His heart always beat a little faster when he saw her—but not nearly as fast as it was going to be thumping once he felt her. She glanced up from the fountain, looked back down just as quickly. It wouldn’t do for anyone to know about them.

So he took his time, moseyed back toward the hotel where he already had a room, fighting to keep his eyes from wandering up and down her body. Forget the eyes, it was his hands he wanted to have wander up and down her. More than his hands, actually. He tried to concentrate on something else before he had to hide his body’s intentions.

But hell, he knew how hopeless that was. Every time he’d gone back home, tried to forget her, his prick had pointed south like a compass needle to her North Pole. Or rather, her south pole.

It was hard to believe he’d been her first. Even harder to believe was how young she was. That was why he’d left the first time, practically galloping out of town when she’d revealed her age. But the memory of her tear-streaked face haunted him, and the vision of her spread legs beckoned him, and he’d returned after only a couple of weeks that time.

Besides her age, he didn’t know all that much about her. Sure, she chattered on and on about this and that, and he always feigned as much interest as he could, but he wasn’t here for the conversation. He let his breath out slowly, controlled, as he watched her sneak into the alleyway leading to the hotel’s back entrance. It looked like the fun would get an early start.  

This would have to be the last time. It wasn’t right, he’d known that all along. She was too young, too wrong, too much in love with him. Too Mexican. He couldn’t keep sneaking away for these trysts, not with so much work at home. Besides, it was time he found a wife, someone to stand beside him he could be proud of. Someone like Catherine.

Not that he wouldn’t mind keeping someone like Maria on the side to lie beside him, someone to do things a proper wife wouldn’t. Maria had been naïve, even shy, at first, but she was an eager student and willing to do his bidding, growing from kitten to cougar under his guidance. The thought had him hurrying toward his room, trying not to take the stairs three at a time, not to fumble with his belt until he got past his door.  

She slunk hesitantly toward him. He shoved her eagerly inside the room, slamming the door behind them with his foot before any prying eyes caught them together. One of the things she’d said that he’d actually paid attention to was about her protective papa, the one who was very good with a gun.

“God, I missed you,” he said, pushing her toward the bed as his lips covered hers, reaching to free the bulge in his pants. 

But she didn’t kiss back. In fact, she pulled away, her reddened eyes holding his gaze only for a second before staring down at her clenched hands, looking too much like a little girl. Damn. How did she already know he was leaving her?

“Murdoch, I have to tell you something.” Her voice was barely a tremulous whisper aimed at her feet. “I’m with child. Your child.”

The room suddenly swirled sickeningly around him, a whirlpool sucking the blood from his face and his cock at once.

“How do you know it’s mine?”