Page 43 of Curveball

"You've gotten better at this game. All right. Budget is $1.1 million." I was still giggling.

Walker slammed his fist on the bar. "Damn it! How the fuck do you do that?" I caught Stanley's attention and pointed to Walker's empty shot glass. Stanley just shook his head with a smile and filled up the glass with more tequila.

"It's a gift. Now drink up, buddy."

After a couple more rounds of House Hunters, the shot count came in at me two shots, and Walker four shots.

"I really liked having you and Hadley over at the barn. You should come over sometime and ride with me… like we used to," Walker randomly blurted out before dropping his eyes to his drink.

Memories of Walker and me racing his family's horses through the fields on their property flooded back. Whoever won had to clean all the tack. I was pretty sure he let me win most of the time. We also used to take one of the trails down to the river that flowed behind the main house and eat lunch by the water most days during the summer. It was where he kissed me for the first time in high school, where he told me he loved me.

Most of our memories involved horses.

I cocked my head to the side and smiled. "I'd like that."

Seeming relieved at my response, Walker sat back in his seat and draped his arm casually across the back of my chair. "I know you ride at Addison's, but figured you could use a break from the hunter/jumper life and kick it western with me occasionally."

My hand found his thick thigh and slowly drifted up before I lightly squeezed. "Sounds fun." His gaze dropped to where my hand rested, and his fingers began to softly play with the strands of my hair that fell over the back of my chair. Walker's touch felt familiar and safe; I reveled in it.

Unfortunately, my bladder had other plans, causing me to break the contact. "I've got to go to the bathroom; I'll be right back." Walker simply nodded, but his eyes were all fire. It was probably best I put some space between us for a minute. Let us breathe.

After I stopped off at the bathroom, not bathroom number three, I decided to slip out of the back exit and grab some air for a minute before returning to Walker. Drinks were flowing, I was feeling good—maybe too good— and we were definitely beginning to let our guards down. I was worried where this was headed. I figured if I got some air to cool off for a minute, maybe the air between us would cool off too.

I took a deep breath in, but quickly spun around when I heard the back exit open behind me. Walker stalked towards me, causing me to back up against the brick wall. He placed both of his hands against the wall on either side of my head. "Are you avoiding me, Wildflower?"

I tipped my head up, seeing the desire burning in his green eyes. "I would never." My words were laced with sarcasm.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly before he leaned down, his nose brushing against mine, "Good," he all but whispered. He removed one of his hands from the wall and placed it on my throat, then coasted up until he was holding my jaw. His eyes dipped to my mouth, his tongue peeked out, and he ran it across his bottom lip. I leaned into his touch as my heart rate kicked up to a dangerous level. "I've missed you, Wildflower," he murmured softly before his mouth came crashing into mine.

The kiss started out slow, almost tentative, like he was seeking permission, but the moment I opened for him, moaning as I leaned into his chest, all bets were off. It turned desperate. Hands were everywhere, grabbing and seeking connection as if we couldn't get close enough. Tongues were tasting, exploring, and greedy. I slipped my hand down between us, cupping the thick bulge in his jeans. Walker groaned into my mouth as his hands moved beneath my ass, hoisting me up and wrapping my legs around his waist.

The sound of someone clearing their throat doused us in a bucket of ice water. We immediately pulled away. Walker set me back on the ground, our chests heaving, the moment shattering as I glanced nervously to my left to see who had caught us.

"Well, this is a surprise." My brother Nolan had his hands on his hips and a shit-eating grin on his face, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Yeah, didn't have this on my bingo card," my other brother, Nate, chimed in.

I closed my eyes to wish for both patience and teleportation powers. "Why are you two even out here?" I said through clenched teeth.

Sensing the tension, Walker walked over to Nate and Nolan, giving each a handshake and a half-hug. “Hey, guys. I was just saying goodbye to Farrah.” He turned back to me. “I’ll see you around.” He threw me a wink, the kind that said we aren't done, before heading back toward his truck and disappearing around the side of the building.

My annoying little brothers both started laughing. "That was some goodbye." Nate couldn't help throwing in.

I rolled my eyes and bumped them both with my shoulder as I walked past them towards the parking lot. "It's none of your business."

Nolan: Our dear sister was outside the bar with her tongue down Walk's throat tonight

Grayson: I really hope you’re talking about Farrah and not Aria… then we would have bigger issues

Nate: Ha! That would be some crazy shit but no, it was Farrah.

Me: You two are dickheads. Mind your own business

Nolan: We were. It's not our fault you were openly making out in a public place. You made it our business. We didn't ask for this

Me: I can't with you, Nol

Aria: Tonight? This happened tonight? I leave you at the bar and you end up making out with Walker? Damn girl, that's one way to figure out if you still have feelings for the guy