“I can’t go through it again, Walker.” I shook my head back and forth. “I begged you to give us a chance and you pushed me away.”
“I was a fool.” He looked down at the floor.
“I thought that was the case when you told me that you weren’t willing to try, but I saw the truth in your eyes that night.” I sighed and felt a lump rising up in my throat. “You truly believed everything you said to me.”
“There’s no way for me to deny that.” He exhaled sharply. “I thought the writing was on the wall and what I wanted was impossible.”
“It was.” I shrugged. “If you didn’t believe in us, then we didn’t stand a chance. That’s why I lost my will to keep fighting it.”
“I made a mistake.” He sighed and lifted his head. “I should have fought for us with every last breath in my body. I should have realized that I was just making excuses for why my relationships had failed in the past because I didn’t want to admit that it was my fault—every fucking time. I’ll never be perfect, but if you’ll just give me one more chance—I swear I’ll never push you away again.”
“You hurt me…” I felt tears pushing against the corner of my eyes, trying to force their way out.
“I’m sorry.” He tilted his head slightly. “This is the real me—standing in front of you with all of my flaws, all of my failures, and a willingness to admit that I don’t deserve another chance—but I’m asking for one.”
It was all I ever wanted from Walker. I didn’t expect perfection. I knew our relationship would have challenges. We went from zero to sixty in one weekend—the brake line might as well have been cut from the beginning. I just wasn’t prepared for us to slam headfirst into a brick wall while we still had the pedal on the floorboard. The brick wall was cracking—the way for us to continue was opening up. I just had to be brave enough to put my heart on the line again with the chance that another brick wall would rise up the moment he was tangled around my soul. It was a risk I had to take. My hand fell away from the door. I took a step back and let it swing open. Walker crossed the threshold and our eyes met for a moment. His were just as mesmerizing as they were the first time I looked into them. He reached out to take my hand and I felt the same sizzle. My body still craved his touch. I couldn’t escape that, even after having my heart torn to shreds by his goodbye.
“I’ve missed you so much.” He pulled me into his arms. “I promise that I’ll never push you away again—no matter. You’ll have to claw your way out of my arms if you ever want to walk away again.”
“Then don’t give me a reason to pull out the claws.” I bit down on my bottom lip and smiled.
Walker’s lips found mine and I melted into his kiss. I was paralyzed and I never wanted to be able to move again. My lips parted as they seared with his and his tongue ravaged my mouth. It felt different. The passion was still there, but it was deeper—the kiss of a man who had realized his mistakes and wanted every single touch of our lips to repair the damage he did. I prayed that I wasn’t walking blindly into an abyss that would be my undoing, but I had no choice. I was his the moment he approached me at LA Dark. Our souls became one that night he took my innocence. It took almost losing what we had for him to see it—but his eyes were finally open. I would fight to make sure they never closed again.
“Is your roommate home?” Walker’s hands slid down to my waist and then around to my ass.
“She’s at the library.” I tilted my head slightly.
“Then—can we?” He looked towards my bedroom door.
“Oh, you think you’re going to come in here and profess your love then take me to bed?” I gave him a sideways glance. “You’re taking me out on a date first—and then you might get what you want—if I feel like you’ve groveled enough.”
“You want it just as bad as I do.” He moved his hand to the front of my jeans. “You want to be Daddy’s girl tonight.”
“Then you better plan something special.” I exhaled sharply. “Otherwise we’re both going to bed frustrated.”
“Fine…” He let go of my jeans. “I’ll pick you up in an hour.”
“I’ll be ready.” I leaned in for one more kiss before I let him walk away.
An hour wasn’t long, so I quickly scurried to my bedroom once I closed the door. I had a burst of energy, despite feeling like I needed a nap when I got back to my apartment. Hope had a strange way of washing all of that away. Walker was definitely the last person I expected to see when I heard the knock on my door, but he managed to convince me that there was a chance for us. I was willing to see that through, but I needed more time with him before I was sure that it was going to be possible for the two of us to undo what tore us apart. A date would definitely give me some time—hopefully in a public place—to really work through those feelings once the adrenaline wore off. I heard the door open right as I got my heels on, and I assumed Madeleine had to be home.
I guess I’ve got to break the news to her—although I hate to do it considering that she just broke up with Chad.
“Hey…” I walked into the living room.
“Lauren!” Madeleine’s eyes lit up. “You’ll never believe what happened!”
“Huh?” I was taken aback by her excitement.
“I was in the library and I ran into one of the guys from my class—looking for books, just like me.” She bounced on her toes and her eyebrows raised. “He asked me out!”
“Whoa!” I blinked in surprise. “Since you look like you’re about to start doing cartwheels, I assume that’s a good thing?”
“Yes!” She nodded quickly. “He’s so freaking hot! I’ve kind of had my eye on him since school started, but I would have never been brave enough to make the first move.”
“I’m happy for you.” I nodded and smiled.
At least she’s not broken up over Chad anymore. That was quick.
“Hey, wait a second.” She tilted her head slightly. “Why are you dressed up? Did you meet a new guy too?”
“Not exactly.” I shook my head back and forth. “Walker stopped by while you were gone.”
“You’re going out with him?” She raised an eyebrow. “After the way things ended?”
“I’m proceeding with caution.” I nodded. “I still care about him. That hasn’t changed…”
And his kiss lit my soul on fire, just like it did the first time.
Madeleine gave me a few more words of warning before it was time for me to go. She also gave Walker a bit of a glare when he appeared at the front door. He might have convinced me to go on a date with him, but Madeleine had been there with me through the tough times that followed our goodbye. She wasn’t ready to just forgive and forget quite yet. I probably should have proceeded with more caution than I planned, but there was something in Walker’s eyes that told me his words were from the heart. I wanted to believe them—that was the hard part. I never wanted things to end in the first place, so if there was a chance for us to find what we lost, then I was willing to take the risk.
“So, where are you taking me for our date?” I looked over at Walker once we got to the car.
“Dinner first—then we’ll see what happens.” He gave me a quick wink.
Walker took me the same restaurant we had dinner at on our first date—his favorite place to eat in Los Angeles. I was already looking forward to the molten lava cake before I even found my entree on the menu. We talked a lot while we ate. Walker told me how he realized he was using Jamison Thorn as a mask for his own shortcomings. He didn’t make an excuse for it or try to sugarcoat his failures. He owned every single one of them with solemness in his voice. I felt like I was having dinner with the real Walker Delaney—instead of a man that only saw the death of Jamison Thorn as a way to break the shackles Dangerous Thorns put on his life. The show wasn’t going to go away anytime soon—especially with the new offer he had on the table to become a creative consultant.
“Are you sure that you will have time for me if you take on more responsibility?” I tilt
ed my head slightly. “You didn’t think you could balance a relationship with acting—now you’re going to have to do more than that.”
“I’ll make time.” He reached across the table and took my hand. “I understand my priorities now. What we have always comes first, no matter what.”
“I really do want to believe you.” I looked down at his hand.
“Relationships are hard work and they don’t survive unless both people are committed to them. I’ve made that mistake before—hell, I made it with you too. I won’t make it again.” He squeezed my hand.
“If you truly believe in it, then I’m willing to give it a try.” I nodded and swallowed hard.
Walker and I teased each other a little bit once the molten chocolate cake arrived. He still didn’t have any, but I made a point of letting a little drip onto my chin so that he would be forced to wipe it off. I already knew that I wasn’t going to be spending the night in my own bed, so I didn’t hold back when I got a chance to lick the melted fudge off his finger. By the time he took care of the check and we made it to the car, I didn’t care what he had planned for the rest of the date—I just wanted him to take me back to his place. His lips were on mine as soon as he told the driver he was ready to go home and hit the button the raise the divider so that we had privacy in the backseat of his car.
“I’ve missed you so much.” Walker pulled his lips away and gasped.
“Then you shouldn’t have pushed me away.” I narrowed my eyes.
“I’m not pushing you away again—ever.” He moved towards my lips again.
Walker’s hands explored my body as the driver took us to his house. They felt so good—the sizzle was definitely there, just like always. His kiss was like fireworks in my head and when his lips drifted down to my neck, I could barely control the desire roaring through my veins. It was furious passion with a hunger that got stronger as we tasted each other’s lips and skin. The driver finally pulled up in front of his house and we paused long enough to walk to the door, but we barely got it closed before we were locked in another embrace. We didn’t make it to the bedroom. Walker pushed me towards the couch as he tore at my clothes while I sent buttons bouncing across the room when I pulled his shirt open. He pushed my legs apart as he lowered himself on top of me, but I rolled him over before he could get in position so that I was straddling him.
“You’re going to get teased tonight.” I squeezed his cock with my hand.
“Teasing? Tonight?” His eyes opened wide and he gasped. “I want you too bad for that.”
“Too bad. You’ve been very naughty, Daddy.” I nodded and bit down on my lip. “I think one minute for each day that you made me spend without you should suffice.”
“Oh my god.” His head rolled back, and he groaned.
“Don’t worry. I’ll let you come—eventually.” I grinned and guided his cock towards my pussy.
I descended on his length slowly, exhaling sharply as he went inside me. I knew that there was no way I could actually tease him for a whole hour. I might have been able to do that after a few orgasms, but the need was burning inside me with too much intensity. I pretended like it was going to be the slowest fuck ever, just so I could watch him squirm for a little bit before I totally lost control. He felt so damn good inside me—like it was where he belonged. I lifted up and used my hips to slowly ride his cock while the need grew—I could see that even that was torture for him because he had the same desire in his mesmerizing eyes as well. I managed to keep the slow pace going for about ten minutes before my hips started to pick up speed.
“If you keep that up; I’m not going to be able to hold back.” He squeezed my hips and moaned.
“I guess you’ve suffered enough.” I let out a gasp and took every inch of him inside me until he was throbbing against my g-spot.
“We both have…” His hands locked on my ass and he started to thrust up into my pussy as I descended on his shaft.
Walker let me ride his cock for a few more minutes, then he flipped me over on the couch and sank between my thighs. I didn’t want to torment him any longer and the time for teasing had definitely passed. He started to slam his cock into my pussy and the pressure inside me grew. The connection that formed between us the first time we were together was back. I dug my nails into his shoulders and my back arched as the pressure got tighter. I could feel Walker starting to pulsate against my g-spot with more intensity. My muscles began to seize up and my head spun as the pleasure rushed through my veins.
“Make me come, Daddy!” I moaned and felt my mouth open wide.
“I’m going to make you come so fucking hard.” Walker pressed his lips to my ear and growled. “Every single night for the rest of your life.”
“Yes!” I nodded quickly and the pressure started to release.
I felt my pussy start to spasm on his length. He drove his cock into me as the orgasm started. I could tell he was close as well. He gave me a few quick thrusts, and then a loud growl signaled the beginning of his release. Cum surged through his shaft and filled my pussy. My body squirmed underneath him as the orgasm peaked and my spasms drained every drop from his balls. His lips found my neck and my ear, but he didn’t stop thrusting his cock into me. The orgasm subsided, but he was still engorged, and the desire was still raging in his eyes. He was far from done, and my body craved more. The thrusts slowed down while we caught our breath and then they began to pick up speed. The pressure built inside me again—with even more intensity than it had the first time.
“You feel so good.” I exhaled sharply into his ear. “How many times are you going to make me come tonight?”
“As many times as you want—and then as many time as I want.” His lips moved against my neck. “You’re mine. I claimed you once and I was foolish enough to let you get away—this time it’s forever.”
“Forever is a very long time…” I rolled my head back and moaned.
“Not long enough.” His hands moved to my wrists and he held them as he continued to thrust.
Our passion burned through the entire night. We chased it several times on the couch before I was so weary that I couldn’t move. Walker carried me up the stairs and put me in bed, where I thought we were finally going to sleep—until I felt his lips on my body again. I was going to regret it when morning came and I had to drag myself to my first class, but I craved him too bad to close my eyes. There was something different in his touch—a difference in the way he said my name—we were no longer falling in love—we were already there. The time apart had showed us both what truly mattered, and we were never going to lose sight of that again.
I belong in his arms—and he belongs in mine.
Epilogue
Lauren
Two months later
“Welcome home, Lauren!” My mother pulled me into a tight embrace as soon as I stepped through the door. “I’ve missed you so much!”
“Thank you. I’ve really missed you too!” I hugged her and thought she was going to squeeze the life out of me before she finally let go.
“Where is this mystery man you’ve been dating?” She looked over my shoulder. “I thought he was coming home with you—I prepared the guest room and everything.”
“He’s bringing our bags up.” I stepped back and nodded. “There’s—something I need to tell you before I introduce him…”
“Oh?” She tilted her head slightly. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes, everything is fine, but…” My words trailed off for a minute.
“Holy shit.” My mother practically flung me to the side. “Lauren, look! It’s Jamison Thorn! Like—for real!”
“Mom…” I caught myself before I stumbled. “His name is Walker Delaney.”
“What?” My mom looked at me in confusion and then her eyes got wide when Walker stepped into our apartment.
“It’s very nice to meet you.” He extended his hand.
“Uh—um…” She stared at his hand, turned her head back towards me, and then her brain
finally processed what was happening. “You’re dating Jamison Thorn? Oh my god!”
I thought it would be awkward to introduce them, especially since he was closer to her age than mine, but that wasn’t the case. She didn’t shake his hand—she hugged him. In fact, I thought I was going to have to pry her hands off of him before she finally let go. She demanded to know how we met, how long we had been dating—something I had been very hesitant to reveal over the phone. She finally got her composure and stopped calling him Jamison Thorn after about an hour of gushing like a fangirl. He held my hand while we sat on the couch and talked with her. She still made him sleep in the guest room, but the meeting went so well that neither of us minded that.
Six months later
“I’m so sorry that I’m late.” Walker opened the front door of his house and looked at his watch. “We can still make our dinner reservation.”
“It’s okay.” I walked up and took his hand. “I know you’re busy—it’s okay if you just want to relax. We can order in.”
“Are you sure?” He sighed. “I swore that I wasn’t going to let the job interfere with our relationship and here I am—late coming home for the third time this week.”
“You called. You sent me a dozen text messages.” I squeezed his hand. “Your job isn’t interfering in our relationship. It’s a part of it.”
“I love you so much.” He pulled me into a hug. “I think I could use a quiet night at home.”
“I love you too.” I leaned against his shoulder. “I haven’t been sitting around all day waiting on you—I have stuff going on too.”
“I know.” He nodded and sighed. “Did you talk to your boss about Saturday? Are we going to be able to go away for the weekend?”
“He said I could have the weekend off—as long as I’m available by phone.” I chuckled under my breath. “I swear I’m going to be running that damn place in a year if he doesn’t figure out what he’s doing.”
Once Upon a Daddy: A Romance Anthology Page 46