Breaking Bailey's Rules(9)

“Yes. He and I go a long way back, so we’re best buds. I take care of him and he takes care of me.” She smiled. “Let me rephrase that. JoJo helps me take care of him.”

“JoJo is Stern’s wife, right? The mechanic?”

“Yes,” Bailey said, reaching her truck. “The best in Denver. Probably the country. The wor—”

“Okay, I get the picture.”

She threw her head back and laughed as she opened her truck door. She climbed inside, buckled up and waited until he did the same. “So where are we headed?” he asked.

She looked over at him. “Bailey’s Bay.”



Walker had heard about Bailey’s Bay and had even covered parts of it yesterday while out horseback riding with Ramsey and Zane. He’d been told by Dillon that Westmoreland Country sat on over eighteen hundred acres. Since Dillon was the eldest, he had inherited the main house along with the three hundred acres it sat on. Everyone else, upon reaching the age of twenty-five, received one hundred acres to call their own. Bailey had decided to name each person’s homestead and had come up with names such as Ramsey’s Web, Stern’s Stronghold, Zane’s Hideout, Derringer’s Dungeon and Megan’s Meadows. She had named hers Bailey’s Bay.

“I understand you haven’t built on your property yet,” he said, looking out the window. Because of the darkness, there wasn’t much to see.

“That’s right. There’s no need. I have too many cousins and siblings with guest rooms at their homes. And then there’s Gemma’s house that sits empty most of the time since she’s living in Australia.”

He didn’t say anything but figured shifting from guest room to guest room and from house to house would get old. “You do plan to build one day though, right?”

“Yes, eventually. Right now Ramsey uses a lot of my land for sheep grazing, but that won’t stop me when I’m ready. I know exactly where I intend to sit my home, and it’s far away from the grazing land.”

“I bet your place will be a beauty whenever you decide to build.” He had seen all the other homes. Each one was breathtaking and said a lot about the owners’ personalities. He wondered what design Bailey would choose. Single story that spread out with several wings? Or a two-story mansion erected like a magnificent piece of art? Either one would be a lot of house for one person. But then didn’t the same hold true for the house he lived in? All that land and all that house.

“Yes. I plan to make it a masterpiece.”

He didn’t doubt that and could even visualize the home she would probably build for herself.

“Bailey’s Bay was chosen for me and sits next to Zane’s and between Ramsey and Dillon’s properties.” She chuckled. “That was a deliberate move on my brothers’ and cousins’ parts since they figured Zane would stay in my business, and Dillon and Ramsey were the only two people I would listen to.”

“Are they?”

“Pretty much, but sometimes I won’t listen to anyone.”

He couldn’t help but smile. Bailey was definitely a rebel. That was probably some of her appeal. That, along with her sensuality. He doubted she knew just how sensual she was. It would be any man’s downfall when she did realize it.

They didn’t say anything for a while, until she brought the truck to a stop. “Here we are.”

Thanks to the full moon and the stars overhead he could make out the lake. It stretched wide and endless and the waters were calm. From riding out here with Zane and Ramsey he knew the lake ran through most of the Westmoreland land. “Gemma Lake, right?”

“Yes. Raphel named it after my great-grandmother. I never knew them, or my grandparents for that matter. They died before I was born. But I heard they were great people and they left a wonderful legacy for us to be proud of.”

Walker thought about the legacy his own parents, grandparents and great-grandparents had left and how he’d almost turned his back on that legacy to go after what hadn’t been his dream but had been Kalyn’s dream. Never again would he allow any woman to have that much power over him.

So why was he here? He had been in a card game and Bailey had showed up, suggesting they leave, and he had. Why? Was he once again allowing a woman to make decisions for him?

Walker glanced over at her. She stared straight ahead and he wondered what she was thinking. He looked back at the lake. It was peaceful. He liked being here with Bailey, parked, sharing this moment with her.

He was well aware they were attracted to each other, although neither of them had acted on it. But the desire was there nonetheless. Whenever they were alone there was always some sort of sexual aura surrounding them. Like now.

Even when there were others around he was aware of her. Like that first night when everyone had shown up at Dillon’s for dinner. Walker had kept looking across the table at her, liking the sexy sound of her laugh. He had to be honest with himself—he had deliberately waited for her last night, outside by the barn, knowing she would eventually drop by Dillon’s house since Zane had mentioned she did it every day.

The effect she was having on him bothered him, which was why he’d changed his plans so he could leave Saturday evening after the wedding instead of on Monday. The last thing he needed was to get involved with Bailey Westmoreland. He would never marry again, and all he could ever offer her was an affair that led nowhere. That wouldn’t be good for her and could affect the friendships he’d made with her family.

He glanced over at her. “You said you wanted to talk,” he prompted. The sooner they finished the sooner they could leave. Being out here alone with her could lead to trouble.

She looked over at him. He could barely see her features in the moonlight but he didn’t need a bright light to know she was beautiful. She had rolled down the window a little and the cold air coming in enhanced her scent. It was filling his nostrils with the most luscious aroma.

But her looks and her scent weren’t the issue; nor should they be. He had to remember he deserved better than a woman who could be another Kalyn.

“About last night.”

That got his attention. “What about it?”

“I owe you an apology.”

“Do you?”

“Yes. I made accusations that I should not have.”

Yes, she had, but he couldn’t help wondering what had made her realize that fact. “What makes you so sure?”

She frowned. “Are you saying that I was right?”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying. You need to do something about being quick to jump to conclusions.”

She waited a second, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel before saying, “I know. My family warns me about it all the time.”

He touched her shoulder for emphasis. “Then, maybe you should listen to them.”

He suddenly realized touching her had been a mistake. With her layered clothing he was far from coming into contact with bare skin, but he could still feel sensuous heat swelling his fingertips.

“I try to listen.”

The catch in her voice sent a ripple of desire through him. He shifted in his seat when a thrumming dose of heat ripped through his gut. “Maybe you should try harder, Bailey.”



What made Walker so different from any other man? His touch on her shoulder affected her in a way no man’s touch had ever affected her before. How did he have the ability to reach her inner being and remind her that she was a woman?

Personal relationships weren’t her forte. Most of the guys in these parts were too afraid of her brothers and cousins to even think of crossing the line, so she’d only had one lover. For her it had been one and done, and executed more out of curiosity than anything else. She certainly hadn’t been driven by the kind of sexual desire she was feeling with Walker.

There was a spike of heat that always rolled in her stomach whenever she was around him, not to mention the warmth that settled in the area between her legs. Even now, just being in the same vehicle with him was making her breasts tingle. Had his face inched a little closer to hers?

Suggesting they go for a late-night ride might not have been a good idea after all. “I’m not perfect,” she finally said softly.

“No one is perfect,” he responded huskily.

Bailey drew in a sharp breath when he rubbed a finger across her cheek. She fought back the slow moan that threatened to slip past her lips. His hand on her shoulder had caused internal havoc; his fingers on her face were stirring something to life inside her that she’d never felt before.

She needed to bring an end to this madness. The last thing she wanted was for him to misunderstand the reason she’d brought him here. “I didn’t bring you out here for this, Walker,” she said. “I don’t want you getting the wrong idea.”

“Okay, what’s the right idea?” he asked, leaning in even closer. “Why did you bring me out here?”

Nervously, she licked her lips. He was still rubbing a finger across her cheek. “To apologize.”

“Apology accepted.” Then he lowered his head and took possession of her mouth.





Five

Walker deepened the kiss, even while trying to convince himself that he should not be kissing Bailey. No way should his tongue be tangling with hers or hers with his.