WalkingSin Read Free Page A

figured Emma would be the first
one to tell her she should take advantage of being alone with Dax. Before she
became involved with Griff, Emma had loved to party and went through a couple
of different lovers a week. “ You’re telling me to give up the chance to
jump Dax’s bones?”
    Emma shrugged. “You aren’t the type to jump
his bones. Me? In a heartbeat, if I wasn’t so crazy about Griff.”
    “You’re always nagging at me to date. Now I
have a handsome hunk inviting me to spend the night at his house and you aren’t
telling me to go for it. What’s wrong with this picture?”
    “Maybe I decided it wasn’t right of me to
push you. When you’re ready, you’ll find a guy with the perfect bones to jump.”
    I wish .
Kelcey picked up her tote. “Dax said we’d be back before the Cowboys’ game.
When is that?”
    “Noon,” Alaina said. “Since the guys’
parents are out of town, we won’t go to their house tomorrow for dinner. Emma’s
making pizza.”
    Emma stood up as Alaina did. “Perfect
football food. We can talk about the wedding during commercials.”
    “The wedding.” Alaina giggled like a girl
half her age. “I’m getting married.”
    “You bet you are.” Emma gave her a quick
hug. “You’re going to have the most beautiful wedding this town has ever seen.”
    A dull ache settled in the pit of Kelcey’s
stomach. She’d never have the man who loved her, the engagement ring, the
beautiful wedding. She’d never know how it felt to walk down the aisle toward
the man who would be her partner for the rest of her life.
    It hurt. Sometimes it hurt so much, she
could barely draw a breath.
    Kelcey tugged the tote straps over her
shoulder. Thinking about what she didn’t have, instead of concentrating on all
the good things she did have, would only make the pain worse. She walked
out of the bedroom and met Dax in the hallway. He slipped the tote from her
shoulder.
    “I’ll carry that. Ready to go?”
    “As soon as I get my jacket.”
    She said her goodbyes to everyone and
followed Dax outside. The air was crisp and cool with a strong feel of autumn
in the air. Though the calendar said it would be Halloween tomorrow, it had
been unseasonably warm until a couple days ago. The high today was only
seventy-three instead of in the high eighties. Now it truly felt like autumn.
She sniffed deeply of the clean air.
    “Yeah, the weather is finally nice.” Dax
opened the passenger door of his pickup for her. “I’m glad the heat is gone.”
    “So am I.”
    She slid onto the seat and watched him
close the door, then circle around the hood. The truck smelled like Dax’s
profession with the touch of paint and paint thinner. For a reason she didn’t
understand, the scent tickled every feminine part of her each time she inhaled.
    He was an incredibly attractive man, she
couldn’t deny that. Strong hands gripped the steering wheel. A light dusting of
dark hair covered his fingers, the back of his hand and his forearm. Her gaze
slowly traveled up his arm. The dark green T-shirt stretched across his broad
shoulders and chest. She continued down his flat stomach to the impressive
bulge behind his fly. Part of her had no desire to know what existed behind the
denim. Another part of her longed to explore that fascinating male flesh.
    Moments later, Dax drove the pickup into
his garage and parked next to a vehicle covered by a gray tarp. Kelcey climbed
out and grabbed her tote from the floorboard. He took it from her and closed
the door.
    “I can carry my tote. It isn’t heavy.”
    “Let me be a gentleman, okay?”
    She followed him to the door that led into
the house. Just like Rye’s house, they stepped into the mudroom. From there,
she expected the similarities to end. She imagined Dax’s house to be a bachelor
pad done up in gaudy colors, maybe a combination of red and gold and black. She
expected to see big screen TVs in every room and paintings of naked women on
the walls.
    Instead, she found a