What a Westmoreland Wants - By Brenda Jackson Page 0,43
much back to normal for Ramsey, then I’ll leave Denver for good and return here.”
She began nibbling on her bottom lip. This was September, and Chloe was due to deliver in November, which meant Callum would be leaving Denver a few months after that. Chances were there would be no Callum Austell in Denver come spring.
“Umm, let me do that.”
She lifted her gaze to his eyes when he interrupted her thoughts. “Let you do what?”
“This.”
He leaned closer and began gently nibbling on her lips, then licking her mouth from corner to corner. When her lips parted on a breathless sigh, he entered her mouth to taste her fully. The kiss grew deeper, hotter and moments later, when he pulled his mouth away, he placed his fingers to her lips to stop the request he knew she was about to make.
“Your body doesn’t need me that way, Gemma. It needs an adjustment period,” he whispered against her lips.
She nodded. “But later?”
His lips curved in a wicked smile. “Yes, later.”
Callum was vaguely aware of the information the foreman of one of his sheep ranches was giving to him. The report was good, which he knew it would be. During the time he’d been in Denver, he’d pretty much kept up with things here as well as with Le’Claire. He’d learned early how to multitask.
And he smiled, thinking how well he’d multi-tasked last night. There hadn’t been one single part of Gemma he hadn’t wanted to devour—and all at the same time. He’d been greedy, and so had she. His woman had more passion in her body than she knew what to do with, and he was more than willing to school her in all the possibilities. But he also knew that he had to be careful. He didn’t want her to start thinking that what was between them was more lust than love. His goal was to woo her every chance he got, which is why he’d hung up with the florist a few moments ago.
“So as you can see, Mr. Austell, everything is as it should be.”
He smiled at the man who’d been talking for the past ten minutes, going over his sheep-herding records. “I figured they would be. I appreciate the job you and your men have done in my absence, Richard.”
A huge grin covered the man’s face. “We appreciate working for the Austells.”
Richard Vinson and his family had worked on an Austell sheep ranch for generations. In fact, upon Callum’s grandfather’s death, Jack Austell had deeded over five hundred acres of land to the Vinson family in recognition of their loyalty, devotion and hard work.
A few minutes later, Callum was headed back to his car when his phone rang. A quick check showed it was a call from the States, namely Derringer Westmoreland. “Yes, Derringer?”
“Just calling to see if you’ve given any more thought to becoming a silent partner in our horse-breeding venture?”
Durango Westmoreland, part of those Atlanta Westmorelands, had teamed up with a childhood friend and cousin-in-law named McKinnon Quinn, and bought a very successful horse-breeding and -training operation in Montana. They had invited their cousins, Zane, Derringer and Jason, to become part of their outfit as Colorado partners. Callum, Ramsey and Dillon had expressed an interest in becoming silent partners. “Yes. I’m impressed with all I’ve heard about it, so count me in.”
“Boy, you’re easy,” Derringer teased.
His words made Callum think about Gemma. She had said the same thing to him last night, but during the course of the night he’d shown her just how wrong she was. “Hey, what can I say? Are you behaving yourself?”
Derringer laughed. “Hey, now what can I say? And speaking of behaving, how is that sister of mine? She hasn’t driven you crazy yet?”
Callum smiled. Gemma had driven him crazy but in a way he’d rather not go into with her brother. “Gemma is doing a great job decorating my place.”
“Well, watch your wallet. I heard her prices can sometimes get out of sight.”
“Thanks for the warning.”
He talked to Derringer a few moments longer before ending the call. After he married Gemma, Ramsey, Zane, Derringer, the twins, Megan and Bailey would become his in-laws, and those other Westmorelands, including Dillon, his cousins-in-law. Hell, he didn’t want to think about all those other Westmorelands, the ones from Atlanta that Ramsey and his siblings and cousins were just beginning to get to know. It didn’t take the Denver Westmorelands and the Atlanta Westmorelands long to begin meshing as if they’d had a close