The Durango Affair

by Brenda Jackson

  He shook his head, thinking that if anyone had told him last week he would be feeling this way about a pregnant woman, he would not have believed them. He knew he would have a hard time convincing his best friend, McKinnon Quinn, that he’d not only accepted Savannah’s pregnancy but was looking forward to the day she gave birth. He and McKinnon were known to be the die-hard bachelors around these parts and had always made it a point to steer clear of any type of binding relationship.

  When Savannah made a soft, nearly soundless sigh in her sleep and shifted her body, making the T-shirt rise a little to uncover her stomach, Durango stifled a groan and was tempted to go over and kiss the part of her body where his child was nestled. He closed his eyes as his imagination took over when he knew he wouldn’t want to stop at just her stomach. Even now her seductive scent filled the room and tantalized his senses. He felt tired, exhausted, yet at the same time he felt his body stirring when he remembered the heated passion the two of them had once shared. A passion he was looking forward to them sharing again one day.

  Savannah awoke with a start, immediately aware that she was no longer alone. The smell of food cooking was a dead giveaway.

  Her memory returned in a rush and she recalled her bout with morning sickness and how she had decided to lie on the sofa when a moment of dizziness had assailed her. She must have fallen asleep. She couldn’t help wondering when Durango had returned. Why hadn’t he awakened her? Had they found the missing hikers?

  “Did you eat anything?”

  The sound of Durango’s deep voice nearly made her jump. She met his gaze and instantly, her body was filled with a deep, throbbing heat. He had removed the pullover sweater he’d been wearing over his jeans earlier and was dressed in a casual shirt that was open at the throat, giving him a downright sexy appeal, not that he needed it.

  There was something about him that just turned her on. It would be hard to be married to him—even on a short-term basis—without there ever being a chance of them sharing a bed. But she was determined to do just that.

  Knowing she hadn’t answered him, she said, “No, but thanks for leaving breakfast warming for me in the oven. My stomach wasn’t cooperating and I wouldn’t have been able to keep anything down. I found some saltines in your pantry and decided to munch on those.”

  Durango nodded, recalling her mentioning the previous day that she’d been unable to eat most mornings. “Have you seen a doctor?”

  “Yes, although I’m going to have to find another one soon. Dr. Wilson is the same doctor who delivered me and Rico and he’s retiring next month.”

  “Isn’t he concerned with you being sick every day? Are you and the baby getting all the nutrients you need?”

  Savannah shrugged as she sat up. “Healthwise Dr. Wilson says that both the baby and I are fine.”

  He leaned back against the wall. “When you go to the doctor again I’d like to be there.”

  “In Philadelphia?”

  “Wherever you decide to go doesn’t matter. And since your doctor is retiring, just so you’ll know, there’s a good obstetrician here in Bozeman and she’s female.”

  She tipped her head back and looked at him and wished she could stop her pulse from racing at the sight of his lean, hard body. “Really? That’s good to know.”

  He smiled. “I thought it would be.”

  He came into the room and sat in the chair across from her, stretching his long legs out and crossing them at a booted ankle. “Have you thought about what I proposed last night?”

  “Yes, I thought about it.”

  “And?” he asked gently, knowing she was a woman who couldn’t be rushed.

  “And I need more time to make up my mind,” she said, fixing her gaze on his boots.

  “I wish I could tell you to take all the time you need, but time isn’t on our side, Savannah. If we do decide to get married there needs to be a wedding.”

  Her head snapped up. “A wedding?”

  He smiled at her surprised expression. “Yes. I don’t anticipate one as elaborate as Chase’s, but as you know, we Westmorelands are a large family with plenty of friends and acquaintances and—”

  “It’s not as if it would be a real marriage, Durango, so why bother?”

  “Because my parents, specifically my mother, who won’t know why we’re getting married, would expect it.”

  “Well, personally I can’t see the need for a lot of hoopla over something that won’t last. If I decide to accept your proposal, I prefer that we go off somewhere like Vegas and not tell anyone about it until it’s over. They will eventually know the real reason we got married in a few months anyway.”

  Durango nodded, knowing she was right. His family, who knew how he felt about marriage, would know it wasn’t the real thing no matter what he told them. “What about your mother?”

  “She’s leaving tomorrow for Paris and won’t be back for a couple of weeks. If I do decide to marry you, she’ll be okay with my decision and it won’t bother me that she won’t be at the ceremony since she knows I don’t believe in happily-ever-after.”

  Durango rubbed the back of his neck with an irritated frown. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in fairytale romances, but after Tricia he figured it would be more fantasy than reality for him. “Fine. If you agree, we can elope and then if our parents want to do something in the way of a reception later, that will be fine. All right?”

  She sighed. “All right.”

  “So when will you let me know your decision?”

  “Before I leave here. Do you think the weather will have improved by tomorrow?”

  “I’m not sure. Usually these types of snowstorms can last for a week.”

  “A week? I didn’t bring enough clothes with me.”

  He thought now was not a good time to tell her he wouldn’t mind if she walked around naked. “The last time Delaney was here she left a few of her things behind. The two of you are around the same size so you should be able to fit into them if you want to try.”

  “You don’t think she’d mind?”

  “No.”

  “All right then, if you’re sure it’s okay.”

  He stood. “Do you think your stomach has settled enough for dinner? I cooked a pot of beef stew.”

  “Yes, I think it will be able to handle it. Would you like some help in the kitchen?”

  “If you’re up to it you can set the table.”

  She stood. “I’m up to it. Did you find the hikers?”

  “Yes, we found them and they’re fine. Luckily one was a former Boy Scout and knew exactly what to do.”

  She smiled, relieved, as she followed him into the kitchen. “I’m glad.”

  Savannah was amazed at the degree of her appetite and flushed with embarrassment when she noted that Durango had stopped to watch her, with amusement dancing in his eyes, as she devoured one bowl of stew and was working on her second.

  She licked her lips. “I was hungry.”

  “Apparently.”

  When she pushed the empty bowl aside, he chuckled and said, “Hey, you were on a roll. Don’t stop on my account.”

  Her brows came together in a frown. “I’ve had enough, thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. I’ve got to keep the ballerina on her toes.”

  “What ballerina?”

  “Our daughter.”

  Savannah raised a glass of milk to her lips, took a sip and then asked, “You think I’m having a girl?”

  “Yes.”

  She tipped her head, curious. “Why?”

  He leaned forward to wipe the milk from around her lips with his napkin, wondering when the last time he had given so much time and attention to a woman was. “Because that’s what I want and I’m arrogant enough to think I’ll get whatever I want.”

  Savannah didn’t doubt that—not that she thought he got anything and everything he wanted, but that he was arrogant enough to think so. “Why would you want a girl?”

  “Why wouldn’t I want one?” h
e asked. There was no way he would tell her the reason he wanted a little girl was that he wanted a daughter who looked just like her. He couldn’t explain the reasoning behind it and at the moment he didn’t want to dwell on the significance of it.

  “There are more males in your family, and considering that, I’d think for you a son would be easier to manage,” she said.

  He chuckled, amused. “I think we managed my cousin Delaney just fine. With five brothers and six older male cousins we were able to put the fear of God into any guy who showed interest in her. I see no problem with us getting the same point across with the next generation of Westmoreland females.”

  His smile deepened. “Besides, don’t you know that girls are the apples of their fathers’ eyes?”

  “Not in all cases,” she said, thinking of the relationship she and Jessica never had with their father.

  “But let me set the record straight,” Durango said, breaking into her reverie. “I would love either a boy or girl, but having a daughter would be extra, extra special.”

  Savannah smiled, thinking his words pleased her, probably because she was hoping for a girl, as well. In some ways it surprised her that a man who was such a confirmed bachelor would want children or be interested in fatherhood at all.

  At that moment an adorable image floated into her mind of Durango and a little girl who looked just like him sitting on his lap while he read her a story.

  “So what do you think?” Durango asked.

  Savannah glanced up after going through the items of clothing that Durango had placed on the bed. “I think they’ll work. I don’t wear jeans often so the change will be nice, and the sweaters look comfy. They will be good for this weather.”

  “So what do you plan to do tonight?”

  The low-pitch murmur of his voice had her lifting her head and meeting his gaze. She wished there was some way she didn’t get turned on whenever she looked into their dark depths. “I thought I’d try and finish a book that I brought with me.”

  “Oh, and what type book is it?”

  She shrugged. “One of those baby books that tells you what to expect during pregnancy and at childbirth.”

  “Sounds interesting.”

  “It is.” She tried ignoring the sensations that were moving around in her stomach. Having Durango in her bedroom wasn’t a good idea and the sooner she got him out, the better, but there was something that she needed to find out first.

  “There’s something I’d like to ask you, Durango. It’s something I need to know before I can make a decision about marrying you.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “And what is it you need to know?”

  She moved away from the bed and sank down on the love seat. She would have preferred having any conversation with him someplace else other than here, in the coziness of the bedroom with a fireplace burning with its yellow glow illuminating Durango’s handsome features even more. At least she wasn’t standing next to the bed any longer.

  Knowing he was waiting for her to speak, she met his gaze and asked, “I want to know what you have against city women.”

  Five

  S ome questions weren’t meant to be asked.

  Savannah quickly reached that conclusion when she saw Durango’s jaw clench, his hands tighten into a fist by his side and an angry flare darken his eyes. Another thing that was a dead giveaway was the sudden chill in the air, not to mention the force of his stare, which caused her to draw a quick breath.

  Her question, which had evidently caught him off guard, was calling for every bit of his self-control and she began feeling uneasy. Still, she needed to know the reason for his aversion since it was something that obviously quite a few people knew, at least those who were close to him.

  She watched his lips move and knew he was muttering something under his breath. That only increased her curiosity, her need to know. “Durango?”

  When he finally spoke his voice was low with an edginess that hinted she had waded into forbidden waters. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

  Savannah knew she should probably let the matter drop, but she couldn’t let the question die because a part of her really wanted to know.

  Evidently he saw that determined look in her features and he said, “It doesn’t concern you, Savannah. You’re having my baby. I’ve asked you to marry me so there’s no need for us to start spilling our guts on every little thing that happened in our pasts. I’ll respect your right to privacy and I hope that you will respect mine.”

  Savannah couldn’t help wondering about what he didn’t want to tell her. What pain was he still hiding in his heart? God knew she had plenty of skeletons she’d kept hidden in her mental closet. Secrets she’d only shared with Jessica. His request for privacy was a reasonable one. She shouldn’t be digging into his past, but she needed assurance that whatever his problem was, she wouldn’t be affected by it, and until she had that certainty, she wouldn’t back off.

  “All that’s well and good, Durango, but if I am to marry you, even if it’s only for a short while, I need to know I won’t be mistreated because of someone else’s transgressions.”

  “You won’t.”

  The words had been spoken so quickly that Savannah hadn’t had a chance to blink. She heard both regret and anger in his voice.

  “This is only about you and me, Savannah, and no one else. Don’t let anything that happened before sway your decision now.”

  Savannah’s gaze wandered over his muscular form. He was leaning with a shoulder pressed up against a bedpost, his booted feet crossed at the ankles and his arms folded over his chest. He was watching her with as much intensity as she was watching him.

  Seconds ticked by and with the passing of time something heated and all-consuming was passing between them. And she knew if it continued that she couldn’t be responsible for her actions…and neither could he.

  Even now he was spiking heat inside her just standing there, saying nothing. She continued to feel an overpowering need. Desire was inching its way up her spine and then she remembered his taste and how she couldn’t get enough of him the last time.

  He continued to hold her gaze and he was having a hypnotic effect on her. And then he moved toward her, with his slow, graceful stride. Crossing the room, he reached out and gently tugged her up off the sofa.

  She knew at that moment what he wanted, what he needed. They were the same things she desired. Lowering his face, bending to cup the back of her head with his hand, he kissed her. The moment their lips touched, her hands automatically slipped inside the back pockets of his jeans. It was that or remain free and be tempted to squeeze his butt like Mr. Whipple used to squeeze the Charmin.

  And when their lips locked and he inserted his tongue inside her mouth, the contact was so intimate, heated and passionate that she knew there was nothing she could do but stand there and enjoy it.

  And she did.

  They were consenting adults and a little kiss never hurt anyone, she convinced herself when her tongue joined in with his. But this was no little kiss, she discovered moments later. The tongue stroking hers was strong and capable, arousing her to a pitch higher than he’d done that night in her hotel room.

  It was the usual Durango kiss—long, hot, sexy. The kind of kiss that made your toes curl, your breasts feel full and your stomach tingle. She closed her eyes to feel more deeply the sensations that crowded her mind and the electrical charges that were burning all over her body. She breathed in his scent, glorying in the slow, methodical way he was making love to her mouth.

  Too soon, he reluctantly broke off the kiss. She slowly opened her eyes, met the deep intensity of his gaze, expelled a deep breath, then dragged in an unsteady one, feeling satisfied. And even now she saw his gaze was still locked on to her lips.

  “I enjoy kissing you,” he said softly, throatily, as if that explained everything, especially every tantalizing stroke of his tongue.

  She watched those dark, intense eyes that were focused on her mouth get eve
n darker. “Um, I can tell.”

  She had to admit that nothing about her visit to his home had turned out like she’d planned. She had come to tell her news and leave. It was too bad she hadn’t stuck to her plans. But then, if she had, she wouldn’t be standing here discovering once again what true passion was like. Before meeting him, she hadn’t had a clue.

  “I think I’d better go. I’ll see you in the morning,” he whispered low against her moist lips.

  And before she could blink or catch her next breath, he was gone.

  The moment the door closed behind Durango, Savannah could feel her stomach muscles tightening. She swayed slightly when the floor beneath her feet felt shaky. Talk about a kiss!

  Muttering darkly—probably some of those same words Durango had said earlier, but hadn’t wanted her to hear—she crossed the room and dropped down on the bed. His kiss was one of the reasons she was in this predicament. She had invited him into her room for the two of them to indulge in some more champagne. She hadn’t gotten to completely filling his glass before he had taken both the bottle and glass from her hand and had filled her mouth with his instead. He hadn’t kissed her silly—he had kissed her crazy. The taste of him had been hot, delicious and incredibly pleasurable. She had lusted for him, after him, with him and by the time they had made it to the bed, they had stripped naked.

  They were extremely attracted to each other. Deep down inside she knew that Durango didn’t like their explosive chemistry any more than she did. She had seen the way his eyes had flashed when he had lifted his mouth from hers, as well as the way his jaw muscles had tightened. Also, there was the way he always looked after kissing her senseless, like he needed divine intervention to help him deal with her and the sexual response they stirred up in each other.

  “And to think that he’s proposing marriage,” she mumbled in a low voice that rattled with frustration. “So okay, it will only be for a short while, as he’s quick to remind me every chance he gets,” she said, shifting to her back and folding her arms over her chest. “What will I get out of this arrangement?”