“Alright, maybe ten. Fifteen tops. I might need some Gatorade, too.”
She giggles and wraps her legs around me. “I wish we could stay like this forever.”
“Me too.” I press deeper inside her, our juices causing a delicious friction. “But you probably want to clean up.”
“Ugh. I suppose,” she says but she takes her time kissing me slowly, tracing every inch of my mouth with her tongue before she lays her head back down, her dark blonde hair splaying over my pillow and all I can think is damn, I love her. So deep in love, my heart so gone for her I never want it back.
I just hope that when I tell her I don’t scare her off.
THE MORNING SUN IS BARELY creeping through the shades when I wake up. Stretching my arms above my head, I notice the body next to mine is not firm, nor does it smell all that great, and the snoring is so loud, it’s almost vibrating the mattress.
Not exactly how I envisioned waking up the morning after sleeping with Walker for the first time. Scrunching up my nose, I brace myself before rolling over.
To Brutus.
He farts, waking up and looking at his butt as if to question whether or not he was the offender of such a thing.
“Oh, right. Like that was me. Don’t try blaming your morning flatulence on me.”
I reach out a hand and rub down his back. He arches into my touch and blows out a stinky breath, fat lips flapping.
“Good morning, handsome.”
He doesn’t reply but then again, why should he? He’s the king of this castle.
“How’d you manage to crawl your short legs up here?”
Snore.
The side of my mouth turns up in a small smile and I cuddle into Walker’s soft, fluffy mattress. I press my face into the pillow and am greeted by the wonderful scent I was looking for earlier.
I squeal, the sound muffled by the pillow. Brutus grunts beside me and I turn my head, petting him so he’ll relax.
“Oh stop, you old grump.”
He licks my wrist and I take it as a sign he forgives me for interrupting his slumber.
I find Walker’s shirt draped over a chair in the corner and slide it on, the hem of the t-shirt coming down to mid-thigh, and make my way to his bathroom attached to his bedroom.
After I finish up, I wash my face, staring at myself in the mirror after it’s clear of makeup. My eyes are clear despite the sleepiness I still feel and my lips are slightly swollen from a long night of kissing.
Round three happened around 3:30 am when I shifted in my sleep. It only took a single brush of his body against mine for me to slide between the sheets and take him into my mouth. He responded by holding my hair back so he could see me. Before he was able to come, he growled and pulled me up, rolling us over so he was on top of me. I learned that as much as he likes me on top so I can show him what I like, he likes to be in control even more.
He showed me with his body what he hadn’t said with his words and I only hoped my body did the same.
I didn’t think I’d find love again.
Didn’t even want to.
I had fallen so head over heels in love with Michael that when he blew my perception of him out of the water, I made the decision to keep my heart safe. It was easier that way. My parents never showed me the kind of love my heart longed for but then Michael came along and I had thought I’d finally found my happily ever after. I clung so tightly to him and our relationship, especially the family I found in his family. He knocked the wind out of my sails, so to speak, when he cheated on me. I expected disappointment from my parents. Not from the man who asked me to marry him.
I was closed off for a long time. Choosing Gary wasn’t about love. It was about companionship and being with someone who I thought would be there for me. I had chemistry with Michael and it screwed me over, not having it with Gary was a blessing, in my warped mind.
My feelings for Walker are on a whole other level than anything I’ve felt before. It’s not just companionship or chemistry. It’s a crazy, intense combination of everything that makes him right for me. I don’t love him because he’s either safe or not safe. I don’t love him because he’s giving me something I didn’t grow up with. I love him because for the first time, possibly in my life, I can be myself around someone. And I’m accepted.
It’s a heady feeling but I’m ready to accept it.
Following the smell of coffee, I make my way to the kitchen. Leaning against the island, I watch as Walker works at the stove, his back to me. He’s wearing only a pair of bright green boxer briefs and, God love him, a black apron. I have to bite my fist to stop myself from laughing. I’m also busy trying to burn the image before me into my eyeballs because hot damn he’s a sexy beast.
His butt cheeks actually flex under the tight boxer material as he moves around the kitchen, stirring something on the stove and leaning down to check on whatever he has baking in the oven.
The muscles in his thighs stretch the boxers, and don’t even get me started on his back. Everyone always talks about abs and how sexy they are but it’s like the back is full of hidden treasures. The dips and curves. The strength of his physique obvious from where I’m standing. The bulge of his shoulders is a stark reminder of Round 2 when we took a water break and couldn’t get through a bottle before attacking each other again.
He lifted me up, slammed me against the fridge and took over. Our bottles of water crashed to the floor, spilling onto the hardwood floor. I was at his mercy and loved every single second of it. My eyes drift to the fridge, my skin heating up with the delicious memories. We had collapsed into a heap on the kitchen floor, chests rising and falling with the deep breaths.
“God, Ellie.”
“I know.”
He leans over and kisses me as I murmur, “We need to clean up.”
“I’ll clean up the water. You clean up the mess I made of you and we’ll meet back upstairs.”
“Okay.”
It looks like he wants to say something else but instead we take care of business.
The clicking of nails sounds behind me, breaking into my memory of last night and I turn my head to see Brutus walking into the kitchen. “Finally decided to come join Ellie and me in the kitchen, huh, Brutus?”
I still and my eyes widen.
Busted.
“Morning, Ellie girl,” he says, looking at me over his shoulder. He winks and then lifts his chin, indicating that he wants me to come over to him.
My hand glides over the counter as I walk around the island. His arm darts out and pulls me in. He bends me over backward as his mouth covers mine. I can taste the coffee he’s already had this morning and I moan, threading my fingers into his soft hair to keep him close. My other hand feels the back muscles I was admiring just moments before I was caught ogling him.
He’s all man.
I never understood what the term brawny meant until I met, and felt, Walker.
He stands upright, bringing me with him. His lips make a trail over my jaw before he buries his face into the crook of my neck, inhaling deeply.
“This might be the best morning I’ve ever had,” he murmurs, arms banded tightly around my body. I have to lift up on my tip toes to wrap my arms around his shoulders.
“I have to agree.”
We stay like this until I hear a beeping sound, indicating whatever he had in the oven was likely finished cooking.
I grab an oven mitt from next to the oven and pull out the fluffy biscuits. Glancing into the pot on the stove I see that he’s making sausage gravy.
“Just how long have you been up?”
“Not long. This stuff is easy.”
And that’s when I get the first real look at him. His apron says “Once You Put My Meat in Your Mouth You’ll Beg for More”.
“What the hell is that?” I ask, laughter in my voice.
“What?”
I point to his apron and he grins. “Oh that. Yeah, my sister thinks she’s funny.”
“It’s not a lie.” I wink and
his eyes flare.
“You look amazing in my shirt, sweetheart.”
“Yeah?”
“Oh yeah. I might burn all your clothes so you can only walk around my house in my shirts forever.”
“More of that kidnapping, huh?”
“You know it.”
“As awesome as that sounds, I think I would scar Grayson for life when he’s staying here if I walked around half-naked all the time.”
“Scar him? Nah. Make him walk around with a constant boner? Probably.”
“Aww, just like his uncle, huh?” I tease, reaching under the apron cup him.
He groans, hand darting out to lean against the counter.
“Damn, Ellie. I’ll never get enough of you. When I talk about you staying here forever, I’m not even kidding.”
I look at him from under my eyelashes and turn my head to the side. Slowly I release my hold on him and he frames my face in his strong hands.
His brown eyes darken, the tiny wrinkles around his eyes appearing as he smiles. “You need to know that I love you. I should have told you last night. Or hell, weeks ago, but I’m telling you now and you can give that back when you’re ready. Right now, though, it’s important for you to know it. To feel it. Because it’s yours. I know others have promised you their love in the past and they were idiots and didn’t protect your heart like the gift that it is but I can promise you, I’ll always put you first. I’ll never do anything to betray the love I feel for you or the trust that you’ve given me. I love you. It’s a forever thing for me.”
I knew he loved me. His actions have proved as much. But hearing the words, along with the promises he just made, is almost more than I can handle. I waver, my body swaying toward him. I wish I could say things as wonderful as he just did to me but all I can think to say is, “I love you.”
It seems to be enough because he proves his strength once again, lifting me off the ground. My legs immediately wrap around his waist.
“Say it again,” he demands.
“I love you, Walker. More than I thought was possible.”
“I’m gonna request you tell me this every single day.”
“You got it.”
Then he lays me down on the island and proves that it really is his favorite place to eat.
“HERE’S THE DEAL. I NEED some clothes.”
“No you don’t.”
“Walker. Yes, I do.”
I give her a little squeeze, settling deeper into the cushions of the couch. “No.”
“Fine. Then I’ll have to go home tonight to get some clothes so I have them for work tomorrow.”
I narrow my eyes. “Are you threatening to leave tonight if I don’t take you to Polly’s to get some clothes?”
“Yes.”
“And how do you think you’re going to get there?”
She sits up, her elbow against the back of the cushion so she can look me in the eye. “I’ll steal your pickup. You already know I’m not above petty thievery.”
My lip quirks and my hand slides down her backside, cupping one of her ass cheeks before rubbing the soft skin. “I’d already decided we’re skipping work tomorrow anyway.”
“No you did not. You’re such a liar. You forget I work for you and know your schedule.”
“Right. Well, as your boss, I’m telling you that we aren’t moving from this spot.”
“What if I promise to bring Fred with me?”
My hand stills.
She looks at me with a grin that tells me she knows she won.
In ten minutes, I’m speeding down the highway to get to Miss Polly’s. As much as I love her, I really hope that she lets us make this trip quick. I’m not ready to share any part of Ellie yet. Especially the fun parts.
Not being able to go without touching her, I rest an arm on the back of her neck, playing with her hair. She smiles my way, leaning into my touch.
“You were so worth the wait,” I say, taking my eyes off the road for only a second to glance at her.
Her breath catches and eyes well up in tears.
“All the crap I went through to get here makes sense now.”
“Here as in…”
“With you.”
“Love you, babe.”
“I love you, too.”
We pull into Miss Polly’s driveway and I look at her car, “Don’t even think about it.”
“Afraid I’ll escape if I have my own ride?”
“Damn right.”
“No faith.”
“Nah. I’m just selfish and want to cover my bases.”
She rolls her eyes but I can tell it doesn’t bother her one bit for me to tell her that.
“Go. Grab your shit, maybe a few extra things in case I’m not ready to let you go, which is likely, and come back to me.”
“You’re not coming in?” she asks, halfway out the door.
“Nope. Miss Polly will think she needs the low down and I just want to get back home, get you naked again and play with that toy that’s been a substitute for me since we met.”
She stumbles then slams the door, rushing up the steps.
I take a quick second to check in with Willow while I’m waiting. Her last message to me about Grayson being home for the weekend was exactly the right timing but it also made me curious about what was going on.
She picks up on the second ring. “Hey.”
“Hey there. So what’s going on?”
“Just a second. Let me step outside.” A niggling in my stomach causes me to sit up a little higher. “So much has happened this weekend, Walker. I don’t even know where to begin.”
“Everything okay with Grayson?” I ask urgently.
“Yeah. Well, I think so. He’s…”
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Mick’s here.”
I sit back in my seat, not at all expecting her to say that. “No shit?”
“No shit. He’s… Walker, he’s moving to Liberty.”
Whoa. “Well that explains the odd behavior while we were in Chicago. He kept talking about how much he hates missing out on Grayson’s life. That there were changes coming.”
“He failed to mention just how big those changes are, though. He’s never once talked about moving here, Walker.”
“It’s not like you and Mick have ever been that close, though. You talk about Grayson and that’s about it,” I remind her of something she already knows. I have never asked for too many details on what went down with her and Mick but I’ve always had this suspicion that she liked him a little more than she first let on. One night stand or not, Willow was never the type to just jump into bed with someone. And since then, she’s been like me, dedicating her life to Grayson. Only, where I’ve dated here and there, she hasn’t. She said she wanted to focus on him.
“I know. I’m surprised, though. He’s never liked anything about small town living.”
“You had no idea this was happening?”
Her silence proves that she might have had some inclination. “Maybe I had a little bit of an idea.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You say that Mick and I haven’t been close but lately… we’ve been chatting. A little bit more. It started when Grayson began high school. There were just more things happening in his life that Mick needed to be aware of, you know? And then it kind of shifted.”
“Shifted, how?”
“I don’t know exactly. We talk almost every day, though.”
“So he’s not here just for Grayson. He’s here for you.”
“Maybe?”
“Holy shit.”
“That’s kind of what I thought, too.”
“Wow. So, what’s this mean? Where is he staying?”
“I think at first he kind of expected to stay here.”
“Ha! I bet you put the squash on that one.”
She’s quiet and I sit up again. “Willow?”
“I considered it,” she admits.
“You like him.”
>
“Kinda?”
“Holy shit,” I say again.
“I know. Anyway, I told him we needed to figure something else out for tonight. Maybe he can stay with you?” she asks, hopeful.
“Ellie’s staying with me tonight.”
“Well, well, well. Seems as though someone’s taking advantage of the change of plans for the weekend.”
“Yeah, you could say that.”
“So things are going well, I take it?”
“We love each other.”
She gasps and I grin. “O.M.G. my brother’s in love!”
“Don’t say O.M.G.—it sounds weird.”
“I don’t care,” she sings. “You’re in love.”
“I am. Anyway, what do you think about Mick staying at Miss Polly’s tonight since Ellie won’t be there? It would do him good to spend a little time with her anyway. If he’s going to move here and try starting something with you, he needs to know the whole package he’s getting.”
I see Ellie walk out the front door, Miss Polly coming to stand in the doorway, a bright smile on her face.
“I don’t know,” she hedges.
“Let me call you right back. I’m here now getting some of Ellie’s things.”
“Okay. Just… don’t let on anything about us, okay? It’s new and we haven’t even talked to Grayson about it.”
“Got it. And it’s probably good you haven’t said anything to him yet. It’s new, right? You need to make sure it’s for real this time.” My words might sound harsh, but she’s my twin sister, she knows I mean well.
“You’re right,” she says, determination in her voice.
“Call you soon.”
I hang up and open the door, grabbing Ellie’s bag from her.
“You’re taking her away from me already, huh?” Miss Polly says from her place on the porch.
“How about a trade?”
“I’m listening.”
I chuckle. “Mick’s in town. Needs a place to stay tonight until they figure out where he’s going to stay after tonight.”
“Why would he need to figure it out?” she asks. She’s never been Mick’s biggest fan. Sure, she loves him because he brought us Grayson and it’s not as if he’s been a completely absentee father, but she expects more out of him. Truthfully, I think we all did.
All I Need Page 22
