Not a Chance(73)

Travis squeezed his eyes shut and covered his ears with his hands. "I don't want to know shit like that."

"Sorry. Sorry," she said, reaching for his face and stroking his cheek. "I'm sorry," she said again, trying not to laugh.

He smiled gently up at her. "Just...no more. Okay?"

"Okay," she said. She folded her arms on his chest and rested her chin on them. "Are you hungry yet?"

"Starving. You should feed a guy before you take him to bed."

They got up and dressed, partially. Arden in a long t-shirt and panties. Travis in his t-shirt and boxers. Then they went to the kitchen and cooked together, taking plenty of breaks to touch and kiss. They took their plates to the den and put on a movie and ate while they watched TV. After they ate they cuddled awhile and wound up making love on the couch. After which Travis fell asleep, having his belly full of food and being sexually satisfied.

Arden dozed herself. They were asleep on the couch. Travis was behind her with his hand draped over her waist. She was laying on his other arm. When she woke up, the end credits to the movie were finishing. She patted Travis's hand, but he was sound asleep. She didn't want to leave him, but unfortunately she was desperately craving some chocolate fudge ice cream. She slowly pushed herself up. The room was lit only by the glow of the TV. When she went in the kitchen, she flipped on the hood light over the stove and, by its orange glow, located the ice cream in the freezer.

She sat on the floor with the tub of ice cream and a spoon, next to the island. She enjoyed about four bites before she looked up and saw Travis leaning over the counter, grinning down at her. He circled the bar, retrieved a spoon, and then sat across from her and helped himself.

"You even have the fancy ice cream," he said, shaking his head.

"Get over it. I'm not going to feel bad for having fancy ice cream."

He shrugged. "It's fine. But when you come over to my house you're getting generic and you'll be grateful for it."

She laughed. "You know, I was thinking. It's pretty crowded at your house."

He nodded, scooping out another bite of ice cream. "Yeah. That's why you need to get your own place."

"What? Why?"

Travis shrugged. "I don't know. Because you're twenty-three years old. You have a job of your own and can afford it. You have a boyfriend who doesn't want to have sex in your parents' house. Pick your reason."

She shoved him on the knee. "Okay, smartass. So where would you suggest I live?"

"I don't know. But rent. Don't buy. Because someday I'm going to get rid of Tonya and this baby, get Dustin happily married off, and move you on in with me."

"Oh, you've got it all figured out?"

"Yep." He took the ice cream from her hands and set it to the side. Then he leaned in and kissed her, pushing her further and further back until she was laying down on the floor. She wrapped her legs around him. Her body seemed to crave him even more, now, than when their evening had started. He kissed her neck and slipped his hand under her shirt, kneading her right breast.

And this was the position her parents found them in when they burst into the kitchen. The lights came on and Arden and Travis immediately closed their unadjusted eyes.

"Arden Butler!" Laura, her mother, shouted in shock and disapproval.

"You get off of my daughter this instant!" Mark shouted to Travis who was already scrambling to his feet. He grabbed the ice cream on the way up.

Arden stood and tugged at her shirt, trying to get it to cover more of her legs. She squinted at her parents. "I thought you guys were staying in St. Louis until tomorrow," she said.

"Yes, well," Mark said, "Marge Stanton called us and told us there was a strange car parked in front of our house. We tried to call, but you didn't answer."

Arden shrugged. She had turned off the ringer in her room and figured the answering machine could take care of any calls they might be getting. "I'm sorry you came all the way back for nothing."

"For nothing?" Laura shrieked. "We just saved you from making the biggest mistake of your life!"

Arden suppressed a grin and glanced back at Travis. He was leaning back against the counter, eating ice cream and enjoying the show. "It's not a mistake, Mom," she said. "I broke up with Nick three days ago."

"You what?" her parents shouted in unison.

"I can't be with him," she said. "I don't love him. And he's not a good person. Look what he did to my face when I told him I wanted to break up." She pointed to her cheek.

Travis slammed down the ice cream container. "I knew you were lying."

Arden turned to him, pleading with her eyes. "Not now," she growled.