Free The Cowboy and His Baby by Sherryl Woods

too much in love to ever say no. She hoisted her chin a challenging notch. They were going to have a conversation on her terms for a change.
    â€œGood morning to you, too, Cody.”
    Cody’s gaze narrowed at the sarcasm. “Dammit, I asked you a straight question. The least you could do is give me a straight answer.”
    She wasn’t sure where she found the courage to face him down, but she did. “Why should I, when you’re acting like a bully?”
    â€œI think I have a right to act any damn way I please.”
    â€œNo,” she said softly. “You don’t. I told you before that we can discuss this like two civilized adults or I can go into the other room and go to work.”
    He raked his hand through his hair in a gesture that was vintage Cody. She’d always been able to tell exactly how frustrated or annoyed he was by the disheveled state of his hair.
    â€œIf that baby’s mine, I have a right to know,” he retorted, his voice starting to climb.
    â€œI was under the impression that you already know the answer to that. You certainly carried on as if you did when you dropped in on my parents last night.”
    He didn’t look even vaguely chagrined by the reminder of his outrageous behavior on her parents’ doorstep. “I want to hear it from you,” he snapped. “I want to hear why you kept it from me. If I am thatchild’s father, I should have been told about her way back when you first discovered you were pregnant. I had a right to know. We should have been making decisions together.”
    Melissa met his gaze unflinchingly. “You gave up any rights the day you left town without so much as a goodbye. You never got in touch. I didn’t know where you were. How was I supposed to let you know?”
    â€œJordan knew where I was, but you made damned sure he wouldn’t tell me, didn’t you?”
    â€œBecause your leaving town the way you did told me everything I needed to know about how you felt about me. What was the point of dragging you back so you could tell me to kiss off?”
    She could almost see his patience visibly snap.
    â€œDammit, Melissa, you know that I had more than enough cause to go,” he practically shouted, slamming his fist into a box and sending it crashing to the floor. Judging from the shattering noise it made, it was the glasses Eli had bought to replace the supply she’d broken only the day before.
    Eli opened the door a crack and peered inside, his expression anxious. “Everything okay back here?”
    â€œFine,” Cody and Melissa said in unison. The response wasn’t very heartfelt from either of them.
    Eli glanced at the box on the floor and shook his head wearily. He backed away without comment and shut the door.
    Throughout the interruption, Cody had kept his gaze fastened on her face, sending color flooding into her cheeks. “You know I’m right,” he said more quietly the instant they were alone again. “You cheated on me.”
    She had known from the beginning that that was what he believed. She had even wanted him to believe it…up to a point. Even so, it hurt to hear him say it. “Still jumping to conclusions, I see. That was always one of your worst habits, Cody.”
    He shoved his fingers through his thick hair again. “Jumping to conclusions,” he repeated incredulously. “Did you or did you not sleep with my best friend?”
    She was amazed at the speed with which the conversation had veered from the subject of their daughter to the real source of Cody’s fury. He’d had well over a year to work up a good head of steam on the subject and clearly he intended to vent it now, unless she put a quick stop to it.
    â€œI did not,” she told him quietly.
    â€œSee—” he began triumphantly. His expression suddenly faltered as her reply finally penetrated his thick skull. “You