Why dont we go into the house? he suggested. I think we can settle this easy enough. Just let me get the halter rope off my horse
If you think you can sweet-talk me, youre dead wrong. And you sure as the
devil arent seducing me. Not again. Her hand went to her stomach and he felt his heart drop.
She wasnt really going to try to convince him that she was carrying Ethans baby, was she? Hed never been the brightest kid in school, but this one was a math no-brainer. Even if the woman did look as if she could give birth any moment, his brother had been gone twelve months tomorrow.
Look, Im not sure what your story is, but that baby youre carrying? It isnt
If you dare say it isnt yours... Her right hand dipped into her shoulder bag. An instant later he was staring down the barrel of a .45.
CHAPTER TWO
DILLON RAISED HIS hands and took a step back. Take it easy. Like I said, if youll come in the house, I can take care of this. But first, put down the gun. Theres no call for any gunplay.
This was not her first rodeo, Tessa Winters thought as she took in the cowboy. Shed come all this way on a hunch that Ethan might have gone to Montana, but shed still been shocked when shed actually tracked down the lying bastard.
You wont be charming your way out of this.
He shook his head. Not my intention. If you put away the gun, Im sure we can resolve this.
She eyed him warily, torn between her anger and his apparent calm. There was a time when she would have weakened. That time had long since passed.
Her gaze narrowed as she realized that he must have come straight here after hed run out on her. His big hands were callused and his skin was tanned, as if the man had actually been doing some honest physical labor.
Looking at him now, she couldnt help but think about the first time shed seen him. With his tousled sandy-blond hair and big blue eyes, hed been the most handsome cowboy shed ever run across. Like now, hed been wearing a Western shirt that accentuated his broad shoulders and slim hips, and jeans that Tessa shook off those dangerous thoughts and reminded herself what was at stake here. He might look goodthe physical Montana lifestyle had made him even more attractivebut under the facade was a liar, a coward and a thief.
Please. He motioned to the gun. Youre making me nervous.
You should be nervous. But she lowered the gun.
Okay, he said, slowly putting down his hands. Let me see to my horse and then well go up to the house and take care of this. He climbed the corral fence and approached the wary filly slowly.
Tessa could hear him talking softly to the horse as he removed the halter rope, then stroked the fillys neck. Her ire rose as she saw how gentle and loving he was to the horse. It hurt even more to think of how easily he had abandoned her and their child.
When he finished with the horse, he climbed back over the fence and motioned toward the house. She followed. Distrustful as to what he was up to, she kept her fingers around the grip of the .45 in her bag. He thought he knew her, but he had no idea who he was dealing with. Pregnancy had changed her in more ways than one.
Tessa felt like a loose cannon, and knew a large part of it was the hormones her doctor had warned her about. Given the way she was feeling, it surprised her that more pregnant women didnt kill the men in their lives.
Truthfully, she was so angry with Ethan that she didnt know what she would do. Shed spent six months telling herself to let it go. Forget about him and the way hed conned her. Finally, shed given up kidding herself. She had to look him in the eye one more time before she could let it go. Probably bringing the gun hadnt been her best choice, though. But she wanted him to know that she was dead serious.
The cowboy mounted the steps of the house and pushed open the door, holding it for her. Now he was going to act like a gentleman? She gave him a withering look as she entered. Behind her, she heard him step in and close the door.
How about we discuss this over a cup of coffee? he asked, but didnt wait for an answer as he moved past her.
She sighed, wondering how long he thought he could stall before she lost her temper. Since becoming pregnant, shed found herself on a roller-coaster ride shifting between tears and anger, which had left her exhausted. But she was nonetheless determined. It was bad enough Ethan had seduced her with his lies, knocked her up and then taken off on her. Stealing her money, though? That had been the last straw.
Tessa looked around the old farmhouse, surprised to see how neat and clean it was, as she told herself that once shed settled things with Ethan, she would get back to being calm, confident and in control of her normal self again. At least she hoped so.
Who cleans your house? she asked suspiciously as she stepped toward the kitchen doorway.
I do, he said over his shoulder.
She watched
him set about making a fresh pot of coffee. When had he learned to make coffee? Or maybe hed known all along and, like everything else, had played her. Just when she thought he couldnt make her any angrier.