Valaquez Bride

by Donna Vitek

  With a muffled sob, Juliet bent down to kiss his lined cheek. "Oh, Uncle Will, I've missed you too."

  As she straightened again, Will caught one small hand between both his and patted it gently. "Why did you run away with that unkempt singer, child? I just don't understand why you did it."

  "Oh, let's not talk about that now," she murmured hastily. This was definitely not the time or place to argue with him about their lack of agreement regarding arranged marriages, so she lifted her shoulders in a slight shrug instead. "I just needed to get away, that's all."

  Will grimaced as he shifted his position as much as was possible with his right leg suspended in traction. Then his eyes met hers again and he indicated with a sweep of his hand that she should sit down on the chair by his bed. "Well, tell me, are you and—that young man still—er, together?"

  "Right now I'm with you," Juliet answered with forced cheeriness, giving him a weak smile. As she pleated the cotton blend fabric of her skirt, she stared down at her lap. "Well, how are you feeling? Is your leg giving you much pain? And how about your head? Raul said you had a concussion."

  "I'm a tough old bird; I'll be okay," he murmured but his voice quavered slightly.

  Juliet jerked up her head, then jumped to her feet when she saw that his face had suddenly gone very pale. "Are you all right?" she exclaimed softly, leaning over him. "Uncle Will, do you hear me?"

  He had closed his eyes, but now they fluttered open. "I have to get out of this place," he muttered, a disoriented look in his eyes. "I'm late for an appointment at the gallery." Then his eyelids drooped shut again.

  Tears blurred Juliet's vision as she clenched and unclenched her hands around the metal bed railing. The narrow white bandage across Will's forehead took on a more ominous significance now. Obviously his concussion had been much more severe than she realized. She glanced toward the door, needing Raul to come in and help her cope with this situation, yet reluctant to ask anything of him. When she had almost decided to go get him anyway, however, her uncle awakened again.

  "You're still here, child. Good," he murmured, reaching out one hand to her. "I seem to doze off every few minutes. Guess the medication I'm getting is making me groggy."

  Breathing a silent sigh of relief, Juliet smiled down at him, squeezing his thin fingers gently. After releasing his hand, she carefully straightened the sheet that covered him. "Since you're sleepy, I'm going now. I wasn't supposed to stay long anyway."

  "But you'll be back?" Will questioned urgently. "Won't you? Promise me you'll stay in Granada until I'm back on my feet again. I know I'm asking a lot but…" His words trailed off on a hopeful note.

  He was asking a lot but Juliet knew she couldn't refuse him. It had been wrong of him to try to manipulate her into marrying Pablo but, intuitively, she realized he had probably thought he was doing what was best for her. She had to forgive him, especially now when he needed her. Finally she nodded. "I'll stay until you're well again, I promise." And when Will smiled as he drifted off to sleep again, she breathed a sigh. She had made the commitment; she couldn't back out now, but as she walked out of the room to join Raul in the corridor, she really felt a great need to run away again.

  The drive back from the clinic was as uncomfortable as the drive there had been. Raul didn't speak until they were nearly at Will's house and then his tone was cold and unfriendly. "Will wants you to stay here."

  "I know that," Juliet responded stiffly to the abrupt statement. "He asked me to stay until he's well."

  "I hope you told him you would because you will," Raul announced, turning his head to give her a level stare. "He's a sick man and I won't have you upsetting him by leaving again. So you'll be staying in Granada for a while whether you want to or not."

  "For your information, I already told him I'd stay," Juliet said indignantly. Half-turning in her seat, she glared at him. "And even if I hadn't already promised him, you can bet nothing you could say would make me change my mind. You seem to think you have some right to boss me around. Well, you don't!"

  "Don't I, Juliet?" Raul drawled, more than a hint of mockery in his deep melodious voice. "I think I have the right. Will asked me to take care of you until he's better. And I intend to do it."

  "Take care of me! Hah! I don't need anyone to take care of me. I'm twenty-one years old, not ten, and since you're only eleven years older than me, I don't think you qualify for the role of surrogate father."

  "You don't arouse my tender paternal instincts anyway, I assure you. To deal with a brat like you, all a man needs is the strength to turn her over his knee. And if you push me too far, I'll do that to you."

  "You and who else?" she challenged recklessly as he parked the BMW in front of Will McKay's house. "If you ever try to lay a hand on me, you'd better have help."

  Raul simply laughed. "I'm beginning to see Pablo didn't handle you right last year. And obviously your singer doesn't either. You need to be taught that men are a great deal stronger than women, physically at least. And if you give me any trouble whatsoever, I'll be delighted to teach you that unavoidable truth," Raul said calmly, getting out of the car and coming around to her side to shut her door as she got out. He laughed again, more softly, the sound coming from deep in his throat as he gazed down at her from his considerable height. Then, incredibly, he reached out and trailed one fingertip along the enticingly curved outline of her lips. As she hastily drew back, trembling, he smiled almost triumphantly, lowered his head and whispered softly into her ear, "You might even discover you enjoy the lessons."

  "Very amusing," Juliet drawled, managing somehow to sound composed and cool. But as her cheeks warmed tinglingly, she was grateful the darkness masked the revealing blush. She was so anxious to end this dreadful evening that when Raul impelled her none-too-gently to the front door of the house, she lost no time fumbling in her purse for her key. "You don't have to go in with me. You've already been too, too kind to me tonight by driving me to the clinic," she said sarcastically. "So you needn't escort me into the house."

  "I'm not escorting you; I'm coming in for the night," Raul countered matter-of-factly, then took her key and unlocked the door. As he handed it back to her his fingers deliberately brushed across her sensitive palm. "I've decided to stay here since I have to go to the gallery every day. No use driving back and forth from Casa Valaquez. Besides, Will asked me to stay with you. He doesn't want you to be alone in the house."

  "But I'm not alone! Rosita's here," Juliet protested swiftly, peering up at him, wishing she could see his expression. But his face was shadowed; he was a broad silhouette in the shaft of moonlight that shone behind him and she felt suddenly overpowered by his dark form looming before her. "You can't stay here," she continued weakly. "I…"

  "I'm staying. So just accept that fact graciously and get inside," he commanded imperiously, nearly pushing her into the brightly lit entrance hall, then shutting the massive door firmly behind them.

  The sudden silence that filled the hall was unnerving; Juliet swallowed uneasily, tilting her head back to look into Raul's lean face. Though she was of average height, the top of her head didn't quite reach his shoulder and a very real awareness of his superior physical strength struck her with near breathtaking force. That awareness coupled with the strange unrecognizable light in his eyes caused her to move backward, away from him. Then the phone rang and the sudden unexpected jangle nearly made her jump out of her skin. Although she was illogically reluctant to turn her back on Raul, she did so and hurried to the round mahogany table that graced the center of the hall.

  It was Holly calling. "How's it going? How's your uncle?" she asked quickly. "I bet seeing him wasn't as bad as you thought it would be. Right?"

  "He's still in the hospital, of course," Juliet answered evasively, feeling Raul's intense gaze burning into her back. "He seems very weak and—and he wants me to stay until he's well again, so I guess I won't be seeing you in two days after all. I hope you understand."

  "Of course I do. I n
ever thought you'd be able to leave him that soon anyway," Holly answered compassionately. "I just hope you get lucky and don't run into Pablo and Raul Valaquez."

  "I'm afraid my luck's already run out. With the latter."

  Holly got the rueful hint. "You mean you've seen Raul? Oh, what rotten luck. Well, how did his royal majesty act?"

  Juliet shuffled her feet uncomfortably and twirled a strand of auburn hair around and around on her finger. She felt as if Raul were so close behind her that she'd soon feel his breath against her neck. Lowering her voice slightly, she answered Holly. "Look, I can't really talk right now. Why don't you call me tomorrow morning?"

  Holly was a perceptive girl. "Oh, dear, he's right there with you now, isn't he? That's why you can't talk? Well, all right, I'll call you tomorrow. Just keep your chin up and remember that Benny and I love you."

  "I'm glad somebody does," Juliet answered softly and after saying good-bye, she replaced the receiver. She took a deep shuddering breath that became a soft startled cry as, suddenly, hard hands descended on her shoulders and she was spun around to face Raul. Her breath caught in her throat as she gazed up bewilderedly into his angry eyes.

  "Your singer, I presume?" he ground out harshly, his fingers biting into her shoulders. "It must have been. That's why you couldn't talk with me around. Well, you'll be able to whisper sweet nothings to each other in the morning, but while you're here that's all you'll do. You won't be seeing your no-talent friend until your uncle is well. Will asked me to see that you didn't and I intend to abide by his wishes."

  "You—damn you!" Juliet spluttered, then managed to untangle her tongue. "Just who do you think you are? You can't tell me what to do! I don't care what Uncle Will said. You won't tell me who I can or can't see!"

  "Oh, but I just did," Raul whispered, his jaw tight as his dark gaze raked over her flushed face. "But don't worry. I'll be here to keep you from getting too lonely. In fact, I'd be happy to start tonight. I always was attracted to you, even before Pablo met you, but I thought you were too young and inexperienced for me. You seemed like such an innocent and I didn't want to frighten you with my ardor. That was my mistake. You weren't the sheltered little girl I thought you were and now that you've been living with a man for almost a year, I certainly don't have to worry anymore about frightening you. Do I?"

  Recognizing the ruthless intent in his eyes, Juliet twisted and squirmed futilely in an attempt to escape his painful grip but was quickly subdued. Raul's arms encircled her waist, one hand moving up to tangle in the thickness of her hair, tilting her head back as he lowered his own.

  "No!" she gasped softly. "Raul, don't!"

  "A warning, Juliet," he whispered huskily as his mouth descended.

  Expecting brutality, she was not prepared for a gently brushing kiss that unnerved her completely. Instinct made her struggle again but Raul slid his long fingers through her hair, clasping the back of her head, holding her fast. Her heart jumped and her legs went weak beneath her as his teeth closed tenderly on the full soft curve of her lower lip, tugging, nibbling until her mouth opened slightly with her quickly drawn breath. Suddenly, she was gathered close against him, her lips captured with hard marauding swiftness. And the aching thrill that quickened inside her startled her so much that she propelled herself away from him, her cheeks crimson, her eyes wide with alarm.

  "Remember, that was just a warning. And I think you realize that it could have become the danger itself," he muttered roughly, his eyes dark with indefinable emotions as he raked his fingers through his thick hair. "I don't think you're a very faithful girl, Juliet. First you betrayed Pablo. And just now, I think you might have wanted to betray your rock singer. Maybe you will next time. And let me assure you there will be a next time if you give me any trouble while you're here. What just happened is nothing compared to what will happen if you try to see your boyfriend, knowing Will doesn't want you to. So, if you know what's good for you, you'll start thinking of your uncle for a change, instead of acting like a selfish, unfeeling little brat. You'll just have to survive without your lover for a while. But the sacrifice won't kill you."

  Juliet blanched. Embarrassment and resentment exploded in her and she could take no more of his abuse and hypocrisy. Bitterly ashamed of her insane response to his kiss, she had to lash out at him. "Lover! You think Benny is my lover? Well, you're absolutely crazy! Within a month after we left Granada last year, he met and married a girl who happens to be very pregnant right now, seven months pregnant in fact. So it isn't likely that Benny's my lover, now is it, you—you…" Barely pausing to catch her breath, she swung back into her tirade with a vengeance. "And don't you dare ever call me unfeeling again. You—you hypocrite! How can you call me unfeeling? I'm the one who didn't want a cold arranged marriage! And Pablo knew that. I didn't betray him! I told him from the beginning; I wasn't romantically interested in him but he wouldn't leave me alone. He kept coming to see me and finally Uncle Will even got in on the act. He decided an arranged marriage made sense and you, you agreed to that! And you have the nerve to call me unfeeling! When I get married it'll be for love so that makes me more feeling than you'll ever be, you cold, emotionless…"

  Unable to think of any insults vile enough to hurl at him, she turned and ran to the stairs, making it halfway up before Raul could react and call after her, "Juliet, stop!" She heard his heavy footfalls as he took the steps two at a time and fear of how he might retaliate made adrenaline pump through her. She sped on breathlessly, auburn hair streaming out behind her as she raced frantically to her room.

  He didn't catch her. As he reached the landing, she was careening into her bedroom, slamming the door and locking it with violently shaking fingers. She collapsed back against the cool wooden panels, her breath coming fitfully. She pressed her palms against the madly racing pulses in her temples, tensing as she waited, expecting Raul to try to force his way in. But after a few minutes had passed and there was only silence in the hall outside, she walked across the room and flopped down on her bed, all energy depleted.

  "God, what a disaster," she groaned aloud. Raul thought she was a selfish spoiled brat and, despite her attraction to him, she thought he was a cold emotionless tyrant. Now they were stuck here together in the same house and Uncle Will had actually asked Raul to take care of her. That was like asking a lion to take care of a lamb and though the entire situation struck Juliet as rather ironically amusing, somehow, at the moment, she just didn't feel much like laughing.

  Chapter Three

  Juliet spent a restless night. It was nearly dawn when she drifted off to sleep and when she awoke, bright sunlight was streaming through her wide windows and across her bed. Her eyes felt positively gritty from lack of rest and though she was tempted to thrust her head beneath her pillow and stay in bed, she swung her feet onto the floor and got up instead. Even after a shower, she wasn't particularly eager to begin the day. The hours would pass too quickly; Raul would come back from the gallery this evening and she would have to face him again. If only she hadn't allowed him to goad her into such an emotional reaction last night, she would feel far less embarrassed now. His cool and haughty accusation that she was selfish and unfeeling should have been met with an equally haughty response, as if it didn't bother her one whit what he thought of her. It had been useless to try to defend herself anyhow; Raul would never believe she hadn't encouraged Pablo's attention last year.

  "Oh, so who cares what he thinks," she muttered weakly as she shed her robe. After putting on a cool grass green sundress with narrow corded straps and slipping on cork-heeled straw sandals, Juliet went downstairs for breakfast. She wasn't really hungry but she knew if she refused to eat, Rosita would lecture her all day and she certainly was in no mood for that. Intent on picking a short length of thread from the skirt of her dress, she had her head bent as she approached the dining room and when she looked up again as she reached the doorway, she came to an abrupt halt, her heart lurching. Raul stood at the sideboard, pouring coffee fr
om an electric percolator into a delicate china cup. She had thought he would have already left for the gallery so finding him here was a disheartening way to begin the day. Feeling an intense need for more time to prepare herself to face him, she started to turn and flee back upstairs but as he looked up and saw her in the doorway, she realized she was trapped. Though her stomach contracted, she resolutely squared her shoulders and stepped into the spacious dining room.

  Raul's dark gaze swept slowly over her, then he extended the lean brown hand that held the cup. "Coffee, Juliet?" he inquired as nonchalantly as though last night's confrontation had never occurred. He gave her one of his slow lazy smiles that had always set her pulses pounding. "You take it with sugar. Right?"

  She nodded, surprised he had ever noticed and as she was forced to go to him and take the cup he held out, uneasiness mingled with confusion. His hand was absolutely steady but hers shook and when his rough fingertips grazed hers as she took the delicate china saucer, her trembling caused the cup to rattle conspicuously. She blushed. He smiled almost indulgently, adding considerably to her bewilderment. That smile reminded her of the man she had liked too much last year, and not wanting to be reminded, she moved to the long gleaming mahogany table and started to take a seat. There was no opportunity to pull out a chair, however. Raul stepped close to perform that courtesy for her. Sinking down onto the embroidered silk seat, she eyed him suspiciously through the thick long fringe of her lashes. He was being far too nice and she had no idea why. It would have been gratifying to think he had actually believed her last night but she didn't really imagine that he had. Valaquez family ties were too strong to allow him to believe her rather than his own brother. So why was he being so pleasant this morning, she wondered uneasily, unable to relax. Her fingers trembled as she unfolded her linen napkin and she found herself sitting stiffly and unnaturally. She conquered the temptation to look at Raul as he sat down at the head of the table, to her right. When his knee brushed her own, she hastily tucked her feet beneath her chair, chiding herself vehemently for the shiver of awareness that danced over her skin with the brief physical contact.