Chapter Forty-Five
Gabi
An hour later, at the local bar – The Loch, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels – Walker was looking better.
Gabi had let everyone know that he was fine and promised to fill them all in later.
He had colour back in his cheeks and seemed to be starving hungry.
She’d found them a seat in a corner and in between sips of Irn-Bru and bites of pie, he told her everything.
How coming back and facing his own fear had helped to unlock it.
‘I can see it all so clearly now,’ he said. ‘My guilt had skewed the truth of how it happened. I had it all twisted.’
He looked like a load had been lifted from his shoulders. By the time the meal was finished, he had talked it out, and she could see that he had begun to let the past go.
‘It was my idea in the first place, but then I changed my mind,’ he said. ‘And I tried, really tried, to keep Murray safe.’
‘I’m sure you did, Walker,’ she said. ‘Because that’s what you always do.’
‘But I always thought that was a reaction to what happened to Murray,’ Walker confessed, but Gabi shook her head.
‘I think that it’s you,’ Gabi said. ‘You are the most caring person I’ve ever met, and I think you were probably like that before Murray’s accident, not just afterwards.’
Walker blinked as he took that in, but looked doubtful.
‘I honestly think it’s the way you’re made,’ Gabi continued. ‘You want to make everything okay, to help everyone, to make life easier if you can. And that’s really special.’
Walker stared at her and she could feel the heat in her face. But she meant every word. And she wanted him to believe in himself and see himself as she did. Because he was amazing.
‘I’m sorry about your friend.’ Gabi reached across the table to squeeze his hand, suddenly wanting more contact. ‘I really am.’
He squeezed her hand in return and she knew it was time to say what she needed to say.
She swallowed, glancing down at the old, dented wooden table between them before forcing herself to meet his gaze. ‘And I owe you a proper apology too. I’m sorry about the things I said to you.’ Walker considered her for a moment.
‘That’s okay,’ he said. ‘I said some pretty harsh things too.’
She felt the relief in her shoulders and broke into a smile. ‘Friends?’ she said, and he nodded.
‘I really am glad you’re okay,’ she said, suddenly leaning forwards to hug him again. Her arms wrapped his shoulders and she pressed her face into his neck, happy when she felt his arms encircle her too and squeeze.
‘I can’t believe you got a taxi.’ He laughed as they separated.
‘Best fare of his life, he said.’ Gabi laughed too.
‘I’ll drive us back,’ Walker said, stretching. She could see the toll of the last few days on his face and was glad when he added, ‘But maybe not today.’ He rolled his shoulders. ‘If that’s okay with you?’
Gabi pretended to think about it. ‘Well, with my extremely hectic schedule in Honeybridge, I might just be able to manage a day or two away.’ She sipped her drink. ‘And I’ve never been to Scotland before.’
Walker’s eyes lit up.
‘You’re joking?’ She shook her head and he beamed. ‘Then we should definitely stay. I can show you around while we’re here.’
‘Sounds like fun,’ Gabi said, trying to ignore the immediate dirty thoughts that sprang to mind.
‘Let me get some proper drinks,’ Walker said, ‘and we can make a plan.’
He returned a moment later with a beer, a glass of wine and a questioning expression.
‘They have a room here that we can have for the next couple of days . . .’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘But it’s only got a double bed.’
Gabi sipped her wine coolly, unable to believe her luck.
‘Well, we are friends . . .’ she said, twiddling the wine glass languidly between her fingers and letting her eyes toy with his. ‘So, I suppose we could add the benefits?’
Walker stood immediately, a grin lighting his face. He picked Gabi up in one arm, and her bags in the other, leaving their drinks virtually untouched and her crutches forgotten in the corner as he headed up the stairs.
Upstairs, the room was freezing. Gabi hadn’t realised how much colder it would be in Scotland, compared to spring in the southeast of England, and was poorly dressed in a thin top and jeans.
She shivered as Walker opened the door to the wide attic room.
An iron-framed bed covered in thick blankets stood in the middle of the room, while a tartan rug covered the majority of the floorboards, but the breeze still whistled through the gaps.
Walker helped her with her bag and then sat her on the bed while he lit the fire. The well-dried kindling burst into life, and he fed it from the stack of logs to keep it burning.
‘No need to worry, miss,’ Walker said in an authoritative voice, ‘I’m a firefighter, you know.’
‘I’ve never had a real fireplace in a bedroom before,’ Gabi said, reaching her hands out towards it and watching the flames dance. It cast a gorgeous light in the early evening dusk. ‘It’s so romantic.’
‘Then we should make the most of it,’ Walker said, his voice lower suddenly, his eyes probing hers.
‘What did you have in mind?’ she asked, biting her lip in anticipation.
He crossed the space between them in two strides and a small exclamation escaped her mouth as he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the rug in front of the fireplace.
He laid her down gently and knelt beside her.
She reached for him and her mouth found his.
She felt his smile even as he kissed her more deeply.
Her arms twined around his neck and they ground against each other. She groaned.
‘Warmer now?’ he asked and she could only moan a reply.
Walker took her top off in one smooth upward movement, uncovering a lacy white bra.
Her nipples were already hard as his thumbs skated across them.
He ripped the lace out of the way and lifted her breasts free.
She threw her head back and offered herself up to him.
He dropped his mouth, kissing and teasing her until she gasped.
Her hands found his cock and she freed him from his jeans. He throbbed in her hands as she stroked the length of him. He tore off his own T-shirt and she crushed their torsos together, her skin rubbing against his, feeling the warmth of his chest against hers.
She watched the concentration on his face as he peeled her jeans down her legs, until he realised the boot was in the way.
‘I’m lying down already,’ she whispered. ‘I can take it off.’
His eyes were intense as he carefully undid the strapping and eased the boot gently from her foot and tossed it aside. The firelight flickered against her pale skin as he held her leg in the air and let his fingers trail down it.
She lay in her underwear, bra askew and his eyes moved over her, top to toe. She shivered but not from the cold.
Walker knelt between her legs and ran his hands over her. His fringe fell against his forehead and his tongue wet his bottom lip. Gabi could hardly breathe with wanting.
‘You sure?’ he asked.
‘Very,’ she said. He pulled her towards him and lifted her good leg up to his chest. He rested the ankle on his shoulder and looked down at her.
He ran his fingers down the strip of material, all that was keeping them apart.
She was wet already, soaking. Gabi arched on the rug as he moved the scrap of fabric to one side, and she threw her head back as he put one finger, then two, inside her.
He ran his fingers to her clit, making her rock against his hands.
He put his fingers inside her again, and she knew she was more than ready.
‘I want you inside me,’ she whispered, feeling his cock hard against her leg.
He held the glistening head against her clit and she watched her own trembling as he brushed it back and forth.
Gabi bucked against him, wanting more. He thrust up and down the length of her clitoris, not losing connection at any time, and she reached up a hand for him, blindly, only wanting to anchor herself.
He crouched over her, still keeping contact with her core, nipping at her breast, biting hard enough to leave a mark, then flicking at the nipple with his tongue.
‘Walker,’ she moaned. ‘Please.’ She couldn’t wait any longer.
He straightened, steadied himself and plunged inside her in one swift move, burying himself to the hilt.
He was like hot iron inside her and she couldn’t get enough.
He withdrew, until he was completely outside of her again and she called for him.
She wanted more. Her control was gone. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he held on to her hips and their bodies found perfect synchronicity, giving what the other needed, taking what they wanted.
He thrust again and again, and when they were both close, he put his thumb on her clit between them and took her over the edge.
Later, when their breathing had calmed, Walker propped the welcome bottle of red wine on the hearth to warm, dragged some blankets from the bed and covered them in front of the fire.
He wrapped one around her shoulders and smoothed it down her back.
Gabi fitted snugly against him and breathed in the peppery spice smell of his skin.
As the fire crackled, shadows danced across the ceiling while the sounds of the pub below came and went.
‘Well, I certainly like Scotland so far,’ Gabi murmured into his chest. He snorted.
‘There’s lots more to do yet,’ he replied and she could hear his smile.
‘Excellent,’ she said, letting her head rest on his shoulder. He adjusted his position slightly.
‘Tell me more about you. I feel like you know so much about the twelve-year-old me. All I really know is that you had a difficult childhood. Do you have any fond memories at all?’ Walker asked and she felt his breath on her shoulder. She thought for a moment.
‘Bike rides,’ she said simply. ‘I always felt so independent, so free. As soon as I learned to ride, it meant I could take myself wherever I wanted to go, as fast as I could, feeling the wind against my skin. I didn’t need anyone else to enjoy it.
It was the start of my love of speed and stunts, what turned me into an adrenaline junkie. ’
‘You started young then,’ he said. ‘With your career.’ She nodded and her agent’s email sitting in her inbox, the thought of her next job, flashed through her mind. She shook her head to clear it. She didn’t need to think about that now.
‘Tell me about growing up here,’ Gabi prompted, wanting to imagine Walker in this place.
She settled against him as he told her about the small local school and of his adventures with Murray: hiking and biking around the loch, fishing and swimming and sailing.
How they would fashion their own rope swings and lose whole afternoons playing hide-and-seek.
And he talked about Murray’s laugh, how he’d laugh so hard that tears used to leak from the corners of his eyes.
Now that he’d come back, Walker could see clearly: it wasn’t just that Murray had died at the loch, he had lived there too.
‘Now I can remember the whole story. Not just the ending,’ Walker said, squeezing Gabi against him. ‘That’s down to you, Gabi. You made me face my fears.’
Gabi noticed that night had fallen outside. It must be late. But she had no desire to sleep.
‘Oh, I’m sure you would have found the courage to face them yourself,’ she said.
‘What, me?’ he teased. ‘The scared little boy?’
She felt herself blush.
‘Ouch,’ she said. ‘It’s official. I’m horrible.’
He chuckled.
‘I don’t think you’re horrible. You were hurt because of the things I said to you.’
Gabi took a deep breath. ‘The thing is, you were right.’
He’d been pretty generous with the home truths he dealt her. Telling her she’d upset Rosie and was shit at relationships. But maybe she’d needed to hear it.
‘Are you going to do something about it then?’ he asked quietly into her hair.
She couldn’t help but smile. Proud of herself. ‘Already have.’ She remembered the way Rosie had forgiven her immediately and pulled her in for a hug.
‘Wow. Speedy work, Ms Tucci.’ Gabi heard the surprise in Walker’s voice.
‘Thank you, Mr McBride.’
‘What did you do?’
‘Apologised to Rosie and took her humble crumble, because I can’t make pie.’
He grinned. ‘And the bit about relationships?’
‘I’m working on it,’ Gabi said. ‘But that’s all I’ll say.’ He held her eye and then nodded. He wasn’t going to push her.
‘I hope it works out for you,’ he said. ‘Really, I do. Because now that I’ve faced my fears, I feel good about myself. I feel more like a man.’
Gabi tilted her face up to his. The glow of the fire lit the orange specks in his hazel eyes.
‘That sounds promising.’ She held his gaze a beat too long, deliberately. The air between them sparked.
‘You think?’ he asked, shifting against her, letting his hands start to move over her body again.
‘Maybe I should test it out for myself?’ she suggested, eyes playing with his. ‘If you feel like a . . . big . . . man . . . ?’
She saw the lift of his mouth in a smile just before she pressed her lips to his.