Barely able to move after her ministrations, he grasped her under her arms and lifted her up, seeing her lust-filled eyes as she licked her lips.
Determined to give back everything she had just given, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her into her bedroom, glad to see she had a queen-size bed. Bending, he jerked the comforter down before laying her gently onto the sheets.
Disappearing between her legs, he licked and sucked her sex, pulling her clit into his mouth until she cried out her own release.
Now, with his cock buried balls-deep inside her sweet body, he propped his weight up off her chest with his forearms planted on either side of her face. She lifted her knees and met him stroke for stroke, her hands running up and down his back. Their eyes never closed, staying focused on each other. The crescendo built, and he heard the gasps slipping through her lips and knew she was close. Angling his hips so that his pelvis hit her clit as he thrust harder and faster, her fingers dug into his shoulders as she cried out his name, and he swore he had never heard anything so sweet in his life. The last few thrusts as her channel clenched onto his sensitive cock, he came again, continuing to plunge deep inside her until every drop was wrung out of his body.
Shifting slightly to the side before he dropped down, his arms shaking with exertion, he rolled, pulling her with him. After a moment, when he could finally catch his breath, he continued rolling to his back, draping her body over his. One hand cupped the back of her head that was laying on his chest, and the other hand moved slowly up and down her spine, over her ass, and back again.
The emotions swirling in the room were so thick they were almost tangible. He wanted to promise her…What? We’ll call and text and see each other once a month on a weekend? His mind raced with a million ways of how to tell her goodbye the next day without it being a true goodbye.
She shifted over him, leaning up and peering down. “At the risk of scaring you off, can I ask what this is between us?”
He chuckled, and her body jiggled as it rested on him. “Jesus, Julie, you’ve just asked the question that I’ve been trying to figure out the answer to.”
Her head nodded up and down slowly, a sigh leaving her lips. “We’ve known each other for such a short time, and every moment of that was in an extreme circumstance. It would be so easy to dismiss what I feel as just exhaustion, or dramatic emotion, or even imagination. But that’s not me, Walker. I’m not some infatuated teenager. I know what I feel for you, and I know it’s real. I don’t have a label for it now, but I don’t need one. You’re in my heart, that I know. What I don’t know is how I’m going to be able to say goodbye to you tomorrow morning knowing that our time together will be over."
Walker stared into the eyes that he had grown to know so well, seeing nothing but honesty looking back at him. Lifting his hands, he thread his fingers into the hair at the side of her head, pulling it away from her face so that he could see her clearly. “Babe, you’ve just managed to put into words everything I was thinking. What I feel for you is real also. What we’ve experienced together may have been extreme, but that doesn’t mean that what’s in my heart is any less real than a couple who’s known each other for a long time. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen after we say goodbye tomorrow, but I’m not willing to let you just walk out of my life.”
Her voice, barely above a whisper, asked, “What are you saying?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted, his gravel voice rough with emotion. “I just know that I want you in my life. Somehow, someway."
Her lips curved into a slow smile, and of all the times he had ever thought she was beautiful, right now, with hope shining in her eyes, she was the most beautiful he had ever seen. Settling her gently by his side, he leaned down and grabbed the sheets and comforter, tucking them up around her. He knew they had a long way to go, finding their way together, working to become a couple. He needed to return back to Lighthouse and she needed to deal with what she had seen in Mexico. As they fell asleep, he vowed to make his way back to Florida just as soon as he could arrange some days off.
As sleep claimed her body and he found himself easing into rest, he pushed all thoughts away from his mind. Nothing else mattered at the moment except for the woman in his arms.
Julie stepped into her apartment the next afternoon and leaned her back against the front door. Swallowing deeply, she closed her eyes, willing her mind to empty. But it was to no avail. The day had been too busy. Too emotional. Too painful.
Images of the day filtered in behind her tightly-squeezed eyes. Waking in her bed with Walker’s large body wrapped around hers had been the most perfect way to start her morning. But knowing it was only one morning had caused her heart to ache. She had looked forward to a time when she could make love with him on a comfortable bed, but the reality was that whether they were on top of a stone pyramid, in the back of a cramped Jeep, or in the water with the jungle all around, it did not matter. Making love with Walker was exquisite no matter where they were.
They had climbed out of bed with the slow movements of two people who knew their time was limited. A long shower together. Breakfast of oatmeal and coffee. And then finally standing at her door as they said goodbye.
She had wanted to memorize the sight of him in her apartment so that when he was gone, she would be able to feel his presence still there. But as they stood at the door, clutched in an embrace, she knew that when he left, her apartment would never feel the same.
With his large hands planted on either side of her face, his rough thumbs moving over her cheeks, he had peered deeply into her eyes before lowering his lips to hers. They had shared kisses of abandon and kisses of deliberation. They had shared the light touching of lips and breath-stealing, nose-bumping, tongues-tangling kisses. But nothing had prepared her for a goodbye kiss.
It was filled with a mixture of hope and sadness. Filled with what they wished could be mixed with what the reality was.
And when he finally lifted his head, touched his forehead to hers and said goodbye, her tears flowed freely. With promises left unsaid, she watched as he walked out the door, not knowing if or when she would ever see him again.
Determined not to fall apart, she left soon after he did and drove to the Daniels’ house. Tiffany’s mother had left a message that they were going to be all together that morning and would love to see her. As she walked into the large, stately home, she was overwhelmed with emotion as her gaze landed on Tiffany, Andrea, and Jackie. Tears and hugs ensued, first by the girls, and then by their parents.
Senator and Mrs. Daniels ushered the gathering into their large, comfortable family room, and as she sat down on the sofa she was immediately surrounded by the girls. Everyone clambered for details of her Mexican escapades, and she gave them an abbreviated version.
Andrea and Jackie’s parents all clucked over her tales while Tiffany’s parents declared they wanted to send a bonus to Hernando for going above and beyond the call of duty when the earthquake hit. She assured them that Hernando and his family were fine, but she would get them his contact information if they would like to provide him with the gift.
“The only thing we missed on our tour was seeing Tulum," Jackie said. “Did you get any pictures?”
Nodding, she pulled out her phone and quickly found the pictures of the ruins by the ocean. Handing her phone over so that the girls could scroll, she said, “It really was beautiful, and I’m so sorry we didn’t get to see it together. I would’ve loved to have heard Hernando’s lectures about it."
The girls had been exclaiming in delight as they looked at the pictures then suddenly grew quiet. The parents were all conversing together, and Julie glanced over in question at Jackie who was still holding her phone. Reaching for it, she saw what had given them pause. It was the selfie that Walker had taken of the two of them alone in their own tropical paradise with the palm trees around, the white sand in the background, and the ruins in the distance.
Glad that the adults’ attention was n
ot on her, she reached for her phone, but could not think of anything to say. All three girls looked at her with a mixture of pleasure and sadness on their faces…the very same emotions that she felt when she was reminded of her time with Walker.
“Now that we’re back home, it almost seems like it didn’t really happen,” Tiffany said softly.
Jackie nodded emphatically, saying, “Yeah. I woke up this morning and wondered if I had dreamed the whole trip.”
Andrea rolled her eyes and held out her slightly sunburned arms. “The only thing I have to do when I think it’s a dream is look at my arms.”
Everyone laughed, but Julie knew what the girls meant. The only problem with her dream was that it was not only mixed with the feelings she had developed for Walker but the sight of a man dying in front of her. Giving herself a quick shake, she plastered a smile on her face.
Standing, she thanked Senator and Mrs. Daniels for offering the chaperone position to her and accepted all the parents’ heartfelt thanks. Hugging the three girls goodbye, she made them promise to write down the memories of their adventures so they could share them with their classmates in the fall.
On the way home, determined to take care of her normal business, she stopped at the post office, pharmacy, and grocery store. As she walked up and down the food aisles pushing her cart, she grabbed items and tossed them in the cart, occasionally wondering if it was something that Walker would like to eat. Standing at the checkout line, she wondered how long it would be before he would no longer invade her every thought. Sighing heavily, she wished that day would never come.
And now, back in her apartment, she sighed once again, feeling lost. Glancing to the side, she saw her bags that Walker had dropped near the door when they came in the day before. Opening the one that contained some clothes, she pulled them all out and tossed them into her dirty clothes hamper. Her personal items went back into the bathroom, and a few of the salvaged pamphlets that she had gathered over the trip landed on her coffee table. Her passport went into the locked file cabinet she kept in her closet, and her wallet was laid by her purse so that she could make the switchover from pesos to dollars.
The last item in her bag was her beautiful planner. Pulling it out, she flipped it open and looked at the plans she had made leading up to the trip, each item carefully marked off when accomplished. She looked at the copious notes she had taken each day, having planned on matching them with the photographs she had taken.
The last several days in her planner were glaringly blank, and yet, had been filled with more than she could have ever written down. The places she and Walker had gone. The things she and Walker had done. The feelings she and Walker had shared.
She dropped the planner on the kitchen counter next to her wallet, no longer wanting to stare at the blank future pages. Not able to continue writing down what she and Walker would be doing together, they lost their appeal.
She put away her groceries, poured a glass of wine, and walked to her sofa. Plopping down with her feet on the coffee table, she sat and sipped her wine. And reminisced. By the time she finished the glass, her cheeks were wet with tears.
29
Walker woke with a jerk, his internal alarm clock having not gone off. Drew and Babs had dropped him off at his apartment once they landed in Maine, having orders from Mace for him to take the rest of the day off. He had been informed that the Keepers would meet first thing the next morning.
At first eschewing the idea of crashing in the early afternoon, he quickly gave up protesting when it appeared Mace would not relinquish. Neither Drew nor Babs said anything to him about Julie on the way home, but he knew they were not stupid. He knew it was obvious that there was something between the two of them that went way beyond the mission and his desire to make sure she was safe.
Sitting up in bed, his forearms resting on his bent knees, he heaved a sigh. He had slept for hours but, with a heavy heart, he did not feel rested.
It was still dark outside, and with a glance at his clock, he knew that dawn was still several hours away. He wondered what Julie was doing. Was she was resting? Hell, is she thinking of me?
Climbing from his bed, he walked through his apartment, once comfortable but now seeming lonely. She had never been in the space, and yet, it felt like it was missing something. Now that he had been in her apartment, he wondered if she still felt him there.
Starting a pot of coffee, he leaned his hip against the counter and scrubbed his hand over his face in disbelief at the trail of his thoughts. Grabbing a cup of the hot, black brew, he walked over to the sofa and sat down, propping his bare feet up on the coffee table.
Snagging his phone from the end table, he scrolled through messages, pondering if he should send one to her. Seeing that he had sent one to her the previous day, he tapped his finger on it to remind himself what it was.
Fuckin’ hell. He stared at the picture of the two of them on the beach at Tulum, having forgotten that after he took the selfie of them, he sent it to her phone. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but loose tendrils were blowing in the breeze from the ocean. If he looked closely, he could see the smattering of freckles across her sun-kissed cheeks. Her eyes, bright and clear, sparkled as she stared toward the camera. And her smile—her fuckin’ gorgeous smile—lit up the screen and filled his vision.
Dropping his phone to the sofa cushion next to him, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back, visions of Julie and memories of their time together slamming into his mind. Finally, when he could take no more, he stood, downed his mug of coffee in a few gulps, and headed to the shower. Needing something to do, he decided to get his day started by going to the Lighthouse compound early.
An hour later, he walked into the house, not surprised to see Marge at the stove fixing breakfast and Horace having a cup of coffee at the kitchen table. He also was not surprised when Marge turned, and as soon as her eyes landed on him, marched directly into his space and gave him a hug.
With a hearty slap on the back, she said, “Good to have you home, Walker.” As she pulled away from him, she looked him in the eye and asked, “You okay?”
She was too perceptive for him to bullshit, so he simply asked, “Drew and Babs been talking?”
Lifting her chin slightly, giving the effect that she was peering down at him even though she was staring up, she said, “I don’t listen to gossip. I’d rather hear it straight from you.”
Horace chuckled, and Walker slid his glance sideways, seeing the older man’s bright eyes pinned on him.
Shaking his head, he said, “It was an interesting mission, but everyone got home safe, so that’s all that matters.”
Marge tapped his chest right over his heart and asked, “And this? Is this safe?”
“I’m not sure,” he said honestly while sighing. “I’ll have to get back to you on that one.”
Marge opened her mouth to speak, but Horace got there first, saying, “Best get to your breakfast, Marge. I think something’s about to burn.” She snapped her mouth shut and hustled over to the stove, leaving Walker to shoot a grateful look toward Horace. With a nod, he headed down the hall toward the elevator. Time to get back to work.
Sitting at the large table in the compound, Walker looked around at his fellow Keepers. He had spent the previous two hours writing up his report on the mission, part of that time spent sitting with Sylvie as they went over the expenses. Drew had already turned in his report, still assessing the repairs on his plane.
Tate and Josh were at one of the computer stations. Clay and Blake were out of the building on their own missions. Bray and Cobb were sitting at the other end of the table, files spread out in front of them. Drew had just gotten off the phone with one of his airplane mechanic contacts, grumbling about the expense as he walked over and sat down next to Walker. Mason and Rank sat on the other side of him.
Leaning back heavily in his chair, he shook his head. “I’ve written up everything Julie said. Drew and Babs were there, and none of our descript
ions give us anything to go on. The best I can come up with is that she witnessed a cartel execution. That’s certainly what it looked like with those who came after us.”
Drew nodded emphatically, agreeing. “I feel like fuckin’ shit, choosing that airstrip, but I didn’t have the right papers to land at the Cancún airport. I tried getting hold of Joseph, my ex-military contact down there, but haven’t heard from him since he first got us that bird in Mérida. I figure Mexico was calling up everybody to try to help with the earthquake victims."
Walker shook his head, looking over at Drew. “Don’t take that on, man. Like always, we go with the best intel that we have at the moment, and then we fuckin’ make it work."
Drew grimaced, continuing, “That lack of intel could’ve gotten Julie ki—"
“I’m fuckin’ serious, man," Walker interrupted, leaning toward Drew. “You and Babs got there before us, and nothing bad had happened. It was just fuckin’ bad luck that Julie went toward the back of the building.”
“He’s right,” Mace pronounced. “Bottom line, you got all four women out safely.”
Nodding, Drew stood from the table and clapped Walker on the shoulder. “You’re right, thanks. I’m going to keep seeing if I can get hold of Joseph, just to make sure he’s all right and hope he got the bird that I left in Mérida. I’d really hate like hell if it was stolen away from him.”
Mace finished reading over Walker’s report before closing the file folder. “I’ll have Babs get this into the computer, along with her and Drew’s reports. I know the way it ended left a bad taste in your mouth, but the mission was successful. All four women were brought home safely in the midst of a lot of fast decisions you two had to make. Good job.”
Drew ambled back over to one of the computer stations, and Walker caught a shared look between Mace and Rank. Throwing his hands up, he said, “Before you ask, I’m fine—"
Walker: Lighthouse Security Investigations Page 16
