Strictly Professional (11 page)

“Five thousand.”

Her head snapped around. “Five thousand? You’re kidding me, right?”

He cocked his head slightly to the side. “No. Last time I checked, that’s about right I think. Dad might have sold some off by now or divided it up and given some to Aaron.”

“Brandon, that’s a huge place.”

“Doesn’t seem like it to me.” He smiled. “Of course, I’ve never ridden from one side to the other.”

Something ricocheted through her brain as she stared at his face.

Cooper. Cooper. Oh my God! His parents own Cooper Cattle out of Montana.

“Is your father Jed Cooper?”

His eyes narrowed in what appeared to be suspicion.

Maybe he’s been burned by gold-diggers, too.

“Yes, why?”

She set the picture back down and moved away from his disturbing heat. “I’ve heard of him. That’s all.”

“There’s more to it than that, Savannah.”

Stopping near the window, she could see the moonlight casting sliver beams across the pasture in the back.

Stud service. Mom and dad want a grandchild and I know they wouldn’t be disappointed in hooking up with Cooper Cattle, but could I only use Brandon for a baby? What would he say to that?

“Savannah?” He stood behind her. She could smell his spicy cologne mixed with his intoxicating male scent and it sent heat spiraling through her middle to settle between her thighs.

His reflection in the window where he stood behind her made them look perfect together.

She inhaled a quick breath and said in a rush, “Brandon? Would you make a baby with me?”

* * * *

He laughed. Not knowing what else to do and thinking she couldn’t possibly be serious, his chuckle turned into roaring laughter. He dropped onto the couch and wiped his eyes.

Her eyes narrowed when she turned to face him.

“I didn’t think the idea merited that kind of mirth.”

“I’m sorry, Savannah.” He held his side while it cramped. She wasn’t laughing and the chuckles died on his lips. “You really are serious?”

She dropped into the chair he’d vacated earlier. “Yes.”

“Make a baby? With me?”

“Come on, Brandon. I didn’t think it would be that hard to explain. You’re a doctor and so am I. How hard is this?”

“Care to explain what brought this on? I mean we only met four days ago. Granted, you are a beautiful woman and we seem to get along all right.”

And I’d like nothing more than to fuck you until you scream.

Rubbing the spot over her right eye, she dropped her gaze to the floor for a moment before it returned to his face. “It’s my parents. I told you how they have been harassing us to have children and find husbands.”

“Yeah. So what’s this got to do with me except that I’m the other half of a baby making machine?”

“When I went home this weekend, my parents basically gave all of us an ultimatum. They want us to find husbands, of course, but the biggest thing they said was we needed to have children.”

He didn’t like the sound of this. “I don’t quite understand, Savannah. You’re going to have to give me more information.”

She stood and started to pace. “How do I say this without sounding crude?”

“I think we are beyond crude.”

Their gaze met and he knew she didn’t like this anymore than he did but curiosity had him sitting on the edge of his seat.

“I’m sure you know who my parents are.” She chuckled. “Right now, I wish they weren’t my parents.” Stopping behind the chair she’d sat in, she picked at an invisible piece of something on the blanket draped there. “William and Maria Gibson?”

If their names were supposed to mean something to him, they didn’t. “And so?”

She looked surprised. “You don’t know who they are?”

“Am I supposed to?”

“Let me clarify, then. Gibson Industries out of Houston. Gibson Oil?”

“I’ve heard of Gibson Industries and I’m assuming the way you talk, Gibson Oil is a big producer.”

Savannah sat back down in the chair. “My parents bought some land outside of Houston. Several years ago they added an oil well, hoping for a little to supplement their cattle business. They hit a gusher back in the late seventies.”

He shrugged.
Why do I care?
“Okay. So you’re from money.”

“It makes it very hard to find a man not interested in the funds that were set aside for us. Now, with me almost finished with medical school, you can see the problem I have.”

“Men are after your money and not to be with you.”

“Yes. My parents want a grandchild desperately. I obviously don’t have any prospects of a husband currently and neither do any of my sisters. They told us this weekend they had cut off our trust funds until we produce a child. I don’t use the money for my school and living expenses now, thus still driving my Bug, but it’s important to me to have that for my future.”

“So let me get this straight. You want me to father a child for you?” He laced his fingers together and met her gaze.

Savannah drew her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded.

I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.

He shook his head and stared at the carpet beneath their feet.

She stood quickly and said, “You know what? Forget I asked. It’s a stupid idea anyway.” She tugged at the hem of her skirt. “If you’ll get my keys, I’ll be on my way.”

“Savannah, wait.”

“No, really. It’s fine.”

He sighed and walked to the table where he’d left her car keys before he handed them to her.

“Thanks for taking care of my car. I guess I’ll see you at work.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

She gave him a peculiar look before she pulled open the front door and shut it softly behind her. Several minutes later, he heard her car start and then fade away as she drove down the driveway.

He tried to call her over the next two days, but she refused to answer. After leaving several messages on her voicemail, he gave up. He knew he would see her today at work. “Doctor Cooper,” she said politely when they passed in the hall and he gritted his teeth.

She punched the code of the supply room and disappeared inside. Before he had a chance to change his mind, he followed. Her eyes widened and then narrowed when he stepped inside. Grabbing something off the shelf, she tried to brush past him, but he wasn’t going to let her walk away. He wrapped his hand around her arm and stopped her. “Savannah? Can I talk to you?”

“Is there a problem with a patient?”

“No. I want to talk to you about what you said the other night.”

She pulled her arm out of his grasp while her eyes spit fire.

She’s pissed off at me.

“There’s nothing to talk about, Doctor Cooper.”

“What are you mad at me for?”

“I’m not mad at you. I’m embarrassed for even suggesting something like that to you.” Savannah turned her back to him and straightened some boxes of gloves on the rack. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”

He let his hands rest on her shoulders. “You want to please your parents. I can understand that feeling.”

“I guess they’ll get their wish, then. I’ve made an appointment with a sperm bank downtown. I guess it won’t be so bad raising a child by myself.”

“A sperm bank? Are you crazy?”

She spun back around. “At least I can chose who’ll be the father of my child by race, intelligence, and whatever else they make men put on their questionnaire.”

“What are you going to do? Intrauterine insemination?”

“Sure. Why not? My parents will have their grandchild.”

“And you’ll have what? A child by a man you don’t know?”

The shrug of her shoulders irritated him to the point of anger.

“What difference does it make to you?” she snapped. “I gave you the option and you laughed.”

“It makes a lot of difference, Savannah.”

Her eyes narrowed again. “Maybe Tony will take me up on my offer.”

“You asked him? You aren’t serious.”

“Why not? He’s got some money now and a cute little girl. His wife is dead. I’m sure we could still be good together it bed. It wasn’t bad before.”

“You’d sleep with him?” Her shoulder lifted in a shrug again and anger zipped down his back. “You’ll have sex with anyone to get a child? Is that what you’re saying?

“Not anyone, Brandon. I wouldn’t sleep with you.”

A growl left his mouth and he stepped close enough that her breasts brushed his chest. “No? I think you’re lying.”

“I’m not. I don’t want you.” The words left her mouth, but he could see the truth in how her pupils dilated when he moved closer and the way her lips parted.

He bent his head close enough their lips were only scant centimeters apart and he could feel her warm breath flitter across his mouth. “I think you do, Savannah. You want my cock buried in that tight pussy of yours so bad; your panties are wet right now, aren’t they?”

“No,” she whispered in a ragged exhale.

His hand moved to palm her breast. “Your nipple begs for my touch.” He slid his palm against the nipple and felt her arch toward him. “I can feel your heart pounding.” He grabbed her hand and pressed it to the spot over his heart. “Just like mine.”

She whimpered and bit her lip.

He slipped his hand from her breast down her belly and flicked open the button at her waist. “Do you want me to touch you, Savannah?”

“No.”

“Liar.”

Her head fell back against the rack behind her, barring her neck, and his lips found the hollow of her throat. He bit the soft skin and she moaned when his fingers slid under the elastic of her underwear, through the curls, and dipped inside. She widened her stance and he went deeper. His cock strained against the front of his scrubs, screaming for release as her sweet pussy gripped his fingers. His thumb found her clit, rolling it quickly while he finger fucked her hard.

“God, Brandon.”

“Come for me, Savannah. I want to feel you cream for me.”

He fixed his mouth over hers when he felt her pussy ripple and squeeze, knowing she had to be close. He swallowed her scream of completion while he stroked her until she relaxed against him.

When she opened her eyes, he knew he shouldn’t have done what he just had. Tears sparkled at the corners of her eyes and she whispered, “Get your hands off me.”

He stepped back and she fixed her clothes, trying for some semblance of order before they faced patients and staff again.

“Savannah...”

Her gaze met his. “Don’t. I don’t want anything from you.”

“But...”