Under His Protection

Chapter 3: Breaking the Barrier

The bar was quiet again, only the soft clinking of glasses breaking the stillness as Taylor finished cleaning up for the night. Travis and his crew had left hours ago, but his presence still lingered in the air, as if the weight of his aura refused to leave. She could still feel the heat of his gaze from earlier, the way his eyes had lingered on her longer than usual, something unspoken simmering between them.

Taylor sighed, wiping down the last glass with more force than necessary. Her thoughts were a mess, swirling around Travis Kelce like a storm she couldn't control. He wasn't the kind of man she ever thought she'd find herself drawn to—dangerous, secretive, powerful. And yet, every time he walked through the door, something inside her shifted, something that scared her as much as it excited her.

The bell above the door chimed suddenly, cutting through the silence, and Taylor's heart leaped into her throat. She wasn't expecting anyone this late, and for a moment, a flicker of fear curled in her stomach.

But when she looked up, there he was.

Travis stood in the doorway, the dim light casting shadows across his face, making him look even more dangerous, more untouchable. But there was something different tonight. His usual entourage was nowhere to be seen, and the air between them felt charged, like the moment before a storm.

"Couldn't stay away?" she asked, trying to keep her voice light, even as her pulse quickened.

Travis stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a soft click. His eyes locked onto hers, and the intensity in his gaze made her stomach flip. "Guess not," he murmured, his voice low, almost rough. He walked toward her, each step deliberate, measured, until he was standing at the bar, inches away from where she stood.

Taylor swallowed, trying to keep her composure, but the air between them was thick with tension, the kind that couldn't be ignored any longer. She could feel the heat radiating off him, the magnetic pull that had always been there but was now impossible to resist.

"You're here late," she said, her voice quieter than she intended. "Everything okay?"

Travis leaned on the bar, his eyes never leaving hers. He was so close now that she could smell the faint scent of whiskey and something darker, more intoxicating. "I needed to clear my head."

"Of what?"

He smirked, but it wasn't playful. There was a weight to it, something heavy that lingered between them. "Of things I shouldn't be thinking about."

Taylor's breath caught in her throat as his words hung in the air. She didn't need to ask what he meant. She could feel it—this pull between them, this thing that had been simmering under the surface for weeks. And now, standing here in the dim light of the empty bar, it felt like they were on the edge of something dangerous and thrilling all at once.

"I'm not sure what you mean," she said, but her voice betrayed her. There was no hiding the way her heart pounded in her chest, the way her body reacted to him.

Travis's smirk faded, replaced by something darker, something raw. He moved around the bar, closing the distance between them in a way that made her breath hitch. When he was standing directly in front of her, he reached out, his fingers gently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You know exactly what I mean, Taylor," he said, his voice a low rasp that sent shivers down her spine. His hand lingered at the side of her face, his thumb brushing against her cheek in the softest of touches. It was so gentle, so unlike the powerful man she had come to know. It was as if, in this moment, he was letting her see the vulnerability he hid from the rest of the world.

Her heart raced, the space between them charged with an energy she couldn't ignore. "Travis..."

He didn't let her finish. Instead, his hand moved to the back of her neck, pulling her closer until their lips were inches apart. "Tell me to stop," he murmured, his breath warm against her skin. "If you don't want this, tell me now."

Taylor's pulse pounded in her ears, her entire body humming with the electricity of the moment. But she couldn't tell him to stop. She didn't want to.

"I don't want you to stop," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

That was all Travis needed.

In an instant, his lips were on hers, firm but searching, as if he had been holding back for far too long. The kiss was hungry, filled with weeks of tension, of stolen glances and unspoken words. His hand tangled in her hair, pulling her closer as their bodies pressed together, the heat between them undeniable.

Taylor melted into him, her hands gripping the front of his shirt as she kissed him back with equal fervor. She could feel the strength of his body against hers, the way his muscles tensed as he held her, as if he was afraid to let go.

But this wasn't just about the physical attraction. There was something deeper, something that made her heart race in a way she hadn't felt in a long time. Travis was dangerous, yes, but there was more to him. And for the first time, she was seeing the man behind the reputation—the man who let his guard down for her.

They broke apart, both breathing heavily, and Travis's forehead rested against hers. "I've wanted this for longer than I'd like to admit," he murmured, his voice rough with desire.

Taylor's fingers traced the line of his jaw, her heart still racing. "So have I."

His eyes, dark and intense, searched hers, as if he was looking for any sign of doubt. But there was none. Not tonight. Tonight, they were both letting their walls down, just for a moment.

Without another word, Travis kissed her again, slower this time, savoring the feel of her lips against his. His hands moved to her waist, pulling her against him, and Taylor couldn't help the soft moan that escaped her lips as the kiss deepened.

Time seemed to blur, the world outside fading away as they lost themselves in each other. Every touch, every kiss, felt like a spark of electricity, igniting something inside her that she hadn't even realized was there.

When they finally pulled apart, both breathless and flushed, Travis looked at her with a mix of desire and something else—something softer, more vulnerable.

"This changes things," he said quietly, his fingers still tracing her skin.

Taylor nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. "I know."

She knew this was the start of something. Something dangerous, something that could get her in deeper than she ever intended. But right now, standing here in his arms, it didn't matter.

All that mattered was the way Travis was looking at her, like she was the only person who saw the real him. The man behind the power, behind the danger.

And for tonight, that was enough.