Desert of Desire (6 page)

He lifted her hand to his lips
and again, the contrast in their skin tones gave her pause
. “Yes, I do.” He parked the truck. “I want to make love to you. This time in my bed.”

She swallowed hard. The temptation clutched at her, but she resisted. “I really ought to go to my hotel, check in. I’ve got to finish my story.”

His face fell. “Eve, please stay with me tonight. You can write your article in the morning.” He touched a finger to her lips. Let’s not waste a moment of our time together.”

Powerless to resist, she nodded.
Beau
brought her to his room. Its dark wooden beams, Native American tapestries and stone floor paid tribute to the west.
Beau
lit
a fire in the stone fireplace.

She sat on a loveseat near the fire. She couldn’t wait to touch Beau again yet a deep sadness filled her because this would have to be the last time.
H
er life was in New York.

“I can see the wheels in your head turning. What’s on your mind?” He sat next to her and pulled her
into his strong embrace.

“Nothing. I was just thinking how
much I like your bedroom
. The whole house.”

He shook his head. “
Thank you, but I don’
t believe that’s what’s got your brow furrowed.” He pressed a finger to
her forehead.

She didn’t want to dwell on what couldn’t be so she kissed him
then looked into his smoky eyes and told him how much
she wanted him.

And he returned the sentiment with a slow, tasting kiss. Passion elevated her awareness
.

Beau slipped his hand under her shirt to cup her breast.
Need quickened her blood. He rolled her erect nipple between his fingers
and took her arousal to the next level.

She lifted her top over her head then stood and shimmied out of her shorts.
Beau’s heated gaze swept over her and there was no mistaking the look of appreciation in his eyes.
Electricity crackled in the air between them.

She
climbed onto his lap facing him and
moved her pelvis
against
the bulge in his pants
.

Beau pushed his jeans
down and
off, then his boxers.
Then he shucked off his t-shirt. His skin smelled of his pine cologne and pure man.
She ran her hands over the sinewy muscle and felt his quiver.

He caught her breast in his hand and massaged
and kneaded. She wanted him so badly that her whole body quivered with
lust.

Beau lifted her up and carried her to the soft rug by the fireplace. He laid her down and
propped h
imself on one elbow beside her.
He leaned his head to her breast and licked the tingling peak
.

Liquid heat stole through her. She
let out a desperate whimper.

Beau moved between her legs and touched his finger to her entrance. She bucked
with longing.
He spread her legs wider then blew on her mound.
Then his tongue was there, in her most private spot, licking her feminine folds
.

She fisted her hands in his hair as he drove his tongue deeper.
Long possessive fingers skillfully touched her, gently rubbed her clit until
she
detonated in bliss.

Without waiting for her to recover, he
pushed his erection between her thighs and slipped inside her.

They moved together, in a rhythm as old as time, as if they’d been making love all their lives.
When she felt her climax approach, she saw the signs on Beau’s face
but he seemed to be hanging on to his control.

He held her close and turned her over so she was now on top.
She was so close. She rolled her hips as she splayed her hands over the hard ridges of his abdomen.
When her orgasm neared she threw her head back and let out an unbridled scream.

Beau held her hips to control her movement. He thrust into her hard and fast, ratcheting
up her pleasure as he took his.

They locked their gazes at they shared the ecstasy. It was hands down the single most sensuous moment of her life.

After they recovered,
Eve lay in his arms, content and warm. “I wish you could come
back to New York in my suitcase.
”

“This is where I belong, Eve. Will you consider staying for a while?”

She thought about her bills and her apartment and her job. “I can’t. I have a life in New York.”

“You could have a life here, with me.”

How could she tell him that she’d only screw it up? That she’d failed every time she’d tried to build something with a man?
Beau
would shake his head, say her luck had changed. “Maybe we can visit each other. You know, every few months or so.”

He propped himself up on one elbow and stared into her eyes, raking his fingers through her hair. “Why won’t you let go, Eve? What’s holding you back?”

She couldn’t look at him. “I’m a city girl. I could never leave it.”

“Bullshit.” He rolled slowly away from her and
got up
, his disappointment clear. “I’m falling for you, Eve. And I think you’re falling for me, too. Why are you denying it?”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “No,
Beau
. I’m not. The lie broke her heart, but she knew it was for the best. The bedroom door shut with a decisive click. He was gone when she opened
her eyes.

After quickly gathering her clothes, she peeked into the hallway. No sign of him. She tiptoed to the guestroom and slipped into the bed. But sleep wouldn’t come so she got up, showered and dressed.

Before sunrise, she phoned for a car. By seven a.m. she’d arrived at the airport. The flight didn’t frighten her nearly as much as the ache in her heart.

* * * * *

Sunday morning Eve finished her story and emailed it to the magazine, knowing it was her best work in years. In the three days since she’d arrived home she’d tried to push
Beau
Calloway from her mind, but every time she thought about him, she pined for him, longed for his touch.

She opened her window, half expecting the lush view and fresh scents of
Beau
’s garden. Instead, heavy iron bars greeted her. The sounds of honking horns and city life assaulted her ears. Exhaust fumes drifted inside the apartment. She shut the window and headed to Central Park.

It helped a little to watch the Frisbee players, the horse-drawn carriages and the vast expanse of green. She hugged her arms around her body, wishing it were she and
Beau
in that carriage.

Monday afternoon, Jacoby called her into his office. “Terrific job on the Calloway piece,” he said.

“Thanks.” She wished she could be more excited to have finally garnered the man’s praise. It no longer mattered much.

“What’s wrong with you? You look like I told you your dog is dead or something.” He leaned on the edge of his desk, pinching his bushy eyebrows together.

“It’s nothing. Guess I’m a little jet lagged.”

He snorted. “Jet lag? From a three-hour time difference? That’s a good one.”

Ignoring his comment, Eve dragged back to her office. She did her work, went home and stared at the television set as if she were a zombie. The black cloud that settled over her seemed to permeate every facet of her life.

Friday evening she arrived home and climbed the stairs to her apartment. She looked at her door and her mouth dropped open.

Beau
Calloway stood leaning against

the wall next to her apartment. “I had to give you one last chance,” he said, flashing that sexy grin she’d missed so terribly.

“Are you a mirage?” she managed.

“No, I’m real. And so are we. I miss you, Eve. Come back home with me.”

She shook her head
. “You don’t understand. I’ll screw it up. I’m no good at relationships.”

He tipped her chin up so she had to look into his eyes.
“Only because you’ve never found the right one. This
could be that one
.
Those days we had together were amazing. Isn’t that worth giving us a try?
”

H
is lips took hers and suddenly
Eve knew. Her past relationships never worked
because she’d never found the right man
. But maybe she finally had. How could she not give them a chance?

A week later,
after subletting her apartment and arranging to write her column from her laptop for a while, 
Eve sat on an airplane beside
Beau
.

“Look out the window,” he said as they neared the airport.

She pressed her face to the glass and saw the Grand Canyon below. And she knew
a brand new chapter had just begun
.