Travis's Gift (Riley's Pride #3)- Sandra R Neeley Page 0,69

He’d appreciate it.”

“I’ll tag along, then,” Lucas said. He glanced into the bed of the truck as he walked around to get in the passenger side. “Damn, how many trees we got in here?”

“Yours, mine, Maia’s, Lazarus’s, and one for the diner,” Roman said.

Lucas shook his head. “That’s a lot of trees.”

“Yep,” Roman said.

“You gonna decorate yours?” Lucas asked.

Roman shrugged. “May as well. If I don’t, Maia’s just going to come over and do it anyway. She’s gonna force me to enjoy Christmas whether I like it or not,” Roman said with a grin on his face.

“She will do that,” Lucas said, as they sat with the engine started, waiting for it to warm up a bit before they drove away. “Last Christmas was nice. It’ll be nice again.”

“It will. It’ll be okay,” Roman said.

“I know it’s tough on you. But you’re not alone, Roman. We all care about you. You’re one of us,” Lucas said.

“I know. That’s what will make it okay.” Roman put the truck in gear and backed out before pointing it down the highway in the direction of home. “Think I’ll go shopping next week. Pick up a few things. You want to come?”

“Sure,” Lucas said. “You gonna buy me some caramel corn?”

“Caramel corn?” Roman asked.

“Yeah. The feed store started giving away caramel corn for the holidays. They have the machine right by the front counter and offer you a bag when you walk in.”

“Hell, yeah. We’re all getting caramel corn. I’ll get you two bags if it’s free. That in itself is enough reason to go shopping.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

~~~

Travis and Scotty finished their dinner. Scotty headed off to bed while Travis washed their few dishes, then went into the bedroom to see what was keeping Libby. He found her stretched out across the bed, still dressed in the clothes she’d worn that day. She’d never made it into the shower.

“Hey, wake up, hon. Let me get you undressed and tucked into bed,” he said, taking her boots off and then her socks.

“Hmm?” she asked, trying to sit up.

“You fell asleep,” he said, pulling her thermal shirt off over her head.

“Sorry. Guess I’m more tired than I thought,” she answered, reaching down to unsnap her jeans.

“I got that,” he said, brushing her fingers away so he could finish undressing her. He pulled her jeans off and switched positions so he could take her bra off her.

“Did you eat?” Libby asked.

“Yeah, me and Scotty both did. Are you hungry?”

“No. Just want a hot shower,” she answered.

“You could take one in the morning,” he suggested, intent on putting her in bed.

“Rather have one tonight,” she said after he’d removed her bra. Libby slid to the edge of the bed. When she put her feet on the floor to stand up, Travis helped her by holding her hands and pulling.

“Thanks,” she said, stepping into him and allowing him to hold her against him.

“I’ll never get tired of this,” he said, laying little kisses on her hair and face.

“Me either,” Libby agreed.

“You want help?” Travis offered, waggling his eyebrows.

“I could use a little help,” Libby said, raising up to press her lips to his before sashaying into the bathroom clad only in her panties.

Travis’s Tiger rumbled in his chest as Travis started after her.

Twenty minutes later the bathroom door opened, and a very naked, very proud Tiger with a very satisfied smirk on his face made his way to the bed. He propped his prosthetic against the night table as he always did, then got settled, settling down into the mountain of pillows he liked to recline on.

Wasn’t that much longer before Travis opened his eyes at the feel of warm hands on his knee. He smiled when he saw his Libby sitting on the bed, completely nude, with her hands on what remained of his right leg. “You don’t have to do that tonight. I know we’re all tired, and I kept you in the shower longer than you anticipated.”

Libby grinned at Travis. “You satisfied me and helped me relax, now I’ll help you relax.”

“You already did. Wasn’t a one way street, you know,” Travis teased.

“Will you stop fighting me and just lie back and let me do what I do,” she said, raising her eyebrows to dare him to tell her no.

“Fine. But, if the nurses want to massage my knee in the future, I’ll have to insist they be completely naked when they do, otherwise it won’t work,” he quipped, before closing his eyes and letting her