Chapter 25
DRIFTER
Ihad no idea how we’d made it down the hall, much less into the bedroom, but there I stood, looking into the eyes of the woman who’d completely unraveled me. The pull between us left no question as to what was about to happen. We both knew, and I had no hesitations.
Hell, the mere thought of having her again had me tangled up in ways I couldn’t begin to describe, and the way she was looking up at me with those lust-filled eyes only made me want her more.
“Rae…”
“Yes.”
It was just one word, but it was all I needed.
I crushed my mouth to hers, more demanding than ever before, and she was right there with me, returning every hungry demand with her own. When she opened her mouth, tongue sliding against mine, I reacted on instinct. I pulled her even closer, stealing another moan from her lips.
Fuck me.
She tasted as good as she felt. My hands drifted down her hips and found their way to the waistband of her shorts. She stood perfectly still as I lowered them, along with her white lace panties, down her long legs. With every inch of exposed skin, I could feel the blood surge to my cock.
My voice was strained with need as I whispered, “You have no idea what you do to me.”
She muttered my name as she pulled her T-shirt over her head and dropped it to the floor.
Her eyes remained trained on mine as she reached behind and unclasped her bra, letting it fall loose to the floor.
And just like that, she was standing before me, bare and waiting, and I was hanging on by a thread.
The woman was completely oblivious to her power over me, and it was the best kind of seduction. It was completely different from the hookups I’d had over the past five years, and it was ripping me to shreds.
She was ripping me to shreds.
She was everything I needed, everything I’d been missing, so I didn’t even think about resisting when she reached for the hem of my shirt. I just leaned forward, helping her ease it over my head. I kicked off my jeans, then made quick work of them and my boxers.
She watched with lust-filled eyes as I lay down on the bed next to her. I began to trace the slope of her breast with my fingertips, and goosebumps rose to her flesh. Damn. I loved the feel of her skin against mine.
My mouth moved to her neck, and I began kissing and nipping gently at her soft skin.
A soft whimper vibrated through her chest as I traveled to her collarbone and then her breast. I rolled my tongue around her nipple and watched with satisfaction when she arched her back off the bed, silently pleading for more.
Damn.
The woman was unreasonably perfect.
Hell, everything about her had me burning for more.
I reached down and grabbed a condom from my wallet. I rolled it down my throbbing cock, then eased on top of her. Eager for more, she slipped her legs around my waist, pulling me close.
I raked my throbbing erection against her, and as soon as I felt how warm and wet she was, I nearly lost it. I slid deep inside her, giving her every aching inch of my cock.
Fuck.
She felt too damn good—so warm and wet. “Do you see what you do to me?”
“Walker,” was the only word she could muster.
I slowly withdrew, and a slight hiss slipped through her teeth as I drove into her again and again—each time a bit faster and more unforgiving. Her heels dug into my back as she muttered my name over and over again.
I loved the feeling of her beneath me, but I needed more. I placed my hands on her hips and rolled to my back, positioning her on top with her knees straddling me at my sides. Her eyes fixed on mine as she lowered down on my cock, taking me in deep.
Her eyes clamped shut as she gasped with pleasure. I loved seeing her come apart, knowing I was in complete control as I watched her body respond to my touch. I wanted to hear all of her little gasps and whimpers again and again.
Her nails dug into my back as she gasped, “You feel so good.”
“That’s all you, baby.”
Her thighs tightened as she began to rock against me with a slow and steady pace. I heard my name slip from her lips, making my heart pound as I looked up at her. Damn, she was so fucking beautiful.
There was something oddly disarming about this woman. It brought out my primal need to claim her in every way imaginable. I didn’t think I had it in me to want a woman like this again, but there was no denying it. She’d gotten under my skin, and she’d done it without even trying.
Heat surged through me, adding to the building pressure at the base of my cock. It felt incredible. She felt incredible, but I wanted more. So, I slipped my hand down between her thighs and slid the pad of my thumb over her clit. Her moans filled the room as I brought her closer to her release.
Her muscles quivered as she continued to writhe in slow, silky movements. We were both coming close to the edge. She cried out in pleasure as her head fell back and her body jolted above me, her nails biting into my shoulders as her pace quickened.
I placed my hands on her hips, guiding her into a demanding pace. Panting and breathless, she clamped down around my cock, making me even harder, and muttered my name under her breath. "There she is."
Her body began to tremble with her impending orgasm, and when it finally broke, I couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Fuck!” I roared as my hands went to her hips, holding her firmly in place as I came right along with her.
Moments later, she collapsed on top of me with her head resting on my shoulder for a moment before lowering herself down onto the bed next to me.
I quickly disposed of the condom, then pulled her over to me.
Her breath was still strained as she rested her head on my chest once again and let out a deep breath.
We’d been lying there for several moments when she whispered, “I’m really glad you're thinking about staying.”
I glanced down at her, tracing the lines of my tattoos with the tip of her fingers, like her words hadn’t taken any courage to say.
But something about the way she said it sat heavier than it should have.
I got the feeling she wasn’t talking about Fury or even Little Rock. She was talking about this.
Her and me.
I stared up at the ceiling, and my mind started to wander. I didn’t know how the hell we’d gotten here. Because somewhere between helping her with the boys, the late-night texts, and her smiling every time she looked at me, this woman had gotten to me in a way I hadn’t expected.
And when I mentioned staying, I hadn’t really taken the time to consider what that meant. I thought I had time to figure that all out, so I said, “Me, too.”
“You almost sound like you mean that.”
“A lot to figure out.”
“Like?”
“This place, for starters.” I cleared my throat. “You’re gonna have to help me fix this place up.”
“It’s fine. It just needs a little love.”
“The floor squeaks.”
“You’ll always know when someone’s coming.”
“The bathroom door won’t close.”
She shrugged. “Added ventilation.”
“Paints chipping.”
“Great excuse to pick a new color.”
“I don’t even have a kitchen table.”
“Just a yard sale away.”
“You’re fucking with me, aren’t you?”
“Absolutely.” She giggled. “This house has good bones and lots of character. It wouldn’t take much to make it into a beautiful home.”
“Glad you think so, and thanks for volunteering to make that happen.”
“I didn’t volunteer anything.”
“Nah, I’m pretty sure I heard you say, ‘Walker, please let me spend all my weekends fixing this place up.”
“I think you need to get your hearing checked.”
“I’m thinking the place needs a barn… Maybe a couple of cows.”
“Cows?” Her brows pulled together. “You don’t strike me as a ‘cows’ kind of man.”
“I’m not.” I shrugged. “But your boys would probably get a kick out of having ‘em around, and there’s plenty of room.”
“Yeah, there is.” She let that settle for a bit, then added, “Well, if you’re gonna have a barn and cows, you might as well have a garden.”
“A garden is a lot of work.”
“Yeah, but I’d help.”
“Gonna hold you to that.”
A smile marked her face as she nestled up next to me. She closed her eyes and whispered, “I like this.”
“I do, too, Rae.” I ran my fingers through her hair. “I do, too.”
A few minutes later, her breathing evened out, soft and steady. I continued to toy with her hair, and it wasn’t long before she was completely out. I, on the other hand, was wide fucking awake.
And I needed a fucking cigarette. I remembered I had a pack stashed in my bike, so I eased out of bed, being careful not to wake Raelyn.
I glanced back at Rae, and damn. The sight of her nearly took my breath away.
The sheet had tangled around her waist, and her hair was spread across the pillow, and she couldn’t have looked more beautiful.
I pulled on my boxers and t-shirt, then made my way out of the room. The floor creaked under my weight as I slipped down the hall and out the front door. I went down the steps to my bike and opened my saddlebag, already reaching for the crushed pack I knew was shoved near the bottom.
And then my fingers brushed against something soft.
Everything inside me stopped.
I knew what it was. I would’ve known even if I were drunk, blind, or half-dead. It was his bear. My chest locked up so fast it felt like somebody had driven a knife straight through my chest.
I picked it up and ran the pad of my thumb across its back.
“Jameson.”
His name came out broken and rough. I dropped down on the front porch steps, feeling the weight of my guilt crushing down on me. I couldn’t believe it. I hadn’t thought about him, or her, in days. Maybe even weeks.
The thought hollowed me out. It didn’t even seem possible.
For so long, every breath I took was filled with heartache. I missed them every second of every day, and no matter how far I drove, every road led back to them. Every moment of silence carried echoes of my boy’s laugh and her calling out my name.