The Rancher Returns

by Brenda Jackson

  He sat in a chair and removed his shoes and socks before standing to take off the rest of his clothes. No matter the temperature, he preferred sleeping in the nude, something he couldn’t do while away on missions.

  Crossing the room, Gavin slid into bed with Layla and pulled her into his arms, to warm his body as well as his heart.

  * * *

  Layla thought she was dreaming when she felt a hot and husky whisper against her ear. It took a moment to open her eyes and gaze into a pair of sexy dark ones staring back at her. Gavin’s body was pressed close to hers. It was warm, even hot in certain places, and she knew without a doubt that he was naked.

  “We need to talk, Layla.”

  She heard the seriousness in his voice. Why did they need to talk? He was ready for her to leave. She got that. But why was he rushing her away? Did he already have another woman lined up to share his bed? The thought made her mad and she buried her face in the pillow, but not before saying, “I don’t want to talk. I have nothing to say to you.”

  He pulled the pillow away from her, frowning. “What the hell did I do?”

  “Just being a typical man. You share a bed with a woman, and then you tire of her and want her gone so you can replace her with another.”

  He stared at her. “You think I would do that?”

  “Why wouldn’t you? You’re a man, aren’t you? You’re not tied to any woman, especially not to me. It’s not like I didn’t notice that reporter flirting with you.”

  He frowned. “What reporter?”

  Layla rolled her eyes. “The one that kept putting that microphone all in your face and kept touching your shoulders every chance she got, even when she didn’t have to.” Layla hated that she’d said something about that. Now she sounded like a jealous hag. Just because they’d slept together a few times didn’t mean she had dibs on him.

  Before she could catch her next breath, he had flipped her on her back. He loomed over her and held her hands in a tight grip above her head.

  “Why would I want another woman, Layla?”

  That was really a silly question. “Why wouldn’t you want another one?”

  He stared down at her with an intensity that made a rush of desire claw through her insides. “Because you are all the woman I need. Hell, I can barely keep up with you, Layla.”

  * * *

  Lord knows that’s the truth, Gavin thought, as he felt familiar need hammer through him. Only Layla could do this to him. Make him feel so consumed with desire for her, he would go up in flames. More than once his teammates had told him to take a cold shower when just looking at Layla heated an entire room.

  Gavin just stared down at her. She was wearing a nightgown, but barely. It was made of flimsy material and part of it was bunched up around her waist, leaving her bare below. Her hair was loose and tousled around her shoulders. Because of the way he was holding her hands, her breasts jutted up, firm and hard. He could see the impression of rigid nipples through the thin material of her gown.

  Just that quickly, her breathing changed. He heard it and then he felt the sinfully erotic movement of her hips against him. After all the times they’d made love right here in this bed, not to mention the times they hadn’t made it to the bed, didn’t she know how much he wanted her? Her and no other woman? She actually thought she had a reason to be jealous of some damn reporter who couldn’t keep her hands to herself?

  He knew from the eyes staring back at him that his grandmother was right. Layla had no idea how he felt about her. The woman hadn’t a clue. He had told her they needed to talk, and then she’d gone on the offensive. Why? Had his grandmother been right on both accounts, that Layla cared for him as much as he cared for her?

  There was only one way to find out.

  “Let’s backtrack for a minute, Layla. Earlier I asked you why I would want another woman, and you asked why I wouldn’t want one. I don’t think I made myself clear enough. The main reason I don’t want another woman is because I love you. I’ve fallen in love with you, Layla, and when a man falls in love with one woman she takes away his desire for other women. She becomes the one and only woman he wants in his life, his bed, his home, his mind and his heart. You are that woman for me.”

  She stared at him for a long time without saying anything. And then he saw it, the tears forming in her eyes. “But if you love me, why were you sending me away?”

  He frowned. “I wasn’t sending you away. The other night you told me you were going. What was I supposed to do, tell you that you couldn’t go?”

  She frowned back at him. “You could have told me you loved me.”

  “Why would I tell you that when I didn’t know how you felt? Hell, I still don’t know. With your credentials, you can teach anywhere. I know about all those job offers that have come in. Why would you want to stay here? My mother hated it here.”

  “I love you, too, Gavin, and I love it here. I fell in love with the Silver Spurs the minute I drove onto the land. There are times when I will leave to do speaking engagements and interviews. Maybe even teach a class or two for a semester. However, I will come back. You leave, don’t you? To go on your covert operations. Yet you come back. You return and step into your role of a rancher. Why can’t I return and step into a similar role.”

  “As a rancher’s wife?”

  She lifted her brow. “Wife?”

  He smiled down at her. “Yes, wife. You don’t think you’ll hang around as my live-in lover, do you? I want to marry you. I want you to one day have my children. I want you to live here on this ranch with me.”

  “And be here whenever the rancher returns?”

  He chuckled. “That would be nice.”

  A smile touched her lips. “That can be arranged.” She didn’t say anything for a minute. “About all those offers. I don’t want to decide on anything just yet. After dealing with the likes of Clayburn and Connors, I just want to chill for a minute. Possibly write a book. I’d love to take my time and do it here.”

  He nodded. He needed to let her know something.

  * * *

  Layla waited for him to speak.

  “Gramma Mel told me this morning that she and Caldwell are getting married. She’s moving to his place. That means you’ll be here by yourself whenever I’m away. I’m supposed to report back for duty at the end of January.”

  “I’ll be okay. I will have enough to keep me busy.”

  Layla wouldn’t tell him yet that she wanted lots of children. She’d always wished for siblings and would make sure she had more than one child. And she didn’t want to wait a long time before she began having them.

  Before Gavin, she’d never thought beyond her career goals. But now she’d achieved those. With him by her side, she could have everything—success and a family and the man she loved.

  “So, will you marry me?”

  That question, as far as she was concerned, was a no-brainer. “Yes, Gavin, I will marry you.”

  He released her hands as he lowered his mouth to hers. She wrapped her arms around his muscled back.

  She loved her SEAL, her rancher. For them, the best was yet to come.

  Epilogue

  Layla couldn’t help but dab at her eyes. The vow renewal ceremony for Bane and his wife, Crystal, was simply beautiful. The words they spoke to each other in the presence of family and friends were filled with so much love that Layla couldn’t help but shed tears.

  Gavin had told her how Bane and Crystal had eloped as teens, and then had been separated for five years when her family had sent her away. But what Layla found so precious was how their love had survived. They had reunited a year ago and since no family members had been present for their first wedding, they’d decided to renew their vows in front of everyone.

  What was doubly special was that Crystal and Bane had
announced to everyone earlier that day that they were expecting a baby. Everyone could tell from the smiles on the couple’s faces that a baby was something they both wanted. Gavin and the guys couldn’t wait to tease Bane about impending fatherhood. Mac, who had a number of kids of his own, said he would give Bane pointers on changing diapers.

  Today was officially the couple’s sixth wedding anniversary and Crystal’s twenty-fourth birthday. Layla thought it refreshing to find someone even younger than her with a PhD; they had a lot in common. Crystal was beautiful and Layla thought she was just the woman for Bane.

  It was a lovely November day in the city of Denver. And since one of Bane’s brother’s had married an event planner, the home belonging to Bane’s older brother Dillon, where the ceremony took place, had been decorated beautifully in colors of blue and gold. Layla had already talked to Alpha Westmoreland about planning Layla’s dream wedding, which would take place in June.

  “You okay, baby?” Gavin whispered before boldly using his tongue to lick away one of her tears.

  “Behave, Gavin,” she whispered back in a warning tone, knowing when it came to her he wouldn’t behave.

  She glanced around to see if anyone had noticed what he’d done. Bane certainly had a big family. There were Westmorelands everywhere. Gavin had warned her but she hadn’t believed him. No wonder the locals referred to this section of Denver as Westmoreland Country. There were also some Westmorelands who lived in Atlanta, Montana and Texas. She’d even discovered Bane’s cousin was married to a king in a country in the Middle East. All the Westmorelands she’d met were friendly and made her feel so welcome.

  Another couple she’d met and liked right away was Bane’s cousin Bailey and her husband, Walker Rafferty. They lived in Alaska. Layla hadn’t wanted to keep staring at Walker but she remembered when he’d been a movie star years ago. He’d been a heartthrob then and he was definitely one today. She recalled seeing his picture on the cover of a recent issue of Simply Irresistible magazine. When she’d mentioned it to Bailey, the woman had chuckled and looked up at her husband adoringly before saying, “There’s a story behind that. One day I will have to tell you about it.”

  It was good seeing Gavin’s teammates again. Layla was glad to meet Mac’s wife, Teri. The mother of four was simply gorgeous. Everyone planned to visit the Silver Spurs in June for Gavin and Layla’s wedding. They’d agreed to spend Thanksgiving at the ranch and Christmas with her family. Ms. Melody and Caldwell had married and seemed to be very happy together.

  Layla looked down at her engagement ring. It was beautiful. They had talked about Gavin giving Layla his mother’s wedding set. Jamie had still been wearing the rings when her body had been unearthed. But Gavin had said he wanted Layla to have her own special rings and he would keep the rings his father had given his mother to pass on to their first son... Gavin Blake IV. She smiled at the audacity of Gavin thinking he would one day have a son to carry on the Blake name.

  When the minister told Bane he could kiss his wife, everyone cheered. Bane pulled Crystal into his arms and gave her one hell of a kiss. What the couple shared was definitely special. Just as special as what Layla and Gavin shared.

  Bane then leaned over and whispered something in Crystal’s ear, which made her blush. Layla leaned over to Gavin. “I guess you heard that.” He had told her about what his teammates dubbed as his sonic ears.

  Gavin smiled. “Yes, I heard. Every single naughty word.”

  “The ceremony was beautiful,” Layla said, fighting back more tears.

  Gavin took her hand, brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “And so are you. I can’t wait until the day you will officially have my name.”

  Layla couldn’t wait, either. He’d been trying to talk her into eloping in January and having a huge wedding reception in June. He wanted them to be married before he left for this next covert operation. She was giving his suggestion some serious thought.

  “And I can’t wait until later, when I get you back to our hotel room,” he added, whispering close to her ear.

  Layla smiled as they linked hands and walked out of the church. She knew her life with her SEAL/rancher would never be boring.

  * * * * *

  Don’t miss where the legacy began...meet the Westmorelands from the very beginning...

  THE WESTMORELANDS

  Any of the titles can be read as stand-alone novels, but the entire Westmoreland experience is available in discounted box sets for your reading pleasure!

  Brenda Jackson THE WESTMORELANDS SERIES, Books One–Five

  DELANEY’S DESERT SHEIKH

  A LITTLE DARE

  THORN’S CHALLENGE

  STONE COLD SURRENDER

  RIDING THE STORM

  Brenda Jackson THE WESTMORELANDS SERIES, Books Six–Ten

  JARED’S COUNTERFEIT FIANCÉE

  THE CHASE IS ON

  THE DURANGO AFFAIR

  IAN’S ULTIMATE GAMBLE

  SEDUCTION, WESTMORELAND STYLE

  Brenda Jackson THE WESTMORELANDS SERIES, Books Eleven–Fifteen

  SPENCER’S FORBIDDEN PASSION

  TAMING CLINT WESTMORELAND

  COLE’S RED-HOT PURSUIT

  QUADE’S BABIES

  TALL, DARK... WESTMORELAND!

  Brenda Jackson THE WESTMORELANDS SERIES, Books Sixteen–Twenty

  WESTMORELAND’S WAY

  HOT WESTMORELAND NIGHTS

  WHAT A WESTMORELAND WANTS

  A WIFE FOR A WESTMORELAND

  THE PROPOSAL

  Brenda Jackson THE WESTMORELANDS SERIES, Books Twenty-One–Twenty-Five

  FEELING THE HEAT

  TEXAS WILD

  ONE WINTER’S NIGHT

  ZANE

  CANYON

  Brenda Jackson THE WESTMORELANDS SERIES, Books Twenty-Six–Thirty

  STERN

  THE REAL THING

  THE SECRET AFFAIR

  BREAKING BAILEY’S RULES

  BANE

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  Keep reading for an excerpt from THE BLACK SHEEP’S SECRET CHILD by Cat Schield.

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  The Black Sheep’s Secret C
hild

  by Cat Schield

  One

  Savannah Caldwell bypassed the line of partygoers held in a queue by velvet ropes and headed for the burly linebacker with the crooked nose guarding the nightclub’s front entrance. Club T’s was only open Friday through Monday. Without a table reservation, the average wait for general admission on a Monday night was one to three hours. Savannah had no intention of standing around that long to get in to see her brother-in-law.

  A driving beat poured from the club’s mirror-lined doorway. At one o’clock in the morning, Club T’s was in full swing, and Savannah was actively second-guessing her impulse to hunt down Trent to discuss business at this unorthodox hour. But she’d been turned away from his office earlier when she’d tried to make an appointment with his assistant, and so coming here seemed the only way she could get him to acknowledge her.

  A wave of melancholy caught her off guard. She’d been fixated on Trent since age eleven when she’d left Tennessee and moved to LA to live with her aunt Stacy, the Caldwell family’s live-in housekeeper. At first Savannah had just wanted him to like her. As she entered high school, she’d developed a full-blown crush on him. But it wasn’t until she’d moved to New York City at eighteen and began modeling that Trent finally noticed her as a woman.

  When she’d married Trent’s brother, Rafe, sixteen months ago, Trent had severed all contact with her. The loss had been devastating. To cope she’d buried her sadness. But suppressing her emotions had turned her into a poorly crafted replica of who she used to be. She spoke less. Dressed and acted like a matron twice her age. She’d lost all touch with the optimistic young woman who dreamed of a loving family, and a husband who adored her.

  Savannah stepped up to the blond bouncer with the well-defined cheekbones. In four-inch heels, she stood six feet tall, yet the top of her head came no higher than the second button of his snug black polo with Club T’s logo. Where ten minutes ago she’d been truly determined, she was suddenly awash in hesitation. Even if Savannah was comfortable with confrontation, she was no match for this man. He was accustomed to subduing intoxicated, belligerent troublemakers twice her size.