Brenda Jackson - The Westmoreland Legacy - The Rancher Returns (The Westmoreland Legacy) / His Secret Son (The Westmoreland Legacy) / An Honourable Seduction (The Westmoreland Legacy)

“Clete. He’s an older man we hired years ago to keep the grounds clear of trash and debris as well as repair anything that needs fixing. That way Caldwell and the men can concentrate mainly on the cattle. When I mentioned the marker to Gramma Mel, she reminded me that Clete has a tendency to move stuff when he’s keeping the land cleared.”

“But why would he remove the marker?”

Gavin shrugged. “He probably didn’t know what it was and thought it was trash. He and his wife left a few days ago to visit their son who is in the navy and stationed in Hawaii. I’ll talk to him when he gets back.”

Layla drew in a deep breath, feeling somewhat relieved. The thought of someone tampering with the dig site had definitely bothered her.

“Sit down and eat. I promised Gramma Mel that I would make sure you did.”

She raised a suspicious eye. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why would you care one way or the other if I eat?”

A slow, sexy smile touched his lips and her womb seemed to contract with the weight of that smile. And his dimples had bone-melting fire spreading through her blood. “The reason I care is because I don’t want you to start losing weight.”

She crossed her arms over her chest again, and then quickly dropped them by her sides when she saw his gaze shift back to her chest. Could the man think of anything other than sex for a minute? “And what does my weight have to do with you?”

“When I make love to you, I want to feel meat on your bones.”

His statement answered her earlier question. No, he obviously couldn’t think of anything other than sex. “We won’t be making love, Gavin.”

“Your food is getting cold.”

He was blatantly ignoring what she’d said. “I’ll eat after you leave.”

He chuckled. “If that was a hint that you want me to go, forget it. I want to make sure you eat.”

She frowned. “What do you plan to do? Stay here and watch me.”

“Yes, that was my intent.”

He was serious. “I don’t need a babysitter, Gavin.”

“No. What you need is a lover, Layla. And you never did answer my question from last night. When was the last time you made love with a man?”

“And I don’t intend to answer it because it’s none of your business.”

If he insisted on staying, she would ignore him. She moved to the table where he’d placed her food. Her mouth began watering the moment she uncovered it. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli, candied yams and iced tea. And a slice of chocolate cake for dessert.

A smile lit her face. “Your grandmother is something else.” Layla walked over to the sink to wash her hands. After grabbing utensils out of a drawer, she returned to the table and found Gavin sitting there. Did he plan to actually watch her eat? Didn’t he have anything better to do?

Deciding nothing would stand between her and that food, she sat down, bowed her head and said grace, determined to ignore him. When she slid a forkful of mashed potatoes between her lips, she closed her eyes and groaned. Delicious.

“If you get off eating mashed potatoes, I can only imagine your reaction when we make love.”

A part of her wanted to claim she wouldn’t enjoy it. She quickly dismissed the idea when she glanced over at him. A woman could climax just from staring at him. Even so, she said, “In your dreams.”

“My dreams will one day become your reality, Layla.”

She decided not to argue with him anymore. But if he was intent on watching her, she might as well ask him a few questions. Get him talking, so she wouldn’t think about how good he looked sitting there. How sexy.

She took a sip of her tea. “You mentioned your teammate named Flipper. Any others you’re close to?”

“I’m close to all of them. We’re a team.”

“How many?”

“Enough.”

She rolled her eyes. Had she asked about classified information or something? “I’m sure you’re closer to some of the guys more than others.”

He leaned back in the chair as if getting comfortable. She couldn’t recall the last time she’d shared a private, intimate dinner with a man. And, whether she liked admitting it or not, this was intimate. They were alone, sitting at a table with the backdrop of a blazing fire roaring in the fireplace.

“In that case, I would say Flipper, Bane, Coop, Mac and Nick. The six of us went through all phases of training together. A couple of years ago, Nick took a job with Homeland Security. He needed a little more stability in his life when his wife gave birth to triplets.”

As if he felt right at home, he stood and went to the refrigerator to get a beer and then returned to his chair. “Bane is a master sniper,” he continued, popping the cap. “Coop is the mastermind behind most of our strategic moves. Mac is slightly older than the rest of us and likes to think he can keep us in line most of the time. He’s been married for ages, has four kids and likes to impose his words of wisdom on us whether we want to hear them or not. And Flip can hold his breath under water longer than any human I know.” He chuckled as he took a swig. “We’re convinced Flipper has gills hidden somewhere.”

Layla heard the fondness in his voice when he spoke of his teammates. “What’s a master sniper?”

He looked at her. She thought he would say she was asking for classified information but then he said, “A master sniper is the best shot on the team. Bane is one badass. He can hit a target with one eye closed. He’s covered all our backs more than once.” He paused. “Bane and his wife, Crystal, are renewing their vows next month.”

“Oh, were he and his wife separated for a while or something?”

“Yes, you could say that.”

Layla knew he was being elusive but she was getting used to it. She didn’t have to ask if his job was dangerous. Anyone who knew of the navy SEALs was aware of the types of missions they went on. She finished the rest of her meal in silence, with him watching her. She was tempted to ask if he wanted some but knew the trouble she’d gotten into when she’d asked him that question the last time.

She took a sip of her iced tea and looked over at him when she pushed her plate aside. “Satisfied, Gavin?”

He gave her a crooked smile. “Baby, my satisfaction will come when I get inside of you.”

The glass nearly slipped from her hand. She recovered long enough to set it down by the plate. The impact of his words had her burning from the inside out. “Why do you say such things?”

“Just keeping it honest.”

* * *

Gavin liked rattling Layla. Evidently she wasn’t used to a man talking to her this way, telling her what he wanted and how he planned to make her feel. While watching her eat, his imagination had run wild. The conversation hadn’t distracted him enough to demolish his desire. He doubted that was possible. He wanted her. He’d made that point pretty damn clear and he knew she wanted him as well, so what was the holdup?

“I’ve finished eating so you can leave now.”

He held her gaze, felt the flare of response in their bodies when they looked at each other. Giving in to temptation, he lightly traced his fingertips along her arm. He felt her shiver beneath his touch. He heard her sharp intake of breath. “Why are you fighting this, Layla?”

“And why are you being so persistent?”

He could tell her that one of the reasons was because he hadn’t been with a woman in six months, eight days, twelve hours and no telling how many minutes. Being around her was taking its toll. However, telling her such a thing would make him sound like a greedy jerk with only sex on his mind. That was only partly true. The other part was that he found her as fascinating as he found her beautiful.