So Tough To Tame

“Some standards, huh? Real nice, Walker.”

“I’m not talking about you! I’m not one of those guys. We were both there, together, doing the same thing. I’m just talking about myself. For whatever reason, it seemed harmless for a while, a few kisses, some fantasies...but I don’t want to take it further.”

“You damn sure did that night in the tack room.”

Walker took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, trying to scrub away the panic that raced through his head at the memory. Yeah. He’d already shoved up her skirt and unzipped his pants when someone had walked past the tack room door. He’d thought his heart was going to jump out of his chest in that moment, waiting for whoever it was to open that unlocked door and expose them. It had only taken him a few seconds to zip back up and straighten her clothes and then feel damn grateful they’d been interrupted. Nicole hadn’t been so thankful.

She crossed her arms, her hands gripping her own elbows as if she was trying to find a little security. “I miss you,” she whispered.

Oh, God. What was he supposed to say to that? He couldn’t be cruel. “You’re lonely, Nicole. You should leave the ranch. Find something else.”

“No.” Her hands squeezed harder.

“Well, I can’t be your big distraction from your life.”

Her hands still squeezed her elbows, but she tried that sweet smile again. “Why not? You’re so good at it, Walker. You’re fun.”

Yeah, he was fun, all right. A lot of fun. “I know. But that fun got me fired and it’s making it hard to find new work.”

She finally let herself go and moved closer to touch his arm. “I’m sorry. Really. Let me help. Maybe...maybe I can get you hired on back at the ranch.”

“No way. I can’t work there now, knowing what everyone’s thinking.”

“No one knows anything! It will be fine, and I’ll get to see you every day. I’ll talk to—”

Walker cut her off. “I can’t.”

She nodded, but her face went tight and there was no missing the way her eyes glistened. “So you just never want to see me again?”

“Come on. I didn’t say that. And you can call anytime you want to talk.”

“Talking isn’t really what this is about. I don’t want to talk.”

Right. That wasn’t what she wanted from him. It wasn’t what anyone wanted. “Thanks for being honest.”

She rolled her eyes. “Why do you have to be this way? When we’re alone, everything is fine. As soon as I leave, you start regretting what we both want. Just take me to your place and fuck me, Walker. You told me you didn’t want to do it because you worked for my husband. Because it was his house and his ranch. But none of that applies anymore and I want you.”

A tiny part of his brain was telling him it didn’t matter. He might as well. Everyone suspected they’d been fooling around already. Hell, even Charlie knew now. She was probably getting an earful at this very second. So what did it matter?

A bigger part of his brain told him to sit down and shut up. “I can’t. I’m sorry,” he said softly.

“You’ll regret this. You’ll miss me. Give it another week.” She turned away, her hair flying out in a bright arc when she spun to stalk off the porch. Walker let her go, relieved that the conversation was done. He should have been up front in the first place, instead of trying to avoid her. But hell, he’d assumed their friendship would just die its natural death. Done. Over. He hadn’t expected her to demand her due.

He’d liked Nicole at first. He’d been flattered by her attention. He’d gotten caught up in the thrill of flirting with the boss’s hot wife.

Damn it.

He collapsed onto one of the outdoor bar stools and set his hat on another. For a moment, he stayed like that, head in hands, lost in indecision.

He shouldn’t have come to the saloon and he damn sure didn’t want to be there now, but he had to go back in. Otherwise, the story would end with him leaving the bar with Nicole and not returning.

Suddenly he was a hundred times more tired than he’d been an hour earlier. A thousand times.

But he stood, put on his hat, pasted a smile on his face and walked back into the saloon.

“You came back!” Charlie said as soon as he was in earshot.

“I never left.”

Rayleen watched him with sharp eyes, but for once she didn’t say a word.

He grabbed a beer but only drank half of it before he shook his head. “Listen, I’m exhausted. I’m gonna go fall into bed.”

Charlie cocked her head and studied him for a moment. “All right. Walk me home? I’m tired, too.”

Was she trying to catch him in a lie? Did she think Nicole was waiting at his apartment? “A few minutes ago, you were leading the whole crowd in a song. You said you could go for hours.”

“I guess I was wrong. That level of awesomeness apparently wears a girl out.”

He could hardly say no to walking a woman home after dark, even if it was only across the parking lot. She had him roped with that one. “I’d be happy to walk you home, Charlie.”

“Let’s go.”

Before they took two steps, Rayleen called, “Where are you going, Ms. Thang?”

“Beauty sleep!” Charlie shouted back. “And I have to rest up for the weekend. I’ve got men to hunt.”

Rayleen howled with laughter. “Keep me in the loop. I’ll help you tag ’em.”

Walker couldn’t believe it. “That woman doesn’t like anyone, not even her own flesh and blood.”

“Aw. Everyone likes me, Walker. After all, what’s not to like?”

His eyes fell to the dip of her collar and the faint rise of her cleavage. “Not a lot.”

“Are you calling me flat-chested?”

His gaze flew up to meet hers as he pushed open the saloon door. “No! What?”

She didn’t bother answering, she just swept by him with a gorgeous laugh, the scent of something crisp and flowery trailing behind her.

“Who was that woman?” she asked as she stepped off the porch stairs and headed toward the street.

“A friend.”

“Oh, playing coy. Is she a girlfriend?”

“No.”

“Is there someone else?”

“Nope.”

“Walker Pearce with no woman? That’s rare. I should make a move quick.”

She was teasing again. Pressing him. He should call her on it to scare her off. But in his current mood, he didn’t want to scare her off.

He’d been caught up in the idea that she wasn’t the same girl she’d been in high school. It had so confused him that he hadn’t put time into figuring out who she was now.

She wasn’t that sweet, studious girl, obviously. Now she was a successful businesswoman, bold and beautiful and wild. Exactly the kind of woman he was attracted to. And exactly the kind who saw him for what he was: a big, dumb ride to adventure.

He felt a little calmer now. A little less worried or maybe only worn-out from his conversation with Nicole. But he was also kind of pissed, and there was just enough adrenaline left in his veins to make him horny. And just enough regret to make him want to forget his mistakes.

Walker didn’t know what to do with a sweet, innocent girl, but this new Charlie? Yeah, he could deal with that.

“Are you okay?” she asked, her arm nudging his as they turned and headed up the walk to the Stud Farm. “You still look tense. Did she give you trouble?”

“Not too much.”

“I guess you’re used to it.”

He tightened his jaw. “Mm.”

“Even in school, some girl was always mad at you. You sure do cause trouble, Walker.”

“Yeah.” He shot her a dark look as he opened the door of the building. “You looking for trouble, Charlie?”

Her small smile bloomed into a wicked grin. “You sound like you don’t quite believe I am.”

“I guess you’ve changed.”

“I have changed,” she said as he followed her up the stairs. “I hope you’re not disappointed. You might have liked that innocent, careful girl, but I can tell you from experience that being innocent gets a little lonely. And being careful doesn’t actually... Well. Never mind. You, on the other hand...”

He couldn’t tell if she was deliberately putting more swing into her hips or if that exaggerated sway was the result of her ass rising to eye level as she took the stairs. All he knew was that in that moment, her heels and tight jeans and sleek curves conspired to melt his brain into a pile of horny mush. Goddamn, he wanted to see that ass naked.

She stopped on the landing and turned to face him. “You were never, ever lonely, were you?”

Walker took the last step and looked down at Charlie. “I’m lonely tonight.”

Her eyes went wide in a brief moment of shock. He waited for her to laugh then. Waited for her to change her mind and say Oh, Walker, I could never do that with you. Not like this. We’re friends.

But she didn’t say that. Instead her gray eyes sparkled. Her lips parted so she could draw a shallow breath. “Are you?” she whispered.

“Don’t I look lonely?” He stepped forward. Charlie stepped back. They played it out a few more times until she was against the wall and he was standing over her.

Now all of her breaths were shallow. She looked up at him with the faintest little smile on her parted lips. Her hands rose to rest on his chest, and the touch spread hot zings of awareness through his shirt.

“You don’t have to be lonely, Walker,” she whispered, tipping her mouth up so her words chased over his jaw. “I’m right...” She rose on her toes, and her hips brushed against his. “Here.”

He dipped his head and caught her mouth and he forgot to be mad about being a big, dumb ride. He’d be that for Charlie all damn night if she wanted.

* * *

THIS WAS A moment she’d considered many, many times in her youth. Walker Pearce leaning slowly down, his hands drifting to her hips to hold her steady, his mouth brushing faintly over hers. In her imagination, her heart had pounded just like this. Her nipples had tightened the same way they did now. But other than that, everything was different.

It wasn’t the sweet, tentative kiss her teenage mind had painted, some gentle version of romance that had never existed for the boys. Walker’s mouth was hot against hers and his beard brushed soft against her skin. His lips pressed hers until they opened, and then his tongue stroked her. He tasted...right.

His hands were on her hips, yes, but they were so much bigger than she’d imagined, the strength of them holding her in a steady grip that pressed her to the wall.

The brim of his hat drew sunset around them. They might have been in the stairway of the building, but it felt like complete privacy as she licked at his tongue and sighed at the feeling of him pressing his body to hers.

It didn’t matter that they were in public. Her eyes were closed, the lights had dimmed and Walker Pearce’s cock was hard and pressed to her. Just like that, she wasn’t his buddy anymore. She was a body he wanted to be inside. Strange to find herself fighting for that. To be objectified. Seen as someone worth using. But it was honest, at least. She could trust what Walker wanted from her.

She tilted her hips toward him and took his tongue deeper, twining her fingers behind his neck to pull him down. He was so big, tall and solid and curved above her. For the first time in her life, Charlie felt small. It made her want to whimper and go to her knees for him. Or maybe that was just her reaction to his taste.

“Mmm,” she hummed against his mouth. He answered by sliding his hands up her sides, then back down again. His fingers pressed briefly into the curve of her hips, as if he liked the shape of her.

Then he reached up, drew off his hat and tossed it in the general direction of his door. She was suddenly plunged back into the exposure of being on the bright upstairs landing. But Walker ducked his head and put his mouth to her neck and she didn’t care.

Oh, God, that felt sweet. His hot mouth and hard teeth and the soft warmth of his beard on her skin. Charlie tipped her head back and let him have his way with the sensitive skin of her throat.

“That feels so good,” she moaned. He pressed his hips harder to her. “Oh, that, too.”

He chuckled against her neck, sparking waves of delicious vibrations that twined through her body. She felt suddenly aware of her hard nipples and the pleasure drawing the nerves between her legs tight. She felt her pulse beating through her entire body. She felt it speeding for Walker.

Unable to control herself, she slid her hands over his shoulders, his arms, down his chest...and everywhere she touched he was solid, hard man. Nothing soft about him. Nothing yielding. She plucked at the top button of his shirt, then the next, and now her fingers were touching warm curls of dark hair. When his teeth scraped over her neck, Charlie moaned, already overwhelmed by so many lovely sensations.

She unfastened the next button, and the one after that. Then she pulled his shirt free of his jeans and spread it open so she could glide her hands over his hairy chest.

He eased back so he could look down and watch as her fingers explored every muscle on his chest. “God,” he growled. “Maybe...” He gave his head a slow shake, then tried again. “Maybe we should go inside?”

She nodded, but the spicy scent of him was too much to resist. She pressed her open mouth to his collarbone and tasted his skin. Every cell inside her seemed to sigh with relief, as if she’d been craving this taste her whole life. It was just so damn right. His skin and hair and soap and the faint, delicious tang of sweat. This was the chemistry that had driven her to those slightly blurry, not-quite-dirty fantasies about him in high school. She didn’t know if it was the same for him, but she could package the smell of him and live on it for weeks.

“Charlie,” he groaned, throwing his head back as she slipped her open mouth up his throat. “Let’s go inside.” But his hands roamed restlessly over her back as he pulled her tight against his erection.

Oh, man. That was something she wanted to taste. But...

“We can’t have sex,” she whispered.

“Yeah. Absolutely. Let’s just... What?”

She smiled against his neck. “Well, we can. And quite easily, judging by how wet I am right now.” His throat clenched beneath her mouth as he choked on her words. “But we won’t. Not this time.”

“What?” he repeated, the word still a syllable of drowsy confusion.

She finally leaned back a little to look up at him. “I want to savor you, Walker. Don’t you think you deserve to be savored?”

“I... No? Or maybe. I don’t know what you mean.”

“Come on.” She tugged him toward his door. “I’ve waited a long time for this. I don’t want it all over in just a few minutes.”

“Hey, that’s not how it’ll be.”

She giggled and grabbed his hat off the floor. His door wasn’t locked, so she just led him through and tugged him over to the couch. “Come on. Let’s make out.”

Confused as he might be, he was delightfully cooperative. He dropped right onto the couch and reached for her. Charlie plopped his hat onto her head and straddled him.

“Make out, huh?” he murmured.

“Sure.” Her words got caught in her throat when his hands cupped her breasts, but she soldiered on. “When was the last time you just had some nice, innocent fun with a girl? Don’t you think it would be good?”

He smiled and thumbed her nipples. “Innocent? I’m not sure I can remember.”

“Mmm.” Eyes closed, she arched into his hands, loving the way her nipples got harder under his attention, as though her body wanted him to know it approved. As if they were showing off to reward him. She was actually glad now that they hadn’t done this in high school. Back then, she’d felt overwhelmingly inadequate about her body. Embarrassed by her lack of curves and her A-cup breasts. But now as he eased her shirt up, she helped take it off. His hat tumbled off her head. She hardly noticed.

Charlie didn’t try to hide behind her hands when he unclasped her bra. No. Now she opened her eyes and watched his face as her bra slid down her arms.

Yes, one thing she’d learned was that men liked breasts. Big or small, it didn’t matter to most. They just liked the round shape of them, and the hard, flushed nipples, and they liked to— “Oh,” she gasped as his mouth closed over one nipple and sucked. Yes, they liked that most of all. Sucking and licking and biting.

She groaned his name, egging him on, and he responded in the exact right way, sucking harder. His mouth drew pleasure through her body, pulling everything tight. He’d feel so good inside her right now. He’d feel so good she could barely comprehend that she wasn’t going to let him fill her up.

But she had a first-night rule. Not because she hesitated to put out. Not because she worried about her reputation. But because she’d found a night of making out was a good judge of a man’s skill in bed. Weeding them out before penetration kept her numbers low. Or lowish. She didn’t need love or even commitment to enjoy sex, but she did need a halfway decent chance that she’d leave satisfied. That was just logical.

Still working her with his mouth, Walker gripped her hips and pressed her down so she was snug against his cock. They both grunted slightly at the shock of pleasure.

“You really don’t want to have sex?” he asked, pressing his hips up.

She shivered at the way his words cooled her wet nipple. When he pressed his hips up again, she groaned. He was so hard for her. “No sex. But I do want to have a little fun.”

“Seems like a halfway decent time so far, but maybe I’m being led astray by the breasts.” He pressed a soft kiss to each one.

“Mm. Let’s make it even more fun.” She eased away, sliding backward to rest her weight on his knees. He didn’t try to stop her, he just watched, with what seemed like fascination, as she unbuckled his belt.

She got the first two buttons of his jeans open, then paused for a moment to enjoy the image of him with his dark blue shirt spread wide and his pants only half-fastened. His nearly black chest hair tapered down into a tantalizing trail that dipped beneath his briefs. “You are a fucking treat, Walker.”

“You’re not so bad yourself.” He thumbed one of her nipples, making her suck in a breath. The slightest touch from him was enough to make her swoon. This was going to be fun.

She eased his shirt off his shoulders. When she opened the rest of the buttons of his jeans, she brushed her knuckles against the erection that strained at his dark gray briefs. “Mm. That’s nice.”

A dark laugh huffed from his throat. “Thanks.”

“You seem a little tense, though.”

“I am.”

“Would this help?” She snuck beneath the band of his underwear and wrapped her fist around his cock. When she realized he was exactly as thick as he seemed, adrenaline burst into her blood like fireworks.

“Fuck. Yes. That helps.”

Wanting to see exactly what she was handling, she tugged at his jeans and he helped by raising his hips enough for her to slide all that annoying material down a few inches. When his cock sprang free from his underwear, Charlie had to close her eyes for a few moments and breathe. Once she’d steeled herself, she opened her eyes and looked again.

“Jesus Christ, Walker. That is one beautiful cock.”

“You like it?”

She could tell by his voice that he was smiling, so she wrapped her hand around it and gave it a careful squeeze. His cock jumped in her hand and his gasp made clear he wasn’t aiming an arrogant smile at her anymore. Not that he didn’t have the right. He was a work of art, long and thick and straight.

Regret stabbed her in the chest. If she’d just kept her mouth shut about not having sex, she could ride this cowboy until her ass muscles cramped. But now she’d be damned if she’d let him think he’d talked her into anything.

She had to be strong. She had to resist its lure. But saying no to this man’s penis was damn difficult.

She stroked him and felt his muscles shudder under her. “Why don’t you tell me what you like? Does that feel good?”

“Yes,” he said as she stroked. Now he was the one who had to close his eyes.

“Like this?” She slid her hand all the way up, then back down again. “Or faster, like this?” Shortening her strokes, she watched his head fall back on the couch.

“Oh, God. Like that. What you’re doing now. Just...”

She did as he asked, watching his face when she wasn’t staring at his cock. Her hand looked pale and small against the flushed, dusky skin.

Smiling, she looked up to see that he’d recovered enough to watch now, and he seemed transfixed by the sight of her jerking him off. He spread his fingers over her thighs, and they pressed into her flesh every time her fist stroked toward the base of his cock.

“God, that feels good. Charlie....” He looked up then and met her gaze, and there was none of the old playful Walker left. His blue eyes glowed with lust, the skin over his cheekbones was tight and flushed. “Keep going,” he said when she started to slow. “Just like that. Don’t stop.”

Her smile fell away and she nodded, still locked with his gaze as she stroked him.

“Don’t stop.”

“You want to come like this?” she whispered. “You want to come for me?”

His jaw clenched. His eyelids fluttered for just a moment and she saw his gaze fall to her bare breasts. “Yes. Fuck yes.” His big hand slid up to her breast and he pinched her nipple and rolled it carefully between his thumb and finger.

Charlie gasped and faltered for a moment, but his other hand covered hers and he set her back on the rhythm he wanted, not letting go until she had it right. It was harder to concentrate now, with his fingers rolling pleasure into her, but she frowned and tried her best.

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