“I’m glad you’re having fun, Jessica. Nah, not much is going on here. Just working.”

I pulled the door back, but left it cracked open as I stepped off to the side. I couldn’t believe I was eavesdropping on Walker’s phone call. But I was.

“I miss you, too. Damn, Jessica. Baby, I wish I could, but I can’t.”

He paused, and I wondered what she wanted him to do.

“I want to see you touch yourself, too, baby.”

Oh gag me. I turned to leave but then I heard my name. “Liza is right outside the door. No, not much, we see each other every once in a while.”

I leaned in closer.

“Jessica, we’ve talked about this. Liza and I are friends. The ring doesn’t mean anything anymore.”

I felt tears building in my eyes. I felt for the ring on my chest. I’d been wearing it, but tucking it into my shirt.

“Jess, for Christ’s sake she’s engaged. Yes. No, I haven’t gone ring shopping yet.”

I placed my hand on my stomach and was about to walk away when I decided I wasn’t going to stand out here and wait for his ass. I turned and grabbed the doorknob, knocking as I opened the door. Walker spun around and looked at me. I went to say something but his hair was wet…and messy…he had on fresh clothes and—to make things worse—he was just putting on his stupid cowboy hat. My heart was beating and want pulled at my core. I quickly turned and walked away.

“Jessica, I have to go. I love you, baby. I’ll talk to you later.”

Ugh. Double gag me. Asshole.

I walked past the horses and made my way outside. Inhaling a deep breath of fresh air, I closed my eyes. The wind in the trees instantly calmed me.

“Liza? Are you okay?” Walker asked, placing his hand on my arm. I wanted to ignore the feeling that zipped through my body when he touched me.

Keith. I love Keith.

I put a fake smile on my face. “Yeah. I just didn’t know you were on the phone. I’m sorry I just walked in like that. I was wondering what was taking so long.”

Walker gave me a weak smile. He nodded toward the horses. “You ready to ride?”

I nodded and walked back over to the horses. After walking the horses out of the barn, we got on and rode in silence. I wanted to ask Walker why Jessica was worried about me, but I knew it was probably the same reason Keith was worried about Walker. I peeked over at him—he was staring intently at the fence as we rode along.

I closed my eyes and just let Sweet Kate follow Runner and Walker. The sounds of my home comforted me more than I’d realized. The closer we got the river, the better I felt. I loved sitting down by the river and just doing nothing. My mother and I used to go and put out a blanket and sit for hours, reading. I’d inherited my love of reading from my mother and Walker’s mom, Courtney.

I smiled as I thought of all the times we’d sat and just talked for hours, just Mom and me. Walker’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Thinking?”

“What?”

He laughed. “Are you thinking? You had your eyes closed—that’s what you used to do when you were thinking. You’d just tune everyone else out and…think.”

I giggled and nodded. “Yeah, I was remembering all the times I came down here with my mother. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed home. I’m going to miss it if…”

I stopped talking and Walker looked away. “You could really leave all this behind, Liza? Your family, friends…all of it?”

I caught myself gnawing on my lip. “Should we stop and let the horses get a drink?”

Walker chuckled and shook his head. “Sure.”

I walked along the riverbank as we let Sweet Kate and Runner graze for a bit. I heard a noise and turned around to see Walker running toward me wearing nothing but his boxers. I started taking quick steps backwards before I turned and went into a full run.

“Stay away from me, Walker Moore! I swear to God, if—”

Walker picked up and threw me over his shoulder.

“Walker! Put me down now!” I yelled.

Walker laughed and said, “I don’t think so, darlin’. We’re taking a dip.”

I was about to yell when Walker jumped off the riverbank. The water in this part of the river was deep and, with all the spring rain, it was probably even deeper than normal. I screamed as the cold water hit me. Walker laughed as we came up from under the water. He let go, and I stood up in waist-deep water.

“You asshole! I’m soaking wet now.”

Walker threw his head back and laughed. “Hey, you said you were hot! I did you a favor.”

I tried to push him under as he grabbed my arms and pushed me back. He slipped and fell as I landed on him. I wrapped my legs around him and hit him over and over again as we both laughed. Walker stood up and that’s when it hit me—I had my legs wrapped around him tight, and I could feel his dick pressing into me. I was instantly turned on, and wanted nothing more than to push myself into him to relieve the pressure.

Walker stopped laughing and his smile slowly faded away. His eyes moved down my face and landed on my lips. I slowly ran my tongue along my bottom lip before I bit down on it. When my eyes landed on his lips, I knew what I was wanting was wrong.

I slowly unwrapped my legs from around him as he set me down. He pushed my hair back, away from my eyes. He placed his hand on the side of my face and smiled.

“You’re breathtaking, Liza.”

I swallowed hard. I wanted to throw myself into his arms and beg him to take me right here in the river. Keith would never have done anything like this. He was so serious.

Keith.

I took a few steps back and said, “We’d better get going.”

Walker cleared his throat and grinned. “Yeah, probably.” He turned and began walking out of the river. “I just need to dry off a bit or I’ll never get my jeans on.”

I nodded, even though I knew he couldn’t see me. “Okay,” I whispered. I leaned against Sweet Kate as I tried to catch my breath.

I STOOD AT the kitchen sink and looked out to see Layton talking to Walker. I hadn’t seen Walker in four days, not since our ride…and our little dip in the river. I wasn’t sure what my father and Walker were talking about, but it appeared to be serious.

“Hey mom?”

“Mmm?” My mother had her nose in her Kindle.

“Do you know what Daddy is talking to Walker about?”

She grunted and I shook my head, then hit her with the towel I was holding. “Mom!”