by Jessa James
His eyebrows shot up in surprise and the dark mood vanished like mist in sunlight when he opened the door to find his three old friends from his unit on his doorstep and not The Colonel.
Ace, Carter and Ronan were as large and muscled and hardened as Walker himself, but they grinned in boyish excitement at his astonishment.
“Surprise!” Ace yelled, drawing Walker near for a quick one-armed hug and thump on the back.
“You’re telling me,” Walker said, stepping aside and following them in.
“How’s it going, brother?” Carter asked, repeating the hugging and thumping action.
“Yeah, all good. You?”
“Same shit, different day,” Ronan replied to a round of nodding from the others.
“I hear you, man.” He led them to the kitchen and pulled out a beer for each of them without even offering first.
“That was some fucking ninja dust action you pulled at the bachelor party, man. One second you were there, and the next you’d blown out of town.”
Walker’s expression remained stoic as he tried to formulate a response that wouldn’t involve flat out lying to his friends.
Their names were on the guest list for the wedding, but the invitations hadn’t gone out yet as far as he knew, and he hadn’t quite gotten round to telling them about his engagement.
“Something came up,” he muttered before directing the conversation elsewhere. “Heard you guys were having some shit with procurement the other day?”
Carter’s eyes narrowed as Ronan rolled his own.
“Like I said, same shit, different day. You remember what it’s like.”
Walker snorted. “Yeah, I do. The politics are bullshit.”
“Pussies,” Ace joked. “You guys just take things too seriously.”
Three pairs of eyes actively tried to burn holes into Ace’s head. He simply chuckled.
“Point in question, gentlemen.”
They had settled on the porch, spread out over the patio furniture Ashleigh had ordered. Walker silently gave her credit for another job well done. It had only arrived a week or so ago and they hadn’t gotten round to using it too much yet, but it was definitely comfortable.
Ace’s eyes lit up at a memory. “Hey, there are better things to remember from those days than the fucking politics. Do you remember that time in Tehran?”
Booming laughter filled Walker’s ears as they rehashed the memory, bantering easily back and forth, correcting one another on the details and refusing to agree.
“It was not a fucking-“ Carter started before his eyes focused on something behind Walker, and his jaw dropped. As did Ace’s and Ronan’s.
Not something, Walker realized, someone. He smirked as Ashleigh sashayed into his field of vision and gave him a smile that made him instantly hard, especially given the way her navy blue sundress clung to her curves.
“Hey darlin’,” he said as she neared him. “Done with Remy and the girls already?”
Her eyes flickered nervously to the guys as she took another step toward him. She was close enough now that he could see the uncertainty in her eyes despite the bright smile she had given him seconds before.
He knew what she was thinking, knew that she was uncertain as to how he would act with her around them knowing what they knew about how they’d really met.
The promises he’d made her about not caring about her past, about her former job and everything that went along with it flashed in his mind as he tugged gently on her hand, pulling her onto his lap and claiming her mouth with his.
He needed to prove to her that he’d been entirely honest when he’d made those promises, and he couldn’t think of a better way to start than this. He kissed her until there was a catcall and a slow clap starting up.
“Get a room!” Carter teased, bellowing with laughter.
He broke the kiss slowly, giving a last nip at her lower lip before turning to glower at his so- called friends. All three were wide-eyed with surprise, but clearly had questions in their eyes.
Happily, the questions stayed in their eyes and didn’t pass over their lips until Ashleigh had headed back inside.
“What the fuck, man?” Ace said. “Wasn’t that the stripper?”
“Waitress,” Walker replied through gritted teeth.
“How the hell did this happen?” Carter marveled, looking between Walker and the door Ashleigh had disappeared through.
“You fucking know how it happened,” he growled, the vein in his neck starting to pulse.
“I think the more pressing question, gents, is whether that ring on her dainty little very specific finger is an engagement ring,” Ronan said quietly, his dark eyebrow cocked as he met Walker’s eyes dead on.
Busted. Not that he was trying to hide it, of course.
He was inviting them to the wedding, and he wasn’t ashamed of it or her for one second. He just needed to find the right words to talk to them about it, given that they were the only ones who knew where Walker and Ashleigh had really started.
Walker nodded in response to the question. “My mother’s, actually.”
They fell silent as they contemplated his answer, clearly more than a little confused.
“Dang, man! You got engaged to the strip-“ Ace cleared his throat and took a quick sip of his beer as Walker’s fists clenched. “Club waitress.”
“That’s kinda awesome, bro!” Carter clapped him on the back. “You’re fucking engaged! Congratulations, Roman!”
“Yeah man, congrats!” Ronan and Ace chimed in.“We’d love to stay and celebrate with you, but we’d best hit the road. Still have about an hour or so to go,” Carter told him as he rose from his seat and pulled the keys to his SUV from his pocket.
“What’re you doing around my neighborhood anyway?” Walker asked as he saw them off.
“We’re driving up to see Randall’s family, visit his grave, you know, pay our respects.”
Walker was somber as he nodded, he did know. It wasn’t an expedition he was envious of, that was for sure.
Ace stuck his head out the window once they were all buckled in. “We’ll be in New Orleans for a beat before we head back out. Take care of Doll, Walker. Keep an eye on her, yeah?” He gave Walker a meaningful look.
“Will do, bud. Drive safe!” Walker waved them off and frowned as he considered the meaning behind Ace’s words, knowing they had been a subtle warning.
For a guy who was so lighthearted and quick with a joke, it was sometimes easy to forget how sharp he was, how intelligent.
It wasn’t all too hard to figure out why Walker had carried her away from the club that night, bruised and crying. Ace would have easily put at least some of the pieces together of what had transpired between then and now, the danger she might be in.
A frown crossed his face. What if those cowards from the club had tried to contact her again? What if they’d tried to come after her again?
But no, she would have told him, right?
“It’s finally here!” he heard her squeal in delight as he closed the door behind him.
“What is?” he asked, finding her in the living room.
“This,” she held up an emerald green dress, almost the exact same color as her eyes. “It came in the mail today, it’s for the rehearsal dinner.”
Her eyes flickered to his and she bit her lip, gauging his reaction to the dress and probably more specifically, the purpose for which she’d ordered it.
He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her body close to his as he planted a kiss on her full lips.
“It’s beautiful,” he murmured against her lips. “Not as beautiful as the woman who will be wearing it, but even so.”
His earlier worry subsided as she sighed contently and relaxed into his embrace. She would have told him if there was anything to worry about.
She started placing light kisses on his bicep, exposed in the muscle tee he was still wearing from his plan to work out earlier, licking the lines of the muscles she found there and wiping the
last vestiges of worry from his mind.
He gave her a wicked grin as he lifted her up and flung her over his shoulder. “It’s going to look even better on our bedroom floor after the rehearsal dinner.”
She giggled and slapped his ass as he carried her down the hallway and to the bedroom in question. “That’s such a cliché!” He could practically hear her rolling her eyes.
“Only for you, darlin'.”
21
Ashleigh woke to find Walker already showered and tying his shoelaces at the end of the bed.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.” He grinned and crawled over to press his lips to her forehead.
“Where are you off to so early?” she asked groggily, wiping the sleep from her eyes as the last traces of whatever dream she’d been having cleared from her mind.
“I promised Colt I’d go check the fence on the western border today. It’s a bit of a ride, so I figured I’d get an early start so I could get back to my fiancée quicker.” He grinned.
“Care for some company? I’d love to get some fresh air.” He’d taken her out riding several times since their first ride together and she’d grown to love it, even riding out with Remy to the dude ranch every once in a while.
His eyes lit up at her offer. “Sure, I’ll go get everything ready in the barn. Meet you out there?”
“Yeah, yay! I’ll be ready in thirty.” She didn’t know why she was still so relieved every time he wanted to spend time with her. Some part of her kept expecting the other shoe to drop, but he just seemed to be more eager each time instead of pushing her away.
Her heart fluttered as she considered this realization and stepped into the shower, the scent of his foresty body wash lingering in the warm air around her.
True to her word, she was ready to go and at the barn twenty-nine minutes after he’d left.
He grinned as she approached, right on time.
She’d noticed the way he kept every clock in the house perfectly on time and she could tell he took comfort from it, from the exact routines and the control of having and sticking to a schedule.
It made her take great care to honor any time commitments she made to him.
He had both of their mounts ready and made quick work of helping her onto hers before putting his powerful leg up and swinging his body onto Noir’s back.
They rode in an easy silence for the first few minutes, breathing in the fresh early morning air combined with the leather and oil of the tack and watching the sun rise higher in the sky as they guided the horses onto the path that led to the western border.
Ashleigh somehow already took comfort in this smell, this view and the feel of Aislyn’s surefooted steps under her body. She relaxed into the rhythm almost instinctively and could feel the tension that had been building in her body since her run-in with Eli melt away. She was more at ease than she had been since – except, of course, for when Walker made every thought she had ever had fly from her mind and dominated her body with his.
This was different though. Not better, just different – serene, as opposed to every nerve in her body being on fire as he rocked her to new heights each time.
“I think they’re warm enough now. Ready to let them stretch their legs and gallop for a bit?” he asked, meeting her eyes with his as he glanced briefly over his shoulder.
A lump formed in her throat as she drank him in, the beautiful strong cowboy on his midnight black steed with his tender eyes and big heart.
She was unable to form the words she needed, so she nodded enthusiastically and spurred Aislyn on.
Walker gave her big, lazy smile as he watched her response and attempt to spur Aislyn on before he clucked at Noir, who responded immediately to his command and movements and broke into a graceful gallop.
Aislyn followed instantaneously, and Ashleigh gave a delighted laugh as the wind whipped through her hair and they sped over the countryside without a care in the world.
Then she remembered that it wasn’t true, that she wasn’t some carefree country girl out for an early morning ride with her fiancée on the ranch that was her home.
Her past wouldn’t melt away as easily as her cares had, and there was a mob of angry Russians threatening her. Threatening this life she was trying to settle into while pretending that it was hers.
Her laughter flew away with the wind and settled somewhere in the dust they were leaving in their wake.
She grew somber and wondered whether her horseback rides and days on the ranch with Walker were numbered.
She had unwittingly reigned Aislyn in, and Walker slowed Noir to fall into step beside her just as they neared their first stop.
“Hey,” his voice was clear but concerned, caring even. “What’re you thinking about that’s got you looking so glum all of a sudden?”
She looked over at him wistfully, wishing with every bone in her body that things were different between them, that she could tell him without him and Noir galloping off in the opposite direction.
“Some things are just too dark to tell, Walker. Even between…” She trailed off, not quite knowing the word to use. What were they right now?
He smiled at her, sensing her uncertainty and making her heart swell as he answered.
“A couple?”
She blushed, eyes filled with incredulity.
“We are a couple, Ash. If that’s what you want?” Something dark flashed in his eyes.
“Yeah, yes, I mean. Of course,” she stammered, feeling the flush on her cheeks spread down her neck and over her chest.
He laughed, eyes bright and relaxed again at hearing her answer.
“How the hell did you manage to work in a strip club when you’re embarrassed so easily?” he wondered aloud, amusement ringing in his voice.
She ducked her head in shame, wishing he wouldn’t bring up her past.
The familiar feeling that he could actually read her mind crept over her as he reached for her hand and reigned the horses in, pulling them to a stop.
He dismounted quickly and helped her down. His nimble fingers tied the horses securely to a nearby fence post and he strode back to her with almost inhuman speed.
He pulled her close to him, and the smell of forest and pine and Walker enveloped her. He held her close and waited until she leaned into him, relaxing in the safety of his embrace before taking a small step back, but keeping her in the circle of his arms, still against his body.
He brushed some stray hairs that had blown free from her ponytail out of her eyes and tucked them behind her ears, rooting her in place with his intense, riveting gaze. His eyes shone with sincerity and some unnamed emotion.
“Your past doesn’t bother me, Ashleigh. I don’t know how to make that clearer to you, but it really doesn’t. Like I said, we all have darkness in our past, things we don’t care to think about and things that make us sad. We can’t be controlled by what happened then. It’s over. Sure, it might’ve formed us into the people that we are today, but it doesn’t control what happens in our future. Your past doesn’t bother me at all. I just wish it didn’t bother you so much.” She searched his eyes for any sign of uncertainty or dishonesty, but couldn’t find any.
“You really, truly don’t mind?” Her voice was small, her mind unable to believe that a man like him could want a girl like her and genuinely didn’t care about the darkness in her past.
He drew her close again and claimed her mouth with his, crushing his lips insistently to hers and swirling his tongue with hers hungrily.
She was breathless when he broke the kiss with a nip at her bottom lip.
“I really, truly don’t mind.” He smirked, keeping his eyes firmly fixed to hers, as though challenging her again to find a flicker of doubt.
She found none and felt the disbelief slowly dissipate under his confident, open gaze.
She smiled a radiant, exultant smile at him before throwing her arms behind his neck and pulling him toward her, taking control of their kiss this time and kissing him more passionate
ly than she ever had before.
22
A few days later, Walker sipped his strong black coffee at the rustic kitchen table as he looked over the final plans for the wedding.
The sun was just starting to rise and Ashleigh was still fast asleep, naked in their bed. He considered going back to join her, but the next few days to the wedding were going to be busy and he’d promised her that he’d look things over one last time.
There was a certain tranquility to this time of day. It allowed him the clarity of mind that he didn’t often experience if he rose later, so he always chose the tasks that required a measure of introspection to do in the peace of the early morning.
Ashleigh kept the wedding plans in a neatly organized file with tabs for each item containing all the options they’d had to choose from with the final arrangement filed first under each tab. She’d highlighted due dates and deadlines and had programmed each into their shared Google calendar.
After some verbal sparring with Marilee, the guest list had been finalized and was depressingly one-sided.
He sighed, wishing he could track down at least one person who could represent her side at the wedding, but he knew there was no one.
As he paged through the file, he marveled at the absurdity of it all. It was all out of order, upside down and back to front.
In just a few short days, he was marrying a girl he’d only just started to date under false pretenses. Theirs would be a courtship that would start with marriage, as opposed to that being the end goal if all went well.
Be that as it may, there would be a wedding soon and a surprisingly nice one at that, he noted as he flipped through the file.
It was all last minute, to be sure, but with the help from all the Romans and Rivers it had all come together quite well and he felt excitement building in his chest as he was confronted with the arrangements for his wedding.
It was all starting to feel very real suddenly, but he felt surprisingly calm.
Would he have preferred to able to woo her and sweep her off her feet? Probably.
Would he have loved to have sunk to one knee in some obscenely romantic setting and watch her face light up when he offered her his mother’s ring? Yeah, sure.