“Ready?” Walker asked when I stopped beside him.
“Let’s go.”
I reached for the door handle, and he curled one of his hands over mine before I turned it. “Don’t forget we’re not supposed to pet him.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but his lips curled in a smile, understanding held in his eyes. “Injured animals are going to get to your heart. They do mine, so that warning was for both of us,” he explained.
I smiled sheepishly. “I know.”
We walked into the room with the door swinging shut softly behind us.
The unnamed opossum was in a small raised enclosure. The area was, of course, clean and sterile. There were blankets in a rounded pile in one corner. He appeared to be sleeping as we approached, but opened his eyes and lifted his face.
“Oh, he’s so cute!” I exclaimed as I reached reflexively for Walker’s hand and squeezed it.
The opossum had a bright blue cast on his rear leg. I could see where Jackson shaved off some hair with some stitching toward the top of the hip joint. I leaned against the railing surrounding his enclosure. “Hey, little guy. I really want to pet him,” I said when the opossum limped over curiously.
Walker glanced down as I looked up. “I know, and Jackson said we can’t,” he reminded me. “He made it through surgery and it looks like he’s going to make a full recovery. That’s the best we can hope for. What should we name him?”
I stared down at him for a moment, answering with the first name that came to mind because it felt right. “Everett.”
Walker’s slow smile sent my belly into a flip. “Perfect.” He watched the cute opossum. “Hey, Everett. Hope you’re comfy here.”
Walker stepped back, while I lingered, watching as the opossum nudged the water bowl nearby before leaning in to drink from it. Turning, I slipped my hands into the pockets of my jeans. Walker was leaning against the door.
Sweet hell. That man was too good-looking. The universe had been ridiculously generous with him. My eyes trailed up his muscled thighs encased in denim, snagging for a moment on the strip of tanned skin, revealed from where his thumb was hooked over a belt loop and slightly pulling the waistband of his jeans below his T-shirt. My mouth practically watered at the sight of the defined V that I knew led to incredible things.
Flustered, I yanked my eyes upward only to find his right there waiting for me, flashing silver and going dark and stormy.
“Can I see you tonight?” he asked.
His question startled me. Not that I could’ve guessed what I expected him to say, but definitely not that. I was tingling all over and felt as if little sparks were bouncing around inside me. I tried to take a steadying breath, but it wasn’t much help. Breathing when Walker was anywhere in my vicinity didn’t exactly work for me. I settled for a few sips of air and ignored the heat rising on my face.
“Sure.” My reply startled me more than Walker’s question because my thoughts hadn’t formed. The word of assent just slipped out.
His slow, naughty smile made me bite my lip as I struggled to get a hold of my runaway pulse.
“Come ’ere,” he murmured, his voice husky.
Because apparently I did whatever Walker said, I didn’t even think before I crossed the room. When I was standing in front of him, he released his thumb from his belt loop and put two fingers in one of mine, tugging me close.
“Seems I can’t get enough of you, Jade,” he murmured as I felt the heat of his arousal pressing in the cradle of my hips.
The ache at the apex of my thighs throbbed. When I looked into Walker’s eyes, the intensity there stole my breath as my heart nearly drummed its way out of my chest. I couldn’t even speak, much less absorb the implications of Walker saying something like that. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. Not to me. Not with us.
When I took a shuddery breath, I felt my achingly hard nipples press against his chest. Walker lifted his hand and laced his fingers in my hair. His hand slid down to cup my cheek just before his thumb traced over my lips. His touch was like fire.
And then, he was dipping his head, his voice low. “Just one kiss.”
His hand curled around the nape of my neck as he fit his mouth over mine. If I’d learned only one thing since I’d stumbled into this madness with Walker, it was that he could kiss like no other. He instantly commanded my mouth, his tongue sweeping in and laying claim.
I wasn’t used to being overcome. There was no other way to describe it. I was adrift on the desire crashing through me as he devoured my mouth. At the same time, I savored the way he pulled back and gently dropped hot kisses at each corner of my mouth before diving back in.
The sharp bark of one of the dogs in the kennel barely punctured the haze in my mind. When Walker pulled back again, catching my bottom lip in his teeth with a sensuous tug, I realized I was plastered against him. His knee had slipped between my thighs, and I was rocking my hips over it, piercing bursts of pleasure emanating from my core.
“I think they’re in here,” I heard a voice saying.
I started to scramble away, but Walker held me fast. “Tonight?”
“I’m supposed to get drinks with Valentina and Shay,” I gasped when his knee pressed against my clit.
“Oh, that’s right,” he murmured.
“Walker,” I pleaded in a whisper when I heard footsteps approaching the door.
He released me, and it was only then that I remembered he was actually leaning against the door.
“Call me after that.” He pushed away from the door, right when the doorknob turned.
I
