“I’m sorry, did you think this was a debate? I said I wasn’t going to, and I’m not going to sleep in your fucking guest room,” he responded tersely.
“Then I’ll sleep in the guest room,” she snapped, moving to get out of bed.
“You are staying in this room. If you leave I will fucking carry you back,” he growled.
Christ, there was no way in hell she could possibly be this angry over him having a few more drinks than he should have just to deal with his lunatic parents. Granted he shouldn’t have withdrawn into a scotch glass but if anyone would understand the hazards of crazy parents he would think it was her.
“Why can’t you just leave?”
She whispered closing her eyes.
“Because I want to be with you, I want you next to me and you being angry doesn’t change that.”
Surprised by his answer, he watched as her eyes welled with tears and the fight drained right out of her.
“Don’t say that it’s not true. She wants you and you want her. It’s only a matter of time,” she wailed sliding down flat on the bed and throwing her hands up over her face.
Walker couldn’t understand a word she was saying, but her shoulders were shaking and the tears sliding out from under her hands were wetting the mattress.
The fuck? Although he realized it might be unwise, he rounded the bed, sitting down next to her.
“Baby, what happened to upset you so much?”
“You’re going to want her,” she hiccuped through her hands.
“Who, my mother? That’s repulsive. What are you talking about?”
“No, not your mother, your mother is horrible. I...I don’t know,” she warbled miserably.
He bit back a chuckle, Waverly was a passionate woman, tempestuous, prone to extremes of emotion at times, and he thoroughly enjoyed that about her. Right now though he was completely fucking clueless as to what or who had upset her, he hated hearing her so miserable when he couldn’t figure out how to fix it or make it right for her. Fuck.
“Who are you talking about? Everything was so good, Wave. What changed?”
He questioned again, softer this time.
There was not a chance in hell that she was going to tell him what had happened with Cece in the ladies room.
Waverly knew just exactly how to distract him. Lowering her hands from her face, eyes slightly puffy from crying she looked up into his eyes. Whatever anger he had towards her had been replaced by what seemed to be genuine concern. For as much as the man liked to think of himself as a brute, he became a marshmallow when she was upset or distressed.
The entire situation with Cece had her so confused. Did he truly care for her? Was he using her? Whatever was going on, she needed time to think about it all, process. She definitely wasn’t going to talk to him tonight. He would keep at her until he found a way to get the truth out of her.
Raising herself up onto her knees, Waverly slid one hand up his chest to circle his neck.
“Are you mad at me Walker?”
Nuzzling her nose into his jaw as she leaned into him, she took a breath of him in, he had confessed to her one night that he loved it when she nestled into him taking deep breaths, the smell of scotch on him was intoxicating.
“Yes, I’m mad at you, you’re acting crazy,” he grumbled, closing his eyes and dropping his head back as she began kissing his neck.
“Waverly, just tell me...,“
Cutting him off she moved her body onto his lap so she was sitting astride him, wrapping both hands around and lightly scratching his scalp.
“I want to know...,“
She kissed him again, biting his bottom lip, finally surrendering he engaged kissing her back, deeply. When her hands moved down, right as her fingertips began to slide under his boxer briefs, Walker grabbed both of her hands, she looked up into his face to see both of his eyebrows raised. She sometimes forgot how insightful he was.
“Hippie Girl, why are you trying to distract me?”
Walker pushed her firmly noting the jiggle and bounce of some of his favorite parts. Flat on her back, spread out before him, he saw that she was in fact, wearing a tiny pair of white lace panties that matched her bra. Crawling over her as she willingly parted her legs for him, he lowered himself dragging his hard cock over her, shifting herself around on him, she looked up into his eyes.
“Am I distracting you?”
He forced her to wait for his answer, his attention was focused on his hands which were busy removing her panties then tossed them aside.
“We’ll talk later,” he growled right before he moved his mouth between her legs.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“I don’t know what to believe, Benn.”
Waverly had finished explaining the entire disastrous evening to Benn, who was wearing a pair of new glasses that made him look like Buddy Holly, Kate said she found them ‘orgasmic’, but everything Benn did or said these days Kate found ‘orgasmic’.
“No.”
Ben firmly advised Waverly that there was no way that Walker was being anything other than honest with her. He was an honest man, blah, blah, blah, maybe she should be worried about leaving Walker alone with Benn. Kate too had sided with Walker. Although she desperately wanted to believe them, she couldn’t shake the lingering doubts.
Interrupted by her phone alerting her to a text from Anne asking if she was going to spinning class and wondering if she was the reason for Walker’s whistling that morning? After texting her back, she looked up to see every female head in the office turned to watch Walker, making his way towards her office. In classic Walker business mode, he looked unapproachable, and aloof, strolling with his usual confidence focused on his cell phone. Her heart skipped a beat and the smile on her face widened.
“So, you believe him?” Benn interrupted.
The smile that appeared when she saw Walker faded somewhat.
“I just don’t know, Benn.”
“Trust him Way, try to trust him,” he pleaded with her.
She nodded at him as Walker stood in her office doorway. Sometimes she forgot how strikingly handsome he was, that women stopped what they were doing to watch him. He was in another Brioni suit, this time paired with a blue Hermes tie - stunning. The tie alone would have paid for one-quarter of her first year of art school. The color heightened the blue of his eyes, the expression on his face was unreadable. It often struck her that as aloof he was in public, he was so open with her, not completely open, but definitely more open.
The whole of Walker Rike could be overpowering to people and sometimes even to her. It still surprised her at times that they were together, that she woke up next to him, that he whispered filthy things in her ear, sent her poems and love notes.
“Who’s side are you on?”
She questioned Benn quietly. Benn sadly shook his head at her. Turning to leave, Benn stopped to give Walker a quick handshake, then left her office.
“I came to take you to lunch?” He informed her as he reached her desk.
She grinned at him, typical Walker, of course, he wouldn’t ask her, he would just inform her. And, of course, he would already be aware that her lunch schedule was completely open.
“Are you asking me or telling me?”
“If I remember this morning correctly, you often like it when I tell you.”
Hands stuffed in his pockets, he had leaned down to speak in a low private tone, his eyes had crinkled at the corners. It flustered her to think of the lewdly explicit way he had ‘told’ her just hours earlier.
“Do you want to ask your new BFF Benn to come with us?”
She teased trying to escape the flush heating her face.
Walker snorted.
“No. We have things to talk about,” he replied, pulling her out of her chair and placing a kiss on top of her head.
“You’re a man known for being quiet, silent, intractable. You never want to talk. Now you want to talk?”
He tipped her face up to look in
her eyes, then grinned at her.
“I thought you were a man of action not talk?”
“Miss Matthews, Is that your way of telling me that you want me to fuck you right here in your office?”
He chuckled, when she shoved at his chest with both hands, then captured them keeping them safely rested there under his.
“I think we need to talk about last night.”
“It’s over Walker, I shouldn’t have walked out and I apologize. Please, just let it go,” Waverly pleaded.
Tilting his head back he stared up at the ceiling for a few seconds.
“And, everything is good...with us? You’ve had time to think and that rarely turns out well for me,” he explained.
“Everything is just fine,” she assured him.
He searched her eyes.
“So you’re not going to run out halfway through lunch and leave me with the check?”
“No, but you have to pay, either way. You’re a wealthy bad boy remember?”
Reaching up and wrapping her arms under his suit jacket and around his waist. He grimaced at her dramatic display of affection but slid his arms around her holding her to him.
“There is something you need to know,” he began his voice getting softer, his hold on her getting tighter as if he thought she would instantly run out of her office and away from him if he let go.
Oh God, pulling back to look up into his face, she saw a guarded look on his face.
“Your mother’s not going to meet us for lunch, is she?”
Waverly asked cautiously and only partly kidding. Lowering himself so he was half sitting, his hip resting on her desk his arms crossed defensively.
“No. I have a meeting tomorrow with the VanderCrest Charity,” Walker stated bluntly.
Her eyes widened in surprise, her arms folded across her chest mimicking his stance.
“Waverly, I agreed a while ago, that my company would be the major sponsor for their next event.”
Dumbfuck. Why would he agree to something like that? A partnership with a recent fiancé that he supposedly dumped, dumped to get her back. This made no sense, and Walker rarely did anything that wasn’t strategically advantageous whether in his personal life or business. Was ‘just trust him’ Benn also aware of this little meeting of Walker’s?
“I’m trying to be upfront and honest with you Waverly. Full disclosure. Cece is in charge of the event, we have an agreement, I can’t and I won’t back out now.”
“I understand completely.”
It was business, she was a business woman, she refused to behave irrationally again. Things like this were unavoidable. Yeah, right.
And, you’re okay with it?”
Walker questioned suspiciously. She tried to avoid looking directly at him, but he moved his hand to her face and turned it up to his so he could see her eyes.
“I understand. It’s business and you have to do what’s best.”
She produced an artificial smile. Walker didn’t return the smile. He looked unconvinced.
“And you’re not going to throw anything at me? I was concerned that this would really upset you.”
She looked past him, the furrow between her brow appearing.
“I apologized for not handling last night well. Call your parents, set up another dinner, let’s do it again. I’ll wear a twinset this time.”
“They made you so unhappy at dinner. I never thought I would hear you offer to do it again.”
Waverly was surprised, he was actually concerned about how she would feel if she had to be around them again?
“Well, it is what Cece would do,” she offered.
“Waverly, it was a frustrating night all around. I was angry and I -,” he started.
She held up her hand.
“I’m sorry Walker, I shouldn’t have said that,” Waverly sighed.
He finally smiled.
“C’mon, Hippie Girl, let me buy you lunch,” he urged, dropping the subject, removing the pen out of her hand and replacing it with her cell phone.
“Thank God, the talking is over -.”
Tucking her phone into her bag, she allowed him to tug her toward the door.
“We’ll talk more later.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Taking her to a nearby hipster restaurant a few blocks away, he held her hand during the walk, happy and lighthearted, chit chatting the entire walk. it reminded her she remembered what great company he was, and how often he went out of his way to do sweet things for her. She wondered if Benn was right, she felt guilty for doubting him - and even more confused.
Because he knew she was crazy for it, he walked her to the local organic ice cream shop for a coconut, chocolate chip cone. The old man working the counter waved away Walker’s money, telling him, that her pretty smile was payment enough when Waverly smirked at him, Walker rolled his eyes at her. The old man explained that his wife of many years was just as pretty, and Walker asked him if his wife had a habit of throwing things at him when she was angry. Waverly thanked the older man with a kiss on the cheek then kicked Walker in the shin with her pointy new shoes.
They sat on a park bench in the cold, the sun shining brightly, leaning her head back, eyes closed, she let the sun warm her face, moaning as she took a bite of her ice cream.
“Wave,” Walker began, his voice low and serious.
“No. No, no, no. We’re finished talking, just let me enjoy my ice cream,” she whined at him.
“I was going to tell to stop licking that ice cream cone and moaning,” he replied darkly.
She laughed and stuck out her tongue at him.
“But, it’s so good...and it’s sooo big,” she breathed teasingly.
That brought forth a full smile from him, and God she loved it when he smiled.
“Keep it up, Hippie Girl, keep it up.”
“Hmmm, Isn’t that my li...”
“Finish that fucking cone or throw it away. There are four guys sitting in this park and they’re all eye fucking you. You and your tongue,”
Waverly shook her head at him, enjoying his jealousy.
“But I’m just getting to the best part, and they’re just looking. It’s not like I was engaged to one of them, or that one of them is my ex,” her voice got softer as she tried to make her point without being excessively bitchy.
Ignoring that comment, the glare he was currently directing at the men became more menacing.
“Waverly,” Walker snapped, looking away from the men and back to her.
“Hmmm?”
Her tongue was shoved deep into the cone, trying to slurp the rest of it out.
“Jesus, you fucking nut, you’ve got it all over your face now.”
Reaching out with his thumb, he wiped it off of her upper lip and the tip of her nose as if she were a child.
“Are they still watching?”
She asked, grinning at him.
“I’m never letting you eat ice cream in public again.”
“You’re overreacting, bro.”
“You made your point. And, did you just call me bro?”
“What point is that, bro?”
She asked him licking her upper lip.
“About Cece,” Walker answered, grabbing the cone out of her hand and throwing it over his shoulder to the birds.
“Hey, I wasn’t finished with that?”
“Yes. You were. If I see another man watching you and your tongue again, I’ll end up in jail because I’ll beat the shit out of him.”
Waverly just laughed at him again, he quickly pulled her to standing, cupped her face in both hands and shoved his tongue in her mouth.
That was a pretty intense display of jealousy for a man who was interested in someone else. Maybe Cece lied to her. Maybe she could believe him, trust him. If only she hadn’t been burned so badly by him before. If only she could find a way to trust him.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Just talk to him,” Kate lectured Waverly the next day, sitting in her office,
“Or talk to me or to Benn, we’ll help you work it out.”
“Sorry to inform you Kate, but your boyfriend Benn is a traitor. He’s left me to join the Walker-is-amazing club?”
Waverly stated matter of factly, handing an approved proof over to Kate, who then handed Waverly another proof.
“It’s that bitch, Cece, right? She wants your man.”
Waverly’s eyebrows lifted, startled at Kate’s astute grasp of the situation.
“Puhleeze Way, I saw that skinny bitch eying him at the auction. She practically had drool dripping down her surgically corrected pointy chin,” she proclaimed loyally, repeating the proof paperwork process.
“But why would you think that Walker is even interested? That man can’t see straight when you walk into a room, his eyes literally go all melty and soft. He’s like that lion with the thorn in his paw that gets tamed then lives and breathes for...whatever fixed him up. ”
Kate sighed dreamily then continued, “Way, he sends you poems, gifts, and shoes. That guy - smoking hot, wanted by half the women in Chicago, sits down and types out a love note for you - almost every night and you think he’s playing you? Why the fuck would he do that? Waverly trust me that man is crazy over you!” Kate insisted.
Waverly frowned, setting the proof aside and fiddling with her earring. She so desperately wanted to believe Kate, but Kate everything with Kate was muddled up with lust, or love or whatever it was she felt for Benn, that all she was capable of seeing right now was unicorns and rainbows.
“I’m trying. But...he didn’t trust me Kate, he raced off and got engaged, just to hurt me remember? His parents hate me, the dinner was a disaster. I know Twin Set Cece wants him, she told me in no uncertain, alpha bitch, terms that he would be hers again. I can’t compete with that, with everything she has. Blue-Blood looks, money, family...”
“You have family,” she pointed out gently.
“God, Kate, you know they’re pretty much dead to me -,”
“I’m talking about me, Benn, Steve, and the hundreds of people who love and care for you, Waverly. You do have family,” Kate insisted vehemently.
The Dumbf*ck - Part Two of The DumbFuck Series: A Billionaire Bad Boy Humorous New Adult Romance (The DumbF*ck Part Two Book 2) Page 8