Walker stroked her back, just holding her, seeming in no hurry to jump up and get away from her.
She hadn’t expect this tenderness, the way he wrapped his arms around her, kissed the top of her head and seemed so content to just . . . be with her. It was so incongruous with the man who’d spent all this time running like hell in the opposite direction.
She was glad he’d stopped running, because she wanted nothing more than to be with him. Maybe she’d convinced him that enjoying each other was worth it.
She lifted her head and smiled down at him. “That wasn’t too painful, was it?”
His look was wary. Maybe she hadn’t convinced him after all. “It didn’t hurt.”
She laughed and pushed off him, then grabbed her clothes. “They’re damp, but they’ll do.” She started to get dressed, deciding that she was just going to ignore the often grumpy Walker Morgan.
After all, she’d convinced him once that sex was a good idea. She could convince him again.
But after tethering the squalling calf and starting the long trek toward home, Jolene bristled at Walker’s dead silence.
They’d just made love. To her, it had been pretty damn monumental.
Walker looked unhappy, uncomfortable, and she was pretty sure it wasn’t because his boxers were wet and twisted.
Halfway home she’d had enough of the grimacing and silent treatment.
“What crawled up your ass, Walker?” she asked as they rode side by side. She had to raise her voice to be heard over the nonstop wailing of the calf.
He turned his head to face her. “Nothing’s up my ass.”
“You look like you just lost your best friend. Having sex with me that awful?”
His jaw clamped shut and he didn’t say anything for a few minutes. Finally, “I just don’t think that was a good idea.”
Irritation made her eyebrow twitch. She gripped the reins tighter. “It felt like a really good idea when we were doing it. And I didn’t hear you complaining.”
“You’re my boss. I work for you. It’s not a good idea to mix business with pleasure.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. That’s a load of crap and you know it.”
“Maybe to you, it is. To me, it isn’t. There’s a line that shouldn’t be crossed, and we crossed it.”
She pulled the reins and halted her horse. “Do you really think I’m going to give you any special favors just because we had sex?”
He had been ahead of her, but he turned his horse around and came back to face her. “That’s not what I’m talking about.”
She leaned against the saddle horn and tipped her hat back on her head. “Then explain what you are talking about.”
“It’s . . . complicated.”
“I’m not a dumbass. I think I can reason it out. Toss me a few crumbs, Walker.”
“It’s nothing. Forget it.” He turned his horse around and started moving again, staying far enough ahead of her that she couldn’t hitch Paradise into a gallop without forcing the poor tethered calf into running to keep up.
Asshole. He’d turned a nice time between them into something unpleasant.
Why did sex have to be so complicated?
walker rode far enough ahead of jolene that she wouldn’t be able to catch up, but not too far ahead. He still had sight of her, and still heard the calf, though he paid no attention to the noise. His thoughts centered on Jolene.
What kind of a sissy-assed weakling was he, anyway? He had no willpower. He should have said no. Sure, she’d been naked and all, but he was a grown man. He’d seen plenty of naked women before. Didn’t mean he had to go jump on every one he saw. He was hardly a horny teenager who had to fuck a woman just because she offered it up. Not that he was God’s gift to women, but he got his share of offers from eligible women in town. He could have turned Jolene down.
Instead, he’d let her climb on and he’d enjoyed one hell of a ride. And even worse, he’d held her after. Like he . . . cared.
Shit.
It wasn’t going to happen again. He liked this job, had fought hard to get it when no one else would hire him after what had happened at the last ranch. The last thing he needed was another scandal.
He was so dumb. And even dumber was that even now his body still craved her. He’d only scratched the surface of his desire for Jolene. There hadn’t been enough time, it hadn’t been the right place. There was so much more he wanted to do with her.
Too bad. What he wanted and what he was going to get were worlds apart.
five
one week. one whole friggin’ week, and walker had done his best to avoid her.
Jolene paced the kitchen. It was well before dawn, and she’d already had four cups of coffee. She was as agitated as an unbroken horse and ready to do some damage.
“You’re going to wear a hole in the floor stomping your boots like that.”
Valerie yawned and padded into the kitchen on bare feet, still in her pajamas. Her hair was a mess—great sex, no doubt—and she had pink cheeks.
Jolene was profoundly jealous. Valerie was sleeping with someone. Jolene was sleeping alone, through no fault of her own.
Valerie grabbed a cup of coffee, pulled up a chair, yawned loudly and stared at Jolene through half-opened eyelids.
“Do you have to look so damn content?”
Valerie cocked her head to the side. “What’s got you in a lather this early?”
“Walker.”
“Ah. And what’s he done this time? Or not done?”
Jolene leaned against the kitchen counter and palmed the hot mug of coffee. “I don’t understand men.”
Valerie lifted her mug in salute. “Welcome to the club, honey. They’re as mysterious to us as, I’m sure, we are to them.”
Jolene’s only response was to grumble and take a long swallow of coffee.
“So what’s the specific problem?” Valerie asked.
“We had sex.”
Valerie laughed. “That doesn’t sound like a problem.”
“He’s avoided me for a week.”
“Yeah, that is a problem. I’m sorry, honey.”
“Oh, it’s not that he dumped me. He liked it. I liked it. He wants to do it again. I know he does.”
Valerie sipped her coffee and studied Jolene, then shook her head and smiled. “You are nothing if not humble, little sister.”
“That’s not what I mean. I know he didn’t dump me because he didn’t feel anything or the sex was lousy. I know he isn’t seeing anyone else. I mean I was there. I know what went down. It was good for both of us. We connected. So I just don’t get what his problem is.”
“Men are notorious noncommunicators.”
Jolene sighed. “Tell me about it.”
“But you don’t strike me as someone who backs down, Jo. If you want him, and you say you’re pretty sure he wants you, then go after him.”
“Normally, I would. But honest, Valerie, I’m getting tired of the chase. I’ve already done it. I’ve been doing it. I think it’s time he came to me.”
Valerie shrugged. “Up to you. But don’t be surprised if he doesn’t. There’s something holding him back.”