Praise for New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Brenda Jackson

“Brenda Jackson writes romance that sizzles and characters you fall in love with.”

—New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Lori Foster

“Jackson’s trademark ability to weave multiple characters and side stories together makes shocking truths all the more exciting.”

—Publishers Weekly

“There is no getting away from the sex appeal and charm of Jackson’s Westmoreland family.”

—RT Book Reviews on Feeling the Heat

“Jackson’s characters are wonderful, strong, colorful and hot enough to burn the pages.”

—RT Book Reviews on Westmoreland’s Way

“The kind of sizzling, heart-tugging story Brenda Jackson is famous for.”

—RT Book Reviews on Spencer’s Forbidden Passion

“This is entertainment at its best.”

—RT Book Reviews on Star of His Heart

About the Author

BRENDA JACKSON is a die “heart” romantic who married her childhood sweetheart and still proudly wears the “going steady” ring he gave her when she was fifteen. Because she believes in the power of love, Brenda’s stories always have happy endings. In her real-life love story, Brenda and her husband of more than forty years live in Jacksonville, Florida, and have two sons.

A New York Times bestselling author of more than seventy-five romance titles, Brenda is a recent retiree who now divides her time between family, writing and traveling with Gerald. You may write Brenda at PO Box 28267, Jacksonville, Florida 32226, USA, email her at WriterBJackson@aol.com or visit her website at www.brendajackson.net.

Zane
Brenda Jackson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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To my husband, the love of my life and my best friend,

Gerald Jackson, Sr.

To everyone who enjoys reading about the

Westmoreland family, this one is for you!

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,

and the man that getteth understanding.

—Proverbs 3:13

One

“What do you mean Channing’s back in Denver?” Zane Westmoreland dropped down in the chair across from his sister, a dark frown covering his face.

He fixed his gaze on Bailey, waiting on her response. Bailey knew that any mention of Channing Hastings would make him mad, but it seemed she was intent on ignoring him while she continued to eat her bowl of ice cream. Anyone else would have jumped at the anger that was apparent in his voice but not this particular sister. She didn’t do anything until she was good and ready. While he waited, even more irritation bubbled up inside of him.

After what seemed like an enormous period of silence, Bailey finally angled her head. “I meant just what I said. I saw Channing today when I had lunch at the hospital with Megan. I understand she arrived in town last week. She looks good by the way.”

Zane wasn’t surprised. As far as he was concerned, there was never a time when Channing hadn’t looked good … even after a sweaty workout session at the gym.

Suddenly, unbridled fury worked its way along his stomach lining. Why should he care how an ex-girlfriend looked? More importantly, why did the thought of her being back in town trigger such deep-seated anger within him?

Zane could answer that question without much thought. It hadn’t been their breakup that still pissed him off but rather how they had broken up. Usually he was the one who decided when one of his relationships ended, but Channing had surprised the hell out of him and ended it herself.

“Is Channing’s fiancé with her?” He could have bitten off his tongue for asking.

“No, she’s only here for six weeks, hosting a medical symposium at the hospital.” Bailey didn’t say anything for a minute and then, “That man got under my skin.”

Zane lifted a brow. “What man?”

“Channing’s fiancé. He was checking out the women at Megan’s wedding reception, even with Channing standing right beside him. He had a lot of nerve.”

Zane had noticed the man’s roving eyes, as well. He really shouldn’t care. If Channing was inclined to put up with that kind of foolishness, that was her business. It shouldn’t concern him. But it did.

He glanced out the window while his mind wandered back in time. He had dated Channing longer than he’d dated any other woman—nine months exactly. Things had been almost perfect between them. But then she’d started hinting that she wanted more from their relationship. That was when he’d reiterated that he was not the marrying kind and never intended to be.

She never brought up the issue again, and Zane had assumed things were back to normal. But less than a month later, out of the clear blue sky, she told him that she had accepted a job at a hospital in Atlanta and would be moving away.

That had annoyed the hell out of him. She was trying to force his hand, and he wouldn’t allow any woman to do that. So he’d called her bluff, refusing to offer a proposal. But then she’d moved to Atlanta as planned. That was almost two years ago, and he hadn’t seen or heard from her until she’d shown up at his sister’s wedding last month an engaged woman.

Engaged.

The very thought made him angry. She’d had the nerve to bring her fiancé to the wedding knowing full well Zane would be there. And like Bailey had said, the man had checked out other women even with Channing by his side. That she was so desperate to have a ring on her finger that she would settle for such a man—the realization made Zane madder.

“This is simply delicious.”

Bailey’s words intruded on his thoughts. He glanced over at his sister, and his frown deepened. He had come home to find her sitting at his kitchen table like she lived there. In his current mood, her presence aggravated him. “And what do you think you’re doing?”

She smiled. “What does it look like? I’m eating ice cream.”

“My ice cream,” he muttered. “How did you get in here, anyway? I changed the locks on my door.”

Bailey leaned back in her chair and chuckled. “I noticed. Did you forget that I know how to pick a lock, Zane? Bane taught me ages ago. And as far as the ice cream, you only bought it because you knew I’d eat it. You don’t even like ice cream, and this is one of my favorite flavors.”

“They’re all your favorite flavors,” he said, forcing himself not to grin. The last thing he needed was for her to think he was getting soft. And as far as picking locks, he had forgotten that talent had been just one of the many ways she and their cousin Bane used to get into trouble.

Getting up from the table, he headed for the door.

“Hey, where are you going?” Bailey called after him.

“Since I can’t find peace in my own home, I’m going to ride my horse a spell. I’ll be gone for an hour or so and hopefully that will give you time to find someone else to visit.”

He then walked out the door and slammed it shut behind him.

“Channing, wait up!”

Channing stopped and turned around. She smiled when she saw Megan Claiborne walking briskly toward her. Megan had been one of the first doctors she’d become good friends with while working at the hospital four years ago, and their friendship had remained intact. Last month, Megan married Rico Claiborne, a gorgeous Bradley Cooper look-alike who worked as a private investigator in Philly. To divide their time between Philadelphia and Denver, Megan worked six months as a doctor of anesthesiology in Denver and the other six months at a hospital in Philly.

Megan looked different. “Marriage agrees with you,” Channing said when Megan came to a stop in front of her.

Her comment made an infectious smile settle on Megan’s lips. “You think so?”

“I know so. There’s a radiant glow about you. You seem happy. I mean truly happy,” Channing said.

Megan’s smile widened. “I am happy, and I have to concur that marriage does agree with me. Rico is the best. He’s everything I could ever want in a man.”

“Then you have a reason to smile and look radiant.” Channing was happy for her friend and she wanted that same happiness and radiance for herself.

Long marriages were common in Channing’s family. Her parents had been married for more than thirty-five years, and her grandparents would be celebrating their sixtieth wedding anniversary next year. Her aunts and uncles had been in wedded bliss for more than twenty years, and her cousins and oldest brother, Juan, had all been married eight years or more.

When Channing had dated Megan’s brother Zane a few years back, she had believed he was the one. Although he had told her more than once that he never intended to marry, she’d actually thought he’d change his mind. Over the course of their relationship, although he’d never spoken any words of love, his actions had convinced her he had feelings for her. He’d been so attentive, possessive and protective. She was the first woman he’d invited to his family’s weekly dinner gatherings and the first woman he’d given a key to his place. So, quite naturally, she had assumed she meant more to him than all the women he’d dated in the past.

But as time went by, it became obvious that he had no intention of making their relationship more than the affair that it was. Then, one day after they’d dated exclusively for almost nine months—she’d come out and asked him how he saw their relationship evolving. He’d told her nothing had changed. He never intended to marry. He’d said that although he cared for her, he didn’t love her—and never would.

She’d appreciated his honesty, but his words had hurt. To protect her heart from further damage, she’d decided to move on. She wanted more.

A week later, she’d accepted the position as a neurologist at Emory Hospital in Atlanta. She didn’t tell Zane about her plans until the week before she was ready to leave Denver. She knew Zane was still angry with her about the way she’d ended things, but it wasn’t as if she’d left town without telling him.

“I wanted to ask you to come to my family’s Friday night chow-down,” Megan said, intruding into Channing’s thoughts.

Channing winced. “You know I can’t do that.”

“Why not? Things between you and Zane didn’t work out, and you moved on. As far as I’m concerned, it was my brother’s loss.”

“But I don’t want to make things uncomfortable, Megan. I saw the way Zane was staring me down at your wedding. He didn’t like the way I ended things between us.”

“Forget Zane.” Megan bristled. “Did he honestly expect things to continue between the two of you without him ever making a serious commitment?”

Channing shrugged, even though she knew Zane had expected that. They had been dating exclusively, and to him that was enough. “I guess he did,” Channing said softly, remembering how hard it had been to leave him, to move forward and not look back.

“Well, it served him right to find out he was wrong.” Megan took a moment and seemed to choose her next words carefully. “Channing, you were my friend long before you became involved with Zane. You moved away, and now you’re back for a short time. There’s nothing wrong with me inviting you to dine with my family.”

Channing could see plenty wrong with it. “Thanks, but I think it’s best if I don’t accept your invitation. I’ll be in Denver for at least three weeks, six weeks if I decide to do a second symposium. Considering how Zane feels about me, he and I should keep our distance.”

Megan didn’t push … at least not right now. Channing knew her friend wouldn’t let it drop. “You’re welcome to come. If you change your mind, let me know.”

Channing nodded, but she wouldn’t be changing her mind.

By the time Zane had returned home, Bailey was gone. He headed up the stairs to shower, refusing to admit he missed his sister already. She was known for her drop-in visits not only to him but also to her other brothers, sisters and cousins.

Presently, there were fifteen Denver Westmorelands. His parents had had eight children: five boys—Ramsey, Zane, Derringer and the twins, Aiden and Adrian—and three girls—Megan, Gemma and Bailey. Uncle Adam and Aunt Clarisse had had seven sons: Dillon, Micah, Jason, Riley, Canyon, Stern and Brisbane. Over the past few years, nearly everyone had gotten married. Megan had married last month, and Riley would marry in September. The only holdouts were him, the twins, Bailey, Canyon, Stern and Bane.

His parents and uncle and aunt had died in a plane crash nearly twenty years ago, leaving Zane’s brother Ramsey and his cousin Dillon in charge of the family. It hadn’t been easy, especially since several of their siblings and cousins had been under the age of sixteen. Together, Dillon and Ramsey had worked hard and made sacrifices to keep the Westmorelands together. When the state of Colorado tried forcing Dillon to put the youngest four in foster homes, he had refused.

The deaths had been the hardest on those youngest four—the twins, Aiden and Adrian, and Brisbane and Bailey. Everyone had known that their acts of rebellion were their way of handling the grief of losing their parents. Now, the twins had finished college and were working in their chosen professions: Aiden as a doctor and Adrian as an engineer. Brisbane was in the navy and Bailey … was still Bailey. Considered the baby of the family, at twenty-six she worked for Simply Irresistible, a magazine for today’s up-and-coming woman that was owned by Ramsey’s wife, Chloe. But even with a full-time job, Bailey still managed to remind everyone she could be a force to reckon with when she put her mind to it.

When Zane reached his bedroom, he glanced out the window at the acres and acres of land surrounding him. Westmoreland Country. Since Dillon was the oldest, he had inherited the main house along with the three hundred acres it sat on. Everyone else, upon reaching the age of twenty-five, received one hundred acres to call their own. Thanks to Bailey’s creative mind, each of their spreads were given names—Ramsey’s Web, Zane’s Hideout, Derringer’s Dungeon, Megan’s Meadows, Gemma’s Gem, Jason’s Place, Stern’s Stronghold and Canyon’s Bluff. It was beautiful land that encompassed mountains, valleys, lakes, rivers and streams.

Zane loved his home, a two-story structure with a wraparound porch. He had more than enough space for himself and a family—if he ever chose to marry. But since settling down with one woman was not in his plans, he had the place all to himself. Some people did better by themselves, and he was one of those people.

Except when it came to business. He, his brother Derringer and his cousin Jason were partners in a lucrative horse breeding and training business along with several of his Westmoreland cousins who lived in Montana and Texas. The partnership was doing extremely well financially, with horse buyers extending all the way to the Middle East. Ever since one of their horses, Prince Charming, had placed in the Kentucky Derby a few years ago, potential clients had been continually coming out of the woodwork.

He was happy with his work. Zane liked the outdoors. The only thing he liked better was women. He didn’t have a problem with the revolving door to his bedroom, and he didn’t intend for any woman to get it in her head that she could be the one. There wasn’t a woman alive who could make him think about settling down.

A quick flash of pain across his gut let him know he wasn’t being truthful about that. There had been one woman. Dr. Channing Hastings.

Zane’s sister Megan had introduced them, and he had been attracted to Channing from the first time he’d seen her. In addition to her beauty, she had a luscious scent that drew him like a bee to honey. She was the very thing erotic fantasies were made of. He’d only intended to date her for a couple of months. Then, the next thing he knew, he was in an exclusive relationship.

Zane reached under his bed for the locked box he’d placed there. Using the key he kept on his key ring, he opened the box and pulled out the calendar that was inside. It was a personalized photo calendar that Channing had made for him as a gift on his thirty-fifth birthday. Had it been almost two years ago?

He flipped through the calendar, beginning with January. By the time he’d gotten to December, he had worked up a sweat. Seeing Channing dressed in such scanty attire—a different outfit for every month—had sent memories soaring through his mind. In January, she wore a floor-length red gown, the same one she’d worn to a charity benefit he’d taken her to at the hospital and the same one he’d loved taking off of her later that night. By December, she was wearing nothing at all while stretched across her bed in one damn hot position, her body barely covered by a white bedspread decked with colorful Christmas ornaments. She had one of those I want you now looks on her face. The photographer had been another female doctor whose hobby was photography, and she had captured Channing in some unbelievable poses. Channing Hastings was definitely a beautiful woman.

She had skin the color of rich mocha, a beautiful pair of hazel eyes, high cheekbones, a perky nose, full lips and a luxurious mane of golden-brown hair. The one constant in each photo was the necklace around her neck. It was the gold one he had given her. The same one she had returned when she’d told him she was leaving Denver.

Reaching into the box, he pulled out that same necklace, remembering the day he’d bought it. He’d been in Montana at a jewelry store with his cousin Durango, who’d wanted to buy a birthday gift for his wife, Savannah. Zane had seen the crescent moon and immediately known he wanted it for Channing. At the time, he had refused to question why, he’d just known that seeing it around her neck was important to him.

After Channing left, he’d flipped through the calendar and pulled out the necklace too many times, which was why he’d given the locked box to Megan for safekeeping. He’d been tired of torturing himself. Although Megan would have been curious about what was inside, he’d trusted her enough to know she would not open the box. He couldn’t say the same for Bailey, who, as she’d reminded him today, had a fondness for picking locks. Megan had kept the box for almost a year, but he’d gotten it back from her when she’d taken that trip to Texas with Rico last year.

Megan had invited Channing to the wedding last month, even though he’d asked her not to. However, like Bailey, Megan had a mind of her own and didn’t like her brothers telling her what to do. And what teed him off more than the wedding invitation was that he’d been over to Megan’s place a few nights ago to welcome the newlyweds back to Denver, and she hadn’t mentioned anything about Channing returning to town. He was convinced there was no way she hadn’t known.

Zane placed the calendar and necklace back in the box, locked it shut and slid it back under his bed. He then stripped off his clothes to take a shower. His and Channing’s paths probably wouldn’t cross while she was in town.

But … maybe they should.

It was time he looked at the situation differently, more objectively. He had gotten over Channing months ago, and she had evidently gotten over him. She was an engaged woman. He was happy with his life. She was happy with hers.

He stepped in the shower with his mind made up. He felt rather pleased with the decision and already he considered it done. He would seek out Channing and pay her a visit.

There was nothing wrong with welcoming her back to town.

Two

Channing bent to lower the projector screen when a pair of dark leather boots came into view. The boots were followed by a rich, masculine aroma that she would recognize anytime, anyplace. Her stomach knotted as she slowly straightened.

Her eyes moved up past a pair of jeans-clad thighs, a lean waist, a firm stomach and muscled shoulders. Her gaze unerringly landed on a pair of gorgeous dark brown eyes, creamy chestnut-brown skin, an aquiline nose, sharp cheekbones, full lips and a strong chin.

Zane Westmoreland was almost too handsome to be real. She’d thought that very thing the first time she’d seen him three years ago, right here at this very hospital. He had come to repair his sister’s flat tire, and Megan had introduced them. Channing’s life hadn’t been the same since.

She drew in a long breath and slowly released it. “Zane.”

“Channing. I heard you were in town, so I thought I would come by and welcome you back.”

Channing leaned against the podium she’d stood behind earlier. There were any number of plausible reasons for Zane to show up at the hospital’s lecture hall, but for the life of her, she couldn’t think of a valid one. He claimed he wanted to welcome her back to town, but just last month, when she’d seen him at Megan’s wedding, he had refused to say a single word to her.

“Thanks, Zane.” She could mention that she was only in town for three to six weeks but decided it wasn’t any of his business. Two years ago she had left Denver to move on, and she had.

“So, you’re still engaged I see,” he said when she moved to the desk to place a stack of handouts in her briefcase.

She fought back a scowl. “Is there any reason why I wouldn’t be?”

“I guess not.”

“And what about you?” Channing asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “I take it you’re still eluding serious commitments?”

She noticed the muscle that flicked in his jaw. “If you’re asking if I’m still single, with no thoughts of settling down, then the answer is yes. That won’t ever change.” And without missing a beat, he asked, “Did Mark come with you?”

She frowned. Why was he all up in her business? “My fiancé’s name is Mack, and no, he’s still in Atlanta.”

“He’s a banker, right?”

Channing clicked her briefcase closed, wondering why Zane felt it necessary to go over information he already knew. Although he had avoided both her and Mack at the wedding, Megan had said Zane had questioned her at the wedding reception.

“Yes, Mack’s a banker.” There was no need to tell him the Hammond family owned several banks that were spread across Georgia, Tennessee and Florida.

She turned to Zane and tried to ignore how totally, utterly male he looked. She felt a deep fluttering in her stomach when her eyes connected to his. He had soft bedroom eyes, eyes that could educate a woman as to what true desire was all about. She, of all people, should know. Yes, some things in her life had changed, but it seemed the charge she got out of seeing Zane Westmoreland hadn’t. Why was her body betraying her this way?

“Well, that’s it for the day. It was good seeing you again, Zane.”

“Same here. I figured sooner or later I’d run into you at one of those Westmoreland family dinners. I thought we should clear the air now so neither of us would feel uncomfortable.”

So that’s what this little visit was about? Channing thought. “I’m sorry you wasted your time coming here just for that. I thanked Megan for the invite yesterday but told her it would be best if I didn’t attend any of your family functions.”

“Why? Are you saying the only reason you got to know my family was because of me?”

“No, if you’ll recall, I knew Megan and your sisters long before I met you. However, considering our history, I thought distance was best.”

Zane stared at her. “I don’t understand why you would think that now when you had no problem attending Megan’s wedding and bringing ‘Roving Eyes’ with you.”

Channing’s frown deepened. “First of all, Megan is a good friend of mine, and I saw nothing wrong with being there to share in her happiness. And, for the second time, my fiancé’s name is Mack.”

Zane leaned back against a table and kept his gaze fixed on hers. “Didn’t it bother you that Mack was checking out other women with you right by his side? And don’t say you weren’t aware of it, because you’re too astute not to have been.”

She shrugged. “All men check out other women. Big deal. Are you saying you never looked twice at another woman while we were together?”

He sputtered out a harsh laugh. “Hell, yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. I might be an ass when it comes to some things, Channing, but I would never have disrespected you that way. While we were together, I never once looked at another woman. You were everything I needed.”

The next words were out of her mouth before she could call them back. “Evidently not, Zane. Had I been everything you needed then I wouldn’t be engaged to marry another man.”

She saw the anger that flared in his eyes and knew she’d made a direct hit. She might have been everything he needed in the bedroom, but she hadn’t been in all the ways that mattered.

“Goodbye, Zane.” She walked around him as she headed for the door.

A few days later, Zane stood on the porch of his cousin Dillon’s home. It was Friday night chow-down, when all the Westmorelands in Denver got together. The women cooked, and the men came hungry. Although they all lived in what was considered Westmoreland Country, they didn’t get to see each other every day. The chow-down was a way to bring everyone up to date on what was happening with each family member.

Seldom was anyone outside of family invited, but Zane hadn’t thought twice about making Channing a regular during the nine months they’d dated. His family liked her, and she’d gotten along with everyone—especially the womenfolk. After a while, they’d begun to consider her one of them. That was when his troubles began.

Channing had gotten ideas about them sharing a future. Somewhere along the way, she’d figured he had fallen in love and was rethinking his position on marriage. She’d found out the hard way that Zane Westmoreland didn’t change easily.

“You’ve been pretty quiet all evening.”

Zane glanced over his shoulder as his brother Ramsey stepped outside to join him. After dinner, the women retired to the family room to watch a chick flick, and, like usual after such a delicious meal, the men gathered in the game room for drinks and poker. But Zane hadn’t been in the mood. He had come out to get a breath of fresh air.

“I’ve had a rough week with the horses,” he said, knowing that was only part of the reason for his mood. “Sugar Plum had to be transported to Casey, Visa Girl got loose and ran wild for a few hours, and Born Free had a difficult delivery.”

Ramsey chuckled as he came to stand beside Zane. “That’s all?”

“Isn’t that enough?”

Ramsey didn’t say anything for a minute and then, “Not for Zane Westmoreland, who thrives on challenges and difficulties. Why don’t you tell me the real reason for your surly mood?”

Zane didn’t say anything for a long moment. “Channing’s back in town.”

“So I heard.”

Zane flashed an accusing gaze at his brother. “And you didn’t tell me, either?”

“I only heard she was back this morning. Chloe mentioned it over breakfast. I understand she was invited to dinner tonight but declined.”

“Nobody told me she was back. I should have been prepared,” Zane muttered.

Ramsey lifted a brow. “Prepared? Why? You saw her last month at Megan’s wedding.”

“That was then. This is now.”

“What makes ‘now’ different, Zane?” Ramsey asked. “I assumed you’d pretty much made up your mind two years ago when you let her go. You said you didn’t want Channing in your life.”

“That’s not true,” Zane snapped.

Ramsey lifted a brow, not anticipating such a strong response. “Then what is true?”

Zane paused and then said, “She wanted more than I could give.”

Ramsey frowned. “Did she want more than you could give, or was it that you refused to give her more?”

Zane heaved out a deep, frustrated breath. “Channing knew the score, Ram. Love is not in my vocabulary. She knew that and accepted my terms. Then, months later, she tried changing the game, but there was no way I was going along with it.”

“So, in other words, you wanted her as your lover but had no intention of ever allowing her to be more than that. You would have been satisfied to keep a casual arrangement for another two, three, possibly four years? Forever? Damn it, Zane, how would you feel if Rico would have wanted that kind of relationship with Megan, or Callum with Gemma? Yet you had no problem wanting one with Channing.”

“I don’t love her like Rico loves Megan and Callum loves Gemma,” Zane said, narrowing his eyes. “And I wasn’t going to lie to her and say I did.”

Ramsey shook his head. “Then I don’t blame Channing for leaving. You let her know she was nothing more than another notch on your bedpost.”

“She accepted my terms like all my other lovers,” Zane snapped. “She knew the score. We couldn’t have the kind of future she wanted because I didn’t love her.”

“If you really didn’t have feelings for her, you wouldn’t have moped around for months after she left, and you wouldn’t be all tied up in knots about her being in Denver now,” Ramsey muttered. He shook his head and added, “Well, it doesn’t matter now since she’s engaged.”

“He doesn’t deserve her,” Zane said in a voice sparked with anger.

“At least the man is willing to give her something you wouldn’t—to make her a permanent part of his life.”

“Damn it, Ramsey. You saw how he was looking at other women at Megan’s wedding. He’s going to end up hurting her.”

“And you didn’t?” When Zane didn’t respond, Ramsey didn’t say anything else for a minute and then said, “I wasn’t going to mention this to you because it’s really none of my business, but …”

Zane raised a brow. “What’s none of your business?”

“I overheard a conversation between Megan and Chloe yesterday.”

“About what?”

“Channing’s fiancé. Tara called from Atlanta and told Megan she saw the man last week and remembered him from the wedding as Channing’s fiancé. He was out on the town with women in intimate settings on two separate occasions.” Tara was married to their cousin Thorn and they lived in Atlanta.

Zane swore through gritted teeth. In a way, he wasn’t surprised about what Tara had seen. But what did surprise him was the fact that Channing refused to accept that her fiancé was a womanizer.

“Like I said, he doesn’t deserve her,” Zane said. “I might not have loved her, but I would never have betrayed her the way he’s doing.”

Ramsey nodded. “I’m going back inside. Are you coming?”

Zane shook his head. “No, I’m calling it a night. Think I might even sleep in late tomorrow. I haven’t done that on a Saturday in a long time.”

“All right. But you’ll be joining us for Sunday’s dinner, right? Susan’s going to be upset if she doesn’t see her uncle Zane there,” Ramsey said, smiling.

Zane thought about his niece, who would be turning four soon. The niece he adored. “I won’t disappoint her. I’ll be there,” he said, moving down the steps. “Tell the others good-night for me.”

“Hey, babe, are you missing me? All you have to do is say the word and I’ll fly out there and give you all the attention you deserve.”

Channing rolled her eyes, bristling at Mack Hammond’s words. “Cut it out, Mack. Need I remind you what happened last month at Megan’s wedding? You couldn’t keep your eyes off the women. Now you have everyone thinking I’m engaged to a womanizing jerk.”

“Hey, you didn’t warn me there would be so many beautiful women there. It was quite obvious your ex-boyfriend didn’t like the fact that you returned to town an engaged woman.”

Mack was right. Zane hadn’t been happy about it. If their conversation at the hospital was anything to go on, he still wasn’t. “But did you have to check them out so obviously? You don’t believe in the word subtle, do you?” she asked, trying not to smile.

She had met Mack within weeks of arriving in Atlanta two years ago. They had dated a few times, but when he saw she would not put up with his playboy foolishness, they had become good friends instead. A few months ago, when he’d been invited to a cousin’s wedding, he’d asked her to pretend to be his fiancée to keep his matchmaking parents and grandparents off his back. Then, when Channing had received the invitation to Megan’s wedding, Mack had returned the favor. The last thing she’d wanted was to return to Denver alone and looking pathetic.

The only person who knew the truth about her fake engagement was Megan, who had found the entire ploy hilarious. She’d said there was no reason for Channing to end the charade since it really wasn’t any of Zane’s business.

“So, have you seen Zane Westmoreland yet?” Mack asked.

Catching her lower lip between her teeth, Channing eased down onto the sofa and curled up in a comfortable position. “Yes, he stopped by the lecture hall a few days ago. He figured I would be dropping by his family’s place for dinner while I was in town, and he said we needed to clear the air so things wouldn’t be uncomfortable.”

“Uncomfortable for whom? You or him?”

“Both, I imagine. But I told him he didn’t have to worry about that. I have no intention of attending any of his family’s gatherings.”

“Was he relieved to hear it?”

Channing shrugged. “Not sure, but it really doesn’t matter. He’s moved on and so have I. I’m over Zane.”

“Are you?”

Channing frowned. “Yes. Why would you doubt it?”

“I’ll give you my answer the next time I see you. Have you decided when that will be?”

“Not yet. Class enrollment here is high. I’ve been here almost three weeks already and Dr. Rowe wants me to consider doing another three-week class. I haven’t decided on anything yet.”

“Well, I know whatever decision you make will be the right one,” he said. “Take care and be good.”

“Same back at you, Mack.”

Channing clicked off the phone and tried to force the conversation with Zane out of her mind. Nothing about him had changed. He still wanted to be footloose and fancy-free, and she still wanted the whole shebang—love, marriage and family.

She had lied just now to Mack when she claimed that she was over Zane. She’d honestly believed she was, but all it had taken was seeing him again to be proved wrong. Just being in the same room with him had stirred memories and emotions she knew were better kept undisturbed.

The most she could hope for was that her path and Zane’s wouldn’t cross again.

Megan caught hold of Chloe Westmoreland’s arm and pulled her into the kitchen. “Do you think Ramsey took the bait yesterday?”

A smile touched Chloe’s lips. “I’m sure he did. You and I were talking loud enough. And tonight was the perfect time for him to tell Zane just what he overheard. In fact, Ramsey just came back inside from being out on the porch with Zane, and when I asked where Zane had gone off to, Ramsey said Zane went home, calling it an early night because he’d had a bad week.”

“I bet,” Megan said, chuckling. “Especially since he found out Channing is back in town.”

“I hope you’re right about how Zane feels about her,” Chloe said in a low voice. “What about Channing? Will she be upset when she finds out we stuck our noses into her affairs?”

“In the end, both Zane and Channing will get what they truly want, which is each other. Zane moped around like a sick puppy when Channing left for Atlanta, but he was too darn stubborn to recognize his true feelings. If he loves Channing like I believe he does, then the one thing he won’t stand for is someone hurting her. Zane is very protective of those he cares about. He’s going to come up with a plan to save her from Mack.”

“What do you think he’ll do?” Chloe asked.

Now that was a good question, Megan thought. Zane was the brother who was usually too logical for his own good. The same one who made it his business to know everything there was to know about women. The family should have known they would be in trouble when Zane decided to major in psychology in college. “I’m not sure. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Three

The next morning, Zane sat on the edge of the bed, holding the locked box. After looking at it for a long moment, he slid it back underneath. He had been tempted to go through its contents once again.

He rubbed his hand over his face, feeling tired, although he had gotten into bed way before midnight. But he hadn’t gotten much sleep, and upon awakening this morning, he had lain there, gazing up at the ceiling and thinking about Channing.

The thought of any man betraying her twisted his gut with anger. No woman deserved that, which was why he was always up front with any woman he was involved with. Channing hadn’t been an exception. He had set the same ground rules with her as he had with other women, and, like he’d told Ramsey, she had accepted his terms.

He truly hadn’t meant for their involvement to last as long as it had, and more than once he’d considered breaking it off sooner instead of later. But each time he felt pressed to do so—whenever he was getting too comfortable and relaxed—he would change his mind.

He enjoyed Channing both in and out of the bedroom. She had been fun to be with. Unlike others he’d dated, she wasn’t a hard woman to please, which somehow made him want to please her more. She’d gotten next to him in a way no other female had: the way a smile could tease across her lips, her special scent that could drive him wild with lust or just plain spending time with her. She’d had a way of making him smile when he didn’t want to be amused, a way of bringing him out. She was someone he could talk to for hours. One thing he missed more than anything else was their late-night phone conversations.

On those nights when she’d stayed late at the hospital, he would come home, shower and wait on her call. When it came, they would chat well into the night. She would tell him how her day went, and he would tell her about his. Then they would move into a number of other topics. It had been a special connection, one he’d hated losing.

And then there were those hot and sexy text messages she would send him during the day. They had come up with their own code, and she would tell him what to expect next time he saw her. And she would deliver.

Now she was engaged to marry someone else.

He should wish her well. She was just one woman, and he had dated others since her. But he would be the first to admit that his time with those other women just hadn’t been the same. He had been enchanted by Channing from the beginning. She was a softhearted and passionate woman who brightened up any room. She was in a class by herself, and it bothered the hell out of him that she planned to marry a man who thought nothing of betraying her.

He stood and headed toward the kitchen. “Leave it alone, Zane. It’s not your problem,” he muttered to himself. He’d tried convincing himself of that very thing on his drive home from the family dinner last night. But as much as he told himself he wanted to wash his hands of Channing because she didn’t matter, he knew she did.

Seeing her again a few days ago had reignited feelings he had tried to deny. He had missed her, and damn it all, he still wanted her. He’d never invaded another man’s territory when it came to a woman, but this was different. Like he’d told Ramsey, the bastard didn’t deserve her.

If he knew where she was staying, he would pay her a visit and try to talk some sense into her. But he didn’t know, and he would not ask Megan. That meant he had to show up at the hospital again—with a plan.

Channing stopped when she saw Zane standing in the hospital parking lot, leaning on a light pole with his legs crossed at the ankles and his Stetson positioned low on his head. What was he doing here? Was he waiting for her? Why?

There had been a time when the sight of him would have had her heart jumping in her chest, and she was feeling annoyed with the fact that nothing had changed as far as that was concerned. She had been gone for almost two years, and at Megan’s wedding, he’d gone out of his way to ignore her. Now she was back in town, and in only a week’s time he had sought her out twice. And each time he’d done so, she was reminded just how deeply she had fallen in love with Zane.

She was finding it harder and harder to put aside her emotions when dealing with him. No one had ever warned her that falling in love would be so painstakingly complicated.

“Zane.”

He straightened to his full six-foot-three-inch height. “Channing. I’ve been waiting for you.”

She stared up at him. “Obviously.”

“We need to talk.” He pushed his hat back from his face, fully uncovering his eyes.

She wished he hadn’t done that. Now she was staring into the eyes that had haunted her on so many nights. The eyes that would darken whenever they made love. The eyes with the intensity to turn her on with one heated glanced.

Channing drew in a deep breath when she felt a tingling sensation stir in her stomach. “We have nothing to talk about, Zane.”

His brows creased in a thoughtful expression as he stared down at her. She couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking. It had been rumored that when it came to women that Zane was all knowing, and she’d pretty much discovered that to be true. He could tell each and every time she’d wanted him to make love to her, saying he could read her like a book. She wondered if he was trying to read her now. Lord, she hoped not. The last thing she needed was for him to know that just standing here with him made her nipples harden against her bra and threaded a tingling sensation through her bloodstream.

“I think we do,” he said in a deep, husky tone that set her nerves on edge.

Bitterness tightened her lips. “Why?”

“I prefer to talk over a meal.”

Her gaze lifted. “A meal?”

He cocked his head to the side. “Yes, a meal. You haven’t had dinner yet and neither have I. There’s no reason why we can’t share one together. If nothing else, I’d like to think we’re still friends.”

Friends? Boy was he wrong. “Look, Zane, I don’t know what this is all about, but the last thing you and I need to do is rekindle any friendship.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Why? Are you worried what good old Mack will say if he finds out you had dinner with me? Seems to me that he probably trusts you a lot more than you should trust him.”

She narrowed her gaze at him. “I’m not going to bother asking what you mean by that.”

“No, you won’t, but maybe you should.”

Channing stared down at her shoes. She desperately needed to break eye contact with him. Zane was starting to wear on her last nerve. Thinking she had herself together, she returned her gaze to his. “Why are you so concerned about my relationship with Mack, Zane? You had your chance.”

Zane sighed and dropped his hands to his sides. “Look, will it kill you to have dinner with me?”

“To talk?”

“Yes, to talk.”

Channing studied her shoes again. What harm could come of her having dinner with him? Although he might not like Mack, the one thing Zane would not do was trespass on another man’s territory. He assumed she was an engaged woman, so that would keep him in line. Besides, she was curious about what he wanted to discuss.

“Fine, we’ll talk,” she said, looking back up at him. He still carried a chip on his shoulder because of how she’d left. Maybe it was time they hashed things out once and for all.

“We can go in my car, and I’ll bring you back here,” Zane said.

There was no way she would say yes to being alone with him in a car for any length of time. “No thanks, I can drive my own car and follow you.”

He looked as if he wanted to argue, but she figured her expression made him think twice. “Fine, we’re going to McKays,” he said.

She went still. McKays was a well-known restaurant in town, and she had once considered it their place since they dined there often.

She lifted her chin. “I’ll follow.”

The moment they walked into McKays, Zane knew he should have suggested another place. Denver wasn’t a small city by any stretch of the word, but the people who frequented McKays were regulars, and the Westmorelands were well-known in these parts.

The majority of these people had known Zane, his siblings and his cousins all their lives. And Zane figured most remembered him and Channing coming here together quite a few times. That was probably the reason the two of them drew so much attention as the waitress led them to a table in the middle of the restaurant.

“We need something a little more private, Tasha,” he told their waitress when he saw they would be sitting across from a woman who was straining her neck to stare at them.

“No problem,” Tasha said, smiling as she led them in another direction. “I have the perfect table for you two.”

Channing glanced over at him and said nothing, althougth he knew what she was probably thinking. Tasha had been their regular waitress two years ago. No doubt Tasha saw some great significance with them eating together again after so long. And the engagement ring on Channing’s finger was probably giving Tasha further misconceptions.

He smiled his approval when Tasha led them into a private room in the back. Although it was larger than what they needed, it was perfect. He would be able to hold a conversation with Channing without fear of being overheard. However, he could tell from the look on Channing’s face that she didn’t particularly like the intimate setting.

“I’m not going to bite, you know,” he said, pulling out the chair for her after Tasha had left them alone.

Sitting down, she glanced over her shoulder at him, and he saw a fragment of a smile touch her lips. “Promise?”

Instead of moving away, he leaned down and whispered close to her ear, “Um, I don’t know now. You do look good enough to eat.”

A shiver passed through Channing when Zane moved away to take his seat. Erotic images flooded her brain, and she achingly remembered a time or two when he’d done exactly that—practically made a meal out of her.

She placed her napkin in her lap and noticed him staring at her. It didn’t help matters that he had the most arresting eyes, and at that moment, they were filled with intensity. Zane was a powerfully sensuous man, and there was no doubt in her mind that he knew it. Men didn’t draw women to them in droves the way he did and not know about their own magnetism.

Tasha returned and placed water, a bottle of their usual choice in wine and menus in front of them, said something about coming back later to take their order and then left them alone again. Zane continued to stare as he opened the wine bottle and poured them a glass, and—unable to do anything else—Channing stared back at him. She could feel the heat of his gaze touching every part of her, even parts he couldn’t see.

Raw emotions she’d forced away for two years slowly returned. She felt her skin grow warm under the goose bumps forming on her arms. Then there was the smell of his cologne. She recognized the fragrance. It was one she had purchased for him as a Christmas gift. The masculine scent drove sensuous shivers up her spine.

What was he trying to do to her? What was he trying to make her feel? She was assailed with sensations she only felt while around him: that sinfully seductive consciousness washing passion through her, intense degrees of longing pulsating through her body.

Drawing in a deep breath, she broke eye contact with him and picked up her menu. Whatever it took, she must not forget that he was Zane, the man she had fallen in love with, the same man who had told her that he enjoyed sleeping with her but didn’t love her. He could never love her, and she wanted a man who could.

When she glanced back up at him, he was still staring, which prompted her to ignore the racing of her pulse long enough to ask, “Have you forgotten that I’m engaged to someone?”

She watched as he took a slow swallow of his wine and then licked his lips before answering her.

“No, I haven’t forgotten. Although I would like to,” he said in a deep, husky voice. “I was just sitting here remembering all the good times we had together.”

A shudder worked its way through her body as she remembered those good times, as well. Within a week of being introduced, they had shared a bed. That was unusual for her because she wasn’t the type to become involved in meaningless relationships. But she’d been like most women who’d found him addictive: Zane’s masculine charm had lured her in, conjuring up illusions that he was falling in love with her as much as she was with him. At the end, she’d found out the hard way just how wrong she’d been. Two years later and she could still feel the aftershocks of a broken heart.

“They were good times, weren’t they?” he asked softly, breaking into her thoughts.

She gazed into dark, mesmerizing eyes. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, those had been good times. Candlelit dinners. Sex so hot it burned the sheets. And a closeness she’d never felt with any other man. “Yes, Zane, they were good, but those times are over and done with.”

There, he needed to know she’d moved on. But had she really? She wanted to think she had, even though she hadn’t been involved in another affair—serious or otherwise—since him. But that was beside the point. The main point was that Zane had never loved her and never would.

She was saved from any further conversation between them when Tasha returned to take their dinner order.

Zane took his time eating; he was in no hurry to broach the subject he had brought Channing here to discuss. At the moment, he was satisfied just indulging in small talk. He’d told her how the family was gearing up for his cousin Riley’s wedding in September and how the horse breeding and training business was going. He talked about Bailey and how annoying his kid sister could still be at times, and he brought her up to date on Bane and how proud they were that his cousin was officially a navy SEAL.

Every so often he couldn’t help but stare at her. She was so incredibly beautiful. How could any man not appreciate the woman she was? Now, two years too late, he himself could admit he had not appreciated her. He had enjoyed her, admired her and lusted after her. But he hadn’t appreciated her. He would have been happy for their relationship to remain the same—without considering her wants and needs. Without considering what she deserved.

She deserved a man who appreciated her. He hadn’t done so, and it looked as though her fiancé wasn’t, either.

“I understand from Megan there might be some more Westmorelands out there somewhere,” Channing said, breaking into his thoughts.

He looked at her, and another dose of desire tightened his groin. Her hair was pulled back and pinned on top of her head in a knot. A few tendrils had escaped confinement and brushed against her cheek. She was wearing a skirt and blouse; the color of both brought out the hazel of her eyes. There had always been a powerful attraction between them. He would have thought it had eroded by now. It hadn’t.

She had to be aware of how charged the air was. She was trying to downplay it, but he felt that tug each and every time their gazes met. To know the attraction was still strong engulfed him in one hell of a delicious feeling. She might be engaged to marry another man, but there was no doubt in his mind she was still drawn to him. How was he supposed to concentrate on his meal with that kind of knowledge nudging up his testosterone?

“Yes,” he said, taking a sip of wine. “During Megan and Rico’s trip to Texas, they found evidence of a child my great-grandfather Raphel never knew he had. That child was given up to a woman right before the mother died in a train wreck. There was little for Rico to go on since few records were kept during that time. We’re talking about more than seventy years ago. But Rico was able to get a listing of every passenger on the train—those who survived and those who didn’t. He’s still weeding through all of that information now. I’m told it was an extensive passenger list.”

Channing nodded. “All of you must be pleased with how the investigation is going, though.”

“Yes, we are. I’m confident Rico will eventually find our relatives. He’s good at what he does, but it will take time. And there’s still another woman who was assumed to be Raphel’s fourth wife, Isabelle Connors. Rico is investigating any clues associated with her, as well.”

As they continued their meal, he brought her up to date on all the babies who had been born to his cousins, the Atlanta Westmorelands. She had met most of them when they’d come to town for his sister Gemma’s wedding.

“How’s your folks?” he asked her.

He’d never met her parents or any of her family members since the Hastings lived in New Hampshire, but she would speak of them often and fondly. “They’re fine. My brother’s employer moved him to San Diego last year, and he loves it there.”

Channing finished her meal and paused before asking, “So what did you want to talk to me about?”

She felt the intensity of his gaze once again.

“It’s about the mistake you’re making.”

She lifted a brow. “What mistake?”

Zane took another sip of his wine. For some reason, she was willing to accept Mack Hammond and all his flaws, but Zane refused to let her be that generous. He placed his glass down on the table. “Marrying a man you don’t love,” he said calmly.

Fire flashed in her eyes. “And what makes you think I don’t love Mack?”

A smile touched his lips as he leaned in closer. “Because I know you, Channing. If you loved him, you would not be sitting over there getting as aroused as I am.”

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