So Tough to Tame (Jackson Hole 3)

His arm stiffened under her hand. “Right. That was nothing. It was just...you know.”

“It looked serious last night. And it’s okay if it was. You just can’t have us at the same time, all right?”

“Sure,” he said, sounding a little distant. “Of course.”

Shit, she shouldn’t have brought it up. His arm was stiff against her as they walked toward the cages. “Hey, I’m not trying to get possessive. I swear.”

“Yeah. I get that.” But he was still uncharacteristically quiet as he stopped at the coin machine and fed bills into it.

He probably had to deal with this shit all the time. Being spectacular in bed and sweet outside it. That kind of behavior could make a girl think she was special.

“Hey.” She nudged his arm. “Did you ever hang out here? It brings back memories. I’d come here with my friends from track and hope some older guy would notice me and ask me out. Someone with facial hair, even.” She reached up to pet his beard. “Now look. All my fantasies coming true. I only had to wait a dozen years.”

He relaxed and nudged her back. “Silly girl. If you’d just told me you wanted to get a little dirty, I’d have helped. As a favor to a friend. You know, you tutor me, I tutor you.”

“Oh, yeah? God. Teenage boys are such an untapped source of generosity.”

“It’s true.”

“Especially in the ‘I’ll let you put your mouth around my penis’ area of community service.”

Walker nearly collapsed with laughter, putting one hand on the wall to support himself as he stumbled to a stop. “Oh, Jesus, Charlie,” he choked out past his laughter. “I totally would’ve let you do that.”

“Yeah, I know. You were probably citizen of the year, even without me.”

He shook his head, still trying to choke back the laughter that echoed against the cement wall. “In my dreams. But I’m still willing to give it a go if you feel like it’d be a valuable experience.”

“As a matter of fact, I do, so I’m glad you’re open to it.”

That stopped his laughter. He leaned against the wall, his eyes on her as a smile played over his mouth. “God, you turn me on.”

She tried not to preen. After all, she’d never met a man who didn’t love a blow job. It was nothing to feel proud about. But, damn, this man was hot, and if he wanted her on her knees for him, she was going to treasure every bit of the experience.

“Come on, before we get caught making out and everyone at school finds out.”

He tipped his head. “That looks like an empty birthday party room over there.”

For a moment, she was tempted. Just one moment. But that moment would’ve turned into a dirty, sweaty, frantic encounter if she hadn’t gotten off so thoroughly just an hour before. Thank God for orgasm-induced dignity.

“Walker,” she said in a tone that pretended exasperation.

“Hey, you know how we older guys are.”

She grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the cages. “Time to get your butt kicked.”

She missed the first swing, of course. Walker was too kind to laugh, but Charlie still felt her competitive beast kick in. She set her jaw and took an even harder swing at the next ball. The satisfying crack sang through the bat and set her bones vibrating.

“Woman, that was a home run!” he shouted.

“There’s more where that came from.”

When he responded, “That’s what he said,” Charlie choked on a laugh and missed the next ball.

“Oh, can’t take the heat!” Walker called from behind the chain-link caging.

She decided right then and there that she couldn’t lose. Charlie hit the next eight pitches in a row and only missed the last two. By the time she stepped out of the cage, her arms ached, but she was grinning from ear to ear.

Walker smiled right back at her. “Do you have any idea how hot you look doing that?”