Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
“Thank goodness.” I blow out a breath when we reach the corner where the hotel sits. “Now I remember why I don’t come to town often.”
Walt leads me around the corner to a large truck with a matching black cap. Everything is mat-black and very military looking.
When he uses his thumbprint to unlock it, I gape. “Well, I can see your ride is a few generations and about a hundred-thousand dollars apart from mine.”
“Nothing wrong with a classic. I’ll fix that leak for you, by the way.”
Another surprise from this man. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I want to help you.”
He offers a hand.
I stare at his offered palm, suspiciously.
He waves his fingers inviting me to join him. “Let’s take a drive so we can talk.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you that there could be problems.”
“I’ll deal.”
Strong hands wrap around my waist as Walt easily hoists me into the truck. Just like last night, he buckles me up. Tugging the belt to make sure it’s tightly fastened before he steps back.
The flutters in my muscles return.
Girl, what am I doing?
I can’t believe I got in his vehicle here. Anyone could see us. It’s not smart. My life will only cause more trouble for an innocent man.
“Ready?”
“I think so.”
“Why the nerves, babe?”
Babe.
I swallow, trying to knock my nerves down like I’m playing Whack-A-Mole.
“You wanted a vacation, instead you got sucked into my mess with my father. I need to quit pretending that I’m a normal girl. Like I can just go on a date with anyone.”
His head tilts. An almost smile brightens his eyes. “I see.”
“Wait. This is not a date.”
“Okay. I’m good either way.”
A velvet sword. His voice slices me open, cracking a barrier I didn’t even know I had erected.
Drats. Dammit. Now what have I done?
I blurt, “We’re just going to talk.”
“Was that a question?”
“No. Not a question. It was a statement.”
He grins and closes my door.
Oh my god. Oh. My. God.
I cover my eyes with my hand until the truck sways and his door closes. He smells so good.
I pinch my lips and try like hell not to drag in a big breath of the cool minty scent of him.
For a beat, he taps his fingers on the wheel, then with a shake of his head he starts the engine. He doesn’t look my way when he backs out of the parking space. Instead, he flicks on the sound system.
Heavy metal music comes out of the speakers, making me laugh. “That’s definitely not a radio station around here.”
“That’s on my phone. It’s connected by Bluetooth.” He reaches for the volume knob. “Sorry it was so loud, I was trying to keep myself awake when I was driving.”
His eyes do look tired.
“You didn’t sleep well?”
We’ve yet to talk about my sleep last night, but it feels like we’re both dancing around the subject.
Walt is quiet for a beat. He turns left and drives quickly out of town. “I didn’t get back to Karma until a few hours before I saw you this morning.”
“Oh.”
A slow realization takes root in my mind. Followed by a weird pinching sensation in my chest. “Did you go back to the party?”
He nods.
“Was it still crazy?”
The tendons on his knuckles twitch. “Yeah. Like nothing happened. The remains of the car were still smoking, and they’re dancing and drinking.”
“They go all night, I never stay more than an hour or two, but I’ve heard sometimes it goes into the next night.” I look out the window, my hand rising to my throat. “Which was one reason it surprised me that my father was in town this morning. He must have had something important to do.”
“Your meeting wasn’t planned in advance?”
I sigh and drag my hair over my shoulder. “He called me this morning and said to meet him at Bueno Sol because he needed to talk to me.”
Walt glances at me, but focuses on the road again.
Twisting the end of my ponytail, I frown as I watch the passing scenery. “Anyway, I guess you must be tired if you partied all night.”
He glances over at me, this time his normally serious expression is different. Harder. “That’s one of the things I need to talk to you about.”
My nerves flutter like startled sparrows. “Okay. Talk. We’re alone now.”
After a beat, I think maybe I shouldn't have egged him on because he looks tortured.
“I stayed at your house all night, watching over you.”
What?!?
My hand shoots out and grips the handle above my door. Now I know why they call it the oh-shit handle. I must look like a scared cat right now.
I feel like I’ve been turned around in circles.
“Hey, look at me.”
Calm. His tone is so steady when I’m already hyperventilating.
The inside of my mouth feels like I’ve downed a bag of pretzels without any water. “You were in my house all night?”
“I didn’t want to leave you unprotected after what happened.”
He reaches over to me. When his hand wraps around my forearm—the one I’m gripping the center console—I let out a startled, meep.
“Marianna, take it easy. I promise I just watched over you.”
Mother Mary. He really stayed at my house.
Heart pumping, I hang on as I try to wrap my head around this news.
He stayed at my house all night.
I swallow.
Protecting me.
A spark of light ignites inside my chest. I’ve never felt it before. “Wh-what did you do?”
“I made sure no one came in. I locked up and stood watch, keeping an eye out the windows.”
My voice is shaking. “You walked around my house like a guard all night?”
“Pretty much. I did sit by the front door as well. But I stayed up to make sure you were safe. Vik picked me up at sunrise.”
The spark in my chest is turning warmer and warmer, like someone’s cranking a thermostat knob. “Did you watch me sleeping?”
His throat works. Voice merely a rasp, he says, “I did. You’re beautiful when you sleep.”
I’m floored. My god. Those words do something to me.
He protected me. He watched over me. And I can’t understand why.
“Walt, I’m literally blown away right now. I want to kiss you even though I know this crazy, reckless thing that’s happening right now is just some kind of fluke.”
The truck surges when he hits the brakes. Dust flies up from the gravel on the side of the road. We bounce through a small ditch. A second later we’re stopped on the grass and he’s looking at me.
Really looking at me. Piercing me with his beautiful eyes.
His hands are clutching the wheel so hard his knuckles are blanching.
There’s something wild in his expression. A desperation.
I know because it’s inside of me too.
It takes two attempts for me to unbuckle my belt. My fingertips are shaking. I don’t have time to think. We’re both in motion.
Walt drags me across the center console onto his lap. We’re a tangle of limbs. One of my shoes falls off. My butt hits the horn.
“Oh my lord!”
But a second later, the blushing grin I have on my face vanishes on an exhale.
Oof.
He’s looks like he’s going to devour me in one gulp.
I’ve never had a man look at me the way he’s looking at me…
Completely ravenous.
He licks his lips.The cords of his neck strain as his throat works.His eyes grow even darker with desire.
The combined effect is the single hottest thing I’ve ever seen.
His hands flex on my waist. Spanning me from side to side.
Without a doubt, that motion is the hottest thing I’ve ever felt.
An uncontrollable fire rushes through me, scorching my veins.
Making a rough sound, he presses my knees apart and pulls me forward until I’m spread over him. My core is seated against a thick ridge in his shorts.
“Right there.”
You’re not kidding.
He makes a satisfied sound.
“Oh, Walt. I need…” My voice trails off when he grinds against me because I have no functioning brain cells.
His voice is low, raspy. Velvet and crushed gravel all tumbled together. “What do you need, beautiful?”
I tighten my hands on him. Yes, I’ve gone crazy. Totally, completely nuts because I open my mouth and say, “This. You.”
His hands frame my ribs as he pushes his hips up against me. He clearly knows what this means.
All growly, he looks at my mouth. “Fuck, yeah.”
Heavens. That is hot.
His hands are on the move again, causing me to undulate against him. When he clenches my butt with one hand, my pussy tightens.
But it’s the way his eyes hold mine when he fists my hair and brings my mouth toward his that makes me groan.
My god.
I need this man.
When he brushes his lips across mine it’s controlled chaos. He presses his nose against my cheek and draws in a sharp inhale. “ I couldn’t wait to taste you again.”
I need more. I need all of him. Desperation makes my head spin and thickens my words.“Do it. D-do it. Kiss, me, for the love of god. I can’t wait any longer.”
“I’m going to.”
A raspy promise.
And he does.
He drags me forward roughly, angles my head using the grip he has on my hair and devours me.
Drinks and tastes and nips and plunders.
If I get any hotter, I’ll spontaneously combust.
The way he growls into my mouth doesn’t help. I lose all control of my final ounce of restraint and press my body tighter against his.
And he keeps on kissing me.
This isn’t French kissing. This is him tongue fucking me until I can’t breathe or think.
I never want it to end.
I can’t imagine life without this now.
He inhales sharply.
“ Take me …” I whisper brokenly.
He goes still as stone.
Then he’s bursts into motion, like a stone that’s been catapulted out of a slingshot. Both his hands take control of my head. One clutched around the base of my skull, fisting my hair. The other wrapped around my jaw.
This time he takes my mouth like he owns me.
I’ve never felt possessed.It’s thrilling and terrifying.I love it.
“Yes, yes. I love your hands on me.”
Every demanding thrust of his tongue makes the heat inside me pulse.
The way he’s controlling me. The raging heat coming off his body. All of it is perfect.
“Please, don’t stop touching me.”
“Not a chance.”
With a growl deep in his chest, Walt grinds his cock against me, hands molding me. Handling me like a man who knows how to please.
A man that knows what he wants.
I’m filled with the thrill of danger.It’s alarming and exciting, and completely foreign. Like I could take flight.
He lets me gasp for air, then with shaking hands draws me to him again, pausing with his forehead against mine.
A drop of sweat from his brow crosses my cheek.
“I’m barely in control here, Mari…”
I lean forward this time.
I’ve never done anything so brash, so incredibly wild and reckless in my life. There’s a rushing sound in my ears. Every nerve cell is acutely alive. Nothing outside this truck exists.
Just us.
Only his breath filling my lungs as I bite his lower lip between my teeth.