“What’s he up to?”
She stabbed at her salad. “Being an asshole.”
Walker choked on his beer.
“I’m serious. He’s just... We were never that close because he’s five years older. And a mama’s boy. But now he’s devolved into a thirty-four-year-old sexist, greedy ass. He’s on his third divorce and probably already working toward a fourth wife.”
“Yikes.”
She waved her fork. “I’m sorry. Ignore me. I’m in a bad mood.”
As far as he was concerned, she could be in as bad a mood as she liked, as long as she was wearing that sexy little bra. The satiny material dipped low over her breasts, letting him see the faint rise of her flesh above it. He’d put his mouth just there last night. And lower.
“What’s going on with you?” she asked.
His gaze flew up to meet hers. “Sorry. I was... Uh.”
She laughed. “It’s fine. I don’t get men ogling my breasts too often, so feel free to look. But I meant what’s going on with your day?”
“Oh.” Now he didn’t know where to look. His eyes bounced up and down for a moment before he forced them to stop and meet her gaze. “I took some work at an old job the past couple of days. I think the guy might offer me winter work if I want it.”
“That’s good, right? I know winter is slow. But you don’t sound happy.”
No, he wasn’t happy. He collapsed back against the soft cushions of the couch and took a swig of beer. “I don’t know. It’s not what I want.”
“Ranching?”
“No, not that. I like the work. I like being outside, love being on a horse. But...I don’t know. It’s not lodge work. It’d be a long winter. I’ve spent most of the past thirteen years working with guests. A lot of hands look down on that kind of thing, but I like it. The variety. The people.”
“You’re good with people. You always have been.”
“Thanks.”
She poked him with her toe. “So why’d you leave the last job if you liked it?”
He sighed and ran a thumb around the neck of the beer bottle. “I was let go. It was the end of the season, and...well, you know the stuff I’m not good at.”
“No. After last night, I know a lot of stuff you’re great at, but I didn’t notice any deficiencies.”
“Heh.” Either the beer had hit his blood quickly or he was blushing. Thank God for his beard. He rubbed a self-conscious hand over it. “That’s encouraging.”
“Oh, you should feel encouraged. I know I am. So tell me what you’re not good at.”
His smile faded. “Come on, Charlie. You know.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what you mean. Honestly.”
“Anything that requires brains.”
“Walker!” She gasped, sitting straight so quickly that she fumbled her box of salad and nearly dropped it before she set it down. “Are you kidding? I can’t believe you just said that.”
“It’s true.”
“It is not true.” This time, instead of nudging him with her toe, she kicked his leg. “Don’t ever say that.”
Walker finished off his beer in one swallow. “What do you want me to say? That I have a learning disability?”
Another kick. “Yes! You do have a learning disability.”
“All right. I’m dyslexic. That doesn’t mean I’m not stupid, too.”
She pushed up to her knees and shoved his shoulder. “Goddamn it, Walker! I can’t believe you’re saying this.”
Laughing, he grabbed her hands so she’d stop beating him up. “It’s okay, Charlie. Jeez. Cowboys don’t need to be smart. Nobody expects us to read big books or write essays. I’m a damn good cowboy. It’s just that at a guest ranch, there’s sometimes paperwork. Hell, you have to file a two-page report anytime someone gets a splinter. I always put that kind of thing off. I missed things sometimes and it caught up to me.”
“Walker.” She said his name softly, so he let her hands go. They settled on his shoulders as she climbed onto his lap. Her skirt hiked to her hips when she straddled him. Oh, yes. He remembered this.
But this time, she didn’t unbutton his jeans. She didn’t reach for his cock, which was already getting hard for her. She only frowned at him, a vastly less enjoyable experience.
“Walker,” she said again, her voice sweet and soft and wrapping around him as her hands twined into his hair. “Stupid men aren’t good with people. Stupid men don’t attract women like flies. Do you think I...” She leaned in and pressed her mouth to his, a whisper of a kiss. “Would sleep with a stupid man?”
He slid his hands up her thighs. “You haven’t slept with me, Charlie.”
“Mm.” Her mouth opened for him as his thumbs slipped over the impossibly soft skin of her thighs. She licked at his tongue, barely giving him a taste before she withdrew. “Are you trying to get a sympathy fuck, Walker?”
His laugh was half a groan, because now her pussy was pressed against him, but still so damn far away.
“Maybe if I resist, you’ll tell me how much it hurts. How much you need me to touch it.”
He groaned into her mouth, then swept his tongue deep inside her.
“Mm,” she hummed into him before pulling back to trail her mouth along his jaw. “Do you need me to touch it?”
“God,” he groaned. Was this what she liked? Teasing? Torturing? All foreplay and no sex? He would’ve hated that in high school, but now it was almost as delicious as it was painful. “Yes,” he said, finally giving in. “Touch it.”
“Oh. So bossy.”
He growled at her.
“Okay, I’ll touch it.” Her lips closed over his earlobe and sucked gently. When she spoke again, he shivered. “But not until you admit you’re not stupid.”
Did she think he had a dog in this fight? He happily folded like a damn blanket. “I’m not stupid. In fact, I’m a goddamn genius. I play chess on the trail and read Shakespeare by starlight.”
“That didn’t sound sincere,” she whispered.
“Oh, it was sincere. I promise you that.”
“Walker.” She leaned back just as he was trying to slide his hands beneath her skirt to cup her ass. “I want to touch your cock as much as the next girl, but I can’t do it unless I believe you.”
“God, Charlie. What do you want from me? You were my tutor. You know exactly how dumb I am. No! Wait!” He tried to keep a hold of her thighs, but she slipped off his lap and eased her skirt down.
“You listen to me.” Instead of reaching for his zipper, she pointed at his face. He thought he might weep. “You’re a good man. You’re smart and sweet and wonderful with people. So don’t you take some job in the middle of nowhere if it won’t make you happy. Don’t do that!”
“I need a paycheck through winter. I’ll find something better next spring.”
He’d thought those were harmless words. Appeasing, even. In fact, he was already reaching to pull her back down to his lap, but Charlie’s spine went straight and she put her hands on her hips to glare at him. “You can’t work at a job that’s going to beat you down. You look tired already after two days there.”
“It was hard work, that’s all. And it’s temporary. No big deal.”
“That’s what people say to themselves. ‘I’ll just do it for a little while, just for the paycheck.’ But then it’ll be spring and you’ll be busy. If you don’t get work at the lodge, you’ll have to make time to look for a position somewhere else, and you won’t want to leave your current boss in the lurch.”
He shrugged. “Summer, then.”
“Walker!” She seemed shocked by the loudness of her own voice, and pressed her lips tight together before taking a deep breath. “Just...try to find something else, all right? Something that’ll make you happy. Maybe branch out. What if you like people more than ranching? I could see if there’s a position at the resort—”
“Charlie, that’s enough. I’m a cowboy. I’ll always be a cowboy. Winter work is just a temporary gig. It’s
nothing. Hell, I know plenty of men who drive down to find work in Texas for a few months. At least I’ll still be in my own place.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“I promise! I’m not going to throw my sorry life away for a few months of work. Trust me. I’ll find something I like soon.”
“Will you keep looking for a little while, at least?”
“I’m not sure why it means so much to you, but I’ll ask again at the lodge if it’ll get you back on my lap. Will it?”
“Maybe,” she agreed with another hard look.
“No sex,” he said, more than willing to embrace the heavy petting. “We’ll only do what you want. I promise.”
Her glare finally gave way to a grin. “I can trust you not to take advantage of me?”
“Absolutely.”
Her giggle was unfortunately interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Walker,” Charlie said as she reached for a scarlet-red blouse draped over the back of the couch. “You’re adorable, you know that?”
He scrubbed a hand through his hair as he watched her slip away.
Starting to button up her shirt, Charlie looked through the peephole, then threw open the door. “Merry! Hi!”
Their neighbor’s eyes went wide at the sight of Charlie’s half-buttoned shirt. They went even wider when she spotted Walker on the couch. “Walker! Hi!”
He jumped to his feet as Charlie waved her in. “Evening, Merry.” He reached up to tip a hat he wasn’t wearing, then winced at the awkward gesture.
“I’m sorry,” Merry said. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
When Charlie shrugged, Merry used the plastic container in her hand to point toward the open buttons of Charlie’s shirt.
“Oh! Sorry. I was eating my salad.”
Merry’s eyes met his and then skittered away. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what that means. But I’ll leave you two alone so you can get back to...that.”
“No, I was eating a salad!” Charlie pointed toward the box on the table.
Merry seemed to wilt. “Oh, thank God. I thought it meant... Never mind. Just... Here! I made you cupcakes! Welcome to the building.”
Walker was still boggling over what strange activities Merry thought she might have interrupted, but Charlie just took the cupcakes and gave Merry a hug. “Thank you! Have one with me. Walker, you want a cupcake?” She turned toward him, then burst into laughter. “Look! You made Walker blush.”
“I... Uh.” Why was he flustered? They hadn’t been— Well, he’d been hoping they might. But it wasn’t as if Merry had knocked just as Charlie’s hand had curved around his cock and slipped right into that sweet rhythm that— Okay, he was making it worse now. He cleared his throat and pasted on a smile. “I’ll leave you ladies to your cupcakes.”
“Come on, Walker.” Charlie reappeared with a little plate that held three cupcakes. She handed one to him. “I know how you are. Don’t pretend you wouldn’t like to eat Merry’s cake.”
Merry choked and slapped a hand over her mouth to muffle her scream of laughter.
Walker felt his face get even hotter. “Charlie! Jesus.”
She shrugged an insolent shoulder and handed a cake to Merry. “You talk a good game, cowboy. I thought you could take it. I guess not.”
“I don’t talk any game,” he muttered.
“Oh, please. You’re the biggest flirt I’ve ever met. Even in high school, you could get any girl to giggle with just a naughty suggestion.”
Merry spoke from behind her hand. “You knew Walker in high school?”
“I sure did. Sit down. I’ve got stories.”
Somehow his comfortable evening on Charlie’s couch with her hand and her bra and her thighs and her mouth had turned into this. Two tall, beautiful women eating cake and laughing at him. What the ever-loving hell?
“You want another beer, Walker?”
“No. I’m going to excuse myself and get some sleep.”
“Aw, come on,” Charlie cooed. “It’s only eight. Stay. Please?”
He was tempted for a moment. He liked Merry just fine, and Charlie was licking frosting from her fingers and watching him with pleading eyes. But then she licked her thumb, and he knew he couldn’t take it. She loved to tease him, and she wouldn’t let up. His cock was stirring again already, and as much of a flirt as he was, he wasn’t going to sit here in front of Merry with an erection for the next hour, like some pervert.
“Nah, it was a long day in the saddle, and I’ve got a job hunt to continue tomorrow, remember? Thanks for the cupcake, Merry. Don’t believe anything she says.”
“Good night, Walker,” they both sang as he left. He ate the whole cake in one bite as he closed the door on their laughter.
God. Charlie. He was never going to figure her out. But he damn sure wanted to try.
CHAPTER NINE
CHARLIE WOKE UP ready to run five miles. She hadn’t felt this good in months.
Her lecture to Walker last night had inspired her. She’d been trying to keep him from making the same mistakes she’d made in taking the job at the resort, but maybe she could take her own advice. She didn’t have to be miserable. She could go into work with a good attitude instead of feeling as if she were heading to an execution. It was a good job at a beautiful resort and she was no longer trapped in that studio apartment.
She was also damn proud of herself for not knocking on Walker’s door last night after Merry had left. She’d wanted to. Badly. She’d wanted to push her way in, shove him onto the bed and fuck him until they both passed out from exhaustion. But she hadn’t. This waiting game was fun. When they finally did it, she was going to go off like one of those glitter cannons at a pop concert, in a giant explosion of shiny fun.
Grinning in anticipation, she hopped out of bed to get dressed.
Unfortunately, her good intentions were met by rain. Not warm Nevada rain, but ice-cold, pouring Wyoming rain, so Charlie packed up a bag and headed for the resort to use a treadmill in the workout room. The pool and hot tub hadn’t been filled yet, but the workout room was fully outfitted with high-end equipment and ready to be used.
She forced herself to smile as she drove up the long driveway that led to the parking garage. She even winked at the camera as she let herself in. This was fine. She could do this. She wasn’t working in a meatpacking plant for minimum wage. She wasn’t scrubbing dirty floors for twelve hours a day knowing all her hard work would mean nothing if immigration agents raided the place. She was, for the most part, sitting at a desk in the warmth and comfort of her own office, and compensated with a decent salary and good benefits. And, of course, watched over by the careful eye of her employer.
Her smile wavered. She put it back on and marched to the workout room.
The first three miles of her run went well. Unlike in most hotels, the Meridian workout room was on the main floor, with a beautiful view of the valley beyond. A misty view, but much nicer than a blank wall, and the sight of the wet day stretching out in front of her let Charlie lose herself for minutes at a time. And the music in her ears let her think. Her mind drifted to plans for building up her team of employees. She’d been so worried about her own experience at the resort that she hadn’t spent enough time being a manager.
That would change this week. No matter what else was going on, she owed it to her employees to lead them.
When the music switched to a dark, sensual beat, Charlie’s mind drifted away from work. She found herself watching her body in the mirror, thinking of peeling off her clothes for Walker and watching his face. She’d been skinny and tall her whole life, which had made her feel awkward in high school, but she enjoyed it now. She enjoyed the sight of her strong legs, the muscles flexing beneath the skin with every stride. They’d flex like that for Walker, too, if she worked hard enough.
And if her breasts were barely a small rise under her running top, at least they led down to a slim rib cage and flat belly. She wasn’t curvy or soft or voluptuous, but that did
n’t mean she couldn’t be proud when she stood naked before a man and let him look his fill. If a man didn’t like it, he didn’t have any business getting her naked anyway.
But Walker liked it. She smiled at her reflection and stepped up her pace. He was going to like it even more very soon.
“Charlotte?”
She yelped, and a quick stutter-step of shock nearly sent her flying off the treadmill. She caught one of the handholds and jumped her feet to the sides and managed to save herself from an ugly fall.
“Sorry,” the man’s voice said from behind her while she scrambled to turn off the machine.
“Oh, my God.” She stole a quick look over her shoulder, saw Keith Taggert and collapsed against the controls to try to catch her panicked breath.
“I’m sorry, Charlotte. I thought you heard me come in.”
She yanked her earbuds out. “I didn’t hear you.”
“Thank God you didn’t fall off. That would’ve been a hell of a lawsuit.” He laughed uncomfortably. His deep voice should have made it a booming laugh, but he always seemed to swallow it, as if he weren’t allowed to have fun. He’d probably picked up that habit after his marriage to Dawn.
Charlie was suddenly aware of her running shorts and tight shirt. She hadn’t gotten weird vibes from him, despite Dawn’s obsession, but she’d never been half-naked and sweaty with him before.
Once she’d caught her breath, Charlie hopped off the treadmill and grabbed her water bottle. “What can I help you with?”
“Oh, right! There’s a society benefit tonight I’d like you to attend if you could.”
“A what?” Her brain immediately flashed to a nineteenth-century ball. Women danced by her eyeballs with feathers in their hair.
“A Night Under the Stars. It’s an annual event.”
“Oh, I’d have to be sure I can find something appropriate to wear. Is it—?”
“That’s not a concern. This is Wyoming! It’s held at a big ranch every year. In the barn. Just wear your best jeans. There will be plenty of fur coats there, of course, but no evening gowns, I promise.”
He couldn’t be asking her out on a date, could he? Not with all of Jackson society in attendance. But Dawn’s paranoia had gotten under Charlie’s skin.
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