Fighting to Survive (As the World Dies 2)

Using the hotel’s rose soap, she scrubbed herself clean and was relieved to finally not smell of death and bleach.

After her bath, dressed in a tank top and pajama bottom she had claimed from the WalMart shipment down in the city hall basement, she started moving things around the hotel room. The bed was far too heavy to move, but she rearranged the chairs, desk and vanity. Little decorative knickknacks were either tossed or put into a new area of the room. She moved the paintings around and fussed with one of the mirrors until it was set at a good height on the wall.

Finally, feeling the room was hers, she sank into a chair and began to read a book she had borrowed from the makeshift library Peggy was keeping in city hall.

When the knock on the door came, she wasn’t surprised. Laying the book aside, she slid to her bare feet and walked to the door taking in deep breaths. Another knock came, quieter now. She knew Travis was giving her time to change her mind, to ignore his knocks and pretend to be asleep.

But today she had learned a valuable lesson. Time was short. Too short to worry about what had been.

Opening the door, she gazed out at Travis. His hands were resting on either side of the doorway. He was scrubbed clean and his hair was still damp. He looked tired and anxious. She realized he was waiting for her to send him away.

Reaching out, she tangled one hand in his hair and drew him down and kissed him deeply. With her other arm, she drew him into her embrace and into her room. He almost stumbled, he was so startled.

Then he came easily and willingly into her arms.

Together, they shut the door behind them.

2. Letting go and Moving Forward

Travis has been more than a nervous wreck when he had knocked on Katie’s door. His stomach had been twisted into knots and his throat dry from nerves. He had been pretty sure she was going to turn him away.

In the aftermath of the clearing of the hotel, he had begun to second-guess his short conversation with her up on the patio of the ballroom. He had slowly concluded that he had not been clear in his intentions and she had not understood what he meant.

From the moment he realized he had feelings for Katie, he was sure he was doomed to heartbreak. But he couldn’t help himself from hoping. Their kiss, well two kisses, had been enough to stoke the fires of hope within him.

When she had opened the door, his heart had skipped a beat. She had looked so beautiful, so ethereal, with the light behind her illuminating her blond locks. Her sparkling green eyes had regarded him beneath the fringe of her eyelashes and he had braced himself to be sent away. Hell, he had a bottle of Jack Daniels back in his room waiting for him to keep him company after her rejection.

Instead, she had reached out and kissed him in a way that made his knees weak and the butterflies in his stomach turn into a tornado. He had almost fallen into the room in surprise, but had managed to recover and helped her close the door.

The kiss that followed was everything he had hoped for. It was sweet yet passionate, loving yet lustful, soothing yet exciting. He had wrapped his arms tightly around her and dragged her closer to him and“Ouch!”

“Sorry,” he answered, and quickly let go of her.

“Bruises,” she said with a wince.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot. ”

Again they kissed deeply, her hands trailed down his back and“Shit,” Travis muttered against her lips.

“Oh, sorry,” she said.

“I kinda have a bruise there. ”

She laughed and pulled away from him, holding out her arms. They were covered in bruises. Then she turned around and her back was a nice patchwork of purple, green, and black.

Travis grinned and showed her his arms and the enormous bruise on his side.

“Well, we match,” she laughed.

Travis looped his hand around her neck and drew her close and pressed his lips to hers. They lost themselves in a kiss that felt quite like no other. He was completely enraptured with her. To his great surprise and delight; she seemed just as enamored with him.

“I love you,” Travis whispered, stroking her curls, gazing into her eyes.

“Yeah, I kinda figured that out. ”

“Do you-” he started to say, then just opted to kiss her forehead.

She nestled into his arms, tucked against his chest, and whispered, “Yes. ”