The Real Thing

“Speaking of cousins...mainly yours,” she said as if to clarify. “I’ve heard the story of how the Denver Westmorelands connected with the Atlanta-based Westmorelands, but what about these other cousins that might be out there?”

He knew she was referring to the ongoing investigation by Megan’s husband, Rico, who was a private investigator. “It seems my great-grandfather Raphel Westmoreland was involved with four women before marrying my great-grandmother Gemma. Three of the women have now been accounted for. It seemed none were his wives, although there’s still one more to investigate for clarification.”

He paused and then said, “Rico and Megan found out that one of the women, by the name of Clarice, had a baby by Raphel that he didn’t know about. She died in a train derailment but not before she gave the child to another woman—a woman who’d lost her child and husband. A woman with the last name of Outlaw.”

He could tell by the light in Trinity’s eyes that she found what he’d told her fascinating. He understood. He was convinced that if there were any more Westmoreland kin out there, Rico would find them.

Adrian glanced at his watch. “It’s still early yet. Is there anything else you want to do before I take you home?”

She glanced at her own watch. “Early? It’s almost midnight.”

He smiled. “Is it past your bedtime?”

“No.”

“Then plan to enjoy the night. And I’ve got just the place.”

“Where?”

“Come on and I’ll show you.”

* * *

A half hour later Trinity was convinced she needed her head examined. She looked down at herself and wondered how she had let Adrian talk her into this. Indoor mountain climbing. Seriously?

But here she was, decked out with climbing shoes, a harness, a rope and all the other things she needed to scale a man-made wall that looked too much like the real thing.

“Ready?”

She glanced over at Adrian who was standing beside her, decked out in his own climbing gear.

Ready? He has to be kidding.

She saw the excitement in his eyes and figured this was something he liked doing on a routine basis. But personally, she was not an outdoorsy kind of girl.

So why did you allow him to talk you into it?

It might have had everything to do with the way he had grabbed hold of her hand as he’d led her out of Andrew’s and toward his car. The tingling sensation that erupted the moment his hand touched hers had seemed to pulverize her common sense. Or it could have been the smile that would creep onto his lips whenever he was on an adrenaline high. Darn, it was contagious.

He snapped his fingers in front of her face, making her realize she hadn’t answered his question. “Hey, don’t start daydreaming on me now, Trinity. You need your full concentration for this.”

She looked over at the fake mountain she was supposed to climb. He claimed this particular one was for beginners, but she had serious doubts about that. She glanced up at him. “I don’t know about this, Adrian.”

His smile widened and she felt the immediate pull in her stomach. “You can do this. You look physically fit enough.”

She rolled her eyes. “Looks are deceiving.”

“Then this will definitely get you in shape. But to be honest, I don’t see where there needs to be improvement.”

She swallowed. Had he just flirted with her for the second time that night? “So, have you ever climbed an outdoor mountain? The real thing?” she asked, rechecking the fit of her gloves.

“Sure. Plenty of times. I love doing it and you will, too.”

She doubted it. Most people were probably in bed and here she was at one in the morning at some all-night indoor mountain climbing arena.

“Ready to try it?” Adrian asked, breaking into her thoughts.

“It’s now or never, I suppose.”

He smiled. “You’ll do fine.”

She wasn’t sure about that, and did he have to be standing so close to her? “Okay, what do I do?”

“Just grab or step on each climbing hold located on the wooden boards as you work your way to the top.”

She glanced up to the top and had to actually tilt her head back to see it. “This is my first time, Adrian. There’s no way I’ll make it that far up.”

“You never know.”

She did. She knew her limits...even when it concerned him. She was well aware that she was attracted to him just as she was well aware that it was an attraction that could get her into trouble if she didn’t keep her sense about her.

Trinity moved toward the huge structure and proceeded to lift her leg. When she felt Adrian’s hands on her backside, she jerked around and put her leg down. “What are you doing?”

“Giving you a boost. Don’t you need one?”

She figured what she needed was her head examined. Had his intention been to give her a boost or to cop a feel? Unfortunately her backside didn’t know the difference and it was still reacting to his touch. Heat had spiked in the area and was spreading all over.

“No, I don’t need one, and watch your hands, Adrian. Keep them to yourself.”

He gave her an innocent smile. “I am duly chastised. But honestly, I was only trying to help and was in no way trying to take advantage of a tempting opportunity.”

“Whatever,” she muttered, not believing him one bit. However, instead of belaboring the issue, she turned and started her climb, which wasn’t easy.

Beginner’s structure or no beginner’s structure, it was meant to give a person a good workout. Why would anyone in their right mind want to do this for fun? she asked herself as she steadily and slowly moved up one climbing hold at a time. After each attempt she had to take a deep breath and silently pray for strength to continue. She had made it to the halfway point and was steadily moving higher.

“Looking good, Trinity. Real good.”

It wasn’t what he said but rather how he’d said it that made her turn slightly and look down at him, nearly losing her footing in the process. Climbing this structure was giving her backside a darn good workout. She could feel it in every movement, and there was no doubt in her mind that he could see it, too. While she was struggling to get to the top, he was down below ass-watching.

“That’s it.” Frustrated with him for looking and with herself for actually liking the thought of him checking her out, she began her descent.

“Giving up already?”

She waited until her feet were on solid ground before she stood in front of him. Regarding him critically, she answered, “What do you think?”

Dark lashes were half lowered over his eyes when he said, “I think you’re temptation, Trinity.”

Whatever words she’d planned to say were zapped from her mind. Why did he have to say that and why had he said it while looking at her with those sexy eyes of his? The last thing she needed was for heat surges to flash through her body the way they were doing now.

“Considering the nature of our relationship, you’re out of line, Adrian.”

He leaned in closer and she got a whiff of his manly scent. She watched his lips curve into a seductive smile. “Why? And before you get all mouthy on me, there’s something you need to consider.”

“What?” she asked, getting even more frustrated. Although she would never admit it, she thought he was temptation, as well.

“I’m supposed to find you desirable. If I didn’t, I couldn’t pull off what needs to be done to dissuade Belvedere. My acting abilities can only extend so far. I can’t pretend to want a woman if I don’t.”

Trinity went still. Was he saying he wanted her? From the way his gaze was darkening, she had a feeling that assumption was right. “I think we need to talk about it.”

“At the moment, I think not.”

When she opened her mouth to protest, he leaned in closer and said in a low, sexy tone, “See that structure over there?”

Her gaze followed his and she saw what he was referring to. It was huge, twice the size of the one she’d tried to scale, designed to challenge even the best of climbers. “Yes, I see it. What about it?”

The look on his face suddenly changed from desire to bold, heated lust. “I plan to climb all over it tonight. Otherwise, I’ll try my damnedest later to climb all over you.”

Five

Some words once stated couldn’t be taken back. You just had to deal with them and Adrian was trying like hell to deal.

He had taken his climb and had done a damn good job scaling a wall he’d had difficulty doing in the past. It was amazing what lust could drive a man to do. And he was lusting after Trinity. Admitting it to her had made her nervous, wary of him, which was why she was hugging the passenger door as if it were her new best friend. If he didn’t know for certain it was locked, he would be worried she would tumble out of the car.

“I won’t bite,” he finally said as he exited the expressway. But I can perform a pretty good lick job, he thought, but now was not the time to share such information.

“Pretending to be lovers isn’t working, Adrian.”

“What makes you think that?” he asked, although he was beginning to think along those same lines. “Because I admitted I want you, Trinity?”

“I would think that has a lot to do with it.”

Adrian didn’t say anything for a minute. Watching Trinity’s backside while she’d climbed that wall had definitely done something to him; had brought out coiling arousal within his very core. And when the crotch of his jeans began pounding like hell from an erection he could barely control, he’d known he was in trouble. The only thing that had consumed his mind—although he knew better—was that he needed to have some of her.

“I thought I explained things to you, Trinity. You’re a sexy woman. I’m a hot-blooded male. There’re bound to be sparks.”

“As long as those sparks don’t cause a fire.”

“They won’t,” he said easily. “I’ll put it out before that happens. I’m no more interested in a real affair than you are. So relax. What I’m encountering is simple lust. I’ll be thirty-one in a few months so I think I’m old enough to handle it.” And he decided, starting now, he would handle it by taking control of himself, which is why he changed the subject.

“So what are your plans for tomorrow?” he asked.

He heard her sigh. “You mean today, right? Sunday. It’s almost two in the morning,” she said.

“I stand corrected. What are your plans for today?”

“Sleep, sleep and more sleep. I seldom get the weekends off and I can’t wait to have a love affair with my bed. It will be Monday before you know it.”

A love affair with her bed. Now why did she have to go there? Images of her naked under silken sheets were making his senses flare in the wrong directions.

He could imagine her scent. It would be close to what he was inhaling now but probably a little more sensual. And he could imagine how she would look naked. Lordy. His body throbbed at the vision. His fingers twitched. When he had touched her backside while giving her that boost he had actually felt the air thicken in his lungs.

“What about you? What do you have planned?”

If he was smart, he would go somewhere this weekend and get laid. Maybe that would help rid his mind of all these dangerous fantasies he was having. But he’d said on their first date that he would see her and only her until this ordeal with Belvedere was over. “Unlike you I won’t be sleeping late. I promised Ramsey that I would help him put new fencing in the north range.”

“I understand from Tara that you’re not living on your family’s land, that you lease a place in town.”

“That’s right. I’m not ready to build on my one hundred acres quite yet. Where I live is just what I need for now. I have someone coming in every week to keep things tidy and to prepare my meals, and that’s good enough for me.”

A short while later he was walking her to her door, although she’d told him doing so wasn’t necessary. She had told him that the other night, as well, but he’d done so anyway.

He watched as she used her key to unlock the door. She then turned to him. “Thanks for a nice evening and for walking me to the door, Adrian.”

“You’re welcome. I’d like to check inside.”

She rolled her eyes. “Is that really necessary?”

“I think so. After what happened with Keisha last year, I would feel a lot better if I did.”

He figured she had heard how his cousin Canyon’s wife, Keisha, had come home to find her house in shambles.

Trinity stepped aside. “Help yourself. I definitely want you to feel better.”

Ignoring the sarcasm he heard in her voice, Adrian moved past her and checked the bedrooms, kitchen and bathrooms. He returned to the living room to find her leaning against the closed door, her arms crossed over her chest.

Her gaze clashed with his. “Satisfied?” she asked in an annoyed tone.

Suddenly a deep, fierce hunger stirred to life inside him. That same hunger he’d been hopelessly fighting all night. He told himself to walk out the door and not look back, but knew he could no more ignore the yearnings that were rushing through him than he could not breathe. She had no idea how totally sensuous she looked or the effect it was having on him.

He walked toward her in a measured pace. When she turned and reached for the door to open it for him to leave, he reached for her. The moment he touched her, fiery heat shot straight to his groin.

Before she could say anything, he pressed her back against the door and swooped his mouth down on hers with a hunger he needed to release. He couldn’t recall precisely when she began kissing him back—all he knew was that she was doing so, and with a greed that equaled his.

He pressed hard into her middle, wanting her to feel just how aroused he was, as his tongue tangled with hers in a duel so sensuous he wasn’t sure if the moans he heard were coming from her or from him.

No telling how long the kiss would have lasted if they hadn’t needed to come up for air. He reluctantly released her mouth and stared down into the fierce darkness of her dazed eyes. She appeared stunned at the degree of passion the two of them had shared, which was even more than the last time they’d kissed.

He leaned in close to her moist lips and answered the question she’d asked him moments ago. “Yes, I’m satisfied, Trinity. I am now extremely satisfied.”

He then opened the door and walked out.

* * *

Trinity stood there. Astonished.

What on earth had just happened? What was that sudden onslaught of intense need that had overtaken her, made her mold her mouth to his as though that was how it was supposed to be? And why did her mouth feel like it was where it belonged when it was connected to his?

She shook her head to jiggle out of her daze. The effects were even more profound than before. It had taken days to get her mind back on track after the last kiss; she had a feeling this one would take even longer.

Her brows pulled together in annoyance. Why had he kissed her again? Just as important, why had she let him? She hadn’t been an innocent bystander by any means. She could recall every lick of his tongue just as she could remember every lick of hers.

She hadn’t held back anything. She’d been just as aggressive as he had. What did that say about her? What was he assuming it said?

As she moved toward her bedroom to strip off her clothes and take a shower, she couldn’t help but recall something else. Watching him climb that wall. He was in great shape and it showed. He’d looked rough and so darn manly. Every time he lifted a jeans-clad thigh as he moved upward, her gaze had followed, watching how his muscles bulged and showed the strength of his legs. The way his jeans had cupped his backside had been a work of art, worthy to be ogled. And when he removed his shirt, she had seen a perfect set of abs glistening with his sweat.

The woman in her had appreciated how he’d reached the top with an overabundance of virility. That was probably why she’d lost her head the moment he’d taken her into his arms and plowed her with a kiss that weakened her knees. But now he was gone and once she got at least eighteen hours of nonstop sleep, she would wake up in her right mind.

She certainly hoped so.

Six

With little sleep and the memory of a kiss that just wouldn’t let go, Adrian, along with his brothers and cousins, helped his older brother Ramsey repair fencing on a stretch of land that extended for miles.

Ramsey had worked as CEO for a while alongside Dillon before giving it up to pursue his first love: being a sheep rancher. Adrian’s brothers Zane and Derringer preferred the outdoors, too. After working in the family business for a few years, Zane, Derringer and Ramsey, as well as their cousin Jason, joined their Montana Westmoreland cousins in a horse breeding and training business.

Ramsey’s wife, Chloe, had arrived with sandwiches, iced tea and homemade cookies. Everyone teased Adrian’s cousin Stern about his upcoming wedding to JoJo, who Stern had been best friends with for years. The two had been engaged for more than six months and Stern was anxious for the wedding to happen, saying he was tired of waiting.

Adrian didn’t say anything as he listened to the easy camaraderie between his family. Leaving home for college had been hard, but luckily he and Aidan had decided to attend the same university. As usual, they had stuck together. Their careers had eventually carried them in different directions. But Adrian knew that eventually his twin would return to Denver.

Aidan’s plans were similar to Trinity’s, regarding returning to her hometown to practice medicine. He could understand her wanting to do that, just as he understood Aidan. So why did the thought of her returning to Florida in about eighteen months bother him? It wasn’t as if she meant anything to him. He’d already established the fact that she wasn’t his type. They had nothing in common. She liked small towns and he preferred big cities. She wasn’t an outdoor person and he was. So why was he allowing her to consume his thoughts the way she had been lately?

“So what’s going on with you, Adrian? Or are you really Aidan?”

Adrian couldn’t help but smile at his brother Zane. It seemed that while he had been daydreaming everyone had left lunch to return to work. “You know who I am and nothing’s going on. I’m just trying to make it one day at a time.”

“So things are working out for you at Blue Ridge?”

“Pretty much. I can see why you, Ramsey and Derringer decided the corporate life wasn’t for you. You have to like it or otherwise you’d hate it.”

Adrian liked his job as chief project officer. His duties included assisting Dillon when it came to any construction and engineering functions of the company, and advising him on the development of major projects and making sure all jobs were completed in a timely manner.

As they began walking to where the others were beginning work again, Zane asked, “So, how are things going being the pretend lover of Thorn’s sister-in-law?”

Adrian glanced over at Zane, not surprised he knew. How many others in his family knew? Bailey hadn’t mentioned anything the other night at dinner so she might be clueless. “Okay, I guess. I’m busy trying to establish this relationship with her for others to see. The first night I made sure the doctor saw us together and last night I went to a show that I knew one of his family members would be attending.”

Zane nodded. “Is it working?”

“Don’t know yet. The doctor’s path hasn’t crossed with Trinity’s since we started this farce.”

“Hmm, I’m curious to see how things turn out.”

Adrian looked at his brother. “If he’s smart, he’ll leave her alone.”

“Oh, I’m not talking about her and the doctor.”

Adrian slowed his pace. “Then who are you talking about?”

Zane smiled. “The two of you.”

Adrian stopped walking and Zane stopped, as well. “Don’t know what you mean,” he said.

Zane shrugged. “I saw her at Riley’s wedding. She’s a looker, but I expected no less with her being Tara’s sister and all.”

Adrian frowned. “So?”

Zane shoved his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. “So nothing. Forget I said anything. I guess we better get back to work if we want to finish up by dusk.”

Adrian watched his brother walk off and decided that since he’d gotten married, Zane didn’t talk much sense anymore.

* * *

“Dr. Matthews, I trust you’ve been doing well.”

Immediately, Trinity’s skin crawled at the sound of the man’s voice as he approached her. She looked up from writing in a patient’s chart. “Yes, Dr. Belvedere. I’ve been fine.”

As a courtesy, she could ask him how he’d been, but she really didn’t want to know. She tried ignoring him as she resumed documenting the patient’s chart.

“I saw you the other night.”

Her heart rate increased. He had come to stand beside her. Way too close as far as she was concerned. She didn’t look up at him but continued writing. “And what night was that?”

“That night you were out on a date at Laredo’s.”

She glanced up briefly. “Oh. I didn’t see you.” That was no lie since she had intentionally not looked in his direction.

“Well, I saw you. You were with a man,” he said in an accusing tone.

She hugged the chart to her chest as she looked up again. “Yes, I was. If you recall, I told you I was involved with someone.”

“I didn’t believe you.”

“I don’t know why you wouldn’t.”

Belvedere smiled and Trinity knew the smile wasn’t genuine. “Doesn’t matter. Break things off with him.”

Trinity blinked. “Excuse me?”

“You heard what I said.”

Something within Trinity snapped. Not caring if anyone passing by heard her, she said, “I will not break things off with him! You have no right to dictate something like that to me.”

A smirk appeared on his face before he looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was privy to their conversation. “I can make or break you, Dr. Matthews. If you rub me the wrong way, all those years you spent in medical school won’t mean a damn thing. Think about it.”

He turned to walk off, but then, as if he’d forgotten to say something, he turned back. “And the next time you decide to report me to someone, think twice. My family practically owns this hospital. I suggest you remember that. And to make sure we fully understand each other, I’ve requested your presence in the next two surgeries I have scheduled, which coincidently are on your next two days off. What a pity.” Chuckling to himself, he walked off.

Trinity just stared at him. She felt as if steam were coming out of her ears. He’d just admitted to sabotaging her time off. How dare he!

Placing the patient’s chart back on the rack, she angrily headed to the office of Wendell Fowler, the chief of pediatrics. Not bothering to wait on the elevator, she took the stairs. By the time she went up three flights of stairs she was even madder.

Dr. Fowler’s secretary, an older woman by the name of Marissa Adams, glanced up when she saw her. “Yes, Dr. Matthews?”

“I’d like to see Dr. Fowler. It’s important.”

The woman nodded. “Please have a seat and I’ll see if Dr. Fowler is available.”

She hadn’t been seated a few minutes when the secretary called out to her. “Dr. Fowler will see you now, Dr. Matthews.”

“Thanks.” Trinity walked around the woman’s desk and headed for Wendell Fowler’s office.

Less than a half hour later Trinity left Dr. Fowler’s office unsatisfied. The man hadn’t been any help. He’d even accused her of dramatizing the situation. He’d then tried to convince her that working in surgery on her days off under the guidance of Dr. Belvedere would be a boost to her medical career.

Feeling a degree of fury the likes of which she’d never felt before, she walked past Ms. Adams’s desk with her head held high, fighting back tears in her eyes. If Dr. Belvedere’s goal was to break her resolve and force her to give in to what he wanted, then he was wasting his time. If she had to give up her days off this week, she would do it. She refused to let anyone break her down.