Breaking Bailey's Rules
Walker liked her knack for speaking what she thought. “Not all of them feel that way, Bailey. Only Bart.”
“Who’s Bart?” she asked, breaking eye contact with him to get into the truck.
“Bart’s their father,” he answered, getting into the truck, as well. “Bart’s father would have been the baby that was supposedly given to his grandmother, Amelia Outlaw.”
“And Amelia never told any of them the truth about what happened?” Bailey asked, snapping her seat belt around her waist. A waist he couldn’t help notice was pretty small. He could probably wrap his arms around it twice.
He snapped his seat belt on, thinking the truck smelled like her. “Evidently she didn’t tell anyone.”
“I wonder why?”
“She wouldn’t be the first person to keep an adoption a secret, if that’s what actually happened. From what Rico Claiborne said, Clarice knew she was dying and gave her baby to Amelia, who had lost her husband in that same wreck. She probably wanted to put all that behind her and start fresh with her adopted son.”
After she maneuvered out of the parking lot, he decided to change the subject. “So what do you do?”
She glanced over at him. “Don’t you know?”
“It wasn’t on Facebook.”
She chuckled. “I don’t put everything online. And to answer your question, I work for my sister-in-law’s magazine, Simply Irresistible. Ever heard of it?”
“Can’t say that I have. What kind of magazine is it?”
“One for today’s up-and-coming woman. We have articles on health, beauty, fashion and, of course, men.”
He held her gaze when the truck came to a stop. “Why ‘of course’ on men?”
“Because men are so interesting.”
“Are we?”
“Not really. But since some women think so, we have numerous articles about your gender.”
He figured she wanted him to ask what some of those articles were, but he didn’t intend to get caught in that trap. Instead, he asked, “What do you do at the magazine?”
“As of today I’m a features editor. I got promoted.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks.” An easy smile touched her lips, lips that were nice to look at and would probably taste just as nice.
“I find that odd,” he said, deciding to stay focused on their conversation and not her lips.
The vehicle slowed due to traffic and she looked at him. “What do you find odd?”
“That your family owns a billion-dollar company yet you don’t work there.”
* * *
Bailey broke eye contact with Walker. Was he in probing mode? Were her answers going to be scrutinized and reported back to the Outlaws?
Walker’s questions confirmed what she’d told Dillon. Those Outlaws were too paranoid for her taste. As far as she was concerned, kin or no kin, they had crossed the line by sending Walker Rafferty here.
But for now she would do as Dillon had asked and tolerate the man’s presence...and his questions. “There’s really nothing odd about it. There’s no law that says I have to work at my family’s corporation. Besides, I have rules.”
“Rules?”
“Yes,” she said, bringing the truck to a stop for a school bus. She looked over at him. “I’m the youngest in the family and while growing up, my brothers and cousins felt it was their God-given right to stick their noses in my business. A little too much to suit me. They only got worse the older I got. I put up with it at home and couldn’t imagine being around them at the office, too.”
“So you’re not working at your family’s company because you need space?”
“That’s not the only reason,” she informed him before he got any ideas about her and her family not getting along. “I’m not working at Blue Ridge Land Management because I chose a career that had nothing to do with real estate. Although I have my MBA, I also have a degree in journalism, so I work at Simply Irresistible.”
She was getting a little annoyed that she felt the need to explain anything to him. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions about my family and I’m certain Dillon will be happy to answer them. We have nothing to hide.”
“You’re assuming that I think you do.”
“I’m not assuming anything, Walker.”
He didn’t say anything while she resumed driving. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw he’d settled comfortably in the seat and was gazing out the window. “First time in Denver?” she asked.
“Yes. Nice-looking city.”
“I think so.” She wished he didn’t smell so good. The scent of his aftershave was way too nice.
“Earlier you mentioned rules, Bailey.”
“What about them?” She figured most people had some sort of rules they lived by. However, she would be the first to admit that others were probably not as strict about abiding by theirs as she was about abiding by hers. “I’ve discovered it’s best to have rules about what I will do and not do. One of my rules is not to answer a lot of questions, no matter who’s asking. I put that rule in place because of my brother Zane. He’s always been too nosy when it came to me and he has the tendency to take being overprotective to another level.”
“Sounds like a typical big brother.”
“There’s nothing typical about Zane, trust me. He just likes being a pain. Because of him, I had to adopt that rule.”
“Name another rule.”
“Never get serious about anyone who doesn’t love Westmoreland Country as much as I do.”
“Westmoreland Country?”
“It’s the name the locals gave the area where my family lives. It’s beautiful and I don’t plan to leave. Ever.”
“So in other words, the man you marry has to want to live there, too. In Westmoreland Country?”
“Yes, if such a man exists, which I doubt.” Deciding to move the conversation off herself and back onto the Outlaws, she asked, “So how many Outlaws are there?”
“Their father is Bart and he was an only child. He has five sons—Garth, Jess, Cash, Sloan and Maverick—and one daughter, Charm.”
“I understand they own a freight company.”
“They do.”
“All of them work there?”
“Yes. Bart wouldn’t have it any other way. He retired last year and Garth is running things now.”
“Well, you’re in luck with my brother Aidan getting married this weekend. You’ll see more Westmorelands than you probably counted on.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Bailey was tempted to look at him but she kept her eyes on the road. She had to add sexy to his list of attributes, no matter how much she preferred not to. Josette would be the first to say it was only fair to give a deserving man his just rewards. However, Bailey hated that she found him so attractive. But what woman wouldn’t? Manly, handsome and sexy was a hot combination that could play havoc on any woman’s brain.
“So were you born in Alaska or are you a transplant?” she asked him out of curiosity.
“I was born in Alaska on the same property I own. My grandfather arrived in Fairbanks as a military man in the late 1940s. When his time in the military ended he stayed and purchased over a hundred thousand acres for his bride, a woman who could trace her family back to Alaska when it was owned by Russia. What about your family?”
A smile touched Bailey’s lips. “I know for certain I can’t trace my grandmother’s family back to when Alaska was owned by Russia, if that’s what you’re asking.”
It wasn’t and she knew it, but couldn’t resist teasing him. It evidently amused him if the deep chuckle that rumbled from his throat was anything to go by. The sound made her nipples tingle and a shiver race through her stomach. If the sound of his chuckle could do this to her, what would his touch do?
She shook her head, forcing such thoughts from her mind. She had just met the man. Why was she feeling such a strong attraction to him? This wasn’t usually how it worked with her and men. Most of the time she thought of them as a nuisance, not an attraction.
“You okay?”
The truck had slowed down for traffic again and she took a quick look over at him. She wished she hadn’t when she met those gorgeous dark eyes. “Yes, why would you think I’m not?”
“You shivered just now.”
He had to have been watching her mighty close to have known that. “Just a little chill.”
“Then, maybe I should turn up the heat.”
Turn up the heat? She immediately jumped to conclusions until he reached out toward her console and turned the knob. Oh, he meant that heat. Within seconds, a blast of warmth flowed through the truck’s vents.
“Better?”
“Yes. Thanks,” she said, barely able to think. She needed to get a grip. Deciding to go back to their conversation by answering his earlier question, she said, “As far as my family goes, we’re still trying to find out everything we can about my great-grandfather Raphel. We didn’t even know he had a twin brother until the Atlanta Westmorelands showed up to claim us. Then Dillon began digging into Raphel’s past, which led him to Wyoming. Over the years we’ve put most of the puzzle pieces together, which is how we found out about the Outlaws.”
Bailey was glad when she finally saw the huge marker ahead. She brought the truck to a stop and looked over at him. “Welcome to Westmoreland Country, Walker Rafferty.”
Two
An hour later Walker stood at the windows in the guest bedroom he’d been given in Dillon Westmoreland’s home. As far as Walker could see, there was land, land and more land. Then there were the mountains, a very large valley and a huge lake that ran through most of the property. From what he’d seen so far, Westmoreland Country was beautiful. Almost as beautiful as his spread in Kodiak. Almost, but not quite. As far as he was concerned, there was no place as breathtaking as Hemlock Row, his family home.
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?