Hot Westmoreland Nights - Brenda Jackson [50]
She heard a quick tap and then the front door opened. She stood when three women walked in and she found herself under the intense gaze of three pairs of eyes the exact color of Ramsey’s. She knew immediately these were his sisters.
Ramsey cursed under his breath when he pulled into his yard, recognizing the three vehicles haphazardly parked there. For his sisters to come calling at this time of the day and all at the same time meant curiosity had gotten the best of them and they were here to check things out for themselves.
He glanced in his rearview mirror, surprised Callum wasn’t pulling up behind him. The man seemed to have some kind of built-in radar where Gemma was concerned. Whenever she showed up at his place, Callum homed in on her and would find just about any excuse to show up.
As he got out of his truck, the rich scent of something delectable cooking filled the air. This was Chloe’s last week and he wondered how his men were going to readjust when Nellie returned. He had called and left a message on her cell phone letting her know they needed to talk before Monday. Chloe had raised the bar of expectations and although he knew Nellie was a darn good cook, she hadn’t displayed a lot of that skill lately. And her attitude toward his men definitely needed improving.
But still, just the thought that this Friday would be Chloe’s last day did something to him. He refused to believe what Dillon had hinted at earlier that he was developing feelings for her. Yes, he had enjoyed sleeping with her last night and intended to do so again, but he had no intention of progressing to anything remotely serious between them. He was a loner. He preferred things that way.
He heard the sound of feminine voices the moment he walked into his house. He paused and noted the chatter, the laughter, the downright friendliness in the conversations being shared. It seemed the four women were getting along, and for some reason that pleased him. Why it would, he wasn’t sure.
Following the sound of the voices as well as the scent of food cooking, he headed toward the kitchen and then leaned in the doorway at the sight that greeted him. His sisters were sitting down at the table, sampling whatever was smelling so damn good, while Chloe stirred something in a big pot. If he didn’t know better, by the way they were carrying on, he would have thought they had known each other for years.
“Forgive me if I’m interrupting anything,” he said when it became obvious no one had noticed him.
Four pairs of eyes turned his way, but it was only one pair that he sought out. And the moment Chloe’s gaze met his, he felt it, a deep stirring within the pit of his stomach, and it had more depth than just a sensual ache. He was tempted to do what he’d done this morning in front of Zane, Derringer, Jason and Callum, which was to cross the room and take Chloe into his arms and kiss her, ignoring their audience. But there was no way in hell he could ignore the three sitting at the table who had huge smiles on their faces like he’d cut muster about something. And he couldn’t help but notice they were watching him closely.
“You’re not interrupting anything,” Bailey said sweetly, smiling with too much saccharin on her lips to suit him. “We were just sitting here chatting with Chloe, trying to get to know her better.”
He lifted a brow and almost asked why they saw fit to do something like that when Chloe would be leaving this Friday, but he refrained from doing so. “Suit yourself. If you will excuse me I have work to do.”
He moved to walk toward his office wondering why he was doing the very thing he said he would no longer do where Chloe was concerned. But then he knew that putting any ideas into his sisters’ heads would be dangerous. They wouldn’t take it and run, they would take it and rush off in a mad dash. Besides, by retreating he was saving Chloe from being interrogated later, not that his nosy sisters hadn’t probably tried pumping