Santa Fe Fortune & How to Marry a Matador

what that means?”
    She looked down at the document again, then slowly raised green eyes to his. She took a short breath, the shock of the truth hitting her. “Oh no. No, no, no… That can’t be.”
    “There had to have been someone else. You told me so yourself you were off the pill.”
    “No, no, no…” she repeated, as if she hadn’t heard him. “Not my junior assistant!”
    “Who?” Dan asked, surprised.
    Elena gritted her teeth, then grimaced. “He’s very young and very hot and, kind of like, works for me.”
    Dan swallowed hard, playing his best poker face. “I’m sure it’s not the first time it’s happened.”
    “But we didn’t do it after you and I… I mean, I told him that I couldn’t. You were the last, Dan. I swear.”
    “But apparently not the most important,” he noted astutely.
    Elena folded her face in her hands and moaned.
    “Is he any good?” Dan asked.
    Elena stared at him between splayed fingers. “That’s an inappropriate question!”
    Dan flushed. “I meant as your assistant.”
    “Oh, that…” Elena released a tense breath. “Yes, yes. He’s very good. Excellent, actually. Ivy League quality.”
    “Good genes, then,” Dan said, fighting the grin tugging apart his lips.
    Elena straightened herself tersely, folded the doctor’s report three times, then tucked it in her purse. “I hope you’re not disappointed,” she said, eyebrows arched.
    “Uh…maybe just a little,” Dan fudged, feeling as if his spirit were flying.
    “I’m sorry, Dan. I truly never thought. The guy always wears protection… I mean, there were only a couple of times. Just a few times in Denver…and that once at the office.” Elena gasped and brought a hand to her mouth, realizing she was prattling on.
    “Appears you have a lot in common,” Dan said, picking up his coffee cup. “You probably won’t mind if I take mine to go?”
    She’d gone positively beet red, a color he didn’t know she was capable of. “To go sounds fine, Dan. Just fine. Fine and dandy. Best wishes to you.”
    “To you too, Elena,” he said, standing. “You and the…family.”
    He bowed and took his leave, scurrying out of there lest his luck might change. Good God Almighty was that poor young buck in for a surprise. Dan exited onto the street, greeting the first passerby he met with a grin. “I’m not the daddy!” he proudly proclaimed. “I’m not the daddy!” he hooted again into the air. Panic dawned as Dan checked his BlackBerry. Gwen was due to leave for the airport within the hour.

Chapter Ten

    Dan screeched into the circular drive as Gwen exited the inn, her luggage in tow. She stared in disbelief as he stepped from his SUV and raced toward her. “Gwen,” he cried, his tone tinged with desperation. “You can’t go!”
    Gwen set down her bags and looked at him with incredulity. She wore tight stretch jeans, a sexy-as-all-get-out peasant blouse and those hot-as-Hades turquoise-trimmed cowgirl boots. “What do you mean?” she asked, dark eyes flashing.
    “I’m not going to be a daddy! Not now, not with Elena.” He heaved a deep breath. “Not ever with Elena, thank God.”
    Gwen stared up at him, beautiful chocolate-brown eyes softening. “You’re not?”
    Dan slowly shook his head, fighting every inner instinct he had to pull her into his arms and kiss her soundly like she definitely deserved.
    She searched his face with a kindness he found utterly irresistible. “Something terrible hasn’t happened?” she asked with concern.
    “Something wonderful’s happened,” Dan said, quickly correcting her. “Elena and I… She and me, we…” He exhaled deeply, letting the whole truth out. “It was somebody else, Gwen. Another man is the father. The timing doesn’t add up. Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m far from perfect. Very far, actually. Pretty imperfect if you think about it—”
    She brought a delicately sculpted hand to his chin to stop him. “You’re not upset about this?” she said in her soft, Southern twang. “I mean, disappointed about not becoming a daddy?”
    “No,” he said firmly.
    “Well, then,” she asserted brightly. “This is probably good news.”
    “Better than good,” he assured her, “the very best.”
    Gwen set a hand on her hip and gazed up at him, setting forth a challenge with her dark eyes. “And what, pray tell, do you plan to do with it?”
    “Invite you to Paradise Ranch?” he said with a squeak.
    Gwen glanced down at her