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Henrietta smiled. “I’ll be glad to tell you whatever you want to know. You got a coffee pot here?”
“Yes, although there isn’t a kitchen to set it in. Since all I needed was an electrical plug, I’m using that table in the hallway. We can sit in the living room on the sofa. I simply love the view from there.”
“Isn’t it just magnificent?” Henrietta said glancing over at the window. “The only thing wrong with this house is that it doesn’t have a kitchen. I told McKinnon that while he was building it, but he said it didn’t need one since he intended for it to be a guest-house and not a guest lodge. It’s only a few feet from the big house, so anyone getting hungry can come in there to eat.”
Casey nodded, not surprised he looked at things that way given his stubborn and uncompromising nature. “Well, you just get settled on the sofa over there and I’ll bring the coffee to you.”
As she turned to leave she had a feeling that Henrietta would be one of the reasons she would find the time she spent on McKinnon’s ranch rather pleasant after all.
* * *
McKinnon stopped his truck the moment he pulled into Durango’s yard, recognizing the dark blue car immediately. It appeared that Savannah had invited Casey to dinner tonight, as well. So much for the mystery of who she was having dinner with. He then frowned wondering if the newly wedded couple were trying their hand at matchmaking?
A part of McKinnon refused to believe Durango would do something like that. After all, his best friend knew the reason he could never entertain the idea of settling down and marrying. However, chances were Durango hadn’t shared anything about McKinnon’s medical history with Savannah. Savannah Claiborne Westmoreland, who he thought of as a sister since she’d married Durango, probably thought he needed an exclusive woman in his life. Once married, some people had a tendency to think everyone around them should be married, too.
He got out of the truck knowing it would be difficult as hell to be around Casey tonight. He should have declined Savannah’s offer to dinner when she called, and stuck with his plans to go into town, eat at one of the restaurants and then seek out a little female companionship. He wasn’t counting but it had been a while since he’d been with a woman, more than six months. The ranch had kept him too busy to seek out a willing bed partner.
He shook his head, convinced that was the reason he was finding Casey so desirable, but quickly knew that wasn’t true. He’d always found her desirable.
The moment his best friend opened the door to his home, McKinnon said, “Your wife hasn’t talked you into playing matchmaker, has she, Rango?”
Durango shook his head, grinning. “You know me better than that. In fact, I didn’t know you were coming until a couple hours ago. But I shouldn’t be surprised. Savannah’s decided that you need someone special.”
McKinnon frowned. “I have someone special. His name is Thunder,” he said of his horse.
Durango chuckled. “I care to differ. A horse wouldn’t do well in your bed every night.”
“I don’t need a woman in my bed every night.” A serious expression then covered McKinnon’s features. “I take it that you haven’t told Savannah that I can’t have a special woman in my life even if I wanted one.”
Durango met McKinnon’s gaze. “No. That’s your secret to share, not mine.”
“Thanks.”
“Hey, you don’t have to thank me and you know it,” Durango said.
McKinnon nodded. Yes, he did know it. He and Durango had been the best of friends since that botched-up job of becoming blood brothers when they were ten. It was an incident that had nearly sent McKinnon to the emergency room for stitches when the knife they’d used had sliced into his hand too deep.
“But you already know my feelings on the matter, McKinnon. You can always consider—”
“No, Rango. It doesn’t matter. I made my decision about things a long time ago.”
“Hey, I thought I heard someone at the door,” Savannah Westmoreland said, breezing as much as she could into the room as a woman who would be giving birth to one large baby in four months. For a while the doctors had thought she would be having twins but a recent sonogram had shown one big whopping baby—a girl.
She quickly crossed the floor and gave McKinnon a peck on the cheek. “You’re looking handsome as ever,” she said smiling up at him.
McKinnon lifted a dark brow. In a way he was grateful for Savannah’s interruption of his and Durango’s conversation. The issue of his medical history was something they couldn’t agree on. “Sounds like you’re trying to butter me up for something,” he said, studying her features for traces of guilt.
Savannah laughed. “Now why would I do that?”
McKinnon crossed his arms over his chest. “That’s what I’d like to know—and don’t you dare flash those hazel eyes at me.”
Savannah shook her head, grinning, and then with a wave of her hand she pushed her shoulder-length curly brown hair out of her face. “I’m not flashing my eyes, so stop being suspicious of me.” Then she quickly said with a smile, “I forgot to mention that I also invited Casey to dinner tonight. She’s in Durango’s office talking on the phone. Tara just called. She’s having her first sonogram in a few weeks and she and Thorn are excited about it.”
McKinnon shook his head. “What will your family do with all these babies being born, Rango?”
Durango chuckled. “Nothing but make room for more. I talked to Stone last night and he and Madison are coming through on their way from Canada. I have a feeling there’s a reason for their visit.”
McKinnon was about to open his mouth to say something when Casey walked into the room. He could tell from her expression that she was surprised to see him, which meant she had known nothing about his invitation to dinner. She had changed clothes and was wearing another skirt and blouse. This outfit was just as alluring as the one she’d had on earlier.
“McKinnon.”
“Casey,” he said stiffly, returning her greeting.
“Okay, guys,” a smiling Savannah said, looking at McKinnon and then back at Casey and ignoring the deep frown coming from her husband. “I hope everyone is hungry because I prepared a feast.”
Chapter 5
After dinner was over, McKinnon quickly left. Spending too much time around Casey wasn’t good. All through dinner he had found himself looking over at her, feeling his flesh prickle each and every time their gazes connected. And even when she wasn’t looking his way, he was looking hers; studying her mouth and thinking of over a thousand-plus things he could do with it. And he kept admiring her well-toned body every time she got up from the table while his mind worked overtime imagining that same beautiful body bare.
He had declined dessert, thanked Savannah for preparing such a wonderful meal and told Durango he would touch base with him sometime during the week. Then he nodded at Casey and left, trying to make it home in record time. There was something about having a sexual ache for a woman you couldn’t have that made a man want to burn the rubber off his tires. Damn, he was lucky that one of Sheriff Richard’s deputies hadn’t been parked along one of the back roads with a speed trap.
Once McKinnon opened the door to his home, he headed straight to the kitchen for a beer. A half hour later, after enjoying his beer and taking a cold shower, he slipped between the crisp white sheets intent on getting a good night’s sleep. But before he could close his eyes his mind went to the past and the reason he was sleeping in this bed alone.
He had purchased this land when he’d turned twenty-five knowing when he had bought the ranch house that he would live in it alone. He’d also known he would be one of those men who died a bachelor—refusing to take the risk of ever having a wife and children—once he’d found out about the rare bone disease his biological father had passed on to him.
When he’d met Lynette, he had fallen for her and thought she had loved him just as much—so much that he had felt comfortable for the first time to ask a woman to move in with him, as well as to reveal the full extent of his medical history to her. He had all intentions of asking her to marry him if she was willing to accept him the way he was. But no sooner had he told her, less than forty-eight hours later, she was gone. She left a letter that merely said she couldn’t marry a man who would deny her the chance to be a mother.
He received another letter from her almost a year later, apologizing for her actions and letting him know that she had met someone, had gotten married and was expecting his child.
He cursed as he threw the covers back, got out of bed and slipped into his jeans. It was nights like this when he needed to escape and become part of the wild. He knew when he walked into the barn and Thunder saw him, his friend would understand. That horse was smarter than any animal had any right to be. Whenever they rode, it was man and beast together, flying in the wind in a way his Ford Explorer couldn’t touch. At least not within the confines of the law, anyway.
Tonight he needed speed which was faster than lightning and, in his mind, swifter than any speed boat. Tonight he needed to put out of his mind the one woman he needed to keep at a distance, and stop imagining how she would feel in his arms, how that ultra-fine body of hers would feel molded tight against his. But what was really driving him insane was fantasizing about her taste and how delicious it would be on his tongue.
Damn. Casey Westmoreland was getting under his skin—and that was something he’d sworn not to let another woman do again.
* * *
Casey stood at her bedroom window and looked out, clearly seeing the mountains beneath a moon-kissed sky. Shivers ran all through her body at the memory of being in McKinnon’s presence tonight, sitting across from him at the dinner table trying to concentrate more on her food than on him.
And then there was the part of the night when she’d helped Savannah clear the table and he’d handed her his plate. The moment their hands had touched she felt a heated sensation shoot from the bottom of her feet all the way to the top of her head. There were also moments she had caught him staring at her like she was the dessert he would get after the meal. Just thinking about that deep look of desire she’d seen in his eyes had heat flaring up inside her and no matter what she did, there was nothing she could do to smother it.
She’d tried sleeping but her thoughts wouldn’t let her be. Heat would start in her stomach and move lower down her body while visions of McKinnon Quinn danced in her head. How could she concentrate on getting Prince Charming trained when something else dominated her thoughts?
Knowing going back to sleep was out of the question, she slipped into a robe after deciding to take a walk outside. There was a courtyard connecting the cottage to the main house that was surrounded by the flowers Henrietta had planted. It was a beautiful night and she wanted to stand underneath the Montana sky and smell the flowers.
She had been standing outside in the courtyard for well over fifteen minutes and was about to go back inside when she heard a sound. Her heart jammed in her ribs and her breath caught. She blinked, not sure if she was seeing things or if McKinnon was actually there within ten feet of her, sitting bareback on his huge black horse and staring at her.
She blinked again and watched as he slowly slid off Thunder’s back and she realized it wasn’t a hallucination.
She shook her head to clear it before her gaze latched on to his. She felt her breathing grow shallow as he slowly moved closer.
The moon overhead cast enough light on him and his devastatingly good looks to make her appreciate that she was born a woman. His hair hung loose and wildly around his shoulders, and he was bare chested and wearing jeans. His body was solid, muscular and for a moment her breath caught because he reminded her of a savage beast. But she knew that the man coming toward her—although private and reserved—was no threat to her. At least not physically. Emotionally was another matter.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked in a deep, husky drawl that sent goose bumps spreading all over her body. He came to stand directly in front of her.
From the moon’s glow she could see the intensity in the depths of his dark eyes. “I couldn’t sleep and decided to come out here for a spell,” she said as her hands automatically went to the belt around her robe to tighten it, fully aware that her meager clothing offered no protection against the heat she saw in his eyes.
“You should go back inside,” he said in a gruff voice.
“I was about to,” she said, taking a gathered breath. Then she asked, “What are you still doing up?”
At first she thought he wasn’t going to respond, but then he said, “I couldn’t sleep either and decided to ride Thunder.”
“Oh.” She inhaled deeply. “Well, I’d better go back in. Good—”
“I know the reason why neither of us can get any sleep,” he said, taking a step closer to her.
She stared up into his dark eyes. “Do you?”
“Yes. We need this.” And then he wrapped his arms around her and lowered his mouth as his lips captured hers. Then he placed his hands on her hips, molding her body firmly to the fit of him. Without wasting any time, his tongue found hers and he heard her gasp at the contact and immediately knew…at thirty years of age, Casey Westmoreland had never been properly kissed before. And damn it all to hell, he planned on doing the honors, here and now.
His fingers tightened at her waist the moment he deepened the kiss, taking what appeared no man had before, an in-depth taste of her. Being inside her mouth felt soothingly warm and downright delicious. A wave of sexual need entrapped him when she parlayed each stroke of his tongue and his brain cells started to overload. At that moment nothing else mattered except having Casey in his arms, kissing her, devouring her this way.
One part of his mind said he needed to stop, but another part said to continue what he’d started since this would be the last opportunity he would have to do so. Tomorrow she officially began working for him and he would have to be sensible. He would not become romantically involved with one of his employees—especially this one. She was a Westmoreland for heaven’s sake! But tonight he wanted as much insensibility as he could get.
A sigh escaped from her mouth into his and he continued on and on, mating their mouths, exchanging their breaths, sharing their taste. His tongue moved all over her mouth, in every direction, sucked, licked, nibbled, dabbed, all while performing some of the most inherently erotic things he’d ever done to a woman’s mouth.
With no thoughts of ending it… Instead he wanted to take things further. He wanted to move his mouth from her lips and trace a path past her neck, and open her robe, push her nightshirt out of the way and capture the nipples he’d seen pressed against her tops.
He reached up, slipped his hand inside her robe and touched her breast and let out a satisfied sigh. Even through the lace of her nightshirt he could tell that she was perfectly shaped. Then he loosened the front of her robe, needing to touch her if not kiss her there. The moment his hand came into contact with her breast, every part of him got harder and he felt like he was going to explode right then and there.
He pulled back from the kiss and before she could utter a single word, he leaned down and latched on to a nipple, sucked on it, licked it like a hungry man. He heard moan after moan gurgle up in her throat and she arched her back, giving him greater access to her breasts. He was greedy for her and could tell from the sounds of her moans she was in another world, enjoying his mouth on her. He wondered how she would feel if his mouth moved lower and invaded another area of her body.
He shifted their positions, ready to lift his mouth to find out, when somewhere in the distance a coyote howled and McKinnon pulled back, but only so far. He still lingered over her nipple, took his tongue and traced the outlines of it again before raising his head and going for her lips again, testing her softness, savoring her taste.
“Casey,” he said quietly, as if the sound would break the spell they had gotten caught up in.
“Yes,” she responded, and he heard several tremors in her voice and inwardly smiled knowing he had placed them there.
“I definitely like the way you taste,” he said, pulling back and looking down at her, while putting her lacy tank top back in place and pulling her robe closed. He saw her bemused expression and he wanted to kiss it right off her face. He smiled. “You don’t kiss often, do you?”
She leaned forward and pressed her face against his chest as if in embarrassment. When she muttered a few words he couldn’t make out, he lifted her chin and tilted her head back so their gazes could meet. “When was the last time a man has thoroughly and completely kissed you?” he asked quietly.
“Never. I’ve never been kissed like that before. You’re the only man who’s done something like that to me.”
Her words made him tighten his arms around her waist and he lowered his mouth to hers again, needing another taste, one to retain in his memories forever. He deepened the kiss, more than before and actually heard her purr. The sound sent blood racing to all parts of his body.
When they parted moments later they were both pulling in shallow and choppy breaths. Casey took a couple of steps back. “I think I really do need to go inside now.”
And before McKinnon could stop her, she took off in the darkness, hurriedly walking back toward the cottage.
* * *
High up on a mountain, another individual was finding it hard to sleep. Corey Westmoreland stood at the window gazing out, wondering if all was well with his daughter. She had called earlier to say she had unpacked and liked the cottage she would be living in for the next few weeks. But what she hadn’t said and what he couldn’t help wondering was how she and McKinnon were getting along.
He turned when he heard the sound of feet touching the floor and smiled as he watched his wife—the woman he loved more than anything—softly walk over to him and right into his outstretched arms. “Sorry, honey, I didn’t mean to wake you,” he whispered softly against her ear, giving her a peck there.
“You’re worried about Casey, aren’t you?”
He nodded, knowing he couldn’t and wouldn’t keep anything from Abby, especially his feelings. “Yes. Clint and Cole are concerned, as well.”
“Is it because she’s taken the job with McKinnon?”
Corey shook his head. “No, McKinnon and Casey are going to have to work out their own problems in that area. What her brothers and I are concerned about is whether she’s come to terms with what Carolyn told her all those years ago. Casey’s been going through a lot emotionally since finding out the truth.”
Abby nodded as she cuddled closer into her
husband’s arms. “What I think Casey needs to help pull her life together is the love of a good man—and I believe McKinnon is that man.”
Corey shrugged. “He could very well be but he won’t let that happen. I told you about his medical history. Ever since he discovered that he’s a carrier of that rare blood disease, he made up his mind that he would never marry and father children. It was a hard decision for him. Then, a few years ago he met someone he thought would be the perfect mate, but once he told her the truth about his medical condition and his decision not to ever father any children, she left him high and dry. McKinnon has had a lot of hurt and pain in his life, Abby.”
“And so has Casey. That’s why they need each other.”
Corey shook his head. “McKinnon won’t see it that way.”
“I want to think that eventually he will. Everything happens for a reason. I think you and I are living proof of that. If it’s meant for them to be together then they will. All they need is time and opportunity, and with her living right there on his ranch, right under his nose, they will have that. McKinnon needs Casey as much as Casey needs him.” She lifted her head, looked into Corey’s face and smiled. “I have a feeling that before long, you’ll become the father of the bride.”
Corey returned her smile and pulled Abby closer into his arms. McKinnon was an outstanding young man but right now he was hurt and angry. He just hoped his daughter would be able to handle him. But then if anyone could, it would be a Westmoreland.
* * *
McKinnon slipped beneath the sheets after taking his second cold shower that night. He had gotten sweaty riding Thunder and hot after kissing Casey. If he thought he hadn’t been able to get to sleep before, he sure as hell wouldn’t get any now—not with memories of devouring Casey’s mouth and breasts so blatantly vivid in his mind.
She had tasted just like he’d known she would, and with a particular flavor that was all hers. And just the thought that she was a novice sent sensuous chills down his body. He wondered if the overprotectiveness of her two brothers was the reason for her lack of experience. He shook his head, dismissing that assumption. He had gotten to know Casey well enough to know that although Clint and Cole may have looked out for her over the years, it had been her decision regarding the level of her involvement with any man. Most women he knew at her age had been kissed hundreds of times—on every part of their body—and he couldn’t help wondering the extent of her knowledge. A part of him would love to find out, but another part—the one that knew maintaining distance between him and Casey was the best thing—fought the idea with a passion.
Passion.
And that was what he was trying not to think about, especially when it came to Casey. He definitely had to toe the line. There was no way he could treat her like he treated other women he wanted in his bed. First of all, he needed to get that idea out of his mind because it wouldn’t work. And to be sure of that, he would start keeping his distance beginning tomorrow. The only time he would seek her out was when he needed to know the progress she was making with Prince Charming.
Satisfied that he had at least gotten that much cleared up and settled in his mind, McKinnon sought a comfortable position in bed and hoped like hell he got some semblance of a fairly decent amount of sleep.
Chapter 6
“Casey is doing a downright fine job with Prince Charming,” Norris said, glancing over at McKinnon.
“Is she?” McKinnon asked, trying to sound nonchalant but at the same time angry that his pulse rate always seemed to increase with the mere mention of her name. It had been a week since he’d seen her—at least up close. The day following the night they’d kissed, he’d made himself scarce, leaving it up to Norris to give her his expectations regarding Prince Charming.
He knew from Henrietta that she preferred taking her meals alone at the guest cottage, however, it seemed the two women had gotten rather chummy and shared lunch together at the big house every day. Once he’d known Casey’s schedule, he had adjusted his to make sure he wasn’t around when she was. But that didn’t really help matters because there were plenty of things to remind him of her presence. He caught the scent of her each and every time he walked into his home.
She had made things a little easy for him this past weekend by leaving on Friday evening to spend time on her father’s mountain, not returning until late Sunday. He had kept himself pretty busy going over breeding records but had found that every so often he would get up and look out the window as if anxiously awaiting her return.
And then at night whenever he went to bed, all he had to do was close his eyes to remember the feel of his mouth on hers, his tongue in that mouth and the flavor of her that seemed to be embedded in his taste buds. The bottom line was that he wanted to be with her the way a man needed to be with a woman.
Hell, he’d even gone into town a couple of nights ago to his and Durango’s old hangout, Haley’s Bar and Grill, but hadn’t seen a single woman he wanted to sleep with. The only woman he wanted was the one living in his guest cottage—the one who was definitely off-limits to him. But still, that didn’t mean he couldn’t dream about her at night, wishing she was in bed with him while he stripped her naked and…