The Durango Affair Part 6

She deserved more than a short-term marriage. She deserved a husband who would love and pamper her, for better or for worse and for the rest of her life. A smart man would be good to her and treat her right. Someone who would treat her like a woman of her caliber should be treated. And more importantly, he should be a man who could introduce her to the pleasures men and women shared, pleasures she was denying herself.

He would never forget that night when she had gotten an o.r.g.a.s.m. She had acted as if it had been her first one and she hadn't expected the magnitude of the explosion that had ripped through her body. And now he was glad he had shared that with her. But he wanted to share other things with her, as well. And she was wrong if she thought them sleeping together would just be for his benefit. Somehow he had to convince her it would be for her benefit, as well. She needed to understand that a woman has needs just like a man. If nothing else, he needed to prove that to her.

But now was not the time to make waves. He was fairly certain there would be opportunities for what he had in mind before and after their wedding, and he planned to take advantage of both.

"I think of you as more than an available body, Savannah," he said truthfully. "And I'm sorry that you see things that way. In my book, there's nothing wrong with men and women who like and respect each other satisfying their needs, needs they might not be able to control...especially when they're alone together."

He sighed. She was listening to everything he said yet he could tell his discussion of needs was foreign to her. She might have experienced wanting and desire in her lifetime, but she hadn't had to tackle the full-fledged need that sent some women out to shop for certain types of s.e.x toys.

He studied her, watched how her fingertips softly stroked the side of her cup. Her light touch made him wish that she would stroke him the same way. He realized that although she had no idea what the gesture was doing to him, he was excruciatingly aware of her. She looked beautiful just sitting there, absorbing his words yet not fully understanding what he meant.

But eventually she would understand.

"However, if you prefer that we don't share a bed at any time during our marriage, then I will abide by your wishes." Even as he said those words, in his heart he intended that in time her wishes would become the same as his.

She smiled, appearing at ease with what he had said. "So I guess the only other thing we need to agree on is when the marriage will take place and where we'll live afterward."

He nodded. "Like I told you, I'm flexible as far as living arrangements but I think we should get married right away, considering you're already almost two months along."

Savannah did agree with the need to move forward with their marriage but she didn't want him to have to take a leave of absence from his job because of her. It would be easier for her to move to Montana. She could do freelance work anywhere. He could only do his work as a ranger here.

"I think I'd rather live out here, if you don't mind."

That surprised him. A city girl in the mountains? "What about your job? I thought as a freelance photographer you traveled a lot, all over the country."

"Yes, but being pregnant will slow my travels down a bit. Besides, I think I'll be able to work something out with my boss, if my moving out here won't be a problem with you."

Durango shook his head, still bemused but pleased. "No, it won't be and I think you'll be able to adjust to the weather."

"I think so, too."

A feeling of happiness-one he wasn't ready to a.n.a.lyze-coiled through him as he thought of getting married to the mother of his child. "So, when can we marry?"

Savannah shrugged. "I'll let you make all the arrangements. Just tell me when and where you want me to show up."

"And then afterward you'll move in here with me?"

"Yes, and we'll remain married until the baby is at least six months old, which is probably the time I'll be going back to work. Is that time period okay with you?"

"Yes, that's okay. And you still prefer a small wedding?"

"Yes, the smaller the better. Like I said, I don't have a problem eloping to Vegas. A lot of hoopla isn't necessary," she said.

Durango smiled at her. "All right. Considering everything, omitting the hoopla is the least I can do."

Later that day, while Savannah was taking a nap, Durango had a chance to sit down, unwind and think about her decision to marry him.

She understood, as he did, that short-term was short-term. They weren't talking about "until death do us part" or any nonsense like that. They were talking about him being there during the months of her pregnancy, the delivery and the crucial bonding period with his son or daughter.

Hearing about his marriage would be a shocker to everyone since the family all knew he'd never intended to ever settle down. But the one thing he did know was that his mother would be elated. She had initiated a campaign to marry her sons off. Jared had been the first to go down in defeat and ever since she'd been eyeing him with gleaming hope in her eyes. It didn't bother him that Sarah Westmoreland would enjoy the taste of victory, at least for a short while.

No matter how brief it would be, Durango wanted to make his marriage to Savannah special. He thought of a place they could elope to rather than Vegas. His brother Ian had recently sold his riverboat and was now the proud owner of a casino resort on Lake Tahoe. Durango hadn't had a chance to check things out for himself, but he'd heard from his brothers and cousins that Ian's place was pretty nice. Perhaps Lake Tahoe would be a cla.s.sier destination for his and Savannah's quickie wedding.

A smile touched the corners of his lips. He planned on sharing an elopement with Savannah that she wouldn't forget.

Now that her decision had been made, Savannah had to tell someone about it. She would tell the one person with whom she shared all her secrets, her sister, Jessica.

She reached for her cell phone off the nightstand and quickly punched in her sister's number in Atlanta. Jessica answered on the second ring.

"h.e.l.lo."

"Jess, it's me, Savannah."

"Savannah, how did things go in Montana? What did Durango say when you told him? What are you going to do now that he knows?"

Savannah smiled. She'd known Jessica would be full of questions. "I'm still in Montana. I can't fly out due to a severe snowstorm."

"Where are you staying?"

"With Durango. He offered me a place to stay and I accepted."

"That was nice of him."

"Yes, it was. Besides, we had a lot to talk about. And as for your second question, I think I shocked him when I told him I was pregnant. At first he was in denial but then he came to his senses, and..."

"And?"

"And he asked me to marry him."

"Oh, and what was your answer?"

Savannah knew Jessica's point in asking that question. Jessica knew better than anyone how she felt about marrying as the result of an unexpected pregnancy. Her parents had been a prime example that a marriage based on responsibility rather than love didn't work out. "At first I told him no, and-"

"At first?" Jessica cut in abruptly and asked, "Does that mean you eventually told him yes?"

A slight smile touched Savannah's lips. "Yes, I've decided to marry him, but it's going to be to my baby's advantage and it's only going to be on a temporary basis."

"I don't understand. What's going to be on a temporary basis?"

"Our marriage."

There was a pause and then Jessica said, "Let me get this straight. You and Durango have agreed to marry in name only for just a short while?"

Savannah sighed. "Yes, we've agreed to marry and stay married until our child is at least six months old. That's about the time I'll be ready to return to work full-time."

"And what about you and Durango during this marriage of convenience?"

"What about us?"

"Will the two of you share a bed?"

"No. Our marriage will only be temporary."

"But the two of you will live together? Under the same roof? In the same house? Breathe the same air?"

Savannah frowned, wondering what Jessica was getting at. "Yes. Is there a problem with that?"

"Savannah, the man is a Westmoreland."

Savannah rolled her eyes upward. "And? Am I missing some point here?"

"Think about it, sis. You've slept with him before."

"Yes, and I wasn't fully in my right mind when I did so."

"And you think you won't desire him without being tipsy?"

"Honestly, Jess, of course I'll desire him! Durango is a s.e.xy man. I might not be as s.e.xually active as some women, but I'm not dead, either. A woman would have to be dead or comatose not to notice Durango. I'll admit that I'm attracted to him but that's as far as things are going to go. I can control my urges. I don't have to be intimate with a man, no matter how s.e.xy he is."

"But we're not talking about any man, Savannah, we're talking about a Westmoreland. Trust me, I know the difference. Once you become involved with one, it won't be easy to deny yourself or to walk away later."

"For crying out loud, no matter what you might think, Jessica, he's just a regular man," Savannah said, intent on making Jessica understand.

"If he was a regular man you wouldn't be in the situation you're in now. Okay, you did overindulge in champagne that night, but you can't convince me that you weren't hot for him already. You asked me about him just moments before the wedding, remember? You were were interested. I even saw the heat in your eyes. Durango had gotten inside your head before you'd taken your first sip of champagne. That should tell you something." interested. I even saw the heat in your eyes. Durango had gotten inside your head before you'd taken your first sip of champagne. That should tell you something."

Savannah expelled a breath. "It does tell me something. It tells me that I'm attracted to him. I've already admitted that. But what you don't realize is that now I'm immune to him."

"And what about falling in love?"

"Falling in love? Lord, Jessica, you know I'm immune to that, as well, doubly so thanks to our poor excuse for a father. Besides, if I even thought about falling in love with Durango, which I won't, all it will take is for me to remember that the only thing connecting us is the baby. The only reason I'm even considering marrying him is to give my child the things I never had, exposure to a warm and loving large family, which I believe the Westmorelands are, and to give Durango a chance to bond with our child. He really wants that and I feel good that he does. Our father didn't care. He was too busy playing two women to give us the time of day."

"At some point you have to let all that go, Savannah," Jessica said softly. "You can't let what Jeff Claiborne did or didn't do dictate your life or your future."

Savannah swallowed a lump in her throat. Some things were easier to get past than others. Her father's mistreatment of his three kids as well as two good women was one of them. "I can't, Jess, and I honestly don't understand how you can. You lost your mother because of him."

"Yes, but I never thought all men were like him, and neither should you."

When Savannah didn't say anything for a long time, Jessica said, "Savannah?"

"Yes," Savannah answered and then sighed.

"Be careful."

"Be careful of what?"

"Of being surprised by the magnitude of a Westmoreland's charm and appeal. When they decide to lay it on thick, watch out. Whether you want to believe it or not, it's easy to fall in love with a Westmoreland man. Trust me, I know. I never intended to fall in love with Chase, remember? He was supposed to be the enemy. And now I can't imagine living my life without him. I love him so much."

"And I'm happy for you, Jess. But you and I are different people. I never believed in happy endings-you did. Just accept my decision and know that for me it's the right one. When I walk away, that will be it. No love lost because there isn't any. Durango doesn't love me and I don't love him, but we're willing to come together and formulate a relationship for our child."

There was a lengthy pause and Savannah wasn't sure she had convinced her sister she had nothing to worry about, but she hoped that she had.

"So, when will the wedding take place?"

"I told Durango that considering the circ.u.mstances, I don't want a lot of fuss. So we're eloping to Vegas or someplace and then we'll tell everyone afterward. In a few months, when I begin looking like a blimp, they'll figure out why we married, anyway."

"And you're okay with that?"

"Sure, I'm okay with it. And for the time being, be happy for me, Jess."

"I am happy for you. Have you told Jennifer and Rico yet?"

"No, not yet. I'm not telling either of them until after the marriage takes place. I don't want anyone to try to talk me out of it. You're the only one I've told. I don't know if Durango will tell anyone in his family."

"And when is the trip to Vegas?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure it will be soon. Probably in the next couple of weeks. Durango wants us to get married right away. But he's warned me that once his family hears about our marriage that his mother will probably want to do a huge reception. I'm okay with that."

"And knowing Jennifer, she'll want to do one, as well."

"And I'll be fine with that, too. It will be simpler if they combine their efforts and host one party together. Mom met Mrs. Westmoreland at your wedding and they hit it off so I can see them getting together and planning a nice celebration."

"Yes, I can see them doing that. I'm getting excited just thinking about it."

Savannah smiled. "Get as excited as you want, as long as you remember the marriage won't last. I'll come out of this the same way I'm going into it."

"And what way is that?"

"With realistic expectations."

Seven.

A s soon as Savannah walked out of the bedroom and saw Durango, their gazes met. The instant attraction that was always there between them began sizzling toward a slow burn. s soon as Savannah walked out of the bedroom and saw Durango, their gazes met. The instant attraction that was always there between them began sizzling toward a slow burn.

She would love to photograph him, would definitely appreciate the image she would capture through the lens of her camera and would tuck the developed pictures away to pull out whenever her wild fantasies kicked into gear.