“That was...” she started, then drew in a shuddering breath.
For one horrible second, Walker felt a sharp stab of fear. Then Charlie smiled. “That was exactly what I needed.”
He choked. Dropped his forehead to hers. Then he laughed. “Damn. You ever tried a turn on the rodeo circuit? I don’t think I could’ve thrown you if I’d tried.”
“Were you trying?”
“Ha. No.” He kissed her nose before he collapsed next to her on the bed and slipped off the condom. “Jesus, I needed that more than you could know.”
“Yeah? Then I’m happy I could help.” She turned on her side and laid her hand over his chest.
Walker pulled her closer until her whole body was warm against his. “I’m not feeling one iota of stress right now, I can tell you that. You’re a miracle worker.”
She petted his chest. “Is it the job hunt?”
He hesitated for a long moment, trying to decide if he should tell her. But he was too damn relaxed to lie. “Yes. And I saw my dad today.”
“Oh. You don’t get along?”
“We get along fine now that he can’t remember how much he hates my guts.”
“Walker!” Charlie sat up and slapped his shoulder.
“I’m serious,” he said, though his seriousness was awfully challenged by the sight of her bare breasts.
“No one has ever hated you,” she said, shaking her head and giving him another slap. “Ever.”
“You are so wrong about that. But it doesn’t matter anymore. Alzheimer’s.”
“I’m sorry.”
He tugged her back down. “Just lie with me. It feels nice. Anyway, I got to see my brother, and that’s always good.”
“I don’t think I knew him.”
“He was a couple of grades behind.”
“Is he a big strong cowboy like you?”
“No. He’s a big, strong, medical-systems expert who lives with his husband in Seattle.”
She sat up again. “Are you kidding me?” Her eyes went wide.
Walker braced himself for a judgment he hadn’t expected from her. Other cowboys, sure. That kind of shit he could handle. But not from her. He felt a little of his happy warmth fading away.
Charlie shook her head. “I can’t believe this. Walker Pearce’s little brother is married and settled down?”
“He...” Relieved laughter shook through him. “Yeah. Hard to believe, huh?”
“Impossible.” She smoothed a hand over his beard. When her fingers crossed his mouth, he kissed them. “You’re close to him?”
He shrugged. “He’s my little brother. I’d do anything for him.”
“That’s so sweet.”
“He’s a good guy. Reminds me of you, actually. He’s really smart and always in charge. He knows where he’s going in life and won’t let anyone stop him. In other words, he’s nothing like me.”
Charlie’s brow crinkled. Her lips parted, but she didn’t say a word. What could she say? Oh, Walker, you know you’re smart and ambitious, too. Yeah. Right.
He slipped a hand behind her neck to tug her down for a kiss. “Did I mention how much I needed that?”
“Well, I’m glad I was here, then.”
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
She laughed against his mouth and trailed her hand through his chest hair. “It’s okay, Walker. I know you’re not my boyfriend. But, God, I hope you’ll drop by and use me for a little stress relief again soon. Because...that was good. Really good.”
His conscience twinged a little at Charlie Allington calling herself his sexual stress relief, but male pride won out and he smiled at her review of the performance. “When did you get so wild, Charlie?”
“Oh, you know. It took a few years. Practice makes perfect.”
“It damn sure does,” he murmured, kissing her again.
Giggling, she slid off him and curled under the covers.
“Can I have some of the blanket?” he asked.
“I suppose. But then I won’t be able to look at you.” Her hand slipped up his hip and belly and traced one nipple as he watched.
“But I’m cold.”
“Oh? How cold?” Before he could answer, she leaned close to trace his other nipple with her tongue.
Walker shivered as goose bumps chased across his chest. “Not that cold.”
“Mm. Good. I like touching you.”
Another goofy smile spread over his face.
“You’re so furry. And big.”
“Yeah?”
“Oh...” Her hand trailed down, following the line of hair from his chest to his groin. Then she slowly, carefully wrapped her hand around his cock. “Yes. Definitely.”
He couldn’t believe it when he felt his cock swelling in her hold. That was a fast recovery even for him. “Shit, Charlie. Look what you’ve done now. You trying to kill me?”
“Aw. I’m sorry. Want me to stop?” When she let him go, he grabbed her hand and wrapped her fingers back around him.
“Not yet. I’m still worried about that job hunt, after all. I’ve still got all this stress...”
They both watched as his cock stretched under her fingers.
She squeezed him. “Is there a way I can make it better?” she cooed.
Walker groaned at her teasing words and the tight grip of her hand. “Let me think about it. In the meantime...” He kept his hand curved around hers and worked it up and down. Slowly. “Just like that, Charlie.”
He was going to go to hell for this, surely. For working sweet Charlie Allington’s fist over his cock. For fucking her. And for wanting to fuck her again. But damn if he wasn’t going to enjoy the downhill trip.
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHARLIE HEARD THE shower turn on in Walker’s apartment and smiled at the thought of the last time she’d heard it. Had that only been last night? It felt like weeks ago. She was a changed woman, after all. Or at least a very sore, happy woman.
Her smile turned into full-on laughter at the memory of Walker’s boyishly pleased grin when he’d made her scream like a climaxing banshee. God, he was so damn adorable.
She reached for her hair dryer and round brush. Normally she let her natural waves fly, but if she was going to go on a postcoital date with Walker, she wanted her hair shiny and flowing around her shoulders. She wanted him entranced. He’d already come twice, so she couldn’t rely on his lust to make her seem beautiful. She’d have to put in the hard prep work.
Her two orgasms had calmed her restless mind considerably, and as the dryer droned in her ear, melancholy thoughts dogged her. Walker hadn’t just given her his body. He’d exposed more vulnerabilities.
He’d said he’d been stressed, and she believed him. He’d seemed...different today. More sexually aggressive. Less flirtatious. More intense. The time with his father had shaken him, and he really had needed that release.
He’d shaken her, too, in several ways.
First, that had definitely been the best first-time sex she’d ever had. Holy cow, had it been the best. Yes, Walker was well endowed. In fact, he was probably the biggest she’d ever had, but that wasn’t why it had been so good. Or not the only reason anyway. It had just been so hot. And fun. And comfortable. And intense.
She couldn’t quite figure out how those things all fit together, but maybe it was just Walker’s special gift. Maybe he made all the girls feel that way.
Charlie winced. She didn’t want to be jealous over him. She couldn’t be jealous over him if she wanted to hold on to her sanity. She’d known that after the first hour she’d ever spent tutoring him.
God, he’d made her feel special and so cute back then, the way he’d smiled at her with those crinkly eyes and teased her about being so smart. She’d known him, of course. Everyone had known Walker in high school. But they hadn’t run in the same circles and hadn’t taken the same classes. He’d been the big man on campus. Not in the star football player sense, but in the sense that a hundred people said hi to him each ti
me he walked down the hall. And Walker had a friendly response for every single greeting, no matter who the person was.
Walker smiled at everyone, but for a few minutes on that first day in the library, a tiny hope had flamed to life in Charlie’s aching chest. That his eyes crinkled just a bit more for her. That his teasing touches meant he’d only been waiting for the chance to meet her.
Thank God the homecoming queen had come over and propped her hip on the table right in front of Charlie that day. Thank God Charlie had watched Walker lean forward and whisper something naughty enough to make the girl blush. Charlie’s fantasy was stomped out and dead before it could grow. A mercy killing. Quick and kind. Because if she hadn’t seen the light that day, she would’ve fallen head over heels in love with him. He’d told her constantly how amazing she was. How much he admired her. Even now her chest felt tight and warm at the memory.
She couldn’t fall in love with him. She wouldn’t. And she wouldn’t be jealous, either.
But she really, truly wished she’d never seen his ex-lover. Nicole was blonde and curvy and sophisticated, and Charlie didn’t want that woman’s beauty mixed up with her memories of Walker from today. She didn’t want to imagine him doing those things with another woman. Saying the things he’d said. The way he’d said them.
Unfortunately, her only choice was to refuse to imagine them. Because he’d done them to other women. He’d been doing those things since high school. He’d likely done them to that homecoming queen, as well. All Charlie could do was be glad for the knowledge he’d racked up. Because he’d racked up plenty.
But it wasn’t just the sex that had shaken her. He’d insulted himself again, in ways that truly disturbed her. Walker wasn’t stupid. Emotionally, he was a masterpiece. Like the way he’d made everyone around him feel good in high school. The jocks and cowboys and nerds and goths. Even the teachers he’d frustrated with his lack of effort. They’d loved him and they’d gotten frustrated because they’d wanted him to succeed.
Stupid people weren’t good with others. They weren’t perceptive and quick to assess any situation. And they damn sure weren’t good at charming women. He’d struggled with his dyslexia his whole life, and he’d compensated for that by applying his intelligence in other ways. But somehow he couldn’t see that.
He also couldn’t see how screwed up Charlie was. He thought she was bright and in charge and capable of taking on the world. She’d deceived him with her promising start all those years ago. Hell, she’d deceived herself, too.
She wasn’t going to take on the world. She’d peaked before thirty, just as her mother had. Maybe by forty Charlie would follow in her mom’s footsteps and be thrice-divorced and working as a convenience-store clerk. And by fifty, desperate to marry another man, any man, because all the money she’d ever made had been spent helping leeches fix their cars or pay off child support. And then a slow, slow descent toward a wretched retirement.
Yeah, that might be her bright future. But Walker still looked at her and saw promise. She couldn’t tell him the truth right now. Maybe later, if she ever managed to get her life back on track. Maybe when she was flying off to Aspen to open another resort. Then she’d tell him about that little bump in the road that was her current life.
But right now...God, right now she just couldn’t. He was the last person who still thought she was amazing.
What she could correct was this ridiculous idea he had that he was a dumb cowboy going nowhere. If he wanted to work with people, that’s what he should do. And if he still had trouble with getting his thoughts down on paper, that problem needed to be addressed. Hot cowboys could be so stubborn sometimes.
Half an hour later when Walker knocked on her door, she was dressed and ready to go. His eyes swept down to take in her tight white tank top and skinny jeans and heeled boots. “Gorgeous,” he said as she grabbed her coat.
“Not bad yourself.” He looked delicious in a tight blue T-shirt and worn jeans.
“You sure you’re going to be able to swing a bat in those heels?”
“Watch me,” she answered with a wink.
His gaze fell to her ass. “Oh, you don’t have to worry about that.”
She took in all the small touches of being on a date with Walker. The way he ushered her in front of him down the stairs and held open the front door and offered his arm for her hand as they walked down the sidewalk.
“Hey!” a shrill voice called, ruining the moment of chivalry. “I guess there’s a fox living in this damn henhouse.”
“Evening, Miss Rayleen,” Walker said as he turned them toward her.
“Are you eating my little chickens, Walker?” the old woman called from the porch of the saloon. When Walker frowned, she broke into a howl of laughter that made Charlie giggle.
He shot her a look of censure.
“I’m sorry! What am I supposed to say? I think you’ve still got feathers in your beard.”
“Good Lord,” he muttered as Rayleen made her way down the stairs and hurried over.
“I’ll be damned,” Rayleen muttered, her eyes sweeping down to Charlie’s hand on his arm. “You two really are doing it, aren’t you?”
“We’re going out,” clarified Walker.
“Oh, I see.” She took the unlit cigarette from her mouth and tucked it behind her ear. “It’s all sunshine and innocence, huh? Walker’s going a-courtin’?”
“Something like that. You know I’m a nice boy, Miss Rayleen.”
“Nice, indeed. Is he as nice as I’ve heard?” she asked Charlie.
Charlie grinned. “I don’t kiss and tell.”
“No? Do you screw and tell? Because I’d like to hear all the details about this big boy.”
Charlie was glad for the support of Walker’s arm at that moment, because she would’ve fallen over laughing if she hadn’t been holding on. Especially when Walker choked out Rayleen’s name on a horrified gasp.
Charlie shook her head. “Walker is—”
“Don’t tell her about it!” he interrupted.
“I wasn’t going to!”
Rayleen hooted. “I knew it! You two are doing the deed. You’ve got good taste, Charlie. A girl after my own heart. Pick the biggest stallion in the barn and break him in.”
“I...” She didn’t know what to say to that. “Okay.”
Rayleen smiled and slipped the cigarette back into the corner of her mouth. “Well...” The cigarette bobbed. “I guess I’ve got my gossip for the day. You kids have fun. And keep it wrapped up, stud.”
Walker just stared, openmouthed, as Rayleen walked back to the saloon.
“Try to get a cock shot, Charlie!” the old woman called over her shoulder.
“Okay!”
Walker’s head whipped around to offer Charlie the same horrified look.
“I’m sorry!” she cried. “I didn’t know what to say!”
“You don’t say okay!”
“Hey, you’re the one who confirmed we were sleeping together. Sheesh. What about my reputation, Walker?”
“Oh, shit.” His shocked expression snapped immediately to concern. “I’m so sorry. I don’t really think she’ll—”
“Walker. I’m just kidding. I don’t care about my reputation, and if anyone else does, they can kiss my ass.”
He watched her for a moment, as if checking to be sure she meant it. Then a slow smile spread over his face. “They might be tempted. It’s a pretty nice ass.”
“Yeah? Well, if you play your cards right, you can have first dibs.”
He slapped her butt and then helped her into his truck. “Come on, then. Let’s get this date started.”
“Didn’t you have another big shiny black truck in high school?”
He climbed in and started the engine. “It’s my vice, I’m embarrassed to say. I’ve never saved up to buy a house, but damn if I don’t always find the money for truck payments.”
“It’s very pretty,” she said, stroking a hand over the glove compartment. Ther
e wasn’t a speck of dust on any of the vinyl that she could see.
“I like pretty things.” He winked at her and tipped his hat.
“Aw. I bet you say that to all the girls.”
“Only the pretty ones.”
Charlie had to laugh at that, because it clearly wasn’t true. He flirted like crazy with even old Rayleen. God. The man was incorrigible. And very sweet.
She was going to have to nail her heart down with railroad spikes to get free of this without any attachment. He reached over to take her hand, and one of the spikes fell over with a dull clunk. Damn it.
A few minutes later, he pulled into a parking space and walked around to open her door. “Mini golf or batting cages?”
“Batting cages,” she scoffed. “Are you trying to get out of it now? Afraid I’ll embarrass you?”
“Ha. I’m afraid you’ll embarrass me when you fall on your ass after you swing and miss.”
She gave him a hard shove, but he didn’t even budge, he just offered her an arrogant smile and tugged her toward the coin machine.
“God, this reminds me of high school,” Charlie said.
“Oh, yeah? Maybe later you’ll let me feel you up in my truck.”
“Maybe. But just a little.”
She kept walking, but he caught her wrist and pulled her back.
“Hey,” he said softly, then leaned in to kiss her. Very slowly. Very sweetly.
Charlie’s pulse fluttered. “What was that for?” she asked when he raised his head.
He cleared his throat. “I just thought I’d get it over with early. Get the nervousness out of the way. It’s our first date.”
Charlie burst into laughter. “Oh, Walker. I can’t believe you said that with a straight face.”
“Fine, then. I wanted to kiss you. All right?”
“Yes, all right. But you don’t have to seduce me, you know. I’m already putting out.”
“But could you put out more?”
This time Charlie tugged him down for a kiss. “Yes,” she said against his mouth. “But I should be clear...I need this to be exclusive, Walker. Just while we’re doing this. That’s all.”
So Tough to Tame Page 14
