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“Sure.” He leans back, crossing his arms, and for a moment, I catch a glimpse of that sweetness beneath his rough exterior. It's disarming. How am I supposed to protect my heart around him?
That night, the mood shifts. Walker, ever the unpredictable man, informs my mom that he'll be leaving. She tries to hide her disappointment behind a smile, but I don’t think she fools anyone.
“I have to talk to you,” I say, leading him away from my mother's questioning gaze. We step into my childhood room. A place that once felt so big, is now filled with the enormity of his presence.
“About what happens next…”
But he cuts me off—not with words… with action. Walker pulls me into a hug, his arms solid and unyielding around me. My heart hammers against my chest, every beat echoing the confusion and longing that tangle within me. His hold is protective, almost possessive, and for a fleeting second, I let myself sink into the warmth of him.
I know this is wrong. But I don’t want to stop or push him away.
“Thank you,” he whispers, his breath warm against my ear. “For showing me your world.”
And in that embrace, I realize that despite the chaos he brings, Walker has become a part of that world, altering it—and me—in ways I never could have imagined.
His embrace tightens, and I'm surrounded by the heady scent of leather, sweet apples, and something I can’t define that clings to him. The world beyond these four pastel walls falls away, leaving only the quick beat of my pulse and the heat of his body against mine.
I tilt my head up to meet his gaze, searching those blue eyes that seem to flicker with all the emotions he won’t let show on his face. There's a question forming on my lips, one that's been burning inside me since the moment he stepped into my life unannounced, but it never finds its way out.
Instead, Walker lowers his head, and his lips find mine. It's a searing kiss, filled with an intensity that steals my breath and scatters my thoughts. Warmth spreads through me, a slow burn that feels like it's been ignited from within. His mouth moves over mine with a confidence that speaks volumes of the man he is—bold, determined, unyielding.
The passion surges like a wave, crashing over us, and I cling to him, fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt as if I could bind myself in this moment forever. He kisses me like I’m his, but with a tenderness that leaves me breathless. My heart, once shielded by walls of self-preservation, crumble under the gentle assault. I inhale his scent, lost in the softness of his lips, the demanding nature of his kiss.
Stunned, I'm lost in the whirlwind that is Walker. Every brush of his lips weakens my knees, tilts my world, and unlocks something within me that I had kept hidden away. I'm laid bare, vulnerable and wanting, and it terrifies me just as much as it exhilarates me.
I want to ask him to stay, but as he breaks the kiss, his breath warm on my lips, his eyes locked on mine before lowering to my mouth again, I can’t speak, breathe, or even stay upright with my heart slamming so hard.
He holds me upright, his hands on my back, his arms like steel around me. “I’ve got you,” he whispers, his lips touching mine again, heating up the rapidly cooling skin there. Tingling heat races through every inch of my body and every nerve in me lights up like a Christmas tree.
I want more from him. I want him to show me everything.
“I’ll see you when you get back,” he says. “I’m not going anywhere.” I know he means that, even though he’s leaving my home tonight, he’s not walking out of my life anytime soon.
And as I stand there, wrapped in his warm embrace, I realize that maybe—just maybe—I don't want him to.
Chapter Nineteen
Walker
I speed down the highway, the city lights blurring into streaks of orange, red, and gold. With each mile I put between us, my chest tightens up like a vice is being clamped down more and more—an ache that has nothing to do with the long hours on the road and everything to do with leaving Isla behind.
She said she'd be back soon, her mother's health is finally turning a corner after those tense nights we all hovered and worried. The thought of her brother's scowling face flashes in my mind. His dislike for me couldn’t be more obvious, but it's Isla's image that burns brightest in my thoughts—her smile, her strength, the stunned look in her eye when I’d kissed her.
I know for sure that I can’t let her go now. I’m hooked, and I’m not letting her get away.
I park the car in the garage of the skyscraper that’s both my business empire and my home. The engine of my car ticks as it cools and my fingers tighten on the wheel, still tingling from where they last brushed against her skin, the memory of our kiss flooding my senses. I can still feel her body under my hands, and I want her more than ever.
The kiss… it was electric, a jolt of passion that seared through every inch of me, softened by the warmth and adoration in her eyes. How could a woman like her change everything I thought I knew about sex and desire? I'm out of my depth, falling for her with an intensity that borders on madness.
I stride inside and take the elevator to my office. In a moment, I’m stepping out, knowing full well that I’ve been neglecting my company, but knowing the place can run smoothly in my absence.
The door of my office shuts with a definitive click behind me. Vice is there, lounging against my desk, his sharp eyes taking me in. “You seem deep in thought,” he says, perceptive as always while probing to uncover what I’m not telling him.
“Are you sleeping here?” I ask, no humor in my voice despite the joke. He’s good at estimating my next move, just like I’m good at guessing his. He knew I’d come back and check in here, do some work, and head back to the bar. And I knew he’d be here, waiting for me.
“How was your trip?” His casual tone doesn't fool me; he knows there's more to it than visiting the family farm.
I settle into my chair, rolling my shoulders and stretching my neck to ease the tension. “It was fine,” I say, keeping my gaze fixed on the window as I prepare myself for work rather than meet his searching stare.
