The Durango Affair - Brenda Jackson [16]
At least the fireplace was blazing, providing warmth to the room. She settled back in bed, and remembered opening her eyes some point during the night and seeing Durango in front of the fireplace, squatting on his heels and leaning forward, trying to get the fire going. At the time she had been too tired and sleepy to acknowledge his presence.
With the aid of the moon’s glow streaming through the window, she had lain there and watched him. A different kind of heat had engulfed her as she watched him working to bring warmth to the room. His shirt had stretched tight to accommodate broad shoulders and the hands that had held the wrought-iron poker had been strong and capable…just as they’d been the night he had used them on her. And later, when he had pushed himself to his feet, she had admired his physique—especially his backside—through heavy-lidded eyes, thinking that he had the best-looking butt to ever grace a pair of jeans.
She startled when there was a knock on her door. Knowing it could only be Durango, she swallowed hard and said, “Come in.”
He walked in, bringing enough heat into the room to make the fireplace unnecessary, and his smile made Savannah’s insides curl, making her feel even hotter there. How would she ever be able to remain immune to his lethal charm?
“Good morning, Savannah. I hope you rested well.”
“Good morning, Durango, and I did. Thanks. I see the weather hasn’t improved,” she said, sitting up in bed and tucking the covers modestly around her chest. Because she hadn’t figured this would be an extended trip, besides her camera pack, which she was rarely without, she’d only brought a book to read on the plane, her makeup and one change of clothing. She’d been forced to sleep in an oversize Atlanta Braves T-shirt that she had found in one of the dresser drawers.
“No, the weather has gotten worse and I need to leave for a while and—”
“You’re going out in that?” she asked.
His eyebrows raised a half inch and the smile on his face deepened. “This is nothing compared to a storm that blew through last month. I’m a member of the Search and Rescue Squad so I’m used to going out and working in these conditions. I just got a call from the station. A couple of hikers are missing so we have to go out and find them. There’re a number of isolated cabins around these parts and I’m hoping they sought shelter in one of them.”
She nodded and moved her gaze from his to glance out the window again. She couldn’t imagine anyone being caught out in the weather and hoped the hikers were safe.
“Will you be all right until I get back?” he asked.
She met his gaze again. “I’ll be fine.” She watched as he turned to leave and quickly said, “Be careful.”
Pausing to glance back at her, he said, “I will.” He smiled again and added, “I don’t intend for you to give birth to our child without me.”
Savannah had hoped this morning would be different, but as soon as her feet touched the floor she began experiencing her usual bout of morning sickness and quickly rushed to the bathroom.
A short while later, after brushing her teeth, rinsing out her mouth and soaking her body in a hot tub of water, she wrapped herself in a thick white velour robe that was hanging in the closet and padded barefoot to the kitchen, hoping Durango kept saltine crackers on hand.
A sigh of gratitude escaped her lips when she found a box in his pantry and opened the pack and began consuming a few to settle her stomach. She walked over to the window and glanced out at the abundance of twirling snowflakes. If it kept snowing at this rate there was no telling when she would get a flight out.
Durango stomped the snow off his shoes before stepping inside his home. The thought of Savannah being there when he returned was what had gotten him through the blinding cold while the search party had looked for the hikers. Luckily they had found them in fairly good condition in an old, abandoned cabin.
Quietly closing the door behind him, he slid out of his