Hot Westmoreland Nights - Brenda Jackson [35]
Chloe kept her attention trained on what she was doing, refusing to let the sound of Ramsey’s deep, throaty voice wreak havoc on her mind. It was bad enough she could inhale his masculine scent over that of the bacon frying. That might sound like a lot of bull to some, but she was convinced it was true, which was the reason her nipples felt so sensitive. Bacon would not have caused that effect.
“No. I don’t have family around these parts,” she said, wondering why he’d asked.
“So you relocated here?”
“Yes.”
“Without knowing anyone?”
She wondered how she could answer that without telling an outright lie. “Not exactly. I have a girlfriend from college who lives here and decided to give this area a try.”
He nodded. “So you’re living with your girlfriend?”
Her answer to that would not be a lie. “Yes, when I’m not staying here as your cook.”
He pushed his plate aside and leaned back in his chair. “So where are you from?”
She forced a smile as she glanced over at him. “Where do you think I’m from?”
“Somewhere in the South.”
“Yes, I’m from Florida, more specifically Tampa.”
Deciding she had answered enough questions, Chloe resolved it was her turn to ask a few. “So, what happened with Raphael and his five wives? I didn’t think a divorce was that easy back in the day.”
Ramsey shrugged. “During our research we discovered the first woman he ran off with was a preacher’s wife. He couldn’t marry her because she was already married.”
Chloe lifted a brow. “Then why did he run off with her?”
“To save her from an abusive marriage. And before you ask, the second wife he took off her husband’s hands, with her husband’s blessing, to save a possible scandal.”
Ramsey decided that was all he would tell her for now. It was just enough to keep her curious. Why he was baiting her he really wasn’t sure. Maybe the reason was that he liked seeing the look of interest in her eyes.
He stood and carried his plate, coffee cup and glass over to the sink.
“You don’t have to do that,” she said.
“Yes, I do. I was raised to clean up after myself.”
And just like yesterday, when he reached the sink she deliberately moved out of his way. Knowing she was trying to avoid his touch bothered him. He reached out and grabbed hold of her hand. She glanced over at him, startled.
“Why are you afraid of me, Chloe?” It was then that he realized he was running his fingers up and down her arm.
She lifted her chin, but did not try pulling her hand away. “What makes you think I’m afraid of you?”
“You’re trying to avoid me.”
She lifted a haughty brow. “I could very well say the same thing about you, Ramsey.”
That was true, he thought to himself. Instead of denying it, he was silent for a moment. And when he felt a shudder pass through her from the way he was running his fingers up her arms he locked his gaze to hers.
“Why the hell do we let this keep happening to us?” he asked in a low, throaty tone.
Surprisingly, she gave him a faint smile. “Hey, you’re the one who was trying to work me out of your system.”
He nodded. “With yesterday’s kiss,” he replied.
“Yes.”
Now it was his time to smile. “It didn’t work.”
She shrugged. “Maybe your heart just wasn’t in it.”
His smile quickly transformed to a frown. “Like hell. Everything I had was in it.”
She seemed to consider his words for half a second. “I know,” she said, and sighed in dismay.
With his free hand he took his finger and tilted her chin. “But just to be sure, I think I should at least try it again. Yesterday didn’t seem to work.”
He then lowered his head and caught her lips in a drugging kiss, deliberately making it hot from the start. His tongue slid into her mouth on a breathless sigh and from there it was on. He deepened the kiss, devouring her mouth with a hunger that made yesterday’s kiss seem tame.
He heard her moan. He felt the way the pebbled tips of her breasts were rubbing against his chest as if he wasn’t even wearing a shirt. And once again,