But after two very fucking long weeks, he’d used up his shower creativity and he was done with limits.
And he knew Lexie loved her family but last night, he’d learned she was done too. He’d learned this when he firmly led her to the shower and she’d firmly pulled her hand out of his and walked to the tub. Then she’d filled it. Then she’d led him to it.
He couldn’t remember if he’d taken a bath since he was a kid.
He would be taking them in the future.
And his gait quickened because tonight he could fuck his wife in their bed, on the couch, on the fucking stairs if he had a mind to.
And he had a mind to do all three.
So it was time to get his ass home.
He walked out the doors to the gym which was in Chantelle. It was a haul but it was also a boxer’s gym, which meant limited use by women and the women who used it were boxers and there to train, not preen, show off their outfits or find a man who cared about his body who would get them off. He’d heard word there was a gym in Carnal with a personal trainer who could kick ass. He had not tried this because the man’s boot camps were co-ed.
This was what he was thinking as he walked out the doors and automatically scanned the parking lot.
And this was what erased from his mind when he saw the pickup. Model a few years old and taken care of. Some upgrades in order to add flash, not too many not because the owner didn’t like flash but because he couldn’t afford it.
And Walker knew this because the owner was leaning against the driver’s side door. He was Hispanic. And the plates were from Texas.
Fuck!
They locked eyes and Walker held his gaze as he moved to the Viper. The man pushed away from his truck when Walker neared the Snake. Walker looked away to bleep the locks, open the driver’s side door and toss his bag across the driver’s seat to the passenger’s. Then he slammed the door, turned and rested back against the car, arms across his chest, legs crossed at his ankles, eyes leveled at the man.
In the past two weeks, they’d had no meeting but Walker had had the chance to get a brief from Tate about Angel Pe?a though it wasn’t thorough. This was because Pe?a was liked and Tate couldn’t dig too deep without pinging on radar. He knew he was a respected cop. He knew he’d had commendations. He knew that Pe?a considered his occupation a calling, not a job. He knew that Pe?a’s tactics were controversial. And he knew this was overlooked because his close rate on cases was exceptionally high.
Now he saw he was short, Lexie’s height which meant she’d tower over him in her heels. Decent enough looking guy but Walker was no woman so he really had no clue. Liked his mama’s cooking if the slight gut that protruded over his big belt buckle was anything to go by. Knew to take care of himself anyway because the rest of him was made like a bulldog, strong, tough and bulky. Walker also knew he was a proud Texan as well as a proud Mexican just by the pickup but the cowboy boots, Wrangler jeans, Western-stitched sports jacket and plaid shirt with those pearl snap buttons told the rest of the story, especially considering his belt buckle had a Mexican flag on it.
He stopped three feet away.
“Tyrell Walker,” he stated.
“Detective Angel Pe?a,” Walker replied.
There it was. Neither had the upper hand. Not yet.
Pe?a’s gaze slid to the Viper then back to Walker.
“Nice wheels,” he remarked.
Walker did not reply.
Pe?a held his eyes, surprisingly not uncomfortable with the height difference that was near to a foot. The world did not fit Walker’s height or size nor did most of the people in it. He had never had a problem with this. He’d duck his head every once in awhile knowing his frame intimidated most men, his bulk made them underestimate his speed and both (for some you could add his color) made most people, men and women, mistake his intelligence. This put him at a near constant advantage.
It occurred to him vaguely at that point that Lexie was one of the few women who fit him. Even in bare feet, she was tall for a woman. But she wore heels almost all the time. He didn’t have to bend or stoop as much with his wife.
He liked this too.
But now, he saw that Pe?a was not intimidated and he also didn’t underestimate Walker. He found this surprising and disquieting.
This meant Pe?a had spent some time digging and he’d dug deep. Walker just had no idea what he’d found.
“Figure,” Pe?a ended their silence, “you know I got an interest in Alexa Berry.”
“Walker.” His correction was a low, swift, deliberate rumble and he was shocked as shit to see his response surprised Pe?a so much it took two seconds for the man to hide it.
“What?” Pe?a asked softly.
“Walker,” he repeated. “Lexie’s last name is now Walker.”
Pe?a, face now closed, studied Walker but even with his face closed off, he did it intently.
Walker let him then he was done letting him.
“Got a wife to get home to, Pe?a. You gonna stare at me much longer?”