Shadow-Land - Heather Parsons (bill gates book recommendations TXT) 📗

to talk to anyone.

"Sir I'm sorry to bother you but is Sierra Michael there?" The man's voice was very apologetic.

"What is this in regard's to exactly?" Phillip didn't want to have Sierra came to the phone for something that was unnecessary.

"We have a meeting set up for her to sign and finalize the paperwork for the estate today." He said. So this was the lawyer's calling. Phillip never had to pleasure of speaking to this man before or even seen him.

"Okay she told me about this meeting but something has come up and she's unavailable to make that appointment. Is there anyway we can reschedule it?" Phillip knew Sierra would not be able to go through this and he didn't think he'd be able to convince her even if he wanted to. Which he had no intentions of doing.

"I don't know if I can do that. It would be easier if I could talk to her and fix this situation." He said this with annoyance in his voice.

"Like I said before something's come up and she's unable to come to the phone so you either reschedule it or you don't." Phillip said irritated by the sound of his voice and how he made this sound like a done deal. Couldn't it be changed?

"Okay sir no reason to get hostile. I'll call back with another time that best suits Miss. Michael. Thank you for your time." He hung up quickly. Phillip felt a little ashamed for talking to him that way but with lawyer's there's no other way to talk to them. He hung up the headset and went to sit back down with Kathryn and Sierra. Before he made it there, there was a knock on the door. Taking one last look at them and then walked towards the front door. Unsure of who it might be. It did seem to soon for Travis to be here but then again it might not be. This made him quicken his step.

Opening the door slowly just enough for his head to fit through Phillip could see who it was. His eyes instantly started watering when he saw who it was, reaching out and hugging the one person who could help Sierra. His eyes betrayed him, letting the tears spill over.

♥`♥`♥

SEEING his father crying in front of him, had Travis convinced that something was truly wrong here. Before he had taken one step inside the house he needed to know exactly what was going on. "Dad why are you crying? I don't think I've ever seen you cry before." Now his own eyes were betraying him as well, letting the tears that he didn't even know were there spill over the edges. The both of them were becoming an emotional wreck standing outside in the rain. Phillip hugged him once more before saying anything.

"Sierra is...." Travis waited patiently for more. His father's words trailed off and Travis couldn't wrap his head around what was wrong. He tried to walk around his father but he stood in his way. "Travis you need to understand. Sierra is....well...she's in the same state as when her parents died."

Now everything made sense to him. Why his father was acting the way he was. He didn't know what to do to calm her down and Travis wasn't sure if he did either. "Dad I need to see her." His eyes were pleading with his father's. Phillip stood back to let him enter.

Travis caught sight of her sitting on the couch with his mother holding on to her. She was wrapped up with her knees up to her chest and rocking herself. This is the same way he found her after that fateful day. His worst nightmare had come true. Seeing her like this tore what was left of his heart in two.

He walked slowly over to her and fell on his knees. Reaching his arms around both of them and kissing Sierra on the cheek. "Sierra I'm sorry." Travis cried into her hair, closing his eyes so he could hold her closer.

"Travis...oh...Travis." Sierra unwrapped herself and held onto him. Travis couldn't believe she recognized his voice. His mother on the other hand just looked up at him, smiling. Backing away from the couch to be by his father's side. They held each other just as close as he was holding Sierra. Travis sat up on the couch and cradled her in his arms. She never released her hold on him even when I did this. He wanted so much to tell her that he loved her but doing it right now didn't seem like the right time.

"Travis maybe you should take her upstairs so she can lay down. And stay with her until she's okay." His mother said when she saw the longing in his eyes. Travis did as she suggested, picking up Sierra in his arms and carrying her his room.

The room looked the same as the day he left, which amazed him. Travis would have thought they would have changed it by now but he would have guessed wrong. But he's grateful they didn't. Laying Sierra on the bed and letting go of her just for a moment. Just long enough so he could get a blanket for her.

"Travis please don't leave me." She was crying again and reaching for him. How could he refuse her?

"I'm not going anywhere." Travis said and laid down on his back, on the other side of the bed, letting her cuddle up against him. As much as he wanted to pull her closer, he still didn't want to push her away. Letting her do what she wanted he was grateful when she pulled herself closer.

There was a soft knock on the door and he didn't know how his parents would take the closeness between them. "Come in." He whispered, thinking she was asleep and not wanting to wake her.

"It's just mom, I wanted to know if I waited a couple of hours to make dinner. Would you and Sierra be joining us?" She peeked only her head in to ask. Travis was just about to answer when Sierra spoke up.

"That would be lovely, Kathryn. Thank you." Her voice was so soft and beautiful. All the feeling of doubt he had before, disappeared.

"Your welcome dear. Stay up here as long as you need to." She whispered then closed the door behind her. Her voice sounded happier and that alone made him happy.

"I didn't know you were awake." He whispered in her hair. The smell of it made his heart skip a beat. Everything about her being this close was doing strange and wonderful things to him. Never wanting it to end.

"I'm scared to close my eyes. Travis something was in my house, they called me by name. I don't know who it was but it terrified me. Please tell me you won't leave me to go and find out." She propped her head up on his chest to look into his eyes. When she did this he couldn't lie to her. Even though at some point during the night, he would leave to do just that. Travis couldn't and wouldn't let anyone hurt the love of his life, and he has a feeling that he knows who was in her house.

"I will not go anywhere without you. I promise." He kissed her forehead and gazed into her eyes. The closeness between them was magical. Feeling sparks of electricity pass through her and into him. Travis was thinking about leaning in closer but she took him by surprise. She was thinking the same thing and before he knew it, their lips were touching. The softness of her mouth on his was unbelievable.

Her hands moved slowly across his chest and around his neck, while Travis' hands moved behind her to pull her closer to him. He couldn't get enough of her but still he's scared of pushing her away. Not wanting to ask for anything more than just this.

It seemed like she was thinking the exact same thing as he was. When he felt her tongue press gently against his lips. Travis couldn't believe she was the one asking but he didn't deny her either. Opening his mouth slowly to feel and taste everything about her and pulling her even closer to him.

Travis would have never imagined kissing could ever feel this way. Feeling complete for the first time in his life. But one thing he knew for sure and he didn't know if she can sense it or not was that he didn't know if he can stop this from going further.

Opening his eyes briefly to see her pulling herself up on top of him. Maybe she can't control herself either but that thought was premature. She stopped kissing him and started pulling away to look into his eyes. The only thing he could see in them was love. He felt like the luckiest man alive to have her in his life.

Smiling at her and feeling whole with nothing but love and admiration in his own eyes. She leaned in and kissed him one more time before returning her head to his chest and closing her eyes. She put her head on his heart and it felt whole again.

He listened to her slow breathing and every time she whispered his name, he smiled a little bigger and kissed her hair.

"Travis," she whispered. Her voice was so musical. He took in a deep breath, taking in as much of her scent as he could before answering her.

"Yes, love." This answer was automatic and he couldn't believe he'd just said it out loud. Always he dreamed of saying this to her for forever and now he was but this time he wasn't dreaming. Feeling her grip tighten.

ELEVEN:

Finding True Love

SIERRA closed her eyes but didn't keep them closed for long. She didn't want to miss out on anything about him. The softness of his skin when she would rub her hand across his chest, and the way he'd take a deep breath against her touch. These little things made her fall harder for him. Her heart was beating so fast in her chest she thought she would have a heart attack. Holding her breath a few times to try and slow it down. Being this close to him and having his arms wrapped around her securely was doing strange and wonderful things to her own body.

Every time he kissed her hair, her heart would skip a beat. Her checks would flush when he tightened his grip. Sierra truly loved this man with her whole being. She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that she was the one who leaned in and kissed him. Surely that surprised him as well but she has been