A Wife for a Westmoreland (9 page)

“I’ve known Derringer a lot longer than you, Chloe, and he doesn’t know the meaning of committing to one woman,” she decided to add.

Chloe shrugged. “Maybe he’s ready to change his ways.”

Lucia rolled her eyes. “Fat chance.”

“I don’t know,” Chloe said, tapping her finger against her chin. “Of the three die-hard-bachelor Westmoreland men who hang tight most of the time—Jason, Zane and Derringer—I think Jason will get married first…then Derringer…and last, Zane.” She chuckled. “I can see Zane kicking, screaming and throwing out accusations all the way to the altar.”

Lucia couldn’t help but smile because she could envision that as well. Zane was more of a womanizer than Derringer. Jason didn’t have the reputation the other two had, but he was still considered a ladies’ man around town because he didn’t tie himself down to any one woman.

“Derringer is so confident he’s getting me back into his bed again, but I’m going to show him just how wrong he is.”

Chloe took a long sip of her iced tea. She had been out shopping and had decided to drop by Lucia’s. Unfortunately, she had found her best friend in a bad mood and it didn’t take long for her to get Lucia to spill her guts about everything.

“Now, tell me once more your reason for not wanting to sleep with Derringer again.”

Lucia rolled her eyes as she sat back on the sofa. “I know how those Westmoreland brothers and cousins operate with women. I don’t want to become one of those females, pining away and sitting by the phone hoping I’m next on the list to call.”

“But you’ve been pining away for Derringer for years anyway.”

“I haven’t been pining. Yes, I’ve loved him, but I knew he didn’t love me back and I accepted that. I was fine with it. I had a life. I didn’t expect him to phone or show up on my doorstep making booty calls.”

Chloe laughed. “He didn’t make a booty call exactly. He did take you out on a date.”

“But that’s beside the point.”

Chloe leaned forward, grinning. “And what is your point exactly? I warned you that once you had a piece of a Westmoreland you’d become addicted. Now you’ve had Derringer more than once, so watch out. Staying away from him is going to be easier said than done, Lucia.”

Lucia shook her head. “You just don’t understand, Chloe.”

Chloe smiled sadly. “You’re right, I don’t. I don’t understand how a woman who loves a man won’t go
after him using whatever means it takes to get him. What are you afraid of?”

Lucia glanced over at Chloe. “Failing. Which will lead to heartbreak.” She drew in a deep breath. “I had a cousin who had a nervous breakdown over a man. She was twenty and her parents sent her all the way from Nashville to live with us for a while. She was simply pathetic. She would go to bed crying and wake up doing the same thing. It was so depressing. I hate to say this, but I couldn’t wait until she pulled herself together enough to leave.”

“How sad for her.”

“No, that’s the reality of things when you’re dealing with a man like Derringer.”

Chloe quirked a brow. “I still think you might be wrong about him.”

Lucia figured she couldn’t change the way her best friend thought; however, she intended to take all the precautions where Derringer was concerned. Now he saw her as a challenge because she was the woman not willing to give him the time of day anymore.

Some men didn’t take rejection well and she had a feeling that Derringer Westmoreland was one of them.

J
ason snapped his fingers in front of Derringer’s face. “Hey, man, have you been listening to anything I’ve said?”

Derringer blinked, too ashamed to admit that he really hadn’t. The last thing he recalled hearing was something about old man Bostwick’s will being read that day. “Sort of,” he said, frowning. “You were talking about old man Bostwick’s will.”

Herman Bostwick owned the land that was adjacent to Jason’s. For years, Bostwick had promised Jason if he ever got the mind to sell, he would let Jason make him the first offer. The man died in his sleep and had been laid to rest a couple of days ago. It didn’t take much to detect from the look in Jason’s eyes that he wanted the land and Hercules, Bostwick’s prize stallion. A colt from Hercules would be a dream come true for any horse breeder.

“So who did he leave the land to?” Derringer asked. “I hope it didn’t go to his brother. Kenneth Bostwick is one mean son of a gun and will take us to the cleaners if we have to buy the land and Hercules from him.”

Jason shook his head and took a sip of his beer. “The old man left everything to his granddaughter. Got Kenneth kind of pissed off about it.”

Derringer lifted a brow. “His granddaughter? I didn’t know he had one.”

“It seems not too many people did. I understand that he and his son had a falling-out years ago, and when he left for college the son never returned to these parts. He married and settled down in the South. He had one child, a girl.”

Derringer nodded and took a sip of his own beer. “So this granddaughter got the land and Hercules?”

“Yes. The only good thing is that I heard she’s a prissy miss from Savannah who probably won’t be moving here permanently. More than likely she’ll be open to selling everything, and I want to be ready to buy when she does.”

Jason then slid down to sit on the steps across from him, and Derringer looked out across his land. It was late afternoon and he still couldn’t get out of his mind what had happened earlier that day with Lucia. If she thought he was done with her then she should think again.

He glanced over at his cousin. “Have you ever met a woman that got in your blood, real good?”

Jason just stared at him for a long moment. It didn’t take much to see that Derringer’s question had caught
his cousin off guard. But he knew Jason; he liked mulling things over—sometimes too damn long.

“No. I’m not sure that can happen. At least not with me. Any woman who gets in my blood will end up being the one I marry. I don’t have a problem with settling down and getting married one day, mind you. One day, when I’m ready, I want to start a family. I want to will everything I’ve built up to my wife and kids. You know what they say, ‘You can’t take it with you.’”

Jason then studied Derringer. “Why do you ask? Have you met a woman that’s gotten deep in your blood?”

Derringer glanced away for a moment and then returned his gaze to Jason. “Yes…Lucia.”

“Lucia Conyers?”

“Yeah.”

Jason stood, almost knocking over his beer bottle. “Damn, man, how do you figure that? You only had one date with her.”

Derringer smiled. “I’ve had two. We went skating last night.” He didn’t say anything and wanted to see what Jason had to say. Jason sat back down without opening his mouth.

“She’s different,” Derringer added after a moment.

Jason glanced over at him. “Of course she’s different. You’re not talking about one of your usual airheads or Derringer’s Pleasers. We’re discussing Lucia Conyers, for heaven’s sake. She used to be one of the smartest girls at her school. Remember when Dillon and Ramsey paid her to tutor Bailey that time so she wouldn’t be left back? Lucia was only seventeen then.”

Derringer smiled. He had almost forgotten about that time. And if he wanted to believe what she’d told him
earlier, she had been in love with him even then. “Yes, I remember.”

“And remember the time Megan got her first A on a science project because she was smart enough to team up with Lucia?”

Derringer chuckled, recalling that time as well. “Yeah, I recall that time as well.” At least he did now.

“And you actually think someone that smart is destined to be your soul mate?”

“Soul mate?”

“Yes, if a woman is in your blood that much then it means she’s destined to be your soul mate. Someone you want to be with all the time. Think about it, Derringer. Like I said, Lucia is not some airhead, she’s pretty smart.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment as he studied his boots, grinning, thinking Jason’s question had to be a joke. Then he lifted his gaze to find a serious-looking Jason staring at him, still waiting for a response. So he gave him the only one he knew. “Yes, I’m not exactly a dumb ass, Jason, so what does her being so smart have to do with anything? And as far as being my soul mate if that means sharing a bed with her whenever I want, then I intend to do everything in my power to convince her that she is the one.”

Jason rolled his eyes and then rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he stared at Derringer. “So are you saying you’ve fallen in love with Lucia?”

Derringer looked taken aback. “Fallen in love with her? Are you crazy? I wouldn’t go
that
far.”

Jason appeared confused. “You have no problem
wanting to claim her as your soul mate and sleep with her, but you aren’t in love with her?”

“Yes. That’s pretty much the shape and size of it.”

Jason shook his head, grinning. “I hate to tell you this, but I’m not sure that’s how it works.”

Derringer finished off his beer and said, “Too bad. That’s the way it’s going to work for me.”

On Monday morning, Lucia stood in the middle of her office refusing to let the huge arrangement of flowers get to her. They were simply gorgeous and she would be the first to admit Derringer had good taste. But she knew just what the flowers represented. He wanted her back in his bed and would try just about anything to get her there. She wished things could go back to how they used to be when he hadn’t had a clue about her feelings. But it was too late for that.

Six hours later, Lucia glanced over at the flowers and smiled. They were just as beautiful as they had been when they’d been delivered that morning. She glanced at her watch. She would leave in a couple of hours to go straight to class. Mondays were always her busiest days with meetings and satellite conference calls with the other
Simply Irresistible
offices around the country during the day and class at night.

She kicked off her shoes, leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. The office would be closing in less than twenty minutes and since she would be there long after that, she figured there was no reason she couldn’t grab a quick nap.

With her eyes shut, it didn’t surprise her when an image of Derringer came into view. Boy, he was
gorgeous. And arrogant. She frowned, thinking he was as arrogant as he was gorgeous Still…

She wasn’t sure how long she slept. But she remembered she was dreaming of Derringer, and wherever they were, she had whispered for him to kiss her and he had. She heard herself moan as the taste of him registered on her brain, and she couldn’t help thinking how real her dream was. And was that really the feel of his fingertips on her chin as he devoured her mouth with plenty of tongue play. She could actually inhale his scent. Hot, robust and masculine.

They continued kissing in her dream and she simply melted while he leisurely explored the depths of her mouth. Nobody could kiss like him, she thought as he probed his tongue deeper. She had dreamed of him kissing her many times before, but for some reason this was different. This was like the real deal.

Her eyes flew open and she squealed when she realized it wasn’t a dream! It was the real deal! She jerked forward and pushed him away from her. “Derringer! How dare you come into my office and take advantage of me.”

He stood back, licked his lips and smiled. “The way I assume you took advantage of me that night? Just for the record, Lucia, you asked me to kiss you. When I entered your office, you were whispering my name. And I distinctively heard you ask me to kiss you.”

“I was dreaming!”

He gave her an arrogant smirk. “Nice to know I’m in your dreams, sweetheart.”

She eased out of her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. When she saw where his gaze went—directly
to where her blouse dipped to reveal more cleavage than she wanted—she dropped her arms, scowling. “What are you doing here and who let you into my office?”

He jammed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I came to see you and I arrived when your administrative assistant was leaving. She remembered me from Chloe and Ramsey’s wedding and let me in.”

His smile widened. “She figured I was safe. I did knock on the door a few times before I entered, and would not have come in if I hadn’t heard you call out my name.”

Lucia swallowed. Had she really called out his name? She ignored that possibility. “Why are you here?”

“To make sure you liked your flowers.”

She dragged her gaze from him to the huge floral arrangement she had been admiring all day. In fact, everyone in the office had admired it, and she knew they were wondering who’d sent the flowers. She glanced back at Derringer. Okay, maybe she should have called and thanked him; she hadn’t wanted to give him any ideas, but it seemed he’d gotten plenty without her help.

“Yes, they’re beautiful. Thank you. Now you can leave.”

He shook his head. “I figured while I’m here I might as well drop you off at school. You do have class tonight, right?”

“Yes, but why would I want you to drop me off at school when I can drive myself? I do have a car.”

“Yes, but I wouldn’t want you to get a ticket. You told me all about your Monday-night professor and how he
hates it when anyone is late. You also mentioned that tonight is your final. You’re going to be late.”

Lucia glanced down at her watch and went still. She wasn’t aware she had slept that long. She needed to be in class in twenty minutes and it would take her longer than that to get through town. Professor Turner had already warned the class that he would close his door exactly at seven, and Derringer was right, tonight she was to take her final.

She slipped into her shoes and quickly moved around the desk to grab her purse out of the desk drawer. “And just how are you supposed to get me there any sooner than I can drive myself?” she asked, hurrying out the office door. He was right behind her.

“I have my ways.” He then pulled his cell phone out of his back pocket. “Pete? This is Derringer. I need a favor.”

She glanced over her shoulder as she was locking the door. He was calling Pete Higgins, one of the sheriff’s deputies and also one of his good friends.

“I need escort service from
Simply Irresistible
to the U, and we need to be there in less than fifteen minutes.” Derringer smiled. “Okay, we’re on our way down.”

He glanced over at her when he put his phone in his back pocket. “We’ll leave your car here and come back for it after class.”

She frowned over at him as they stepped into the elevator. “Why can’t I drive my own car and your friend Pete can just give me escort service?”

He shook his head. “It doesn’t work that way. He knows I’m trying to impress my girl.”

“I am not your girl, Derringer.”

“Sure you are. Why else would you moan my name in your sleep?”

Lucia turned her head away from him, deciding that question didn’t need an answer. Besides, what response could she give him?

Once they reached the bottom floor, things moved quickly. He took her laptop bag off her shoulder and put it in the backseat of his truck. By the time he escorted her to the passenger side, Pete pulled up in the patrol car with his lights flashing and a huge grin on his face. He nodded at her before giving Derringer a thumbs-up.

Luckily, she got to school in one piece and was able to make it to class on time. An hour or so later, after she’d finished her exam and placed her pencil aside, instead of glancing back over her exam to make sure she didn’t need to do any last-minute changes, her mind drifted to Derringer.

Lucia shook her head. What some men wouldn’t do for a piece of tail, she thought. Regardless of what Chloe assumed, she knew that was probably all she was to him. Of course he was trying to impress her just to prove a point, and just the thought that he had caught her dreaming about him, and that in her sleep she had asked him to kiss her, was enough for her to wear a brown bag over her head for the rest of the year.

And what was even worse was that he would be picking her up when class was over. She had no choice if she wanted to get home without taking the bus. A part of her steamed at the thought of how things had worked out nicely for him in that regard. He would be driving her to get her car and nothing more. If he thought there would be more, he had another think coming.

The moment she stepped out of the Mass Communications Building, she glanced around. Derringer’s truck was parked in a space in a lighted area and he was leaning against it as if he was expecting her, which was odd since he hadn’t known when her class would let out. Had he been here the entire time?

She quickly crossed to where he stood. “How did you know I was about to walk out?”

He glanced over at her as he opened the truck door for her. “I didn’t. I figured that you would catch a cab to get your car if I wasn’t here, so I thought the best thing to do was to be here when you came out.”

She frowned at him before stepping up into the truck. “You’ve been here the whole time?”

“Yep.”

“Don’t you have anything better to do?” she asked coolly.

“Nope.” He then closed the door and moved around the front of the truck to get into the driver’s side.

He closed the door, buckled his seat belt and turned the key in the ignition. “Don’t you think you’re getting carried away with all this, Derringer?”

He chuckled. “No.”

She rolled her eyes. “Seriously. I couldn’t have been that great in bed.”

His mouth tilted in a slow, ultrasatisfied smile. “Trust me, Lucia. You were.”

She crossed her arms over her chest as he pulled out of the parking lot. “So you admit this is only about sex.”