Page 10 of New Home for the Holidays

I look around the bar, hoping I don’t see Jared grabbing their group another round. The last thing I want is for him to pop up. Not with the way Walker is looking at me right now.

Even as I try to ignore him and enjoy the drink which is delivered to the table while Audrey puts in an order for some appetizers to share, I can feel his eyes on me. It makes me feel wild, which is something I’ve never felt before.

I’m used to being the more reserved one, the one who plays it safe. The way Walker is watching me makes me feel like I’mfalling. It’s almost like freedom and I have a feeling he’ll catch me before I hit the ground.

CHAPTER 5

WALKER

I can’t tear my eyes away from Morgan and am thankful as fuck it’s not difficult to watch her. Whether it’s serendipity or her friend is helping me out by choosing the table my girl is currently occupying. Maybe they didn’t see the other open tables which would have required me to strain to watch my woman.

I would have done it. Without even batting an eye.

Huxley elbows me to get my attention. When I look at him, his eyes are mischievous. “I see you’ve noticed Morgan,” he teases.

“I pulled her over yesterday,” I admit and the Burns brothers wince. Fuck me, was that just yesterday afternoon? It feels like I’ve lived a few lifetimes since then, mostly because I wasn’t around my woman.

How does your whole world shift in a single moment? I wouldn’t have believed it were possible if I hadn’t experienced it myself.

“Then I had breakfast with her this morning.” Their eyes widen and I shake my head and mutter, “Fucking assholes, not like that. I gave her a warning yesterday, but Jared invited me to breakfast this morning.”

Noel studies me closely before surmising, “You want her.”

“It’s not a matter of wanting, even though I do. It’s more than that,” I explain when their eyebrows shoot up in matching expressions of surprised confusion. “She’s mine.”

“Well, shit,” Huxley whistles. “I’ve only seen one guy look at a chick like you’ve been looking at her.” His eyes drift over to Fletcher who clenches his jaw before Huxley looks at me again. “Don’t fuck it up, man. That kind of thing doesn’t come around a lot in a lifetime.”

“Try once,” Fletcher grumbles.

I know there’s a story there, one part of me wants to ask about. The way Fletcher is holding himself—like he’s about to snap with the lightest pressure—has me swallowing down my questions. There’s a desperation in his eyes for a split second before he shutters it away and lets out a sigh filled with regret and something like longing.

I’ve only known the Burns brothers for a few weeks after meeting them through Jared when he invited me out for a drink here at The Range one night. They’re good guys and I was able to slide into what has felt like an easy friendship with them. They’ve helped me to feel like I made the right decision moving here because they never looked at me like I was only an outsider and were willing to let me in without some fucked up hazing ritual or some shit.

Fletcher meets and holds my gaze. “If she’s yours, you better hold on and not let go. No matter what,” the edge of pain in his voice has me gritting my teeth.

“I fully intend to,” I promise.

Fletcher gives a nod before draining the rest of his beer. He knocks on the tabletop twice before nodding toward the bar. “I’m going to get another round.”

He slips away before anyone can respond. There’s a beat of silence, one filled with a history I’m not privy to, before Huxley breaks the tension, “Bet you’re glad Jared picked that shift up now, huh?”

Noel glares at his youngest brother who holds his hands up in surrender. “You hurt her, it won’t just be Jared gunning for your ass,” Noel threatens me.

“Jared tried to warn me off already. I told him he needed to mind his own business. While I understand he doesn’t know me that well, and you guys don’t either, I’m not some asshole who is looking to take advantage of or hurt anyone. It’s not my style, even if Morgan weren’t mine, but she is,” I emphasize the last two words, needing them to hear me and understand how seriously I take my claim.

Noel and Huxley nod, acceptance and maybe even a little prideful relief shining in their eyes. When I look back over at my woman, it’s to find her friend downing the rest of her drink before grabbing Morgan’s hand and pulling her out of her seat and toward the dance floor.

“Fuck me,” I grit out through my teeth, the idea of anyone watching her dance making me see red.

“Shit,” Fletcher hisses as he comes back to the table.

“Does she do this a lot?” I growl, “I haven’t seen her here before, I would have noticed.”

“No,” Noel assures me, “she’s more of a stay at home with a book kind of girl than a go out on the prowl kind of girl.” I shoot him a sharp look because of the implication in his words and he smirks at me in response. “Every now and again her best friend, Audrey,” he nods in my woman’s direction, “will get her to come out, but Audrey is married and has two daughters which takes up most of her time.”

As Morgan starts to move on the small dance floor, I clench my fists. I’m not the only one watching her and by the way other men are leering at my woman, I’m not going to be able to sit back for much longer. Someone is going to muster up some bravery and try to approach her.

Over my dead fucking body.

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