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Authors: Brenda Jackson
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He had kissed women, plenty of times, but none had left a mark on him like Savannah Claiborne had. There was something about her taste, a succulent blend of sweetness, innocence and lusciousness, all rolled into one tangy, overpowering flavor that sent all kinds of crazy, out-of-control feelings slithering all through his body. She made his temperature rise, clogged his senses and forced his pulse to race.
“Dammit.”
He slapped the accounting books shut and turned away from the computer screen. The last thing he needed was to make a miscalculation on the ledger for the horse-breeding business he co-owned with his good friend McKinnon Quinn.
He leaned back in his chair and his thoughts returned to Savannah. He just hoped her decision would be the one he wanted. He simply refused to consider any other possibility.
Six
“W hat the hell! Savannah? Are you all right?”
Savannah heard the footsteps behind her. She also heard the concern as well as the panic in Durango’s voice, but she was too weak to lift her head and turn around. She didn’t want him to see her like this. How humiliating was it to be on your knees on the floor of a bathroom, holding your head over a commode?
“Savannah, what’s wrong?”
The moment she could, she expelled a breath and said the two words she hoped would explain everything. It appeared that he hadn’t gotten the picture yet. “Morning sickness.”
“Morning sickness? Is this what morning sickness is all about?”
Savannah suppressed a groan. What had he thought it was about? She was about to give him a snappyanswer when her stomach clenched warningly. It was just as well since at that moment her body quickly reminded her of her condition and without any control, she closed her eyes, lowered her head and continued to bring up portions of yesterday’s dinner.
“What can I do?”
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him what he could do was go away. She didn’t need an audience. “Nothing,” she managed to say moments later. “Please, just leave me alone.”
“Not even if your life depended on it, sweetheart,” he said softly. Crouching down on the floor beside her, he wrapped his arms gently around her and whispered, “We’re in this thing together, remember? Let me help you.”
Before she could tell him that she didn’t need his help and there wasn’t anything he could do, he proved her wrong when she felt another spasm of nausea. He took a damp washcloth and began tenderly wiping her face and mouth.
Then he held her while her stomach began settling down. She was so touched by this generous display of caring, she leaned against his supporting body, while his huge hand gently stroked her belly into calmness. And as if with a will of its own, her head fell within the curve of his shoulder. No man had ever shown her so much tenderness. Okay, she confessed silently, Rico had always been there for her when she needed him, but since he was her brother he didn’t count.
“That’s right, baby, just relax for a moment. Everything is going to be fine. I’m going to take care of you,”he murmured softly, brushing his lips against her temple and placing a kiss on her forehead.
Then she heard the toilet flushing at the same time as she was scooped up in Durango’s strong arms. And after closing down the toilet lid, he sat down on it with her cradled in his arms as he continued to gently stroke her stomach. A short while later, as if she weighed nothing, he stood and sat her on the countertop next to the sink.
“Do you think a soda will help settle your stomach?” he asked, staring down in her eyes.
With the intensity of his gaze, her breath nearly got clogged in her throat but she managed to say, “Yes.”
“Will you be okay while I go and get you one?”
“Yes, I’ll be fine.”
He nodded. “I’ll be right back.”
As soon as he left, Savannah inhaled a deep breath. As usual, her bout with nausea was going away just as quickly as it had come.
He had kissed women, plenty of times, but none had left a mark on him like Savannah Claiborne had. There was something about her taste, a succulent blend of sweetness, innocence and lusciousness, all rolled into one tangy, overpowering flavor that sent all kinds of crazy, out-of-control feelings slithering all through his body. She made his temperature rise, clogged his senses and forced his pulse to race.
“Dammit.”
He slapped the accounting books shut and turned away from the computer screen. The last thing he needed was to make a miscalculation on the ledger for the horse-breeding business he co-owned with his good friend McKinnon Quinn.
He leaned back in his chair and his thoughts returned to Savannah. He just hoped her decision would be the one he wanted. He simply refused to consider any other possibility.
Six
“W hat the hell! Savannah? Are you all right?”
Savannah heard the footsteps behind her. She also heard the concern as well as the panic in Durango’s voice, but she was too weak to lift her head and turn around. She didn’t want him to see her like this. How humiliating was it to be on your knees on the floor of a bathroom, holding your head over a commode?
“Savannah, what’s wrong?”
The moment she could, she expelled a breath and said the two words she hoped would explain everything. It appeared that he hadn’t gotten the picture yet. “Morning sickness.”
“Morning sickness? Is this what morning sickness is all about?”
Savannah suppressed a groan. What had he thought it was about? She was about to give him a snappyanswer when her stomach clenched warningly. It was just as well since at that moment her body quickly reminded her of her condition and without any control, she closed her eyes, lowered her head and continued to bring up portions of yesterday’s dinner.
“What can I do?”
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him what he could do was go away. She didn’t need an audience. “Nothing,” she managed to say moments later. “Please, just leave me alone.”
“Not even if your life depended on it, sweetheart,” he said softly. Crouching down on the floor beside her, he wrapped his arms gently around her and whispered, “We’re in this thing together, remember? Let me help you.”
Before she could tell him that she didn’t need his help and there wasn’t anything he could do, he proved her wrong when she felt another spasm of nausea. He took a damp washcloth and began tenderly wiping her face and mouth.
Then he held her while her stomach began settling down. She was so touched by this generous display of caring, she leaned against his supporting body, while his huge hand gently stroked her belly into calmness. And as if with a will of its own, her head fell within the curve of his shoulder. No man had ever shown her so much tenderness. Okay, she confessed silently, Rico had always been there for her when she needed him, but since he was her brother he didn’t count.
“That’s right, baby, just relax for a moment. Everything is going to be fine. I’m going to take care of you,”he murmured softly, brushing his lips against her temple and placing a kiss on her forehead.
Then she heard the toilet flushing at the same time as she was scooped up in Durango’s strong arms. And after closing down the toilet lid, he sat down on it with her cradled in his arms as he continued to gently stroke her stomach. A short while later, as if she weighed nothing, he stood and sat her on the countertop next to the sink.
“Do you think a soda will help settle your stomach?” he asked, staring down in her eyes.
With the intensity of his gaze, her breath nearly got clogged in her throat but she managed to say, “Yes.”
“Will you be okay while I go and get you one?”
“Yes, I’ll be fine.”
He nodded. “I’ll be right back.”
As soon as he left, Savannah inhaled a deep breath. As usual, her bout with nausea was going away just as quickly as it had come.
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