LITMIR.BIZ

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had been standing in a group talking to her cousins. Spencer had shared some joke and all the men, including McKinnon, had laughed. But other than that one time, she was yet to see the corners of his lips crinkle up. She couldn’t help but wonder about both the sadness and anger she often saw in his gaze. She had asked Durango about it once but he’d shrugged saying he didn’t know what she was talking about.

      And it was obvious McKinnon had avoided her this week. Even now she could tell that he was tense and angry about something, but she didn’t know how to go about breaking through his defenses. She was used to dealing with moody males, thanks to Clint and Cole. The moodiness she could deal with, but not the anger because she didn’t understand the reason for it.

      A part of her knew it had something to do with the kiss they’d shared that night a week ago. Why had he gotten upset about it? They were both adults and he was the one who’d suggested doing it in the first place, saying a kiss was what they needed to sleep, and of course she’d gone along with it since kissing him was something she’d wanted to do for a long time. And he’d been right about the kiss. She had slept like a baby and had awakened the next day with a longing to see him, but he’d evidently regretted what they’d shared and had other ideas and began putting distance between them…until now.

      “So, how are things going with Prince Charming?”

      The sound of his voice jerked her back to the present. She glanced over at him. He wasn’t looking at her but his muscular body was reclined back against the seat staring straight ahead and the Stetson he wore low on his head shielded his eyes. Tight jeans were stretched across his thighs and the blue shirt accentuated a strong, sturdy chest. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail and his profile was just as sexy as the rest of him.

      Unwanted images were forming in her mind—especially of how wild and untamed he’d look that night in the courtyard. She wished the kiss they’d shared could have gone on and on since she had enjoyed it so much. No man had ever kissed her that way before and…

      “Casey?”

      Abruptly she was snapped back to reality. He was looking at her with those dark eyes of his and suddenly she was filled with this urgent, compelling hunger to kiss him again.

      “Yes?”

      “I asked how things were going with Prince Charming.”

      And naturally when you asked I was thinking about something that I shouldn’t be. “We’re in the getting-to-know-you-better stage,” she said, forcing the words from her mouth through thick abated breath. “I’m walking him a lot to get a feel of his balance and taking note of those things that might distract him, make him not alert as he should be. I’m trying to develop a good impression with him—one that will last. He’s still somewhat tense and I’m trying to rid him of that. Once that happens then the bonding can begin.”

      “What about working on his speed?”

      Casey could see from out the corner of her eye that McKinnon was still looking at her but she refused to look back when she responded. “He has speed, McKinnon, otherwise Jamal would not have purchased him to use in the races. Once I get rid of the tension and the bonding starts, then he’ll do some amazing things, including increasing his speed. You’ll see.”

      McKinnon got quiet again for a while. He thought about the reason she was going into town, frowned and then said, “Have you considered moving in with Durango and Savannah instead of getting your own place somewhere?” For some reason he was bothered by the thought of her living in the city alone. “I bet they’d be glad to have you as a guest for a while.”

      Casey’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “For goodness sakes. They’re still newlyweds. I would feel like I’m imposing on them.”

      He nodded. “Yeah, I can see your point. Even with Savannah being pregnant, it seems every time I drop by they’re either getting out of the bed or getting into it.”

      Lucky them, she wanted to say but changed her mind.

      “You could stay with my folks,” he suggested.

      Casey glanced over at him and met his gaze. Once again she felt the sizzle and tried to ignore the heat swirling around in her stomach and between her legs. She quickly placed her eyes back on the road, tightening her hands on the steering wheel and squeezing her thighs together. She didn’t fully understand these sensations that always swamped her when he looked at her a certain way.

      She tried to get a grip and think about what he’d just said about her moving in with his parents. How she could tell him in a nice way that his folks were just as bad as her father and Abby? She hadn’t known that older couples could be so openly affectionate.

      She cleared her throat and glanced back over at him. “I would feel like I’d be imposing on them, as well.”

      McKinnon smiled. “Yeah. Like Corey and Abby, they do take being touchy and feely to a whole other level, don’t they.”

      “And it doesn’t bother you?” she asked.

      “No, my brothers and I are used to it. My parents love each other very much and have no problem openly displaying that love. I think it’s kind of special.”

      She’d been led over the years to believe what her parents had shared had been special, too. Boy, was that wrong. Wanting to change the subject, she decided to ask him about what was still bothering her. “Why wouldn’t you entertain the thought of me working on your ranch that first day, McKinnon?”

      He glanced over at her, grateful her eyes were still on the road and not on him. He didn’t want to look into her face when he lied. He couldn’t be completely honest when he told her the reason behind his decision not to hire her. That he’d figured his constantly being around her, having her live on his ranch was a temptation he couldn’t deal with.

      So instead he said, “Like I told you, if anything happened to you I would have Corey to deal with, not to mention all those other damn Westmorelands.”

      She shook her head smiling. “There are a bunch of them, aren’t there?”

      He lifted a brow. “Bunch of them? Need I remind you that you are one of them.”

      The smile on her face suddenly vanished. “Yes, and it took me all of twenty-eight years to find that out.”

      McKinnon heard the bitterness in her voice. It was his understanding that she still had issues regarding the lies her mother told her about her father. For some reason, she couldn’t let go and move on.

      “There might have been a reason your mother did what she did,” he said quietly, recalling the reason his mother had never told him that Martin wasn’t his biological father until she’d been left with no choice. “There are some things we aren’t meant to understand, and what happened between your mother and Corey is probably one of them.”

      Casey sighed deeply. She wasn’t surprised that he knew the whole story—their fathers were best friends and had been for years. But then, given Corey Westmoreland’s popularity, she was certain that everyone in these parts had heard about his long-lost triplets.

      “Don’t try and make excuses for what she did to me and my brothers, McKinnon. All those years we thought our father was dead but he wasn’t. Just think of all that wasted time when we could have known him.”

      “But you’re getting to know him now. I hate to say that old cliché but better late than never, fits in this case.”

      Casey frowned. “No, it doesn’t fit, and I prefer that we change the subject.” A few minutes later she said, “We’ll go see the doctor first to get you all fixed up.”

      McKinnon shook his head. In addition to being feisty, she was stubborn. “Whatever.”

      * * *

      A couple of hours later, as they walked out of the doctor’s office, Casey glanced over at McKinnon. “Are you sure you don’t want me to take you back to the ranch now?”

      He

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