Now it was his time to raise a brow. “What makes you think I’m interested in her?” he asked, glancing across the room to where Chloe sat talking to Pamela. The two women were getting along like they were old friends.
“She’s here isn’t she? That in itself says a lot.” And without saying anything else, Bailey strolled off.
He was tempted to follow Bailey and tell her that no, nothing said it all. They were seeing things that weren’t there. Seeing what they wanted to see. But when he glanced back over at Chloe, he was beginning to wonder if perhaps everything that Bailey had said just now made sense. If so, that was real scary only because it was Bailey and she never thought logically.
Not for the first time tonight Chloe quickly glanced over at Ramsey before turning her full attention back to the conversation going on around her. The topic of conversation had shifted from just how good the First Lady had looked at a nationally televised event last evening to what was happening overseas.
More than once he had caught her gaze and the smile he’d sent her way was enough to send heat escalating through every part of her body. And memories of his touch would wash over her, make her wish they were someplace else. Someplace private.
“So you’re an only child, Chloe?”
Chloe glanced up at Gemma and smiled. The Westmorelands had been asking her questions about herself. Getting to know her. She had been wording her answers so they wouldn’t be outright lies. “Yes, I’m an only child but not for long. My father is getting married in a few months and the person he’s marrying has a son and daughter.”
“And you don’t have a problem with that?” Bailey asked.
Chloe chuckled. “Not at all. Dad’s been single long enough. My mother died when I was two, so it’s about time he tied the knot again.”
The conversation shifted to Megan as she told them how her day went as an anesthesiologist. Chloe glanced back across the room at Ramsey. He was talking to Dillon. There was no mistaking the two men were related. Dillon Westmoreland was also a good-looking man.
Ramsey caught her eye and like before, the look he gave her made her heart thump erratically in her chest. And as she continued to look at him she could actually feel his heat, reaching out across the perimeters of the room and actually touch her. And then he whispered something to Dillon before walking across the room toward her.
When he reached her side he tucked her hand in his, something that wasn’t missed by his sisters. “Thanks, Pamela, for a lovely dinner. It’s time Chloe and I left.”
Chloe glanced up at him, not surprised by what he said. It was either leave so they could go somewhere private or put on a real show for his family.
Pamela glanced at her watch. “It’s early yet. Are you sure you have to go?”
Ramsey smiled. “Yes, trust us, we do.”
Later that night Ramsey was wide awake as he watched Chloe sleep. They had barely made it through the front door before they began stripping out of their clothes. They hadn’t thought about making it up the stairs to the bedroom; instead they had been satisfied just to get to the sofa. By the time he had slid his body into hers, all the restraints he’d held in place over the past twelve hours came crashing down.
He had made love to her with an intensity that had even overwhelmed him. She had writhed beneath him, filled with the same turbulent need as she strained against him, meeting his strokes, his single-minded thrusts as if her very life depended on it.
She had dug her nails into his shoulders and on one or two occasions, had actually bit him. He had growled and then had increased the pace as his control and hers had continued to get shot to hell. He gave it to her hard, and at her encouragement, even harder. She had transformed into a wildcat, a woman who knew the degree of pleasure she’d wanted to experience. A woman who intended for him to give her just what she needed.
And he had. The more she’d wanted, the more he’d given. And by the time their world exploded into one hell of a combined orgasm, he was barely holding on the edge of sanity. He had known the moment pleasure had ripped his soul apart that this was not just a normal lovemaking session between two consenting adults. It was a hell of a lot more than that. The word normal didn’t even come close. There had been nothing ordinary about their joining. It had been the most atypical thing he’d ever experienced.
And now he knew why.
For the first time in his life he wanted to have a serious relationship with a woman. And he now knew more than ever that what he felt for Chloe wasn’t just a sexual thing. Tomorrow was officially her last day at the ranch, although she had agreed to spend Friday and Saturday night with him on the range sheepherding.
He could tell from the murmurs he’d been hearing over the past couple of days from his men that she would be missed, and it wasn’t just about the meals she had prepared for them. It was about the woman they had come to know. A woman who took joy in making their nourishment.
Yet she had remained professional while developing friendships with them. They looked forward to seeing her in the morning and again at noon. She not only talked to them, but she also listened. On occasion, he knew she also offered advice to a couple of the men when they’d inquired as to what to purchase their wives for birthday and anniversary gifts.
They would miss her, but none of them would miss her more than he would. In just two short weeks she had touched him, given him a bone-deep feeling of total and complete satisfaction, one he could not have explained until now.
He leaned over and brushed a kiss across her brow. Last week he could barely make sense of what was happening to him, but now he knew and accepted his fate. He loved this woman. He really loved her.
And he wanted to keep her.
He knew that might be easier said than done. She might not want to have a relationship with him, one with the potential of going somewhere. She might like her life like it was now—not seriously involved with anyone. That Daren guy had probably left a bad taste in her mouth. In that case, he would do whatever he needed to do to make her change her attitude about a serious affair.
Unfortunately he did not have Callum’s patience. Starting now he would rev up his campaign to win her over, prevail in getting her love. At least his situation didn’t appear to be as hopeless as Dillon’s had been when he’d met Pamela. At the time she was engaged to marry someone else. But with his encouragement Dillon hadn’t let that stop him.
Now was time to take some of the same advice he’d dished out to Dillon. He knew what he wanted and there was no excuse in his not getting it. He had a goal. By this time next year Chloe Burton would have a permanent place in his bed as his wife.
“Are you okay, Chloe?”
Chloe glanced over at Ramsey. No, she wasn’t okay. Saying goodbye to his men had been the hardest thing she’d ever had to do. And she had fought back tears when they’d given her a going-away gift.
“Yes, I’m okay,” she said, knowing she really wasn’t. Ramsey had helped her to clean up the kitchen after lunch and then she had thrown a couple of items into an overnight bag. When she had stepped outside it was to find a huge RV parked in his yard. He had explained that the modern-day sheepherder believed in living out on the range with all the conveniences of home. Granted most didn’t have anything this large and extravagant. The majority of them did have campers that they pulled behind their trucks and would set up residence without having to sacrifice doing without satellite television, indoor bathroom and kitchen and dining facilities.
The luxury coach Ramsey was driving was his own personal beauty and as Chloe glanced around she was impressed with just how nice it was, and how much an expert driver he was behind the wheel. This was definitely a luxury coach worth owning. It was a home away from home on wheels. His men had already taken the sheep up in the high country, a portion of Ramsey’s land that connected to Dillon’s. Chloe hadn’t been aware of how much property the Westmorelands owned until now.
“The men are going to miss you.”
She sm
iled. “And I’m going to miss them.”
“And I’m going to miss you as well, Chloe.”
Chloe thought about the words Ramsey had just spoken as she watched him kill the engine of the RV. He glanced over at her and the pull that was always there between them was tugging at her today in the worst possible way. “And I’m going to miss you, too, Ramsey.”
He leaned over and she was there, meeting him halfway over the vehicle’s console. And when their mouths connected she thought that nothing could get any better than this.
He pulled back, but not before taking his tongue to swipe across her lower lip. “Come on, let’s get out so I can show you the rest of the property while there’s still daylight.”
Moments later, holding hands they walked near the area where the sheep were grazing. One of Ramsey’s men, Pete Overton, smiled when they approached. “Now that you’re here boss, I’ll just skedaddle so I’ll be on time for the party.” Pete’s oldest son would be graduating from the university tomorrow and his wife had planned a party in his honor. Ramsey had volunteered to tend to the sheep until Pete came back to relieve him Sunday morning.
“Sure, Pete, and give Pete Jr. my congratulations and best wishes. I know that you and Jayne are proud of him.”
Pete beamed proudly. “Thanks, Ram.” He then glanced at Chloe and his smile got even wider. “The guys and I meant what we said earlier today, Miss Chloe. You’re going to be missed. Nobody makes homemade biscuits quite like you do.”
Chloe returned his smile. “Thanks, Pete.” They then turned and watched Pete get in his truck and leave.
“Pete is a person who doesn’t take to people easily, but it’s plain to see that he likes you,” Ramsey said, wrapping his arms tightly around Chloe’s waist.
She leaned into him. “I know,” she murmured, resting her head back against Ramsey’s chest. “I like him, too. I like all the men who work for you.”
Ramsey introduced her to the four dogs that would be manning the herd and told her the animals made a sheepherder’s job relatively simple. The dogs were the ones who looked after the flock, making sure none of the sheep wandered off and alerted the sheepherder to any mishaps.
After Ramsey gave her a tour of the area where the sheep would be grazing for the next few months, they returned to the travel coach and ate the sandwiches Ramsey had purchased from a deli in town.
Then when it got dark he took out folding chairs so they could sit outside under the stars. They ended up doing a lot more than just sitting under the stars. Ramsey selected a nice spot to spread a huge blanket on the ground where they made love, under the beauty of a Colorado sky. Later when the night turned chilly, they went inside the coach and after taking a shower they tumbled in bed to make love all over again.
The next morning after a breakfast they had prepared together, they walked the area checking on the sheep. After lunch they curled up in each other’s arms on the sofa and watched several video movies. Chloe could tell that neither she nor Ramsey wanted anything to intrude on their idyllic weekend.
Ramsey told her about how he’d grieved after the deaths of his parents and his beloved aunt and uncle. He explained how he’d had to put aside his grief to care for his siblings.
She was touched that he’d shared details about that heartbreaking moment in his life. She was tempted to share things with him as well. She wanted to tell him that although she was too young to remember much about her mother, what she had recalled while growing up was the sadness that always appeared in her father’s eyes on her mother’s birthday, their anniversary day and during the holidays. That was one of the reasons she was glad for the happiness in her father’s life now. But there was no way she could tell Ramsey that without telling him everything and he’d made it known he wasn’t ready for any hard-and-heavy discussions between them.
Later that night they showered again together. The moment he pulled her inside the shower with him and water began spraying down on their naked bodies, Ramsey turned her into his arms and kissed her, while pinning her back against the wall.
He reached up and turned off the water and then getting down on his knees, he spread open her thighs to get the taste he always seemed to want and was intent on getting whenever he could.
The sensations he could evoke with his tongue inside of her had Chloe moaning and it took all she could not to scream out loud. Ramsey had introduced her to lovemaking in its richest form; positions that were so erotic her knees weakened at the thought of some of them.
She did scream when his tongue delved deeper into her and she gripped tight to his shoulder. And just when she thought she couldn’t take any more, he eased up, lifted her to wrap her legs around his waist and then he plunged into her.
With whipcord speed he began thrusting inside of her as another scream from her filled the shower stall. She then heard herself begging and pleading for more, for him not to stop and to do it harder. Those were words she never thought she would utter, which proved just how over the edge she was. Just how Ramsey’s lovemaking had torn up her mind.
Her legs tightened around his waist even more, locked him inside of her as much as possible. He threw his head back and let out a curling snarl that sounded like pain, but the look of his face showed it was definitely one of pleasure.
His features distorted in sexual gratification were a mirror of what she was feeling. And when she felt him explode inside of her, she felt her world get rocked as he continued to pump inside of her as impassioned heat rushed all through her body. And then he leaned closer to her and captured her mouth in his.
His kiss snatched her breath and, combined with the shudders ripping through her, was almost too much. His kiss was hungrier than before, just as intense. And when he finally released her mouth, she slumped against his wet chest. Regaining strength to lift her head, she met his intense gaze and it took everything within her to hold back from telling him that she had fallen in love with him.
Pete returned to relieve Ramsey early Sunday morning. Ramsey couldn’t wait to get back to the ranch so that he and Chloe could have a serious talk. If he had any doubts in his mind that he loved her, then this weekend only confirmed it. He hoped he would be able to put into words how he felt and why he wanted them to continue what they’d started.
He glanced over at her. She’d gotten quiet on him and he would allow her this private time. He’d come close twice this weekend of telling her how much he loved her. But he’d held back, not wanting to screw things up.
He drew in a deep breath when they pulled into his yard. Butterflies were going off in his stomach. He’d never been nervous around a woman before. Hell, he’d practically raised three of them. But this was different. It wasn’t every day that a man poured out his heart the way he planned to do. But he had to be careful how he did it. He didn’t want to run the risk of scaring her off.
“Will you be talking to Nellie before she returns tomorrow, Ramsey?”
Her question broke the silence that surrounded them in the RV. He turned off the engine and leaned back in his seat. “Yes. She’s supposed to call today.”
“Good.”
Ramsey couldn’t help but smile. He found it amusing how loyal she was to his men. He parked the RV on the side of the barn and when they got out they walked to the house holding hands. For him it seemed such a natural thing to do.
Ramsey opened the door and once inside Chloe said, “How would you like a cup of coffee?”
“I’d love one. Thanks.”
At that moment the phone rang. “That’s probably Nellie calling. I told her I’d return this morning around eleven.”
Chloe nodded as she headed for the kitchen.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Westmoreland?”
Ramsey didn’t recognize the feminine voice. “Yes?”
“This is Marie Dodson of the CDS Employment Agency and I regret we were unable to serve your needs before. However, if you’re still in need of a ranch cook, I have someone who might work out
for you, and she’s—”
“Whoa,” Ramsey said, cutting in, confused by what the woman was saying. “You did serve my needs. The woman you sent to us two weeks ago worked out perfectly and—”
“There must be some mistake. We didn’t send a woman to work for you.”
Now Ramsey was really confused. “Sure you did. Chloe Burton.”
There was a slight pause and then, “There’s no Chloe Burton working for us. The woman we had planned to send you was Constance Kennard. Because of a mix-up, she was sent to another job by mistake. I called myself that Monday morning around nine-thirty to inform you of what happened but was told you weren’t available. The woman who answered your phone said she would make sure that you got the message about what happened.”
A knot tightened in Ramsey’s stomach and a frown settled between his brows. What Marie Dodson was saying didn’t make sense. Chloe had shown up that morning. She’d been late but she had shown up. And there was no doubt in his mind that Chloe could cook. Every single man in his employ could attest to that. But if what Ms. Dodson was saying was true then…”
“Mr. Westmoreland?”
Ramsey pulled in a deep breath. “I’m going to have to call you back Ms. Dodson.”
“Oh? Well, okay.”
No sooner had Ramsey hung up the phone, Chloe walked in with two coffee cups in her hands. Ramsey stopped her in her tracks when he asked in a fierce and angry voice. “Who the hell are you?”
Eleven
Chloe was knocked speechless by Ramsey’s question. Pulling in a deep breath she thought it best to place the cups of coffee on the table before spilling them all over herself. Her hands were shaking because she had an idea why he’d asked what he had.
She exhaled a nervous breath before she spoke. “That’s a crazy question, Ramsey. You know who I am. I’m Chloe Burton.”
“Are you?”
“Yes.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “And you work for CDS Employment Agency?”
Hot Westmoreland Nights Page 14