Strictly Professional by Sandy Sullivan Page B

I’m not on birth control,” she shrugged, “maybe it’ll happen without any planning on either of our parts. My parents will get their grandchild and I’ll at least know the father of my baby.”
    He dropped his head back on his shoulders before leveling a molten stare on her and she had to fight the trepidation his look sent clear to her toes. His lips slashed into a firm line across his mouth and he planted his hands on his hip. “I guess you really are a bitch. Heaven help a child born between us because let me assure you of one thing. You’d have one hell of a fight on your hands for any child born with my genes.”
    She gasped when his words rushed over her, but he’d already spun around and headed for the bedroom. A moment later, he came out fully dressed.
    “I guess I’ll see you around.” His eyes narrowed. “Do let me know if you are pregnant and don’t try to keep it a secret, Savannah. Believe me, I’ll find out one way or another.”
    With his parting words, he slammed out of her apartment. She sank onto the couch, curled into a ball, and cried.

    * * * *

    Brandon swung his leg over the saddle and settled himself comfortably. He loved the rodeo and his favorite event happened to be steer-wrestling. It helped that he did well whenever he competed. He ran his hand over the neck of the gelding under him to calm the restless animal.
    “It’s okay, boy. We’ll be up shortly.”
    The horse nickered and shifted.
    “Do I need to get you back to your friend’s, big boy?”
    “Hey, Brandon.”
    He squinted against the glare of the sun before he recognized one of the guys he normally competed against. “Hey, Jack. How have you been? I haven’t seen you around much.”
    “Broke my leg several weeks ago. Just got the cast off last Wednesday.”
    “You ridin' today?”
    “Nah. Just came to watch.” The other man’s gaze scanned the crowd. “Looks like a good crowd this weekend.”
    “Yeah.” Brandon let his stare wander over the throng of people for a moment before it returned to Jack. “How’s your wife?”
    “Oh, she’s good. Stayed home this weekend with the baby getting close and all.”
    “When’s she due?”
    “Next week.”
    “Good she stayed home then. I really don’t feel like delivering a baby out here.”
    Jack laughed. “At least we know we have a doctor in the house.”
    Brandon smiled for a second, but when thoughts of Savannah possibly being pregnant drifted across his mind, his mouth turned down into a frown.
    “Hey? You okay?”
    His focus returned to his friend. “Yeah. Just thinking.”
    “Next up, Brandon Cooper. Our very own hometown doctor come to try his luck steer-wrestling today. Let’s give it up, folks.”
    The crowd cheered.
    “I wish they wouldn’t say that.”
    Jack laughed and Brandon kicked his horse to move into position behind the barrier. He backed him up and held his breath for a moment while he watched the steer in the roping shoot shift and paw at the dirt. His eyes narrowed and he nodded slightly to tell them to release the animal.
    A second later, the steer shot out like a bullet with Brandon hot on his heels. The hazer kept the animal moving in the right direction and when Brandon got close enough, he leaned off his horse and grabbed the animal by the horns. He planted his booted heels in the dirt, making dust fly in every direction before he flipped the steer on its side. The buzzer sounded and Brandon let the animal go.
    “Three point six seconds. Outstanding time. Let’s give the cowboy a hand, folks.”
    Brandon picked up the hat he’d lost on the run, smacked it against his jeans to beat some of the dust off, and headed for the fence. He climbed over and landed on his feet with a thud.
    “Hey, Brandon.”
    He shielded his eyes and caught the sight of a shapely pair of legs encased in a tight set of jeans. His gaze traveled past a petite waist to large breasts almost spilling out of a pink blouse to red lips and then green eyes.