn’t. But I’m not sure how you’ll feel about it.” Brynna didn’t think it was the right time even if Banyan did. “What do you think about me remodeling the house?”
“Way to deflect.” Travis sighed. “I think you should remodel it to suit your tastes and live here a while. If you still don’t like it, make the decision, then to turn it into a hotel or sell. After our earlier discussion, it won’t take much to turn this place into something grand yet tasteful.”
“Can you see yourself living here with me? After we remodel? I know you have Trevor back in New Atlanta, but we could split our time between Norway and the States. Plus, Molly would love it here, don’t you think?”
“Why are you so worried about what I want? What’s going to happen when you find your mate? He’s not going to want me sticking around, and I wouldn’t want that either.”
“That’s not going to be an issue. There won’t be anyone else showing up.”
“How do you know that?”
Brynna took Travis’s free hand and gripped it tightly. “I know, because you’re my mate.” Brynna held her breath.
Travis narrowed his eyes at her. “What?”
“I said you’re my m—”
“I heard what you said, but I don’t understand. When did you figure this out?”
“The first day I met you.”
“I see.” It was Travis’s turn to chug his beer. When he finished, he looked off past the fountain.
“I’m sorry. I know the timing is for shit. It’s why I didn’t tell you before now, and if you don’t want this, I’ll understand.”
“What?” Travis shook his head. “Don’t repeat that.