Page 28 of #Resort Love (Lakeview Harbor #1)

He slowly pulled up to the real estate office and saw Harlow’s car. There were a few more moments of doubt before he forced himself to get out of the car and go inside. He was nervous and unsure of exactly what he was going to say, but maybe when he saw her, it would just come to him.

Walker quietly pulled open the door and stepped inside.

There was no one at either of the desks in the small open office, but he heard voices coming from what he guessed was possibly a conference room.

He stepped farther into the space and didn’t want to potentially interrupt a meeting, but the closer he got, the clearer he could hear.

“There should be no problem getting all the signatures we’d need for a petition. If the majority of the town is against these proposed improvements on the resort, then they’ll have to reconsider, right?”

What the…? Was that Harlow pitching the petition idea? Seriously?

“Harlow, we all appreciate how passionate you are about what Walker Bradshaw and his team of investors are doing up at the Lakeview Harbor Resort, but—and I say this with love—it’s really none of your business.”

Walker wanted to hug whoever just said that.

“Yes, it is!” Harlow countered. “I put a lot of time and energy into all my research on the resort—you know, in case I could find someone who simply wanted to take it over. I know the clientele, Charlene! I know the type of people who loved staying there!”

“And I get that, but no one wanted to buy and take over. Do you know why?”

All he heard was a mumble.

“It’s because that business model is outdated.

Obviously, I can’t tell you to stop talking to people or sharing how you feel, but all you’re doing is essentially fighting a losing battle.

Is it worth it? That resort has been almost an obsession for you for years.

I think it’s time to find something else to be passionate about.

I’m saying this as your boss and your friend, Harlow. Please.”

More mumbling.

Now it just felt awkward to be standing there, and he was about to turn and leave when the other woman—not Harlow—came walking out. When she spotted him, her eyes went a little wide, but she quickly adjusted her expression.

“Mr. Bradshaw! Hello!” She walked toward him with her hand out. “It’s nice to see you again. Can I help you with something?”

He shook her hand and was about to respond when he spotted Harlow standing in the doorway. Clearing his throat, he nodded toward her. “I was hoping I could speak with Harlow.”

“Of course,” she said and quickly excused herself, walking into what he guessed was her office and shutting the door.

“How long were you standing out here?” Harlow asked from the doorway.

“You were talking about a petition,” he replied, slowly walking toward her.

“Oh.”

He should be angry, but he couldn’t. It was all he could do to not take her in his arms and just kiss her right here, right now.

“Why are you here, Walker? After dinner the other night…”

“I can’t work. I can’t focus. I’m a menace to everything Axel and I are trying to do,” he said gruffly. “I think about you all the damn time and…and…”

Dammit! And what?

“I needed to see you.”

Her expression was neutral. “We’ve been over this. We can’t…”

Now they were practically toe to toe, and Walker reached out and gently grasped her shoulders.

“We can. I think we truly can. I’m not saying it will be easy or that one of us—or both of us—won’t get frustrated at times, but…

” Pausing, he muttered a curse because he sounded like an idiot.

“I think we deserve a chance. Maybe it will work, maybe it won’t, but I think we gave up too soon. ”

Tilting her head, her hair swung to the side. “What about your grandmother?”

Oh, crap. He’d forgotten about that.

“This isn’t about her. This is about us. And when the time comes, I’ll deal with her.”

One dark brow arched in response. “When the time comes?”

“Yeah,” he said softly. “When we get to where we want to do the whole meet the family thing, I’ll deal with her.”

She stiffened and he wondered what he said wrong. But then she relaxed and even gave him a small smile.

“This is quite the difference from the man who stormed out of the pub last weekend.”

He grinned. “Yeah, well…some things are worth fighting for.” One hand reached up and caressed her cheek. “I think you’re worth fighting for.”

Harlow visibly relaxed, moving in so close that she was pressed up against him from head to toe. “Come home with me,” she whispered against his lips.

“I was hoping you’d ask.” He gave her a quick but thorough kiss before taking her by the hand. “Let’s go!”

She stopped at her desk and grabbed her things before following him out the door. “I’ve got my car here, so…follow me. My apartment’s only a few minutes away.” Then she grabbed him and kissed him soundly before smiling and running over to her car.

Walker ran to his and quickly got in, laughing the entire time as they sped across town.

The entire drive to her apartment, Harlow kept one eye on the road and the other on the rearview mirror, making sure Walker was still behind her.

In a million years, she never would have thought he’d come and find her and tell her…well…everything that he told her.

Especially after he heard her plans for the petition.

Sigh.

The petition.

It had seemed like such a great idea, but Charlene’s words really hit hard.

This whole thing with the resort had turned into an obsession.

And not a healthy one. The fact of the matter was that Walker stepped in to save a beloved vacation spot.

Was he doing it the way she would have? No.

But…that truly wasn’t any of her business.

The only thing she was getting out of all this anger and frustration was more anger and frustration, and wasn’t she tired of that by now?

Hell, her entire life had been filled with anger and frustration, along with a healthy dose of disappointment. Wasn’t it time for her to find some happiness? Wasn’t it time to find something that brought her joy?

An image of Walker naked in her bed came to mind, and she knew without a doubt that he could bring her joy.

And pleasure.

Soooo much pleasure.

Just the thought of it had her turning into her apartment complex practically on two wheels.

She parked and, luckily, Walker was able to park beside her and the two of them nearly ran to her door.

Before she could open it, he spun her around and backed her up against the door—she loved when he did things like that—and kissed her like a starving man and she was the meal.

I would gladly be his meal, she thought.

Hands braced on his chest, she gave him a small shove, breaking the kiss.

“Inside. We need to take this inside.” Turning, her hands fumbled with the keys and she nearly cried out in frustration and Walker took them from her and unlocked the door.

She went to thank him, but it was his turn to give her a gentle shove, forcing her into the apartment.

He slammed the door behind him, and Harlow walked backwards, staring intently at him as she led him to her bedroom.

A quick glance over her shoulder had her breathing a sigh of relief because she had remembered to make the bed this morning and it was fairly clean in there.

As if reading her mind, Walker stalked her, “I don’t care if it looks like a damn tornado went through there. I need you on the bed. Now.”

Oh my…

Her heart was racing as she backed up and her legs hit the bed. She gasped and they both froze. Walker’s hand twitched and she could tell he was barely holding on. She knew the feeling. Her knees were weak and she was trembling.

“I don’t need seduction,” she told him, her voice sounding oddly breathless.

“What do you need?” he asked, stepping in close. His breath was hot against her cheek before he nipped at her earlobe. “Tell me and it’s yours.”

Now there was a loaded question.

But like she said, she didn’t need seduction or pretty words, and she didn’t think he did either.

“I need you naked on my bed,” she said hotly, taking her turn nipping at his jaw. “And I want to be naked and tangled all around you.”

It was hard to say who moved first. Somehow, she found herself nearly flying through the air before bouncing on the mattress. She fumbled to get her blouse off as Walker roughly removed her shoes and began tugging on her pants.

“Worry about yourself, Bradshaw,” she hissed, shimmying the rest of the way out of her pants.

Walker made quick work of getting undressed and before she knew it, they were exactly as she wanted—needed—them to be. He was kissing her; she was kissing him back. Their hands were everywhere and yet it still wasn’t enough.

“Take me, Walker,” she whispered between kisses. “Now. Please.”

He was poised above her, holding her hands over her head. And then, time stood still. He was looking at her with so much emotion—with such intensity—that it felt like he was saying a dozen things to her.

“You deserve more than me taking you like some sort of beast,” he said, slowly resting his forehead against hers.

She felt like maybe she should argue that point, but he beat her to it.

“And I promise to cherish every inch of you. Later. Right now, you’ve unleashed something in me and I need you so damn much,” he said with a near growl. He claimed her lips in a savage kiss and she relished it—all of it, the heat, the wildness, the taking.

They could deal with the cherishing another time. Right now, she was happy to hold on and enjoy the ride.

“This sucks.”

Beside her, Walker chuckled. “Um…ouch. Way to bruise a guy’s ego.”