The Durango Affair Read online

  As she continued to watch him her heartbeat quickened and the heat he had deliberately turned up earlier with his kiss was inching its way into a flame as she felt her body respond to his mere existence. And then, as if he’d sensed her presence, he turned slowly, capturing her eyes with his.

  They stood there for a moment, separated by a few feet while sexual tension flowed between them the same way it had that night in Atlanta, and Savannah could feel herself slowly melting beneath the heat of Durango’s intense stare.

  And then he moved, slowly closing the distance separating them, soundless as his bare feet touched the carpeted floor. She wondered if he knew the effect he was having on her, or if he knew just how beautiful he was.

  Usually one didn’t think of a man as beautiful, but in this case she had to disagree. Durango Westmoreland was handsome, good-looking and devastating. But he was also beautiful in a manly sort of way. It was there in the shape of his face, the intensity of his dark eyes, the build of his high cheekbones and the fullness of his lips. The closer he got to her, the more her body responded and she braced herself for the full impact when he came to a stop in front of her. He glanced down at her outfit and then met her gaze. She saw the questions in his eyes and felt the heat in them, as well.

  “I’ve changed my mind about a couple of things,” she said softly, thinking how good he smelled.

  “Have you?”

  She met his gaze levelly. “Yes.”

  “And what have you changed your mind about?” he asked in a voice that Savannah thought sounded way too sexy.

  “About my wedding night.”

  His eyebrows lifted. “Your wedding night?”

  “Yes, I’ve decided that I want one.”

  He studied her. His gaze dark and heated. “Do you?”

  “Yes.” She was fully aware that he knew what she meant, but because he hadn’t wanted to risk a misunderstanding, he had to be absolutely sure.

  “Okay, I can handle that. Is there anything else that you want?”

  She bit her lip a few times before saying, “I want for us to share a bed during the time we’re married. I think we’re mature enough to handle it, don’t you?”

  For a minute he seemed to absorb her words in silence before allowing a smile to touch his lips. “Sure, I don’t see any problem in that. Do you mind telling me what made you change your mind?”

  “I think it would be hard for us to share a house without sharing a bed. We’re too attracted to each other and…”

  He arched an eyebrow when she didn’t finish. “And what?”

  A smile touched the corners of her lips. “And I don’t handle temptation very well, especially the Durango Westmoreland kind.”

  He reached out and placed his hand on her waist and leaned forward slightly. “Can I let you in on a little secret?” he whispered against her lips.

  “Sure.”

  “I don’t handle temptation well, either. Especially the Savannah Claiborne kind, so I guess on some things we see eye to eye. That’s a good sign.”

  “Is it?” She couldn’t help but look at his mouth since it was so close to hers.

  “Mmm, let me show you just how good it is.”

  And then he captured her lips and the moment he did so a wave of desire swept across her to settle in the pit of her stomach. He wrapped her tight into his arms and the intensity of the kiss made her bones melt. Moments later he reluctantly released her mouth.

  “There is something I want to do, Savannah, and it’s something I had intended to do at Chase and Jessica’s wedding reception but never got around to doing,” he said as his lips gently kissed the corners of her mouth and slowly moved to the side of her ear.

  “What?” she asked softly, barely able to get the question out.

  “Dance with you,” he murmured in a low, sexy voice. He took a step back and held his hand out to her.

  It was then that she heard the music, a melodic, soulful ballad by Anita Baker. The slow-tempo, easygoing jazzy sound of a saxophone in the background began flowing through her, touching all her senses, revving every nerve in her body and turning the heat up a notch more. Anticipation surged through her veins when she placed her hand in his.

  Her pulse quickened when he pulled her closer into his arms, and she came into contact with his bare chest.

  “Enjoy the dance,” he said, his voice a sensuous whisper against her ear. He pulled her even closer and she knew the exact moment he dropped a kiss on the top of her head. Their bodies meshed together perfectly as they moved to the slow beat, making them fully conscious of the scanty clothing they were wearing. She could feel the heat deepening between them, and the way her flimsy negligee was clinging to her, shifting, parting with every movement of her body against his, she was certain he was aware of it, which only made her more aware of him. Especially the thick hardness of him that was pressed against her stomach.

  Sighing deeply, she buried her face into his bare shoulder, absorbing his strength, his scent, the hard masculine feel of him. And as if on instinct, she gently licked his skin with her tongue. She knew he felt it when his arms tightened around her waist.

  “If you lick me I get to lick you back,” he murmured gently. “And in a place of my own choosing,” he said in a low, sexy voice.

  Savannah lifted her head and their eyes met, held. Deep down she anticipated and hungered for his next move, knowing it would be another kiss. And when he stopped moving and slowly lowered his head to hers, an urgent need took hold of her senses once again.

  A mixture of need, greed and unadulterated longing flowed through her veins the moment their lips touched. His mouth fastened tight on hers and she instinctively absorbed everything there was about him. His tongue was unbelievably skillful when it came to giving her pleasure. It was like a magnet, clinging to whatever was in its path, attracting her own tongue, taking hold of it, dominating it, eliciting pressure, giving energy.

  She heard herself whimper, while shiver after sensuous shiver coursed through her body. She was helpless to do anything but return the kiss with equal intensity while his body strained against hers.

  And then she felt herself being lifted effortlessly into his arms and at that moment she knew that this was just the beginning.

  Durango broke off the kiss the moment he placed Savannah on the huge bed in the bedroom she had chosen. Then he stood back and gazed down at her. Her negligee was feminine and enticing. Seeing her in it nearly sucked the very breath from his lungs.

  Coming back to the bed he placed a knee on the pillow-top mattress and reached out and touched her breasts through the flimsy material. She made a low, sensuous sound the moment his hand came in contact with her and his fingers moved slowly, tracing a path around her nipples, feeling them harden beneath his fingertips.

  His hand then slid down to her stomach. The flesh was exposed from the design of her lingerie, and he touched her bare skin, made circles around her navel, massaging it, caressing it, feeling the way her muscles tightened beneath his hand. Knowing his self-control was slipping, in one smooth sweep he removed the negligee completely, leaving her totally naked.

  For the second time that night he actually felt the air he was breathing being sucked from his lungs. No woman, he quickly decided, should have a body this beautiful, this tempting, this seductive.

  A slow, throbbing ache began inching its way through every part of him and as he stared at Savannah he felt an intense desire to possess her. Wanting to be sure she was ready for him, he reached out and touched the area between her legs, dipped his finger inside of her, stroked her, and saw she was indeed ready for him. She made a low moaning sound and he ceased what he was doing just long enough to remove his pajama bottoms.

  “Durango.”

  His name was a whispered purr from her lips and he knew he was going to make love to her and not just have sex with her. The impact of that almost sent his mind spinning, but he refused to dwell on it now. He was too engrossed in how Savannah was making him
feel and how his body was responding to the very essence of her. He was experiencing emotions he had not felt since the last time he had been with her. Nothing and he meant nothing would stop him from sharing this night with the woman who was now his wife.

  Easing back on the bed with her, he kissed her, discovering again the sweetness that always awaited him in her mouth. And then he covered her body with his, lifted her hips and broke off the kiss to look deep into her eyes. He slowly entered her. The impact of their joining was so profound his body momentarily went still as their gazes locked.

  “I know this might sound arrogant,” he said in a low, husky tone. “But I think this,” he said, pushing deeper into her body, “was made just for me.”

  Savannah smiled, adjusting her body to the intimate fit of his. “If you really believe that then who am I to argue? You definitely won’t hear a peep out of me.”

  A sexy, amused chuckle rumpled from his lips. “Let’s just see about that because I like the noises you make,” he said, remembering the sounds she had made the last time they had come together.

  He began moving, a slow pace, needing to feel himself thrusting deep inside her, needing to arouse even further that feminine hunger within her that he longed to release. He wanted to stir it up, whisk it to a level it had never been before and then give her what they both needed. He wanted her hungry for him, starving for him, desperate for him.

  Durango refused to let her hold back on anything with him, especially his need to become one with her. His desire became even more feverish from the rhythmic movements of Savannah’s hips.

  He wanted it all and more than anything he needed to hear her express her satisfaction. And with that goal in mind, he continued to move against her, sliding back and forth, stroking in and out between her legs, letting her feel the workings of his solid shaft within her as his hand lifted her hips for better contact, more intense pleasure. Several times his body nearly shuddered with the force of his own release but he found the strength to hold back, keep himself in check.

  But the moment Savannah cried out in ecstasy, and he felt her body tighten around his, using every feminine muscle she possessed to aggressively claim what she wanted, he gave in and succumbed to his powerful release that pushed him over the edge.

  And when he leaned down and captured her mouth, clung to it, devoured it like a starving man, he tightened his arms and legs around her, tilted her body at an angle that would increase their pleasure. Durango knew at that moment if he lived to be a hundred years old, he would only find this degree of pleasure here, in Savannah’s arms.

  He was forced to admit that only with this woman could he claim complete sexual fulfillment. Only with her.

  Ten

  D urango shook his head as he raised his eyes to the ceiling. He and Savannah had returned to his ranch that morning and he had decided to wait until late afternoon to make the call to his family.

  “Yes, Mom, I’m telling you the truth. I got married on Friday, and yes, I married Jessica’s sister, Savannah.”

  He gazed across the room at Savannah, who was walking out of the bathroom. She had just showered and was wearing a beautiful blue silk bathrobe. A towel was wrapped around her head because she’d also washed her hair.

  “Mom, Savannah and I eloped and got married in Lake Tahoe. Ian knew about it but I swore him to secrecy, so he was right not to tell you.”

  He nodded moments later. “Yes, it’s okay for you and Savannah’s mom to get together and plan a reception, but I’ll have to get back to you and let you know when we can come to Atlanta. It won’t be for another three to four weeks.”

  After a few moments of nodding, he then said, “Savannah and I met at Chase’s wedding, fell in love and decided to get married quietly. Without any hoopla,” he tacked on, borrowing Savannah’s words.

  He turned and watched as she removed the towel from her head, and he saw how the mass of dark, curly hair tumbled around her shoulders. He watched as she lifted her arms and began drying her hair. Doing so stretched her silk robe, showing off her generous curves. There was something about watching her dry her hair that was a total turn-on. He hoped it had nothing to do with the fact that this was his bedroom and she looked so damn good in it. Even her clothes that were hanging next to his in the closet looked right.

  He frowned, not liking the thought of that. And then he cleared his throat, trying to concentrate on what his mother was saying. “Yes, Mom, you can tell the rest of the family, and yes, Savannah is here. Would you like to speak with her?” he asked, eager to get off the phone.

  He could last only so long under his mother’s intense inquisition. Just like Ian had said, their mother had been angry at first, but the news that another of her sons had married had smoothed her ruffled feathers. And it amused him that already she had her sights on the next of her sons who she felt was ready for matrimony. He chuckled, thinking Ian, Spencer, Quade and Reggie had better watch out.

  “Okay, Mom, and I love you, too. Give Dad my best. Now here’s Savannah.”

  “Be prepared,” he whispered, before handing her the phone.

  He then watched and listened while Savannah began talking to his mother. She first apologized, and accepted all blame for their decision to elope. Then told Sarah Westmoreland in an excited voice that she would love for her to plan a reception, and agreed with the older woman that it would be a wonderful idea to get Savannah’s mother involved, too.

  Durango was about to walk out of the room when Savannah promised to send his mother digital pictures taken at the wedding. Sending pictures was a nice touch that was sure to win Savannah brownie points with his mom.

  When Durango returned twenty minutes later after taking a shower, Savannah was still on the phone with his mother. He gave Savannah an apologetic smile as he sat on the bed beside her. After another ten minutes he’d had enough and surprised Savannah by taking the phone out of her hand.

  “Mom, I think you’ve talked to my wife long enough. It’s our bedtime. We’re newlyweds, remember?”

  “Durango!”

  He placed a finger to his lips, prompting Savannah to silence. “Thanks, Mom, for understanding. And yes, I’ll make sure Savannah sends those photos to you tonight before she…ahh, goes to sleep. Good night, Mom.” He chuckled as he quickly hung up the phone.

  Savannah glared at him. “Durango Westmoreland, how could you embarrass me that way by insinuating that we—”

  He kissed her mouth shut and then tugged her backward on the bed, removing her robe in the process. “I didn’t imply anything that isn’t true,” he said, after releasing her lips.

  He kissed her again, then pulled back and said, “Mmm, this is how I like you—naked and submissive.” He knew his words would definitely get a rise out of her.

  She pushed against his chest. “And just who do you think is submissive? I want you to know that…”

  He kissed her again, thinking how dull his life had been before she came into it. Then just as quickly he decided that kind of thinking sounded like he was getting attached—and he didn’t do attachments. But then again, he had to be honest enough and admit that for a man who’d always liked his privacy, he was thoroughly enjoying having Savannah around…even if she would only be there on a temporary basis.

  When he finally released her mouth, she looked at him as desire darkened her eyes and said softly, “You aren’t playing fair.”

  He met her gaze with an intensity he felt all the way to his toes and said hoarsely, “Sweetheart, I’m not playing at all.”

  Durango then stripped off his robe and stretched his naked body out beside her, pulling her into his arms and kissing her again. When he finally broke off the kiss he smiled down at her. “So, did you enjoy our trip to Lake Tahoe?”

  She reached up and ran her fingers through the hairs on his chest, thinking about all the things they had done together, especially the time they had spent in bed. Durango, she had discovered, had extraordinary stamina. “Yes,” she finally said,
thinking just how much she had liked spending time at the Rolling Cascade with him. “It was a very rewarding experience.”

  “And you didn’t once have morning sickness,” he pointed out.

  She grinned. “And I did enjoy the break. Maybe this bracelet works after all.”

  He lifted her hand and kissed her wrist. Then he smoothed his hands over her stomach, massaging gently, liking the thought that his child rested there. “And I take it our baby is well?”

  “Yes, she’s doing just fine.”

  “That’s good to know. Now I can turn my full attention to the mother.” He whispered the words in her ear and the sound was so low and seductive that it made every muscle in her body quiver.

  “And how will you do that?” she asked innocently, knowing the answer but wanting him to expound anyway.

  “I can show you better than I can tell you.”

  Cocking her head, and with a seductive glint in the depths of her hazel eyes, she said, “Then show me.”

  And he did that night. Numerous times.

  “That’s it. Move a little to the right. Oooh, yes. Now tilt your head a little back. Just a little. That’s perfect, now hold it right there.”

  It was at that moment that Savannah took Durango’s picture, just one of several she had taken already that day after he’d come in from work. She had convinced him that she needed to use up the rest of her film and that he would make the perfect model.

  “Now open your shirt and let me see your chest.”

  He frowned. “Hey, just what kinds of photos are you taking?”

  She grinned. “I told you. I want to sell my boss on the idea of doing a calendar on park rangers. They do them on firemen and policemen all the time. It’s about time we honor American heroes.”

  He crossed his hand over his chest, ignoring the fact that Savannah and her camera were still clicking. “And just who will be buying these calendars?” he asked, thinking about a calendar that his cousin Thorn had done for charity a couple of years ago. They had sold like hotcakes.