Gabi sipped her wine coolly, unable to believe her luck.
‘Well, we are friends. . .’ she said, twiddling the wine glass languidly between her fingers and letting her eyes toy with his. ‘So, I suppose we could add the benefits?’
Walker stood immediately, a grin lighting his face. He picked Gabi up in one arm, and her bags in the other, leaving their drinks virtually untouched and her crutches forgotten in the corner as he headed up the stairs.
Upstairs, the room was freezing. Gabi hadn’t realised how much colder it would be in Scotland, compared to spring in the southeast of England, and was poorly dressed in a thin top and jeans. She shivered as Walker opened the door to the wide attic room. An iron-framed bed covered in thick blankets stood in the middle of the room, while a tartan rug covered the majority of the floorboards, but the breeze still whistled through the gaps.
Walker helped her with her bag and then sat her on the bed while he lit the fire. The well-dried kindling burst into life, and he fed it from the stack of logs to keep it burning.
‘No need to worry, miss,’ Walker said in an authoritative voice, ‘I’m a firefighter, you know.’
‘I’ve never had a real fireplace in a bedroom before,’ Gabi said, reaching her hands out towards it and watching the flames dance. It cast a gorgeous light in the early evening dusk. ‘It’s so romantic.’
‘Then we should make the most of it,’ Walker said, his voice lower suddenly, his eyes probing hers.
‘What did you have in mind?’ she asked, biting her lip in anticipation.
He crossed the space between them in two strides and a small exclamation escaped her mouth as he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the rug in front of the fireplace. He laid her down gently and knelt beside her. She reached for him and her mouth found his. She felt his smile even as he kissed her more deeply. Her arms twined around his neck and they ground against each other. She groaned.
‘Warmer now?’ he asked and she could only moan a reply.
Walker took her top off in one smooth upward movement, uncovering a lacy white bra. Her nipples were already hard as his thumbs skated across them. He ripped the lace out of the way and lifted her breasts free. She threw her head back and offered herself up to him. He dropped his mouth, kissing and teasing her until she gasped.
Her hands found his cock and she freed him from his jeans. He throbbed in her hands as she stroked the length of him. He tore off his own T-shirt and she crushed their torsos together, her skin rubbing against his, feeling the warmth of his chest against hers.
She watched the concentration on his face as he peeled her jeans down her legs, until he realised the boot was in the way.
‘I’m lying down already,’ she whispered. ‘I can take it off.’
His eyes were intense as he carefully undid the strapping and eased the boot gently from her foot and tossed it aside. The firelight flickered against her pale skin as he held her leg in the air and let his fingers trail down it.
She lay in her underwear, bra askew and his eyes moved over her, top to toe. She shivered but not from the cold.
Walker knelt between her legs and ran his hands over her. His fringe fell against his forehead and his tongue wet his bottom lip. Gabi could hardly breathe with wanting.
‘You sure?’ he asked.
‘Very,’ she said. He pulled her towards him and lifted her good leg up to his chest. He rested the ankle on his shoulder and looked down at her.
He ran his fingers down the strip of material, all that was keeping them apart. She was wet already, soaking. Gabi arched on the rug as he moved the scrap of fabric to one side, and she threw her head back as he put one finger, then two, inside her. He ran his fingers to her clit, making her rock against his hands. He put his fingers inside her again, and she knew she was more than ready.
‘I want you inside me,’ she whispered, feeling his cock hard against her leg.
He held the glistening head against her clit and she watched her own trembling as he brushed it back and forth. Gabi bucked against him, wanting more. He thrust up and down the length of her clitoris, not losing connection at any time, and she reached up a hand for him, blindly, only wanting to anchor herself. He crouched over her, still keeping contact with her core, nipping at her breast, biting hard enough to leave a mark, then flicking at the nipple with his tongue.
‘Walker,’ she moaned. ‘Please.’ She couldn’t wait any longer.
He straightened, steadied himself and plunged inside her in one swift move, burying himself to the hilt. He was like hot iron inside her and she couldn’t get enough. He withdrew, until he was completely outside of her again and she called for him. She wanted more. Her control was gone. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he held on to her hips and their bodies found perfect synchronicity, giving what the other needed, taking what they wanted. He thrust again and again, and when they were both close, he put his thumb on her clit between them and took her over the edge.
Later, when their breathing had calmed, Walker propped the welcome bottle of red wine on the hearth to warm, dragged some blankets from the bed and covered them in front of the fire. He wrapped one around her shoulders and smoothed it down her back. Gabi fitted snugly against him and breathed in the peppery spice smell of his skin. As the fire crackled, shadows danced across the ceiling while the sounds of the pub below came and went.
‘Well, I certainly like Scotland so far,’ Gabi murmured into his chest. He snorted.
‘There’s lots more to do yet,’ he replied and she could hear his smile.
‘Excellent,’ she said, letting her head rest on his shoulder. He adjusted his position slightly.
‘Tell me more about you. I feel like you know so much about the twelve-year-old me. All I really know is that you had a difficult childhood. Do you have any fond memories at all?’ Walker asked and she felt his breath on her shoulder. She thought for a moment.
