Page 51 of Unbound

Probably wouldn’t even get eaten by a mountain lion on the way.

I lean closer to him as we close in on what looks to be the doorway leading to the kitchen. “Are there mountain lions around here?”

“Yes.” He doesn’t elaborate, but that’s not surprising. Walker isn’t one to use ten words when a single syllable will get the job done.

That’s actually how he handles just about everything in his life. He’s careful and concise. Every move has a purpose. There’s no time or energy wasted.

So maybe it’s better he’s not interested in me the way I’m interested in him. It would probably be the most boring, monotonous sex of my life. And now I’m thinking about sex with Walker as I step into his aunt’s kitchen to find his whole family staring at me.

Most of them doing it with a frown on their face.

I inch behind him, trying to hide as much of me with his body as I can, because I feel like an asshole. In their eyes, I probably am an asshole. Someone they’re only keeping close so they can keep an eye on me. So they can make sure I don’t do any more damage than I already have.

Maybe I should just leave. Disarm Walker’s security system and sneak out in the middle of the night. Leave this family alone so they can all go on about their happy little lives. I’m certainly not doing Walker any favors by staying here. Having me in his house is surely making it difficult for him to find the sweet, quiet, shy woman of his dreams. Someone who won’t almost set his house on fire or dredge up memories he wants to bury and forget.

“There they are.” Deidre wipes her hands on the apron tied at her waist, smile seeming a bit forced as she comes our way. “You finally made it.”

Walker was not kidding when he said his aunt would be annoyed we were late. I guess it’s not shocking that Deidre Bradshaw likes when things are punctual.

I manage a smile, even though I’m pretty sure she believes I’m the reason we weren’t here on time. “Dinner smells great.”

“Thank you. I hope you’re not allergic to seafood.” A frown line pinches between her brows. “I didn’t even think to ask.”

“Not allergic to anything as far as I know.” It gets harder and harder to hold my smile as I see Maren lean to whisper something in Ruth’s ear. Probably about how she confronted me over my obvious interest in the man standing silently at my side.

After our conversation, I decided it was very important that I do my best to hide my attraction to Walker. It’s not doing me any favors, that’s for sure. So I step away from him, moving toward where there’s an empty seat in one corner all by itself. Hopefully I can ride the night out without bringing too much attention to myself. Then I can decide where to go from here.

And where to go from here is probably far away from Willow Bend, Wyoming.

As I hoped, I’m able to sit quietly, half listening to the conversations going on around me as Walker’s extended family works together to get the massive amount of food lined down the table. As an only child, I have never experienced anything like this before, and I have to admit, I don’t hate it. The way everyone jokes and teases. How they help each other and seem to have genuine love between them.

It makes me happy Walker is able to still have something like this. That even though he lost his mother, he still has so many people around to appreciate him for who he is and love and support him.

It also makes me sad that I will never have anything like the Bradshaw family. I’m sure my mother loves me in her own way, but she has her own life to live. A thriving business that eats up most of her free time and is probably more her baby than I ever was.

By the time dinner is over and everyone’s scattered throughout the main floor, my stomach is not feeling great, and I’m even more sure I need to go. Only now it’s not just for the Bradshaw’s benefit. It’s for mine too.

Because I don’t think I can handle sitting on the outside looking in like this again. It’s too sad. Reminds me that I lost so much more than my dad the day he was killed.

That’s why, when everyone is distracted and I’m sure I won’t be noticed, I quietly creep away, slipping out the front door before aiming myself toward Walker’s house.

I manage to get there quicker than I expect, probably because each step comes faster than the last, until I’m practically running up the driveway, lungs burning, chest heaving. It’s like the hounds of hell are at my heels, threatening to make me see what waits for me on the other side. Not of life, I’m pretty sure I’ve figured that one out, but what I’m going to face if and when I can close the book on my dad’s death.

I’m starting to realize one very sad truth—there’s nothing there. No friends. No real family. No career. No hobbies. No boyfriend. Just… nothing.

Definitely not family dinners with people who care about me. No joking around with my nearest and dearest. No running a business I built from the ground up or relaxing in a beautiful home I built.

Tonight forced me to take a cold hard look at the differences between Walker and me, and man did I hurt my own feelings.

After punching in the code to his security system—of course I hacked into his system to get that—I let myself in and race straight up to the second floor where I begin throwing my belongings into the suitcase I brought. I don’t have much, so it doesn’t take long, and soon I’m rushing back down, going straight for the drawer I know holds my car keys. After discovering Walker isn’t as sound of a sleeper as I hoped, I’ve been more careful about my nighttime creeping, and managed to locate my keys pretty quickly. I left them where I found them, because I didn’t want Walker to know I’d located them. Just in case.

I fling the drawer open, hand poised to grab the fob. My eyes scan the drawer, moving faster and faster around the space. “What the fuck?” I rummage through the items inside, shifting them around as I search.

“Looking for something?”

I jolt backward, a loud gasp breaking through my lips as one hand flies to my racing heart. Walker leans against the corner just inside the hall leading to the garage door, hands tucked in his pockets as he watches me.

I smooth over my shirt, like I wasn’t attempting to use my palm to keep my heart from busting through my ribs. “It’s rude to sneak up on people.”