While she couldn’t understand why most of the time she seemed to be an annoyance, she didn’t want to fight them and be disowned.
The thought of having no one to call her family exerted a strong constraining force on her. She was afraid. Not just of losing her family but losing her beloved Casa Rosa.
Her family was highly dysfunctional, she thought ruefully. But she knew other families were too—Oliver Hart’s included. The knowledge gave her a small degree of consolation. And while Ruby wished she’d been encouraged to expect more for herself, instead of being criticized, her quick, incisive mind, suffocated by years of criticism, her caring nature exploited and turned against her, her soul suppressed as though she was a virus, Oliver’s success was testament to the truth that hardship can make you stronger.
She wanted to scream, ‘It’s my life. I’ll do what I want, marry who I want, love who I want.’ Instead she stood dutifully, deferring to her family’s wishes, just as she had eight years earlier when they’d made her give up Oliver. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t dream and scheme. She would gain her freedom and she would repay the debt she owed them. What she didn’t know was how.
SIXTEEN
Soon her life would not be her own.
Ruby urged her stallion on as the distant thunder rolled closer. A deep violet blush, the color of bruised over-ripe merlot grapes stained the sky.
“Go, boy. Go,” Ruby cried as they raced across the lush expanse. Galloping across her beloved land on a pure white horse was the most thrilling feeling in the world.
More like flying, Ruby thought, as she urged Pegasus faster. Soon the sun would be setting, the light too dim to go further, but for now they were able to enjoy the freedom together.
The thrill of this powerful animal pounding the Mexican soil made her feel invincible. If she was not so connected to the land she would ride like the wind far from her fate and free herself from the sacrifice that lay ahead.
As she approached the brow of the hill she pulled on the reigns and gently brought Pegasus to a stop. She gazed wistfully down upon the verdant valley. A wave of nostalgia swept over her as she recalled riding with her grandfather to this same spot so many times, so many years ago. ‘One day this land will be yours,’ he’d said.
Ruby bit her lip pensively. It seemed as far-fetched then as it did now. A woman in her patriarchal family would never inherit a grain of rice let alone a huge thousand acre sprawling ranch. Less so now they were broke.
She wished she did not have to marry the son of a wealthy landowner to appease her family and save their land. She wished instead that she could marry for love. But time was against her. She clenched her teeth. She must find another way. But how?
Storm clouds merged with the gathering dusk, enveloping Ruby in an ominous light. She glanced at her watch which dangled on a loose gold chain from her wrist. 7:18pm. She should head home before rain approached and the dark curtain of night fell.
The sound of flapping wings thundered through the humid air as a flock of birds swooped past racing for home as if panicked.
The stallion shied, leaping sideways, and threw back his head, his nostrils twitching violently.
“There, there, Pegasus,” she said softly, pulling on the reins to steady him. “It’s only birds, no need to worry.”
Worries of her own clung to her mind like irritated wasps she couldn’t shake. She had resigned herself to her relationship with Carlos until Oliver had turned up nipping at her conscience with irritating persistence.
Aching need washed over her. Biting down on her bottom lip she forced herself to swallow the unpalatable combination of regret and desire.
Her family were relying on her. The future of her beloved Casa Rosa at stake.
A loud rumble quaked through the air. Ruby glanced around her as a flash of lightning zig-zagged its fiery light across the valley, illuminating everything in its path.
“What the—” she gripped the horse’s belly with trembling knees, and clenched the toughened leather reins as a rapid movement in the tropical bush below jolted her senses. “Who’s there?”
Ruby heard only silence at first and then a loud crack that sent shockwaves through the evergreens. Her heart quaked through her chest.
There was no mistaking the tall, muscular, athletic figure swiftly moving deftly through the scrub. No mistaking the chiseled jaw and supremely toned physique. No mistaking the mop of dark, unruly hair that bounced jauntily through the growth.
Oliver!
What the hell was he doing here? How dare he trespass on their land? Recovering from her shock and shaken by white-hot fury. Ruby gritted her teeth and spurred her horse down the hill.
Clearly startled by the noise, Oliver looked up. For a brief moment his eyes met hers. An unwelcome tingle surged through her body, mingling with the torrent of raging adrenaline.
Ruby’s eyes narrowed as she saw him throw the object he’d been brandishing into the scrub. His lips pressed into a firm line and everything about his face was suddenly brutally hard—his aggressive jaw, the glint in his eyes and the square set of his shoulders.
Another bolt of lightening sliced through the warm, balmy air. It struck a tree ahead of her, causing a limb to crash to the ground. Startled, Pegasus whinnied, then reared up in fright.
Ruby instinctively gripped tighter and clung to his powerful neck. Terrified the horse bolted down the steep hill. As she struggled to maintain her precarious grip Oliver rushed up the hill toward her.
“I’ll catch you!” he said, running beside her, as she neared low-lying scrub.
“Jump!”
There was no other option. Without hesitating she fell into his arms. His powerful arms shouldered the full impact of her weight before he fell back into the long, meadow grass, holding her to him, cushioning her fall with his body.
SEVENTEEN
Damn! What the hell was she doing in Mexico? Oliver gritted his teeth, steeling himself against the melody of desire and irritation coursing through his veins. Just his luck, running into Ruby on the first day of his quest.
If only he hadn’t been so heroic. If only protecting others wasn’t so engrained in his psyche. If only someone else had been there in that moment to play rescuer. If only she’d stayed on her damned horse.
If only she wasn’t so irresistible.
A rare smile escaped as he gazed at her, her wild curls splayed around her head like serpents, her soft sensuous lips pressed into a furious, totally sexy pout.
It was irritating how readily women fell into his arms. But Ruby was different—clearly falling for him wasn’t something she relished nor enjoyed. Her fierce independence and resilience set her apart from all the other primadonnas and self-absorbed women who had plummeted upon his doorstep over the years.
A frisson of unbridled desire galloped through his loins. He liked strong, independent women and he loved a challenge. Combining the two excited him—for a night or two at least.
What was he thinking.? Ruby Diaz had always been a keeper. Hadn’t he sworn to avoid emotional entanglement. Why then was the intoxicating urge to claim her as his own so hard to fight?
A siren-like warning blasted through his mind, keep your distance. Keep your head.
“Are you okay?“ he said, noticing with alarm the shaky timbre of his voice as she rolled off him.
“No, I’m not okay. What in hell are you doing here, Oliver?”
* * *
“Right now I’m making sure you’re not hurt”
“That wasn’t what I asked.” Ruby said, summoning enough fury to mask the flush of excitement that threatened to betray her as she propped herself on her elbows.
“Let me help you.”
“I don’t need your help. I’m fine,” she muttered beneath clenched teeth, steeling herself against the jolt of pain that shot through her foot.
“I need to make sure my horse is alright,” Ruby searched the hillside, glad of something other than Oliver to focus on.
&n
bsp; She tried to stand then fell back against the long, soft grass as splintering pain shot through her ankle. Her pride and her body ached in unison. She closed her eyes and wished a black hole would open below and swallow her quickly.
“I see you haven’t lost your wilful stubbornness.” A broad smirk illuminated his face, flooding Ruby’s body with a warmth that unnerved her.
“Lay back and stay back,” he said, his low voice rich with tenderness. The unfamiliarity of it surprised and unsettled her. No one had ever shown her such kindness.
Surely he’d turn off the charm any minute now. He’d tell her to get a grip, pick herself up and stop feeling sorry for herself, just like everyone else close to her did.
Except he was spending too much time playing doctor to even give her a chance to feel sorry. Which she wouldn’t anyway. She’d learnt from an early age that vulnerability led to rejection.
A shiver coursed through her veins as his powerful, masculine hands pulled off her boots and with a lightness of touch that surprised her as he pressed upon the bone of her slim ankle.
His hands felt warm, soft—dare she admit it, sensual? His fingers traveled the length of her toned denim encased legs, toward the top of her thigh.
She averted her eyes not wishing to encourage him but her trembling body betrayed her with hot, liquid desire as his fingers continued their march.
“Not an inch more!” The words sent a damp counter-charge through the air as she recovered from the shock of the fall.
“You can’t seriously think I’d take advantage of you,” he said, laying on the disbelief far too heavily. Something dangerous flickered in his eyes as he held up his hands in surrender. “This isn’t seduction, it’s first aid.”
Oliver scanned the rapidly darkening sky. “I’m certain it’s just a sprain but we need to get you home.” He looked up briefly as dusky violet clouds drizzled a shower of sultry tropical late evening mist upon them.
“I’ll find my own way home,” she said, pushing free of his firm clasp. Whatever happened her family must never know he was there.
“It’s a long walk back. Especially if you’re hobbling,” he said pointing to her horse disappearing in the distance.
The stupid idiot didn’t even try to catch Pegasus, Ruby cursed under her breath.
As night began to fall he looked rugged and dangerous, his soft mouth now firm and his lips pressed with determination. Oliver’s eyes blazed with a flash of rebelliousness. How could she convince him she didn’t need him to play heroics? How could she convince him to leave her alone. More importantly how could she get rid of him?
Reluctantly she took his outstretched hand, and allowed him to pull her gently to her feet. She winched as her ankle gave out from under her. As she stumbled Oliver reached a strong, protective arm around her waist. He drew her close to him, allowing her to use his powerful body as her crutch.
Ruby shivered involuntarily as he lifted her into his arms.
He shifted his weight and threw her over his shoulders. She’d never felt so vulnerable and so ridiculous. Her eyes drifted to his broad shoulders and muscular back, her eyes lingering on his Levi jeans and the hardened outline of his firm buttocks.
“Promise me there’ll be no trouble,” she called over his shoulder awkwardly.
If Ruby hadn’t been hanging over his back she was sure she would’ve have noticed a wry smile settle on his lips.
“Who me—trouble?” he replied unconvincingly as he walked determinedly toward the ranch.
TEMPTATION
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation
~ Luke 11:4 ~
EIGHTEEN
Temptation. It’s pure temptation, Ruby reminded herself, fighting the realization that in Oliver’s arms she belonged. She knew she should resist his smoldering glances, the raw desire she saw in his eyes to possess her. But a persistent voice urged her to break free from everyone’s demands and honor her own needs for once.
She had forgiven Carlos for his transgression with his campaign manager last June, and she had accepted his explanation that it was a meaningless fling that would never happen again. Wives and husbands were always forgiving each other, it seemed.
Besides didn’t she owe it to herself to prove beyond all doubt that what she felt for Oliver was a mistaken belief, a lingering legacy of their unresolved past, before she committed herself to Carlos for the rest of her life?
Absolutely, she resolved. She would claim this chance encounter and make it a night to remember—and forget.
“The casita is closer,” she’d told him as she guided him to the guest house on the edge of the estate. It was her private escape. The one place where she could truly be herself. The only place they wouldn’t be discovered.
He didn’t protest. In fact she sensed by the way his body pulsed he was positively pleased. Secretly she was pleased too. She could do as she pleased and be answerable to no one.
They would have just this one night. That was all, she vowed as he carried her past the floating clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers and plump clumps of hibiscus surrounding the guesthouse. With their melody of exquisite blue-lavender and riotous pink colors they were at once both peaceful and intense.
Breathe. Breathe, she told herself as Oliver opened the door and lay her gently upon the bed. Eight years had passed and, while she was no longer a virgin, she knew instinctively that sex with Oliver would be explosive.
Mother have mercy, she muttered under her breath, biting her lip as he pulled his fitted tee-shirt, damp from the shower of rain, over his head , and then strode out of his jeans.
As he stood before her, his toned, taunt, rock-hard muscles glistening under the moonlight, her heart halted. He was sleek-skinned, powerfully made—and huge. Everywhere.
Her lips curved into a tight, anxious smile. She couldn’t control the tension that stiffened her muscles and dried her throat. Her body pulsated with anticipation as he moved toward her, his eyes narrowed in primal desire.
Succumbing to temptation and deciding to sleep with Oliver had been a foolish, uncharacteristically impulsive idea. She was way out of her comfort-zone. Out of balance. Out of control.
Snap out of it, Ruby reminded herself. You have to do this. It’s just about tonight. No longer. No shorter. You have to rid him from your psyche. Permanently.
She inhaled a long deep low breath through her parted lips and nestled into the soft cotton sheets as her confusion lifted, buoyed by the knowledge that like a short summer fling, there would be no next time.
Having sex would exorcise Oliver permanently from her mind. At least that’s what she kept trying to convince herself.
Oliver stood firm. Watching, not moving—except for his chest, which rose and fell rapidly. She heard him panting, more breathlessly than when he had carried her here. She smelt the musky odor of his manliness.
He leaned over her, his gaze unflinching, until only an inch or so separated them. As she searched his expression his gaze dropped as if he didn’t want her to read his mind.
He came closer still. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek, his heated body only centimeters away.
She was completely at his command.
Ruby closed her eyes and prayed for mercy as he mounted her. With deft skill and lightness of touch he swept his powerful hand beneath her back and unclasped her bra.
Her body quivered as he cupped his strong hands softly around her aching breasts. The consummate seducer, she decided as he peeled her clothes from her writhing body.
Oliver kissed her thighs with his sensual lips. His moist probing tongue slithered along her body. His right leg coiled around her left, as he pulled her to him. Need, urgent and unbridled, rose inside her as he began to take control.
She lifted a heavy arm and buried her fingers in his hair, warm from his body, his skin bronzed against the paleness of her own. The pressure of her fingers raking his scalp reiterated her need
and her desire and her surrender.
If she came to her senses and called a halt to it now she would never forgive herself, she concluded, as she allowed herself to be consumed by his sexual prowess. She needed someone who didn’t put himself above her. She needed someone to love her like a man.
Ruby had never known such rapture. It swamped everything else, rioting through her in scintillating waves, setting her alight and anchoring her intensely in Oliver’s arms, willing prisoner of his mouth and hands and the mastery of his lean, aroused body.
Outside her window the warm, tropical breeze laden with rain danced amongst the Tibetan prayer chimes hanging from the flowering Jacaranda tree. Its soft, spiritual melody fluttered through the air.
When they were both spent she lay in his arms and drowned in her guilty pleasure.
“That was amazing,” he sighed, sweeping his hand beneath her neck, and pulling her gently to him.
Ruby said nothing. But felt everything. The relief of oneness she felt when her body writhed and arched in unison with him, the joy of sex that was beyond good, the fact he cared more about pleasing her than pleasuring himself. The secret pleasure she felt knowing she had taken not a small measure of control.
In return she gave him everything, more than she had to anyone.
NINETEEN
The night fading into dawn jolted her senses. Last night, they had last night, and there was to be no more. Rationally it made sense, but as she gazed upon his naked, sleeping body her heart ached and yearned for more.
He lay on his back, draped in swaths of cream muslin that hung from the canopied bed. His sculptured torso twisted slightly, revealing the tattoo coiled over his shoulder. The spirals accentuated the roundness of the muscles, enhancing his beautiful body. She trailed a finger over the intricate design which wove across the arm possessively flung over her chest, blissfully unaware of the turmoil churning within her.
Flight of Passion: True romance and the obsession for love Page 7