Page 42 of Careless Hope
“Baby, I’m coming,” he gasped, and then my name on his lips was a prayer and a promise, all mingled into one breathless confession. Ropes of cum landed on his shirt, over and over, while he groaned in response. Raw pleasure coursed through me,and vulnerability wrapped around us like a blanket, warm and encompassing.
As the last waves of ecstasy ebbed away, leaving a pulsating echo in their wake, Walker rose to his feet with the fluid grace of a man well-versed in the rhythms of the land. There was a new purpose in his stride, a solemnity that mirrored the responsibility he so often shrugged off but now seemed ready to embrace.
He crossed the space between us, and I watched him, breathless, as the intensity of his light blue gaze promised more than just a kiss. When his lips met mine, it was a fusion of everything we’d just experienced—passionate, fervent.
In that kiss, there was no playboy or partygoer, no small-town gossip or ranch hand label. There was only Walker, me, and our haze of pleasure.
And as his hands—the same ones that had just brought himself to ecstasy—cradled my face, I tried to ignore the feelings that swirled through me. It was just a raw reaction. It was just momentary passion. That was all it could be.
“Caroline,” he whispered again, against my lips, branding me.
The room was silent but for our mingled breaths, each one a testament to the raw honesty we’d shared. Walker’s arms enveloped me, his heartbeat a steady rhythm against my back, pulling me closer into the cocoon of warmth we’d created.
“Never felt anything like that before,” I murmured, my words more confession than statement. His chuckle vibrated through his chest, a sound so rich and genuine it made me smile against his skin.
“Well get used to it,” he said, laying a kiss on my forehead. “It’ll only get better from here.”
14
Walker
The sun washigh in the sky, warming the cool spring day at Red Downs Ranch, when I heard the crunch of boots on the dirt behind me. My hands were preoccupied with the stubborn wire of the fence that had seen better days, much like some of the traditions this old place clung to. I glanced back to see Gray’s silhouette against the light, his face carrying a weight it didn’t deserve.
“Hey, Walk,” he called out, his voice rough like the terrain we grew up on. He stopped short of the fence, planting his hands on his hips—a mirror image of the way our pa used to stand when he meant business.
“Gray,” I responded, straightening up and wiping sweat from my brow with the back of my hand. “Something on your mind?”
“A rumor’s been circling around town faster than a twister in Kansas,” he said, concern knitting his brows together. “It’s about you . . . and Caroline Cressley.”
My heart did a little two-step shuffle at the mention of her name. After what was probably the hottest thing I’d ever seen inmy life—Caroline touching herself as she watched me do the same—I couldn’t get the woman out of my head.
I knew helping her with her . . . exploration . . . would include some fun moments here and there. But we’d barely kissed, barely touched each other, and it was still the most sensual experience I think I’d ever had. I came so hard watching her come undone, I was surprised I’d had enough energy left in me to drive home.
I knew it was only a matter of time before news made its way back to Gray, which was exactly what I was counting on. If I was to sell this fake relationship, I knew I couldn’t look too eager at first so I purposely didn’t say a word. But now that the cat was out of the bag, I couldn’t help the excitement blooming in my chest, which was a foreign and confusing feeling.
I took a slow breath, steadying myself against the quickening rhythm of my heart.
“Yep, those rumors are as true as the day is long,” I admitted, meeting my brother’s gaze head-on. It was the truth, after all—Caroline and I were an item of sorts. Just so happened to be a special kind of arrangement.
“Is that so?” Gray’s voice held a hint of skepticism, but it wasn’t exactly surprising. I’d given him plenty of reasons over the years to doubt my capacity for anything serious.
“Clear as crystal.” I flashed him a smile that I hoped conveyed more confidence than I felt. Caroline and I had our reasons for stirring up the gossip mill, but standing there under Gray’s scrutiny, I couldn’t help but lean toward the real feelings I had for her. Not that I wanted something more. But she was beautiful and fun and oh so sweet. It certainly wasn’t hard to pretend she was my girl.
I leaned on the fencepost, my gaze following my brother’s as he watched the horses graze. The worry lines on his forehead haddeepened like the grooves on an old record, and I knew this conversation was far from over.
“Look, Walker,” he started, his voice as gravelly as the dirt road leading up to our ranch, “I ain’t one to meddle, but you know Caroline’s different. She’s not some buckle bunny you can just charm and leave.”
I twisted a piece of baling wire around the post, feeling the tension between my fingers mirror the tightening in my chest. “I know she’s special, Gray. That’s why I’m serious about her.” The answer came out of my mouth before I even had a chance to think about it. As if it was the God’s honest truth. “But we’re takin’ it slow,” I added, hoping that would seem realistic.
“Slow, huh?” He arched an eyebrow, skepticism dancing in his eyes like sunlight on a creek. “Just don’t let this . . . whatever it is with her, distract you. We’ve got a legacy to uphold here, and I need you focused.”
“Gray, I can handle fixing fences and courtin’ a lady at the same time.” I offered him a half-smile. “Besides, isn’t it about time I settled down? Isn’t that what you’ve been preachin’ at me the past year?”
He crossed his arms, the muscles in his forearms flexing like the ropes we used to lasso the calves. “Settling down’s more than just playing house, little brother. It’s about being there even when the shine wears off. You’re a long way from that.”
“Trust me,” I said, my voice steady as the ancient oaks lining our property, “I’m not looking for shine. I want something solid, like this ranch. And Caroline . . . well, she might just be part of that foundation.”
Gray studied me for a long moment, like he was trying to see past the horizon of my words. Then, with a nod that felt like a concession, he clapped a hand on my shoulder.
