The Best Kept Secrets.... Оливия Гейтс

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       Chapter Two

      Jillian heard the sound of a rider approaching and turned around, using her hand to shield her eyes from the glare of the sun. Although she couldn’t make out the identity of the rider, she knew it wasn’t Bailey.

      The rider came closer and when her heart began pounding hard in her chest, she knew it was Aidan. What was he doing here? And where was Bailey?

      Over breakfast she and Bailey had agreed to go riding after lunch. Because the property was located so far from Denver’s city limits and encompassed so much land, the locals referred to it as Westmoreland Country. Although Jillian had seen parts of it, she had yet to see all of it and Bailey had volunteered to show it to her.

      Dropping her hand to her side, Jillian drew in a deep breath as Aidan and his horse came closer. She tried not to notice how straight he sat in the saddle or how good he looked sitting astride the horse. And she tried not to gawk at how his Stetson, along with his western shirt, vest, jeans and boots, made him look like a cowboy in the flesh.

      When he brought the horse to a stop a few feet from where she stood, she had to tilt her head all the way back to look up at him. “Aidan.”

      He nodded. “Jillian.”

      His irritated expression and the cutting sound of his voice made her think he was upset about something. Was she trespassing on a particular part of Westmoreland land where she had no business being?

      Thinking she needed to give him an explanation, she said, “I’m waiting for Bailey. We’re going riding.”

      “Yes, those were your plans.”

      She lifted a brow. “Were?”

      He nodded. “Bailey tried reaching you but your phone is out of range. She was called in to work and asked that I take her place.”

      “Take her place?”

      “Yes, take her place. She indicated you wanted to tour Westmoreland Country.”

      “I did, but...”

      Penetrating dark eyes held hers. “But what?”

      She shoved both hands into the pockets of her jeans. There was no way she could tell him that under no circumstances would she go riding anywhere with him. She could barely be around him for a few minutes without becoming unglued...like she was becoming now.

      The reason she had placed her hands in her pockets was because they were already sweaty. And then there was that little ball of fire in her stomach that always seemed to burst into flames whenever he was around. Aidan Westmoreland oozed so much sexiness it was driving her to the edge of madness.

      “Jillian?”

      She blinked when he said her name. The sound of his voice was like a caress across her skin. “Yes?”

      “But what? Do you have a problem with me being Bailey’s replacement?”

      She drew in a deep breath. She couldn’t see him being anyone’s replacement. It was easy to see he was his own man, and what a man he was. Even now, the weight of his penetrating gaze caused a heated rush to cross her flesh. So, yes, she had a problem with him being Bailey’s replacement, but that was something she definitely wouldn’t tell him.

      “No, I don’t have a problem with it,” she lied without even blinking. “However, I would think that you do. I’m sure you have more to do with your time than spend it with me.”

      He shrugged massive shoulders. “No, in fact I don’t, so it’s not a problem. Besides, it’s time for us to get to know each other better.”

      Why was her body tingling with awareness at his words? She was sure he didn’t mean them the way they sounded, but she thought it best to seek clarification. “Why should we get to know each other better?”

      He leaned back in the saddle and she couldn’t help noticing the long fingers that held the reins. Why was she imagining those same fingers doing things to her, like stroking her hair, splaying up and down her arms, working their way across her naked body? She tried to downplay the shiver that passed through her.

      “Dillon married Pam four years ago, and there’s still a lot I don’t know about you and your sisters,” he said, bringing an end to her fantasizing. “We’re all family and the Westmorelands are big on family. I haven’t been home to get to know you, Paige and Nadia.”

      With him naming her sisters his earlier statement felt less personal. It wasn’t just about her. She should be grateful for that but for some reason she wasn’t. “Because of school I haven’t been home much, either, but we can get to know each other another time. It doesn’t have to be today,” she said.

      She doubted she could handle his closeness. Even the masculine scent of him was overpowering.

      “Today is just as good a day as any. I’m leaving to go back to Boston tomorrow. There’s no telling when our paths will cross again. Probably not until we come home for Christmas or something. We might as well do it now and get it over with.”

      Why did she get the feeling that getting to know her was something he felt forced to do? She took offense at that. “Don’t do me any favors,” she all but snapped at him while feeling her pulse pound.

      “Excuse me?” He seemed surprised by her remark.

      “There’s no need to get anything over with. It’s obvious Bailey roped you into doing something you really don’t want to do. I can see the rest of Westmoreland Country on my own,” she said, untying her horse and then mounting it.

      When she sat astride the mare she glanced back over at him. “I don’t need your company, Aidan.”

      He crossed his arms over his chest and she could tell by the sudden tensing of his jaw that he hadn’t liked her comment. She was proven right when he said, with a degree of smoldering intensity that she felt through her clothes, “I hate to tell you this, Jillian Novak, but you have my company whether you want it or not.”

      * * *

      Aidan stared hard into Jillian’s eyes and couldn’t help but feel they were waging a battle. Of what he wasn’t sure. Of wills? Of desire? Passion? Lust? He rubbed his hand down his face. He preferred none of those things but he had a feeling all of them were fighting for the number one spot right now.

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