That was comforting in a way, but it was a lot harder to put my foot down with the old ladies who’d babysat me, bandaged my scrapes and bruises, and taught me everything from cooking to sewing. Betty Kemp had even taught me how to change a flat tire. “Okay. I’ll do the website.”
“And I’ll try not to take up too much of your time,” Janey said and crossed her fingers over her heart.
“Thanks. Growing a business requires a lot of work, which requires a lot of time.” And so far, I was in my element, so it was the good kind of hard work, the kind that left you satisfied after a long day.
I had that so who needed something as mercurial as a man?
Walker
Three, maybe four days had passed since Audrey walked out on me at the pancake breakfast and she hadn’t been seen around town either. I would know because I’d asked nearly everyone I saw, which of course meant they all knew we were fighting.
Except I had no damn clue why we were fighting. After the second day passed, I stopped caring. Mostly. It still rankled that she was able to walk away from me so easily and that she hadn’t reached out to me, but she’d done us both a favor. There was no reason to get so involved with Audrey, even though my fingers itched to touch her long black hair. Hell, I just wanted to hear her full-throated laugh and see the cheeky grin she always wore when I was around.
“Good job today, Walker.” Mayor Ashford stood outside the courthouse with one hand resting on his rounded belly and the other dabbing at the sweat on his brow. “You have proven to be an excellent attorney, son. I hope you’re thinking of going for the big job.”
I stared at the mayor for a long time, unsure what to even say to that. Even though Audrey had guessed that I had aspirations for higher office, it was only in a theoretical way. I hadn’t made up my mind yet if I wanted to deal with the dirt and grime of politics, even local politics. “Thank you, mayor. I have given it some thought but that’s as far as I’ve gotten.”
“Well, when you decide to take the leap, you’ll have my full support.” His always-present smile made him a great leader, easy to talk to, and approachable.
“Thanks for saying that, Mayor Ashford.”
“Call me Leland. You’re more than old enough now, I reckon.” He dabbed at his brow again and his skin looked a little redder than it should.
“I’m headed to lunch, Leland. Why don’t you let me buy you an iced tea?” The poor guy looked like he might drop to his knees any second now.
“That sounds mighty nice, Walker.” We made the walk to the diner in just a few minutes, with Leland talking nonstop about all the good press being drummed up thanks to the Hometown Heroes. “You boys are famous beyond Tulip. Did you know we’ve got two hundred calendar orders from out of state?”
What? “Unbelievable. Those women don’t even know us.”
Leland laughed and snorted. “Do you know all the half-naked women you’ve ogled over the years?”
“Can’t say I do, Leland.” But those women were famous, professionally beautiful. Meant for us mere mortals to look at with longing in our eyes. “That’s good news for Tulip’s Tribute, anyway.”
“And having you, the town’s most eligible bachelor, as Mr. Spring Fling is going to be fantastic! You’re a role model. A solid citizen with a good reputation. And the fact that you’re dating Audrey doesn’t hurt. A hometown girl? I couldn’t have written this if I tried.” His giddiness was starting to rub me the wrong way but until I made up my mind about the county attorney job, I had to play nice.
“We’re not dating, Leland. We’re just friends.” According to Audrey, we weren’t even friends, merely connected through her brother.
“Yeah well, that’s how the best relationships begin, isn’t it?” He flashed a wistful smile and rubbed his belly before stepping inside the diner with a deep exhale. “Here’s a bit of advice, Walker. When it comes to reformed playboys like yourself, women need to see that you’re reformed before they believe it.”
I looked at Leland a little differently in that moment. “Got a past you’d like to share, Leland?”
His cheeks turned pink and he dabbed his forehead nervously. “Maybe another day, son. You don’t want to leave a pretty woman to eat alone, do ya?” Before I could answer or look in the direction of his gaze, Leland was at the counter charming a few of the locals who already loved him.
When I finally turned, a smile touched my lips. Audrey had emerged from her dungeon and had set up shop in the back of Big Mama’s Diner. I wondered how she managed to swing it without making the old woman complain about the microwaves emitted by computers, but then I spotted the plates filled with food beside her while she stared intently at her laptop.
So intently that she didn’t hear me approach. “Wow. I always wondered what kept your attention so focused and now I’m so close to finding out.”
Audrey looked up at me with a cool look that was as foreign as the straight lines of her mouth. Gone was the usual smile she had for me, even when she didn’t want to. Even when she couldn’t hide it. “Walker. Hey.”
That was it? Just, hey? “What are you working on?”
She shrugged and reached for one of the waffle fries from today’s specials board. “Just going over some notes for a new client. What’s up?”
What’s up? “I haven’t seen you in days. What do you mean what’s up?”
She blinked like I was speaking a foreign goddamn language. “I mean, what are you doing here at my table? We didn’t have plans so I’m asking if you want something.”
“I want you to tell me what the hell is going on.”
Audrey sighed and ran a hand through the wavy black locks she’d left loose around her shoulders. “I’m sorry but I don’t know what you mean. If you want to fight, you’ll have to sit someplace else.”
Who in the hell was this icy creature? “What did I do?”
“Not everything I do is about you, Walker. In fact, most of the things I do have nothing to do with you.” The words were right, neutral, and bland, but there was bite to the content of what she was saying.
“You’ve been MIA.”
“I’ve been right where I’m supposed to be. Working.” She bit into another fry and stared at me for a long time with her head cocked to the side like she was trying to figure out a puzzle. “What’s new with you, Walker?”
I couldn’t figure Audrey out, which kind of freaked me out. For the most part, I could always figure her out. “Mostly work. Mayor Ashford said he’d endorse me for county attorney.”
“Congratulations.”
My brows dipped at her lukewarm encouragement. I’d always been able to count on Audrey to be one of my biggest cheerleaders. She always thought I could do anything, including running for vice president in high school and even trying out for the baseball team. This was a different woman altogether. “Thanks. I’m not sure it’s what I want yet, though.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Just remember you’re probably not the only person who wants that job.”
Was that a warning? Were we speaking in code right now? “But I’m the best candidate.”
She shrugged. “That only matters if you run. I mean we all think we can do things but the truth is only realized when we try to do them.”
Dammit. I still didn’t know if we were talking about us or something else. “How did you get so wise?”
“Plenty of mistakes to learn from,” she said easily and bit into her burger.
“Including me?”
She nodded simply. “You were one of them, yes.”
Ouch. “I can’t change the past, Audrey.”
“Who asked you to?” She closed her laptop and shoved it into a bag beside her before turning back to her food.
“What are you doing tonight?”
“Why?” She was so damn skeptical all the time. Of everyone. Me especially.
“Because I want to spend some time with you. Show you what a great guy I am.” It was clear she didn’t want to, and
I should have taken the out Audrey gave me, but for some reason, I couldn’t. I was drawn to her in a way that should have given me pause, but it didn’t. I plowed ahead because I couldn’t do anything else. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“I haven’t agreed to anything,” she said automatically, her expression still so damn bland I wanted to scream, to shake her just to get a fucking reaction out of her.
“Yet. You haven’t agreed to anything yet. But you will.”
“Why, because you’re so charming and irresistible?”
I leaned forward, charged by the banter between us, in a way that not even court did for me lately. “Your words, not mine. Not because of any of that, but because I have an extra-large deep-dish veggie pizza at my house with your name on it.”
“You remembered,” she whispered, shocked.
“Of course I did.” Like a jackass, I remembered everything from our first night together. Everything. “That’s why I also got those awful giardiniera peppers, buffalo strips, and a Greek salad.”
“Impressive. Don’t think I’m sleeping with you because you remembered what I like.” One black brow arched as if she could read all the dirty thoughts in my mind.
“That’s not why you’ll sleep with me, Audrey.”
She gasped at my words, then glared at me as she stood and yanked her laptop bag across her chest. Then she stopped and stared at me for so damn long, I nearly started to squirm. Her lips parted in smile. “You’re right, Walker. Absolutely right.” Audrey walked off with a little more energy in her steps, leaving me to wonder what in the hell kind of challenge I’d just issued.
“Ready to order?” Hope appeared out of nowhere with a bright, knowing smile on her face. “Audrey left a twenty and said lunch was on her, so go nuts.”
I smiled at the gesture. That woman was determined to drive me crazy. “Of course she did. I’ll have the turkey club with the waffle fries, and you can take the rest as a tip.”
Her smile beamed brighter. “You really are a good guy, Walker. I’m sure Audrey sees it.”
Audrey knew me better than Hope did. That was why she wanted nothing to do with me. A better man would give her the distance she wanted.
Too bad for her. I wasn’t a better man.
Audrey
The bell rang at exactly seven o’clock. On the dot. You can do this. I didn’t think for one second I actually could do this, but I was determined to try. I gave myself one final look in the mirror at my heavily made-up eyes with thick dark blue liner and black mascara, giving me sexpot bedroom eyes that matched the sexy barely-there lingerie Hope had made just for this occasion, as it turned out. I lifted my boobs in the bra, stuck my chest out, and schooled a bored expression on my face before opening the door. “Walker? Is it seven already? Gosh, I must have lost track of time. Come on in and I’ll be ready soon. Promise.” I cringed at the husky, breathy tone of my voice as I turned away, lips curling at the dumfounded look on his handsome face.
“Uh, okay. Sure.” To hear Walker Reid, extreme bachelor, tongue tied because of me, felt damn good. So damn good that I put a little extra swing in my hips under the satin robe that barely covered anything.
“I lost track of time while I was working.” It was nervous chatter but when I turned, feminine pride warmed my body to see that Walker hadn’t taken any further steps beyond the threshold. “Walker, is everything all right?”
Hell no it wasn’t. The man was ready to swallow his tongue. His gaze was laser-focused on the swell of cleavage made by the bra and I sucked in a deep breath, mesmerized by the way his pink tongue darted out and slicked across that biteable bottom lip. “Yeah. Fine.”
“Great. I’ll just be a few minutes.” After disappearing to my room, I had to take in a few deep breaths and give myself another mental pep talk. I had to do this tonight, no matter what it cost me. It was the only way.
I figured it out at the diner. It was so obvious, it might as well have been wearing neon clothes with a flashing sign. I could have kicked myself for not seeing it sooner. The best way to get rid of Walker was to give in to what he wanted. Another round of incredible sex and he would lose all interest.
Again.
I knew he meant the dinner to be a platonic way to get reacquainted but that didn’t stop me from reaching for the little black dress I found buried in my summer dress box and slipping it over my body along with a pair of black booties that had a dominatrix style I knew a man like Walker would appreciate. It was all part of the plan. Tease him, flirt with him, sleep with him, and then this would all be over. Just don’t let your guard down.
A few squirts of perfume and a red stain on my lips, and I was ready to go. “Sorry about that, Walker. It’s been a while since I’ve dressed up.”
He turned and practically swallowed his tongue as I walked down the stairs, knees all but smacking together with my wobbly legs. But the way Walker looked at me, like I was every fantasy he ever had all wrapped up in black, made me wish I’d left the panties on the bed. “You look ... stunning, Audrey. Fuck.”
That raw, guttural “fuck” hit me right between the thighs, so low in my belly I could hear the hum of arousal course through my body. “Thank you, Walker. That’s sweet.” His gaze was anything but sweet. It was dark and hungry, like he would devour me if given half a chance. “I’m starved. Are you ready?”
“Yep.”
I couldn’t help but smile to myself again at his inability to form a complete sentence. Who would have thought that me, plain old Audrey, could render him speechless? It’s not real. I knew it wasn’t real, that it was the dress and desire, and I reminded myself of that on the short drive back to Walker’s place.
He cut the engine and sat there for a long minute without saying a word. I couldn’t read his mind so I didn’t bother trying. I reached for the handle, intending to get some air into my lungs that wasn’t laced with his scent. “Wait.” Walker’s hand gripped my knee, sending an electric current through my body so powerful, I was pretty sure I was on the verge of orgasm.
“Oh fuck.”
He stepped out of the car and jogged around the front, opening the door for me. The sight of him, half nervous and unsure, made me like him just a little bit more. Dammit.
His gaze wouldn’t leave my legs as I swung them out of the car and tugged the skirt down without really tugging it down. “Audrey, you look beautiful.”
Looking up in to those big brown eyes was a mistake. A really big mistake. They were like melted chocolate laced with butterscotch and every childhood fantasy, every girlish dream I ever had about Walker finally noticing me, took place in the breath of that moment. “Thank you.” The words came out on a whisper and his hand gripped me tighter as he led me inside.
“Feel free to take those shoes off if you want. Or leave them on,” he rushed to add and I had to bite back a grin at the hopeful look on his handsome face.
I left them on and swung my hips as I walked through the main hall, noticing all the homey furnishings that were at odds with his bachelor persona. There were nice warm, earthy tones surrounding his blue sofa which surprisingly wasn’t made of leather. The house was big and spacious with plenty of good lighting. “Your place is nice. Definitely not what I expected.”
“You thought it would be messy?”
I gave him a raised eyebrow. “Seriously? No. But I thought it would be more ... sterile.” A place that didn’t invite a woman to linger or to get any ideas about staying past breakfast.
Walker frowned and put a hand on my shoulder before yanking it back like the touch of my skin burned him. “You’ve never been here?”
I shrugged casually. “I was never invited.” It was a fact and one I needed to remember as this night progressed. “What’s for dinner again?”
He accepted the lifeline and put a hand low on my back, guiding me through the living room and into the gourmet kitchen with the French country kitchen décor. “Salad to start. Buffalo strips and deep-dish pizza for the main course, and des
sert is ... a surprise.”
You bet it is. “Good thing I brought my appetite.”
He coughed to cover up his surprise. “Is everything okay, Audrey?”
“Yep. You?”
He nodded and licked his lips. Again.
“Good. You gonna offer me something to drink?” It was a novel feeling to have Walker off his game and I enjoyed it more than I should have. But oh, how I enjoyed it!
“I have beer and tequila,” he said and scratched his head.
“Perfect. I’ll have a shot of one and a bottle of the other. You pick which.” Holy shit. Was I actually flirting with Walker? On purpose? Where had this confident, sexy version of me been when I’d needed her?
“Drinking away your sorrows?”
Something like that. I notched my chin up. “Not at all. Just relaxing after a long, productive few days.” This lying thing was going remarkably well. So much so that it scared me. I knocked back the shot, ignoring the pang of my conscious, vowing I would be extra honest for the next few weeks to make up for tonight.
* * *
“Dinner was delicious, Walker. Thank you for thinking of me and a deep-dish pizza in the same sentence. I still can’t believe you remembered.” There was a chance the booze had loosened by tongue a little bit. Around the second slice of pizza and the second beer, I began to relax a little too much.
“I always think of you when I think of eating.”
Damn him. “Funny because I always think of you when I think of being eaten.”
He choked on his beer but recovered quickly with a disarming smile. “I do aim to please.”
It was one of his strong suits and one of the things I planned to enjoy tonight. Thoroughly enjoy. “That you do, Walker.”
“What’s going on with you, Audrey?”
“What do you mean?” I knew what he meant and I slowly got to my feet, closing the short distance between us. “I thought we were getting to know each other.”
“That’s not what I mean. You’re different. The dress, which is hot as fuck, by the way, but not something you usually wear. The makeup. Your lips. Those fucking legs that have been torturing me all night long. What is this?”
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