Shrieking wakes me.
One minute I’m dead to the world and the next I’m standing beside the bed, naked, my head whipping back and forth as I search for the source of the ear-piercing noise.
“Fuck!” Walker rolls off the other side of the bed and stumbles around before snatching his briefs from last night off the floor. “Stay—”
His words are cut off when the door flies open, crashing into the wall, and a woman barrels in. “I forgot the code. I can’t turn it off. You keep changing…the…code…” her words trail off as her eyes lock on me. “Oh.”
“Fuck, Shel.” Walker stalks over to me and tugs a shirt over my head. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Um, I, um…”
The silence left in the wake of her inability to find words catches my attention. “It stopped.”
“Huh?” Walker helps me get my arms through the sleeves of one of his t-shirts.
“The alarm. I’m assuming that’s what that noise was. It’s stopped.”
“Good, I thought—” His words are cut off by the ring of his phone. “Fucking hell. That’ll be the security company.”
“I’ll wait out—” The lethal look Walker sends his sister’s way has her scurrying from the room, yanking the door shut behind her.
I can’t help the chuckle that slips out. This morning’s wake up isn’t as nice as yesterday’s but I don’t wish I was anywhere else. Even if I’m about to meet Walker’s sister for the first time.
I know about her. The PI was thorough in his research on Walker and a full report was compiled about Shelby Alcott because of her connection to him.
My gaze moves over the man currently grumbling into his phone about annoying little sisters and their inability to remember alarm codes.
“Thanks. I’ll punch in the cancel code and reset the system.” His hand lowers along with his head when he ends the call.
“Should we get dressed before going out there?” I ask.
His head snaps up, his eyes drilling into mine. “No. She gets us how she found us when she barged in at”—he checks his phone—“six-thirty am.”
“Well, not quite how she found us.” I smile. I can’t tell if he’s really pissed off or just trying to get his bearings after our rude awakening.
He barks a mirthless laugh. “True.”
“I guess our day begins now.” I look longingly at the bed we both just tumbled out of. “Do you have food or do you want me to order in breakfast?”
“I’ve got stuff here. I’ll make omelets, you make coffee.”
“You say that as if you think I’m capable.”
“Of course, you are. You may have had everything brought to your suite yesterday, but I doubt that’s what you do every day. You’re not the type to let others wait on you.”
I cock my head. “Think you’ve got me pegged?”
“Don’t I?” he asks as he makes his way toward me.
“In this, yes.”
He slips his arms around my waist and pulls me flush against him. “I might not know everything about you, Oakley, but I know enough.”
“I think you might know more than most and that’s a scary thought when we’ve only known each other two days.”
“Why is that scary?”
“Well, once you know everything, you’ll get bored and move on.” I soften my words with a smile.
“I won’t underestimate you, don’t underestimate me.”
“I’m not.” I shake my head. “I was joking, Walker.”
“Good. Because I will know every little thing about you and still want you.”
I have to bite my tongue to stop the word ‘promise’ from slipping out.
He owes me no guarantees at this point in our relationship and we may have professed our love for each other last night but that isn’t a guarantee either.
More than most, I know being loved by someone doesn’t mean they’ll stay with you.
“We need to talk about some of those things you don’t know but I think we should deal with your sister first.”
“How do you—” Shaking his head, he lets me go and spins me toward the bathroom. “Never mind. I’m sure your PI had that information for you. Go use the bathroom; I’ll use the guest one and meet you in the kitchen.”
I glance over my shoulder. “If you grab my bag from the foyer—”
“Nope. She gets us as is.” He taps my ass lightly. “Now get going—the more I wake up, the hungrier I get. I need to replenish all the energy someone fucked out of me last night.”
A shiver races over my skin. “Shit. Why’d you have to remind me? Now I’ll be thinking dirty thoughts in front of your sister the first time I meet her.”
“Like you weren’t going to think them anyway,” Walker says with a cocky grin as he heads to his closet. “If you want some sweats, I’ve got a few draw-string pairs that might stay up.”
“I thought she was getting us as is?”
“She was until you had me thinking about why I’m so hungry which gave me a boner.”
My eyes drop to his groin. Oh, yeah, the briefs he pulled on aren’t hiding a thing. Grinning, I head into the bathroom to pee and wash my face. I’m sure I’ve got last night’s makeup all over it.
By the time I make it to the kitchen, Walker is busy at the stove and Shelby is sitting on a stool at the island, a mixing bowl in her lap, a whisk in her hand, beating the hell out of some eggs.
Neither of them sees me, which means I catch the tail end of their conversation.
“You didn’t tell me you were seeing someone, and not just anyone for fuck’s sake. Walker, you’re screwing the CEO of Rogue!”
“Shel, I’ve never given you the details of my love life. Why would I start now?”
“Because before you were picking gold digging skanks!”
“Whoa.” He lifts the frypan off the heat and turns to face his sister. “Is that what you really think?”
Shelby sighs and puts the bowl on the counter in front of her. “No. But none of them were anyone you would get serious about. This one is. And she doesn’t live here. And you’ve got so many things happening…”
“You think this is a distraction from my life, is that what you’re getting at?” He moves to stand on the opposite side of the island from her and reaches for her hands. When she places hers in his, he continues, “She’s it for me.”
“How long have you been seeing her? You haven’t mentioned her once and now you’re all over the internet with her on your arm.”
“We’ve known each other for months, Shel, since before my injuries—”
“If she’s the one, why wasn’t she here?!”
“Ah, right. You think she’s using me because she wasn’t holding my hand during the last few months.”
“What else would I think?”
“We’ve been taking things slow, and neither of us wanted to add the pressure of the world to our budding relationship.”
I want to interrupt. I want to remind the woman of the relationship she’s having behind closed doors. But I can’t out her involvement with Walker’s best friend any more than I can out the real reason her brother is retiring.
It’s not my place.
“Promise me you’ll be careful. I’m worried about this new shift in your professional life as it is.”
“I can promise that. I’ll also promise that I’m okay with the change to my career. Am I disappointed? Yes. Would I change it if I could? Hell, yes. Am I unhappy with the new path I’m taking? Fuck no. I can’t explain it, but this new direction feels right. Feels more right than anything I’ve ever done and that rightness includes my relationship with Oakley.”
“How’d you even meet her?”
“I’m the face of the new line of Rogue’s sportswear for elite athletes.”
“The photo shoot the other day? You’ve known her two days!”
“No. We met when I signed the sponsor deal last year, before my injuries.”
“Oh. Okay. That’s better than two days.”
I can’t help but cringe at the relief in her voice. If she knew the truth, and I have to admit I’m surprised he didn’t tell her the real story, she would definitely be against us.
Maybe that’s why Walker hasn’t told her.
If we’re going to pull this off, then the fewer people who know the real story, the better. It would only take one slip of the tongue for the press to eat it up, and neither of us needs that kind of attention right now.
Me more than him.
Not that I would let anything the media said affect the choices I make for either Rogue sportswear or the Rogues franchise.
“Now, when she comes out here, be nice,” he instructs before getting back to the stove. “Have you finished with those eggs? The veggies are ready.”
“Yeah.” Shelby hops off the stool and walks around the island to deliver the egg mixture to her brother. “I’m sorry. It’s just after you left yesterday, all I could think about was how your life has done a one-eighty and you can’t play hockey anymore.”
“Pour those in. I can keep playing, just not at a professional level.”
“Same, same.”
Walker laughs. “No. It’s not. And I’ll still be in the hockey world.”
“You said that, but as what? You’ve never talked about anything but playing for as long as I’ve been alive.”
“Trust me. This is good. And as soon as I can tell you, I will.”
Shelby eyes her brother and I hold my breath waiting for her next words.
“Fine. But she better not screw you over. I don’t care how rich she is, I’ll take her down.”
“As much as I love your defense of me, I don’t need you to fight my battles, Shelby.”
“You might not need me to but I’m going to. It’s what little sisters are for.”
“Ha! Little sisters are for pains in the ass.”
“Hey! I’ve never been a pain in your ass.” The arms she has crossed over her chest slowly lower. “Have I?”
“Ah, fuck. No.” Walker wraps an arm around her neck and tugs her in for a hug. “Not once.”
“I’m sorry I barged in here. I didn’t even think about you not being alone…”
“It’s okay. You get to meet Oakley sooner than I thought, but that’s not a bad thing. You’re going to love her.”
“I googled her.”
He let her go and put up his hand. “I don’t want to know. You can’t believe half the shit you read on the internet.”
“She’s worth billions! And she’s older than you!”
“You say that like you think she’s ancient.”
“No, but she’s thirty-two.”
“And I’m turning twenty-nine next month.”
“Actually, I’m thirty-three in a week,” I say as I move into the room.
Shelby’s face turns red and Walker grins. “Hey, come meet my sister. Properly this time.”
“Is it really proper when I’m only wearing your shirt?” I ask with a grin. “Hello, Shelby, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Your brother has told me so much, I feel as though we know each other already.”
“Ah, hi, um…Oakley.”
“Are you staying for breakfast? Want coffee?”
“Yeah,” she glances at her brother. “Coffee would be great. I can get it.”
“Nonsense. Take a seat, you’re the guest; we’ll take care of breakfast.”
I need her to understand that I’m not a bystander to Walker’s life. I’m part of it and that means preparing meals for anyone who visits our place.
Not that I’m assuming his place is mine…okay, maybe I am. After this morning’s declarations of love, I think I’m allowed a little assumption.
“Walker said he modeled Rogue’s new line the other day.”
“Yes. It’s for our elite line. The launch is next month.”
What I don’t say is I’m hoping it will take some of the focus off the franchise announcement but I’m thinking it.
“Let me get the coffee on and I’ll grab my laptop and show you the proofs of the shoot.”
“You’ve got those already?” Walker asks.
“Yep. Although I think we need to retake some of the ones in the longs. They’re a little risqué.”
He cocks an eyebrow.
“Nobody needs to know how many veins are on your dick, Walker.”
“Eeewww……” Shelby waves her hands in front of her. “Stop, stop, don’t talk about my brother’s junk. Jesus. I don’t need that in my head.”
Laughing, I glance between them. They’re both red in the face and their discomfort only makes me laugh harder.
“It’s not funny.” He steps toward me and hooks his arm around my neck like he did with his sister. The only difference is the words he whispers in my ear. “I’m going to spank your ass later for that.”
My whole body jolts, every muscle locking tight. I’m not sure what to call the sound that gurgles in my throat. It’s a moan, a purr, a whimper, all rolled into a noise I can’t hold inside.
“Huh. You’re not opposed to that idea. Good to know.”
“Walker.” My voice has a quiet, husky edge.
“Um, should I leave…”
Walker turns us to face his sister and now I’m the one with a red face. But I don’t back down from difficult situations and I keep my eyes on her.
“Wow. Okay.” Her eyes land on her brother and soften. “I get it. It’s palpable, like I can reach over and touch it.”
The moment hangs. Shelby’s words seem to echo around us or maybe they’re just in my head.
I get what she’s saying because I feel it. Whenever Walker is near there’s a charge in the air. And the way he looks at me?
God. There’s something visceral about the way he looks at me. A physical aspect to that blue-gray gaze that trails over me like fingertips leaving my skin coated in goose bumps.
I’ve never encountered it before. Don’t know how to deal with it other than wrapping myself around him and kissing him stupid.
Except I can’t do that every time he looks my way. Case in point, last night. All the glances, the innocent touches, his warmth beside me.
I tilt my head so I can see his eyes. The emotions swirling in them steal my breath.
I may have said the words I love you and felt them before now but right here, in this moment in front of his sister, I know it doesn’t matter what comes at us. We’re going to make it.
I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life, and I was pretty damn sure about Rogue sportswear and the Rogues franchise. Hell, I put millions of dollars into both.
I’d put everything I have into Walker.
I’d lay it all on the line for us.
“Oak.” His forehead lowers and rests on mine. “I…”
His eyelids lower over the storm gray clouds in his eyes and I know he’s feeling this moment as deeply as I am.
It’s scary how in sync we are. And yet it’s not.
The rightness I feel being in his arms whether in or out of bed is a sensation I’ve never had before.
Not when we broke our first million in profit, not when I inked my name on a contract KAW had spent months vying for.
“Okay, you know what, I think I should leave.”
“No!”
“Don’t go.”
We talk over each other as we whip around to look at Shelby but it’s me who convinces her to stay.
“Please. I want to show you those proofs and I’d like to spend some time together. I feel like I know you through Walker but it’s not the same as talking to you.”
“I don’t—” She huffs out a breath. “You know what, I’d like that too. I’ll be honest, I was skeptical at first and I thought the pictures of the two of you online were staged but seeing you together this morning…yeah, if you don’t mind me interrupting your day, I’d love to hang out a while.”
“Excellent.”
“Go get your laptop,” Walker nudges me toward the living room. “I’ll get breakfast on the table, including coffee, in about ten minutes.”
“You don’t—”
“I really like the idea of you and my sister hanging out.”
“Well, that’s a first. Quick, Oakley, let’s go before he changes his mind.”
Shelby scoots around the kitchen island and hooks her arm through mine. I let her lead me away, but my gaze is on Walker.
I see love and pleasure in his gaze, and I have to wonder about Shelby’s comment of this being a first. I don’t wonder long.
“He’s never let me hang out with any of his girlfriends. Not even that Krissy bitch,” she mutters.
“Oh, you didn’t like Kristina?”
A shudder wracks her. “Hell no. That’s one obvious gold-digging skank I will be forever grateful he didn’t introduce me to.”
“Hmm…I struggle to understand how they stayed together so long.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t call what they had being together.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“Hell no. He’d go over there and screw her, then leave. I’m not sure they ever spent the whole night together.”
“Really?” That bit of info hadn’t been in the PI report. Then again, Walker had already broken things off with Kristina before I initiated the investigation.
“I don’t think he’s ever spent the night with a woman.” Shelby hums as she thinks. “I’ll have to ask Gannon to be sure, but I know in college he was a one and done guy.”
The more she speaks, the more I like. Because he’s stayed with me all night.
Twice.