“This is an opportunity, Crista.”
“You have reminded me of that several times, Mother,” Crista said tired of hearing it, yet finding humor in it as well. She could only imagine her mother’s face if she knew Chavez Navarro’s true identity.
“It is good you smile. A man likes a pleasant wife and also a wife who listens, so let him talk. Men love to talk about themselves,” her mother instructed and shook her head. “You should have worn your hair up. It looks much too wild and unkempt when free.”
It was the very reason Crista wore her hair loose, to remind herself of feeling free. She hadn’t felt that since returning home. Her days were planned for her, meals were taken at particular times and proved far too formal. She missed the laughter, smiles, and spontaneity of the meals she had shared with Ricardo’s family. It was something she intended for her family to share.
Her hand went instinctively to her stomach, the thought of her own family not being that far off.
“You’re feeling unwell again?” Her mother’s anxious tone warned of her worry.
“I am fine, Madre,” Crista assured her. “A bit nervous, that’s all.”
“Of course, my dear,” her mother said with a consoling touch. “Being on the cusp of a man calling on you with the possibility of him becoming your husband can be worrisome. But Don Navarro appears to be a refined gentleman. I don’t believe you have anything to worry about.”
A refined gentleman. He was anything but that.
“Were you nervous when you first met father?” Crista asked, thinking how terrified she had been on her first encounter with Diablo.
“I was promised to your father when I was very young, so I always knew he would one day be my husband. I got to know him well through the years, making it easier for me to marry him.”
“You didn’t love him?” Crista asked, thinking how her mother’s life had been decided for her. What would life have been like for her mother if she had made her own choice? And what of the choice she had made for herself? What would life be like having made her own decision?
“Your father was good to me and we grew to love each other,” her mother said. “Enough of the past, it’s the future we look to now. Esteban will see his first child born and with God’s good grace, you will have a good husband. Now come, you will sit in the garden and wait for Don Navarro. It is too beautiful of a day to be inside. I will chaperone you and Don Navarro, keeping a discreet distance so you may have a bit of privacy, though nothing improper.”
Improper. If her mother only knew.
Crista sat on the bench that she and Chavez had shared that night, waiting. Anxiousness tumbled her stomach. There was so much for them to discuss, decisions to be made, and news to deliver to him. Her hand went to her stomach once again. What would he think of her carrying his child?
She stood abruptly at the sound of approaching voices, her heart beating rapidly. It increased tenfold when she saw him step out on the patio. He was far too handsome and appeared far too refined. How had he managed that after having lived as an outlaw all these years?
One thing Chavez and Diablo shared was their confident and powerful strides. He commanded attention as if those around him had no choice but to obey him. She had seen that for herself and she had also seen the consequences that followed if one didn’t obey him. She almost cringed at the memory, the sound of his whip cracking echoing in her head.
Chavez might be walking toward her, but Diablo still lurked somewhere inside him.
“Crista,” he said with a slight bow of his head. “I am so pleased to see you again.” He turned to Valerianna. “It is gracious of you, Dona Valerianna, to allow me to call on your daughter.”
“I’m pleased to have such a fine gentleman call on my daughter. Please sit and enjoy this beautiful day. I will have refreshments brought to you.” Valerianna kept a smile on her face. “I’ll be just over there on the patio if you need anything.”
Crista sat and Chavez followed her down on the bench, both watching and waiting for her mother to be a safe distance away before they spoke.
“Your leg is better?” he asked.
“Much, it was a minor discomfort, but we have more important things to discuss than my leg.”
“Nothing is as important to me than you, Crista, which is why it is beyond difficult to sit here beside you and not be able to take your hand, hold you close, kiss you.”
“Don’t,” Crista whispered, closing her eyes briefly, fighting the passion he began to stir in her. She looked directly in his eyes. “I ache for you. It is a relentless ache that only your arms, your lips—” She clamped her eyes shut briefly, the image of him slipping into her, filling her, satisfying her stoked the sparks of passion, igniting them to a dangerous level.
“Crista,” he said softly, the desire to scoop her up in his arms and take her home with him overwhelming.
“Not waking up beside you… is the worst,” she admitted, “though as the day goes on I find myself missing your company, talking with you, laughing with you. Your absence has made me realize just how much I love you.” She shook her head. “I ask myself why I should admit that to you when you left me without even saying good-bye, without telling me I would see you again, without telling me there was a chance for us and make my departure less painless for me.”
He saw the hurt in her eyes and a hint of passion as well, and it tore at his heart. Having been used to taking what he wanted, he had to fight not to do so now.
“Believe me, mi amor, when I tell you the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life was to leave you without saying a word. Unfortunately, it was necessary. Plans had to be altered and if things had not worked out we would not be sitting here now. I would not take the chance of disappointing you. I would rather you be angry with me until I could explain to you, than see you hurt again.” He smiled a wickedly sly smile. “I also trusted that by telling you that you would always be mine you would understand that there was no way I would ever leave you.”
A smile snuck up on Crista. “Are you saying you left a clue of sorts?”
“Are you telling me you never gave it thought?”
“At night, when I missed you the most, I thought about it and hoped, prayed, wished, you’d come to me.”
“And I did,” he said, his smile fading. “I told you I would always be there for you.”
“Why?” she asked, wanting to hear what she knew in her heart.
“That’s easy to answer.”
Crista waited, her breath caught and her heart beat wildly.
“I have grown accustomed to your chatter, to the way I wake with you curled around me, to your never-ending passion, to your smile that lights my heart, to your courage to survive adversities, to your deep love for me that I see in your eyes whenever you look at me, but most of all because I have no choice. You stole my heart from when we first met. I love you, Crista. I love you so much, so deeply, so thoroughly that I cannot—not ever—live without you. Don’t!” he cautioned sharply when she looked ready to throw herself into his arms.
Crista stiffened and cast a glance toward her mother and smiled when she saw a slight frown mar her face.
“You tell me this now when I can’t throw myself in your arms and kiss you until—”
“We tear each other’s clothes off and I slip deep inside you?”
“That’s not fair, Di—” she quickly corrected herself, “Don Navarro. You tease and taunt me at a most inopportune time.”
“Believe me, Crista, I suffer along with you.”
Her laughter was like a soft melody that drifted on the air and she caught a quick glance at her mother’s smiling face.
“That makes it more bearable that you suffer along with me,” she whispered. She maintained her smile, but sounded serious when she spoke. “What do we do now?”
“That depends. Propriety would have us seeing each other and me asking for your hand in marriage in a few months, but you tell me, Crista, can we wait months?”
“How do you know so much about propriety, manners, and such when you’ve lived most of your life as an outlaw?” she asked curious.
“That I will explain at another time. It is more important you answer me. Do we wait or do I claim myself too impatient to wait to make you my wife?”
“You’re asking me if I carry your child,” she said and a sudden thought struck her. “Did you plan on getting me pregnant?”
“I could say it was a way of keeping you, though it was more that I wanted you and only you to be the one that my seed took root in. I had always wanted a family of my own and when I met you I knew you were the woman I wanted that family with.”
“I’m glad to know that our child was conceived from love and that he will have the most wonderful and loving father in the whole world.”
“Then you are—”
“I am,” she said with a smile and a nod.
“If we were alone, I would show you how happy I am,” he said with a wicked smile.
Crista giggled. “I doubt we’d get our clothes off or reach the bed before—”
“I’d hoist you up against me and brace you against the door once closed, then when finished there, I’d move you to the bed, strip us both and kiss your body to life once again, before driving my shaft eagerly into you.”
“Damn you, Diablo,” she muttered and punched him in the arm.
“Crista!”
She turned to see her mother hurrying toward them.
“Now you did it,” Chavez said with a laugh.
“Whatever is the matter with you?” her mother scolded.
Chavez stood. “It is my fault, Dona Valerianna. I was improper with Crista, requesting a kiss when I shouldn’t have. Your daughter quickly reminded me of my manners. I could beg that I am taken with your daughter, which I am, but it is no excuse.”
Crista almost shook her head. Where had Diablo learned such manners?
Valerianna looked to Crista, then back to Don Navarro. “There is also no excuse for Crista to raise her hand to you. I’m sure words would have been sufficient.”
“If you would permit, I’d like to call on your daughter again, tomorrow if acceptable, and perhaps you would allow me to escort her to the next soiree?” Chavez asked. “I believe the next one is at the Bolanos hacienda.”
Crista caught the way her mother stiffened slightly and knew we’d received no invitation to the event. She watched her mother’s face light with a smile at the prospect of Don Navarro escorting her daughter to the soiree.”
“That is most acceptable, Don Navarro,” Valerianna said with a nod.
“I have business I must attend to, but would it be permissible for me to have a few moments with your daughter before I take my leave?”
“Of course, I’ll be on the patio,” Valerianna said, letting him once again know that she’d be nearby.
“I hate that you’ll leave me again,” Crista whispered when her mother was a distance away.
“Do not think of it that way, mi amor. We are doing what is necessary for us to spend the rest of our lives together. After the soiree I will ask for your hand in marriage. I will tell them the truth… I am impatient to make you my wife and start a good life with you.” He grinned. “So impatient that I just may sneak into your bedroom this evening.”
“Do not tease then disappoint,” Crista scolded.
“Never,” he whispered and stepped away from her, the urge to grab her and take her in his arms far too overwhelming to trust himself to stay near her. He gave a slight bow of his head. “Until next time, Crista.”
“Until next time, Don Navarro,” she said and whispered quickly, “which better be soon.”
He smiled and joined her mother on the patio and they both disappeared through the open doors. She waited there knowing her mother would return to her, and she did. If it wasn’t sunny out, her mother’s smile would have lit the sky.
“He couldn’t stop talking about you and how he looked forward to seeing you again tomorrow and that he’d like to speak with your father tomorrow as well. I believe he intends to make it known that he is interested in pursuing you with thoughts of marriage. This is wonderful. When people learn of this, they won’t shun you anymore.” Her smile faded.
Crista was shocked when her mother placed her hand on her arm.
“You shouldn’t have hit him as you did, but I must admit I am proud of you for protecting yourself, for keeping your respect. I know of no woman who would have done that.”
If her mother knew the truth, she might think differently of her, but at the moment she wanted to linger in her mother’s touch and pride.
Too soon her mother’s hand fell off her arm.
“Dona Bolanos has always favored our wine. I’m going to take her a couple of bottles and mention that Don Navarro called on you today and will do the same tomorrow. And, of course, make mention that he requested to escort you to their soiree.” Her mother smiled with glee as she walked off.
Her mother had a little devilish streak in her and she wondered if she had inherited some of it from her.
“It went well?”
Crista turned to see Rosa.
“Hurry come and walk with me and tell me all about it before Esteban tracks me down,” Rosa said, waving at Crista who hurried over to her to take her arm. “The closer it gets to my time the more my husband worries.”
“He’s afraid of losing you,” Crista said better understanding that fear now that she was in love. “But you probably know that more than anyone.”
“I do,” Rosa admitted. “His family had been lost to him far too long and now that he has me and about to have his own child, he worries that once again that all will be taken from him.” She shook her head. “But he smothers me with his constant concern.”
“Then we’ll walk to the orange orchard and pick some nice plump oranges to eat while I tell you about Don Navarro.”
“You like him?” Rosa asked anxiously. “I prayed that you would.”
“I think he will do nicely,” Crista said, hate having to lie to her sister-in-law but knowing she could never divulge the truth to anyone.
“The problem is hurrying a proposal along.”
“He seems eager, so I don’t think rushing him will be a problem,” Crista said, thinking it couldn’t be soon enough for her.
Crista and Rosa talked, laughed, and picked oranges, enjoying them as they sat on one of the many benches in the orchard.
“No one must ever know,” Crista said when they were near done eating the oranges.
“Know what?” Esteban asked, suddenly appearing from behind them.
“You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that,” Crista scolded.
“Why not? My wife and I have no secrets from each other, but it seems as you do?” Esteban said, glaring at his sister. “What is it that no one must ever know?”
“What is it about no one must ever know that you don’t understand?” Crista asked annoyed.
“Not one word since I want to know,” Esteban argued.
“Women’s secrets that you truly don’t want to know,” Rosa said, since it was the truth. Her husband would not truly want to know about Diablo and his sister being intimate. And she was frightened to death that if he did know, he would hunt Diablo down and kill him or be killed.
“I trust you, Rosa, to tell me the truth,” Esteban said, reaching for her hand.
“And it’s the truth I told you. It’s a woman thing and you don’t want to know about it,” Rosa assured him and took his hand to stand and drift into his arms.
Esteban kissed her brow. “Then I am satisfied and you women can keep your secrets.”
Rosa frowned. “I’m glad you’re satisfied, but someone left me unsatisfied this morning.”
“Rosa,” he chastised, “not in front of my sister.”
“It’s not like I don’t hear you two sometimes,” Crista said, not really having heard them making love, but not able to stop from teasing her brother.
“I warned you about being too loud,” Esteban said to his wife, then cringed realizing what he’d said.
“It wasn’t Rosa, it was you,” Crista said, unable to stop from teasing him.
“You have gotten louder lately,” Rosa said, joining in with Crista’s playfulness.
Esteban cast a scowl on his sister. “Keep it up and I’ll tell father and mother that you climb down that trellis every morning and you’ll soon find it gone.”
Crista laughed. “You wouldn’t stop me from having fun. You love me too much.”
“I love you both,” he admitted, “though Rosa has an edge on you.”
“I would expect so,” Crista said and took his arm after Rosa slipped her arm around his other.
“Women,” Esteban said as they walked back to the hacienda. “They can drive a man crazy.”
“Just imagine if you have a daughter,” Crista said with a laugh.
“Madre di Dios, help me,” Esteban said, shaking his head.
“See, you even turn to a woman for help.” Rosa laughed and Esteban continued to shake his head.
Crista lay in bed waiting. All had retired hours ago. The hacienda was quiet, a breeze rustled the curtains at her open terrace doors and she watched there hoping to see a shadow… hoping to see Diablo.
After what seemed like hours, the night ticking away, though it was probably her impatience, her eyes began to drift closed. She forced them open each time they did, but it was getting more and more difficult.
“You snore,” Chavez whispered in her ear with a soft laugh.
Before she could argue, his arm slipped under her waist, and he turned her toward him, capturing her response. His kiss was wicked, demanding, hungrier more than ever, and it never tasted more wonderful. And she wanted to squeal with delight when her body connected with his naked one.
Her body didn’t stir to life, it exploded in a hot flame. It had been much too long since she had last felt him inside her and she had no patience to wait now that he was there naked in bed with her. Besides it was a dangerous thing he did being here in her bed. If anyone walked in, especially her brother, he would kill him on the spot.
She intended to warn him as soon as his lips left hers, but her breath was labored from his powerful kiss and his lips settled on hers again as soon as he stripped off her nightgown.
He had her on her back, his leg spreading her two apart, his hard shaft poking between her legs, eager to gain entrance. She swallowed the groan that rushed up, glad his lips remained on hers, not trusting she could stop herself from screaming out in pleasure when he entered her swiftly.
He moved hard and fast inside her and she gipped his arms, her fingers digging into his hard muscles. It didn’t take long, their need for each other far too great after what seemed like an endless absence. Crista was once again grateful that he kept his mouth tightly against hers as they exploded in pleasure together, their groans captured in each other’s mouths.
He took her in his arms when he rolled off her, their breathing too hard for either of them to speak.
It didn’t matter to Crista, nothing needed to be said. She had all she wanted with being in Diablo’s arms and having made love with him, even if it had been quick. It made her realize how very much she had missed him. She smiled listening to his heart thunder against his chest, knowing his heart beat with love for her. She wished they could stay like this and she could wake in his arms, but that wasn’t possible.
She looked up at him and murmured. “I don’t snore and you need to go, though I wish you could stay.”
“I was happy to hear that delicate snore of yours again. I have missed it whispering lightly against my chest,” he said. “And I promise you that you will soon be my wife and we will never be parted again.”
His words stirred a happiness in her that she hadn’t felt since she’d last been with him. She kissed his lips lightly and said something she never thought she’d say to him. “Go.” She fought to stop her eyes from growing misty. “I fear you being caught.”
He took firm hold of her chin. “Know one thing, Crista, I will never let anyone take you from me. Never.”
He kissed her rough and hard as if it somehow it sealed his words, making it so.
He handed her nightgown to her before slipping into his own clothes and he didn’t stop her from walking him out onto the terrace, their hands clasped tight as they did.
“I will see you in a few hours, though it’s not soon enough,” he whispered, his hand going around to the back of her neck and holding it firm as he kissed her. He rested his brow to hers after easing his lips off hers. “I love you, Crista.”
His words fluttered her heart. “And I love you, Di—”
He kissed her again before she could say Diablo and when done pressed his lips near her ear and whispered, “Can you love Chavez as much as you love Diablo?”
She took hold of his face and smiled. “Maybe even more.”
He kissed her again and let go of her quickly afraid he’d linger even longer if he didn’t. He stopped and turned when he reached the trellis.
“Don’t be alarmed if I ever disappear for a few days. There are things I still must attend to in order for my plan to fully succeed.”
She nodded as he disappeared down the trellis worried that it meant he wasn’t completely finished with his old life, and she was concerned more than ever at what that might mean.