Stone Cold Surrender (17 page)

Nothing
prepared
her
for
the
onslaught
of
emotions
that

rammed
through
her
when
her
lips
parted
and
he
entered
her
mouth
and
proceeded
to
kiss
her
in
a
way
she
had

never
been
kissed
before.
It
was
a
gentle
kiss.
It
was

tender.
But
on
the
flip
side,
it
contained
a
hunger
that
made
the
pressure
she
felt
in
her
chest
too
intense,
almost

unbearable.

And
when
he
deepened
the
kiss,
capturing
her
tongue
with
his,
she
was
grateful
that
he
had
the
mind
to
hold
her
tighter
because
she
would
surely
have
melted
to
the
floor.
She

savored
the
hot
sweetness
of
his
mouth
as
he
carried
her
to
a
level
where
sophistication,
poise
and
what
was
proper
had
no
place.
As
their
tongues
mingled,
dueled
and
mated,
feelings
and
emotions
she
had
never
felt
before
clashed

into
her,
smothering
her
in
a
sexuality
she
hadn’t
known

existed.

And
when
he
finally
broke
the
kiss,
she
drew
in
a
long

shuddering
breath
and
gazed
up
at
him.
His
eyes
were

intense
and
she
knew
that
she
and
Stone
had
shared
more
than
just
a
kiss.
They
had
also
shared
an
understanding.

What
was
happening
between
them
was
probably
no

different
than
what
his
uncle
and
her
mother
had

experienced.

Instant
attraction.

The
kind
that
hit
two
people
from
the
first
so
you
were

compelled
to
do
the
unthinkable
and
act
on
it.

She
sighed
deeply
and
unconsciously
licked
her
lips,

tasting
the
dampness,
a
lingering
reminder
of
his
taste.

Sharp
coils
of
desire
raced
through
her
and
she
knew
that
Stone
Westmoreland
was
a
dangerous
man.
He
was

dangerous
to
her
common
sense.
Although
she
needed
to
talk
to
Durango,
she
couldn’t
do
it
today.
She
needed
time
to
clear
her
mind
and
think
straight.
At
the
moment
the
only
thing
she
could
think
about
was
romancing
Stone.
In
less
than
twenty-four
hours
he
had
unearthed
another
side
of

her,
a
side
even
she
hadn’t
known
existed
and
the
thought
of
that
frightened
her
somewhat.

“I
don’t
think
joining
you
and
Durango
this
evening
for
dinner
would
be
a
good
idea,
Stone,”
she
decided
to
say.

No
matter
how
desperately
she
needed
to
know
about
her
mother
and
their
uncle,
she
also
needed
space
from
this

man
who
caused
emotions
to
grip
her
that
were
so
foreign
and
unfamiliar.
“I
want
to
get
settled
in
here
first
and
think

about
a
few
things.
Is
there
any
way
we
can
meet
tomorrow,
possibly
before
noon?
I’d
like
to
try
and
contact
my
mother
to
let
her
know
that
I’m
here.”

Stone
held
her
gaze.
“Tomorrow’s
fine,
Madison.
Just
tell
the
lady
at
the
front
desk
to
phone
Durango’s
ranch.
They
have
the
number
and
I’ll
be
glad
to
come
and
pick
you
up.”

“All
right.”

He
stared
at
her
for
a
few
minutes
then,
without
saying
anything
else,
he
turned
and
walked
out
of
the
door.

Pushing
back
from
the
kitchen
table,
Stone
stood
to
help

Durango
clear
the
dishes.
“I
tell
you,
Stone,
it
was
the

strangest
thing
seeing
Uncle
Corey
act
that
way,
like
a
love-
smitten
twenty-year-old.
And
I
didn’t
want
to
say
anything
in
front
of
Madison,
but
her
mother
wasn’t
acting
any
better,

although
it
would
be
clear
to
anyone
that
she
was
a
lady

with
a
lot
of
class.”

Stone
shook
his
head.
“Well,
Madison
is
determined
to
find
answers.
I
think
I
gave
her
food
for
thought
earlier
and
she’s
pretty
much
accepted
the
idea
that
her
mother
and
Uncle

Corey
are
involved
in
an
affair,
but
she
still
needs
to

understand
why.”

Durango
raised
a
brow
as
he
leaned
against
the
table.
“What’s
there
to
understand?
Lust
is
lust.”

Stone
rolled
his
eyes
upward.
Durango
definitely
had
a
way
with
words.
“Well,
with
her
mother
being
such
a
classy,
well-
bred
lady
and
all,
lust
as
you
see
it
is
something
Madison
just
can’t
seem
to
understand.”

Durango
grinned.
“Then
I
guess
it’s
going
to
be
up
to
you
to