Chapter Eight
Walker
Letty tries like hell to avoid me over the next several days, but I do not make it easy for her. When I'm waiting outside her front door to escort her to the kitchen at her usual time that evening, she immediately catches on to my plan.
The next morning, I'm not even halfway to her place when I see her darting across the yard to the mess hall like the hounds of hell are nipping at her heels.
I just chuckle and follow behind her. To my delight, she doesn't tack another sign to her door, banishing me from her space. It's the biggest indication yet that she wants me, even if she is trying to fight it.
When she's busy beating eggs, I pin her against the counter, kissing all over her neck. She melts like butter, whimpering in a way that has my dick desperate for a taste.
I don't try to take it, not yet. I want her to want me the same goddamn way I want her. I want her wild for me. When she is, I'll give her what she's trying so damn hard to pretend she doesn't want. In the meantime, I play dirty, the way only a cowboy can.
I arrive an hour early to escort her to the kitchen for dinner. She looks shocked as hell when she opens the door and finds me already on her porch, leaning against the post.
"I thought you were working," she grumbles.
"I was." I grin, pushing away from the post. "But something told me that you'd be ready to rush off to the kitchen right about now, so here I am."
"Here you are," she agrees. She doesn't sound happy about it, but she can't hide the way she steals glances at me all the way across the yard, either.
Once we're in the kitchen, she immediately goes to work. I try to help, but I think I'm mostly in her way. When she bumps into me for the third time, she threatens my life.
I'm pretty sure she actually means it.
I kiss her breathless and then do what a wise man should: I retreat.
"You're relentless," she mutters the following morning, throwing her hands up when she finds me on her porch half an hour before she usually heads to the kitchen.
"Told you that I wasn't givin' up, Sunshine," I murmur, prowling toward her.
She scowls at me, but she doesn't try to stop me when I wrap my hands around her waist, hauling her up against me. I only mean to kiss her. Truthfully, that's the only thing on my mind. But when she bites my bottom lip, images from my dreams slam into me like a fucking freight train.
I fucked her all over her house in my dreams last night. I woke up with my cock in my hand this morning and her name on my lips.
I end up pinning her against her front door, her legs spread wide around my hips.
"Stop me," I growl, grinding my cock against her hot little pussy while attacking her neck. "Right now, Letty."
"I…I…" Her head thumps against the door, her nails digging crescents into my shoulders. "Don't stop."
There are no better words on earth. There just aren't.
I slip my hand between us, shoving it into her leggings. Her little lace panties are soaked. She's bare beneath, swollen and dripping for me. I know damn well that I shouldn't be doing this right here and now, but when she whimpers my name, grinding against my palm, I can't help myself.
"I want you comin' all over my fingers, Sunshine," I growl, sucking at the pulse in her throat. "Ride my hand until you break for me."
I slip one and then another finger inside her, damn near losing my mind at how tight she is. At how wet she is. Christ Almighty, she wraps around me like silk.
"Walker," she moans, panting. Her hips buck, her body writhing.
"Just like that, baby. Keep riding them just like that," I croon against her skin, running my thumb in circles over her clit. I want to draw this out, take my time, and eke out every last ounce of pleasure I can get from her, but there's time for that later.
I nip her skin, curling my fingers up to strum her G-spot. "Give it to me, Letty baby."
She chokes on my name, splintering apart with the sweetest whimper. I crash my mouth down on hers, swallowing her soft cries as she shakes apart in my arms, coming like a goddamn dream. I don't let up until she's limp and boneless in my arms, shivering through aftershocks.
"Good girl," I croon, slowly pulling my hand from her panties.
She whimpers when I pop them into my mouth, licking them clean.
"You taste like a dream, Sunshine."
"Walker," she groans, squirming like she's embarrassed.
"Hey." I tip her head back, forcing her to look at me. "I told you that I'm not giving up. Not until these—" I press my palm against her sex and then her heart— "are mine."
Her wide eyes meet mine, full of something I can't name. It's some mix of hope and fear that makes my breath catch.
I kiss her again softly, and then slowly ease her back to her feet, reading that look for what it is. She wants this, maybe as much as I do, but she doesn't fully trust me yet.
That'll change.
Until it does, I've got time.
Idon't manage to make it back in time to escort her to the kitchen for dinner. I barely make it back in time to eat dinner, but I'm pleasantly surprised when I drop into a chair, weary all the way to my fucking bones, and she immediately brings a plate over to me.
She hasn't tried to enhance my food since I saved her life, but my first bite is tentative anyway…just in case.
She's a damn good cook. The pork loin is so tender, it damn near melts in my mouth.
"Jesus, Sunshine," I groan, flicking a glance up at her. "This is damn good."
She blushes slightly, fidgeting. "How's your arm?"
"My arm is fine." I don't know how she noticed the scratch, but she's been asking about it every time she sees me with this guilty look on her face, like it's her fault it happened.
It isn't. I would have risked a lot more than a scratch to keep her safe.
The scratch doesn't rate. It wasn't even deep enough to need stitches.
"What the fuck happened to your arm?" Wade asks beside me, shoveling food into his mouth like a goddamn human vacuum.
"Bobcat," I grunt.
"He saved me," Letty adds softly.
"From a bobcat?" Wade's brow arches. "Pity it didn't eat him. Would have saved the rest of us a whole lot of irritation."
I scratch the side of my face with my middle finger, earning a smirk from my pain-in-the-ass brother.
"He's not that bad," Letty says.
Half the goddamn table hears her, staring in shock. They're all well aware that she has not been my biggest fan. Wade and Bishop had a blast telling everyone about the hot sauce and salt she poured into my food.
Frankly, I'd rather that they know. Gossip spreads around a ranch about as fast as it does on the goddamn internet.
Every man on the property knows that Toby was fired for disobeying orders about her.
They also now know she's mine. They're too busy placing bets on how long it takes me to win her over to try to repeat his mistake.
Letty notices them watching, her cheeks turning bright red.
"Um…I should…" She waves toward the buffet table before scurrying off so fast she trips over her own feet.
"I'll be damned," Wade whistles, watching her go before his gaze drifts back to me. "Maybe you aren't completely beyond help, motherfucker."
"Eat your dinner and fuck off, Wade."
Blaze, Abel, and Bishop all laugh. I just ignore them, tucking into my food like a man who hasn't eaten all day. Christ, she can cook.
I watch her while I eat, noticing the way she flits around the buffet table, refilling dishes, removing empty ones, saying a few words to everyone who approaches. They're polite to her, keeping a respectable distance.
Jensen makes her laugh, and I want to rip his throat out.
When he walks away, she leans against the wall, lifting one foot like it hurts.
Jesus Christ. When did she last sit down?
I toss my napkin down, hauling myself to my feet.
"Where are you going?"
"To handle something," I mutter over my shoulder, already striding across the mess hall toward Letty.
She sees me coming and cocks her head to the side, a tiny smile on her lips. "You need seconds already?"
"No." I grab a plate, working my way down the buffet as I pile it high. She just watches me, her eyes wide until the plate is damn near overflowing. "Come on."
"What?"
I wrap my arm around her waist, holding her plate carefully. "You'll be eatin' with us from now on, Sunshine. No more busting your ass for half the night while we eat. Once the food is out, we can take care of ourselves. That's when you sit and eat."
"Walker, that's not really nece—"
"Don't care, baby. You've done enough. It's time for you to eat," I say firmly. "We can serve ourselves. If something runs out, we've got legs. We can walk to the kitchen and get it."
"You guys worked all day."
"What time did you start breakfast this morning?"
"What?"
"Four, Letty. The answer is four o'clock.
And when we were done eating, you cleaned the kitchen, then made us sandwiches and cupcakes.
When you were done with that, you started dinner.
You've been on your feet all day, workin' just as hard as the rest of us," I murmur, steering her toward our table. "It's time to take a break."
She opens her mouth and then snaps it closed again. "I do not understand you, Walker. One minute, you're calling me a distraction. The next, you're kissing me and…stuff. Now, you want me to sit and eat with everyone."
"You are a distraction. You're the prettiest little distraction to ever walk this ranch.
But so long as they're being respectful, there's not a problem," I say.
Do I like the thought of them talking to her, smiling at her, making her laugh?
Fuck no. Not in the least. But…that's my cross to bear, not hers.
She makes a growling sound that I assume she means to be intimidating, but it just sounds fucking cute.
"As for the kissing and other stuff, I intend to do a whole lot more of that, Sunshine," I murmur, planting my lips against her ear.
"And I intend to take care of you, too. Not because you need someone to babysit you," I quickly add before she assumes that's what I mean and gets offended, "but because I like the thought of being the one who ensures your needs are being met. "
"You…are so confusing," she grumbles.
She also follows me to the table and eats her dinner, stealing little glances at me the whole time.
I feel like the king of the world with her seated beside me.