brides for brothers 02 - cowboy daddy by judy christenberry Page B

out of the parking space with a squeal of tires.
    “Slow down, Pete,” Janie protested. “What’s the hurry?”
    “What’s the hurry? I’m getting you home in front of your parents before you change your mind.”
    Janie drew a deep breath. The ramifications of her offer were beginning to sink in. “I—I won’t change my mind, but we could wait awhile, to see if you do.”
    “I won’t. And we’re not waiting.”
    “Well, you don’t have to be so dictatorial!”
    Pete pressed down on the accelerator. “Dictatorial? Janie Dawson, I’ve been following you around like a dog begging for a bone for almost a week. And you wonder why I don’t want to wait?”
    “I’m not showing yet.”
    “No, but at least ten people heard Mrs. Priddy ask me if I was the daddy. So just how long do you think that secret will take to spread all over the county?”
    “You said you didn’t mind if people knew,” she reminded him, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.
    “Hell, Janie! You’re driving me crazy. I’m thinking about you, not me. People always blame the woman, you know that. If we get married at once, there won’t be that much gossip. But if we wait, after everyone knows, they’ll think you forced me to marry you.” He grinned, a teasing look in his eyes that reminded her of happier times.
    “Maybe I’ll tell them you forced me. ”
    “And that would be accurate,” he returned, and then puffed out his chest. “But no one would believe you.”
    Only the laughter on his face kept her from slugging him. He had always teased her. “A little full of yourself, aren’t you?”
    “Why not? I’m having twins…and I’m marrying the most beautiful girl in the world.”
    Before she could recover from such a wonderful compliment, he leaned over and kissed her again.
    “Pete! You’re driving!”
    “No problem. There aren’t any cars.”
    “And—and we aren’t going to do that.” She was becoming concerned about the way he kept touching her, throwing her hormones into overdrive…and her control out the window.
    “You’re wrong about that, Janie. We have to convince everyone that we’re a normal couple, remember? That was my condition, and you agreed. We may not have sex, but we’ll be doing a lot of kissing.”
    Oh, mercy, she was in trouble.
    “P ERFECT TIMING ,” Lavinia called out as they entered. “Hank is washing up, and dinner is almost ready.”
    “Good. I’m starved,” Pete said with a grin. He gave Janie a significant look, warning her to wait until her father arrived on the scene.
    “Everything’s okay?” Lavinia asked with a slight frown, as if sensing some underlying tension.
    “Fine,” Pete responded, not giving Janie a chance to speak. Hank came into the kitchen just then, and Pete was glad. He wasn’t sure how long he and Janie could remain silent.
    “You’re back. How’s everything, Janie?”
    Janie looked at Pete and then her parents. “We—we have some news.”
    Hank, who had just started to sit down, straightened quickly. “You mean you’re—”
    “Having twins,” Janie said breathlessly, her gaze going from her father to her mother.
    As if Samantha in “Bewitched” had twitched her nose, everyone froze. Then, with a small cry, Lavinia hugged Janie, while Hank gasped like a marathon runner on his last mile.
    After they expressed their concerns and happiness, Hank turned to the next topic. “Now, see here, Janie, I don’t care what your reasons are, it’s time you gave in and married Pete.”
    “She has,” Pete said quietly—and, he’d admit, with a little pride. While everyone had tried to convince Janie, or at least all the men in the two families, he’d been the one to persuade her. He set aside his disappointment that she didn’t really want him. He’d deal with that emotion later.
    For the second time, they stunned Lavinia and Hank. Then the real celebration began. Lavinia had tears in her eyes as she served dinner, constantly asking questions about