“He’s moving to Liberty.”
“Grayson’s dad is here?” Ellie asks, shock evident in her voice.
“He is.” I nod, looking at her.
“Wow. So that’s why Grayson was going to be at Willow’s all weekend, huh?”
“That would be why.” I turn back to Polly. “I know he’s not your favorite but it sounds like he’s going to be here for a while. Potentially permanently. I need another day with Ellie. I’m not ready to give her back to you, yet, but Willow doesn’t feel like he should stay at her place with Grayson there. It might give him the wrong impression.”
“Is it the wrong impression, though?” Polly asks. She reads minds. So freaky.
“Honestly, I don’t know and I don’t think Willow does, either.”
She sighs, doing her best to look put out. “I suppose he can stay. I’ve never turned anyone away before and I don’t intend to start now, especially if he’s here to finally step up like he should have fifteen years ago. Besides, look how well it turned out the last time I took in a stray,” she teases, reaching out to hold Ellie’s hand.
We all laugh.
“Thank you, Miss Polly. I owe you one.”
She waves me off. “Oh stop. You know I don’t keep track.”
“Good thing, too. I’d be in a severe deficit.”
Ellie leans over and hugs Miss Polly. “I’ll see you tomorrow night, okay?”
“You will?” I ask, raising my eyebrows at Ellie but she ignores me.
“Oh stop. You’re so selfish,” Miss Polly says, glaring at me. “You can give up one night with her.”
“I can’t help it. She’s easy to be selfish with.”
“Well, all this love is nice but I think it’s time for us to get back to Walker’s.”
“See? She can’t get enough, either.”
“Walker… so embarrassing,” she whispers.
“Yet, you love me.”
“I do.”
Miss Polly takes on a dreamy look and she reaches out to hug me. “Sounds like you’re planning to be more selfish in the future with our Ellie.”
“Damn straight.”
“AGGH!”
I feel Walker smile against my skin and I squirm beneath him. The whole sleeping naked together thing has its benefits. The sleeplessness is so worth it, too. Just knowing the other is under the sheets without clothes on seems to wake us both up out of a sound sleep, anxious to get our fill. Though, I’m not sure either of us will ever have enough.
“Damn, Walker, I love how you know my body.”
He groans, loving my words just as much as I love the truth of them. His tongue swipes against my center, plunging two fingers inside me then he moves slightly, sucking on the most sensitive part of me.
He’s already learned that it takes me longer in the morning, especially after coming so many times over the past forty-eight hours but it doesn’t seem to bother him, rather, it appears he’s quite enjoying himself.
Best.
Wakeup.
Ever.
I know he feels my orgasm cresting. His fingers curl and the suction becomes just a touch harder. I cry out his name along with a string of unintelligible words that even I don’t understand.
He kisses his way up my body, his hard on rubbing against my skin in the process.
“You make it easy, Ellie girl.”
“What?”
“To know your body. To love you.”
“Isn’t that a country song?”
He barks out a laugh but it quickly dies when he lines himself up with my center, stroking against me, my wetness making him glisten.
We both look down at where we’re connected. Our gazes fixed, breaths heavy.
“I love watching you take me.”
“I love taking you,” I tell him, wrapping my legs around his waist and hooking my ankles together. He buries his head in my neck and I curl my fingers around his.
He’s inside me and I still don’t feel like we’re close enough.
I tighten my legs and he grunts, “I know. I know,” he says, reading my body language. “It’ll never be enough.”
“Never,” I moan.
The sound of our lovemaking breaks through the quiet of his bedroom. The flimsy curtains blow in the light breeze coming through the open window and I’m grateful he lives in a secluded area.
His tongue snakes out against the sensitive skin on my neck and he drives into me in a punishing rhythm. We come together, both of us groaning loudly.
“Fuck I wish every day was Sunday and we could have a repeat of yesterday.”
My head is still up in the clouds so I can’t find it in me to begin to understand what he means. “What?”
“I think I could die happy right here. Never moving from this spot. Just wrapped up in the sheets, losing sleep together.”
“Wow, did you have some country music osmosis going on while we were asleep?”
He laughs. “You caught that, huh?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“At least I know we have the same taste in music.”
“Definitely.”
“Want to get cleaned up?”
I don’t. That would mean I’ll lose him. But I also don’t want the mess so instead I reluctantly nod my head, shimmying out of bed before going to the bathroom.
Walker joins me in the bathroom, after he hears the toilet flush, in all his naked glory. His body is like a work of art. The tattoos on his right bicep so beautiful, it makes me sad that I never took the time over the weekend to really inspect it.
“You’re beautiful,” I murmur.
“So are you,” he replies instantly, turning the water on in the shower. “Join me? I promise to be on my best behavior but I need a little more of you and me before our solitude is interrupted by the rest of the world. It was bad enough that I had to share you for almost thirty minutes yesterday.”
He gets into his big tiled shower. The spray already causing steam to fill the bathroom. I move from my place at the sink where I had just been washing my hands and stand next to the shower. “I needed clothes, Walker. That can hardly be helped. Besides, I gave you an option.”
“A sucky one,” he tells me, pulling me against his already wet body.
I squeal but don’t fight it. Who would? All his country music quoting earlier was spot on. I’d willingly stay wrapped up in his sheets, losing sleep with him for the rest of my life.
“I love you,” I tell him through a smile, kissing his slick chest.
“I love you,” he replies, tipping my head back to take my mouth in his.
True to his word, he’s on his best behavior while we shower.
But when I drop to my knees in front of him, any manners vanish like the steam in the air.
“Damn, Ellie, your lips look so good wrapped around me,” he growls, tightening his hold on the back of my hair.
I moan, his words a direct shot to my core.
I use my hand, squeezing lightly while pumping up and down what doesn’t fit in my mouth. Before he can finish, I’m up on my feet, back pressed against the wall of the shower as he drives into me.
He reminds me I’m his.
That I was made for him.
That he’s never letting me go.
That he loves me.
The water turns cold before we climb out of the shower to get ready for our day, but all it does is cool our heated skin.
“I can’t believe we made it through the day without mauling each other,” he says into my ear as we leave the clinic. His arm is wrapped around my shoulder while he guides us to his pickup.
No one commented that I showed up to work with him or that my own car wasn’t in the parking lot. Even when he kissed the top of my head in front of a couple of the staff, they didn’t seem surprised. In fact, one of them just said “about time” and that was the end of it. It seemed too easy. But then, that’s what I’m finding with Walker. Everything is easy. I almost keep waiting for the shoe to drop but that’s j
ust the past not entirely releasing its hold on me.
“It was a real struggle.” I nod my head.
“So I’ll drop you at Miss Polly’s and you can get a few things then come over to my place?”
“Can’t live without me for an evening, right?” I tease, but I’m in total agreement. The thought of sleeping without him leaves me with a sour stomach.
“Nope,” he says, opening my door for me to hop into his pickup. I wince as I sit down, my body deliciously sore from the sex marathon that was the weekend. “Sore?” he asks.
“A little,” I admit and I swear his chest inflates. “You seem happy about that.”
“That you’re hurting? No. That I’m the reason, though, does make me feel pretty damn good. I might be thirty-five but it’s like he’s,” he nods to his crotch, “a teenager again.”
“It’s probably from a little blue pill,” I tease.
He yanks me so I’m pressed against him and grinds against my thigh. “You think I need a pill to make this happen? Fuck that, Ellie girl. It’s all you. It’s what you do to me.”
By the time he places me in my seat, I’m dizzy.
A feeling of contentment I’ve never felt before settling into my bones and I smile the entire way back to Polly’s house.
When he parks next to my car, he leans over the console and kisses me, his hands threading through my hair.
“Hurry,” he demands.
“I will.”
He swallows hard, eyes drifting to my mouth. “Love you.”
“Love you.”
I’m barely through the door when Miss Polly is all over me, asking question after question. I was concerned that she’d be upset with me for spending the night with Walker but she’s far from it. After I give her the PG version of our weekend over a cup of coffee at the kitchen table, she asks me what our plans are, if I’m going to move in with him soon or if we’re getting married, giving her grandchildren.
I’m glad I’m sitting down when she asks.
“You’re like a daughter to me and Walker is like a son to me. Of course they’ll be my grandchildren,” she explains.
I swallow hard and nod.
“I’m so thrilled, Ellie. I saw the way he looked at you and knew he wouldn’t let you go. You both deserve this happiness.”
“He does make me happy. I hope I do that for him, too.”
“Oh honey. You have nothing to worry about there. He’s happier than I’ve ever seen him before.”
“Linda said the same thing.”
“She’s a smart woman. Aside from Willow and myself, she’s the only one who knows Walker best. Well, that is, until you came along. I suspect that you know him a little better than the rest of us.” She winks and I flush.
“Miss Polly!” I admonish.
“Oh stop. I might be old but it’s not like I forgot what being in love with someone means. And I’m not blind. Walker’s a catch—even if he’s like a son to me. I can still recognize that the boy is handsome. And by the way he can barely keep his hands off you, I’d guess he’s fun between the sheets.”
Gross. “I think I’d like you to stop talking now.”
“So then tell me, what is the plan?”
“We haven’t really discussed it.”
“Too busy doing other things with your mouths, huh?” I gag and she giggles. “I’m just teasing you. I’ll stop now.” She holds up three fingers like she’s a boy scout. She’s hardly honorable at the moment.
“Well, I’m spending the night tonight again. Grayson texted Walker this afternoon and said he’d be at his moms for a while and Walker’s made it clear he likes me there. Does that bother you, though? I love being here with you, you know?”
“I know you do, hon. But it’s okay. I knew this was coming. I’ve lived in this big house by myself for a long time now. Who knows? Maybe I’ll just have Bert from down the street over for dinner,” she waggles her eyebrows and my eyes widen.
“Miss Polly,” I say and her eyes twinkle. “Are you… dating him?”
“Dating is such a kind way of saying what we’re doing,” she laughs when she sees the look of horror on my face.
“You promised.”
“No, I promised you that I’d stop talking about you and Walker that way. I can’t help it that I’ve still got it going on.” She shimmies in her seat a little bit and I chuckle.
This woman is something else.
“Well, enjoy… that.” I get up from the table and rinse my coffee mug out before putting it in the dishwasher.
“I’ll be here tomorrow night,” I tell her.
“Don’t make promises Walker won’t let you keep.”
“He’s not the boss of me.”
“Oh I bet you like it when he bosses you, though.”
“Oh my gosh! Would you stop?”
I cover my ears but still can hear her cackling as I race up the stairs to the safety of my bedroom.
I shoot off a quick text to Walker.
Me: You could have warned me that Miss Polly is off her rocker.
Walker: Oh no. What’d she say?
Me: What didn’t she say? I’m scarred for life.
Walker: She mention Bert?
Me: Yes. Among other things.
Walker: **sends eek face emoji**
Me: **sends throwing up emoji**
Walker: LOLOL
I fill my bag with some new clothes, and a few other items. I hadn’t brought Fred with me when he asked yesterday. I got a stern talking to about not following directions and as much fun as that was, I think this will be even more so.
I cover it with the hoodie I packed. The evenings are getting a little colder, hoping that maybe we can go for an evening walk with Brutus tonight, and head to the bathroom to grab a few more toiletries that I had forgotten in my haste to pack yesterday.
I open up the drawer I keep my hair straightener in and grab it, wrapping the cord around the wand. I’ve just gotten it wrapped up when something catches my eye on the counter.
My breath catches, wondering where in the world the object could have come from.
I place the straightener down on the counter and look around, wondering if my eyes are playing tricks on me.
With unsteady hands, I reach for the watch then yank my hand back, as if it’s about to strike me. I flee from the bathroom, throw my straightener in my bag and sit on the bed, tucking my knees against my chest as I rock back and forth.
I turn my head, glaring at the bathroom across the hall.
“It can’t be his watch,” I tell myself.
Sucking in a breath, I stand up, smoothing my shirt down. My palms are sweating and hands are shaking but I know I have to go check it out. See if I was just losing my mind, which seems like a far superior alternative than what I fear is the truth.
I stand in the doorway of the bathroom, staring at the watch still sitting on the counter.
With slow steps, I make my way to the counter and lift the watch, blowing out a breath before I turn it over.
Tears cloud my vision as I read the inscription:
To Michael
You healed time’s wounds
I drop the watch onto the bath mat below my feet and shake my head.
How can Michael’s watch be here? This makes no sense.
I spin around when I hear voices.
“I think I left it in the bathroom. I really can’t thank you enough for letting me stay here with you while we sort things out.”
I know that voice.
Michael and Miss Polly come into view.
“Ellie? Oh my goodness, are you okay? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”
“It appears I have,” I say in a whisper, not taking my eyes off Michael’s equally shocked face.
“Elle.” I haven’t heard his voice or seen his face since I told him the wedding was off. That I couldn’t trust him with my heart if he couldn’t keep it in his pants.
Finding my voice, I speak the only question on my mind. “What�
��” I swallow hard before I can talk again, “What are you doing here?”
“You know Mick?” Miss Polly asks.
Mick.
Of course he’s Mick.
Fuck. My. Life.
“WALKER, HONEY. YOU NEED TO get back here. Now,” Polly says urgently through the phone.
I was just about to order a pizza for tonight, not wanting to waste any time I have with Ellie on standing around the stove. “What’s wrong? Is it Ellie?”
“I can’t explain over the phone but you need to come here.”
Nothing about this is easing my mind as I rush out to my pickup. My heart is racing as I speed down the roads, not having a clue what I’m going to find when I get to Polly’s. My irrational fear is that Ellie’s had time to think and isn’t sure if she can actually trust me and is packing her shit to leave.
It can’t happen.
I won’t let it.
She’s my everything, my future.
I slam the pickup into park along the road in front of Polly’s house, another vehicle parked in the driveway next to Ellie’s car.
It’s not Gary’s, so at least I know he didn’t come find her and freak her out.
I look closer and see the North Carolina license plates.
Mick.
Still nothing to be concerned with.
But then…
I open the door to hear Polly’s whimpering cries and Ellie shouting.
“You ass,” she hisses. “I can’t believe you lied to them all these years!”
“I didn’t lie, Elle. I used my nickname. The one that everyone but you has called me for years.”
“No. You never once went by Mick when we were together. Your family called you Michael, too.”
“Are we really standing here arguing over my name?”
Silence takes over as I come into the living room. Three sets of eyes turn to me but there’s only one set I’m worried about. Her bright blue eyes are shining with tears, redness blotches her cheeks from crying.
“What’s going on?”
“Walker,” Miss Polly starts, “This is Michael.”
“Michael. You’re…” I swallow, “You’re Ellie’s ex?”
Mick looks at me with eyes full of sadness and I don’t know what I want to do first. Punch him in the gut, wrap Ellie in my arms, pull my hair out.
All I Need Page 23
