He’d heard the love and pride in Bailey’s voice when she talked about her home. He fully understood because he felt the same way about his home. Thirteen years ago a woman had come between him and his love for Hemlock Row, but never again. Now he worked twice as hard every day on his ranch to make up for the years he’d lost. Years when he should have been there, working alongside his father instead of thinking he could fit into a world he had no business in.
But then no matter how much he wished it, he couldn’t change the past. Wishing he’d never met Kalyn wouldn’t do because if he hadn’t met her, there never would have been Connor. And regardless of everything, especially all the lies and deceit, his son had been the one person who’d made Walker’s life complete.
Bringing his thoughts back to the present, Walker moved away from the window to unpack. Earlier, he’d met Dillon and Ramsey, along with their wives, siblings and cousins. From his own research, Walker knew the Denver Westmorelands’ story. It was heartbreaking yet heartwarming. They had experienced sorrows and successes. Both Dillon’s and Ramsey’s parents had been killed in a plane crash close to twenty years ago, leaving Dillon, who was the eldest, and Ramsey, the second eldest, to care for their thirteen siblings and cousins.
Dillon’s parents had had seven sons—Dillon, Micah, Jason, Riley, Canyon, Stern and Brisbane. Ramsey’s parents had eight children, of which there were five sons—Ramsey, Zane, Derringer and the twins, Aidan and Adrian—and three daughters—Megan, Gemma and Bailey. The satisfying ending to the story was that Dillon and Ramsey had somehow managed to keep all their siblings and cousins together and raise them to be respectable and law-abiding adults. Of course, that didn’t mean there hadn’t been any hiccups along the way. Walker’s research had unveiled several. It seemed the twins—Adrian and Aidan—along with Bailey and Bane, the youngest of the bunch, had been a handful while growing up. But they’d all made something of themselves.
There were definitely a lot of Westmorelands here in Denver, with more on the way to attend a wedding this weekend. The ones he’d met so far were friendly enough. The ease with which they’d welcomed him into their group was pretty amazing, considering they were well aware of the reason he was here. The only one who seemed bothered by his visit was Bailey.
Bailey.
Okay, he could admit he’d been attracted to her from the first. He’d seen her when she’d entered the baggage claim area, walking fast, that mass of curly brown hair slinging around her shoulders with every step she took. She’d had a determined look on her face, which had made her appear adorable. And the way the overhead lights hit her features had only highlighted what a gorgeous young woman she was.
He rubbed his hand down his face. The key word was young. But in this case, age didn’t matter because Kalyn had taught him a lesson he would never forget when it came to women, of any age. So why had he suddenly begun feeling restless and edgy? And why was he remembering how long it had been since he’d been with a woman?
Trying to dismiss that question from his mind, Walker refocused on the reason he was here...as a favor to Garth. He would find out what his best friend needed to know and return to Kodiak. Already he’d concluded that the Westmorelands were more friendly and outgoing than their Alaskan cousins. The Outlaws tended to be on the reserved side, although Walker would be the first to say they had loosened up since Bart retired.
Walker knew Garth better than anyone else did, and although Garth wasn’t as suspicious as Bart, Garth had an empire to protect. An empire that Garth’s grandfather had worked hard to build and that the Outlaws had come close to losing last year because Bart had made a bad business decision.
Still, Walker had known the Outlaws long enough to know they didn’t take anything at face value, which was why he was here. And so far the one thing he knew for certain was that the Westmorelands and the Outlaws were related. The physical resemblance was too astounding for them not to be. Whether or not the Westmorelands had an ulterior motive to claiming the Outlaws as relatives was yet to be seen.
Personally, he doubted it, especially after talking to Megan Westmoreland Claiborne. He’d heard the deep emotion in her voice when she’d told him of her family’s quest to find as many family members as they could once they’d known Raphel Westmoreland hadn’t been an only child as they’d assumed. She was certain there were even more Westmoreland relatives out there, other than the Outlaws, since they had recently discovered that Raphel and Reginald had an older brother by a different mother.
In Walker’s estimation, the search initiated by the Westmorelands to find relatives had been a sincere and heartfelt effort to locate family. It had nothing to do with elbowing in on the Outlaws’ wealth or sabotaging Jess’s chances of becoming an Alaskan senator, as Bart assumed.
Walker moved away from the window the exact moment his cell phone rang. He frowned when he saw the caller was none other than Bart Outlaw. Why would the old man be calling him?
“Yes, Bart?”
“So what have you found out, son?”
Walker almost laughed out loud. Son? He shook his head. The only time Bart was extranice was when someone had something he wanted. And Walker knew Bart wanted information. Unfortunately, Bart wouldn’t like what Walker had to say, since Bart hated being wrong.
“Found out about what, Bart?” Walker asked, deciding to be elusive. He definitely wouldn’t tell Bart anything before talking to Garth.
He heard the grumble in Bart’s voice when he said, “You know what, Walker. I’m well aware of the reason Garth sent you to Denver. I hope you’ve found out something to discredit them.”
Walker lifted a brow. “Discredit them?”
“Yes. The last thing the Outlaws need are people popping up claiming to be relatives and accusing us of being who we aren’t.”
“By that you mean saying you’re Westmorelands instead of Outlaws?”
“Yes. We are Outlaws. My grandfather was Noah Outlaw. It’s his blood that’s running through my veins and no other man’s. I want you to remember that, Walker, and I want you to do whatever you have to do to make sure I’m right.”
Walker shook his head at the absurdity of what Bart was saying. “How am I to do that, Bart?”
“Find a way and keep this between us. There’s no reason to mention anything to Garth.” Then he hung up.
Frowning, Walker held the cell phone in his hand for a minute. That was just like Bart. He gave an order and expected it to be followed. No questions asked. Shaking his head, Walker placed a call to Garth, who picked up on the second ring.
“Yes, Walker? How are things going?”
“Your father just called. We might have a problem.”
* * *
“I heard Walker Rafferty is a looker.”
Bailey lifted the coffee cup to her lips as Josette slid into the seat across from her. Sharing breakfast was something they did at least two to three times a week, their schedules permitting. Josette was a freelance auditor whose major client was the hospital where Bailey’s sister Megan worked as a doctor of anesthesiology.
“I take it you saw Megan this morning,” Bailey said, wishing she could refute what Josette had heard. Unfortunately, she couldn’t because it was true. Walker was a looker. Sinfully so.
“Yes, I had an early appointment at the hospital this morning and ran into your sister. She was excited that the Outlaws had reached out to your family.”
Bailey rolled her eyes. “Sending someone instead of coming yourself is not what I consider reaching out. One of the Outlaws should have come themselves. Sending someone else is so tacky.”
“Yes, but they could have ignored the situation altogether. Some people get touchy when others claim them as family. You never know the reason behind it.”
Since Bailey and Josette were pretty much regulars at McKays, the waitress slid a cup of coffee in front of
Josette, who smiled up at the woman. “Thanks, Amanda.” After taking a sip, Josette turned her attention back to Bailey. “So tell me about him.”
“Not much to tell. He looks okay. Seems nice enough.”
“That’s all you know about him, that he looks okay and seems nice enough?”
“Is there something else I should know?”
“Yes. Is he single? Married? Divorced? Have any children? What does he do for a living? Does he still live with his mother?”
Bailey smiled. “I didn’t ask his marital status but can only assume he’s single because he wasn’t wearing a ring. As far as what he does for a living, he’s a rancher. I do know that much. He raises bison.”
“I take it he wasn’t too talkative.”
Bailey took another sip of coffee as she thought of the time she’d spent with Walker yesterday. “He was okay. We had a polite conversation.”
“Polite?” Josette asked with a chuckle. “You?”
Bailey grinned. She could see why Josette found that amusing. Bailey wasn’t known for being polite. “I promised Dillon I’d be on my best behavior even if it killed me.” She glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to run. I’m meeting with the reporter taking my old job at nine.”
“Okay, see you later.”
After Bailey walked out of the restaurant, she couldn’t help but think about Josette’s questions. There was a lot Bailey didn’t know about Walker.
She’d remedy that when she saw him later.
* * *
Walker was standing in front of Dillon’s barn when Bailey’s truck pulled up. Moments later he watched as she got out of the vehicle. Although he tried to ignore it, he felt a deep flutter in the pit of his stomach at seeing her again. Today, like yesterday, he was very much aware of how sensuous she looked. Being attracted to her shouldn’t be anything he couldn’t handle. So why was he having a hard time doing so?
Why had he awakened that morning looking for her at the breakfast table, assuming she lived with Dillon and his wife, since she didn’t have her own place? Later, he’d found out from her brother Ramsey that Bailey floated, living with whichever of her brothers, sisters or cousins best fit her current situation. But now that most of her relatives had married, she stayed in her sister Gemma’s house since Gemma and her husband, Callum, had their primary home in Australia.
He continued to watch her, somewhat surprised by his own actions. He wasn’t usually the type to waste his time ogling a woman. But with Bailey it couldn’t be helped. There was something about her that demanded a man’s attention regardless of whether he wanted to give it or not. Her brothers and cousins would probably skin him alive if they knew just where his thoughts were going right now.
The cold weather didn’t seem to bother her as she moved away from the truck without putting on her coat. Dressed in a long-sleeved shirt, a long pencil skirt that complimented her curves and a pair of black leather boots, she looked ready to walk the runway.
Squinting in the sun, he watched as she walked around the truck, checking out each tire. She flipped her hair away from her shoulders, and he imagined running his fingers through every strand before urging her body closer to his. There was no doubt in his mind he would love to sample the feel of their bodies pressed together. Then he would go for her mouth and—
“Walker? What are you doing here?”
Glad she had interrupted his thoughts, he replied, “I’m an invited guest, remember?”
She frowned as she approached him. “Invited? Not the way I remember it. But what I’m asking is why are you out here at the barn by yourself? In the cold? Where is everyone? And why didn’t you say something when I got out of the truck to let me know you were over here?”
He leaned back against the barn’s door. “Evening, Bailey. You sure do ask a lot of questions.”
She glared at him. “Do I?”
“Yes, especially for someone who just told me yesterday that one of her rules is not answering a lot of questions, no matter who’s asking. What if I told you that I happen to have that same rule?”
She lifted an angry chin. Was it his imagination or was she even prettier when she was mad? “I have a right to ask you anything I want,” she said.
He shook his head. “I beg to differ. However, out of courtesy and since nothing you’ve asked has crossed any lines, I’ll answer. The reason I’m outside by the barn is because I just returned from riding with Ramsey and Zane. They both left for home and I wasn’t ready to go in just yet.”
“Zane and Ramsey actually left you out here alone?”
“Yes, you sound surprised that they would. It seems there are some members of your family who trust me. I guess your brothers figure their horses and sheep are safe with me,” he said, holding her gaze.
“I didn’t insinuate—”
“Excuse me, but I didn’t finish answering all your questions,” he interrupted her, and had to keep from grinning when she shut her mouth tightly. That same mouth he’d envisioned kissing earlier. “The reason I didn’t say anything when you got out of the truck just now was because you seemed preoccupied with checking out your tires. Is there a problem?”
“One needs air. But when I looked up from my tires you were staring at me. Why?”
She had to know he was attracted to her. What man in his right mind wouldn’t be? She was beautiful, desirable—alluring. And he didn’t think the attraction was one-sided. A man knew when a woman was interested.
But he didn’t want her interest, nor did he want to be interested in her. He refused to tell her that the reason he hadn’t said anything was because he’d been too mesmerized to do so.
“I was thinking again about how much you and Charm favor one another. You’ll see for yourself when you meet her.”
“If I meet her.”
“Don’t sound so doubtful. I’m sure the two of you will eventually meet.”
“Don’t sound so sure of that, Walker.”
He liked the sound of his name from her lips. Refusing to go tit for tat with her, he changed the subject. “So how was your day at work, Bailey?”
* * *
Stubbornly, Bailey told herself he really didn’t give a damn how her day went. So why was he asking? Why did she find him as annoying as he was handsome? And why, when she’d looked up to see him staring at her, had she felt something she’d never felt before?
There was something so startling about his eyes that her reaction had been physical. For a second, she’d imagined the stroke of his fingers in her hair, the whisper of his heated breath across her lips, the feel of his body pressed hard against hers.
Why was her imagination running wild? She barely knew this man. Her family barely knew him. Yet they had welcomed him to Westmoreland Country without thinking things through. At least, that was her opinion. Was her family so desperate to find more relatives that they had let their guard down? She recalled days when a stranger on their land meant an alarm went out to everyone. Back then, they’d never known when someone from social services would show up for one of their surprise visits.
Knowing Walker was waiting for her to answer, she finally said, “It went well. It was my first day as a features editor and I think I handled things okay. You might even say I did an outstanding job today.”
He chuckled. “No lack of confidence on your part, I see.”
“None whatsoever.” It was dusk and being outside with him, standing by the barn in the shadows, seemed way too intimate for her peace of mind. But there was something she needed to know, something that had been on her mind ever since Josette had brought it up that morning.
Not being one to beat around the bush when it came to things she really wanted to know, she asked, “Are you married, Walker?”
* * *
Walker stared at her, trying to fight the feel of air
being sucked from his lungs. Where the hell had that question come from? Regardless, the answer should have been easy enough to give, especially since he hadn’t been truly married even when he’d thought he had been. How could there be a real marriage when one of the parties took betrayal to a whole new level?
Silence reigned. Bailey had to be wondering why he hadn’t answered. He shook off the unpleasant memories. “No. I’m not married.” And then he decided to add, “Nor do I have a girlfriend. Any reason you want to know?”
She shrugged those beautiful shoulders that should be wearing a coat. “No. Just curious. You aren’t wearing a wedding ring.”
“No, I’m not.”
“But that doesn’t mean anything these days.”
“You’re right. Wearing a wedding ring doesn’t mean anything.”
He could tell by her frown that she hadn’t expected him to agree with her. “So you’re one of those types.”
“And what type is that?”
“A man who has no respect for marriage or what it stands for.”
Walker couldn’t force back the wave of anger that suddenly overtook him. If only she knew how wrong she was. “You don’t know me. And since you don’t, I suggest you keep your damn assumptions to yourself.”
Then, with clenched teeth, he walked off.
Three
The next morning Bailey sat behind the huge desk in her new office and sipped a cup of her favorite coffee. Yesterday had been her move-in day and she had pretty much stayed out of the way while the maintenance crew had shifted all the electronic equipment from her old office into this one. Now everything was in order, including her new desk, on top of which sat a beautiful plant from Ramsey and Chloe.
She couldn’t help thinking, You’ve come a long way, baby. And only she and her family truly knew just how far she’d come.
Breaking Bailey's Rules Page 3
