TAMING CLINT WESTMORELAND

In name only?

The moment former Texas Ranger Clint Westmoreland learns that he is still married, he sets the limits for his wife’s stay at his exclusive horse ranch. But when she arrives, Clint’s boundaries began to blur. He and Alyssa Barkley have thirty days to untangle the legal knot that bound them together during an undercover assignment years before. But this sexy, curvaceous Alyssa is different from the mousy, awestruck rookie agent he remembers. And now her every move has him wondering what it would be like if he really was her man.…

COLE’S RED-HOT PURSUIT

Cole Westmoreland always gets what he wants!

What the former Texas Ranger wants is sultry Patrina Forman. But Patrina is dead set against falling for a man with a no-strings-attached attitude, and there is no way she is going to fall into bed with a lawman! Then a Montana blizzard changes everything. Trapped together for three sinfully delicious nights, Cole soon has Patrina singing a different tune thanks to his personal brand of red-hot seduction. But what will happen once the snow begins to thaw?

Memories for Eternity

Brenda Jackson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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CONTENTS

TAMING CLINT WESTMORELAND

COLE’S RED-HOT PURSUIT

Dear Reader,

Little did I know that when I first introduced the Westmoreland family, they would become hugely popular amongst readers. Originally the Westmoreland family series was intended to be just six books, Delaney and her five brothers—Dare, Thorn, Stone, Storm and Chase. Later I wanted my readers to meet their cousins—Jared, Spencer, Durango, Ian, Quade and Reggie. Finally, there were Uncle Corey’s triplets—Clint, Cole and Casey.

What began as a six-book series blossomed into a thirty-book series when I included The Denver Westmorelands. I was very happy when Harlequin Kimani responded to my readers’ requests that the earlier books be reprinted. And I’m even happier that the reissues are in a great two-in-one format.

Memories for Eternity includes Taming Clint Westmoreland and Cole’s Red-Hot Pursuit. These are two Westmoreland classics and are books twelve and thirteen in The Westmorelands series. Clint and Cole Westmoreland, part of a set of triplets, are reluctant bachelors. However, when they meet Alyssa Bartley and Patrina Foreman, respectively, they take another look at their single status and decide that handing in their players’ cards may not be a bad thing.

I hope you enjoy reading these special romance stories as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Happy reading!

Brenda Jackson

To the love of my life, Gerald Jackson, Sr. Happy 40th Anniversary. You’re still the one!

But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!

—II Chronicles 15:7

Taming Clint Westmoreland

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Epilogue

Chapter 1

Clint Westmoreland glanced around the airport and silently cursed. It was the middle of the day, he had a ton of work to do back at his ranch and here he stood waiting to meet a wife he hadn’t known he’d had until a few days ago.

His chest tightened as he inwardly fumed, recalling the contents of the letter he’d received from the Texas State Bureau of Investigations. He’d learned from the letter that when he’d gotten married while working on an undercover sting operation five years ago as a Texas Ranger, the marriage had never been nullified by the agency. That meant that he and Alyssa Barkley, the woman who had been his female partner, were still legally married.

The thought of being married, legally or otherwise, sent a chill down his spine, and the sooner he and Alyssa could meet and get the marriage annulled the better. She had received a similar letter and a few days ago they had spoken on the phone. She, too, was upset about the bureau’s monumental screwup and had agreed to fly to Austin to get the matter resolved immediately.

He glanced at his watch thinking time was being wasted. It was the first of February and he had a shipment of wild horses due any day and needed to get things ready at the ranch for their arrival.

When he had announced at his cousin Ian’s wedding last June that he would be leaving the Rangers after ten years, his cousin Durango and his brother-in-law, McKinnon Quinn, had invited him to join their Montana-based, million-dollar horse-breeding business. They wanted him to expand their company into Texas. Clint would run the Texas operations and become a partner in the business. His main focus would be taming and training wild horses.

He had accepted their offer and hadn’t regretted a day of doing so. So to his way of thinking, at this moment he had more important things he should be concentrating on. Like making sure his horse-taming business stayed successful.

He glanced at his watch again and then looked around wondering if he would recognize Alyssa when he saw her. It had been five years and the only thing he could recall about her was that she’d been young, right out of college with a degree in criminal justice. The two of them had been together less than a week. That was all the time it had taken to play the part of a young married couple who desperately wanted to adopt a baby—illegally.

She had played the part of a despairing, wannabe mother pretty convincingly. So much in fact that a sting operation everyone had assumed would take a couple of weeks to pull off had ended after the first week. Afterward, he had been sent on another assignment. From what he’d heard, she had turned in her resignation after deciding being a Texas Ranger wasn’t what she wanted to devote her life to doing after all.

He had no idea what she’d done since then, as their phone conversation had been brief and he hadn’t been inclined to even ask. He wanted the issue of their being married dealt with so they could both get on with their lives. She should be about twenty-seven now, he thought. On the phone, she’d said she was still single. Actually, he’d been surprised that she hadn’t gotten married or something.

The sound of high heels clicking on the ceramic tile floor made him glance at the woman strolling in his direction. He blinked. If the woman was Alyssa, she had certainly gone through one hell of a transformation. Although she’d been far from a plain Jane before, there hadn’t been anything about her to make him want to take a second look...until now.

He could definitely see her on the cover of some sexy magazine. And it was apparent that he wasn’t the only person who thought so, judging by the blatant male attention she was getting. One man had the nerve to stop walking, stand in the middle of the walkway as if he were glued to the spot and openly stare at her.

Clint cut the spectator a fierce frown, which made the man quickly turn and continue walking. Then Clint felt angry with himself for momentarily losing his senses to play the part of a jealous husband, until he remembered that legally he was Alyssa’s husband. So he had a right to get jealous if he wanted to...if that rationale at the moment made any damn sense, which it probably didn’t.

He shook his head remembering how men used to have the same reaction to his sister, Casey, and he hadn’t liked it then, either. For some reason he liked it even less now.

Alyssa was closer and the first thing he thought, besides the fact she was a looker, was that she certainly knew how to wear a pair of jeans. Her hips swayed with each step she took and impossible as it might seem, although he hadn’t felt an attraction to her five years ago, he was definitely feeling some strong vibes now.

He was so absorbed in checking her out that it hadn’t occurred to him just how close she was until she came to a stop directly in front of him, up close and personal and all in his space. Now he saw everything. The dark eyes, long lashes, high cheekbones, full lips, head of curly copper-colored hair and a gorgeous medium-brown face.

And he heard the sexy voice that went along with those features when she spoke and said, “Hello, Clint. I’m here.”

She most certainly was!

* * *

He hasn’t changed, Alyssa thought as she struggled to keep up with his brisk stride as they walked together out of the airport to the parking lot. At six-four he was a lot taller than her five-eight height, and the black Stetson he wore on his head was still very much a part of his wardrobe.

But she would admit that his face had matured in ways that only a woman who had concentrated on it years before could notice. The first time they’d met she thought he was more handsome than any man had a right to be, and now at thirty-two he was even more so. Even then she had concluded that the perfection of his features was due to the cool, arrogant lines that underscored his eyes and the dimples that set boldly in his cheeks—regardless of whether he smiled or not.

Then there were his chin and jaw that seemed to have been carved flawlessly, not to mention full lips that were, in her opinion, way too perfect to belong to any man. To say he hadn’t made quite an impression on a fresh-out-of-college, twenty-two-year-old virgin was an understatement. The one thing she wouldn’t forget was that she’d had one hell of a crush on him, just like so many other women who’d worked for the bureau.

“My truck is parked over there,” he said.

His words intruded into her thoughts and she glanced up and met his gaze. “Are we going straight to the Rangers’ headquarters?” she asked, trying not to make it so obvious that she was studying his lips.

Those lips were what had drawn her to him from the first. He’d been a man of few words, but his lips, whenever they had moved, had always been worth the wait. They demanded attention. And she would even go so far to say, demanded a plan of action that tempted you to taste them. Dreaming of kissing him had been something she’d done often.

Needless to say, she had been the envy of several female Rangers when she’d been the one chosen to work with him on that assignment. He was considered a private person and she seriously doubted that at the time he’d been aware of just how many women had lusted after him, or made him a constant participant in their fantasies.

“Yes, we can go straight there,” he answered, breaking into the middle of her thoughts. “I figure it shouldn’t take long to do what needs to be done. Hopefully no more than an hour,” he said.

She was suddenly tempted to stop walking, place her hand on his arm and lean up on tiptoes and go ahead and boldly steal a kiss. The very thought made her heart rate accelerate.

Inhaling, she tried concentrating on what he’d said. She, too, hoped that what needed to be done wouldn’t take more than an hour. If she spent much more time with this man, Alyssa was certain she would lose her mind. Besides, she hadn’t brought any luggage, just an overnight bag. After they took care of matters, she would check into a hotel for the night and fly back to Waco in the morning.

“So, how have you been, Alyssa?”

She glanced over at him. She knew he was trying to be cordial so she smiled accordingly, while thinking another thing he’d still retained over the years was that deep, sexy voice. “I’ve been doing fine, Clint. And you?”

“I can’t complain.”

She figured he couldn’t if what she’d heard from the few friends she still had with the bureau was true. No longer a Ranger, Clint now operated a horse-breeding ranch on the outskirts of Austin on over three hundred acres of land. It was a ranch he had inherited from a close relative. And according to her sources, the horse-breeding business was doing quite well. Although she was curious as to why he had left the force, she really didn’t feel comfortable enough with Clint to ask him about it. She would have sworn he’d make a career of it.

Deciding it was none of her business, she thought of something that was and said, “I can’t believe the bureau would make such a mistake. The nerve of them sending that letter saying we’re married.”

They had reached his truck and he shrugged massive shoulders when he opened the truck door for her. “I couldn’t believe it at first myself. I guess it’s a good thing neither of us ever took a notion to marry.”

She decided not to tell him that she had taken a notion a couple of years ago, and had come as close as the day of her wedding before finding out what a weasel she’d been engaged to. To this day Kevin Brady hadn’t forgiven her for leaving him standing at the altar. But then she hadn’t forgiven him for sleeping with her cousin Kim a week before the wedding.

From the corner of her eye she could tell that Clint was looking at her as she slid into the smooth leather seat and couldn’t help wondering if he could see the heat that had risen in her cheeks denoting there was something she wasn’t telling him.

“You look different than before,” he said, as he casually leaned against the truck’s open door.

She threw him a sharp glance at his comment and wondered if she should take what he’d said as a compliment or an insult. She decided to probe further and asked, “In what way?”

“Different.”

A smile touched her cheeks. He was still a man of few words. “I am different,” she admitted.

“In what way?”

She chuckled. Now he was the one asking that question. “I live my life the way I want and not the way others think that I should.”

“Is that what you were doing five years ago?”

“Yes.” And she figured he didn’t need to know any more than that. He must have thought so, as well, because he closed the door and crossed in front of the truck to the driver’s side without inquiring further.

“It will be lunchtime in a little while,” he said after easing onto the seat and closing the door shut. “Do you want to stop somewhere and grab a bite to eat before we meet with Hightower?”

Lester Hightower had been the senior captain in charge of field operations when they had done that undercover assignment five years ago. “No, I prefer that we meet with Hightower as soon as possible,” she said.

He lifted a brow as he glanced over at her. “Maybe I spoke too soon earlier. If you hadn’t taken a notion to get married before should I assume you might be considering such a move now?”

She stared over at him and he did something she hadn’t expected. He smiled. And immediately she tried to ignore the heat that touched her body when the corners of his lips curved. “No, you can’t assume that. I just don’t like surprises and getting that letter was definitely a surprise.”

He nodded as he broke eye contact to start the engine. “Yes, but it’s one we shouldn’t have a problem fixing.”

“I hope you’re right.”

He glanced back over at her as he backed out of the parking space. “Of course I’m right. You’ll see.”

* * *

“What the hell do you mean we can’t get the marriage annulled?” Clint all but roared. He could not have been more shocked with what Hightower had just said.

This was the first time, in all his twelve years of knowing the man, that Clint had raised his voice to his former boss. Of course, if he’d done such a thing while still a Ranger, he would have been reprimanded severely. But Hightower was no longer his superior, and Clint felt entitled to a straight answer from the man.

He glanced over at Alyssa. She had gotten out of her chair and was leaning against the closed door. He could tell from her not-too-happy expression that she wanted answers, as well. He frowned thinking he had known the exact moment she had moved from the chair to stand by the door. He had been listening to Hightower, but at the same time he’d been very much aware of her. An uncomfortable sensation slid up his spine. He hadn’t been this fully aware of a woman in a long time.

“New procedures are in place, Westmoreland,” Clint heard Hightower say. “I don’t like them nor do I understand them. And I agree the one in your particular situation doesn’t make sense because proper procedures weren’t followed. But there’s nothing else I can tell you. We tried rectifying our mistake by immediately filing for an annulment on your and Barkley’s behalf, but since so much time has passed and because the two of you no longer work for the agency, the State is dragging their tail in acknowledging that your marriage is not a real one.”

“You’re right, that doesn’t make any sense,” Alyssa said sharply. “Clint and I have never lived under the same roof. For heaven’s sake, the marriage was never consummated, so that in itself should be grounds to grant an annulment.”

“And under normal circumstances, it would be, but the new person in charge of that department, a woman by the name of Margaret Toner, thinks otherwise. From what I understand, Toner has been married for over forty years and takes the institution of marriage seriously. We might not like it or understand her reasoning, but for now we have to abide by it.”

“Like hell!” Clint bit out, not believing what he was hearing.

“Like hell or heaven, it doesn’t matter,” Hightower said, throwing a document on the desk. “Thirty days. Toner has agreed to grant an annulment to your and Barkley’s marriage in thirty days.”

Neither Clint nor Alyssa said anything for a long moment, both figuring it was best not to, otherwise they would say the wrong thing. Instead they decided to keep the anger they felt inside. But then finally, as if accepting the finality of their situation, Alyssa spoke. “I don’t like it, Hightower, but if nothing can be done about it for thirty days, there’s little Clint and I can do. It’s been five years without me even knowing I was a married woman, so I guess another thirty days won’t kill me,” she said, glancing over at Clint.

He frowned. Although it wouldn’t kill him, either, he didn’t like it one damn bit. He enjoyed being a bachelor although unlike his brother, Cole, he’d never earned the reputation of being a ladies’ man. But Alyssa was right, they had been married five years without either of them knowing it, so another thirty days would not make or break them. There was nothing in his life that would be changing.

“Fine,” he all but snapped. “Like Alyssa, I’ll deal with it for thirty more days.”

“There’s one more thing,” Hightower hesitated a few moments before saying.

Clint’s frown deepened. He had worked with the man long enough to detect something in his voice, something Clint figured he wouldn’t like. Evidently, Alyssa picked up on it, as well, and moved away from the door to come and stand beside him.

“What other thing?” Clint asked.

Hightower shrugged massive shoulders nervously. “Not sure how the two of you are going to feel about it, but Toner wouldn’t back down or change her mind about it.”

“About what?” Clint asked in an agitated voice.

Hightower looked at him and then at Alyssa. “In order for the marriage to get annulled after the thirty days, there is something the two of you must do.”

Clint felt his heart turn over. He felt another strange sensation slither up his spine. He knew, without a doubt, that he wouldn’t like whatever Hightower was about to say. “And just what does Toner want us to do?” he asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

Hightower cleared his throat and then said, “She has mandated that during those thirty days the two of you live under the same roof.”

Chapter 2

It didn’t take much to figure out that Clint Westmoreland was one angry man, Alyssa thought, glancing over at him. They had left Hightower’s office over twenty minutes ago, and now Clint was driving her to a place where she assumed they would grab a bite to eat. But he had yet to say one word to her. Not one. However, that didn’t take into consideration the number of times he’d mumbled the word damn under his breath.

Sighing deeply, she decided to brave the icy waters and said, “Surely there’s something we can do.”

He speared her with a look that could probably freeze boiling water and his mouth was set in a grim line. However, to her his lips still looked as delectable as a slice of key lime pie. “You heard what he said, Alyssa. We can try to appeal, but if we’re not successful we will still have to do the thirty days, which will only delay things,” he said.

Do the thirty days. He’d made it sound like a jail sentence. And since he would have to share the same roof with her, she wasn’t sure she particularly liked his attitude. She didn’t like what Hightower had said any more than he did, but there was no reason to get rude about it.

“Look,” she said. “I don’t like this any more than you do, but if we can’t change things then we need to do what Toner is requiring and—”

“The hell I will,” he said almost in a growl when he looked back at her. He had pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant and had brought his truck to a stop. “I have more to do with my time for the next thirty days than entertain you.”

She immediately saw red. “Entertain me? From saying that, I guess you’re assuming if we do decide to live together for the next thirty days it will be here at your place.”

He shrugged as if to ease the tension in his shoulders and said, “Of course.”

She frowned. He sounded so sure and confident. She would take joy in bursting his bubble. “Wrong. I have no intention of staying here in Austin with you.”

His eyes narrowed into slits as he continued to glare at her. “And just where do you assume you’ll stay?”

She glared back. “It’s not where I’ll stay but where you’ll stay. I’m returning to Waco and if you want to fulfill the terms of Toner’s decree you will, too.”

If she thought he was mad before then it was quite obvious he was madder now. “Look, lady. I have a ranch to run and I won’t be doing it from Waco.”

“You’re not the only one who owns a business, Clint. I’m not going to drop everything that’s going on in my life just to come out here to live with you.”

“And neither will I drop everything I’ve got going on here to move to Waco, even temporarily. That’s as stupid as stupid can get.”

She had to agree with him there, but still that didn’t solve their problem. According to Hightower, they needed to live under the same roof for thirty days, which meant that one of them had to compromise. But she didn’t feel it should be her and evidently he didn’t think it should be him, either. “Okay, you don’t want to move to Waco and I don’t want to move here, so what do you suggest we do to get that annulment?” she asked him.

He pulled his key out of the truck’s ignition and said, “I don’t know, but what I do know is that I think better on a full stomach.” He opened the door to get out. “Right now I suggest that we get something to eat.”

* * *

By the time the waitress had taken their order, Clint was convinced that somebody up there didn’t like him. If they did, they would not have dumped Alyssa Barkley in his lap. The woman was too much of a tempting package and someone he didn’t have time to deal with. The thought of her living under his roof, or for that matter, him living under hers, was too much too imagine. But he had been a Ranger long enough to know just how tangled red tape could get. Someone had screwed up. Otherwise they wouldn’t still be married—at least on paper. As she’d told Hightower, the marriage hadn’t even been consummated. It had been an assignment, nothing more.

“You’re a triplet, right?”

He glanced at her over the rim of his glass. “Yes. How do you know that?”

She shrugged. “It was common knowledge among the Rangers. I met your brother, Cole, once. He was nice. I also heard you have a sister.”

“I do,” he said, thinking about Casey, who had gotten married a few months ago. “If you go by order of birth, then I’m the oldest, then Cole and last Casey.”

“Is Cole still a Texas Ranger?”

He figured she must feel a little more relaxed to be asking so many questions. “Yes, he is.”

He didn’t know her well enough to reveal that Cole’s days with the Rangers were numbered. Like him, Cole planned to go out on early retirement; however, Cole hadn’t decided what he’d do after leaving the force. Clint wasn’t even sure if Cole planned to stay in Texas. His brother might take a notion to move to Montana like Casey had done to be near their father. The father the three of them thought was dead until a few years ago.

He took a sip of his coffee. In a way he knew what Alyssa was doing. She was trying to get his mind off the gigantic problem that was looming over their heads. But the bottom line was that they needed to talk about it and make some decisions. “Okay, Alyssa, getting back to our dilemma. What about you? Do you have any suggestions?”

She took a sip of her coffee and smiled before saying, “I guess I could go back to Waco and you remain here and forget we ever found out we were married and leave things as they are. As I said earlier, marriage isn’t in my future anytime soon. What about yours?”

“Not in mine, either, but still, having a wife isn’t something I can forget about,” he said. Several things could happen later to make him remember he was a married man.

For example, what would happen if she decided, as his wife, that she was entitled to half of everything he owned? His partnership with his cousin and brother-in-law was going extremely well. Not saying that she would, but he couldn’t take any chances. He had bought out Casey’s and Cole’s shares of the ranch and now it was totally his. The last thing he would tolerate was a “wife” staking a claim on anything that had his name on it.

And then there was the other reason he wouldn’t be able to forget he had a wife. She was too damn pretty. Her features were too striking and her body was too well-stacked. Even now sitting across from her at the table he could feel his temperature rise. Since he figured she hadn’t gotten that way overnight, he wondered how he had missed noticing how good she looked five years ago. The only excuse he could come up with was that at the time he’d been too heavily involved with Chantelle and only had eyes for one woman. Too bad Chantelle hadn’t had eyes for just one man.

“There has to be a way out of this,” she said, interrupting his thoughts with a disgusted look on her face. Disgusted or otherwise, her frustration didn’t downplay how full and firm her lips were, or how her eyes were so dark they reminded him of a raven’s wing. He wondered if her copper-brown hair was her natural color and he felt a tug in his gut when he thought of the one way he could easily find out. He shifted in his seat. His jeans suddenly felt a little too tight, especially in the area of his zipper.

Evidently she was waiting for him to respond, because her dark eyes were staring at him. He leaned back in his chair. “There is a way. We just have to think of it.”

* * *

Alyssa could feel Clint checking her out the same way she was checking him out, which only solidified her belief that living under the same roof with him wouldn’t work. There was a strong sexual attraction between them, she could feel it. The thought that she drew his interest was something she couldn’t ignore. Nor was it something for her to lose any sleep over. Plenty of women probably drew his attention. He was a man wasn’t he? Hadn’t Uncle Jessie explained after finding out what Kim and Kevin had done that when it came to women all men were weak? They often made decisions with the “wrong head.” Of course, he couldn’t come up with an excuse for Kim’s behavior because she was his daughter.

“What sort of business do you own?”

She glanced up from studying the contents in her coffee cup to stare into Clint’s cool, dark eyes. “I design websites.”

“Oh.”

She frowned. He’d said it as though he considered her profession of no importance. Granted it wasn’t

a mega-million-dollar operation like she’d heard he owned but it was hers; one she’d started a few years ago with all the money she had. She enjoyed her work and was proud of the way she’d built up her company. She had a very nice clientele who depended on her to keep their businesses in the forefront of the cyberspace market. Over the years she had won numerous awards for her website designs.

“For your information I own a very successful business,” she said, glaring at him.

He glared back. “I don’t recall saying you didn’t.”

No, he hadn’t. But still, she really didn’t care much for his attitude. “Look, Clint. You’re agitated about this whole thing and so am I. I think the best thing for us to do is sleep on it. Maybe we’ll have answers in the morning.”

“Fine. I noticed you only brought an overnight bag,” he said, leaning back in his chair.

“Yes. I thought that ending our marriage wouldn’t take more than a day at the most. I planned to fly home in the morning.”

“You’re welcome to stay at my place tonight. I have plenty of room.”

She appreciated the invitation but didn’t think it was a good idea. “Thanks, but I prefer staying at a hotel.”

“Suit yourself,” he said, easing back up to the table when their waitress placed a plate full of food in front of him. Alyssa watched him dig in. He’d said he could think better on a full stomach, but was he really going to eat all that? She couldn’t imagine him eating such hefty meals as the norm, especially since he had such a well-built body that was all muscle and no fat.

“Why are you staring at my plate?”

She shrugged. “That’s a lot of food,” she said when the waitress placed a sandwich and bowl of soup in front of her.

He laughed. “I’m still growing. Besides, I need all this to keep my strength up. What I do around the ranch is hard work.”

“And what exactly do you do?”

He smiled over at her. “I’m a horse tamer. I have some of my men stationed out in Nevada. They capture wild horses then ship them to my ranch for me to tame. Once that’s done, I ship them to Montana. My cousin and brother-in-law own a horse-breeding company. My sister works for them as a trainer.”

“Sounds like a family affair.”

“It is.”

Alyssa intentionally kept her head lowered as she ate her sandwich and soup. She didn’t want to risk looking head-on into Clint’s eyes again. Each time she did so made every cell in her body vibrate.

“I’m thinking of getting one of those.”

She raised her head and gazed at him, trying not to zero in on his handsome features, while at the same time ignoring the sensations that flowed through her. “Getting one of what?”

“A website.”

She lifted a brow. “You don’t have one already?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Why would I?”

“Mainly to promote your business.”

“Don’t have to. Durango and McKinnon are in charge of bringing in the customers. We have a private clientele.”

“Oh. Who are Durango and McKinnon?”

He wiped his mouth with a napkin before answering. “Durango is my cousin and McKinnon is married to my sister, Casey. They are my partners and the ones who started the horse-breeding company. Now it has grown to include horse training and horse taming,” he said.

She nodded. “If you did just fine without a website before, then why are you thinking about getting one now?”

He actually looked like he was tired of answering her questions. His tone indicated that he was only answering her in an attempt to be polite. “Because of the foundation I recently started.”

“What foundation?”

“The Sid Roberts Foundation.” And as if he was preparing for her next question, he said, “He was my uncle.”

Her eyes widened. “Sid Roberts? The Sid Roberts? Was your uncle?” she asked incredulously.

“Yes,” he responded, seemingly again with barely tolerant patience. And then as if he’d had enough of her questions he said, “Why don’t you finish eating. Your soup is getting cold.”

* * *

At least he had gotten her to stop talking, Clint thought, taking a sip of his coffee. Although he noticed what she was eating wasn’t much. He’d thought Casey was the only person who considered soup and a sandwich a full-course meal.

Clint leaned back in his chair. The food was great and he was full, so now he could think. Yet he was far from having an answer to their problem. Part of him wanted to start the appeal process and see what would happen. But if the appeal failed, they would have to do the thirty days anyway.

“You didn’t say why you are establishing a foundation for your uncle.”

He glanced over at her. “Didn’t I?” he asked tersely. He couldn’t recall her being this chatty before. In fact, he remembered her as a mousy young woman who didn’t seem to have the fortitude for her job as a Ranger. Although truth be told, he would be the first to give her an A for her acting abilities during their assignment together.

He couldn’t help noticing how the sunlight shining through the window hit her hair at an angle that gave the copper strands a golden tint. He felt a sudden tingling sensation right smack in his gut. He didn’t like the feeling. Since becoming partners with Durango and McKinnon nine months ago, he had placed his social life—and women—on hold.

“No, you didn’t,” she said, breaking into his thoughts and seemingly not the least put off by his cool tone.

He didn’t say anything for a while and then asked, “What do you know about Sid Roberts?”

She smiled. “Only what’s in the history books, as well as what my grandfather shared with me.”

He lifted a brow. “Your grandfather?”

“Yes, he was a huge Sid Roberts fan and even claimed to being a part of the rodeo circuit with him at one time. I know Mr. Roberts was a legend in his day. First as a rodeo star then as a renowned horse trainer.”

“Uncle Sid loved horses and passed that love on to me, my brother and sister. In my uncle’s memory, we have dedicated over three thousand acres of land on the south ridge of my property as a reserve. A great number of the wild horses that are being shipped to me are being turned loose to roam free here.”

“Why go to the trouble of relocating them here? Why not leave them in Nevada and let them run free there?”

He frowned. “Mainly because wild horses are taking up land that’s now needed for public use. Legislation is being considered that will allow for so many of them to be destroyed each year. Many of these wild horses are getting slaughtered for pet food.”

“That’s awful,” she murmured and he knew she was deliberately lowering her voice to keep out the anger she felt. It was the same with him every time he thought about it.

“Yes, it is. So I’ve established the foundation as a way to save as many of the wild horses as I can by bringing them here.”

He felt they had gotten off track, and had put on the back burner the subject they really needed to be discussing. “So what are we going to do, Alyssa, about our marriage?”

She frowned. “You make it sound like a real one when it’s not.”

“Then tell that to Toner. And maybe it’s time to accept that regardless of where we want to place the blame, legally we are man and wife.”

Alyssa opened her mouth to deny what he said, but couldn’t. He was right. They could sit and blame others but that wouldn’t solve their problem. “Okay, you have a full stomach, what do you suggest?”

“You’re not going to like it.”

“Probably not if it’s what I’m thinking.”

He sighed deeply. “Do we have a choice?”

She knew they didn’t but still... “There has to be another way.”

“According to Hightower, there isn’t. You heard him for yourself.”

“I say let’s fight it.”

“And I say let’s just do what we have to do and get it over with.”

She nibbled on her bottom lip. “Fine, but there’s still the issue of where we’ll stay. Here or Waco.” Each knew how the other felt on the subject. Alyssa knew she was being hard-nosed. To handle his business properly, he would have to be on his ranch, whereas she could operate just about anywhere, as long as she had her computer and server.

“Alyssa?”

She glanced up at him. “Yes?”

“I’m sure you prefer handling your business from Waco, but is there any reason you can’t do it here if I help get things set up for you?” he asked, evidently thinking along the same lines as she had earlier.

She decided to be honest with him. “No.”

“All right. Then will you?” he asked. “My ranch isn’t all that bad. It’s pretty nice actually. And with the hours I work, I’d barely be home most of the time so it will be as if you have the place to yourself. I won’t be underfoot.”

She tilted her head to study him. In other words they really wouldn’t be under the same roof for thirty days—at least not all the time. In a way, she would prefer it that way. Being around Clint 24/7 would be too hard to handle. But she knew he was right. They had to do something and since it was easier for her to make the change why sweat it. That didn’t mean she had to like it. At least the two of them were working together and doing what needed to be done to get their lives back on track and end what had been the agency’s screwup and not theirs. But still...

“What about a steady girlfriend?” she decided to ask.

“Don’t have one, steady or otherwise. Don’t have the time.”

She lifted a brow. When did men stop making the time for women? She thought they lived for intimacy.

“What about you?” he asked her. “Is there a steady man in your life?”

She thought about the occasional calls she got from Kevin as he tried to make a comeback, as if she didn’t know that he and Kim were still messing around with each other. Kim took pleasure in making comments every once in a while to let her know she and Kevin were still seeing each other now and then. “No, like you, I don’t have the time.”

He nodded. “So, there’s really nothing holding us back to do what we need to do to get the matter resolved,” he said.

If only it were that simple, she wanted to say. Instead she said, “I need to sleep on it.” She preferred not to make a decision right then.

“Okay. In that case would you mind doing your sleeping at the ranch?” Clint asked. “That way, you can check out the place to see if it will work for you.”

She’d rather not stay at his ranch tonight but what he’d said made sense. She was used to living in the city. She wasn’t sure how she would handle being out in such a rural setting. “Okay, Clint. I’ll spend the night at your ranch and will give you my decision about things in the morning.”

He tilted his head and looked at her. “I can’t ask for any more than that.”

Chapter 3

“Can you ride a horse?”

Alyssa glanced over at Clint. Sunlight streaming in through the windshield seemed to highlight his features. It had been bad enough sitting across from him at the diner trying to eat. Now they were back in the close quarters of his truck and everything male about him was out in the forefront again. She moved her gaze from his face to the strong, sturdy hands that were gripping the steering wheel, and then lower to his lap where the denim of his jeans stretched tight across muscular thighs.

“Alyssa?”

She nearly jumped when he said her name again, reminding her that she hadn’t answered his question. “Yes and no.”

He glanced over at her and frowned. “You either can or you can’t.”

“Not necessarily. There’s another option—can and don’t. Yes, I can ride a horse, but I choose not to.”

He gave her a strange look. “Is there a reason why?”

“Yes. What if I say that horses don’t like me?”

He gave a half laugh. “Then I’d say that if you feel that way it means you haven’t developed your own personal technique of dealing with them. A horse can detect a lot from people. Whether you’re too aggressive, too nice, sometimes both. A horse is the most easy-going animal that I know of.”

“Yeah, you would say that since you tame them,” she said, glancing out the truck window and thinking how beautiful the land was getting the farther they got away from the city.

“I’d say it even if I didn’t tame them. If you stay at the ranch I guarantee you will develop a liking for horses.”

“I never said I didn’t like them, Clint. It’s just I’ve been thrown off one too many times to suit my fancy. I know when to give in and quit.”

He chuckled. “I don’t. And if I stopped riding based on the number of times I’ve been thrown, I would have given up riding years ago. That’s part of it. Learning to ride with the intent of staying on.”

Alyssa heard what he was saying but it wouldn’t change her mind. The truck had come to a stop and she glanced over at Clint. He was staring at her in a way that had her pulse racing, was making her feel breathless. A brazen image formed in her mind. “What?” she asked in a low voice.

It was as if that one single word made him realize that he’d been staring and when the truck began moving again, he muttered, “Nothing.”

It was there on the tip of Alyssa’s tongue to say yes, it had been something and she had felt it, too, in the cozy space surrounding them. As she glanced back out the window, she thought that living on a ranch with him wouldn’t be easy. The only good thing was that he’d said he would be gone most of the time. That was good to know for her peace of mind.

“Will your family have a problem with it?”

She glanced back over at him. He was staring straight ahead and she thought that was good. Every time he looked at her, sensations she hadn’t felt in a long time, or ever, seemed to unleash inside of her. “A problem with what?” she asked, thinking she liked the sound of his voice a little too much.

“Living with me for a while at the ranch. That is if you decide to do it.”

Alyssa sighed. There was no need to go into any details that certain members of her family wouldn’t care if she left Waco for good. It was all too complicated to get into and too personal to explain. That was the only good thing about the thirty days. Time away from Waco was probably what she needed. Ruining her wedding day hadn’t been enough for Kim. She was determined to sabotage any decent thing that came into Alyssa’s life. “No, they wouldn’t have a problem with it,” she finally answered. “What about your folks?”

He glanced over at her and smiled and that single smile ignited a torch within her. She actually felt heat flowing through her body. “My family is fine with whatever I do. My brother, sister and I are extremely close but we know when to give each other space and when to mind our own business.” He then chuckled and the sound raked across her skin in a sensuous sort of way.

“Okay, I admit when it came to Casey, Cole and I never did mind our own business. We felt she was our responsibility, especially during her dating years. But now that she’s married to McKinnon all is well,” he added.

“Have they been married long?”

He shook his head. “Since the end of November. Cole and I couldn’t ask for a better man for our sister.”

Alyssa smiled. “That’s a nice thing to say.”

“It’s the truth. Although we do sympathize with him most of the time. Casey can be pretty damn headstrong so McKinnon has his work cut out for him.”

“So your immediate family consists of your brother and your sister?”

“We used to think that. My mother was Uncle Sid’s sister and she came to live with him at the ranch when her husband was supposedly killed during a rodeo and she was left carrying triplets.”

Alyssa slanted him a confused look. “Supposedly was killed?”

“Yes, that’s the story she and Uncle Sid fabricated for everyone when in fact our father was very much alive. However, she felt she was doing him a favor by not telling him she was pregnant and disappearing. So Cole, Casey and I grew up believing our father was dead.”

“When did you find out differently?”

“On Mom’s deathbed. She wanted us to know the truth.”

Alyssa immediately recalled her grandfather’s deathbed confession. He’d revealed that he was her biological father and not her grandfather. It had been a confession that had changed her life forever, one that had caused jealousy within the family—a family that had never been close anyway. “What happened after that?”

He smiled over at her and she knew what he was thinking. She asked a lot of questions. Gramps would always tell her that, too. Thinking of the man whom for years she’d thought of as her grandfather sent a warm feeling through her.

“After that, Cole and I decided to find our father and develop a relationship with him. We knew it wouldn’t be easy, considering we would be a surprise to him and the fact that we were grown men in our late twenties.”

That hadn’t been too long ago, she mused, considering he was thirty-two now. Probably around the same time she had been learning the truth about her own parentage. “Did you find him?”

He gave another chuckle, this one just as sensitive to her flesh as the other had been. “Yes, we found him, all right. And we found something else right along with him.”

“What?”

“A slew of cousins we didn’t know we had. Westmorelands from just about everywhere. We suddenly found ourselves part of a big family and it was a family that welcomed us with open arms. They’ve made us feel as if we were a part of them so quickly it was almost overwhelming.”

Alyssa studied the sound of his voice and could tell that even now for him it was still overwhelming. He was blessed to be a part of such a loving and giving group. There, however, was one thing she’d noted. He hadn’t mentioned how his sister had taken the revelation of the missing father.

“Your sister, how did she handle meeting her father for the first time?” she asked.

A part of her needed to know. She knew how she had handled it when she’d discovered that Isaac Barkley was her father and not her grandfather. A part of her had wished he would have told her sooner. That would have explained a lot of things and then the two of them would have been able to face the jealousy and hatred together. But he had died, leaving her all alone.

“It was harder for Casey to come around and accept things. She’d believed what Mom had told us all those years. She wasn’t ready to meet a father who was very much alive. It took her a while to form a relationship with him, but that’s all in the past now. In fact she moved to Montana to be close to him. She met McKinnon there and fell in love.”

Alyssa sighed. A part of her wished she could find someone and fall in love but she knew that wouldn’t be possible as long as Kimberly Barkley still existed on this earth. Kimberly was determined to destroy whatever bit of happiness came Alyssa’s way.

“This is the entrance to the ranch, Alyssa.”

Alyssa leaned forward and glanced out the windshield and side windows and caught her breath. What she saw all around her was spellbinding. Simply breathtaking. She had lived on a small ranch in Houston for the first thirteen years of her life and had loved it. Then one day, her mother had sent her away to live with her grandfather in the city. That was probably the one most decent thing her mother had ever done in her life.

“It’s beautiful, Clint. How big is it?” Everywhere she looked she saw ranges, fields and meadows. She couldn’t imagine waking up to this view every morning, every single day.

“If you include the reserve on the south ridge it’s over fifty thousand acres. Uncle Sid was a ladies’ man who never married and so he left the ranch to me, Cole and Casey.”

Alyssa nodded. She didn’t want to consider the possibility, didn’t want to imagine how it would feel for once to not have to worry about Kim dropping in just make her life a living hell. The truck, she noticed, had stopped, and she lifted a brow as she glanced over at Clint.

He smiled. “I want to show you something.”

He got out of the truck and she followed and he led her close to a cliff. “Look down there,” he said, pointing.

And she did. It was then that she saw his ranch, sitting down in the valley below. It was huge, a monstrosity of a house that was surrounded by several barns and other buildings. There was a corral full of horses and she could barely see the figures of men below who were working with the horses. “It’s absolutely stunning, Clint,” she said, turning to him. It was then that she became aware of just how close they were standing, of the heat his closeness had generated and how the darkening of his eyes was beginning to stir a caress across her flesh.

She moved to take a step back and his hand reached out to her waist, to assist her, or so it seemed. But his hand stayed there and his touch burned her skin through the thin material of her blouse. Her gaze left his eyes and moved to his lips, the one part of him that had always fascinated her. The fullness of them made her imagine just how they would feel on hers. She thought they would be soft to the touch at first, but they would become demanding and hungry as soon as they connected with hers.

She wasn’t a forward person, but one thing Gramps had always taught her was that sometimes, if it was something you really wanted, you just had to take the bull by the horns. Well, she intended to do just that.

He was bending his head toward her, or maybe she imagined that he was doing so. And just to be sure, she leaned forward and slid her hands over his chest. The first touch of his lips on hers sent pleasure points in her body on high alert and when she parted her lips on a sigh, he entered her mouth in one delicious sweep.

He tasted hot. He tasted like a man. And she settled into his kiss as if it was her right to do so. With their mouths locked together, their tongues tangled, stroked and slid everywhere. And then in a move she would have thought was impossible, he thrust his tongue deeper inside her mouth, causing her to instinctively latch on to it, suck it and stroke it some more. This was what you called total mouth concentration, the solicitation of participation and the promise of satisfaction. Everything was there in this kiss. And Clint Westmoreland was delivering in a way that made the quiet existence she had carved out for herself the last two years a waste of good time and energy.

The kiss was incredible, she thought, sinking deeper into it. She might have regrets later but now she needed this. Her entire body felt as if this was what she was supposed to be doing. And considering this was the first day she had seen him in over five years, the very thought of that was crazy and...

Clint abruptly broke off the kiss. He drew much-needed air into his lungs and fought the urgent pull in his loins. How had he let this happen? Where was that control he was famous for? Where was his will to deny anything he thought might threaten his livelihood?

He didn’t say anything to Alyssa. He just stood there and stared at her while trying to get the rampant beating of his heart under control. Trying to fight the sensations overtaking him. She had been kissing him as passionately as he had been kissing her. At first her lack of kissing experience had surprised him, but she was a quick study. The moment his tongue came into play, she’d allowed hers to do the same, and without any hesitation.

“Okay, Clint, what was all that about?” she asked in a quiet tone.

She was staring at him while licking her lips. The intimate gesture made his stomach clench. “I think,” he murmured, “that I should ask you the same thing. That wasn’t a kiss taken, Alyssa, but one that was shared.”

He waited for her to deny his words but she didn’t. Instead she turned away from him and glanced back down to look at his ranch house. And before she could ask he said, “I’ll promise to keep my desire under wraps for the next thirty days.”

For a moment she didn’t say anything, didn’t make a move to even acknowledge that he had spoken. And then she looked back at him and at that moment a wave of desire, more intense than anything he’d ever encountered, raced through him.

“Can you?” she asked softly.

Holding her gaze, he was having a hard time keeping up. “Can I what?”

“Bottle your desire for thirty days.” He watched as she inhaled deeply, drew herself up as if she was trying to take back control of the situation and he saw her eyes go from sensuous to serious. “I need to know before I make any decision about staying here with you.”

He frowned. Was she afraid of him? He covered the distance separating them and came to a stop in front of her. Forcing her to look up at him, become the main focus of her attention. “Let me explain one thing about me, Alyssa,” he said in a voice that he knew had her complete attention. “You don’t have anything to fear if you stay here, least of all me. You set the boundaries and I will abide by them. I don’t have a woman in my life right now, nor do I need one. What you see down there is my life. You are my wife in name only. I will remember that. I will respect that. But after the thirty days I expect you to go, just like I’m sure you’ll want to leave. I don’t have time for involvements. The only thing long-term in my life is this ranch and the running of it and the foundation. Those things are all I need. They are all I want.”

At his blunt words she asked, “Then why did you kiss me?”

Clint saw her eyes were flashing and knew she was beginning to take what he was saying personally. “The reason we kissed each other,” he said slowly, “is because of a number of things. Curiosity. Need. Desire. It was best that we took care of all three before we got to the ranch. Trust me, you won’t become an itch that I’ll be tempted to scratch.”

Alyssa frowned, not sure she liked the way he’d said that. Had he found her kiss so lacking that he’d not be tempted to do it again? Kim had always said when it came to men she presented no appeal, or that she wouldn’t recognize pleasure if it came up to her and bit her. Clint had certainly made a liar out of her cousin. Under his lips she had definitely recognized pleasure. She had actually drowned in it.

“Now,” he said, interrupting her thoughts. “Do you want to go down to the ranch with me or would you prefer that I take you back into town?”

She glared at him. “I haven’t made up my mind about anything.”

“I didn’t say you had. I just want you to have peace of mind in doing so.”

Behind Clinton’s terse words, she suspected he was low on tolerance. But then she’d come to that same conclusion earlier at the diner. She glanced down the valley at the ranch and then she glanced back at Clint. “I’m still staying at the ranch for the night.”

“Then let’s go. I’ve got plenty to do when I get there.”

When they got back in the truck and he turned the ignition, she glanced out the window when the truck started moving. She had gotten her real taste of passion from the man who was her husband—at least on paper. And she had surrendered without thought or hesitation.

For some reason she sensed a wild streak in Clint, one that he probably didn’t even know was there. A wildness she detected, one that had almost come out in their kiss. As far as she was concerned the man had desire bottled and it was fighting to become uncorked. If it ever broke free she didn’t want to think of the consequences, the combustion or the fiery, hot passion.

And if that happened, was there a woman in this world who would be able to tame Clint Westmoreland? she wondered.

Chapter 4

Inviting Alyssa to spend the night at the ranch wasn’t the smartest thing he’d ever done, Clint decided.

From the cliff the ranch house looked huge. But when you stood directly in front of it and got a close-up view, you got a clear picture of just how spacious it was. He hoped Alyssa would decide that in a house as large as his they could easily avoid each other for four short weeks.

The front door opened and Chester walked out. The man, who for years had been Clint’s cook, housekeeper, and if there was need, ranch hand, was big. He stood at least six-four and weighed over two hundred and fifty pounds. At sixty-five he looked intimidating and mean as a bear. Once you got to know him, however, it didn’t take long to see he was as soft and easygoing as a teddy bear.

Clint knew that Chester considered himself a surrogate father to the triplets. The old man was quick to brag that he’d helped Doc Shaw deliver the three. For that reason—in Clint’s opinion—Chester lived under the false assumption that he knew what was best for them. He had been the one to convince Clint and Cole to find the father they hadn’t known they had, and the one to talk Casey into building a relationship with their father.

And now with Casey happily married and living in Montana, Chester was on a bandwagon to get Clint and Cole to follow suit. He felt marriage should be in their future plans, the not-so-distant future. Chester claimed he wanted them to find the bliss he’d found in his own happy marriage of over thirty years. His beloved wife Ada died a few years ago. Even now everyone still missed the presence of the gentle and kind woman who had been the love of Chester’s life.

Clint saw the way Chester was sizing Alyssa up. The old man was trying to see if she appeared sturdy enough to handle the roughness of a working ranch, and if she had enough brawn to handle Clint. According to Chester, the Golden Glade Ranch needed a mistress who was strong in both mind and body. Clint knew Chester believed Clint needed a woman who could take him on with fortitude.

He had told Chester that morning about the agency’s mistake. Now he dreaded telling the old man he and Alyssa were being forced to live as man and wife for thirty days. Chester would somehow see such a thing as a sign that somebody up there was trying to tell Clint something. Clint easily recognized the calculating look in Chester’s eyes and frowned.

“I know I’ve said it already, Clint, but your home is beautiful,” Alyssa said.

Alyssa’s words reclaimed Clint’s attention. He moved his gaze from Chester and back to her. The side of her face was highlighted by the sun. The soft glow of her features made him remember their kiss and how good she had tasted. Even now he wouldn’t mind devouring her mouth again, relishing her taste once more. She glanced over at him and he felt a fierce tug in his stomach. He didn’t like the feeling one damn bit.

Knowing she expected a response from him, he said, “Thanks. Let me introduce you to Chester and then I’ll show you around.”

As if impatient for an introduction, Chester came down the steps and went directly to Alyssa, offered her his hand and gave a half laugh and said, “Welcome to the Golden Glade. So you’re Clint’s wife. We’re mighty glad to have you.” Before she could respond he added, “And you’re just what Clint needs around here.”

And at that moment, Clint actually felt like slugging him.

* * *

The man’s words drew Alyssa up short. It was true that she and Clint were legally married, but as far as she was concerned it was nothing more than a mistake on paper. A mistake that needed to be rectified. But a comment like that made her aware of the seriousness of their situation and just how quickly they needed to resolve the matter.

Not sure how to respond to Chester, Alyssa decided not to address his statement of their marital status and to accept his comment on the ranch by saying, “It’s a beautiful ranch.”

Clint had walked around the truck and appeared at her side. She glanced up at him and saw he was frowning at the older man. Evidently he hadn’t appreciated the reminder of their situation, either.

“Thanks, and Clint is doing a fine job keeping it that way,” Chester said. “But what I’ve told him numerous times is that what this ranch needs is a—”

“Alyssa, this is Chester. Cook and housekeeper,” Clint said, smoothly interrupting whatever it was the older man had been about to say.

Not to be outdone the man merely nodded. “What this ranch needs is a woman’s touch,” he said as if he had not been interrupted.

Alyssa’s thoughts began to whirl. Why would Chester make such a comment? Didn’t he know that her and Clint’s marriage wasn’t real? She gave a quick glance at Clint but his features were unreadable. Deciding it wasn’t her place to meddle in what was going on between Clint and one of his employees, she turned her attention back to Chester and said, “It’s nice meeting you, Chester.”

The man gave her a huge smile. “No, Alyssa, it is nice meeting you. Come on in and I’ll show you around.”

“No, I’ll be showing Alyssa around,” Clint said.

Both Alyssa and Chester turned to Clint. “I thought you had a lot of work to do,” Chester said.

Alyssa had thought the very same thing and watched as Clint shrugged massive shoulders before he said, “What I have to do can wait.”

Alyssa glanced back at Chester and for a quick second she could have sworn she’d seen a sparkle in the old man’s eyes. “Suit yourself, then,” Chester said. “I need to start dinner, anyway.” And then Alyssa watched as the older man gave her a final smile before going back into the house.

“I’ll take you to the guest room you’ll be using before giving you a tour,” Clint said.

Alyssa turned in time to see Clint walk over to the truck to get her overnight bag. She inclined her head as she continued to watch him. The man had such a sensuous walk, she thought.

As if he’d felt her eyes on him, he turned with a concerned look on his face. ”Is everything all right, Alyssa?” he asked quietly.

She suddenly felt the need to hug her arms and protect herself from his intense gaze, but she didn’t. Instead she appreciated his thoughtful consideration. No one had asked if everything was all right with her since her grandfather’s death. “Yes, I’m fine. Thanks for asking,” she said.

He only nodded before opening the truck door to pull out her bag. He then turned and walked back toward her. She knew that he was uncomfortable with the situation they had been placed in and he didn’t like it any more than she did. But, they would work things out. She’d discovered five years ago that Clint Westmoreland was a man who could handle just about anything that came his way. She saw that strength in him and admired him for it.

“Come this way,” he said. She noticed he had come to a stop directly in front of her. His closeness caused her to breathe unevenly and she swallowed deeply to get control of her emotions. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t spent time together before. While working that assignment five years ago, for one full week they’d been almost glued at the hip, trying to make their cover believable. They’d even shared a hotel room—although at night she would take the bed and he would crash on the sofa. But still they had shared close quarters and although she had been fully aware of him as a man, his presence hadn’t affected her like it did now.

It seemed she was now more aware of the opposite sex. Actually, in this case, she was more aware of Clint Westmoreland. She had been fascinated with him when they’d worked together, but now he took her breath away. And back then she had been so focused on doing a good job on her first assignment as a Ranger that everything else, including Clint, had been secondary. But that was not the case now. How on earth would she survive under the same roof with this man for thirty days?

He opened the door for her and then stood back for her to enter. Her stomach knotted and she felt her senses tingling. She had a feeling that once she walked over the threshold her life would never be the same.

* * *

Steeling himself, Clint watched as Alyssa entered his home. He couldn’t recall the last time he had been so fully aware of a woman to the point that everything about her—even her scent was registering in his mind—seemed branded onto his brain cells.

If she decided to stay the thirty days, she would only be here for a short while, he reminded himself. He could handle that. His work days at the ranch were long and grueling. If he just kept his mind on the job at hand—running the ranch and keeping his uncle’s legacy alive—he would be fine.

His thoughts shifted back to Alyssa as he watched her stand in the middle of his living room glancing around. She seemed in awe, incapable of speaking. Had she thought just because he spent most of his time outdoors that he didn’t appreciate having nice things indoors?

“Everything is so beautiful,” she said in a low voice when she began to speak.

He wasn’t reluctant to agree and said thanks. “I hired an interior decorator to do her thing throughout the house. Especially in the guest rooms.”

She glanced over at him. “Do you get a lot of visitors?”

He chuckled. “Yes. The Westmoreland family is a rather large one and they love to visit. They like checking up on each other. I have a bunch of cousins who were close growing up. Like I said earlier, when they found out about me, Cole and Casey, they didn’t hesitate in extending that closeness to us.”

He glanced at his watch. “Come on and let me show you to your room so you can get settled in. I’ll show you the rest of the house later.”

* * *

A few moments later Alyssa’s fingers trembled as she ran them across the richness of the guest room furniture. There had to be about ten or so guest rooms in this house. Clint had been quick to explain that his uncle loved to entertain and always had friends visiting.

The layout of the house actually suited the magnificent structure. Once you entered the front door you walked into this huge foyer that led into a huge living room. There was also an eat-in kitchen and dining room. The house had four wings that jutted off from the living room. North, south, east and west. Clint’s bedroom was huge and was located on the north wing, and although he’d only given her a quick glimpse, she’d liked what she’d seen of it.

The beauty of every room in his home made her speechless. It seemed to be fitting for a king...and his queen, from the expensive furniture to the costly portraits that hung on the walls. He evidently was a man who liked nice things and who didn’t mind paying his money for them.

Clint had left her alone to get settled and indicated he would be back in a few minutes. She knew he was trying not to crowd her, give her space and she appreciated that. She wondered at what point her heart would stop beating so wildly in her chest. When would the rapid flutter in her stomach cease?

She glanced over at the overnight bag. It contained her toiletries, fresh underwear, an extra-large T-shirt to sleep in and a pair of jeans and a top. If she decided to stay the thirty days she would have to return to Waco and pack more of her things. She supposed that her friends were wondering where she had gone. She hadn’t mentioned her destination or the reason for her trip

to anyone except her aunt Claudine. Aunt Claudine wouldn’t tell anyone about her trip, Alyssa thought with a chuckle. Her sixty-year-old great-aunt would be tickled that for once she knew something that the other family members didn’t.

Alyssa had already put away the few things she’d brought with her and was waiting for Clint when he knocked on the bedroom door. For some reason she felt restless and a call to Aunt Claudine hadn’t helped when she was informed that Kim had already begun asking questions about her whereabouts.

When Clint knocked again she quickly crossed the room, not wanting him to think she had taken a nap or something. She opened the door. He stood in the hallway, towering over her. “I told you that I’d be back. Are you ready for me to show you around?”

Looking up at him, his penetrating dark gaze seemed to hold her captive and she became aware of how even more fluttering was going on in her stomach. And it wasn’t helping matters that she felt compelled to stare at his lips. Doing so reminded her of the kiss they had shared and how the moment his tongue had wrapped around hers an ache had begun within her. It was an ache that wouldn’t go away.

At that moment she wasn’t sure if going anywhere with him was a smart move. That and the fact that she seemed to be glued to the spot. But then she quickly decided that she wasn’t about to let another man get to her again. Kevin had taught her a lesson she would never forget. She studied Clint’s features again. They were still unreadable. “Clint...”

“Yes?”

He took a step closer, stepping into the room, and since she was glued to the spot she couldn’t get her legs to move. She inclined her head back and looked up at him, thinking he was so tall, and much too handsome. She then saw the dark frown that creased his forehead. “What’s wrong?” she asked. The words had come tumbling out before she could hold them in.

One of his broad shoulders lifted nonchalantly. “You tell me,” he said.

She had said his name; however, because of the way he had been looking at her, the way that look had made blood rush through her veins, she had forgotten what she’d been about to say. She then remembered. “I was going to say that if you’re busy I can just look around myself.”

“I’m not busy, so let’s go,” he said.

She noticed right before he turned to step back into the hallway that the frown on his face had deepened, and she had a feeling that although he had invited her to stay for the night he still didn’t like it one bit that she was there.

* * *

After giving Alyssa a tour of his home, he walked by her side down the steps to the outside. Her compliments had again pleased him, although he wasn’t quite sure why they had. He’d never been one to place a lot of emphasis on what anyone thought of what he owned. He bought to satisfy his taste and not anyone else’s.

“You said your sister moved to Montana. Does she come back to visit often?”

He glanced over at Alyssa as they walked down the stairs. She seemed to have gotten shorter and a quick look at her feet told him why. She had exchanged her three-inch high-heel shoes for a pair of flats. Smart move. A working ranch was no place for high heels. “Casey’s been back once since she left and that was to get her wedding dress made. Mrs. Miller, a seamstress in town, always said she wanted to be the one who designed Casey’s wedding dress if she ever got married,” he said.

Her question quickly reminded him of something. “But she and McKinnon might be visiting within the next couple of weeks. Why?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I was just wondering.” And then she asked, “What about Cole?”

He glanced over at her again. “What about him?”

“Does he live here, too?”

“No, Cole has a place in town but most of the time he’s on assignment somewhere.” Clint had an idea why Alyssa asked about Casey and Cole and the chances that they would be paying a visit to the ranch anytime soon. “If you’re concerned what my siblings will have to say about our situation if they happen to pop in then don’t be. They won’t ask questions.”

At the uncertainty in her eyes, he went on to say, “And no, it’s not because I usually let women stay over on occasion. It’s just that my family respects my privacy. Besides, it’s not like either of us has done anything wrong.”

“So you plan to tell them the truth about who I am?”

“The part about you being my wife?”

“Yes.”

He met her gaze. “I see no reason not to. Besides, Chester knows and if he knows then they know, or they will soon. He thinks I need a wife.”

“Why does he think that?”

“He’s afraid that like Uncle Sid, I’ll get so involved with my horses that I won’t take time out to build a personal life or have a family. He’s determined not to let that happen. He would marry me off in a heartbeat if he could.”

They said nothing for the next few moments, but as they continued to walk together around the ranch he was fully aware of the admiring glances Alyssa was getting from the men who worked for him. His mouth thinned; for some reason he was bothered by it.

“This is a huge place,” she said, as if wanting to change the subject, which was okay with him.

“Yes, it is.”

“Do you have a lot of men working for you?”

“Well over a hundred. And as I said earlier, Alyssa, if you decide to stay here, the chances of getting in each other’s way are slim to none.” As far as he was concerned life would be much easier, less complicated that way. The last thing he needed was for her or any woman to get under his skin.

“Ready to head back?” he asked and watched how she pushed a wayward curl back away from her face.

“Yes...and thanks for the tour.”

As they walked back toward the ranch house—strolling quietly side by side—he wished like hell he could dismiss from his mind the memory of her taste that remained on his tongue, and how even now, the memory of his lips locked to hers was uncoiling sensations that were running rampant throughout his body. His loins were on fire just thinking about it. His body, in its own way, was sending a reminder of just how long it had been since he’d slept with a woman. It had been way too long and today he was feeling it right down to the bone.

That wasn’t good. He had told her that she wouldn’t become an itch that he would be tempted to scratch and he hoped like hell that he didn’t live to regret those words. He had to remain calm, in control and more than anything he had to remember that no matter how much desire was eating away at his senses, the last thing he needed in his life was a wife.

Chapter 5

“I tell you, Alyssa, that girl is up to no good.”

Alyssa tugged off her earring and switched her cell phone to the other ear. Claudine often said that about Kim, but in this case she was inclined to believe her great-aunt. She hadn’t heard from Kim in months, at least not since her cousin’s last attempt to sabotage one of the projects she’d been working on for a client.

It had cost Alyssa two weeks of production time and she had had to work every hour nonstop to meet the deadline date she’d been given. Of course, as usual, Kim had denied everything and there hadn’t been any way Alyssa could prove her guilt.

“You’re probably right, Aunt Claudine, but there’s nothing that I can do. You know Kim, she’s full of surprises.” Usually those surprises cost Alyssa tremendously. Kim’s bag of dirty tricks included everything from sabotaging important projects to sleeping with Alyssa’s fiancé and then having a courier deliver the damaging photographs just moments before she was to leave her home for the church.

Her troubles with Kim started when Alyssa had arrived in the Barkleys’ household to live with her grandfather and great-aunt. Her mother had never given Alyssa a reason for sending her away, but to this day Alyssa believed that Kate Harris had begun to notice her most recent lover’s interest in her thirteen-year-old-daughter’s developing body.

As Alyssa was growing up, her mother had never told her the identity of her father. In fact, Alyssa was very surprised to learn that she had a paternal grandfather. Right before her mother had put her on the plane for Waco, she had told Alyssa that she was the illegitimate daughter of Isaac Barkley’s dead son, Todd. Todd had been killed in the line of duty as a Texas Ranger.

Alyssa had arrived in Waco feeling deserted and alone, but it didn’t take long to see that the arrival of Grandpa Isaac and Aunt Claudine in her life was a blessing of the richest kind. They immediately made her feel wanted, loved and protected.

Unfortunately, her new relatives’ acts of kindness didn’t sit too well with her cousin Kim, who was the same age as Alyssa. Kim was the daughter of Grandpa Isaac’s only other son, Jessie. Jessie’s wife had died when Kim was six. From what Alyssa had been told, Jessie had felt guilty about driving his wife to commit suicide because of his unfaithful ways and had spoiled Kim rotten to ease his guilt. Kim was used to getting all the attention and hadn’t liked it one bit when that attention shifted with Alyssa’s arrival.

Alyssa couldn’t remember a single time Kim had not been a thorn in her side. First, there had been all those devious pranks Kim had played so that Alyssa could get blamed. Fortunately, Grandpa Isaac had known what Kim was doing and had come to her defense. But instead of things getting better, the more Grandpa Isaac stood up for her, the worse Kim got.

Alyssa’s teen years had been the hardest and if it hadn’t been for her grandfather and great-aunt she doubted she would have gotten through them. And it didn’t help matters that her mother never came to visit her, never bothered contacting her at all. Kim liked to claim that Alyssa was living off the Barkleys’ charity and that there were some in the family who didn’t believe that Todd Barkley had been her father anyway. That claim hadn’t bothered Alyssa, because she could see that she favored her grandfather too much not to be his grandchild. Before he’d died everyone had found out that she had actually been his child. It had been a revelation that had shocked the entire family, especially when he had left her an equal share of everything. And in Kim’s eyes, Alyssa’s inheritance had been the ultimate betrayal.

“Alyssa...”

Her aunt pulled her thoughts back to the present. “Yes, Aunt Claudine?”

“Will staying with that man for a month be so bad? At least the marriage will be dissolved...if that’s what you really want.”

A smile touched Alyssa’s lips. Her aunt was trying to play matchmaker again. “Of course that’s what I want. It’s what Clint and I both want. We don’t know each other and like he said, we are victims of someone’s mistake. I really don’t think it’s fair that we have to suffer because of it,” Alyssa explained.

She heard her aunt chuckling. “I can’t imagine having to suffer if I was to live under the same roof with a gorgeous man...and you did say he was gorgeous, didn’t you?”

Yes, she had said that, and had meant it, as well. Clint’s physical features were something she could not lie about. And that in itself was the kicker. Kevin had been a good-looking man but he couldn’t hold a candle to Clint. She had never been this aware of a man in her life. “Yes, Auntie, he is a hunk.”

“Then I suggest that you stay right there in Austin since your only other option is to bring him here to live. Can you imagine all the commotion that would cause? And it would give Kim another excuse to sharpen her claws and do some damage.”

Alyssa had thought of that. She wanted to believe that Clint would not be the weakling that Kevin had been and that he would be able to resist Kim’s charms. But usually all it took was for any man to set eyes on Kim and they were done for. Men would actually pause when she walked into a room. Too bad beauty was only skin deep, Alyssa thought.

“I’ll ship you some things, Alyssa. Besides, a month away from this circus of a family will do you some good,” Claudine said.

Funny, she had thought the same thing. “I have to think things through tonight and give Clint my decision in the morning. If I decide to stay I’ll let you know.”

“All right, I won’t say anything to the others. Eleanor’s daughter swears she saw Kim and Kevin together at some nightclub. Can you imagine the two of them seeing each other again after all they did to you? We heard Kevin got a promotion with that company he works for. That’s probably why Kim is back in the picture. She’s determined to land a rich husband one way or the other.”

In a perverse way Alyssa wished her cousin the best. Even with all the low-down and underhanded things that Kim had done, Alyssa couldn’t find it in her heart to hate her. She had tried when she’d gotten those photos of Kim and Kevin in bed together, but now all she could do was feel pity for them both. The thought that he and Kim were seeing each other no longer bothered her. Any love she might have had for him ended the day that should have been her wedding day. If Kim was the type of woman he preferred then more power to him.

She wondered just what type of woman Clint would prefer. She could see a beautiful woman in his arms, in his bed, giving birth to his babies. Alyssa was certain she didn’t fit the criteria for Clint’s dream woman. She was of average design and she didn’t fit the “dream-woman” mold. The only reason they were married now was because of someone’s screwup. Even when they’d worked together he hadn’t given her a second thought, although they had shared a hotel room for a week. Alyssa could not forget sharing such close quarters with him, inhaling his scent, breathing the same air, or sitting across a table and sharing food with Clint Westmoreland.

That made her think of the meal they had shared less than an hour ago. Chester had prepared a delicious meal, but it had been just the two of them. She couldn’t help but notice that the older man, although still extremely friendly, hadn’t been as chatty as he’d been when she had first arrived. Clint must have said something to him, probably warning him not to put foolish ideas into

her head. Not that he could have. She was a realist, almost too much so at times—at least that’s what Aunt Claudine claimed. Alyssa would be the first to admit that her dreams of forever after had gotten destroyed the moment she had seen those pictures on her wedding day. It would be hard, nearly impossible for anyone to make a believer out of her again.

She heard a noise outside her bedroom window and crossed the room to see what had caused it. The sun had set and dusk had settled in. One of the floodlights that were shining from the side of the house provided enough brightness for her to see Clint as he leaned against a post talking with two of his men.

It was hard not to take an assessment of Clint each and every time she saw him. From the window, she couldn’t see every single detail, but she had a clear view of his thighs. He was standing with his legs braced apart and the muscles that filled his jeans were taut and firm. Just looking at him standing there in that sexy pose made her pulse race. She was actually feeling breathless. This was her reaction to the man whom she was supposed to live with for thirty days? She doubted she would be able to get through one day living with him let alone thirty. She was well aware from what he’d said earlier that day about his ability to control his desire

if they decided to live together. He had basically given his word that he would abide by any boundaries that she set.

While she was thinking about what boundaries she would establish if she decided to stay, he turned toward the window as if somehow he’d felt her presence there. Their gazes locked. Held. And it seemed at that moment something, a tangible connection she could not define, passed between them. It was as if some understanding had been made, but for the life of her she didn’t know what it was.

Dazed and more than a little confused, she took a step back on wobbly knees at the same time she dropped the curtain back in place to shield her from his view. She knew she had to rein in her uncontrollable imagination, urges and lust. If he could control his then she most certainly should be able to get a handle on hers. But she had to admit what she was experiencing was not something she encountered every day. She simply had never been the type of woman to get goggle-eyed over a man. But ever since she’d arrived in Austin, she had been doing that very thing.

Sighing deeply, she moved toward the bathroom hoping her new state of mind was something she got over real soon.

* * *

Clint frowned as he walked down the long hallway toward his bedroom. It was way past midnight. After taking care of the evening chores, he had hung around the bunkhouse and played a game of cards with some of his men.

He had stayed away from the house as long as he could, and now he was back inside. His mind wandered to what had happened earlier. He’d been standing out in the yard talking to a couple of his men until he happened to notice Alyssa staring at him from her bedroom window. He’d done the only thing he could do at the time, which was to stare back.

It seemed that against his will, his gaze had locked on hers. It was plain to see that Alyssa was getting to him and the brazen images of her that had been forming in his mind all day weren’t helping. Hell, he may have bitten off more than he could chew in asking her to stay under his roof. If only there had been another way for them to end their marriage, he mused. Surely there was someone he could talk to about it.

His cousin Jared immediately came to mind. Jared was the attorney in the family. His specialty was the handling of divorce cases. Perhaps his cousin could give him some advice. He checked his watch. Jared was usually up late at night and Clint turned in the direction of his office, deciding to give his cousin a call.

He pushed open his office door and paused. There, sitting at his desk in front of his computer, was Alyssa. She hadn’t heard him enter, and so he just stood for a moment and gazed at her. The soft lighting from the lamp, as well as the glow from the computer screen, seemed to beam on her, highlighting her features. Her hair was no longer hanging around her shoulders. She had pulled it up into a knot at the back of her neck.

Her full attention was on the computer screen and he watched her as she sat in front of it. Her head was tilted in such a way that showed off the slimness of her neck and her shoulders. She sat with perfect posture.

She seemed to be wearing an oversize T-shirt. On anyone else there probably would not have been a single provocative thing about her attire, but on Alyssa, just the part he saw was totally alluring. The way she was sitting made the shirt stretch tight across her chest, and he could plainly see the tips of her nipples. She wasn’t wearing a bra. His fingers seemed to twitch and he knew he would love the feel of his fingers slowly stroking the budded tips.

His gaze moved to her face at the same time she parted her lips in a smile before she released a satisfied chuckle. Clint shifted his gaze from her lips to the computer screen to see what held her concentration. She was playing one of those games you downloaded off the internet. Alyssa. She was busy trying to accomplish some goal and from the look of things, she was succeeding.

Deciding it was time to let her know that he was there, he stepped into the room. “Umm, that looks interesting. Can I play?”

She whirled in her seat and startled dark eyes seemed to clash with his as she stood abruptly. “I’m sorry. I should have asked to use your computer before—”

“You didn’t have to ask, Alyssa,” he said, interrupting her apology. “You are more than welcome to use it. Please sit back down and continue what you were doing. You seem to be having fun. What is it?”

She hesitated briefly before retaking her seat. Slowly her gaze slid from him to the computer screen. The one thing he had noticed when she stood was that the T-shirt was even more sensually appealing than he’d first thought. It barely covered her thighs and if that wasn’t bad enough, it outlined her curves in a way that had blood racing through his veins.

“It’s a game called ‘Playing with Fire,’” she said softly and he had a feeling he was making her nervous. She glanced back over at him. “Have you ever played Atomic Bomberman before?”

He smiled, inwardly fighting the acute desire he felt at that moment. “No, I don’t believe that I have,” he said.

“Oh. ‘Playing with Fire’ is sort of a flashy remake of ‘Atomic Bomberman.’ The object of the game is to blow up your opponent before they blow you up,” she explained.

Clint chuckled. “That sounds rather interesting. I take it you like playing games on the computer.”

She shrugged. “Yes, it’s a way for me to unwind. Whenever I can’t sleep I usually get up and play a game or two,” she said.

He leaned against the closed door. “I see. Is there a reason you can’t sleep?” Already his mind was thinking of his own version of “Playing with Fire” and the various ways it could be played. “Is the bed not comfortable?” Although he wished it wouldn’t go there, his mind quickly thought of her in that huge bed alone.

“No, the bed is fine, really comfortable,” she responded with what he denoted as a soft chuckle before adding, “It’s just that I’m not used to sleeping in any bed but my own.”

“I see.”

She cleared her throat before standing again. “Well, I don’t want to keep you out of your office,” she uttered as she prepared to leave.

“You’re not. I had come in to use the phone, but I can make the call from my bedroom just as easily. I’ll leave you to your game.” He paused a second then asked, “By the way, who’s winning?”

He saw the smile that touched her lips, the sparkle that lit her eyes and the proud lifting of her chin. “I am, of course,” she answered.

“Now why doesn’t that surprise me? Good night, Alyssa,” he said, returning her smile.

“Good night, Clint.”

Clint turned and moved toward the door. When he felt the sudden rush of blood to his loins he muttered a curse under his breath and turned back around. Before Alyssa could blink he crossed the room and pulled her from the chair. The moment her body was pressed against his and her lips parted in a startled gasp, his mouth swept down on hers at an angle that called for deep penetration. He took hold of her tongue, wanting the taste of her again with a need that was hitting him all at once, and when she returned the kiss—their tongues participated in one hell of a heated duel—a disturbing acceptance entered his mind. He was not prone to giving in to sexual desires like this, he thought. He could get turned on just like the next guy, but never to this magnitude. His response to any woman had never been this strong, this intense, this mind-bogglingly obsessive. The more he tasted her, the more he wanted, and it wasn’t helping matters that she felt perfectly right in his arms. Her softness felt so good against his hardness. What the hell was wrong with him?

He quickly decided he would have to figure out this change in him later, but not right now. Not when she’d wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body closer to his, and not when he could feel the tips of her breasts through the cotton of his shirt. His mind began imagining all sorts of things. He imagined how it would feel to have the tips of those breasts in his mouth, to toy with them using his tongue, or how he would love to spread her on his desk and take her there. Then there was the idea of him sitting in the chair and tugging her down in his lap and...

She suddenly broke the kiss and he watched as she backed away while forcing air into her lungs. He was doing likewise. He was breathing like he had just run a marathon, but each time he inhaled, her scent filled his nostrils. It was a scent that was getting him aroused all over again.

She lifted her head to look at him and that’s when he noticed the knot in her hair had come undone and it was flowing wildly around her shoulders, making her look even sexier than before.

“Was that supposed to be a good-night kiss?” Her voice was soft and breathy.

That hadn’t been what he’d expected her to say. Actually, he had expected her to dress him down in the worse possible way. Was it possible that she was admitting that she had wanted the kiss as much as he had? She didn’t seem to be placing the blame entirely on him, although he had been the one to make the first move.

He leaned back against the door as his gaze went to her mouth. “Yes, it was a good-night kiss,” he said. “Want another one?”

“No. I doubt if I could handle it,” she responded, shaking her head.

A smile touched his lips. Again her comment had surprised him. “Sure you can. Do you want me to prove it to you?”

“No, thank you.”

He chuckled softly. “In that case, I’ll let you get back to your game.” Without giving her a chance to say anything else, he opened the door and quickly walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

He paused for a second thinking it was obvious that they had the hots for each other. If she remained under his roof there was no way he would be able to keep his hands off her. He wondered if the kisses they’d shared would be a determining factor in whether she stayed or went back to Waco. Would living together be too much of a temptation? Thirty days was a long time.

She’d said she wasn’t used to sleeping in any bed other than her own. In a way he had been glad to hear that. On the other hand, he figured she had to know that if she remained at the Golden Glade, at the rate they were going, she would eventually share his.

As he made his way toward his bedroom, thinking about the explosive chemistry between them began to annoy the hell out of him. He was a man known to have a multitude of control. In the past when lust consumed his body he had a way of dealing with it. Any available and willing woman would do. But he had a feeling that his usual solution would not work this time. His body wanted only one woman and that wasn’t good.

* * *

Alyssa released a deep breath the moment Clint closed the door behind him. It was simply amazing that one man could have that kind of effect on her. Every single time she saw him, every time he kissed her the result was the same—passion. When would the attraction she had for him wear off? What if it never did?

Maybe she needed to rethink her decision to remain at Clint’s ranch for the thirty days. It was a decision she hadn’t yet told him she’d made, only because she had mentioned that she would need to sleep on it. And she had, which was the main reason she was up now. Once the decision had been made she couldn’t get her body to go back to sleep. It had become restless and for the first time ever, fiercely aroused.

And for him to find her in his office wearing only a large T-shirt was embarrassing. But the house had been quiet for a long while and she figured everyone had gone to bed for the night. His bedroom was in a different wing and so she had assumed the coast was clear. She thought that she could sneak into his office for a while and not be noticed. But he had noticed. And so she made a new promise—no more late-night game-playing on the computer for her.

She inhaled deeply. In the morning she would tell him of her decision to stay. She would also tell him that her decision came with stipulations. He’d said earlier that day, after their first kiss, that he was able to control his desire for her. If kissing her the way he did was his desire under control, she didn’t want to think how the kiss would be with those same desires unleashed.

Chapter 6

Alyssa’s heart immediately began beating harder when she walked into the kitchen the next morning to find Clint seated at the table. Although it appeared he was just starting in on breakfast, she knew he was there waiting on her. His expression indicated that he wanted to know her decision.

She glanced around the large kitchen, trying to ignore the pulse that was erratically thumping in her throat. It was a sin and shame that Clint looked so good this early in the morning. He was staring at her with those dark, piercing eyes of his, and the way the sunlight captured the well-defined planes of his face made him appear hauntingly handsome. Alyssa found his good looks quite disturbing, given the fact she was trying to resist her attraction to him.

Seeing him only reminded her of her behavior with him last night in his office. He had once again kissed her mindless, engulfing her with a degree of passion she thought was possible only in those romance novels Aunt Claudine read. Alyssa had gone to bed dreaming about him, their kiss and the things she wanted to do with him beyond a kiss. She had awakened mortified that such thoughts had entered her mind. She would need to take steps to make sure her dreams never became a reality.

For her own sake and well-being, she had reached the conclusion that setting ground rules with Clint would be the only way they would survive living under the same roof. Otherwise, she was setting herself up for many tiring days and disturbing nights, Alyssa realized.

“Where’s Chester?” she asked.

Clint leaned back in his chair. “He’s off on Wednesdays. At least, he takes off after breakfast and then returns at dinnertime. It’s the day he’s at the children’s hospital being Snuggles the Clown.”

Alyssa lifted a brow. “Snuggles the Clown?”

“He spends his day in the children’s ward making the kids laugh. He’s been doing it for over twenty years now and he’s a big hit. That’s how he and Uncle Sid met. Chester used to be a rodeo clown,” Clint said.

At first Alyssa couldn’t picture Chester as a clown, but then as she thought about it, she changed her mind. He had a friendly air about him and would probably be someone who loved kids. She didn’t know any clowns and found the thought of him being one fascinating. “You have to love kids to do something like that,” she said.

“He does. It was unfortunate that he and Ada never had any of their own.”

“Was Ada his wife?”

“Yes. They were married over thirty years. She died six years ago from an acute case of pneumonia,” Clint explained.

“That’s sad,” she said quietly.

“It was. He took her death pretty hard. They had a very strong marriage.”

A very strong marriage. Alyssa wondered if that meant the same thing as the two of them were deeply in love. “So he’s been working at the ranch a long time?”

“Yes, Chester’s been working here since before I was born,” Clint said.

Alyssa could hear something in Clint’s voice that went beyond a mere liking for Chester. It was easy to tell that Clint considered Chester more than just a housekeeper and a cook. He considered the man an intricate part of his family. While giving her a tour of the outside of the house, he had introduced her to several of the men who worked for him. Some of them were older and full of experience in the taming of the horses. The younger ones were learning the ropes, but everyone, as Clint had been quick to point out, played an important part in the running of his operation. The men had been friendly and respectful and when he had introduced her as nothing more than a good friend, it was apparent they had accepted his word.

“You’d better dig in while the food is warm,” Clint said.

Taking his statement to mean he was tired of answering her questions, she walked over to the stove to fix her plate and pour a cup of coffee, feeling Clint’s gaze on her with every move she made.

“I’m glad you know to do that,” he said.

She turned and looked at him, bewildered. “Do what?”

“Fix your own food.”

At her confused look he said, “A lot of women wouldn’t. They would expect to be waited on hand and foot.”

Alyssa turned back around to scoop eggs onto her plate wondering if he’d ever met Kim. Her cousin would definitely be one of those type of women. Uncle Jessie still called Kim his princess and she took it literally. “Well, I’m not one of them,” she said when she came to the table to sit down. “I’m used to fending for myself.”

She had barely taken her seat when Clinton folded his arms across his chest and asked, “Okay, what have you decided?”

Instead of answering him, she stared down into the dark liquid of her coffee for a moment before glancing up at him. “Do you have to know this minute?”

“Any reason you can’t tell me this minute?” he countered, with a little irritation in his voice.

She set her cup down knowing the last thing they needed was to get agitated with each other. Besides, he was right. There wasn’t a reason she couldn’t tell him now. “No, I guess not.”

She didn’t say anything for a few moments and then met his gaze. “Before I commit to anything, I want you to agree to something,” she said.

He lifted a dark brow. “Agree to what?”

“Agree that you won’t try to get me into your bed.”

He smiled. “My bed?”

“Or any bed in this house.” She thought it best to clarify. “And to be more specific, I want your word that you won’t try to seduce me into bed with you.”

He laughed softly and held her gaze for a long moment. “Define seduce,” he said.

Alyssa was aware that he was toying with her, but she was more determined than ever to make sure he understood her position. “You’re a man, Clint. You know very well what seduction entails,” she said.

His smile deepened. “And you think I’d do something like that?”

She didn’t hesitate in answering. “Yes. I’m certain of it. In less than twenty-four hours we’ve kissed twice, which leads me to believe you would try seducing me.”

He stared at her for a moment, eyed her reflectively and then said, “You’re right. I would in a heartbeat.” And then he asked, “And we’ve kissed twice, you say?”

Like he didn’t know it. “Yes,” she said, now very annoyed.

“Want to go for three?” he murmured in a voice that was so husky that it sent shivers through her body.

She eyed him sternly. “I’m serious, Clint.”

“So am I.”

She stared into his deep, penetrating gaze. Yes, he was serious. He was dead serious. The very thought that he wanted to kiss her again, tangle his tongue with hers and taste her, made the breath she was breathing get caught in her throat. Had he just admitted that he enjoyed kissing her? Well, she could admit that she enjoyed kissing him, as well. There was something devastatingly mind-blowing about the feel of him thrusting his tongue deep into her mouth, moving it around, latching on to hers and...

“Anything else you want from me?”

She shot him a cool look. “Maybe I’d better add kissing to the mix. I think it’s a good idea if we refrain from doing it,” she said.

“That can’t happen,” he said. She noticed that his lips curved into an easy smile.

His response had been quick and decisive. Alyssa tried remaining calm. She felt a rush of blood that gushed through her veins. “Why can’t it happen?”

“Because we enjoy kissing too much. The best thing to do is to stay in control when we do kiss. Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with us kissing. It’s merely a friendly form of greeting,” he said.

Yeah. Right. It was a form of greeting that she could do without. Especially because kissing Clint Westmoreland made her want to indulge in other things. Things that were better left alone.

“Like I said, Alyssa,” he said, interrupting her thoughts. “The key is self-control. As much as I want you and as much as kissing you places temptation in my path, I promise I won’t take our attraction to the next level. I have too much work to do around here to get involved with a woman—in any way,” he said.

She admired his iron-clad control...if he really had it. He sounded so confident, so sure of himself, she would love to test his endurance level to see what it could or could not withstand.

“But I have to admit you bring something to the table a lot of women haven’t,” he said.

She glanced over at him and her pulse jumped at the way he was looking at her.

“And what might that be?” she asked softly.

“Although it’s only on paper, you’re my wife. Perhaps it is because I’ve seen things from a male perspective, but it’s as if knowing you’re bound to me is opening up desires and urges that I usually don’t have. The fact that we are married makes me crave things.”

She frowned. In other words, having a woman under his roof was making him horny, Alyssa quickly surmised. “Then I need to add another condition to my visit. That from a female perspective, whatever desires are opening up for you, I suggest that you take your time and close them. I may not have all the self-control you claim to have, but I have no interest in getting involved with a man—in any way. Besides, if I were to get involved with a man it would have to be serious. I’m not into casual relationships where the only goal is relieving sexual frustrations,” she said.

He was silent for a moment as he stared at her, and for a fraction of a second she thought she saw a challenging glint in his gaze. And then he said, “I won’t try getting you into my bed...or yours...but I won’t promise to keep my mouth to myself. I can’t see us denying ourselves that one bit of indulgence.”

“Why? When it won’t lead anywhere?”

He inclined his head. His gaze locked with hers. “I desire you. Kissing you is a way to work you out of my system. I believe the same could be said for you, as well. At the end of the thirty days I suspect you will be ready to leave as much as I’ll be ready for you to leave,” he said.

Alyssa held his gaze and read what she saw in his eyes. He really believed that and she would go even further to say he was counting on it.

“Because we would have kissed each other out of our systems by then?” she asked, needing to be sure she understood his logic in all of this.

“Yes,” he replied evenly.

“And you think you’re that elusive and wild at heart.”

He lifted a brow. “Wild at heart?”

“Yes. You don’t think there’s a woman who exists who’s capable of capturing your heart,” she said.

“I know there’s not.”

He had said the words with such venom that she was forced to ask. “Have you ever been in love, Clint?”

She could tell by the look that appeared in his eyes that her question surprised him. She saw the way his shoulders tightened, the firm grip he held on his coffee cup and knew she had waded into turbulent waters.

For a while she thought he wasn’t going to respond, but then he did.

“No,” he said.

For some reason she didn’t believe him. Not that she thought he was lying to her, but she figured that the love he might have had for someone had been so effectively destroyed that it was hard to recall when that emotion had ever gripped his heart. It had been that way for her after she’d discovered what Kevin had done. It was as if her love had gotten obliterated with that one single act of unfaithfulness. She couldn’t help wondering about the woman who had crushed Clint’s heart.

“Are you satisfied with our agreement?”

Alyssa dragged in a deep breath. The issue of them kissing hadn’t been fully resolved to her liking, but the way she saw it, he was not a man to force himself on anyone. If she resisted his kisses enough times, he would find some other game to amuse himself. “Yes, I’m satisfied,” she said.

“So, are you agreeing to remain here for thirty days, live under the same roof with me?”

Intimate images flooded her mind. She forced them out. His home was humongous. His bedroom was on one side of the house and hers on the other. Chances were there would be days when their paths wouldn’t even cross. “Yes, I’m agreeing to do just that,” she said.

He nodded. “I’ll call Hightower and let him know. By the way, what about more clothes for you? You only brought an overnight bag,” Clint said.

“I spoke with my aunt yesterday and she told me if I decided to stay she would send me some things.”

“Your aunt is the only family you have?”

She might as well be, she wanted to say.

“No, I have an uncle and several cousins,” she said instead. “My mother sent me to live with my grandfather and Aunt Claudine when I was thirteen. Over the years Aunt Claudine has become a surrogate mother to me,” she added.

“And your grandfather?”

A pain settled in her heart. She wanted to correct him so badly.

“My grandfather died four years ago,” she said softly.

“That was about the same time I lost my mother,” he said, looking down at the coffee in his cup. She could hear the sadness in his voice. He glanced up and at that moment an emotion passed between them—a deep understanding of how it felt to lose someone you truly cared about.

“Were you close to her?” she asked.

“Yes. Casey, Cole and I were her world and she was ours. She and Uncle Sid, along with Chester and the other old-timers on the ranch were our family. What about your mother? You said she sent you to live with your grandfather and aunt when you were thirteen. Do the two of you still keep in touch?”

In a way Alyssa wished he would have asked her anything but that. That her mother could so easily send her away and not stay in touch was still a pain that would occasionally slither through her heart.

“No. I haven’t seen or heard from my mother since the day she sent me away,” she said.

Deciding she didn’t want to subject herself to any more of his inquiries about her family, she stood. “I need to make a few calls. In addition to contacting my aunt, I need to make sure I have everything I need to continue my business while I’m here. That means I will need to use your computer a lot,” she said.

“I don’t have a problem with that.”

Alyssa nodded. “Okay. I’m sure you have a lot to do today, as well,” she said, picking up her plate and cup and carrying both over to the sink. “And since today is Chester’s day off, I’ll take care of the dishes as soon as I’ve made those calls.”

With nothing else to say, Alyssa walked out of the kitchen.

* * *

Clint continued to sit at the table. From the moment he had gotten the letter from the bureau advising him of his marriage to Alyssa, he had simply assumed that getting out of the marriage would be easy—a piece of cake. He had miscalculated on a number of things. First, the bureau being so hard-nosed over such a blatant mistake and second, his attraction to the woman who was legally his wife. Now, he was fully committed to go to extraordinary restrictions to keep his hands off of her. In other words, to stay out of her bed and to make sure she stayed out of his.

Neither would be easy.

That was what made the thought of the next thirty days so disconcerting. A part of him wanted to rebel. Why not have sex with her? After all it was just sex, no big deal. They were mature adults who evidently had healthy appetites with no desire to get caught up in anything other than the moment. Right? Wrong.

He couldn’t help but recall her words about not being one to indulge in casual affairs, which gave him a glimpse into her character. While engaging her in conversation, he had taken in everything she’d said—even some things she hadn’t said, especially about her family.

The Texas Ranger in him could detect when someone was withholding information. He hadn’t wanted to pry, but she’d deliberately omitted mentioning a few things. Such as why her mother had given her up at thirteen and had never once come back to see her. And when she had mentioned her cousins he hadn’t heard that deep sense of love and warmth he’d felt whenever he spoke of his. Granted, he didn’t expect every family to be like the Westmorelands, but still he would think there was a closeness there. He had heard the deep love and affection in her voice when she had spoken of her grandfather and aunt.

And then he could very well be reading more into it than was there. It could be that she was a private person and hadn’t felt the need or wasn’t stirred by any desire to tell him any more than she had. Wife or no wife, it wasn’t “expose your soul to Clint” day.

He rubbed his hand down his face. Why did he even care? he wondered. What was there about Alyssa that made him want to dig deeper and unravel her inner being, layer by layer? With that thought in mind, he was about to get up from the table when his cell phone went off. He stood to pull it off the attachment on his belt. “Hello,” he said.

“So what’s this I hear about you having a wife?”

He couldn’t help but smile when he sat back down. He could envision his sister with her long black lashes lifting in a way that said she had every right to know everything she asked him.

“I see Chester’s loose lips have been flapping again,” he muttered, thinking he needed to have a talk with the old man. Of course, Clint knew that all the talk in the world wouldn’t do any good with Chester.

“He knew I had a right to know,” Casey Westmoreland Quinn said in a serious tone. “So tell me about her.”

He sighed. Since she hadn’t asked what happened to make him have a wife in the first place, he could only assume that Chester had covered that information with her already. “What do you want to know?”

“Everything. What’s her name? Where is she from? How old is she? Is she someone that you used to work with who I’ve met already? And so on and so forth.”

Clint frowned. Alyssa reminded him of Casey with her endless questions.

“Her name is Alyssa Barkley. She’s from Waco and she’s twenty-seven. And no, you’ve never met her. She became a Ranger right out of college and then left not long after that assignment we did together. She was only with the Rangers for a year,” he said.

“So you didn’t make a good impression on her then, did you?”

“I wasn’t trying to. I was all into Chantelle at the time,” he said.

“Please don’t mention her name,” Casey said in feigned terror.

Clint chuckled. Casey and Chantelle had never gotten along from day one. His sister had warned him about her but he wouldn’t listen. Now he wished he had. But at the time he had been thinking with the lower part of his body and not his brain. Chantelle caught the attention of any man within one hundred feet. But then so did Alyssa. However, it had taken only a few moments spent with Alyssa to know she and Chantelle were very different.

Alyssa wasn’t all into herself. She didn’t think she was responsible for the sun rising and setting each day. Chantelle had thought she was all that, and like a testosterone-packed fool, he had played right into her hands without considering the consequences.

“So what have the two of you decided to do since the bureau won’t annul your marriage?”

Casey’s question reeled his thoughts back in. “Do what they want and live together for thirty days,” he said.

“That’s asking a lot of the two of you. Maybe you ought to seek out the advice of an attorney,” Casey said.

“We thought of that, but in the end it might only delay things,” he said, and his conversation with Jared last night had only confirmed his suspicions. “Alyssa thinks it will work since she’s able to do her job from anywhere. She’s a website designer.”

“Um, maybe you can get her to design the website for Uncle Sid’s foundation that we’re setting up,” Casey suggested.

“I mentioned it to her briefly, and you’re right. It might be something she can do while she’s here if she has the time.”

“She’ll be at the ranch when McKinnon and I visit in a few weeks,” Casey said as if thinking out loud. “I’m looking forward to meeting her.”

Casey’s intonation immediately sent up red flags. He knew his sister. After that Chantelle fiasco she had gotten a little overprotective where he was concerned. He found it rather amusing although not necessary. “Don’t forget who’s the oldest, Casey,” he decided to remind her.

Over the phone line he heard her unladylike snort. “But only by a mere fourteen minutes. I would have been the oldest if it wasn’t for Cole holding me back.”

Clint laughed. That’s the reason Casey liked telling everyone for her being the last born. She had gotten that tale from Chester, who had convinced her she was in position to be born first. “Whatever. Look, Case, I have a lot of work to do around here today. I’m expecting another shipment of horses,” he said.

“Wonderful. McKinnon and I will talk with you later to let you know the exact day we’ll be arriving.”

Moments later Clint ended the call with Casey thinking that she was usually a good judge of character. He wondered what she would think of Alyssa.

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