Page 70 of Unbound

Walker looks me over out of the corner of his eye. “I don’t know what I think about what you do.”

For real ow this time. “Because it’s illegal and invasive?”

I know the line of ethics is way behind me. That I’ve moved past questionable territory and stepped directly in a pile of illegality more than a few times. But it’s for the greater good. I’m not hurting anyone or disclosing any of the secrets I find.

Well… Except that one about Constance.

“Because it’s going to get you hurt if you’re not careful.” His eyes move over me more directly. “And I don’t think there’s a careful bone in your body.”

I snort, because he’s not wrong. “The only careful bone I want in my body is yours.”

Oop.

What the fuck just came out of my mouth? And how in the hell did it happen? There was no warning. No time to edit or revise my thoughts before they just came spewing right out.

How many mimosas did I have? Two? Three?

Definitely not enough to explain this away as an alcohol-fueled slip of the tongue. So all I can do is hold my breath and wait for Walker’s reaction.

He doesn’t have one.

He’s as silent as ever as we finish the trek to his house.

Maybe he didn’t hear me. With all the wind moving through the cab, it’s possible my words carried away on the breeze.

Yeah. That’s what probably happened. It’s fine. Totally didn’t make things weird between us.

Again.

I keep my stupid lips sealed together as we pull into the garage and park, managing to stay quiet as I reach down to collect my shoes from the floor. But when I sit up, Walker’s right there, crowding my space as he reaches in to unbuckle me like he almost always does. I sit perfectly still, waiting as he reels the belt into place so I can get out and hide in my room for a while.

But Walker doesn’t move even after I’m unfastened. He stays in my space, his face close to mine as he says, “I’m not sure what gave you the idea I’m the sort of man who fucks carefully.”

Holy fuckballs.

I think I’m going to melt right into the seat under me. Possibly combust. Maybe both.

Either way, I’m gonna be leaving a mess on the leather, because the way Walker is looking at me now is exactly how I’ve fantasized about. The distrust that’s been there since I made my first confession is gone, replaced with something that makes my breath catch.

Desire.

And part of me wants to think it might not strictly be a physical sort of need he’s feeling.

I know Walker seems to think I need taking care of—and maybe I do—but so does he. He needs someone to have his back. Someone who can see everything he tries to hide, and gives him a safe place to let it out. Someone who pushes him out of his comfort zone—just a little—so he doesn’t stay in the little box he built forever.

And I want to think I might be the girl for the job.

Especially if he’s not a careful fucker.

Taking a deep breath, I decide to prove just how ballsy I am by making a proposition I hope he can’t refuse. “I think⁠—”

The sound of his doorbell ringing echoes through the garage, cutting off my very valid suggestion that we run upstairs and bang each other’s brains out.

“Fuck.” Walker pulls away so fast it makes me a little dizzy, raking one hand through his hair as he spins to go inside, leaving me where I sit.

I watch him take the steps into the house in a single leap, stunned at how quickly the tides turned. “Damn it.”

Gripping my shoes in one hand, I climb out of the UTV, bare feet slapping against the epoxy floor as I follow his path, minus the leap. Once inside, I hear male voices carrying in from the entryway.