The Durango Affair - Brenda Jackson [7]
One thing was for certain—she would have to cut back her schedule at work. As a freelance photographer she could be called to go any place at any time. She realized she would miss the adventure of traveling both in this country and abroad.
But now she would need to settle down. After all, she had prenatal care and visits to the doctor to consider. She would talk to her boss about assigning her special projects. She appreciated the fact that over the years she had built a pretty hefty savings account and could afford to take time off both before and after her baby was born. She planned to take six months of family leave time when the baby came.
The one thing she didn’t want to do was depend on anyone. Her mom would be overjoyed at the news of becoming a grandmother, but since Jennifer Claiborne had finally found real happiness with a man by the name of Brad Richman, and their relationship seemed to be turning serious—if their planned trip to Paris this week was any indication—the last thing Savannah wanted was for her mother to devote her time to her. Her sister, Jessica, was still enjoying the bliss of being a newlywed, and her brother, Rico, would be busy now that he had started as a private investigator.
As Savannah stepped aside to let the next customer be served, she placed her hand on her stomach, knowing whatever changes she made in her life would be worth it. She was having a baby and no matter how Durango Westmoreland felt, she was very happy about it.
Durango stood next to the water fountain and took in the woman standing across the semicrowded airport. Damn, she was beautiful…and she was carrying a baby in her shapely body.
His baby.
He shook his head. What the hell was he supposed to do with a baby? It was too late to ask the question now, since the deed was already done. He sighed when he saw her head over toward the ticket counter, knowing what he had to do. He quickly crossed the room to block her path.
“We need to talk, Savannah.”
Durango’s words startled Savannah to the point that she almost dropped her carry-on bag. She narrowed her gaze at him. “What are you doing here? We don’t have anything to talk about. I think we said everything, so if you will excuse me—”
“Look, I’m sorry.”
She blinked as she stared at him. “What did you say?”
“I said I’m sorry for acting like an ass earlier. My only excuse is that your news came as a shock.”
Savannah’s eye’s shot fire at him. “And…?”
“And I believe that your baby is mine.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him, refusing to let go of her emotions and start crying. Since becoming pregnant she had turned into a weeping willow. “And what has made you a believer all of a sudden?”
“Because of everything that happened between us that night and the fact that you said it is. I have no reason not to believe you.” A slow smile played on his lips. “So that settles it.”
If he believed that settled anything then he had another thought coming. “Nothing is settled, Durango. Fine, you’ve acknowledged that I’m having your baby. That means you’ll be one of the first people on my list to get an announcement card with pictures when it’s born.”
She turned to walk away and he blocked her path again. “Like I said, Savannah, we need to talk. I won’t let you deny me the right to be a part of my child’s life.”
Savannah raised her eyes to the ceiling. An hour ago he had been humming a different tune. “If I had planned to do that, I wouldn’t be here.” After a deep, calming breath, she added, “I came because I felt you should know and to give you a choice. I didn’t come to ask you for anything.”
She suddenly felt her face flush from the way he was looking at her. Was her hair standing on end? Were her clothes wrinkled? The flight hadn’t been