Read Online THE TEXAS WILDCATTER'S BABY by CATHY GILLEN THACKER - Free Book Online

gaze narrowed. “But...?”
    Ginger swallowed, and pushed the wealth of erotic memories away. Just because they had recklessly made love the night before did not mean they would be doing so again. She wet her lips and said bluntly, “I was hoping to keep this on business terms.”
    He remained stoic. Not protesting. Not agreeing. Not...anything.
    Wishing she knew more about what their immediate future held, she finally relented. “But...I guess this will do.” It would have to.
    Slowly the tension eased from his tall, ruggedly handsome frame. He offered a reassuring smile, his victorious attitude evident. “Let’s get the rest of your stuff in. Then I’ll go over to the front office and let Claire McPherson, the manager, know we’re newlyweds and you’ll be staying here with me. And I’ll get you a key.”
    Settling in was easy, Ginger thought. Making this temporary union of theirs a success, while keeping her pregnancy hidden, would not be as simple.

Chapter Five
    Rand had known sharing quarters with Ginger would be challenging. However, he hadn’t expected her to be so contrary about every little thing.
    “You don’t have to leave all your things in the suitcases,” he told her. “You can unpack.”
    Ginger struggled to fit her bags into her half of the closet. It wasn’t an easy fit and took another hard shove to shut the door.
    He lounged against the lone bureau, arms crossed in front of him.
    Scowling, Ginger grabbed her handbag and perched on the edge of the bed. A curtain of copper hair fell across one shoulder as she pulled out a notepad and pen.
    “What are you doing?” he asked.
    Ginger scribbled. “Adding another requirement for our marriage contract.” She paused to look up at him. “No unsolicited advice.”
    He let out a conciliatory breath. “Sorry. I wasn’t trying to boss you around. I just wanted you to feel welcome here, like this was your place now, too.” Given the fact that a week-by-week rental was the closest either of them got to an actual home these days, she had to concede.
    Abruptly her shoulders lost their rigid tilt. Her expression softened, too. “So we’re in agreement about this?”
    “Yes.” He gave her a level look and did his best to reassure her. “There will definitely not be any bossing each other around.”
    Her lips curved into a smile. “Good. Because I don’t want to waste time arguing with you.”
    “I don’t want to argue with you, either,” he said quietly. Their gazes remained locked. Intimacy followed. As was always the case, though, before they could take their relationship one step further, something inevitably got in the way. His cell phone rang and it was followed shortly thereafter by the ring on hers.
    Ginger stepped outside to answer the call.
    Rand stayed in the cottage and listened to his caller. “That’s great news!” he exclaimed. “Yes. I’ll be there.” He severed the connection.
    Seconds later Ginger stepped inside. “The county’s moratorium on horizontal drilling has just been lifted,” she announced joyfully. She came closer in a drift of floral and citrus perfume. “Dot and Clancy Boerne are having a meeting at their ranch this evening.”
    Uh-oh, Rand thought. “I know.”
    Ginger paused. “You were invited?”
    He nodded, aware they had hit the first professional hurdle in their marriage. “The Boernes have asked me to analyze the environmental impact of all the proposals from wildcat drilling operations.”
    Ginger’s jaw took on the stubborn tilt he knew so well. “Well, you can’t do that.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because I’m bidding on that work!” she snapped.
    More than that, Rand knew, she was counting on winning the contract to launch her career as an independent oil woman.
    Ginger continued hotly, “You’re going to have to recuse yourself.”
    Rand had to draw the line somewhere. He figured it may as well be here. Especially since she was the one who was actually carrying their child, and hence