Unable to handle the intensity of his gaze or the pa.s.sion he was stirring within her any longer, she drew in a deep breath before stepping away from the window.

Chloe fought the urge to rush downstairs and meet him at the door, to throw her arms around him and lift her mouth up to him, to be bold enough to take his mouth with the same intensity that he'd taken hers with earlier that day. She shook her head knowing there was no way she could or would do such a thing.

Removing her robe, she slipped into her pj's, deciding to stick with her original plan to remain in her room for the rest of the evening. She and Ramsey might be under the same roof, but the less time they spent together, the better. And she had a good reason for feeling that way. She was getting drawn to him in a way that was more emotional than physical. She wished she could blame what she was feeling on irrational hormones but she knew that wasn't the case. Something else was taking place and she didn't want to think what that something could possibly be.

She felt vulnerable around him, like he could be the one man who could pull her into him so much that she would forget about herself. Daren had tried and failed. But a part of her knew if Ramsey took a mind to doing so that he would be successful. He had the ability to break through all the emotional walls she'd erected since her breakup with Daren.

With Ramsey she could feel herself losing her sense of will, her sense of logic and her common sense. There was something about him that was making her think things that she shouldn't. Like a little girl with those same set of dark eyes or a son with Ramsey's smile. She would admit right then and there if she was interested in a serious involvement with a man, he would head the list. And that worried her.

Ramsey opened the door to his home and leaned against it for a moment. He was fully aroused. The last thing he had expected when he'd pulled into his yard was to get out of his truck and partic.i.p.ate in mind s.e.x. He had stood there staring at Chloe while his entire mind had partaken in the most erotic fantasy possible. There was no part of him that had not been stimulated.

Through the window he could tell she was wearing a robe and he figured she was naked underneath. The thought of a naked Chloe had made him hard. Desire had surged through him in a way that it had never done before. While standing there staring at her he'd actually felt every muscle in his body tighten.

He glanced up at the stairs knowing the object of his desire, his red-hot pa.s.sion and his erotic fantasies was up there behind closed doors. He was tempted, boy was he tempted, to go right up those stairs, knock on her door and kiss her in a way that would make the kiss they'd shared that morning seem like child's play. And now that her taste was embedded onto his tongue, he wanted more of it, doubted he would be able to get enough.

He rubbed his hand down his face wondering what in the h.e.l.l was wrong with him. He had been around beautiful women before. For a while his sisters, who felt he'd still been hurting over Danielle's betrayal, had tried their hands at matchmaking. But no woman had held his interest until now. He was finding it hard to resist her. She was temptation at its very best. And on top of everything else, he was feeling emotions that he couldn't quite identify. The woman was bewitching him.

He had remained in his office the majority of the day, but all it took was to hear the laughter and the excitement in the voices of his men when they'd arrived at lunch to know that once again Chloe had made their day. That point was proven when he'd checked the shearing records for today. More sheep than normal had been sheared. h.e.l.l, they had basically set a record. That meant there was a connection between their cheerful att.i.tudes and the work they did. A happy employee produced more and for the past two days his men had produced. And when he had dropped by the shearing plant this evening, right before closing time, he could hear the excitement in their voices when they talked about breakfast in the morning. After the omelets their antic.i.p.ation as to what tomorrow morning would bring was evident.

He drew in a deep breath and it was at that moment he picked up the smell of something delicious. Pushing away from the door, he crossed the room to the kitchen and saw that Chloe had prepared his dinner again. He lifted the pots and checked the oven. She had made baked chicken, field peas, rice and gravy, and macaroni and cheese. A real Southern meal, something a westerner like him could appreciate. He had acquired a taste for Southern cuisine after meeting the Atlanta Westmorelands.

Deciding he would wash up for dinner, he moved toward the bathroom thinking he had deliberately stayed away today. That kiss he and Chloe had shared had shredded his senses, making resisting her nearly impossible. It was already rumored by his men that he had the hots for her and he didn't want to give them any more to talk about or speculate on. So leaving here for a while had been the decision that he'd made.

And then he'd had to deal with the ribbing from his brothers, Jason and Callum. Trying to convince them that Chloe was nothing more than his cook was beginning to sound lame even to his ears. He had walked away from them when he saw they were intent on drawing their own conclusions about his and Chloe's relationship, and he'd made a point not to accept their invitation for a game of poker over at Jason's place.

Luckily for him Dillon and Pamela had returned to town for a few days for Dillon to attend a business meeting, so he'd had the chance to visit with them. The newly married couple divided their time between here and Pamela's home in Gamble, Wyoming, because one of Pamela's sisters was in her last year of high school.

Dillon seemed extremely happy as a married man and Ramsey was happy for him. From the time he could remember, he and Dillon had been closer than just cousins. In essence, they were best friends and when their parents had perished in that plane crash, he had more than supported Dillon's desire to keep the family together.

Because Dillon was the oldest by some months, he had become head of the family and guardian for everyone. But the two of them had worked hard. It hadn't been easy raising their siblings and cousins, nine of whom had been under the age of sixteen.

Now all of them were over twenty-one, either in college or working alongside Dillon at Blue Ridge Land Development, the company that the two Westmoreland brothers-his father and Dillon's-had formed many years ago. Under Dillon's guidance, Blue Ridge was now a multimillion dollar company well known in the Mountain States. It employed over a thousand people. Every family member had worked there at some point in their lives before pursuing their dreams and other ambitions.

An hour later Ramsey had finished eating and was still licking his lips. The meal had been delicious. Chloe hadn't come downstairs and in a way he hadn't expected her to. She was well aware, just like he was, that something was taking place between them and it was something neither of them wanted. So it would be best to avoid the situation by avoiding each other. The attraction between them was too strong, the pa.s.sion was too thick. And she was becoming his weakness. If he didn't get things in check, the desire he felt for her would consume him and that was something he simply refused to let happen.

He shook his head as he moved toward the stairs and the moment he lifted his leg to take a step he inhaled her scent. It was the scent of a woman he wanted. Her fragrance was emitting from behind closed doors, drenching the air, teasing his nostrils and making him even more aroused. He hadn't gotten much sleep last night and he doubted things would be any better tonight.

When he reached the landing, he worked his shoulders to relieve the tension that had built there. Drawing in a heated breath he made it down the hall, forcing one foot in front of the other, intent on pa.s.sing Chloe's door without stopping.

Easier said than done. When he reached her door he couldn't help but pause. He even raised his hand to knock before s.n.a.t.c.hing it back to his side.

What the h.e.l.l was happening to him?

He forced himself away from her door and quickly moved down the hall toward his own. He had to formulate a plan, at least until the weekend. Hopefully, she would leave those two days to go back to her own place, get her mail, water her plants, check in with her neighbors or whatever else she needed to do. By then they would need the distance. They would need the s.p.a.ce. The weekend was three days away and he hoped like h.e.l.l that he could hold out until then.

Seven.

"So what do you think of Derringer?"

Chloe couldn't stop the smile from touching her lips. This was the third time this weekend that Lucia had asked that same question. "I told you twice already, but I'll tell you again," she teased, as she pulled off her jacket. "He is a very handsome man. I like him. He, Zane and Jason come by for breakfast and lunch quite a bit. They're nice guys. Big teasers."

She saw the wistful look in Lucia's eyes. They had just returned from having dinner together after going to a movie. "You know how you can make yourself known, don't you?"

Lucia rolled her eyes. "I know how you you would make yourself known to him, Clo. You go after whatever it is that you want. You're daring. I'm not." would make yourself known to him, Clo. You go after whatever it is that you want. You're daring. I'm not."

Chloe placed her hands on her hips. "So what are you going to do, Lou? Wait another year or so for him to need more paint thinner and hope you're in your father's store when he does?"

Lucia dropped down on her sofa with a downhearted look on her face. "Of course not." She then looked up at Chloe. "Enough about me since I refuse to have a pity party. How close are you to getting Ramsey to do the magazine cover and interview?"

Chloe shook her head and dropped down beside Lucia, looking just as downhearted. "It's not going well. Ramsey is avoiding me like the plague."

"Why?"

Chloe smiled over at her friend. "Too much s.e.xual chemistry in the air when we're within ten feet of each other."

"Must be nice."

Chloe leaned back against the sofa and closed her eyes thinking that in essence it should should be nice, but it wasn't. Ramsey made an appearance only when he had to. He got up each morning for his cup of coffee while she prepared breakfast and instead of hanging around, he took his breakfast and coffee into his office, claiming he had a lot of work to do. He came out for lunch to eat with his men, said very little and only stayed long enough to eat and leave. In the evenings, although she prepared dinner for him each evening, he usually stayed away until he was sure she was in bed. be nice, but it wasn't. Ramsey made an appearance only when he had to. He got up each morning for his cup of coffee while she prepared breakfast and instead of hanging around, he took his breakfast and coffee into his office, claiming he had a lot of work to do. He came out for lunch to eat with his men, said very little and only stayed long enough to eat and leave. In the evenings, although she prepared dinner for him each evening, he usually stayed away until he was sure she was in bed.

He hadn't been home when she'd left to come here for the weekend. She had left a note on the kitchen table letting him know she would be returning Sunday evening. She had left her cell number in case something came up and she needed to be reached.

A smile touched her lips. Who was she kidding? She was hoping he would contact her for any reason and that wasn't good.

"Okay, Clo, you've gotten quiet on me. Open those eyes and tell me what's going on."

Chloe slowly opened her eyes to gaze over into Lucia's curious ones. She had an idea what was going on, but to say it out loud would be speaking it into existence and she wasn't ready to do that yet. There was no way she could tell Lucia that she might not be the only woman who'd fallen for a Westmoreland man.

"Stop being a worry wart. Nothing is going on." Chloe drew in a breath thinking that Lucia had no idea just how true that was. Nothing was really going on. She was no closer to getting Ramsey to agree to that cover or an interview than before she'd shown up. Somehow, she had to get him to stop avoiding her, s.e.xual chemistry or no s.e.xual chemistry. And if she were to come clean now and tell him the truth, he would probably kick her off his land so fast it would make her head spin.

She stood, not ready for Lucia to question her further about anything. "It's late and I think I'll turn in early."

"I think I'll turn in as well. Mom and Dad invited us to dinner after church tomorrow and then later Aunt Pauline wants us to drop by her place."

"All right and then after that I need to return to the Westmoreland place." This would be her last week and she needed to make some kind of headway.

Later that night as Chloe lay in bed, images of Ramsey flowed through her mind. Two days ago while preparing lunch she had glanced out the window in time to see a shirtless Ramsey carrying a lamb in his arms across the yard to the barn. With jeans riding low on his hips she had stared at his physique, taking in every inch of his tight abs, strong arms and tight buns. He was the only man alive who could literally make her drool.

And if that wasn't bad enough, the following morning at breakfast when he'd sat with his men, she saw again how well he got along with them as well as his brothers and cousin.

She shifted in bed admitting she missed him. She missed the ranch. And as crazy as it sounded, she even missed preparing food for the men. They were so appreciative and complimentary.

She closed her eyes thinking of Ramsey and knowing she would be glad to see him tomorrow when she returned to the ranch.

Ramsey pushed back the curtain and looked out, something he'd done too many times over the past hour. Where was she? The note she'd left on the kitchen table said she would return Sunday evening. In his part of the world the evening time came well before ten at night. The last time he had glanced at the clock it was heading toward the eleventh hour.

She had left her phone number, but he had thrown it away, refusing to be tempted to call her and now he was worried. What if something had happened. He had no way of reaching her and had no idea just where she lived in the city.

It had rained earlier and the road off the main highway leading to Westmoreland Country was known to be slippery after a storm. He let the curtain slip back in place and began pacing the floor again. At that moment he realized just how little he knew about Chloe, other than she was the woman who aroused him to no end.

This was crazy. He'd let a woman in his house to cook for his men, sleep in his guestroom, use his washer and dryer to wash her bed linens before she'd taken off for the weekend, and all he knew about her was her name.

Okay, he knew a little bit more about her than that. He knew she was a h.e.l.l of a cook and beautiful as beautiful could get. He knew she had a h.e.l.l of a body, although he was yet to see her bare legs. He knew she got along with his men and had cooked a huge chocolate cake last week when Colin Lawrence had turned fifty.

He also knew what she did to him whenever she looked at him for any length of time. Truth was, although he wished like h.e.l.l he didn't have to admit it, in one short week he'd discovered a taste unlike any he'd ever sampled before, and her scent was one h.e.l.l of a fragrance, an aroma he could breathe into his nostrils for days. But she had managed to do something no other woman had been capable of doing in ten years.

She had ignited his pa.s.sion.

He wanted to know how it felt to lose himself inside her, to feel her heat, have her body, legs and all, wrapped all around him, feel his erection swell to the fullest size possible inside her, and be as greedy for her b.r.e.a.s.t.s as he was for her mouth.

His hands clenched into fists at his side. He was the Westmoreland, so he'd been told, who had the least amount of charm. The one who didn't need s.e.x as often as the rest to maintain a normal life. Yet here he was with his heart thumping like crazy in his chest as he imagined doing all kinds of naughty things to Chloe. For the first time in h.e.l.l knows when, he was thinking about getting laid. Bottom line, he was h.o.r.n.y as h.e.l.l.

The unwanted direction of his thoughts no longer shocked him. Instead what it did was propel him to want to do more than think about it. He wanted to act on it and let the chips fall where they may. He wanted...

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of a vehicle pulling up. Quickly crossing the room he glanced out the window and saw it was Chloe returning. He frowned as he dropped the curtain back in place. She was late.

He dismissed the feeling of relief knowing she was all right and was filled with anger. The least she could have done was call to let him know she would be late. Standing across the room he faced the door with his arms over his chest. She had a lot of explaining to do. The nerve of her to make him worry for nothing.

Her scent filled the air the moment the door opened, but in anger he chose to ignore it. But when she walked over his threshold wearing a white blouse and a short denim skirt-with no leggings underneath-that showed the most beautiful pair of legs he had ever seen, he gritted his teeth knowing there was no way he could ignore them.

Chloe closed the door behind her, saw Ramsey standing across the room glaring and quickly knew she was so not ready for this. In fact, she had decided to wait before returning in hopes that he would be in bed already. She tried to ignore how good he looked. The man wore a pair of jeans like they'd been made just for his body. They fit snug, showing impressive hard thighs and tight abs. Another thing she noticed was that it looked as if he hadn't shaved since she'd left. The stubble look suited him. It made him look even s.e.xier in a sinful sort of way.

Trying to take her mind off his ultra-fine body, she stared back at him, wondering what his problem was. She had left everything in perfect order before she'd headed into town for the weekend. She had even washed and dried her bed linens, although he'd mentioned he had a housekeeper who came every Sat.u.r.day morning to clean and do laundry. And why was he staring at her legs like he'd never seen a pair of legs before? Her skirt was short, but it wasn't that short. She'd worn some shorter. If he was about to tell her there was something wrong with her outfit, that it wasn't appropriate to wear on his ranch, then she would let him have it.

Deciding to just get this over with and give just as good as she got, she lifted her chin, glared back at him and asked, "Ramsey, is there a problem?"

Ramsey's gut clenched and his jaw tightened. Her legs were long and shapely. They were the kind that looked perfect in a short dress from the top of her thighs all the way down to her ankles.

"Ramsey, I asked was there a problem?" she asked testily.

His gaze moved from her legs to her face. "You're late."

What on earth did he mean by that? Chloe wondered as a confused frown covered her face. She must have heard him wrong. "Excuse me?"

"I said you're late. Your note said you would be returning Sunday evening and it's almost eleven."

She dropped her overnight bag by her feet. "And what of it? I'm not on a time clock. In fact, I am not even working for you today. As long as I'm here to prepare breakfast in the morning what business is it of yours?"

Ramsey stiffened. She had asked a good question. What business was it of his? He then said the first thing that came to his mind. "This is my house."

She seemed taken aback by that response. "Are you standing here telling me that I have a curfew?"

Was that what he was saying? He shook his head. "No, you don't have a curfew, but since you left a note saying you would be returning in the evening, at least you could have had the decency to call." He shook his head. "No, you don't have a curfew, but since you left a note saying you would be returning in the evening, at least you could have had the decency to call."

Her gaze locked on his face. Decency? Decency? Blood rushed through her veins as anger consumed her. He had the gall to utter such a word? She crossed the room to him. "Let's talk about decency, Ramsey. If you would have had the Blood rushed through her veins as anger consumed her. He had the gall to utter such a word? She crossed the room to him. "Let's talk about decency, Ramsey. If you would have had the decency decency to be here when I left instead of avoiding me like I have the pox, I would not have had to leave that note." to be here when I left instead of avoiding me like I have the pox, I would not have had to leave that note."

Ramsey was taken aback by Chloe's anger. As far as he was concerned she didn't have a d.a.m.n thing to be angry about. She hadn't been the one who'd endured sleepless nights knowing she was just down the hall from him when the need to bury himself deep inside her had nearly driven him insane. h.e.l.l, if only she knew that the reason he'd deliberately made himself scarce most of last week was because anytime he saw her he got an automatic erection that wouldn't go down.

Furthermore, he was sick and tired of finding places to go in the afternoons just so he wouldn't be tempted to make one of those erotic dreams he'd had over the past week come true. Tired of unexplainable emotions, escalated hormones and a frantic urge to make love to her until neither of them had an ounce of energy left.

He took a step closer as his anger level moved up another notch. "You don't get it do you?" he asked in a voice that was rough, close to the edge. "I stayed away to do us both a favor, Chloe. Had I been here you would never have walked out that door."

The hard, cold reality was that he was a lit piece of dynamite ready to explode, preferably inside her. Point blank, he wanted her in a way he'd never wanted any woman and with a need that was pushing him over the edge and he was determined to take her right with him.

He could tell by her expression she hadn't liked what he'd said. She took a step closer, got in his face, put her mouth just inches from his, their noses almost touched. "Ha! And just what were you going to do? Tie me up?"

A slow smile slid over his lips. If only she knew how many times such a thought had crossed his mind. He'd never been into that bondage stuff, but he could just imagine such a thing with her. "Considering the state I've been in all week, the state I happen to be in right now, tying you up would have definitely been an option."

Chloe stared at him, stunned at his admission, and at that moment she realized not only what he'd said but what he'd meant. Somewhere along the line their conversation had become s.e.xual. Maybe for him it had always been that way, but due to her raging anger she had failed to see it. However, she was seeing it now. She could feel his heat and that heat was being pa.s.sed on to her. Even the distended nipples pressing against her blouse felt like they were ready to detonate. And the area between her legs, more specifically the depths of her womb, felt hot.

"And do you know what I would have done after tying you up, Chloe?"

Nibbling on her bottom lip she held his gaze while her entire body felt like a bonfire. She'd never considered herself a fiercely pa.s.sionate woman, but at that moment the raw images going through her mind, of her bound to his bed, legs spread, with him naked and crawling over her, to mate with her, had her speechless.

He didn't wait for her to respond to his question. "I would have stripped you naked and then licked you all over from head to toe."

Added to the very image flowing in her mind, she could definitely see him doing that. A heated ache settled between her thighs and when she felt her panties get wet she tightened her legs together. Hot pa.s.sion, deep desire was taking over her entire body with his words and every part of her was responding, without any restraints.

"But do you know where my mouth would have lingered, Chloe? Where it would have devoured you to the fullest, given you the most sensual pleasure?"

When she didn't say anything, he leaned in, whispered close to her ear and what he said, as well as the erotic picture his words made, had her weak in the knees. And it didn't help matters that she could feel the warmth of his breath against her neck.

"And trust me, you aren't out of the woods yet," he said in a deep, husky and s.e.xually-laden voice. "So if you don't want me with the same intensity that I want you, with the same intensity that I plan on taking you, then I suggest you walk out that door right now, because I refuse to avoid you any longer."

Chloe swallowed tightly while admitting inwardly that she wanted him, wanted him to take her and with the same intensity he was alluding to. There was no way she could or would deny that. And she knew that standing before her was a fiercely pa.s.sionate man. She had known it from the first time she had seen him that day crossing the street. There had been something about him that had sent a sensual thrill through her, had made her entirely aware of him as a woman. It had made her fantasize about him every night since then. So what he was threatening to do stimulated her more than he would ever know.

But then at the same time, he was giving her an out without having to feel guilty about leaving him in a tough spot in regard to losing a cook. She should take it. But the bottom line was that she didn't want to take it. She wanted to take him instead.

"Chloe?"

Her name flowed from his lips in a deeply throaty tone. She met his gaze. "Yes?"