101
" Jack’s eyes glinted with humor. “Do we have to start with that?”
“What else would we start with?”
“Couldn’t you ask me something like, ‘How did your morning go?’ or ‘What’s your idea of the perfect day?’”
“I already know what your idea of the perfect day is.”
He arched a brow as if that surprised him. “You do? Let’s hear it.”
I was going to say something flip and funny. But as I stared at him, I considered the question seriously. “Hmmn. I think you’d be at a cottage at the beach . . .”
“My perfect day includes a woman,” he volunteered.
“Okay. There’s a girlfriend. Very low-maintenance.”
“I don’t know any low-maintenance women.”
“That’s why you like this one so much. And the cottage is rustic, by the way. No cable, no wireless, and you’ve both turned off your cell phones. The two of you take a morning walk along the beach, maybe go for a swim. And you pick up a few pieces of seaglass to put in a jar. Later, you both ride bikes into the town, and you head for the outfitters shop to buy some fishing stuff . . . some kind of bait—”
“Flies, not bait,” Jack said, his gaze not moving from mine. “Lefty’s Deceivers.”
“For what kind of fish?”
“Redfish.”
“Great. So then you go fishing—”
“The girlfriend, too?” he asked.
“No, she stays behind and reads.”
“She doesn’t like to fish?”
“No, but she thinks it’s fine that you do, and she says it’s healthy for you to have separate interests.” I paused. “She packed a really big sandwich and a couple of beers for you.”
“I like this woman.”
“You go out in your boat, and you bring home a nice catch and throw it on the grill. You and the woman have dinner. You sit with your feet up, and you talk. Sometimes you stop to listen to the sounds of the tide coming in. After that, the two of you go on the beach with a bottle of wine, and sit on a blanket to watch the sunset.” I finished and looked at him expectantly. “How was that?”
I had thought Jack would be amused, but he stared at me with disconcerting seriousness. “Great.”
And then he was quiet, staring at me as if he were trying to figure out some sleight-of-hand trick. "
― Lisa Kleypas , Smooth Talking Stranger (Travises, #3)
104
" He stripped off his jeans and T-shirt, climbed into bed, and watched me change into my pajamas.
“You don’t need those,” he said.
I smiled at the sight of him leaning back against the brass headboard with his hands clasped comfortably behind his head. He was brawny and tan, incongruously masculine against all the frilly antique fabric and lace.
“I don’t like to sleep naked,” I told him.
“Why? It’s a great look for you.”
“I like to be prepared.”
“For what?”
“If there’s ever an emergency— a fire or something. . . .”
“Jesus, Ella.” He was laughing. “Think of it this way— going to bed naked is better for the environment.”
“Oh, shut up.”
“Come on, Ella. Sleep green.”
Ignoring him, I got into bed wearing a T-shirt and boxer shorts printed with penguins. I reached over to the nightstand and flipped off the lamp.
A moment of silence, and then I heard a lecherous murmur. “I like your penguins.”
I snuggled back against him, and his knees tucked under mine.
“I’m guessing your usual female company doesn’t wear boxer shorts to bed,” I said.
“Nope.” Jack’s hand settled on my hip. “If they wear anything, it’s usually some kind of see-through nightgown.”
“That sounds pretty pointless.” I yawned, relaxing into the warmth of his body. “But I’ll wear one someday if you want me to.”
“I don’t know.” Jack sounded pensive. His hand circled my bottom. “I’m kind of partial to these penguins.”
-Jack & Ella "
― Lisa Kleypas , Smooth Talking Stranger (Travises, #3)
105
" As we had agreed, I met Jack downstairs in the lobby.
I was a few minutes late, having lingered to give a few last-minute instructions to Teena.
“Sorry.” I quickened my stride as I walked toward Jack, who was standing by the concierge desk. “I didn’t mean to be late.”
“It’s fine,” Jack said. “We still have plenty of—” He broke off as he got a good look at me, his jaw slackening.
Self-consciously I reached up and tucked a lock of my hair behind my right ear. I was wearing a slim-fitting black suit made of summer-weight wool, and black high-heeled pumps with delicate straps that crossed over the front. I had put on some light makeup: shimmery brown eye shadow, a coat of black mascara, a touch of pink blush, and lip gloss. “Do I look okay?” I asked.
Jack nodded, his gaze unblinking.
I bit back a grin, realizing he had never seen me dressed up before. And the suit was flattering, cut to show my curves to advantage. “I thought this was more appropriate for church than jeans and Birkenstocks.”
I wasn’t certain Jack heard me. It looked like his mind was working on another track altogether.
My suspicion was confirmed when he said fervently, “You have amazing legs.”
“Thanks.” I gave a modest shrug. “Yoga.”
That appeared to set off another round of thoughts. I thought Jack’s color seemed a little high, although it was difficult to tell with that rosewood tan. His voice sounded strained as he asked, “I guess you’re pretty flexible?”
“I wasn’t the most flexible in class by any means,” I said, pausing before adding demurely, “but I can put my ankles behind my head.”
I repressed a grin when I heard a hitch in his breathing.
Seeing that his SUV was out in front, I walked past him. He was at my heels immediately.
-Ella & Jack "
― Lisa Kleypas , Smooth Talking Stranger (Travises, #3)
106
" I can’t stand Mark Gottler,” I said.
“Really? I couldn’t tell.”
“While he was talking, I was overwhelmed by the realization that here is this hypocritical asshole who took advantage of my sister, and I’d like to . . . well, I don’t know, shoot him or something . . . but instead there we were, negotiating.”
“I know. But he’s stepping up to the plate. Let’s give him points for that.”
“He’s only doing it because we’re forcing him to.” I frowned. “You’re not on his side, are you?”
“Ella, I just spent the last hour and fifteen minutes with my boot up his ass. No, I’m not on his side."
-Ella & Jack "
― Lisa Kleypas , Smooth Talking Stranger (Travises, #3)
110
" As Jack spoke, Carrington caught sight of me in the doorway, and she threw me a grin. “Are you gonna take Miss Ella fishing?” she asked Jack, who had picked up a Japanese saw and was cutting off the protruding end of the gunnel at an angle.
“If she wants to,” he said.
“Is she gonna catch you, Uncle Jack?” Carrington asked slyly.
“She already did, darlin’.”
At the sound of her titter, Jack paused in his sawing, followed her gaze and saw me standing there.
A slow smile spread across his face, and his gaze turned dark and hot as he glanced over my pink swimsuit and bare legs.
Dropping the saw, he muttered to the other two, “’ Scuse me, I’ve got to talk to Miss Ella about something.”
“No, you don’t,” I protested. “I just wanted a peek at the skiff. It’s beautiful, Carrington. What color are you going to paint it?”
“Pink like your bathing suit,” she said cheerfully.
Jack was coming toward me. I retreated a few steps.
“Don’t take him away for good, Ella,” Gage said. “We still need to fasten the gunnel on the other side.”
“I’m not taking him away at all, I . . . Jack, get back to work.”
But he headed for me without pausing, and I giggled and retreated into the kitchen. “Leave me alone, you’re all sweaty!”
In a few seconds, I found myself pinned against a countertop, his hands gripping the beveled granite edge on either side of me. “You like me sweaty,” he murmured, his denim-clad legs corralling mine.
I leaned backward to avoid contact with his damp chest.
“If I have caught you,” I told him, still giggling, “I’m going to throw you back.”
“You only throw the little ones back, darlin’. The big ones you keep. Now give me a kiss.”
I tried to stop smiling long enough to comply. His lips were warm as they moved over mine, the kiss erotic in its careful lightness. "
― Lisa Kleypas , Smooth Talking Stranger (Travises, #3)
111
" Have you eaten yet?” I heard Jack ask.
“Other than snack food from the minibar, no.”
“Do you want to go out to dinner?”
“With you?” Caught off guard by the question, I looked at him in surprise. “You must be having a slow night. Don’t you have a harem to get back to or something?”
Jack regarded me with narrowed eyes.
I was instantly contrite. I had not meant to sound bitchy. But in my current state of physical and mental exhaustion, I had no conversational red flags left.
Before I could apologize, Jack asked in a low voice, “Have I done something to you, Ella? Other than help you get a hotel room, and agree to take an unwarranted paternity test?”
“I’m paying for the room. And the paternity test. And if it was all that unwarranted, you wouldn’t be taking it.”
“I may back out of it now. There’s only so much I’ll put up with, even for a free buccal swab.”
An apologetic grin pulled at the corners of my mouth. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m hungry and sleep-deprived. I’ve had no time to prepare for any of this. I can’t find my sister, my mother is crazy, and my boyfriend is in Austin. So I’m afraid you’re dealing with all my accumulated frustration. And I think on a subconscious level, you represent all the guys who might have knocked up my sister.”
Jack gave me a sardonic glance. “It’s a lot easier to knock up someone when you actually have sex with her.”
“We’ve already established that you’re not one hundred percent certain whether you slept with Tara or not.”
“I am one hundred percent certain. The only thing we’ve established is that you don’t believe me.”
-Jack & Ella "
― Lisa Kleypas , Smooth Talking Stranger (Travises, #3)
112
" I hurried to the fridge, got a bottle, and put it into a sink of hot water. While the formula was warming, Jack went to the bed and picked up Luke.
Holding him in a secure and competent grip, Jack murmured softly to the baby. It made no difference. Luke started squalling, his mouth wide open and his eyes screwed shut.
“There’s no use in trying to quiet him.” I rummaged in the diaper bag for a burp cloth. “He just screams louder and louder until he gets what he wants.”
“Always works for me,” Jack said.
-Luke, Ella, & Jack "
― Lisa Kleypas , Smooth Talking Stranger (Travises, #3)
113
" We all drank to the newlyweds and talked for a few minutes about Playa del Carmen, which apparently was known for its beaches and fine fishing, and was far less touristy than Cancún.
“Have you been to Mexico, Ella?” Liberty asked.
“Not yet. I’ve wanted to go for a while.”
“We should go one of these weekends, all four of us, and take the kids,” Liberty told Gage. “It’s supposed to be a good place for families.”
“Sure, we’ll take one of the planes,” Gage said easily. “Do you have a passport, Ella?”
“No, not yet.” My eyes had widened. “The Travises have a plane?”
“Two jets,” Jack said. A smile touched his lips as he saw my expression. He picked up my free hand and played with it lightly. I supposed that by then I should have been used to the little shock that occurred whenever I was reminded of the financial stratosphere the Travises occupied.
“Gage,” Jack said to his brother, still staring at me, “I think the mention of the planes is scaring Ella. Tell her I’m a regular guy, will you?”
“He’s the most regular guy in the Travis family,” Liberty told me, her green eyes twinkling. I couldn’t help laughing at the qualifier. "
― Lisa Kleypas , Smooth Talking Stranger (Travises, #3)
114
" Liberty shook her head, her smile widening. “I’m going to start my own salon. I’ve been thinking about it for a while . . . and I thought before we had another child, I’d like to do this. I’m going to keep it small and exclusive, just hire a couple of people.”
“That’s wonderful,” I exclaimed, clinking my glass with hers.
“Congratulations, Lib.” Jack extended his own wineglass and followed suit. “What are you going to call the place?”
“I haven’t decided yet. Carrington wants to call it Clippety-Do-Da or Hairway to Heaven . . . but I told her we have to be a little bit classier.”
“Julius Scissors,” I suggested.
“Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow,” Jack joined in.
Liberty covered her ears. “I’ll go out of business in the first week. "
― Lisa Kleypas , Smooth Talking Stranger (Travises, #3)
115
" My stomach growled again, even more loudly than the first time. I flushed in embarrassment.
Jack’s brows lifted. “Sounds like you haven’t eaten in days, Ella.”
“I’m starving. I’m always hungry.” I sighed. “The reason I eat vegan is because my boyfriend Dane does. I never feel full for more than twenty minutes, and it’s hard to keep up my energy.”
“Then why do you do it?”
“I like the health benefits. My cholesterol and blood pressure are really low. And my conscience feels better when I eat an animal-free diet.”
“I know of some good remedies for an active conscience,” he said.
“I’m sure you do.”
“It sounds like if it weren’t for your boyfriend, you’d be eating meat.”
“Probably,” I admitted. “But I agree with Dane’s take on the issues, and most of the time it’s not a problem for me. Unfortunately, I’m temptable.”
“I like that in a woman. It almost makes up for your conscience.”
-Jack & Ella "
― Lisa Kleypas , Smooth Talking Stranger (Travises, #3)
116
" Luke lay on the floor of my apartment in a baby gym, a floor quilt with two crossed arches featuring rattling beads, spinning birds and butterflies, crinkly leaves, and cheerful electronic music. He loved it nearly as much as I loved watching him. At two months, he laughed, smiled, made noises, and was able to raise his head and chest.
Jack lay on the floor beside him, lazily reaching up to flick the toys or to push a button for new music.
“I wish I had one of these,” he said. “Strung with beer cans, Cohíbas, and those little black panties you wore Saturday night.”
I paused in the midst of putting away dishes in the kitchen. “I didn’t think you noticed them, you took them off me so fast.”
“I’d just spent a two-hour dinner looking at you in that low-cut dress. You’re lucky I didn’t jump you in the parking garage again. "
― Lisa Kleypas , Smooth Talking Stranger (Travises, #3)
