And stretched opposite her in that loveseat was an enormous black man who was turned away from Walker, in profile but Walker could see him smiling.

Lexie righted her head, caught sight of him, her face grew bright and she aimed a shaft of her blinding light right a him as she cried, “Ty! Look who’s here!”

Then, his f**king wife, total f**king goof, like an excited teenager bolted up to her feet on the loveseat, walked to the footstool and hopped down, running through the open door to him as he forced himself unstuck and walked toward her.

In her excitement, she hit him on the fly, her soft body colliding with his, her arms, even with one hand holding a beer bottle, sliding around him, her feet bare necessitating her bending her head way back to beam her smile at him.

“Julius!” she declared elatedly yet unnecessarily.

He looked down at her face then lifted his head to see Julius had angled out of the loveseat and was grinning at him as he sauntered into the house.

Such was their bond, anytime, anywhere, it was safe to say he would be happy to see Julius Champion. Happier by far to see him for the first time wearing faded jeans, a tee and breathing free.

Except that time.

He tipped his head back down and muttered, “Kiss, mama.”

Her smile went brighter, if that could f**king be believed, she went up on her toes, he bent low and touched his mouth to hers as her arms gave him a squeeze. When he lifted his head, she let him go, took a step away and he turned to Julius who had made it close and also had a beer in his hand. He extended his other one and Walker took it.

“Walk,” he muttered as they gripped and locked eyes, no shaking, no hug, the strength of the grip and the communication through their eyes was all they needed.

“Champ,” Walker muttered back.

Julius grinned. Walker grinned back.

“Oh shit, I’m gonna cry,” Lexie announced and the men let go and both looked to her to see she did look like she was going to cry.

“Get a handle on it, Lex,” he murmured, still grinning.

She nodded and visibly deep-breathed, whispering, “Right. Right.”

Walker shook his head and looked to Julius to see Julius was now smiling at Lexie.

“Okay!” she announced on a clap and Walker looked back at her. “Time for dinner!” Her eyes came to him. “You doing a shake, honey, or are you going to eat with me and Julius?”

“Powder and water then I’ll eat with you,” Walker answered.

“Excellent!” she approved, tossed a dazzling smile to both of them, turned and headed to the kitchen.

Walker looked back at Julius. “Gonna hit the shower, brother. Be right back.”

Julius jerked up his chin and replied, “I’ll keep your woman company while you’re gone.”

Walker bet he would. He had three women, each constant, each committed, each had been in his life for years but that didn’t mean he wasn’t still recruiting. But Walker also knew he’d try nothing with Lexie. That said, he was not a man who wouldn’t take an opportunity to enjoy a beautiful woman even though he knew it was look but don’t touch.

Walker headed to the stairs. Julius headed to the kitchen.

He was nearly done in the shower when she came in. He watched through the glass as she put the big, plastic cup with the screw on lid filled with protein powder mixed with water on the vanity. Her eyes came to him before she left then she took herself four feet out of the way just to press her hand flat to the glass and give him another smile.

No physical connection through that glass but a connection, the kind of shit she did all the time. The smile was brilliant; she was pleased as f**k for him his friend was there. The protein drink delivered was yet another way she gave. She did that all the time too, mix him a drink or blend him a shake and it was sitting on the vanity by the time he got out if she wasn’t in the shower with him.

She waited for it, he gave it to her, jerking up his chin then, with no words, she headed back out.

After his shower he dressed in track pants and a white tank, sucking back the drink as he headed to the stairs. Rounding the railing on the second story landing to make it to the mouth of the stairs down to the first level, his eyes hit the office. Then, even wanting to get to his woman and Julius, his feet moved him to the office door.

Lexie didn’t have a lot of shit. Most of her furniture was still in her apartment in Dallas that Honey had moved into. And she didn’t unpack everything when it arrived. Clothes, shoes, jewelry, shit like that. A couple of frames of her girls on the mantel downstairs. She’d printed, framed and put the photo of them at The Rooster in their bedroom. But she’d set up her computer in the office, added a few more frames from home, mounted an unusual print that he liked at the back wall, put her stationary, address book and other shit like that in the drawers of the desk.

He wandered to the right bedroom where they put her bedroom furniture from Dallas. Queen-size bed with feminine sheets and comforter, white background with stark swirls of green stems leading to big flowers of multiple shades of blue and pink. Feminine but good taste. Pure Lexie. One nightstand with lamp. A dresser. More prints on the wall. A guest room, where Ella slept, now Julius’s black leather duffle was sitting on the floor by the closet.

Then he wandered to the other bedroom. She still had some boxes piled against the wall but she’d made this her room. A big table with plastic, multi-drawered organizers on top and baskets filled with craft shit. Some shelves with more craft stuff. A sewing machine with a chair in front of it. An armchair in the corner with a standing lamp beside it where she could work comfortably. Surprised the f**k out of him but his wife was craftsy. It wasn’t just the petals in the window. She got that sewing machine set up straight off and, even with her girls there, when he was at work one day, he came home and they had huge, new toss pillows on the couch. He liked them, the fabric was nice but they were comfortable as all hell and there were a shitload of them he could shove behind him when he was watching a game.

He walked out and down the stairs, seeing Tuku’s pen and ink on the wall as he moved. The thick, matte black frame was the shit, the work was huge, he’d only had a segment of it inked on his body because he’d need four bodies his size to get it all on. It was good to see it displayed again, every time his eyes caught it, and it was hard to miss, it reminded him of Tuku, good memories. He’d been stunned when Lexie took him to the frame shop, felt that thing pierce the left side of his chest, sharper, the pain passing exquisite to be something he didn’t know, never experienced, but he knew he’d never forget that feeling or that moment, not in his life.