He chuckled. It said something about the depth of my attraction to him that despite how out of place it was and despite how weary we both were, the mere sound of his gruff laugh sent a prickle down my spine and heat racing over the surface of my skin.
“No. I’m not one of those guys. If it was a stick shift and you couldn’t drive that, well, then I might be worried.”
“It’s not a stick shift, but I could handle it if it was. My father insisted Lucas and I learn. It was only a few years ago that Lucas finally got over his snobbery about that and got a regular automatic truck.”
Walker laughed again. “I get it. I was the same way. Damn stupid. Shifting gears takes work.”
After I turned onto the road that would take us back to the wedding hotel, I commented, “I’m glad Dave’s going to be okay.”
I felt Walker’s sigh to my depths. It was so heartfelt when his head fell back against the seat. “Yeah. He’s like a brother to me. Thanks again for waiting with me tonight.”
“Anytime.”
We fell into silence for the remainder of the drive back to the hotel.
Chapter Fifteen
Jade
Walker was asleep when I parked the truck. Moonlight fell through the window, illuminating his profile. He was a beautiful man with strong, sculpted features. The tension he usually held in his features was gone in sleep. I wanted to lean over and kiss his cheek.
I didn’t. I was unsettled tonight, completely thrown off my axis. Between experiencing my first climax with a man, and then being present on the heels of a frightening emergency, it was a lot to take in. I’d glimpsed the vulnerability that lay behind Walker’s quiet exterior. It felt as if someone had taken tiny pry bars to the walls I’d built around my heart.
That unsettled feeling drove me to leap out of the truck, catching myself in time before I slammed the door behind me. Rounding to the passenger side, I opened the door quietly. “Walker.” I shook him gently on the shoulder.
He mumbled something in his sleep before falling right back into it. I shook him again, this time saying his name at a higher volume. I’d carry him if I could, but I knew that was impossible.
“Huh?” he mumbled as his eyes finally opened. He rolled his head to the side, opening his eyes slowly. “Did I fall asleep?”
I smiled. “Yep. Come on, let’s get you to bed.”
A few minutes later, we were back in the hotel room. Walker kicked his shoes off, stumbling slightly. I caught him at the elbow to steady him. “You need to get in bed.”
“That’s what I was aiming for,” he muttered with a sleepy smile.
Without further ado, he yanked his T-shirt off and shoved his jeans down, basically falling onto the bed as he kicked them free of his feet. Meanwhile, my mouth went dry at the sight of a shirtless Walker. Dear God. The man needed to come with a list of warnings—might blind you with hotness, don’t touch or you’ll get burned, melting imminent. Something along those lines.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath as I turned away. I made sure the door was locked, and set my purse down on the dresser. Walker was already sound asleep. He’d managed to crawl up to the pillows, but he hadn’t even gotten under the covers. The sheets and comforter were still rumpled from our earlier encounter. He was half on his stomach with one knee bent up and his elbow tucked under the pillow. Jesus, even his ass was all muscle. His back was cut and every muscle was delineated even when he was relaxed.
As my eyes trailed down his body, they snagged on a thin scar that wrapped around from his back along his rib cage. I couldn’t help but wonder what happened. I was starting to want to know far too much about Walker.
When I had agreed to this silly, fake wedding date, I chalked up my attraction to him as just a passing thing. Like lightning that struck once on a hot summer day with no storm to follow in its wake.
The more time I spent with him, the more I liked him. Stepping to the side of the bed, I carefully tucked the covers over him, unable to resist the urge to brush the dark lock that had fallen over his forehead out of his eyes.
With my heart tumbling in an unsteady beat, I went into the bathroom, taking a cool shower to wash away the sterile, antiseptic stickiness clinging to me from the hospital.
I came awake to the feel of Walker’s muscled body curled around me from behind. His hard arousal pressed against my bottom, and I could feel the slick heat between my thighs. I decided I wanted to return a favor. Well, that was how I tried to rationalize it. I just wanted to touch Walker, and I wasn’t quite ready to let myself think it ran deeper.
My thoughts glanced off the curious detail that last night I’d been fully prepared to take things all the way. Somehow, my awareness of my vulnerability intimidated me. When I felt intimidated, I had one response—to take control.
Moving carefully, I rolled over. Walker was deeply asleep. Yet, when I rose up on an elbow, I found his eyes opening. For a moment, they were hazed with sleep but then they widened. “Jade,” was all he said.
Of course, he had to go say it in his gruff, gravelly, oh-so-sexy voice. I smiled, leaning over to string kisses over his chest and abdomen as I slid my palm down to cup the hard, hot length of his cock.
His breath came out in a hiss when I hooked my fingers over his fitted boxer briefs and pulled them down. His cock sprang free, long and thick, a little drop of pre-cum glistening on the
