Chapter 16
16
Walker
We could have walked back to my place on the ranch, but I drove us so I’d have my truck nearby. The ride was short and quiet and soon enough, I pulled into my driveway.
“Here we are,” I said, more to fill the silence than out of necessity. We stepped out into the night illuminated by an almost-full moon.
“Wow, Walker, it’s beautiful here,” Caroline murmured, her gaze lingering on the expanse of water that stretched out beyond the bungalow.
I chuckled, feeling a lump form in my throat. “Yeah, it’s got its moments.”
My house sat on Anderson Lake, which was really more of a large pond, at the base of the mountain trails. It was my favorite spot on the ranch because it combined all the different ecosystems in one area. The trees, the water, the mountains all butted up against the rolling pastures, creating incredible views from all directions.
I’d helped build the house myself, and I was proud as hell of it. But I found myself buzzing with nerves at showing Caroline my home.
I couldn’t shake the sense of gravity this moment held. I’d brought women back to my place before, but this felt different—like stepping off a ledge without knowing exactly how far you’d fall.
“Come on, I’ll show you around.” My voice was gruffer than I intended, nerves gnawing at my insides.
“Lead the way, cowboy” she teased lightly, but I could hear the undercurrent of anticipation in her tone.
We walked up the wooden steps, the porch creaking a familiar greeting under our feet. I opened the door for her, and she stepped into the dimly lit living room. The scent of pine from the forest outside mingled with the faint hint of last night’s firewood, creating a cozy atmosphere that I usually took for granted.
“Make yourself at home,” I said, watching her take in the worn leather couches and the rustic decor that had belonged to Mama and Dad before they’d replaced them and put ‘em in storage.
“This is really nice, Walker. It feels . . . lived-in. Comfortable,” Caroline observed, her fingers trailing along the back of the couch as she walked past it.
“Thanks,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. It wasn’t just the house that felt lived-in; it was my entire life here. Every corner of this place reminded me of who I was, where I came from, and lately, where I desperately wanted to be headed—the man I needed to become.
“Can I get you something to drink?” I offered, eager to do something with my restless hands.
“Water would be great, thanks.”
I nodded and headed to the kitchen, trying not to overthink the way my heart raced—a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Pouring two glasses of water, I stole a moment to lean against the counter and breathe.
This was Caroline. The girl who’d left Whittier Falls as a shy, bookish teenager and come back as a woman who could probably run circles around me with her smarts. And yet, here she was, in my house, looking at me like I might have something worth offering.
“Here you go,” I said, returning to the living room to hand her the glass.
“Thank you.” Her fingers brushed mine as she took it, sending an unexpected jolt through me.
“Should we sit?” She gestured towards the couch, and I nodded, my mouth suddenly too dry to speak.
Sitting down, I tried to focus on the lake view outside the window, but it was no use. Caroline was right there, close enough that I could count the freckles dusting her cheeks, close enough that I had to remind myself to keep breathing.
“Caroline, I—” I started, unsure what I meant to say, only knowing that I had to say something, anything, to give voice to this swirling storm inside me.
“Is everything okay, Walker?” Her concern was genuine, and it was all I could do not to reach out and?—
“Everything’s fine,” I lied, managing a smile. “Just glad you’re here.”
And that was the truth, the scariest truth of all. Because having Caroline here, in my house, wasn’t like anything I’d experienced before. This was supposed to be fake, but seeing her in my home, in my world, made it all too clear that I’d somehow been developing real feelings for her. Which was not part of the plan, and had become a dangerous distraction .
“Me too,” she said softly, and her smile lit up the dim room more effectively than any lamp could.
The silence stretched between us, thick as molasses in winter. Then Caroline turned to me, her green eyes reflecting the dying light, and dropped a bombshell that ignited the air.
“I want to learn about oral sex.” Her voice was steady, but a blush crept over her fair skin.
I choked on the water I hadn’t realized I’d sipped. “You what?”
“Oral sex,” she repeated, her gaze unwavering. I knew this would come up, that was part of the deal, but the lines had blurred and the idea of her coming right out and saying it made me feel all sorts of confused. Horny, yes. But unsure how to proceed? Also yes. Confused? Extra yes.
“Caroline, you sure?”
“Of course. I need to know how to go down on a man if I want to make him happy sexually, right?”
My dick twitched and hardened at the same time a burning rage shot through my veins. This hypothetical man she was wanting to please had me ready to throw down.
Still, I’d promised her.
“Alright.” I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling the weight of the responsibility she was handing me. “But we set some ground rules first. For starters, you tell me anytime you want to stop, we stop. No questions asked.”
“Of course,” she agreed quickly.
“Secondly, we go slow. We take our time, make sure you’re comfortable every step of the way.”
“Slow sounds perfect,” she murmured.
“Last rule,” I continued, “we talk about what you like, what you don’t. Open communication. Nothin’ happens without your say-so. ”
“Open communication,” she echoed. A smile played on her lips, softening the serious tone of our conversation.
“Got any questions or concerns before we even think about movin’ forward with this?” I asked, my heart pounding a rhythm against my chest.
She shook her head, her eyes alight with trust and something else—anticipation, maybe. “No questions. Just . . . thank you, Walker. For being so understanding. And for being so easy to trust.”
“Of course, darlin’.”
Her hand met mine, fingers interlacing with an assured grip.
With her words as my compass, I leaned in, capturing her lips with mine in a soft kiss. It was gentle, exploratory, as if we were both savoring the taste of promise on each other’s breath.
She reached down and palmed my dick through my jeans, sending a jolt through me. But when she reached for my zipper, I took her hands in mine again and stopped her.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting you out. I can hardly go down on you with your jeans on.”
“Oh hell no. I’m going down on you.”
“No, that’s not what this was about.”
“Fuck yes it is.”
She palmed me again, and I had to breath deep to stop myself from just going with it.
“Look, I know you wanna learn how to do that, but it’s like I said the other night. You need to know and be confident in your own pleasure.”
“I’ve never. I mean, no one has ever . . . ”
“Never what? Never gone down on you?”
She nodded, her cheeks blushing.
“You’re telling me no one has had the pleasure of tasting this sweet pussy? That I’m gonna be the first? Baby, I don’t think you understand what that knowledge is doing to me.”
“Why? I mean, sure, it’ll probably be nice, but it won’t teach me what I need to know.”
By now, I’d abandoned all pretenses of trying to be a good man and take things slow. She needed to get her pussy licked and I needed to be the one to do it. I sucked at her neck, kissed down to her chest, pulling her dress down to reveal her perfect tits so I could kiss them too.
My hands began their journey, tracing the outline of her jaw before drifting down to explore the soft slope of her neck. She tilted her head back, giving me access, a silent invitation to continue. The warmth of her skin seeped into my fingertips, and a surge of protectiveness washed over me. I wanted to make her feel good, but I also couldn’t stop myself from worshiping her.
“Tell me if anything feels wrong,” I murmured against her ear, my breath warm on her skin.
“Everything feels so right,” she whispered back, her hands finding their way to my chest, fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt as if anchoring herself to the moment.
Encouraged, I let my hands roam lower, mapping the contours of her body through the soft cotton of her dress. Every inch of her was a revelation, from the gentle swell of her breasts to the curve of her waist, and I committed each discovery to memory.
Her breathing hitched when I brushed the hem of her dress, my palms skimming along her thighs with purposeful tenderness. The heat radiating from her was intoxicating, drawing me in like a moth to flame, and I reveled in the sensation of her skin, smooth and inviting beneath my touch.
“Okay?” I checked, looking into her eyes for any sign of hesitation .
“More than okay,” she reassured me, and there was a strength in her voice that made me weak at the knees. I dropped down to them and pushed her legs apart, kissing a trail up each thigh.
Her moans of pleasure vibrated through me, and I couldn’t help but touch myself as I worked her.
My other hand reached up to slip into her panties, sliding them to the side. I found her already wet for me, and slipped one finger inside her as I kissed around her clit. The scent of her . . . the taste of her . . . it was all almost too much. I could have come in my damn jeans right there. I stopped touching myself and used that hand to play with her nipples as the other finger-fucked her.
My tongue lapped at her, finding a rhythm that made her shake and call out my name.
As I continued to explore her with my mouth, I felt her body tremble beneath me. I could feel the heat between her legs, and the way her hips bucked against my face. I could tell she was close to coming, and I wanted nothing more than to give her that release.
“Caroline,” I whispered hoarsely, my voice shaking with the intensity of my desire. “Do you want to come?”
She nodded, her eyes wide and full of longing.
I slipped a second, then third finger inside her, feeling her clench around me as I worked my magic, my tongue flicking and teasing at her most sensitive spot.
“Caroline, I’m going to make you come so fucking hard,” I promised, my voice ragged with need. “All over my mouth, baby. I want to drink you in.” I growled.
She whimpered.
“Yes,” she breathed, her hands clutching at my hair as she arched her back, her legs shaking uncontrollably.
I felt her entire body go tense, her breaths ragged as she let out a long, drawn out moan. Her grip tightened on my hair, pulling me closer, and I could feel her juices coating my fingers as she came. Her hips bucked and thrust against my face, her back arching and her legs shaking with the force of her climax.
I held her there, riding out her orgasm, feeling her body tremble and quake beneath me. I continued to kiss and lick her, savoring the taste of her, the sound of her, the feel of her.
When her orgasm subsided, she collapsed back against the couch, breathing heavily. I pulled my fingers out of her and licked them, tasting her and savoring her.
“Are you okay?” I asked her, my heart still racing from the intensity of the experience.
“I’ve never been so okay,” she said with a laugh, her eyes still shut.
“Good.” I said, unable to stop the smirk from taking hold of my lips.
She slowly sat up, bringing her lips to mine and kissing me with a passion I hadn’t expected. Caroline was coming into her own, and it was a sight to behold.
“But now,” she said, grasping my shirt in a tight fist, “I really am going to suck your cock.”