A Wife for a Westmoreland

by Brenda Jackson

  “Ashira Lattimore.”

  Lucia’s throat tightened. Why would Ashira Lattimore be visiting her? There was only one way to find out. “Thanks, Wanda, ask her to come in.”

  Lucia clicked off her intercom and glanced at the flowers on her desk. Something about them gave her inner strength to deal with what was about to take place. She wasn’t exactly sure what would happen, but she figured it had something to do with Derringer.

  It wasn’t long before the woman knocked on her door. “Come in.”

  Ashira walked in and just like all the other times Lucia had seen her she looked beautiful. But Lucia knew that beauty was merely on the outside. She had heard a number of stories about the spoiled and reckless woman who had long ago stamped ownership on Derringer. In a way she was surprised Ashira hadn’t confronted her before now.

  “Ashira, this is a surprise. What can Simply Irresistible do for you?” Lucia plastered a smile on her lips.

  The woman didn’t bother returning her fabricated smile. “I’ve been gone, Lucia, visiting a sick relative in Dakota, and thought I’d let you know I’m back.”

  Lucia placed her arms across her chest. “And that’s supposed to mean something to me?”

  The woman glanced at the flowers on Lucia’s desk, paused a minute and then said, “I think it would where Derringer is concerned. Not sure if he told you, but the two of us have an understanding.”

  “Do you?”

  “Yes. No matter who he dallies with, I’m the one he’ll always come back to. I’m sure you’ve known him long enough to know our history.”

  “Unfortunately, I don’t, and for you to pay me a visit to stake a claim you think you have speaks volumes. It makes me think you’re not as confident as you want to claim,” she said with more bravado than she actually felt.

  “Think whatever you want. Just remember, when he’s done with you he’ll come back to me. He and I have plans to marry one day.”

  Lucia’s heart dropped at the woman’s announcement. “Congratulations on your and Derringer’s future plans. Now, if you’ve said everything you’ve come here to say, I think you should leave.”

  It was then that Ashira smiled, but the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. It didn’t come close. “Fine, just remember my warning. I’m trying to spare you any heartbreak.” The woman then walked out of her office.

  Derringer’s gaze flickered over Lucia’s face. “You okay? You’ve been quiet most of the evening.”

  They had gone skating with what he was now be ginning to think of as the regular crowd. Most of the kids and teens had gotten used to him and Lucia invading their turf. And now they were back at her place, but she hadn’t said a whole lot since he’d picked her up that evening.

  She smiled over at him. “Yes, I’m fine. This has been a busy week at work and I’m just glad it’s the weekend. I need it.”

  He pulled her into his arms. “And I need it as well. More horses are arriving this week and then all our relatives start arriving the week after that for the Westmoreland Charity Ball. You are going to the ball with me, aren’t you?”

  He watched her features and she seemed surprised he’d asked. Her next question proved him right. “You really want to take me?”

  “Of course I do.”

  “Thanks.”

  He stared down at her for a moment. “Why are you thanking me?”

  “Um, no reason. I just wasn’t sure what your plans would be.”

  It was on the tip of his tongue to say that whatever his plans were they would always include her, but he didn’t. Lately, he was encountering feelings and emotions when it came to Lucia that he didn’t quite understand and didn’t want to dwell on.

  “I hear Gemma is coming home in a few days,” she said, cutting into his thoughts.

  A smile touched his lips. “Yeah, and I miss her. I’d gotten used to Gemma being underfoot and wasn’t sure how I’d handle her up and moving to Australia. But Callum loves her and we know he’s taking good care of her. Besides, homecomings are good.”

  “Yes, he does love her.”

  There was something about her tone of voice that sounded contemplative and reflective, as if she was wondering, considering just how that would be for a man to love her that way. For a moment he didn’t know what to say, so he decided not to say anything.

  Instead, he did something he always enjoyed doing to her. He touched her chin, making rotary motions with his thumb on her soft skin before tilting her head back to lower his mouth to kiss her.

  The sound of her sensual purr fueled his desire, making him so aroused his erection thickened painfully against the zipper of his jeans. And when she wrapped her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss, he went crazy with lust for her.

  Not able to hold back any longer, he swept her off her feet into his arms and carried her upstairs to the bedroom.

  “Why haven’t you mentioned Ashira’s visit to Derringer, Lucia?”

  Lucia glanced over at Chloe. They had just finished a business meeting and she’d known something had been on her best friend’s mind all morning. “And how do you know I haven’t?”

  “Trust me, had you told him, all hell would have broken loose. He’s never appreciated Ashira’s possessiveness.”

  Lucia shrugged. “For all I know they could have an understanding just like she claims.”

  “I can’t believe you would think that.”

  “In all honesty I’m trying not to think about anything regarding Derringer and Ashira. I’m just taking one day at a time.”

  Chloe frowned. “She would never have come into my office with that haughty I’m-Derringer’s-real-woman foolishness, trust me.”

  “Because you know Ramsey loves you, I can’t say that for Derringer and me. I know he doesn’t love me,” she said softly.

  Later that night she lay in Derringer’s arms with her naked body spooned intimately to his. His arm was thrown over her and he slept with his hand cupping her breast. His warm body and the scent of his musky masculinity surrounded her and she became aroused by it. That was something she couldn’t help.

  Since becoming sexually involved with Derringer, she had become more aware of herself as a woman, particularly her needs and wants, mainly because he made her feel as if she was the most enticing and alluring woman he’d ever met. And coming from a man like Derringer, that meant a lot.

  She then thought about her conversation with Chloe earlier that day. Maybe she should have mentioned Ashira’s visit to her office to Derringer. And yet a part of her didn’t want to draw him into any women-over-man drama. Besides, time would tell if what the woman said was true.

  She knew the moment he’d awakened by the change in his breathing. The other telltale sign was the feel of his erection beginning to swell against her naked backside. And then he began touching her. With the hand that wasn’t cupping her breast he started at the dip in her thigh and let his fingers do a little walking, tracing a line toward her waist. It then followed the curve toward the juncture at her inner thighs.

  “Shift open your legs for me, baby,” he leaned over to whisper in her ear. “I need to touch you there.”

  She did what he asked and moments later she was moaning at his exploratory touch. And then when the hand cupping her breasts began doing its own thing by torturing her nipples, she clenched her lips to keep from crying out his name.

  “You’re so passionate,” he murmured close to her ear. “You are the most sensuous woman I know.”

  She wanted so much to believe him. She wanted to believe it was her that he wanted and not Ashira. And when she couldn’t take his torture any longer, she cried out for him to make love to her.

  “My pleasure.”

  He then eased her onto her back and straddled her, and before she could draw her next breath, he entered her, melding their bodies as one. And each time he stroked into her and retreated, she ground her body against him ready for his reentry.

  Over and over, back and forth, performing the
mating dance the two of them had created as he thrust in and out of her and all she could do was continue to groan out her cries of pleasure. And when a guttural moan flowed from Derringer’s lips, she knew they had been tossed into the turbulent waves of pure ecstasy.

  Incredible.

  Derringer pulled in a deep breath. That’s how he always thought of making love with Lucia. Each and every time was simply incredible. And she was incredible. He glanced over at her and saw she had fallen asleep with her body spooned against his.

  The room was quiet as images flickered in his mind of all the things they’d done together over the past few weeks, and not all of them had been in the bedroom. He enjoyed taking her places, being seen with her and spending time with her. Exclusivity was working, but he knew it was only because the woman was Lucia.

  No other woman crossed his mind. He didn’t want any other woman but her. And his inner fear of something happening to her lessened more and more each day. When he considered all the possibilities, weighed all his options and thought of what could happen, none of it was more significant than spending time with her, being with her. For the rest of his life. He loved her.

  Derringer drew in a sharp breath because at that moment he couldn’t imagine being without her…. He wanted to live each day to the fullest with her, loving her completely. She was the only woman he wanted. For his soul mate and then one day for his wife.

  His wife.

  A smile touched his lips. No other woman deserved that title. And he was determined that Lucia—only Lucia—would wear it. He knew he couldn’t rush her. He had to take things slow and believe that one day she would realize she was the only woman who could be a wife for this Westmoreland.

  The following days passed quickly and everyone was excited when Gemma returned home and confirmed the rumor that she and Callum would become parents in seven months. It was decided that a cookout was in order to welcome the couple home and to celebrate their good news. Another Westmoreland baby was on the way.

  Derringer, his brothers and cousins were playing a friendly game of horseshoes when someone rang the bell letting them know it was time to eat. The men went into Dillon’s kitchen to wash up, when Zane leaned over and whispered, “Lucia looks just like she belongs with the Westmorelands, Derringer.”

  His gaze moved across the yard to where she was helping Chloe and Megan set the table. Zane was right. She did look as if she belonged, mainly because she did belong. In a way, he’d always known that. And now he was waiting patiently for her to realize it as well.

  They had been spending a lot of time together lately. It had become his regular routine to go home and shower after working with the horses and then head on over to her place each day. School was out, so she was home most evenings now. They cooked dinner together, on occasion they would go out to take in a movie or shoot pool—something he had shown her how to do. Then on Friday nights they went roller skating. But he also enjoyed those times they would stay inside to cuddle on the sofa and watch videos.

  As if she felt him looking at her, she glanced over at him and an intimate connection, as well as sexual chemistry, flowed between them the way it always did. A slow, flirty smile touched his lips and he tipped his hat to her. She returned his smile and nodded before returning to what she was doing.

  “I think you like her,” Zane said, reminding Derringer he was there.

  Derringer smiled at his brother, refusing to let Zane bait him. “Of course I like her. We all do.”

  “Hey, don’t be an ass, Derringer. You’re in love with the woman. Admit it.”

  Derringer only smiled and glanced back to where Lucia was sitting. The women were crowded together on the porch listening to Gemma share stories about her Australian adventure and how she was settling into her role as Mrs. Callum Austell.

  He couldn’t help it, but he kept looking at Lucia. Each and every time he saw her, spent time with her, he fell more and more in love with her. Now he understood how Dillon could have left home to investigate all the rumors they’d heard about Raphel and return less than a month later an engaged man. At first he thought his cousin had needed to have his head examined, but once he met Pam and had seen how Dillon would light up around her, he sort of understood. But he’d figured nothing like that would ever happen to him.

  He had been proven wrong.

  He loved everything about Lucia, including her interaction with his family. But mainly he loved the way she made him feel whenever they were together.

  His thoughts were pulled back to the present when Jason took a minute to provide an update on old man’s Bostwick’s granddaughter from Savannah. Folks were saying the woman was supposed to arrive in town to claim her inheritance in a couple of weeks. Jason was anxious about that and he was hoping his offer for the land and Hercules was the one the woman would accept.

  “Looks like we have a visitor,” Canyon whispered. “At least, she’s your visitor, Derringer.”

  Derringer frowned when he saw the sports car driven by Ashira Lattimore pull up in the yard. He couldn’t help wondering what she wanted since he knew she hadn’t been invited. Also, Ashira and his sisters didn’t get along. But that had never stopped Ashira from thinking her lack of an invite was merely an oversight on someone’s part. She was her parents’ only child and was spoiled rotten. In contrast, he thought, Lucia was her parents’ only child, yet she was sweet as wine. The difference in the two women was like night and day.

  “Hello, everyone,” she called out, waving, while glancing around as if she had every right to show up at a family function uninvited. Her face lit up in a huge smile when she saw Derringer, and she immediately headed toward him.

  “Derringer, sweetheart, I’ve missed you.” She leaned over, wrapped her arms around his neck and placed a kiss on his lips in full view of everyone.

  He took her arms from around his neck and stared down at her. “What are you doing here, Ashira?”

  She gave him a pouty look. “I came to see you.”

  “This is not where I live,” he said in an annoyed voice.

  “I know, but you weren’t home and we need to talk.”

  “About what?”

  She leaned up on tiptoe and whispered close to his ear, “About that horse you’re trying to sell Daddy. Since he’s buying it for me, I think we need to discuss it, don’t you?”

  “I’m busy right now, Ashira.”

  “But you want to make that sale, don’t you? Daddy is ready. He wants to see you now, at the ranch.”

  Derringer knew he needed to put Ashira in her place once and for all, but here was not the place to do it. “Okay, let’s go,” he said, gripping her hand and pulling her with him toward her car. “I’ll be back later,” he called over his shoulder to everyone. “I’ve got some business to take care of.”

  He was angry. He didn’t care about the horse sale as much as Ashira assumed that he did. If she thought it was a carrot she could dangle in front of him to make him do what she wanted then she had another thought coming. What ticked him off more than anything was her underhanded behavior. He should have put her in her place regarding him years ago.

  He was so intent on taking her off somewhere to give her a piece of his mind, that he didn’t notice the haughty look of victory the woman shot over her shoulder at Lucia.

  Chloe drew in a deep breath. “I don’t think you should leave, Lucia.”

  Lucia wiped the tears from her eyes. “There’s no reason for me to stay,” she said, gathering up her things. “You saw it for yourself. Ashira shows up and he leaves. She wanted to prove what she told me that day was true and she did.”

  Chloe shook her head. “But I don’t think that’s the way it was. According to Zane and Jason, Derringer said it was about business and probably had to talk to her about that horse he’s trying to sell her father.”

  “And it couldn’t wait? Please don’t make excuses for what I saw with my own eyes, Chloe. She snaps her finger and he takes off. He was leading her over to
the car and not the other way around. And I truly don’t want to be here when they come back.”

  She reached out and hugged Chloe and whispered in a broken voice, “I’ll call you later.”

  Lucia knew it would be hard telling the others goodbye. They would see the hurt in her eyes and they would pity her. Or it might be one of those you-should-have-known-better-than-to-fall-in-love-with-Derringer looks. In her book, one was just as bad as the other.

  Somehow she made it through, but nearly broke when Zane pulled her into his arms and asked her to stay a while longer. She forced a smile up at him and told him she couldn’t, before rushing to her car, getting inside and driving away.

  Derringer returned over an hour later. He hadn’t meant to be gone that long, but when he’d arrived at the Lattimores’ place he had encountered more drama. Ashira had given her father the impression things were serious between them and he had to first break the news to Phillip Lattimore that they weren’t. And then he had to let Ashira know that he didn’t consider her a candidate as a wife, at least not for him since there was no way in hell he would ever get shackled with someone as spoiled and selfish as she was. Those words hadn’t been too well received, and Derringer had found himself stranded on the Lattimore land. He’d had to call Pete to give him a lift back here.

  The moment he got out of Pete’s patrol car he knew something was wrong. He could understand everyone staring at him, probably wondering why Pete, instead of Ashira, had brought him back. But they weren’t just staring at him. They were openly glaring.

  “Looks like your family is pissed off at you for some reason,” Pete said.

  “Yes, looks that way,” he responded. “Thanks for bringing me here.”

  Once the patrol car had driven off, Derringer’s gaze roamed over the group that were outside in the yard cleaning up from today’s activities. He looked for one person in particular, but he didn’t see her. “Where’s Lucia?”