Taming Clint Westmoreland - Brenda Jackson [16]
One of his broad shoulders lifted nonchalantly. “You tell me,” he said.
She had said his name; however, because of the way he had been looking at her, the way that look had made blood rush through her veins, she had forgotten what she’d been about to say. She then remembered. “I was going to say that if you’re busy I can just look around myself.”
“I’m not busy, so let’s go,” he said.
She noticed right before he turned to step back into the hallway that the frown on his face had deepened, and she had a feeling that although he had invited her to stay for the night he still didn’t like it one bit that she was there.
After giving Alyssa a tour of his home, he walked by her side down the steps to the outside. Her compliments had again pleased him, although he wasn’t quite sure why they had. He’d never been one to place a lot of emphasis on what anyone thought of what he owned. He bought to satisfy his taste and not anyone else’s.
“You said your sister moved to Montana. Does she come back to visit often?”
He glanced over at Alyssa as they walked down the stairs. She seemed to have gotten shorter and a quick look at her feet told him why. She had exchanged her three-inch high-heel shoes for a pair of flats. Smart move. A working ranch was no place for high heels. “Casey’s been back once since she left and that was to get her wedding dress made. Mrs. Miller, a seamstress in town, always said she wanted to be the one who designed Casey’s wedding dress if she ever got married,” he said.
Her question quickly reminded him of something. “But she and McKinnon might be visiting within the next couple of weeks. Why?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I was just wondering.” And then she asked, “What about Cole?”
He glanced over at her again. “What about him?”
“Does he live here, too?”
“No, Cole has a place in town but most of the time he’s on assignment somewhere.” Clint had an idea why Alyssa asked about Casey and Cole and the chances that they would being paying a visit to the ranch anytime soon. “If you’re concerned what my siblings will have to say about our situation if they happen to pop in then don’t be. They won’t ask questions.”
At the uncertainty in her eyes, he went on to say, “And no, it’s not because I usually let women stay over on occasion. It’s just that my family respects my privacy. Besides, it’s not like either of us has done anything wrong.”
“So you plan to tell them the truth about who I am?”
“The part about you being my wife?”
“Yes.”
He met her gaze. “I see no reason not to. Besides, Chester knows and if he knows then they know, or they will soon. He thinks I need a wife.”
“Why does he think that?”
“He’s afraid that like Uncle Sid, I’ll get so involved with my horses that I won’t take time out to build a personal life or have a family. He’s determined not to let that happen. He would marry me off in a heartbeat if he could.”
They said nothing for the next few moments, but as they continued to walk together around the ranch he was fully aware of the admiring glances Alyssa was getting from the men who worked for him. His mouth thinned; for some reason he was bothered by it.
“This is a huge place,” she said, as if wanting to change the subject, which was okay with him.
“Yes, it is.”
“Do you have a lot of men working for you?”
“Well over a hundred. And as I said earlier, Alyssa, if you decide to stay here, the chances of getting in each other’s way are slim to none.” As far as he was concerned life would be much easier, less complicated that way. The last thing he needed was for her or any woman to get under his skin.
“Ready to head back?” he asked and watched how she pushed a wayward curl back away from her face.
“Yes…and thanks for the tour.”
As they walked back toward the ranch house—strolling quietly side by side—he wished like hell he could dismiss from his mind the memory of her taste that remained on his tongue, and how even