Free Under the Cowboy's Control by Lynda Chance Page B

Don't make me bring it up again." Travis turned and walked out of the barn.

    ****
After the scene in the kitchen, Selena realized the volatile situation she was in.
    Travis had told her before about a man wanting and not getting. She needed to stay away from him. It wasn't as easy to do as she would have liked. He was always there, in the background, those dark eyes watching her.
    The next few days, she prepared his food and did her best to avoid him. She didn't eat with him, claiming she had already eaten or wasn't hungry. He grumbled about that, but she did her utmost to ignore him and do the best job she could while staying virtually hidden from him.
    She stayed busy by baking large quantities of desserts for the cowboys and researching her grandparents on the internet. She wasn't getting very far on the last endeavor. Taylor wasn't a very distinctive last name, and she didn't have much else to go on.
    But for now, she was comfortable on the ranch, even though she was avoiding Travis like the plague.
    That came to a cataclysmic end one day at noon when he came into the house for his lunch. She heard the back door open, and she decided to slip out to the front swing. She opened the front door and stepped out. She hadn't taken one step when she let out an ear piercing scream.
    Travis ran straight through the house at the shrill shriek and came to a sudden halt as Selena turned and stood panting with her back against the door.
    Her chest was heaving, and her body was shaking so hard she couldn't control it.
    Her eyes were wide, and her face washed of all color.
    "What's wrong?" Travis stood watching her gulping in oxygen.
    " Ser--serpiente ." Selena said the word and began to hyperventilate.
    Travis saw the fear on her face and that was all the translation he needed. "You saw the old snake that lives under the house?"
    Selena tried to digest his words. He had a pet snake? "Wh-what? You l-let a rattle--
    rattlesnake live under your h-house?" Selena was shaken up at the thought of that thing living under the house.
    "No, it's not a rattlesnake, Angel. That was the old bull snake that likes to sun himself on the front porch. He's not poisonous. He just looks like a rattlesnake.
    That's his defense. In nature, his looks take care of him. He can't hurt you." He took a step closer.
    Selena tried to calm her racing heart. She had almost stepped on the thing, and it had taken off like a shot, back under the house. She put one hand to her heart and the other over her mouth, like she was attempting to cut off another scream.

    Travis took another few steps until he stood within touching distance. Selena looked up at him with her heart in her eyes. "I don't like him."
    That old bull snake had been living under the house longer than Travis had owned the ranch. But he was a dead snake if Selena said the word. "He kills the mice and keeps the bigger rodents from getting close to the house. But if you don't like him, I'll shoot him. No problem."
    Selena didn't like mice, either. Now that she knew about the snake, she would be careful to give him a wide berth. "N-no. It's okay."
    "That's brave of you, Angel. Are you sure? I can kill him for you, easy." Travis gave her a small smile and lifted her chin. "I think maybe he deserves to die, for giving you such a scare."
    Selena trembled even more as she realized that once again, she was in his arms.
    "N-no."
    Travis slid his arms around her back and started to rub them gently over her. "Well, you've had a bad scare." His hands slid to the small of her back and up again. "I want to do something to make you feel better. If you won't let me kill that snake, there's got to be something else I can do for you." His words were an innuendo, meant to entice.
    Selena shook her head. "No. I'm f-fine."
    "You sure?" His head lowered and he gently kissed her lips. She stood still in his arms. His lips brushed back and forth across hers. He moved them to her ear.
    "You've been so brave. I want you to forget