The Durango Affair - Brenda Jackson [10]
Durango stood, too. “Now, look, Savannah—”
“No, you look,” she said, eyes narrowing, her back straight and stiff. “That’s what happened with my parents. My mother got pregnant with my brother. Although my father did what some considered the decent thing and married her, he was never happy and ended up being unfaithful to her. It was a marriage based on duty rather than love. He met another woman and lived a double life with her and the child they had together.”
She inhaled deeply before continuing. “Dad was a traveling salesman and my mother didn’t know that he had another family, which included Jessica, on the West Coast. His actions were unforgivable and the people who suffered most, besides his children, were the two women who loved him and believed in him. In the end one of them, Jessica’s mother, committed suicide. And I watched the hurt and pain my mother went through when she found out the truth about him. So no matter what you say, I would never let a man use pregnancy as a reason to marry. I’m glad we had this little chat and I’ll keep in touch.”
Chin tilted, she turned and quickly walked away.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, due to the snowstorm headed our way, all flights out have been canceled until further notice.”
Savannah stared at the man behind the counter. “All of them?”
“All of them. We have our hands full trying to find a place for everyone to stay so they won’t have to bunk here for the night. It seems that all the hotels in the area are full.”
The last thing she wanted to do was sleep sitting up in a hard chair.
“You’re coming with me, Savannah.”
She turned around upon hearing the firm voice behind her. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Durango took a step forward. “Yes, you are. You heard what the man said. All flights out have been canceled.”
“Is this man bothering you, miss? Do you want me to call security?”
Savannah smoothed the hair back from her face. This was just great. All she had to do was look at Durango’s angry expression to see he did not appreciate the man’s question. To avoid an unpleasant situation, she glanced over her shoulder at the ticket agent and smiled. “No, he isn’t bothering me, but thanks for asking. Excuse me for a moment.”
She then took Durango’s arm and walked away from the counter. She was feeling frustrated and exhausted. “I think we need to get something straight.”
Durango rubbed his neck, trying to work away the tension he felt building there. “What?”
She leaned over and got all into his face. “Nobody, and I mean nobody, bosses me around, Durango Westmoreland.”
Durango stared at her for a long moment then forced back the thought that she was a cute spitfire. Okay, he would be the first to admit that for a moment he had been rather bossy, which was unlike him. He’d never bothered bossing a female around before. He then thought about his cousin Delaney, and remembered how overprotective the Westmoreland males had been before she’d gotten married, and figured she didn’t count. But this particular woman was carrying his baby and he’d be damned if she would spend the night at the airport when he had a guest room back at his ranch that she could use. He decided to use another approach. It was well-known within his family that he could switch from being an ass to an angel in the blink of an eye.
He reached out and took her hand. “I do apologize if I came off rather bossy just now, Savannah. I was merely thinking of your and the baby’s welfare. I’m sure sleeping here in one of those chairs wouldn’t be comfortable. I have a perfectly good guest room at the ranch and you’re welcome to use it. I’m sure you’re tired. Will you come to the ranch with me?”
His words, spoken in a soft plea, as well as his ensuing smile, only made Savannah’s blood boil even more. She recognized the words