Forever Almost

Chapter 23

Travis's frustration was mounting with every dead end he encountered in his search for Taylor. He had scoured every possible place she could have gone, but it was as if she had vanished into thin air. Desperation led him to the one person he knew might have answers: Kayla. Though the idea repulsed him, he knew he had no other choice. If there was any chance of finding Taylor, it would be through Kayla.

One evening, Travis invited Kayla over, masking his true intentions behind a friendly demeanor. He knew he had to play his cards right if he wanted to get any information out of her. As they sat in his living room, Kayla's eyes glinted with mischief. She leaned in closer, her voice laced with false sweetness. "Travis, you know, I can give you Taylor's new number... but it'll cost you," she purred, her fingers trailing suggestively up his arm.

Travis tensed, dread pooling in his stomach. "What do you mean?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

Kayla smirked, her gaze locking onto his with a predatory gleam. "If you take me to bed, I'll give you her number," she whispered, leaning in to brush her lips against his ear.

Travis felt a wave of revulsion wash over him, but he nodded, knowing he had no other choice. Kayla wasted no time, leaning in to kiss him, her lips soft and insistent against his. Travis's body stiffened, every fiber of his being screaming against what he was about to do. But he needed that number, needed to find Taylor.

Kayla thought to herself ,"You really thought I'll give you the number? I'll only give you the number when I'm pregnant with your child. Until then, you'll have to keep coming back for more." She left her thoughts aside as she unbuttoned his shirt.

"Relax," she whispered, nipping at his lower lip, her voice a sultry command. "Let me take care of you."

Travis stiffened, barely able to suppress the revulsion bubbling up inside him. But he kept his thoughts hidden, knowing that any hesitation might cost him the one thing he was after. Kayla, oblivious to his turmoil, smiled against his mouth, her hands gliding over his bare skin with a deliberate slowness.

"You know, I've always wondered what it would be like to have you all to myself," she murmured, her lips trailing down his neck as she pushed his shirt off his shoulders. "Tonight, you're mine, Travis. No holding back."

Travis's mind was a whirl of conflicting emotions—disgust, guilt, but above all, desperation. He needed that number. As Kayla moved lower, her hands deftly unfastening his belt and pulling down his pants, he forced himself to focus on the goal. He couldn't let his emotions get in the way, not when Taylor was out there somewhere, maybe in trouble.

Kayla's fingers danced over his skin, her nails grazing his thighs as she tugged off his boxers. "Let's see what you've been hiding," she whispered, a playful lilt in her voice as she took him into her hand. She looked up at him, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "You're going to enjoy this, Travis. I promise."

Her mouth was on him in an instant, hot and eager as she tried to coax a reaction out of him. Kayla was good—too good. But Travis's mind was elsewhere, his thoughts consumed by Taylor. He felt nothing but a hollow emptiness as Kayla worked, her lips and tongue trying to elicit a response that just wouldn't come.

Kayla didn't seem to notice his detachment. She moaned softly, her eyes fluttering shut as she took him deeper, her movements becoming more frenzied. Travis clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white as he fought the urge to push her away. He knew he had to see this through, but the guilt was eating him alive.

When he finally released, Kayla drank greedily, her smile widening as she sat back, licking her lips. "Mmm, I knew you'd come around," she said, her voice thick with satisfaction. "Now, it's your turn, Travis. Make me feel as good as I just made you feel."

Travis hesitated, his hands trembling as he reached for the hem of her dress. Every inch of him recoiled at the thought of what he was about to do, but Kayla's words echoed in his mind: "No number, no deal."

He pulled her dress over her head, revealing the lacy lingerie she had clearly chosen for the occasion. "You like?" she asked, arching an eyebrow as she unhooked her bra and tossed it aside. "I wore it just for you."

Travis forced himself to nod, though the words caught in his throat. Kayla grinned and leaned in to kiss him again, her hands guiding his to the waistband of her panties. "Come on, Travis. Don't be shy," she teased, biting his lip as she pushed him back onto the bed.

But just as she was about to climb on top of him, his phone rang, the shrill tone slicing through the tension like a knife. Travis grabbed it, seeing the word "Emergency" flashing on the screen. Relief washed over him like a wave. "I have to go," he said abruptly, sitting up and reaching for his clothes.

Kayla's expression turned from sultry to furious in an instant. "You can't be serious!" she snapped, glaring at him as he buttoned his shirt. "You're really going to leave me like this?"

"It's an emergency," Travis repeated, his voice firm. He grabbed his keys and headed for the door, not daring to look back. As he drove away, he couldn't shake the feeling of Kayla's eyes burning into his back. But he was free, at least for now, and that was all that mattered.