Hot & Wild (De La Cruz Saga)

by P. Macias

  “Mucho gusto, Christian,” says Papa Luis. He turns to look at his niña. “My hija, your mama wants you to go in, she has something for you.” He looks at his niña. He wants to have some time to talk to Christian.

  Monique looks at Christian and smiles hoping that he’ll not get pissed.

  He looks at Monique, returns her smile letting her know that he’ll be okay.

  “Monique, I’ll make sure to say adios before I leave okay,” says Christian, looking at her padre trying to gauge his reaction.

  “Okay, Christian, I’ll be right back,” says Monique, walking into the casa.

  Christian turns to give Señor Acosta his full attention. He stands straight and proud. He’s totally a macho with confidence. I know that he wants to know my intentions with Monique. I have no problema with that, he needs to know, thinks Christian.

  “Christian, what’s your full name?” asks Papa Luis waiting, scrutinizing his face. My Ana is right, he’s a complete hombre. He’s raised right with our traditional customs and values.

  “Christian Arturo De La Cruz, Señor Acosta,” replies Christian looking at him squarely in the eyes. “We met at la familia compania.”

  “Do you work there also?” asks her papa with curiosity. Is he also one of the owners? I will need to look into this. I need to make sure he’s not playing with my niña.

  “Yes, I work there when I’m available. Señor Acosta, I’m a Navy SEAL and my duty will soon be over. I will be working at the familia company in six months,” answers Christian, waiting for Señor Acosta’s reaction.

  “That’s amazing Christian. It takes a lot of hard work to become a Navy SEAL,” replies Papa Luis, grinning. “Does my niña know that you’re a Navy SEAL?”

  “Señor Acosta, I haven’t told her yet. I didn’t want to scare her. Las mujers tend to see a Navy SEAL in a different way than we do,” replies Christian, gazing at him in the eyes.

  “Si, I understand. You will need to tell her soon. She will get upset if you don’t,” replies Papa Luis. He smiles, looking towards the casa where his niña is.

  “Christian, what are your plans with my niña?” asks Papa Luis straight out. He’s an honorable hombre and he’ll tell me. I know this. Christian is made out of strong steel, thinks Papa Luis, observing Christian. “Tell me the truth from your corazon, no juegos,” requests Papa Luis controlling his emotions. He’s grinding his jaw, flexing his jaw muscles from the strain.

  Christian can see Señor Acosta’s concern, his control of emotions. He knows, he feels, or he guesses how far our relationship has gone, ponders Christian.

  “Señor Acosta, I will marry your hija. I want to marry her on Saturday in Vegas. After, we can plan the church ceremony as soon as the priest will marry us,” replies Christian looking at him squarely in his eyes, clenching his jaw.

  He attempts to control his emotions. “I know that she’s carrying my bebe. I want to make sure that Monique and my bebe is taken care of. I’m now in training, but any minute they can send me on a mission. I love Monique with all of my alma and corazon,” he states regarding Papa Luis, waiting for his outburst.

  “I had told my padres that I intended to marry Monique. I had wished to have gone slow and marry her in six months,” says Christian looking at him, trying to communicate his sincere desire to honor his hija. “It didn’t work out that way.”

  “I’m not happy with this and you well know it, Christian! No padre wants to know that his niña is pregnant and unmarried. I know that you will do my niña right,” replies Papa Luis with anger, trying to control his emotions.

  He looks out towards the sky thinking of what Christian had said. He’s going to marry my niña today. Not manana or next Saturday, now! Rages Papa Luis.

  He turns to glare at Christian with control wrath. “Christian, I want you and Monique to go to Vegas now and marry. I don’t want you to wait until Saturday. You just said that you can be sent on a mission any minute. I don’t want my hija and nieto to suffer if anything happens to you,” demands Papa Luis, glaring at Christian with control, clenching his hands, trying not to give him a good thrashing.

  It still hurts like hell, thinks Papa Luis. Any padre would hurt when he learns that his niña is pregnant and unmarried.

  Christian looks at Señor Acosta. He recognizes his anger and his control. He’s trying to keep from striking me. I know that I would allow him to smack me around. I do deserve it, thinks Christian. I agree with his request, it makes sense.

  Christian glances at his watch. We still have time, thinks Christian.

  “Si, I will take Monique to Vegas to marry,” says Christian looking at him. “We have time to go. I have time to return to base. I don’t have to report into training until manana morning.”

  “I’m glad that you recognize the need for your marriage. We need to go inside to talk to my esposa and Monique,” says Papa Luis, walking into the casa.

  Christian follows him into the casa. I know this is right. I need to make sure that my Baby and bebe is taken care off. You just never know, contemplates Christian, looking for Monique.

  He sees her hermana, Eva and Gabriella, in the familia room watching a love story.

  I should call Ricky and get the information on which hotel he was married at. That hotel prepared everything for him, ponders Christian.

  “Hola,” he says to Monique’s hermanas, smiling, causing them to get all excited.

  “Hola,” they both reply at the same time, looking at him and at their papa, wondering what’s up.

  “Mis hijas, where is your mama and Monique?” asks Señor Acosta looking around.

  “They’re in Monique’s room,” answers Gabriella looking at Christian. I wonder if he’s related to Javier. I miss Javier, thinks Gabriella rubbing her ring.

  “Go and get them, mi hija,” asks Papa Luis, looking at his niña.

  Gabriella immediately stands up. “Si, papa,” says Gabriella, striding in search, wondering what’s going on.

  “Señor Acosta, I want to make some calls to get everything ready, okay?” asks Christian, looking at him.

  Señor Acosta looks at him. I know that he’s going to take control and take care of mi niña. Super, he’s a complete hombre, thinks Señor Acosta.

  “Si, you do that,” responds Papa Luis nodding.

  “Okay,” replies Christian, walking to the living room. He gets his cell out, and he calls his primo, Ricky.

  “Hola, what do you want, Chris?” asks Ricky, while he holds his Reina.

  “Ricky, I need you to give me the name of the hotel that you went to in Vegas to get married. The hotel takes care of everything? I want them to have the same place ready,” says Christian smiling. I know that I’m shocking the hell out of him. They don’t even have a clue of who I’m marrying.

  “You’re joking Chris. I don’t have time for this. I’m with my Reina,” replies Ricky, nibbling on her neck.

  “No, I’m not joking. Give me the name so I can call them. I’m marrying today,” says Christian, grinning at his primo’s reaction. “I don’t want you to tell anybody. I will not be at the Sunday dinner.”

  “You’re serious! Unbelievable!” says Ricky looking at his Reina. “Who is she?”

  “I’m telling you so you can take care of manana for me. I’m marrying Monique Acosta. You know who she is, you helped me pick up the papers in the hallway,” says Christian, remembering the collision. “I want you to tell Bella that she will start on Tuesday. My Cielo will be too tired manana, okay primo?”

  “You’re for real? You’re marrying that bella chica in the hallway? Wow, that’s incredible. That’s the same spot that my Reina and I collided,” says Ricky. He looks at his Reina and winks at her.

  “Okay, Chris, we went to the Paris hotel. Ask the hotel for their concierge Mary Jones services. Ask her to arrange everything that she did for me. She will have everything ready for you. You need to call her now. She will send to your room the gowns and rings for your novia to select from. The w
edding chapel is nice. Make sure to have her put the same amount of roses. Chris, you need to get the photos and cd. I would make several copies of the video for la familia’s. Okay? Good luck primo,” says Ricky, grinning.

  Wow, that’s a lot of information, thinks Christian. “Primo be sure to tell Jose Enrique and Bella about my Cielo, she will not be showing up manana. I want her to rest. Okay?” asks Christian, looking at his Cielo walk into the living room looking at him strangely. “Primo, thanks for the information, adios.”

  “My Cielo I need you to come here,” says Christian. He takes her into his arms to whisper in her ear. “Did your papa tell you about going to Vegas today to get married?” he asks her, holding her close to him waiting for her response.

  “No, he has not. We’re all waiting for you in the familia room,” says Monique, looking up into his eyes.

  Christian gazes into her eyes. He can perceive that she’s confused and wonders what’s going on. “Cielo, your papa knows what we did or I think that he more or less guessed. He wanted to know what I planned. I told him that we want to marry next Saturday in Vegas. He says he wants us to go now. I told him okay. Do you want to go now and get married?” asks Christian. He looks into her beautiful huge hazel eyes and observes her blush.

  “Baby, my papa knows, how embarrassing,” says Monique, blushing even darker. She looks at Christian. “He wants us to marry now? You’re okay with that?”

  “Yes, we can go now, and we’ll return late. We can then plan our church wedding next weekend,” says Christian, looking at her. “The Paris hotel can have everything ready for us. The hotel concierge will send to our room some wedding gowns and rings for you to select from. We will have a nice wedding, photos, and cd video. It will be nice, my Cielo,” says Christian, pulling her close and praying that she’s okay with this.

  Monique looks into his eyes and sees how serious he is. My papa knows that I have been with him. “Did you tell my papa that I was pregnant?” she asks, looking even more embarrassed.

  “Si, I did, I told him that you’re carrying my bebe. I know you are. I can feel it,” says Christian. He gazes into her eyes, eager to see what she’s feeling and thinking. She looks like she’s embarrassed and a little frustrated. I can see her amor for me. Okay, maybe she’ll want to go today.

  “Okay, baby, I want to go today. I do want to be your esposa,” says Monique, gazing at him with her pasión and amor. She goes up on her toes, pulls him down for a deep passionate beso.

  He hugs her close and returns her beso full of pasión. Dios mio, I love this mujer, thinks Christian, trying hard not to let his hands roam over her.

  We’re at her padre’s casa. I need to stop this.

  He pulls back, smiling. “Okay, my Cielo, let me call the hotel to get everything ready for our arrival. You can select your gown, lingerie, and rings,” says Christian, smiling.

  “Okay, Baby, I will be back in a moment. I need to go get something from my room,” says Monique, smiling looking at her beautiful bad boy.

  “Okay, I’ll make the call and wait for you,” says Christian, watching her walk away, loving the sway of her hips.

  Christian dials the Paris hotel in Vegas while scanning the living room, smiling.

  “Thank you for calling the Paris Hotel. This is James speaking. How may I assist you?” asks the reception clerk.

  “Hello, this is Christian De La Cruz, I want to reserve the bridal suite for tonight,” says Christian, looking down the hall for Monique. “We will be arriving in approximately three hours,” says Christian, contemplating Monique’s graduation picture. She looks adorable.

  “Mr. De La Cruz, I have the bridal room available, let me reserve it. Can you give me your card number, Sir?” asks the clerk.

  “Yes,” Christian proceeds to give him the card numbers. “James, I would like to speak to your concierge, Mary Jones. I want her to prepare my wedding. She was highly recommended.”

  “Yes sir, I will transfer your call to Mary. Thank you for selecting Paris Hotel for your stay,” says James. He transfers the call to the concierge department.

  “Thank you for calling Paris Hotel concierge, Mary speaking. How I may assist you?” she asks the caller.

  “Yes, Mary? This is Christian De La Cruz. My cousin Ricardo De La Cruz was married there a few weeks ago. He highly recommends your services. You did an awesome job in preparing his wedding,” says Christian, looking for Monique to return.

  “Yes Mr. De La Cruz, I do remember your cousin Ricardo De La Cruz,” says Mary, wondering what he wants.

  “Mary, I will be arriving in approximately three hours. I have the bridal suite reserved. I want you to have the wedding chapel, photographer, and cd ready. I will also need you to have wedding gowns, wedding rings, shoes, and lingerie ready for my bride to select from. The same services that you did for Ricky and please don’t forget the flowers,” says Christian, looking down the hall as Monique approaches. Yeah, she’s my beautiful bride.

  “My Cielo would you like Red, pink, yellow? What color rosas do you want?” asks Christian, waiting for her reply.

  “Baby, I want red rosas,” says Monique, grinning with pleasure.

  “Mary, my bride wants the flowers to be red roses,” replies Christian, grinning at Monique.

  “Yes, Mr. De La Cruz. Would you also like her to have a selection for day clothes?” asks Mary.

  “Yes, I would like to have her select day clothes and shoes,” says Christian, thinking. I need to have her have some clothes to wear that I bought her.

  “Okay Mr. De La Cruz. I will have everything ready for when you arrive. You should be able to marry in an hour or two after your arrival. That will depend on you,” says Mary, taking notes. She’s thinking about everything that she did last time to achieve this. I know that they do have the money. Being that’s the case, it makes it easy to get all that they want, thinks Mary, nodding.

  “Thank you, Mary. I look forward to meeting you. I’m confident that you will have everything ready,” says Christian.

  “Yes sir, I will, thank you,” says Mary ending the call. She’s in a hurry to make all the calls.

  Christian looks at Monique. That was not too bad. “My Cielo, everything will be ready for when we arrive. All you have to do is select everything you want,” says Christian. He pulls her into his arms and gives her a passionate beso.

  My Baby is so perfect. I love his besos and now he’s only mio, thinks Monique. She wraps her arms around his waist.

  Christian hears the footsteps coming down the hall and pulls back. “We need to go to your padres,” says Christian, looking at her swollen lips. Yeah, they will see her lips, nice going.

  My Baby looks so delicious, I just want more, thinks Monique. She pulls him down for another hungry beso. Yes, just one more. She runs her hands through his hair. I love his hair, it’s so silky.

  He pulls her closer to him, not listening to anything, only his Cielo.

  There’s a cough. “Hmm, Hermana, mis padres want to speak to you two,” says Gabriella, looking at her sister’s hunk. Wow he’s gorgeous, thinks Gabriella. He reminds me so much of my Javier, uh, nope. I will not think of Javier. He looks in love with Monique. I know that Eva is pissed off that she has such a hunk.

  Christian looks at Monique’s hermana, grateful it was not one of her padres. Yes, what a relief. He grins at Gabriella. He holds Monique close to him.

  “Okay, were coming,” says Monique, looking at her hermana. She turns to pull Christian to the familia room where her padres are waiting.

  They enter the warm familia room that is decorated very contemporary black leather sofa set and they have a big wide screen TV.

  Her padres are sitting on the sofa. Christian and Monique sit on the love seat across her padres.

  Christian pulls her next to his side, wrapping his arm around her, resting his hand on her waist. She’s mia. They better get used to seeing me hold my Cielo, thinks Christian.

  He looks at her padres smiling.
“I have made all the arrangements for the wedding. We should leave in a few minutes to get there in time,” says Christian, looking at her padres.

  I see that they’re not happy, thinks Christian. He waits for their response, holding Monique’s hand.

  “Si, that sounds good,” says Papa Luis, looking at Monique with sadness. “My niña you did not behave. I did expect you to marry the right way. I’m glad that your novio is a responsible hombre and loves you.”

  “Papa, mama, my intentions were not to hurt you. I love Christian,” says Monique, looking at them, praying that they understand.

  “My hija, you’re both in love. This makes it easier to accept. We will not be going with you to get married. It’ll be quicker if only you two go. We’ll be waiting for you,” says Mama Ana. “Christian, you did want to have my niña stay with us until you were married by church?”

  “If you don’t mind, I would like to discuss this with Monique. I will let you know when we return,” says Christian, looking at Señora Acosta. He then turns to look at Señor Acosta to gauge his feelings on this matter. “Do you have any preference, Señor Acosta?”

  “I think that I will be okay if she stays here or if you want her to stay with you. Monique will be your esposa. I know that you will do right and marry her in the church,” says Papa Luis. “If you decide to have her live with you, I will expect you to marry immediately by the church. I want it to take place as soon as the priest will perform the ceremony.”

  Oh yeah, I didn’t expect them to allow Monique to live with me. This makes me immensely feliz. I do want to have her at my side now and forever. The only reason I will allow her to stay here is because I’m still on active duty. I need to discuss this with her, thinks Christian.

  “Señor Acosta, I need to discuss this with Monique and see what she would like. You also know that I need to have her near me. We also discussed the reason for our haste. I need to see if she wants to stay here or with me at mis padres’ casa until we get our own casa,” says Christian, looking at her padres.