CHAPTER 7
WALKER
For the last two days all I’ve been able to think about was Morgan. I’m not surprised I’ve become obsessed with my woman, not after spending time with her. Still, the need to see her, the way it consumes me, sometimes takes my breath away. Before she came into my life, the thought of settling down wasn’t abhorrent or anything, but I wasn’t racing toward it.
I can’t imagine not having her in my life now. There’s a desperate need in me to have her in my bed every night. She’s not ready for it, but I can’t help the way I need her.
There has to be a way to get her into my place sooner rather than later. I’ve had some very non-police man like thoughts on the matter and have dismissed every single one. It would go against the man I am to do something completely unhinged to get her to move in.
Maybe I’ll just start moving my stuff into her place without her realizing it. A slow takeover.
But her place doesn’t have a doggie door for Roscoe and mine is a little bigger with two spare bedrooms instead of just her one. Then there’s the fact that she’s renting her place, but I bought mine since I used money from the sale of Dad’s house.
I wanted to be able to move to Wintervale and set down roots immediately instead of the feeling of being lost and untethered following me from Jasper Ridge. I thought buying a home would be a good way to do it. While I was right, it’s posing a small problem for me now.
Over the last two days I’ve been driving past the elementary school periodically. I’m not sure why I thought I’d catch a glimpse of her, but I was hopeful. It hasn’t happened yet, but I know I won’t be able to go another day without seeing her.
My skin feels too tight and itchy, like I’m going through withdrawal. We’ve been texting and have chatted on the phone, but it hasn’t been nearly enough. I need to be able to touch her soft skin and watch her eyes light up when she sees me.
Everything in me has been screaming to invite her over to my place again or show up at hers at all hours of the night, but I also know my woman needed a little time to wrap her head around what is going on between us. I laid a lot at her feet by telling her that she’s mine and hinting at the future I can see so clearly with her.
She’s not the kind of woman to jump into something blindly and with both feet. I can respect it, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it since the beast inside of me, the one needing to be near her, is practically frothing at the mouth.
After cooking for her a few days ago, we spent hours together talking and getting to know each other. I can’t remember a time when I’ve been happier. Everything I learned about Morgan only made me fall deeper under her spell. She’s sweet and caring, giving Roscoe the attention he was begging for, but she’s also smart and intuitive.
Morgan asked a lot of questions about my job, but she didn’t seem scared. Maybe it’s because of Jared or the fact that Wintervale isn’t a crime metropolis, but I’m not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
I’m thrilled she doesn’t seem scared about what I do. In my distant past there were women I dated who thought they wanted to be with an officer, but then couldn’t handle the pressure. Considering I want to move up in the ranks and hopefully will get to the level where I could be called in at any time, I need someone in my life who can understand and respect my job.
It’s important to me.
But as I turn to drive by the school, again, I’m starting to realize that my job isn’t the most important thing to me anymore. It’s been eclipsed by Morgan. Honestly, it never even stood a chance.
It’s just further proof that whoever I had dated in the past weren’t the right woman for me; none of them were mine. If they were then I would have been willing to listen to their concerns about my job and taken it under advisement. Doing so never even crossed my mind because.
With Morgan it’s different. Everything is different.
I perk up when I see Morgan, all bundled up against the chill in the air, walking out of the school and heading toward her car. I pull into the teacher’s parking lot and flick my lights on and off quickly, not wanting to scare her but still get her attention.
Morgan freezes, her blue eyes wide and curious. When I step out of my cruiser, her shoulders relax, and it puts me on edge. I’m standing in front of her after just a few strides.
My gloved hands cup her cheeks, and I get lost in her eyes for a moment. They’re such a special color of blue, reminding me of ice, but there is nothing cold about her eyes. Everything about my woman is warmth and comfort.
When we were hanging out the other day, at some point she looked around my place while biting her lip. I could see the questions written all over her face, but she was hesitant in asking them. I didn’t want her to hold back with me; I never want her to feel she needs to do so.
I prodded her gently, “What’s on your mind, Treasure?”
“You don’t have any holiday decorations up?” She whispered the words like she was speaking to herself more than to me. Curiosity filled her gaze when she looked at me. “Are you against it or is it like a guy thing?”
I chuckled and her pouty lips lifted into a smile as her eyes glazed over a little bit. That hint of lust in her gaze was difficult to ignore because everything in me wanted to rise to the way her eyes were begging me to have her again. I pushed back the response, not because I didn’t want her but because I wanted to enjoy getting to know her just as much as satisfying the passion fizzling between us.
I had to swallow past the lump in my throat with her question. Even though I didn’t want to bring up the pain of the past, I wasn’t about to lie to her or deflect. That’s not the way I wanted to start our relationship.
“I love Christmas, but it lost a lot of its luster since Dad died,” I admitted softly.
Morgan’s face fell and she whispered, “I’m sorry, Walker. I should have realized that.”
“No,” there was an edge to my voice and her eyes snapped to mine, “you never need to apologize for asking me a question. I’ll always be honest with you even when it hurts. I know you didn’t ask maliciously. From the decorations at your place, it’s clear you love the holidays.”
She smiled and nodded, a dreamy look on her face as she looked away like she was peering into the past, “Christmas was always a special time growing up. I might have moved out on my own, but those traditions stuck, I guess. I love all the possibility of the season. And the magic.”
“And the glitter?” I teased her, “I saw a lot of glitter involved with your decorations.”
She giggled softly and nodded. “Glitter is a requirement.”
“Of course it is,” I agreed, my face a mask of seriousness which had us grinning at each other a moment later.
Her voice was tentative, “So, you’re not opposed to decorations?”
The hope in her eyes did me in and I would have agreed to anything with her looking at me like that. “I’m not opposed to decorations. I like them and I know I need to open up to the holidays again. I guess I didn’t have a reason, but if you’re offering to be my Christmas elf,” I wiggled my eyebrows at her, “then I’m game.”
“I’m not dressing up in some sexy elf costume,” she deadpanned, but the way her lips were twitching gave away her amusement.
“We’ll see,” I teased before kissing her, needing to taste her to chase away the ache in my chest that always started whenever I thought about Dad and the traditions that he was always so adamant about when it came to Christmas.
“What are you doing here, Walker?” Morgan’s question is curious and a little suspicious, but I ignore that as she pulls me out of thinking about the time we spent together and the conversation about decorations.
“I missed you, Treasure,” I rasp and her eyes light up.
The need that is always there, even when I’m not with her, takes over and I take her mouth in a kiss which shows her exactly how much I’ve been thinking about her over the last few days. The kiss is possessive with a hint of obsession. Can she taste how much I need her on my tongue?
I hope so. I want her to know. I need her to know.
Morgan moans into my mouth and I slide my tongue against hers. My hands dive into her hair and pull her flush against my body. Even with the coats we’re wearing, I can feel her curves. My cock is begging to take her again right here and now, but it’s a little too cold for that.
And I don’t have nearly enough time to enjoy her while on shift.
“Missed you so damn much,” I murmur against her mouth.
I feel her lips curve into a smile, and she huffs out a small chuckle. “You said that already, Walker,” she teases.
“Because it’s true and I’m not going to hide how I feel about you.”
She pulls back enough to look into my eyes, her gaze searching. I’m not sure what she’s looking for, but I know when she finds it. Her face softens and she presses a soft kiss to my lips.
She may mean for it to be a quick kiss, but I need more. I deepen the kiss, loving the way she melts against me and chases away the chill in the air. Fucking hell, this woman.
My woman.
“Mine,” I growl against her lips before nipping her bottom one.
She looks at me through half-lidded eyes glazed with lust and need. Yeah, I’m not going to be able to go another day without having her in my bed. It’s just not possible.
I pull a key out of my pocket and hold it up between us. Her eyes clear and widen. The way her mouth opens and closes like she’s not sure what to say is cute as hell.
“What?” Her eyebrows pull together and she looks up and me and then at the key only to repeat the movement before clearing her throat. “What is that?”
“It’s a key to my place. You’re leaving work, but I have some more hours on my shift including working a few hours at the Christmas market tonight patrolling. Maybe it’s a lot to ask, maybe it’s too fast, but I don’t give a fuck, Morgan. I want you to be at my place when I get off shift. Can you do that for me?”
Her voice is tinged with awed hope, “You want me at your place?”
“Yeah, Treasure,” I husk, “I want you there, but it’s more than that. I need you there. Not having you in my arms for the last few days has been torture.”
She rolls her eyes and shakes her head before protesting, “It’s only been a few days.”
Even though she’s right, I don’t say anything. I need this and I won’t be backing down. It’s clear she’s considering my demand and I’m more than willing to wait her out.
The humming sound she makes has my dick perking up because the thought of her making the same sound while her lips are wrapped around my length is sexy as fuck. When her eyes light up, I know she’s planning something. I don’t give a flying fuck what she’s planning as long as she’s at my place when I walk through the door.
“Okay, Walker,” she agrees, mischief lighting up her features, “I’ll be at your place when you get home.”
I kiss her again, needing to taste her before we go our separate ways. I’m already pushing the amount of time away from my cruiser. I know it, but I can’t seem to help myself. If there was a call it would come through my radio, but still, I should be on the streets doing my job.
If only tearing myself away from my woman weren’t so difficult.
“Thank you,” I whisper against her lips.
When I pull away from her, it feels like I’m shredding my soul in two. I know it’ll only be for a matter of hours, but that’s too damn long as far as I’m concerned. I open the door to her car and help her in, buckling her up, and kissing her forehead before I step back and close the door.
She doesn’t pull away until I’m safely back in my cruiser. I want to follow her, but I force myself to go the opposite direction.
Just a few more hours and then she’ll be in my arms again.