Page 6 of Bryson

He stood by the mantel, one arm draped over the cold marble as he studied her. She looked like a little girl with her face scrubbed clean of makeup and tendrils of hair drifting down her cheeks.

"This is an unexpected surprise," he drawled, his deep voice fluttering her nerves.

"Well, yes." She took a deep breath. "I was planning on calling you tomorrow, after I settled."

His brow quirked at that. "Were you?"

The skepticism in his voice had her bristling. "Yes," she snapped.

"Forgive me if I find that very difficult to believe. You had not exactly left on the best of terms. And if memory serves, you said goodbye or kiss your ass, something like that." His face hardened. "Why the hell are you back?"

It was going to be much harder than she expected, and she was going to have to hang onto her temper until she got the news out.

"I know we left things up in the air-" she began when he cut her off coldly.

"No. You made it very clear that you wanted out."

"Well-" she pleated the lapels of her robe and avoided his eyes. "I had no choice."

"What the hell is this, Julianne? What are you playing at?"

"Will you stop shouting?"

His anger turned into concern when she lifted a hand and rubbed her temple.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Julianne." His implacable tone had her wincing.

She tried one last time to prevaricate. "That horse, what was her name again? The one with the bad limp. Were you able to-"

"We had to put her down."

"Oh." The news momentarily had her thinking of the feisty mare she had the pleasure of riding several times. "She was a beautiful horse."

"She was," he averred gruffly. "Is there anything else you want to know? About the cattle and the new greenhouse we had installed a month ago to grow organic fruits. I'm at your service."

Even though he was mocking her, she jumped at the chance to put off telling him her news. "I read something about that in one of the agricultural magazines. It seems you've managed quite a coup with-"

"Stop it! No more evasions. Now I want to know why you're here."

"Okay, fine," she huffed. "I have my career to think about, so you can just imagine that this is not something I wanted to happen."

He straightened from his post, eyes fixed on her as his heart started to hammer.

"What are you saying?" he asked hoarsely.

"I'm pregnant," she blurted out baldly. "And before you make a foolish and inflammatory comment, wondering if it's yours, think carefully. I haven't been with anyone else since I left while you've moved on-"

"Stop talking." His eyes glittered dangerously as he approached her. "You bloody well left me, did you not?" He stopped in front of her and knelt down, a look of wonder on his handsome face. "How far along?"

"Two months."

He started to reach for her hand, frowning when she pulled away.

"I didn't want this."