So Tough to Tame

by Victoria Dahl

  Walker stared at him for a long time, at those blue eyes that looked exactly like his. When his dad’s mouth curved into a smile, Walker wondered if his dad had ever looked like that in his youth. If he’d ever been happy.

  “Hey, you came back to see me.”

  “Hi, Dad.”

  His eyes flickered with confusion, but he kept smiling. “Where’s your friend?”

  “He’s my brother. Micah. He’s at work right now.”

  “Ah.” His father nodded. “You look like fine men. Hard workers.” He gestured toward Walker’s clothes, but then his eyelids drooped.

  Walker swallowed hard, trying to think what to say.

  His father’s words meant nothing. They were a stranger’s words and not meant for him.

  He didn’t want them, but they might mean something to Micah. “He just got a promotion,” Walker said, his throat thick. “Micah. He’s doing real well. He bought a house overlooking the ocean way out in Washington state.”

  His dad’s eyes opened. “Yeah? That must be something to see. I’ve never seen any more water than the Great Salt Lake. It’s salty, but it ain’t the ocean.”

  “I haven’t, either. I’m thinking of going out to give it a look, though. Maybe he and I could see what kind of fish we can catch out there.”

  “You should do that, son. That’s what brothers are for. Do you have any other family?”

  Walker met his eyes. He searched for his dad in there for a long time before he shook his head. “No. Just Micah.”

  “Yeah. I...” He paused, his brow dropping until his bushy white eyebrows nearly covered his eyes. “I don’t know,” he finally said, looking away. “I’m tired.”

  He looked more like himself now, frowning, irritated. Walker nodded and slipped his hat back on as he stood. “Well, I’ll leave you to get some rest, then.”

  “Thanks. Listen, on your way out, will you ask someone to call my wife? She’s out in Wilson.”

  Wilson. His parents had rented a place there the first year they were married. For a moment, for one awful moment, Walker considered saying the truth. That Mom was dead and had been for a long time. That she’d died tired and timid because of her asshole husband. Walker wanted to see the confusion on his dad’s face. Wanted to hurt him. And that terrible truth made Walker’s stomach flip over in his gut. “Sure. I’ll tell them. I’ve got to go. I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

  He didn’t need to go anywhere, of course, but he needed to get the hell out of there. The man had tortured him when Walker was smaller and weaker, and Walker didn’t want to turn into his dad now. Hurting the weaker person just because he could.

  God, how he wished his dad was still hale and hearty. That Walker could talk to him as an equal, tell him exactly what he thought of him and his fucked-up parenting. Hell, he wished they could face each other as men and work it out with their damn fists, but if there’d been a moment where they’d been exactly equal in strength and stamina and brain power, Walker had missed it.

  He checked in with the doctor and called his brother just as he’d promised himself he would.

  “It was only temporary,” he explained when Micah panicked. “He got agitated, and his blood pressure and respiration shot through the roof. But he’s fine now. Or back to the way he was anyway.”

  “Are you sure? Do I need to be there? I should be there.”

  “He’s fine. He’ll be back in his room tomorrow.”

  “You saw him?”

  “Yes, I saw him. And I spoke to the doctor.”

  Micah sighed. “Okay. If you’re sure. But I’ll try to swing through sooner rather than later.”

  “Good. And plan to spend the night.”

  “If I can. Thanks for taking care of him, Walk.”

  Walker hung up without responding.

  For the millionth time in his life, Walker was damn glad his brother was around. Without him, Walker wouldn’t have had a reason to try for better. He wouldn’t have had anything to get him through childhood except anger. He would’ve just been a miserable, mean fuck like his dad, with no one in his life who needed more than that.

  But Micah...Micah had given him a reason to be a man.

  Still, Micah didn’t need him anymore. He had a career, a home, a husband. Their dad would be dead soon, and nothing else would hold Micah here. His life was somewhere else.

  Walker slid behind the wheel of his truck, but he only sat there, staring at the dash. He’d felt that, when they’d sold the ranch. Micah had wanted him to keep it. Walker had pretended he didn’t want the memories, but that wasn’t it. He couldn’t run a ranch. Not even a small one. There were grazing contracts and water rights to be worked out. Profits and losses to track. Transportation arrangements. Orders to complete. He’d most likely have to hire a hand or two, at least during calving season. That was all kinds of paperwork he’d never even heard of.

  Walker couldn’t do it, so they’d sold the land, and it had really been his only chance at something different. Everybody moved on. Walker wouldn’t.

  He started home, feeling so pulled in two directions, he could feel it in his chest. His heart beat hard. He wanted to not see anyone for days, yet he was fighting the urge to head out and party. Live it up. Flirt. Get in another fight. It had felt good to break that bastard’s nose the other night. The guy had deserved it. Lots of people did.

  Yet, as he pulled onto his street, the first thing that entered his mind was that he wanted to see Charlie. Screw everyone else. And screw being alone. She’d snuck out and made him feel like crap, and all he wanted was to sink back into her again. To lose himself. He wanted her hands and her mouth and her laugh. And if she snuck out in the morning without a word, he’d want her again. And again.

  She’d blown his mind last night. Inviting him to be rough. Demanding it, even. Nothing could’ve kept him from obliging. In that moment, everything in him had wanted it. For her. For him. Shit, she was under his skin already, and he was pissed as hell about it, but he still felt a shock wave of disappointment when he saw that her windows were dark.

  But as he got out of his truck, his disappointment stuttered into surprise and a wicked grin spread over his face. Charlie’s lights weren’t on...but his were. She was in his place. Waiting for him. Maybe naked. In fact, maybe she’d stripped down and gotten into his bed to wait for him, and then the long night had caught up with her and she’d fallen asleep, and now she was curled up, cozy and warm and gorgeous in his sheets, and he could take off his clothes so quietly she wouldn’t even notice until he slipped into bed and started touching her...

  Yeah. That would be good.

  But he’d take just naked.

  Walker hurried up the stairs, trying to tread the line between moving as fast as he could and being quiet. Much as he wanted to play it cool, he knew there was a ridiculous smile on his face when he opened his door. Screw it. He was already half-hard. There was no way to hide his enthusiasm.

  “Happy to see me?” she purred.

  Only it was the wrong she. “Nicole?” His feet refused to move all the way into the apartment.

  “Hey, Walker,” she said softly. Her blond hair shone like gold in the dim lighting. She wasn’t naked, but she’d definitely made herself comfortable. Her jacket lay across the back of his couch, revealing that she wore nothing more than a black silky dress, the fabric so thin it was obvious that she wasn’t wearing a bra. He could see the outline of her breasts, her nipples almost as visible as if she’d been topless.

  “Nicole?” he repeated, thoroughly confused by the switch from his imagination to reality. When he didn’t move, she came to him, a secret smile playing across her lips.

  “I heard you came to the ranch to see me,” she said softly as she reached to touch his face. Her thumb feathered across his bruised eye. “I’m sorry they hurt you.”

  Walker pulled his head back until her hand dropped.

  “Don’t be mad, Walker. I didn’t know he was going to send his man after yo
u. But...I’m glad you wanted to see me.”

  Walker suddenly became aware that he was standing in his open doorway with an ex-lover who wasn’t exactly dressed modestly. He moved in and shut the door. Nicole took that as a sign that she should slide her arms around his waist.

  “Nicole...” He eased away, shaking his head. “I didn’t go out there to see you.”

  She moved closer again, smiling up at him. “You just happened to be in the neighborhood?”

  “No. I wanted to see Roosevelt.”

  Yikes. That knocked the smile right off her face. “The dog?” Her hands fell to her sides. “You’re kidding, right? You’re just saying that to be mean. You told me you wouldn’t come on the property to see me because it felt wrong. But you’re fine with throwing it in my husband’s face to see your dog?”

  “I thought your husband was out of town.”

  A little snarl warned him he was missing the point. He’d heard that snarl many times before in his life.

  “I’m sorry, Nicole. Again. I meant it when I said it was over. I don’t need this kind of complication right now.”

  “No?” She huffed and spun away to stalk to his couch, her high heels like hammers on the floor. “What kind of complication do you need, huh? The brunette kind? The sneaky embezzler kind? Or some other kind I don’t know about?”

  Walker sighed and wearily shrugged off his coat. “I can honestly say I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Your new girl,” she snapped as she struggled into her jacket.

  He hung up his coat and set his hat on a table, then reached out to help her into her jacket. “My new girl,” he repeated flatly.

  “Charlotte? Isn’t that her name?” She grabbed her purse and finally turned to face him.

  “I’m not sure she’d like to be classified as my new girl. She’s a friend.”

  “Big surprise. You’re good at making friends, aren’t you, Walker? But maybe you should be a little more choosy.”

  “You’re not making any sense. Charlie is someone I grew up with.”

  She stared at him for a long moment, head tilted to the side, mouth tight with anger. “You don’t know?” she finally asked.

  “Know what?”

  She flashed a bitter smile. “Wow. Really? Well, let me put it this way. I don’t think she’s that girl you grew up with anymore.”

  Walker scrubbed a hand over his beard as the stress of the day finally slammed into him in a wash of bone-deep exhaustion. “Maybe you should just go.”

  “You don’t believe me? Look her up. She was brought back to Jackson to help her brother recoup the money he owes people.”

  “That’s absurd. She doesn’t even like her brother.”

  She smiled again, sadly this time, and reached up to cup her fingers to his chin. “She’s a criminal, Walker. That’s why she’s here.” She leaned up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his mouth. He was so confused, he could only stand there and let her. “And I’m the one who got you fired.”

  “What?” He drew his head back until she let him go. His mind was nothing but a dark, blank space with chaos swirling through it. “What did you say?”

  She shrugged. “You said you wouldn’t sleep with me because you were working for my husband. So I complained that you’d been disrespectful and I got you fired. But I guess it wasn’t about your job, after all. That was just a convenient lie.”

  He took a step back to put more distance between them, trying to calm the wild anger that was building. “You got me fired and now you’re calling me a liar?”

  “I was just helping you with your scruples. It must have been uncomfortable working there, knowing how close you’d come to fucking me.” Nicole headed for the door. “Bye, Walker. Don’t forget to do a search for your new girlfriend online. It’s pretty interesting stuff.”

  After the door slammed behind her, Walker stared dumbly at it.

  Nicole had gotten him fired. No wonder people were talking. And no wonder she’d been so pissed that he wouldn’t sleep with her after.

  Jesus, he’d never even said a cross word to the woman. Why would she have done that? Did she not understand the importance of a paycheck? Or maybe she did. Maybe she’d wanted him dependent on her. Christ.

  And now she’d really lost it. Accusing Charlie of being a criminal? That was a pitiful accusation. Ridiculous.

  Walker threw a frozen dinner in the oven and hit the shower, too tired to truly process what Nicole had said. He stood under the scalding water for what felt like an hour, feeling the kinks begin to melt from his neck and shoulders. By the time he dried off and sat down with his pan of lasagna, he felt almost awake. Unfortunately, his brain was working now, and he started to worry about Nicole’s ridiculous claims.

  He opened the browser on his phone and typed in Charlotte Allington. And Walker felt his heart sink.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  SHE MADE IT through dinner with her brother without losing her temper this time. Barely. He’d been late, and since the reservation had been for eight, Charlie had been tired and grumpy and starving by the time he’d gotten there.

  But she’d made herself be pleasant. She’d even buttered him up a little, asking about his business and how things were going. First, because he might have helped her get a job, and second, because she might need information from him. She even held her tongue when he ordered a second Scotch. And then a third.

  By the time dessert came, she was ready to get home. “So, Brad...I hear you might have had more to do with me getting this new job than you let on.”

  His eyebrows rose. “I...might have put in a good word for you. Sure.”

  “I have to admit, I was surprised by that.”

  He shrugged and swirled the ice in his glass.

  “I know we haven’t always gotten along well, and I’m sorry I lost my temper the last time I saw you. You’re just so...gruff sometimes.”

  “Yeah. I suppose. My wives have had more creative terms for it.”

  “Right. Well. I really wanted to thank you for suggesting me to Keith. I didn’t realize you knew him so well.”

  “We’ve done some business together.”

  “Development stuff?”

  He watched her for a moment. “Of course. But I think we were out to dinner when I gave him your name. Networking. You know.”

  “Thank you for networking me. I don’t know what I would have done without this.”

  “Sure. It seemed like you’d be a good fit.”

  “Why?”

  He shrugged. “That’s what you do, right?”

  “Right. But I didn’t think you two were close. You said you didn’t really know anything about Dawn.”

  “I don’t. Keith and I do business. If the wives are ever involved they talk among themselves.”

  God. She was never going to understand this man. It was as if they’d been raised in different centuries. But that didn’t mean she had to be rude to him. “Well, I’ll get dinner as a thank-you.”

  “Nah. I got it. You didn’t even have a glass of wine.”

  “Thank you,” she said, trying not to sound as relieved as she felt. She’d been comfortable for years. A single girl with a good job and no commitments. She hadn’t had a budget. She’d paid her own way. She’d even managed to acquire a comfortable savings. And thank God for that savings. It had allowed her to put a retainer down on a very good lawyer. The rest of it had gone on credit cards. Several credit cards. But she’d pay those off soon. As quickly as she could. The new apartment was her only extravagance now.

  She thanked him again when the bill came, but decided to press the issue one more time. “You’re sure there’s nothing about the Taggerts I need to know about?”

  “What is it that’s bothering you?” he asked as he threw down some cash and stood.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Are you sure it’s nothing specific? Because you’ve asked several times now.”

  She almost told him what she’
d seen, but before she even opened her mouth, she felt stupid. I think Keith is sleeping with another man’s wife. A man you may know! Yeah. Call the National Guard.

  “No. It’s nothing.”

  “Come on, Charlie.”

  “Dawn’s just making me miserable, that’s all. She seems to be suspicious about something her husband is up to.”

  “Well, I don’t want to piss you off again, but...”

  “She’s a woman?” Charlie said archly.

  He shrugged as he handed his ticket to the valet. “You want a ride?”

  “No, thanks. I’m good.”

  That was a better ending than last time, but she didn’t have the consolation of a big box of salad to carry home. The price of civility, she supposed.

  She should have pressed him harder, asked him about the land deal, but her instincts were screaming not to put all her cards on the table. She was also trying to make peace with him, so she gave him a hug and set off for home.

  It was almost ten by the time she got to the Stud Farm, and Walker’s windows were dark.

  “Damn.” She’d played this all wrong. Now she didn’t know whether she should feel guilty for the way she’d left that morning or pissed that he hadn’t bothered getting in touch. She’d play it cool either way, she supposed, but she’d really like to know how he was feeling about the whole thing.

  A stupid worry. He most likely wasn’t feeling anything at all about it.

  She kicked off her heels and collapsed onto her couch with her laptop. While she was reading an email from an old friend in Vegas, her in-box chimed again. When she saw Keith’s name, she gasped in surprise, thinking her brother had already called to tell Keith that she’d been asking about him.

  But no, the email was only work related and had gone to every manager. He wanted to know if any of them were aware of local charities that might be looking for sponsorship. Every public relations opportunity is worth exploring as Meridian Resort starts its first year as a part of the Jackson Hole community.