Page 13 of Rocky Mountain Home

She looked uncomfortable, and he kicked his own ass for assuming just because he wanted another ride that she’d be available. “You seeing someone? Because I don’t want to get in your way, or anything.”

“No—I’m not seeing anyone.” Her eyes widened. “You?”

“Hell no.” Although he wasn’t sure why. Lack of time? Lack of privacy in his new digs in the bunkhouse?

He’d hooked up plenty before, even with those kind of deterrents, but for the last couple of months every woman he’d looked at paled when he thought back to Dare. Fucking around to fuck around had begun to leave him cold—and that’s when he’d begun searching for her in earnest.

He wasn’t such a shit as to keep seeing random women when he was picturing them with Dare’s face. Now that he’d found her, he was ready for a second serving.

Which would never happen if he didn’t get them past the tough issues.

“I’m glad I tracked you down, and first up, I’m sorry if I was too…enthusiastic…last time.”

She looked lost. “What?”

Damn, there was no way to say this delicately. “Back in February. There was blood on the sheets.”

She thought for a moment before holding up her hand, a smile teasing her lips. “The glass broke, remember? We were kind of distracted and didn’t notice that the cut reopened.” Her amusement slipped to distress. “Oh my God, no. I wasn’t a virgin. You didn’t…” She kept rambling while he enjoyed the relief rushing his system. “I mean, your enthusiasm was very much appreciated.”

“I was thinking of the whole cherry thing, and it got me confused. Oh, and there’s something else. I have this. I don’t remember why.” He pulled the chain around his neck from under his shirt to show her the ring.

“You’re kidding. I thought I’d lost that. I’m so glad…” She reached toward him, then stopped. “Wait, this isn’t what we need to talk about. I mean, I’m glad you have my ring, but I need to tell you something important.”

Jesse stepped closer, the scent of her teasing his senses. He tugged a strand of hair that had fallen loose from her ponytail. “Want to tell me over dinner? I hear there’s a great steakhouse in the area.”

“There is, but we’re not going anywhere right now. You need to sit down. And…maybe you should put your head between your knees.”

He laughed. “Isn’t that what they tell you when a crash is imminent?”

Guilt flashed over her face. “Can’t you hear the sirens in the distance?”

She hadn’t struck him as the melodramatic type, but hey—they’d only had the one night, well-lubricated at that. “Come on, it can’t be that bad.”

“I’m four months pregnant.”

As if a shock wave had struck out of nowhere, a sudden ringing made Jesse’s ears seem stuffed with cotton. “What?”

“I’m pregnant.”

She’d said the words again, but they still made no sense, mostly because stars were forming in front of his eyes, and there was no oxygen in the room.

Months and numbers danced in his brain. “Four months, eh?”

She nodded.

He wasn’t going to insult her by asking if it was his. She didn’t know a thing about him except he liked dirty sex and strong whiskey. No reason on earth for her to tell some potentially dirt-poor cowboy he was going to be a father in the hopes of getting anything from him.

It might have made him the biggest loser around, but it was this or fall over. “I need a second.”

Jesse took the chair she’d offered a moment earlier, cradling his head in his hands as he concentrated on breathing and on not passing out—not passing out would be good too.

Dare snickered before clearing her throat. “Sorry, but I did warn you. Don’t feel in any rush to move. When the test came back positive, I stayed curled up in a fetal position for nearly a week before my brain came back online.”

He wasn’t sure if he was freaking out because she was pregnant or because she wasn’t freaking out.

His brain wasn’t functioning at full capacity.

“I’m not sure I can…talk right now.”