Brenda Jackson The Westmoreland Series Books 16-20

by Brenda Jackson

  He turned when he heard her close the door behind him and his gaze studied her. For some reason he didn’t have the strength or inclination to tear his eyes away from her. What was wrong with him? When had he ever let a woman affect him this way? She was standing there leaning back against the door in her bare feet and a pair of leggings and a T-shirt. Her hair was back in that signature ponytail. She looked comfortable. She looked sexy. Damn, she looked good enough to eat.

  He cleared his throat. “What are your plans for tonight?”

  She shrugged. “I didn’t have any. I was just going to watch a movie on Lifetime.”

  He was familiar with that channel, the one that was supposed to be for women that showed romance movies 24/7. His sisters used to be glued to their television sets, and in Bailey’s case, sometimes to his.

  “How would you like to go roller skating?”

  The glow from a table lamp captured the expression of surprise on her face. “You want us to go out again?”

  He noted that there was a degree of shock in her voice. There was a note of wariness as well.

  “Yes, I know I should have called first, and I am sorry about that. And just to set the record straight, when I left home I didn’t have a date. I didn’t have any plans for tonight. I got in my car and I ended up here. What I said earlier was true. I needed to see you.”

  Serious doubt was etched in her features. “Why, Derringer? Why did you need to see me?”

  It should be so easy to use this moment and come clean and say because I know who you are. I know you are the woman to whom I made love in what should have been a weak and crazy moment, but it ended up being the one time I slept with a woman that I remember the most. That no matter what I do or where I go, your scent is right there with me. You are responsible for the lust that rages through my body every time I think of you, whenever I see you. Even now there is a throbbing in my groin that you’re causing and I want more than anything to make love to you again.

  “Derringer?”

  He realized at that moment that he hadn’t answered her. Instead, he had been standing there and staring at her like a lust-crazed maniac. He slowly crossed the floor, pinning her in when he braced his hands on both sides of her head, and leaned in close to her mouth.

  “I really don’t know why I needed to see you tonight,” he whispered huskily against her lips. “I can’t explain it. I just needed to see you, be with you and spend time with you. I enjoyed Saturday night and—”

  “Could have fooled me.”

  He noticed her voice had barely been audible, but he’d heard that, and he’d heard the hurt in her tone. He hadn’t called her. He should have. He had wanted to. But he had fought the temptation. If only she knew to what degree he had fought it. A part of him knew being here with her now wasn’t good; especially when he was thinking of all the things he wanted to do to her right now—against the door, on the floor, on her bed, the table, the sofa, every damn place in her house. But even more important was that he knew more about the situation than she did. He had yet to tell her that he knew about her visit to his home that night.

  He had spent the last few days going over the video time and time again. It was evident from viewing the footage and seeing how she had merely stuck her head in the door that initially she’d had no intention of staying. Then she had glanced back at the box and decided to put it inside. She must have heard him fall once she was inside, because this week he remembered that part—missing the bed when he’d gotten up to use the bathroom and falling flat on his behind when he was returning to bed. He remembered someone, his Puddin’ Tame, helping him back into bed, and the only thing he remembered after that was making love to a woman.

  And the woman he had made love to had been her.

  Things were still kind of fuzzy, but he remembered that much now. “I apologize for not calling you this week. I should have,” he murmured.

  She shook her head. “You didn’t have to. I’m the one who should be apologizing. I should not have given you the impression that you should have called, just now.”

  His heart beat hard in his chest. That statement alone showed how different she was from the other women he messed around with. And that difference, among other things, he was convinced, was what had him here with her now.

  “I don’t want any apologies from you,” he said, leaning in closer, drawing one of her earlobes between his lips. “This is what I want.” He then brushed his tongue across her lips and when she gave a sharp intake of breath, he did it again. And again.

  “Why, Derringer…why me?” she whispered moments before she began trembling against the door.

  “Why not you?” he breathed huskily against her lips before bending close to taste them again. Her flavor as well as her scent was getting to him on a level that made him want to push forward instead of drawing back.

  Then deciding they had done enough talking for now, he sidled up closer to her and pressed his mouth to hers.

  * * *

  By rights she should send him away, Lucia’s mind screamed over and over again. But it was hard to listen to what her mind was saying when Derringer was causing so much havoc with her body. This was the kind of kiss that could knock the sense out of a woman. It was long, deep and downright greedy. He was eating at her mouth as if it were his last meal, and there was no doubt in her mind this kiss was definitely X-rated.

  And if that wasn’t bad enough, his erection was pressing into her right at the juncture of her thighs, cradled against her womanly mound as if it had specifically sought out that part of her. And then there were the nipples of her breasts that were piercing his chest through the material of her T-shirt. She couldn’t help but remember how it felt when they had been flesh to flesh, skin to skin. If he was seducing her then he was certainly going at it the right way.

  He suddenly pulled back. Puzzled as to why, she nervously chewed on her bottom lip—a lip he’d just released from devouring—and stared up at him. He was staring back. “I think we need to take time and think through a few things,” he said huskily.

  She arched a bemused brow. He evidently was speaking for himself. As far as she was concerned there was nothing to think through. She knew what she wanted and had a feeling that he did, too. So what was the problem? She knew the score. Nothing was forever with Derringer Westmoreland and she was okay with that. Although she was hopelessly in love with the man, she knew her limitations. She had accepted them long ago. She had made more strides within the last twelve days than she’d expected in her entire lifetime. They had made love, for heaven’s sake, and he had kissed her senseless a week ago tomorrow.

  But still…she was no longer a teenager with fantasies of him marrying her and living happily ever after with each other. She totally understood that was not the way the ball would bounce. She was not entering into anything with him blindly; she had both eyes wide open. Bottom line was that she didn’t have to safeguard her heart. Although she wished otherwise, the man had her heart, lock, stock and barrel, and it was too late to do anything about it but gladly take whatever she could and live the rest of her life on memories.

  “I think I need to give you time to get dressed so we can get to the skating rink.”

  She couldn’t help but smile softly. “Do you really want to do that?”

  He shook his head. “No, but if you knew what I really want to do you would probably kick me out.”

  “Try me.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. “No, I think I’ll pass. I’ll wait out here until you change clothes.”

  She moved around him to head down the hall and stopped right before crossing the threshold into her room. “You know it would probably be more fun if we stayed here, don’t you?”

  He smiled then said in a firm voice, “Go get dressed, Lucia.”

  Laughing, she entered the bedroom and closed the door behind her. While removing her clothes, Lucia made a decision about something.

  For the first time ever she intended to try
her luck at seducing a man.

  Seven

  Derringer glanced over at Lucia, who was across the room standing in line to check out their roller skates. He had two words to describe the jeans she was wearing—snug and tight. And then the first two words that would describe her overall appearance tonight were hot and sexy.

  Deciding he needed to stop staring at her every chance he got, he glanced around. He had expected the place to be crowded since it was a Friday night, but why were there more kids than adults? Granted, it had been years since he’d gone skating, but still, he would think it was past these kids’ bedtime.

  He laughed recalling how some smart-mouthed preteen had come up to him a few minutes ago and said he hoped he and Lucia were fast enough on the skates to keep up and not get in anyone’s way. Hell, he and Lucia weren’t that old.

  “What’s so funny?”

  He glanced down to see Lucia had returned with their skates. He then told her about the smart-mouthed kid and she smiled. “Doesn’t this city still have a curfew?” he asked her.

  She shook her head. “Not anymore.”

  He lifted a brow. “When did they do away with it?” He figured she would know because her dad had been a member of Denver’s city council for years.

  She smiled sweetly up at him. “They did away with it when Bane turned eighteen.”

  He stared at her for a second, saw she was serious and threw his head back and laughed so hard they couldn’t help but get attention. “You’re making a scene, Derringer Westmoreland,” she whispered.

  He shook his head and pulled her closer to him. “Is there anywhere Bane didn’t leave his mark?”

  “According to my father, the answer to that question is a resounding no. Now, come on, old man, or that kid will return and ask us to step aside.”

  He took her teasing of his age in stride, but still he reached out and grabbed her around the waist. “I’ll show you who’s old and who’s not,” he said, and then he took off, pulling her with him.

  It was past three in the morning when Derringer returned Lucia home, and he smiled as he escorted her inside her home. It had taken a while, but he’d eventually shown that smart-mouthed kid why he once had earned the reputation of being hell on wheels with roller skates. And then when the kid had found out he was a Westmoreland—a cousin to the infamous Bane Westmoreland—he had to all but sign autographs.

  “Can you believe those kids actually think Bane is some kind of hero?” he said, dropping onto Lucia’s love seat.

  She chuckled as she sat down on the sofa across from him. “Yes, I can believe that. Bane was bold enough to do some of the horrific things they would probably love to try but know that they can’t get away with doing. Tell me, who in their right mind would take off in the sheriff’s car while he’s giving someone a ticket other than Bane? He became something of a legend if you were to read some of the stuff the girls wrote all over the walls in the bathroom at the local high school. He and the twins.”

  He glanced over at her. “How do you know about those walls? That was after your time.”

  She smiled as she settled back against the cushions, wrapping her arms across the back. “I have a young cousin who used to have a crush on Aidan and he’s all she used to talk about then, in addition to all the trouble Aidan, Adrian and Bane would get into.”

  Derringer shook his head and chuckled, remembering those times. “And let’s not forget Bailey—she was just as bad. At one time we considered sending all four of them to military school, but that would be like giving up on our own, and we knew we couldn’t do that.”

  A serious expression touched his features before he said, “I don’t tell Ramsey and Dillon enough how much I appreciate them keeping our family together. Losing my parents and my aunt and uncle at the same time was hard on everyone, but they helped us get through it.” Derringer inwardly struggled with what he’d just told her, realizing he had never shared those emotions and feelings with anyone, certainly not any of his women.

  “I’m sure they know you appreciate what they did, Derringer. The proof is in the successful, law-abiding men and women you all became. That’s a testimony in itself. The Westmorelands are getting something now the townspeople figured they wouldn’t ever get after your parents and aunt and uncle passed away.”

  He lifted a brow. “And what’s that?”

  “Respect.” A smile touched her lips when she added, “And admiration. I wish you would have noticed the look on that kid’s face tonight when he realized you were a Westmoreland.”

  Derringer snorted. “Yes, but he was admiring me for all the wrong reasons.”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  He knew deep down that Lucia was right—it didn’t matter, because in the end what Dillon and Ramsey had done was indeed a success story in his book. He stretched his legs out in front of him thinking how throughout the evening he had enjoyed the time he was spending with Lucia. It had been the first time he’d spent with a woman when he’d had honest-to-goodness fun. She had been herself and hadn’t gone out of her way to impress him and draw all the attention on her.

  Even on the drive to and from the skating arena he had enjoyed their conversation, and although it was hard to believe, they had a lot in common and shared the same interests. They both enjoyed watching Westerns, they enjoyed a good comedy every once in a while and were huge fans of the Wayans brothers, Bill Cosby and Sandra Bullock. She also rode horses and enjoyed going hunting.

  But more than anything, he had enjoyed being with her, sharing her space and breathing the same air that she did. And he smiled, thinking she wasn’t too bad on roller skates either. He had enjoyed going around the rink with her, often hearing her throaty laugh, looking over at her and seeing the huge smile on her face; and he especially liked wrapping his arms around her waist when they skated together.

  “I had a wonderful time tonight, Derringer. I really enjoyed myself.”

  He glanced over at her. At some point, she had removed her boots and shifted position on the sofa to tuck her jeans-clad legs beneath her. But still, it didn’t take much to remember how her long, curvy legs looked in a pair of shorts, a skirt or a dress. But most of all, he could recall those same legs wrapped around his waist while they had made love. The more time he spent with her, the more things were coming back to him that he had forgotten about their night together.

  “I enjoyed myself as well,” he responded.

  “You were pretty good on those skates.”

  “You weren’t so bad yourself.” He wondered why he was sitting here making small talk with her when what he really wanted to do was to cross the room and join her on that sofa. His attention was trained directly on her and he could tell by the way she was moving her fingers on her knee he was making her nervous.

  “Lucia, does my being here bother you?”

  “What makes you think that?”

  “Because you’re over there and I’m here,” he didn’t hesitate to say. He watched as she nervously licked her bottom lip, and immediately the lower part of his body—directly behind his zipper—responded in a hard-up way.

  “There’s nothing keeping you over there, Derringer,” she said softly.

  He couldn’t help but smile at her deduction. She was right. There was nothing keeping him on this love seat when more than anything he wanted to be on that sofa with her. Knowing what he should do was stand up, thank her again for a good time and head toward the door and leave, never to return again, he remained seated for a minute. But he knew, just as much as he knew that tomorrow would bring another day, he wasn’t going to do that.

  And he also knew that she didn’t know, she didn’t have a clue just what she did to him, what being here with her was doing to him. He figured his intense attraction to her had everything to do with the night they had made love. But that wouldn’t make sense since he’d made love to a number of women before and none had left the kind of lasting impression that she had. So why had the time with her been different, a
nd why was he so quick to accept that it was?

  The answer nearly made him tremble inside. It made his chest clench and made blood rush through his veins. She was deeply embedded in his system and he knew only one way to get her out of there. When they’d made love before, he hadn’t been completely coherent and maybe that was the problem. Now he needed to make love to her in his right mind, if for no other reason than to purge her from his thoughts, mind and body. Then he could get on with his life and she could get on with hers. But before it was all over, he intended to let her know he was well aware that she had been his visitor that night.

  Deciding he was doing too much thinking and not delivering enough action, he eased off the love seat.

  * * *

  Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.

  Deep down, Lucia knew she didn’t want to do either as she watched Derringer slowly move toward her. Why was she getting all tense and nervous? Hadn’t she made up her mind to seduce him tonight? But it seemed as if he had beat her to the punch and he was about to take things into his own hands. Literally.

  His visit had been a surprise. She hadn’t expected him tonight. He was the most unlikely person to show up at her place tonight or any other time. Not only had he shown up, but he’d taken her out again. Skating. It was their second date and he claimed the reason he was here was because he had needed to see her.

  She knew needing to see her had only been a line and men like Derringer were good at saying such things. They said whatever they thought a woman wanted to hear. But that hadn’t stopped her from allowing herself to be taken in, relish the moments spent with him and be greedy enough to want more. She would take whatever part of Derringer she could get. Tomorrow she would wake up and hate herself for being such a weakling where he was concerned, but she would also wake wearing the blush of a satisfied woman all over her face.

  There was no doubt in her mind that he intended to make love to her. He’d done it before, and from the dark, intense look in his eyes, he planned to do so again. And tonight he wouldn’t get any resistance, because she loved him just that much and was secretly grateful for this time with him.