Thirteen
“What am I going to do, Josette? Of all the stupid, idiotic, crazy things I could have done, why did I fall in love with Walker Rafferty?” Bailey asked. She held her mobile phone to her ear and paced Walker’s bedroom. Talk about doing something dumb.
She had woken up that morning and glanced out the window on her way to the bathroom. She’d seen Walker and his men in the distance, knee deep in snow, loading some type of farm equipment onto a truck. She had stared at him, admiring how good he looked even dressed in a heavy coat and boots with a hat on his head. All she could think about was the night before, how he had made love to her, how he’d made her scream a number of times. And how this morning before leaving the bed he had brushed a good-morning kiss across her lips.
Suddenly, while standing at the window and ogling him, it had hit her—hard—that all those emotions she’d been feeling lately weren’t lust. They were love.
She had fallen head over heels in love with Walker.
“Damn it, Josette. I should have known better.”
“Calm down, Bailey. There’s nothing stupid, idiotic or crazy about falling in love.”
“It is if the man you love has no intention of ever loving you back. Walker told me all he could ever offer is a meaningless affair. I knew that and fell in love with him anyway.”
“What makes you think he hasn’t changed his mind? Now that the two of you have spent time together at his ranch, he might have.”
“I have no reason to think he won’t be ready for me to leave when my two weeks are up. Especially after that stunt I pulled the other day. Inviting his men for breakfast without his permission. Although he didn’t say anything, I could tell he didn’t like it.”
“Are you going to tell him how you feel?”
“Of course not! Do you want me to feel even more stupid?”
“So what are you going to do?”
Bailey paused, not knowing how she intended to answer that. And also knowing there was really only one way to answer it. “Nothing. Just enjoy the time I have with him now and leave with no regrets. I believe the reason he refuses to love anyone else is because he’s still carrying a torch for his late wife. There’s nothing I can do about that and I don’t intend to try.”
Moments later, after ending her phone call with Josette, Bailey walked back over to the window. Today the weather appeared clearer than it had been the past couple of days. She missed home, but not as much as she’d figured she would. Skype had helped. She communicated regularly with her nieces and nephews and little cousins and, according to Ramsey, although several wives were expecting new babies in the family, none had been born. Everyone was expecting her home for Thanksgiving and was looking forward to her return.
She had worked out a system with Lucia where she could work remotely from Alaska. Doing so helped fill the long days when Walker was gone. In the evenings she looked forward to his return. Although they had established an amicable routine, she knew it was just temporary. Like she’d told Josette, there was no doubt in her mind Walker would expect her to leave next week. Granted, she knew he enjoyed her as his bedmate, but she also knew that, for men, sex was nothing more than sex. She had found that out while watching her then-single Westmoreland brothers and cousins. For her and Walker, there could never be anything between them other than the physical.
Even so, she could sense there was something bothering Walker. More than once she’d awakened in the night to find him standing at the window or poking the fire. And then there had been the night he’d woken up screaming the words, “No, Kalyn! Don’t! Connor! Connor!”
She had snuggled closer and wrapped her arms around him, and pretty soon he had calmed down, holding her as tightly as she held him. The next day over breakfast she had expected him to bring up the incident, but he hadn’t. She could only assume he didn’t remember it or didn’t want to talk about it. But she had been curious enough to check online and she’d found out Kalyn had been his wife and Connor his son.
Bailey turned when she heard the bedroom door opening, and there Walker stood, looking more handsome than any man had a right to look. As she stood there staring, too mesmerized by the heat in his eyes to even speak, he closed the door and removed his jacket, then tossed it across the chair.
She’d seen that look in his eyes before, usually in the evenings after he’d spent the entire day on the range. It wasn’t quite nine in the morning. She swallowed. Now he was unbuttoning his shirt. “Good morning, Walker.”
“Good morning, Bailey.” He pulled the belt from his jeans before sitting in the chair to remove his boots and socks. His eyes never left hers.
“You’ve finished your chores for the day already?”
“No.”
“No?”
“Yes, no. The guys took my tractor over to the Mayeses’ place for Conley to look at it. He’s the area mechanic. Nothing much to do until they get back, which won’t be for hours.”
She nodded. “I see.”
“I came in for coffee and had a cup before hearing you move around up here, letting me know you were awake.” Now he was unzipping his pants.
“And?” she asked, as if she really didn’t know.
He slid his pants down muscular thighs. “And—” he crooked his finger “—come here a minute.”
He stood there stark naked. She couldn’t help licking her lips as her gaze moved from his eyes downward, past his chest to the thatch of dark hair covering his erection. “Before or after I take off my clothes?” she asked.
“Before. I want to undress you.”
At that moment she didn’t care that she’d just finished putting on her clothes. From the look in his eyes, he was interested in more than just taking off her clothes.
Drawing in a deep breath and trying to ignore the throb between her legs, she crossed the room on wobbly knees. Was she imagining things or was his erection expanding with each step she took? When she stopped in front of him, he placed both hands on her shoulders. She felt the heat of his touch through her blouse.
“You look good in this outfit,” he said, holding fast to her shoulders as his gaze raked over her.
“Thanks.” It was just a skirt and blouse. Nothing spectacular.
“You’re welcome.” Then he captured her lips with his.
Her last coherent thought was But this kiss is spectacular.
Walker was convinced, and had been for some time, that Bailey was what fantasies were made of. What he’d told her was the truth. She looked good in that outfit. Truth be told, she looked good in any outfit...especially in his shirts. Those were the times he felt most possessive, territorial, crazy with lust...and love. All the things that she’d once stated were total turnoffs for her.
He continued kissing her, moving his mouth over her lips with a hunger he felt all the way to his toes. He had wanted this kiss to arouse her, get her ready for what was to come. He figured she knew his motives because of the way she was responding. Their tongues tangled madly, greedily, as hot and intense as it could get.
His hands left her shoulders and cupped her backside, pressing her body against his. There was no way she didn’t feel his erection pressing against the juncture of her thighs.
He’d watched her crossing the room and noticed her gaze shifting from his face to his groin, checking him out. He really didn’t know why. Nothing about that part of his body had changed. She had cupped it, taken it into her mouth and fondled it. So what had she found so fascinating about it today?
As if she’d guessed his thoughts, she glanced up to meet his eyes just seconds before reaching him. The tint that darkened her cheeks had been priceless, and instead of stripping her clothes off like he’d intended, he kissed her. He’d overplayed his hand with Bailey. This young woman had done what no other could have done. She was on the verge of making him whole. Making him want to believe in love all over again. Restoring his soul to what it had been before Kalyn had destroyed it.
He slowly broke off the kiss. His hands returned to her shoulders only long enough to remove her blouse and unhook her bra. And then he tugged her skirt and panties down past her hips and legs to pool at her feet. He looked his fill. Now he understood her earlier fascination with him because he was experiencing the same fascination now.
Yes, he’d seen it all before. Had tasted and touched every single inch. But still, looking at her naked body almost took his breath away. She was beautiful. His body ached for her in a way it had never ached for another woman...including Kalyn.
That realization had him lifting her into his arms, carrying her to the bed. He placed her on it and joined her there. He had intended to go slow, to savor each moment as long as he could. But she had other ideas.
When they stretched out together on the huge bed, her mouth went for his and kissed him hungrily. The same way he’d kissed her moments ago. The only difference was that her hands were everywhere, touching, exploring and stroking. He joined in with his own hands, frenzied with the need to touch her and let his mouth follow. She squirmed against him, biting his shoulders a few times and licking his chest, trying to work her mouth downward. But he beat her to the punch. She released a gasp when he tightened his hold on her hips and lowered his head between her legs.