Untamed Fire (42 page)

“I will, but understand she has been through
much. She has a bruise on her face and I imagine on other parts of
her from the fight she took part in.”

“Who inflicted this bruise?” Esteban
demanded angrily.

“The man is dead,” Rafael informed him.

“Then I owe you a favor, my friend.”

“Not necessary, Esteban, just be gentle with
her. As I said, she has been through much.”

“Thank you,” Rosalita whispered to Rafael
before walking away from him toward the dark figure.

As she approached a hand reached out and
quickly snatched her into the mouth of darkness.

Gaby shivered fearful for Rosalita and
Rafael hugged her to him.

“Who is he?”

“A very dangerous man.”

“Then she isn’t safe with him,” Gaby said,
upset that she allowed Rosalita to go off with such a man.

“It was Rosalita’s choice.”

“You throw my words back at me,” she said
with a smile.

“I speak the words of a wise woman,” he
teased.

“Yes, you do,” she agreed, but her smile
quickly faded. “Do you think we’ll hear from her?”

“I think she has learned much from you, and
I think Esteban is in for a surprise.”

“Then somehow she will contact us.”

“Most definitely,” he assured her. “Now,
let’s get some rest.”

Gaby snuggled in his arms under the
blanket.

“Rafael?”

“Yes,
querida,
what is it now,” he
said with a yawn.

“What did you mean I bite... hard?”

Rafael laughed. “You are too curious for
your own good.”

“You don’t wish me to be?”

“No, no,
querida
, I wish you to stay
curious, especially about such
intimate
things,” he said and
hugged her tightly while whispering in detail what he had
meant.

Carriages had begun arriving the day before.
The hacienda was alive with neighbors and friends. It was a strange
mixture of rancheros and peasants, but all was going well. All were
happy to attend and help celebrate the wedding of Don Rafael to
Gabriella Alvardo.

“What are you doing here?” Lupe scolded as
Gaby entered the cookhouse.

“I don’t know where I belong,” she
complained and plopped down in a chair. She reached for a sugar
cake fresh and warm.

“You belong in your room, getting dressed
for your wedding.”

Gaby licked the sugar crumbs from the tips
of her fingers. “I can’t stand my room. Dona Maria is busy ordering
everyone about and the dress they want me to wear...” She shook her
head in annoyance.

“You are being stubborn. The dress is
beautiful. I saw it. Any woman would be proud to wear it.”

“It’s too much lace,” she complained again
and reached for another sugar cake.

Lupe swatted her hand, but missed. “You’re
going to get fat.”

“Of course I am, the baby will see to that,”
Gaby said with a smile and popped the cake into her mouth.
“Besides,” she continued between munches, “I haven’t eaten since
noontime yesterday.”

Lupe quickly wiped her floured hands clean.
“I will fix you something. You should not wait so long to eat.”

“Nonsense, you’re busy. I’ll wait and eat
after the wedding,” Gaby protested.

“No, it is best you eat now; some cheese,
ham, and bread with a big glass of cold lemonade.”

“Well, if you insist,” Gaby said, unable to
resist the tempting food.

Lupe fixed a plate and placed it in front of
her. “Now enjoy and then you will go get dressed.”

Gaby picked up a fat piece of cheese. “I
wish Rosalita was here.”

“It would have been nice,” Lupe agreed.

“I still haven’t heard from her.”

“It has only been a week, give her
time.”

Gaby nodded, worried for Rosalita’s safety
and feeling guilty for not being able to keep her from returning to
such a dangerous man. It wasn’t fair and she wished she could have
done more to protect her. “I suppose, but she was concerned about
her father. I was sure I’d hear immediately from her.”

Lupe crossed herself. “It is a shame Don
Eduardo died and his daughter Louisa in Spain, not even knowing of
her father’s death. Terrible. Terrible.”

“Don Felipe will explain it all to her upon
his return.”

Lupe shook her head sadly. “Poor Don Felipe.
He couldn’t believe how deceitful his wife really was. But I think
what hurt him the most was learning that you and Rosalita weren’t
his daughters. He seemed so sad when he kissed you good-bye.”

“I felt sorry for him,” Gaby said. “I hope
his return to Spain will find him some happiness.”

Lupe saw the girl’s plate was empty. “Now
that your stomach is full, go get dressed.”

Gaby didn’t move. “I don’t belong,” she
insisted with a shake of her head.

“You belong to me.” The voice was strong yet
tender.

Gaby looked up at Rafael as he entered. Her
breath caught in her throat. He was so handsome. His white shirt
lay open at the neck. She’d love to bury her face there and tickle
him with her tongue until he pulled her away and made fierce and
furious love to her. She tingled at the thought.

“Mother is looking for you. Actually, she
has the whole house staff searching for you.”

“You aren’t mad?” she asked, having spent
the last day attempting to avoid everyone, including Rafael.

“No, I’m not mad,” he assured her and held
out his hand. “Come, I will escort you back to your room.”

Gaby accepted his hand and with a quick
thanks to Lupe they left.

“What’s troubling you?” he asked, wrapping
her arm around his and bringing her hand to his mouth to kiss her
fingers.

Gaby stopped walking. His kiss had tickled
her skin, sending gooseflesh up along her arm. She studied him for
a moment; his large frame, his powerful stance, his sharp, handsome
features.

“I love you, Rafael, but do I dare marry
you?”

Ordinarily he would have grown angry
instantly, but he had come to understand, if only partially, Gaby’s
kind and caring nature.

“Why wouldn’t you dare marry me?” he
asked.

Gaby spoke slowly, almost hesitantly. “I am
different from the women you have known.”

“This I definitely agree with,” he teased
with a smile.

“No, really, Rafael. I will always manage to
do or say something I shouldn’t. I may even
embarrass
you on
occasion.”

“Only on occasion? I am certain it will be
on a daily basis.”

“Rafael,” she cried, pulling her hand free.
“I’m serious.”

He reached for her hand taking hold of it
once again. “So am I. Now listen and listen well,” he said in his
usual stern tone. “I love you. I had once thought myself incapable
of ever loving. You proved me wrong. I had once thought marriage
was for furthering wealth and land. You proved me wrong. I had once
thought all women were the same. You proved me wrong. I marry you
because I love you and wish to spend the rest of my life with you,
raise a family with you, grow old with you, and die with you. Now,
how many times am I going to have to repeat that to make you
understand?”

Gaby smiled that smile Rafael loved so very
much.

“How about every day? No, maybe twice a day?
No, definitely three times a day.”

“And how often will you tell me you love
me?” he asked and pulled her up against him.

“Every hour and every minute of the rest of
our lives,” she whispered and touched his lips in a feather light
kiss.

Rafael groaned and brushed his lips across
hers. “Don’t do this,
querida,
or you will be late getting
dressed.”

She persisted as he knew she would.

“Take me to the arbor,” she murmured near
his ear and playfully bit his earlobe.

“You’re asking for it,” he whispered.

“No, Rafael,” she breathed heavily. “I’m
begging
for it.”

He grabbed her hand and turned, almost
dragging her along.

“You’ve found her!” Dona Maria yelled when
she turned the corner and found them coming out of the kitchen.
“Finally, now she can get dressed.”

Gaby grinned upon hearing the oaths Rafael
mumbled as he reluctantly deposited her in front of his mother.

Dona Maria whisked her away and Gaby only
had time to turn and wave to Rafael, who petulantly refused to
return the gesture.

~~~

“You look like a princess,” Elena said with
tears in her eyes.

Gaby had to agree, and she felt like one.
Her delicate wedding gown was pure white lace which conformed to
every curve of her body until it touched her hips. There it spread
out in layers upon layers of lace. Her dark hair was braided and
fastened to the back of her head. A large white ivory comb was
tucked in at the top while a white lace mantilla sat over it just
brushing her forehead, yet trailing down the back of her gown to
touch the floor.

Gaby picked up the front of her gown and
glanced down at her feet. They were tucked in white slippers.

“Come, you must not keep the guests
waiting,” Elena said, hurrying her along.

Gaby arrived at the mission in the carriage
with her father. Rafael had insisted they marry there so all could
attend and also because it was where she had begun her life. The
generous thought warmed her and forced a tear to her eye.

Her father patted her hand and led her into
the church.

It was ablaze with candles. Tall wooden
candle holders the size of a man stood beside each pew and lit her
way down the aisle. Pink, white, and red flowers spilled over in
baskets and clay pots and decorated the area around the altar.

Juan rushed up to her and shoved a bouquet
of white flowers in her hands. It was made of a mixture of
wildflowers that grew in her mother’s garden and the gardenias that
grew in Dona Maria’s garden. The blending of both touched her heart
and brought another tear to her eye.

“Come,” her father said, “everyone
waits.”

All stood and watched as she walked down the
aisle to the front of the church to a waiting Rafael.

Gaby’s heart caught in her throat when she
saw him, he stood tall and proud. His stance reminded her of the
very first time they had met, the day she had
borrowed
Bella. She felt a tear slip from her eye.

He wore mostly black. The short jacket and
dark pants were trimmed along the arms and legs with a black corded
braid. A black ruffled shirt sat beneath and a red sash circled his
trim waist. He looked magnificent.

Her eyes stayed on him, glancing for only a
moment to her mother and brothers and sisters sitting in the front
pew to the left. They all smiled at her. Her father kissed her on
the cheek and placed her hand in Rafael’s.

Rafael took it and slowly pulled her toward
him. He leaned over kissed her tear away and whispered, “I love
you.”

Gaby felt her knees grow weak.

Rafael slipped his arm around her and guided
her to the front of the altar where the padre stood. They knelt
before Padre Pablo and the service began.

~~~

The hacienda was lit bright with torches.
Music played gaily, people danced, talked, ate, drank, laughed, and
enjoyed every minute of Rafael and Gaby’s wedding celebration.

Rafael remained constantly at his wife’s
side, being ever attentive and driving her completely wild. A kiss
to her cheek, a hand gently placed at the base of her neck, a
scorching look, a slow lick of his lips; he was intentionally
flaring her passion.

“More wine?” he asked, wrapping his arm
around her waist as he stood behind her.

She leaned back against him. “No, I’ve had
enough, too much will make me sleepy.”

He took the half-filled glass from her
hands. “We don’t want that,” he said and placed it on the table
beside him.

She watched the people dancing, content to
lean upon her husband and feel his hard body pressing into hers.
She quivered as his hand glided to her stomach and rested
protectively against it.

“He gives you no trouble? You feel
well?”

His sincere concern filled her with joy. “He
gives me no trouble... unlike his father.

Rafael laughed softly. “I give you
trouble?”

Gaby purposely wiggled her backside hard
against him. “You intentionally tempt me.”

“I didn’t think you noticed.” His whisper
was heavy with desire.

“I noticed, Rafael. How could I help not to?
Your touch fires me and makes my body burn for you.”

“Does your body burn now?” he asked and
nibbled down the back of her neck.

She shuddered. “It scorches with the want of
you,” she answered softly and rested her hand over his, pushing it
harder against her belly. “Can’t you feel the heat?”

“I feel it, but I want to taste it. Come,”
he ordered and pulled her to follow behind him.

“The guests,” she said as they hurried under
the arches of the long colonnade.

“Expect us to leave.”

Rafael entered his room, swinging her in
after him and closing the door. He released her and turned the
metal lock. A loud click echoed through the room.

Gaby felt a twinge of apprehension. “I’m you
prisoner?”

“Forever,” he said and removed his jacket,
tossing it across the chair, his shirt and sash followed.

“The music, we can hear it,” she said,
pulling the mantilla from her head as well as the comb.

“Free your braid,” he ordered gently.

Gaby did as he said, shaking her hair to
swing free as she finished.

Rafael walked toward her then stopped. “The
music, do you hear the tune they play?”

Gaby smiled and nodded. “I danced to that
tune at the Holy Day Festival. The first night you made love to
me.”

“Will you dance for me... only me?”

The thought frightened and thrilled her all
at once. “Yes, I will dance for you.”

Rafael sat by the window and waited; his
eyes intent upon her.