The Durango Affair - Brenda Jackson [20]
“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.