Valaquez Bride

by Donna Vitek

  "Really?" Juliet exclaimed softly, smiling with pleasure. "I'm very honored."

  "It was a nice thing to do," Raul agreed, stepping up beside Juliet. Draping his arm possessively across her shoulders, he smiled down at her, then glanced at the baby she held. In an incredibly tender gesture, he touched one finger against the child's plump pink cheek. Then he smiled up at Benny and Holly. "Juliet is very appropriate. I'm sure she'll grow up to be as lovely as my beautiful bride."

  Juliet tried to fight the happiness his words elicited. He was just being nice. "Wouldn't you two like some wedding cake?" she offered, effectively diverting attention from herself. "And some champagne?"

  "Wish we could stay awhile but we can't," Benny replied regretfully. "It's about time to feed the baby and Holly's tired. She needs a good night's sleep before we catch that flight at eight in the morning."

  "Flight? What flight?" Juliet exclaimed softly. "Where are you going?"

  "Back to the States," Holly explained, then smiled gratefully at Raul. "And we have you to thank for it all, Señor Valaquez. It was so kind of you to tell your friend about Benny. I know he's going to love teaching at the music conservatory."

  "What conservatory? What friend? What's going on?" Juliet questioned bewilderedly. "Benny, you didn't tell me you had any prospects for a job in the States."

  "And I didn't have any until the day before yesterday. Then, a Dominic Harrison called me from upstate New York. He had an opening for a teacher with knowledge of folk music and was even willing to send us plane fare to go there and discuss a contract. It's a terrific opportunity but of course, even though we haven't talked to you for the past two days, we thought you knew all about it. After all, your husband brought it all about by recommending me to his friend, Mr. Harrison." He held his hand out to Raul. "We do appreciate your doing that, Señor Valaquez."

  "Raul, please," he said graciously, then smiled down at Juliet rather sheepishly. "I meant to tell you but with all the wedding preparations going on, I suppose it just slipped my mind."

  Juliet nodded automatically, as if she accepted his explanation but actually, the entire situation boggled her mind. Raul was completely beyond her understanding. He had never liked Benny, yet he had done something this nice for him. Why?

  There was no chance to search for an answer to that question because Benny and Holly repeated that they really had to be going. Raul left them to say their farewells privately and after Benny hugged Juliet briefly, he took the baby from his wife.

  As Holly kissed Juliet's cheek, she whispered tearfully. "We're really going to miss you. But now that you're a wealthy Valaquez, you can fly to New York any time and visit us. And be sure and bring Raul with you. He's so nice. I can't imagine why you've ever felt intimidated by him."

  "Can't you?" Juliet retorted with a nervous little laugh. "Well, believe me, he can be intimidating. In fact, I'm shaking in my ivory satin slippers at this very moment."

  "Ah, yes, the wedding night jitters," Holly said wryly as she retrieved the baby from Benny's arms. "But I'm afraid even good friends can't help you with that, so we may as well leave. Besides, I suspect you'll discover you were jittery for no good reason at all."

  Praying silently that Holly was right, Juliet waved good-bye to her and Benny after they had promised to write as soon as they reached New York. Raul rejoined her as they began bidding good-night to the other guests and soon everyone was gone except Uncle Will and Dona Alicia. After kissing her uncle and watching him being wheeled away toward the wing of the house by his nurse, Juliet smiled at Dona Alicia, who was planning to spend the night with a friend.

  "Welcome to our family, niña," Raul's grandmother murmured as she embraced the bride gently. Then a small frown marred her brow. "You are too tense. I recommend a glass or two of champagne before you go upstairs." Having issued that advice and received a blush in answer, she went to kiss Raul good-bye and stood talking quietly to him for several minutes.

  Then she was gone. Everyone was gone. The servants had disappeared and finding herself alone with Raul, Juliet swallowed convulsively. Her heart skipped several beats as he came to her, reaching out to brush pleasantly rough-textured fingertips across her cheek.

  "You're tired," he said softly, his gaze warm as it drifted lazily over her. "Why don't you go upstairs and I'll be along in a moment or so."

  She nodded and went. A minute later, she walked nervously into Raul's vast bedroom. Rosita was there to undo all the tiny silk-covered buttons that marched down the back of her wedding dress and for once she had nothing to say though she did smile knowingly as she left Juliet alone to slip into a white satin nightgown and matching peignoir.

  In the adjoining bathroom, Juliet brushed her hair more thoroughly than was necessary, then examined her reflection critically. Did she look as nervous as she felt? She couldn't tell and since thinking about it made her more nervous still, she left the bathroom.

  Raul was waiting in the bedroom, removing the gold cufflinks from his shirt, but he looked up at her immediately as she walked from the bathroom. His eyes narrowed.

  "You could still get out of this, you know," she blurted out foolishly. "We can have the marriage annulled."

  Dropping the cufflinks carelessly onto the dresser-top, he shook his head. "An annulment won't be possible after tonight, Juliet," he answered quietly but firmly, then gave a slight smile. "Don't look so surprised. You knew this marriage would be a real one in every way." After removing his white bow tie, he inclined his head toward the bedside table. "As you see, I had champagne brought up. Would you care for a glass?"

  She nodded jerkily. After what he had just said, she felt like downing the entire bottle in an attempt to ease her tension. And when he beckoned her to him with an evocative smile, she felt rooted to the spot where she stood. Unable to maintain that disturbing eye contact with him, she glanced up at the heavy wooden beams that crisscrossed the ceiling, then down at the floor and finally her gaze involuntarily drifted to the wide high bed with its heavy carved head- and footboards and its wine-colored coverlet and ivory satin top sheet already pulled back invitingly, probably by Rosita. Juliet swallowed repeatedly and since she couldn't and didn't move toward Raul when he beckoned, he came to her, taking her hand to lead her to the bedside table.

  A moment later, as he handed her a glass of the effervescent wine, her fingers gripped the fragile stem tightly, nearly snapping it in two when he touched the rim of his glass against hers but, oddly enough, made no toast. She hastily took a sip, then rubbed the tip of her nose that the bubbles had tickled and tried to ignore an indulgent smile that set her pulses pounding.

  "It was very nice of you to tell your friend in New York about Benny," she spoke up suddenly, unable to look at Raul. "I mean, I was sort of surprised to hear you'd done that for him. You've never liked Benny so why did you want to help him?"

  "What else could I do?" Raul murmured mysteriously, taking her glass and putting it with his on the table. Catching her wrist, he sat down on the brown, velvet-covered easy chair facing the bed and with slow deliberation drew her down onto his lap. Hard warm hands spanned her trim waist, his fingers tracing small circles over the smooth satin of her gown. Half turning her so that she had to look at him, he lifted one corner of his mouth in a rather sheepish smile. "I had to get rid of Benny somehow, didn't I? Helping him find a job in the States seemed the best way to ease him out of your life so I had to do it. And you know why, Juliet. You know I'm jealous as hell of him."

  "Jealous?" she whispered, finding it nearly impossible to breathe. "You're jealous of Benny? But why?"

  "You know exactly why," he whispered back. His hands came up to cup her warm full-cushioned breasts, his thumbs stroking over the rounded peaks until they surged taut against satin. "I couldn't stand him being so close to you. You're too fond of him and I wanted him out of the way. Now he is and we're alone and…" He lowered his head to press his lips into the hollow beneath one ear. "Juliet," he groaned softly. "Te quiero."<
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  Though she trembled as he gently nibbled the small lobe of her ear, she couldn't respond uninhibitedly. Pulling back slightly, she shook her head. "I—I know you want me, Raul but I need more. I need…"

  "Foolish niña," he chided gently, scattering burning kisses across her cheek toward her mouth. "I see I'll have to give you those Spanish lessons. Te quiero not only means I want you. It also means I love you and I do. God, how I love you!"

  "Raul?" was all she was allowed to murmur incredulously before his mouth brushed over hers, then parted her soft lips hungrily, taking total possession. As he gathered her closer, cradling her against the unyielding broadness of his chest, Juliet's fingers fluttered up to stroke his hard cheek and she felt his jaw tighten as he reluctantly released her mouth. Piercing jade green eyes probed her bemused gaze as he commanded huskily, "Say it, Juliet. I need to hear you say it, please."

  "Oh, Raul, I love you too, so much," she obeyed tremulously, then was lost in the triumph that flared in the dark depths of his eyes. Hardly able to believe any of this was really happening, she searched his dark face for some sign of duplicity and when she found none, she pressed against him. "I didn't think you could ever love me. How… When?"

  He laughed softly as his fingers gently explored her face. "I think maybe I've loved you since last summer but wouldn't admit it to myself. You're really too young for me, mi amada, but when I touch you, I can't seem to remember that. And when you mentioned going back to school in the States, I knew I couldn't let you leave. I took you to meet Manuel and Pilar so you'd see that even an arranged marriage can be happy. And we'll be happy, Juliet. You'd better believe that because I'll never let you go now. Where you're concerned, I'm irrationally possessive."

  Tears of sheer joy shimmered in her eyes. "Oh, Raul, why didn't you put me out of my misery and tell me all this last night?"

  "Because you never would have left my room if I'd told you then," he murmured wickedly. "I didn't dare let myself tell you or touch you. If I had, I would have kept you with me all night."

  Bending her head slightly, she glanced up rather shyly at him through the thick fringe of her lashes. "Would it have been so bad if I had stayed with you?"

  "It would have been fantastic," he whispered, then added teasingly, "but very improper."

  "And you believe in always doing what's proper?" she had to challenge. "Isn't that why you married me?"

  "Don't kid yourself, pequeña," he retorted wryly. "Propriety had nothing to do with it. I wanted to marry you or I would have gotten out of your bed that day at Will's when you warned me Rosita was coming. But I wanted her to find us. Then I knew I could probably make you marry me."

  "As if you had to make me. All you needed to do was ask," she whispered, undoing the buttons of his pleated-front shirt. Her hands slipped inside, gliding tentatively over his firmly contoured, muscular chest and as he crushed her to him and found her mouth with hard seeking lips, she shivered with delight in her ability to arouse him. As he trailed kisses along the slender column of her neck, she added breathlessly, "I was in love with you last year too. If only you, instead of Pablo, had asked me to marry you then…"

  "All these wasted months," he said unevenly, tracing the outline of her softly shaped mouth. "I think it's time we begin making up for what we've missed. Don't you, Juliet?"

  "Oh, yes, it's past time," she breathed. And touching the fascinating indentations carved in his lean cheeks, she gasped softly as he caught one fingertip gently between his teeth. His narrowed gaze captured and held hers even as she lifted her face to receive a tenderly brushing kiss, then searing passion blazed between them. His fingers slipped through her hair; his hand cupping her cheek held her fast as the kiss deepened in awesome swift intensity that made her cling to him. His lips were irresistibly warm and hard; his breath filled her throat as his tongue tasted the sweetness within her mouth. He stroked her back, strong long fingers feathering along her spine down to the tantalizing arch between slim waist and the irresistible outward curving of firmly rounded hips. His hand gently squeezed. Then, with an exclamation muffled in the scented thickness of her hair, he pushed the satin peignoir from her shoulders, then lowered the narrow corded straps. His lips traced the path of his caressing fingers down over the curve of one breast to linger with moist pulling warmth on the throbbing tumescent peak.

  A hot longing ache quickened deep within Juliet until she was alive with sensation and the feel of smooth warm skin, roughened only by fine dark hair, beneath her fingers urged her to tentatively explore his body too. Her trembling hand slipped around to brush down his lean hard sides, then moved around to his back. And almost of their own volition, her fingertips slid beneath the waistband of his trousers.

  He groaned softly. Firm lips, no longer capable of gentleness, plundered the parted softness of hers. Yet the hand that alternately played over first one swollen breast, then the other, conveyed incredible tenderness. A shuddering sigh escaped her. Her head fell back against the muscular arm that supported her shoulders and as Raul nibbled the silken skin of her creamy neck, he removed both peignoir and gown completely. The cool air of the room bathed her bare skin and she shook violently, though not from cold, as Raul lifted his head to gaze down at the slight, curvaceous body he would soon possess completely. His eyes devoured her, sweeping hungrily over skin so smooth it shimmered opalescently like fine satin in the soft glow of lamplight. His hand trailed over the rounded swell of breasts to the incurve of waist, then spread possessively across her abdomen and despite her sharply drawn breath, his fingers traced downward to close around one upper thigh, the heel of his hand brushing lightly against an exquisite inviting warmth.

  "Beautiful," he whispered hoarsely, his gaze seeking her face, the undeniable intent in his eyes impaling the softly shy luminosity of hers. "Juliet, amada, I can't wait any longer."

  With breathtaking ease, he stood with her in his arms, strode the few feet to the wide bed, and put her down gently on the cool satin sheet. As a very natural fear of the unknown was reborn in her, she pulled the covers up and held them tightly beneath her chin. Recalling the glimpses of nearly uncontrollable passion she had seen in him other times, she felt her heart begin to thud so violently she was sure he must hear it. But if he did, it didn't deter him and as he undressed quickly, she was unable to look away from him. His own skin gleamed like bronze in the soft light and despite the slight apprehension she felt, she longed to touch him.

  Yet, an agonizing shyness swept over her as he started to pull back the sheet that covered her. "The lamp," she whispered tremulously. "Y-you left it on."

  He simply smiled. Reaching down, he gently pried open the small fingers that gripped the sheet, drew it back, and came down onto the bed beside her. Turning onto his side, he drew her to him, close against his naked strength and as she compulsively burrowed her hot face into the hollow of his shoulder and her lips grazed his skin, his hands on her hips arched her against him. The evidence of his intolerable desire for her surged rigidly against the sensitized skin of her abdomen, both fascinating her and frightening her. She made a soft sound that was almost a whimper.

  "Please don't hurt me," she said almost inaudibly against his throat. "I… You're wrong about Benny and me. We never—I've never…"

  "God, don't you think I know that by now?" he muttered roughly, holding her slightly away from him to gaze lovingly into her eyes. "Juliet, I was stupid for a while but I'm not completely insensitive. I realized what an innocent you are that day in your room at Will's house." He shook his head admonishingly. "I'll never deliberately hurt you; you must know that. I love you. Let me show you how much."

  "I want you to," she confessed, a smile trembling on her lips. "I'm sorry I'm so silly."

  "Inocente niña," he whispered huskily. Pressing the side of his thumb against her chin, he tugged her mouth open slightly and lowered his dark head. His tongue probed the tender veined flesh of her inner lower lip, then his mouth covered hers, insistently but with a g
entleness that stilled all her remaining fears. Bestowing intimate caresses on her bare body, he swept her up in a world of sensual delight that she had never known existed and she became pliant and utterly yielding as the masculine heaviness of his long body impelled her down against the softness of the mattress.

  "You're exquisite," he said softly, holding her bemused gaze as his hard knee parted her legs. "Don't go all tense on me," he instructed coaxingly. "Try to stay relaxed." And as his hands slid beneath her hips to arch her against him, his mouth covered hers, capturing her first soft surprised gasp as their bodies merged. He took her slowly, tenderly, until at last when she was his completely, he was still, raising his head to smile down at her. "Finally, you're really mine; you belong to me."

  "I always did," she uttered weakly, her entire being throbbing with quickening desire at his filling invasion of her innocence. Her parted lips sought his eagerly as he wound her hair around one hand. She abandoned herself to the ever-increasing pleasure he created inside her with each slow rousing stroke of his hard body.

  He was infinitely patient, holding tight rein on his own desires in his quest to heighten hers to feverish intensity. He conquered all her inhibitions and swept her along in a tide of delight so devastating that she cried out softly as piercing ecstasy rippled in hot waves inside her. "Raul, oh, I love you," she gasped, her fingers pressing into the muscular contours of his broad back as she strained against him. The rippling waves receded, weakening and warming her with a fulfillment that far surpassed any of the virginal expectations she had ever had about lovemaking. The emotional rapture of finally being his equaled the keen physical satisfaction he had given her. She pressed her lips against his brown neck, inhaling fresh lime scent of him as he sought his own satisfaction with a compelling urgency that made her arch against him and find even more joy in the giving.

  Much later, Juliet smiled up at Raul with drowsy, contented eyes as he sat down on the edge of the bed beside her. Her hand stroked over the terry fabric of the sleeve of his navy robe, then she sat up against the pillow, the rumpled sheet draped across her bare breasts. As Raul took a sip of champagne from the glass they were sharing, his eyes glimmered teasingly at her over the rim. "Just as I suspected," he murmured lovingly. "There's a passion in you that matches that fiery hair and those beautiful tigress eyes."