“I’m aware you can open your own door, Jade.” Walker’s words came out slow and measured, the subtle twang in his voice making me shiver.
I had quite purposefully sworn off men. Until Walker, that hadn’t been a problem. I hadn’t even been tempted. Walker was turning out to be far more than I had bargained for. He was so purely masculine, and yet in such an understated way. I felt a low tug in my belly at his nearness.
The desire to yank him to me and feel his lips on mine collided against the urge to run far and fast. Because I didn’t know what to do with this feeling.
Just when I was thinking I couldn’t take it anymore, his gaze broke from mine at the sound of someone calling his name. When he stepped back, I shimmied my hips down and jumped to the ground.
As it turned out, with the way Walker stood by the door, I landed right by his side. When the woman who called his name approached us, he dropped his hand from the door and slid his arm around my waist.
My breath hitched in my chest. I was flush against Walker’s honed and strong body, and my body thought that was fan-fucking-tastic. My nipples practically stood up and cheered.
I presumed the woman approaching was Dee, primarily by the way her face fell when her eyes landed on me. She was pretty with chestnut brown hair that fell straight past her shoulders and bright blue eyes that locked onto me once she got close.
For just a beat, Dee’s confident stride broke. I could practically feel her gather herself back together. She threw her shoulders back slightly and lifted her chin. With a flick of her manicured fingers, she brushed her hair off her shoulder as she came to a stop in front of us.
“Hi, Walker, how are you?”
Walker’s hand slid down to rest on the curve of my hip. I was acutely aware of the heat of his touch. Here I thought this would be simple. I’d play the role of Walker’s devoted girlfriend, and it would be fun. I didn’t expect this much proximity to him. I didn’t expect him to send me reeling inside with need spinning like hot sparks through me.
Willing my pulse to behave itself, I focused my attention on Dee and smiled politely. Walker was replying, “Doing quite well, Dee. And how are you?”
There was a tightness around her lips and eyes as her gaze flicked to me and back to Walker again. “I’m fine. It’s been a rough few months, but then you know that. You seem to have neglected to let me know you were seeing someone,” she said as she brought her gaze to me again.
I stepped a little closer to Walker. We were basically plastered to each other at this point. Sliding my arm around his waist, I smiled at Dee before looking up at him and not even faking the heat in my gaze.
Reluctantly, for real, I dragged my eyes away. “Hi, I’m Jade.” I held out my free hand. Her hesitance to shake my hand was obvious, and I didn’t even care. Her palm was cool, and her grip a little weak.
“I’m Dee,” she said sharply. “Walker and I go way back.”
“So I hear. I hope things are going well with your new boyfriend.”
I felt Walker’s fingers tighten on my hip and the subtle shake of a laugh when his ribs moved against my side. He didn’t make a sound, though.
The lines around Dee’s eyes tightened as her smile went from tense to brittle. Walker’s hand squeezed my hip lightly again. I couldn’t tell if that was because he was pleased with me teasing Dee, or warning me against it. Either way, my body sure liked the feel of it with a little zing spinning through me from his touch.
“Walker!” a man’s voice called. “How ya doin’, man?”
Walker shifted toward the source of the voice. A man with brown hair and a lanky stride was angling across the parking lot at an easy jog. Dee glanced in the same direction, annoyance flashing across her face, which she masked quickly.
“Hey, Dave,” Walker said as the man reached us.
Dave pulled Walker into a back slapping hug before stepping away and glancing at me. “You must be Jade. So glad you could make it.”
“You got it, this is Jade,” Walker said.
His silver gaze collided with mine. A hot sizzle of heat raced through me from nothing more than the look in his eyes. This was getting out of hand. Flustered, I faced Dave, whom I knew to be Walker’s best friend and the groom.
“I’m sorry we haven’t had a chance to meet sooner. I wasn’t about to miss your wedding, though,” I said with a smile.
If Dave knew whether or not this was a fake date, he certainly didn’t let on. He flashed a grin. “Thrilled you could make it,” he told Dee, coolness entering his gaze. “Steve is looking for you. Are you all set with your room?”
Dee smiled tightly. “Of course we are. We checked in last night.”
“Oh, that’s right. Jenny and I didn’t see you yesterday, so I spaced that y’all checked in early,” Dave replied.
“Well, I should go. I’ve got a few things to take care of before the rehearsal dinner,” Dee said. “Nice to meet you, Jade.” I was pretty sure it about killed her to be polite, but she managed it. Her eyes landed on Walker. “I sure hope we get a chance to talk.”
“So nice to meet you,” I said, injecting a cheery tone in my voice, which really wasn’t all that hard.
Meanwhile, Walker simply inclined his head. “Good to see you, Dee.”
Dave waggled his eyebrows at Walker when Dee walked away, her heels clicking in a
