Open the door.
I hear a little yelp followed by a scuffling of who knows what. The porch light flickers on just before her door flies open, and there she is, exactly as I pictured.
Nope, she’s better.
Her dark hair is twisted on the top of her head with a pencil stuck in it, and she’s wearing my old tee again. It’s knotted at the waist like I like it, giving me a peek of her silky skin, her cute little navel ring. She’s not wearing my boxers this time. She’s in black bikini panties, and her shapely legs are bare down to red toenails.
Her green eyes sparkle when they meet mine, and her smile is beautiful. I don’t hesitate. I lean forward, catching her waist and planting a kiss right on those pillow lips. Her hands are on my shoulders, and she exhales a sigh as our tongues touch. It’s soft and warm and perfect, and when I lean up, her eyes blink open slowly.
Just as fast she grabs my arm, pulling me inside. “Get in here before everybody sees you.”
I start to laugh. “They’re going to know. My truck’s out front.”
Standing in front of me in her bare feet, she’s so small. It’s a direct contrast to her personality, which always seems larger than life. Still, I want to wrap her up in my arms and take care of her… something I know she’d hate.
Nope, this girl needs to be free.
“Show me what you’re doing.” I look to her computer.
She walks over to the chair. “I don’t have a place for you to sit.”
I sit in her chair and catch her waist, pulling her onto my lap.
She exhales a laugh, and I’m very aware of her sitting on my lap in only my t-shirt and panties.
Not yet.
I want to know what she does. I want to know what kept her so occupied for the last year while she avoided me. “Show me.”
“Okay…” Reaching forward, she grabs the white mouse and wakes her enormous iMac. “So my clients—Rani and AJ—are travel agents who specialize in European and Caribbean tours. Their motto is ‘Easy, safe, unforgettable.’”
“Safe.” My voice is skeptical.
“People always think they’re going to get robbed when they visit Europe.”
“The pickpocket culture is strong.” She moves around on my lap, and it’s hard to keep my hands off her ass. I fight it though, clearing my throat and directing my mind back to what she’s saying. “I thought travel agents went the way of the dinosaur.”
“Have you seen the box office for Jurassic Park?”
“Yeah, but anybody can go online and book a trip to Europe or the Caribbean.”
“Ahh…” She holds up a slim finger. “You’re right. That’s where Travel Time is different. It’s all about perceived need and perceived value.”
“Explain.”
“Start at the homepage.” She turns to the computer again and pulls up a clean, elegant website with the company name, the logo of a compass, and a search bar under the words, Where do you want to go today?
“But it’s more than where. You can search by type of trip—girl’s trip, wedding, anniversary, family vacation—and get recommendations of popular packages. You can enter the age of travelers, the duration, how long you want to stay in each place. You can pick the type of lodging you prefer, from hotels to hostels to B&Bs…”
She clicks fast and menus roll down.
“They’ve taken it a step further in that if you make an account and leave reviews, it can customize future trip recommendations based on your experiences. There’s a chat function here.” She clicks on a little dialog bubble, and a window pops up. “Rani and AJ are able to answer questions in real time during business hours, or they can take emails after hours. The last thing I’m adding are links to blog reviews, tips for overseas travel, pictures of popular attractions…”
“You did all this?”
“Yep.” She looks over her shoulder. “It’s my biggest job to date. They told me their vision, and I brought it to life. Then once it launches, I’ll help maintain it.”
“When does it launch?”