He glanced over to the saloon, feeling not the least bit tempted. “No, I’m beat. I’ll catch up another time.”
Merry spun around at the bottom of the steps. “No, you have to come, Walker! Just for a little while. Charlie said to think of it as her homecoming party. Look, she made me go put on my heels.” Merry lifted her foot and angled it so he could see the black heels she wore.
“I’d better not,” he said with a wink. “I left my last pair of heels at the ranch anyway.”
Merry snorted with laughter, but she didn’t give up. “Even Rayleen’s having fun.”
That made him pause. And then Merry pushed the button that was hardest for him to ignore.
“Come on, Walker. I can barely walk in these things. Be a gentleman and let me hold your arm.”
Well, shit. He wouldn’t say no to that, and she knew it. Her smile tipped into triumph. Walker gave in with a sigh. “Fine, I’ll walk you over to the saloon, and then I’m leaving.”
“We’ll see.”
She took his arm even though he highly suspected she didn’t need any help. Then again, he hadn’t often seen Merry in heels. She was more a jeans and Converse kind of girl. “Where’s Shane? I like it when he gets all riled up about you.”
She grinned. “Me, too. But I don’t think he’s home yet.”
“Aw, that’s too bad. I was going to dance you around the saloon porch a little, just to rub it in.”
“I don’t dance in heels. I just sit on a bar stool and look stunning.”
“Same as without heels, then?”
She elbowed him and snorted. “You’re such a dork.”
This was what he loved about Merry. No one ever called him a dork. And he was damn sure no one had ever called Shane Harcourt a dork, either, but Walker had heard Merry say the same to him. No wonder Shane was hooked. Merry was sweet and smart as hell. Unfortunately, that kind of woman didn’t go for Walker. Not for the long term anyway.
He escorted Merry up the steps to the saloon porch, then hesitated at the door. He normally loved a good night out, but he wasn’t in the mood quite as often lately.
Merry tugged him forward. “You can drop me off at the bar.”
“In case you think I don’t know I’m being played, I know I’m being played,” he muttered, but he opened the door and waved her in.
Country music thumped through the air, and his heart immediately reset itself to the rhythm. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe he could stay for a few minutes to be polite. He let Merry lead him toward the bar. She’d apparently dropped any pretense that she needed a steady arm to support her, but Walker couldn’t resent it. He’d spotted a hot female ass in tight jeans and Merry was taking him straight toward it.
“Look who I found!” she called to the crowd at the bar.
Several faces turned toward him, but Walker was busy raising his eyes up the woman’s spine and over long brown hair to see Charlie smiling over her shoulder at him. He blinked, surprised yet again that she was all grown-up and working a gorgeous ass. His eyes slipped down again, over her long, long legs to the bright red spike heels she wore. Damn.
“Hey, Walker,” she purred when he drew near.
Wait, he thought as he leaned down to return her hug. Charlie Allington purring? He must’ve heard that wrong.
“You ready for that payment I promised?” Her breath whispered over his ear, the words sneaking inside him.
He pulled back quickly. “A beer, right?”
“Sure, unless you want a pomegranate martini.” She pointed at the drink she held, which was such a bright red the reflection tinged the underside of her chin pink.
“You think I won’t drink a pomegranate martini?” He lifted his chin toward Jenny and gestured to Charlie’s drink. “I’ll take one of these,” he called.
Jenny rolled her eyes, but she grabbed the martini shaker.
Charlie looked up at his hat, then down to his boots, but she stayed silent until he reached over to the bar and snagged the drink.
“Thanks,” he said, raising the glass toward her before he took a sip. “Perfect.”
“You’re pretty damn adorable,” she said. “A big old cowboy drinking a pretty little cocktail.”
“Yeah?” He leaned a little closer out of flirtatious habit.
“Yeah. Those rough fingers curved around that delicate glass? It’s...promising.”
His blood heated by a few degrees. She liked seeing his fingers on something delicate, did she? She’d moved closer, too, and he could smell her hair. He could also see straight down the front of her red shirt, and the rise of her breasts were faint curves that ended at a silky black bra. “You look awfully promising yourself, Charlie.”
The shape of her name in his mouth stopped the rush of his blood. He blinked and leaned back a little, reminding himself that this was his pal Charlie, but she just clinked her glass against his and smiled. “Thank you,” she murmured softly before turning toward the man who’d appeared at her side.
“Hey, Nate!” she gushed before hugging her cousin.
Walker took the chance to enjoy the sight of her from a new angle. The long line of her side curving out to that perfect ass, then those ridiculous legs. He’d noticed those even in high school. How could he not? She’d been one of the tallest girls in school. Still about six inches shorter than him, but tonight the heels added a few more. Hell, he could kiss her for hours without getting a crick in his neck. He could even bend her over a table and—
His eyes skittered away from her ass as if they were horrified at where his imagination had gone. This was Charlie. Way too smart to date a guy like Walker, and way too sweet to be used to scratch an itch. But damn, it’d been easier to be friends with her before she’d grown into heels. And flirting. And shiny lip gloss that made her mouth look full and plump and—
He looked up to find Nate glaring at him above Charlie’s head. Walker shrugged and gave an innocent grimace of confusion as if he had no idea what Nate could be upset about. Nate didn’t look appeased. And he looked downright dour when Charlie reached back to lean her hip against Walker and loop her arm around his waist. She craned her neck up until Walker leaned his ear closer to her.
“Why’s my cousin shooting you a death glare? Were you checking out my ass, Walker Pearce?”
“Uh.” He cleared his throat. “That may be what he thought I was doing.”
“You can look. I think it’s pretty nice myself. What do you think?”
“I, uh...” He’d never once in his life gotten tongue-tied around a woman. If there was one skill he could rely on, it was the power of flirtation. He enjoyed it. Women liked it. No one got hurt. But the invitation to make a comment about Charlie Allington’s ass had thrown him off his game.
“Aw.” Her lower lip turned down in a pretty pout. “You don’t like it? I think it’s nice and round and firm.”
Oh, fuck. What was she doing? Didn’t she know the kind of image her words would conjure? Of her stripped out of jeans and panties, her naked ass taut under his grip as he positioned himself behind her and... “Damn it, Charlie.”
“What?” she asked with a laugh that tickled his ear.
“Stop teasing me. You’re not...” He stopped himself and took a deep breath.
“I’m not what?”
“You’re not that kind of girl.”