When she didn't respond immediately he looked up to see her biting her lip.
“Yes,” she said, softly. Her gaze settled on his chest, then swung to his eyes.
“I never stopped loving you.”
LOVE
In the end, love wins. It does win. We know it wins.
~ J.K. Rowling ~
THIRTY
From almost the first moment she had seen him her life had no longer been her own, and now she simply couldn’t comprehend living without him. In the last few months, during her fleeting visits back to New York he had proven that he hadn’t wanted her just for sex. He hadn’t admired her purely for her beauty. He hadn’t wanted her to hang off his arm like a prized jewel.
It was more, much more than that. Ruby was certain of it now. Distance and time had given her clarity. When Oliver had abducted her he had said he wanted her at his side for the rest of her life, and he had surely meant it. His words and actions before and after her illness confirmed that beyond a doubt.
Ruby winced as she realized the terrible hurt she had given him in suggesting they be lovers. Nothing more. She hadn’t meant that their relationship had to end, but now she understood why Oliver had reacted so violently.
To have offered his heart to her and then seemingly be told he was wanted as a short-term lover—the insult to his pride had been deeply wounding. Especially when months earlier, fearing he had lost her forever, he had pledged his love.
But slipping into a coma and facing death, and then hearing that everything she believed about her parents had been lie, that Maria was her real mother, had instilled in her the knowledge that she needed some time alone to work out who she really was.
And she knew a big part of finding her essence was to stand on her own two feet and pursue her dreams independently.
Could she truthfully and confidently give Oliver the commitment he said he wanted, when she had spent her whole life trying to live up to other people’s expectations, fitting into their lives, sacrificing her dreams?
She wasn’t ready, common sense insisted. But her heart kept urging that it didn’t matter where their relationship was heading, or what heartache the future had in store for them, she could not turn her back on it, nor choose any other path.
She wanted to be with Oliver more that she wanted anything, and somehow she had to work everything else out first so that she could be true to herself. She was grateful too, for all that he’d done for her family. Taking her stepbrother aside, helping Antonio through the gambling addiction that had all but eroded the family finances. He even gave him a job so that he could service the mortgage Oliver’s company had advanced him, and repay the debts he had wrongly loaded onto Casa Rosa and the surrounding land. Ruby had demanded it be that way—she didn’t want Oliver’s charity.
So much had changed since her health crisis. And it all centered around the Hope butterfly. Jacqui’s symptoms had disappeared—technically she was in remission—but it looked promising. So much so that Jacqui decided not to put off her dreams anymore either. She had packed up her life in New Zealand in favour of devoting her life to finding natural remedies and helping Ruby provide medical care for the children who would come to the retreat.
And then there was Carlos.
Ruby was forcibly jolted back to reality with the limousine’s arrival at the swanky hotel Carlos had insisted he pay for in New York. A glance at her watch told her that she barely had time to shower and change before their dinner date.
It was difficult to wrench her mind off him as she soaped her body under the shower. Just the memory of that wild act of intimacy Oliver and she had just shared was enough to stir involuntary spasms of pleasure.
She even hoped that Carlos’ talk to the investors she’d secured had been so wildly successful, her departure from New York could be delayed as long as possible. Just so she could spend more time with Oliver and his crazy cats.
That was being totally selfish, she chided herself. The staff back in Mexico would grow anxious if she delayed too long. There was still so much to do.
And Carlos wouldn’t appreciate that attitude either, particularly since he had gone to the trouble of involving himself on her behalf. Ruby tried to get herself into a more responsible frame of mind, but even by the time she was dressed and presentable, her thoughts were still fluttering around Oliver.
The knock on the door brought her thumping down to earth. She took a deep breath. In the past few months Carlos had changed. He was a man she liked and admired and respected, and he deserved her full attention. And her gratitude. She opened the door and smiled a welcome.
He was dressed in a beautifully tailored, dark gray suit and looked every inch a man of political power; handsome, distinguished, impressive, a man of strong character and deep convictions.
Few women could fail to appreciate so many attractive qualities, and he carried an individuality that successfully crossed all socio-economic barriers.
“You look positively radiant, Ruby,” he said approvingly. “I’m happy to see that your near-death experience has not caused you any lasting trauma.”
Ruby’s heart danced an exultant jig at the thought of admitting the truth. A new zest for life was leaping through her veins, but it was because she ended their engagement and had gone to Oliver, not escaped him. And she knew ending their relationship had lifted a great burden of responsibility from Carlos too.
Of course, quite possibly his change of heart was more to do with how quickly he rebounded in the arms of Lucinda Perez, the daughter of a wealthy oil magnate. Not only was she rich and well connected, but she was also extremely jealous and possessive.
An excellent match, Ruby thought, with not a small amount of pleasure.
“Come in, Carlos,” she said quickly, swinging the door wide open and waving an invitation for him to enter.
He hesitated, then gestured down the hallway.
“What’s wrong?” she asked with startling intensity.
He crossed the space between them with a couple of strides and took Ruby’s hands in a grip that was strong and rough and urgent.
“I want you to have something.”
Ruby was dumbfounded by his sudden change of manner. Grim purpose was stamped on his face, and the steely glint in his eyes warned that he would not be diverted from his purpose.
“Carlos?” It was a tense reminder that he hadn’t answered her.
“This belongs to you,” he said, as several men entered the room carrying a large parcel wrapped in brown paper.
“What?” Shock and a curious confliction of emotions chased across her face, as she tore at the wrapping, knowing instinctively the treasure that lay beneath.
Butterfly Lovers.
“Why?”
He withdrew from her both mentally and emotionally, searching, struggling for answers that he could try and fit together himself.
“I didn’t love you. I never did,” he said pointedly, watching to see what impact his naked words had on her. “And I don’t deserve this painting. It’s yours. Yours and Oliver’s. It always was. Lucinda wants you…we want you,” he corrected, “ to have it back.”
He suddenly broke into a torrent of voluble Spanish, which was almost too fast for Ruby to fully comprehend. When at last he stopped apologizing for his behavior, he turned to her and simply said, “You deserve to be happy.”
With slow, careful deliberation, Ruby set about clearing the path. “Thank you for giving me this gift—and thank Lucinda too. And thank you for everything you have done. For making it easy. I had no one to turn to before, but I do now. I have you as my friend, and Oliver as my lover.”
“His love is real, Ruby. It’s one of those forever kinds of love. He told me that.”
THIRTY-ONE
Would she reject him? Beads of sweat nestled on his brow as he climbed out of the Land Rover and headed toward Ruby’s Mexican retreat.
This is crazy. Oliver reminded himself he’d been in situations far more terrifying. Situations where he cou
ld have died. She’s just a girl.
He shook the tension from his arms futilely attempting to relax. The worry burst through defiantly.
She’s not just any girl, is she, Oliver? She’s the one. The girl he loved and wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He knew with diamond-like clarity Ruby made life worth living. That his life had meaning and purpose as long as she was in it.
His emotions ricocheted with panic. What if she said no again? Why should she? He’d set her free, ceded to her request they remain lovers, lied to her that commitment still felt like a ball and chain, made it clear that he valued his independence as much, if not more, than she did.
All for her own good. He shook his head at the irony of it all. He’d been more successful with the ladies when he was self-centered. But he’d changed.
He used to think achievement came from possessing what others coveted. He now realised that you may be able to own something but you can never own someone—especially the woman you love.
But that didn’t mean you still didn’t have to fight for it.
Like a flower suddenly freed from the shadow of a massive tree she’d flourished in her independence. Freedom and self-reliance had fertilized her soul.
He looked around with pride at what she’d achieved. La Pasión de Paraiso—the sanctuary of her dreams. The sanctuary she had persisted with despite formidable obstacles. The sanctuary she had built in spite of the cynics.
Pride fanned the coals of his soul. Ruby Diaz had become a strong woman. A woman to be respected. A woman to be admired. A woman to be loved.
Oliver’s heart fluttered as she emerged through the clearing beyond the tropical forest. The sun filtered through the trees, bathing her in a halo of golden light. Her face glowed with a radiance he had never seen. She was exquisite.
He inhaled the comforting pristine air deep into the crevasses of his lungs. He clenched and unclenched his hands, forcing himself to stop visualizing the worst.
She didn’t need him now. She was free to do as she wished. Would she want him? Choose him? Reject him again?What the hell, he reassured himself. It was worth the risk.
A spontaneous smile washed over her face, as she greeted him. His shoulders dropped with relief. He took her hand and led her down the winding pebbled path that led to the special spot he had prepared.
He looked up at the cloudless sky and hoped his dreams and meticulous planning provided her with an exceptional experience.
He heard them before he saw them. Millions of monarch butterflies beating their tiny wings filling the air with a sound like a shower of rain.
He turned to Ruby as she witnessed the unique phenomenon, and in her delight he saw his future. The shadow of loneliness that had haunted him all his life lifted, leaving a feeling of peace as soft and serene as the butterflies raining upon them like confetti.
Ruby met his gaze, smiled tentatively, then turned and lifted her face, her eyes sparkling with excitement as the dazzling creatures fluttered around them, accomplished dancers in nature’s most phenomenal, magical show.
The sweet smell of frangipani trailed after the butterflies as they clustered in small areas of the forest reserve, coloring the giant fir trees orange and literally bending their branches under their collective weight.
Fighting his nerves, he took her fidgeting hand in his, placed it gently on his chest, and pressed her palm to his heart as it raced. “Can you feel what I feel?”
Ruby bit her lip, looked down and studied the wildflowers pushing up beneath her feet.
He placed his fingers gently under her chin, raised her face to his. “Ruby, you’ve captured my heart.”
Her lips quivered, “Please, Oliver before you say something you’ll regret...”
“The only regret I’ll ever have is not fighting for your love. For not having allowed myself to love you sooner,” the words he’d been waiting a lifetime to say suddenly became easier. He bent down on one knee, and withdrew the gold silk box from his pocket. “I love you. Will you marry me?”
The sense of release was exhilarating. Those seven words he’d had the courage and conviction to finally say unburdening him from his storehouse of carefully repressed emotions. The fear of commitment, the fear of abandonment, the destructive need to prove himself again and again scrambling free, releasing him from his psychic cell that had kept his heart imprisoned.
“Oliver, I have something to tell you...” she hesitated, cleared her throat took a deep breath, and avoided his searching gaze, “there’s someone else.”
Oliver stared at her in blank shock, the stab to his heart as fatal as a stingray’s barb.
“I should have told you, but I was afraid...afraid of this. I knew you’d do something heroic,” she stammered as her gaze swept over everything he had prepared, affirming with regret the effort he had made to ensure the most romantic of settings. Not just the butterflies. But the virgin beach covered with beautiful shells, the trees strung with silk ribbons, the rose petals sprinkled under a table dressed in antique embossed cotton, wrapped in a vibrant orange bow, her favorite color. And the table covered with the most exquisite food, champagne chilling—she noticed it all.
You name it, it was there. Romance to the max. But he was too late.
THIRTY-TWO
As a girl she had dreamed of an all-consuming love and a romantic proposal under a starry sky. But this was way better than anything she could have possibly conceived.
Tears welled in Ruby’s eyes. It would have been perfect, any girl’s dream. And it didn’t escape her that the intimacy of the setting was so significantly different from the day Carlos proposed. She shuddered as she recalled the horribleness of that.
As though fighting his emotions Oliver took her hand. He held her fingers in his. “No matter what you say, Ruby, I won’t accept no. Not anymore. I can’t, I won’t stop loving you, but from now on I want you as my wife. And no one will come between us.”
He caressed her thumb with his. “We can work it out. We’ve come through so much. Please don’t give up on us now.”
Ruby’s lips trembled. She pressed them firmly. Closed her eyes slowly. Shook her head softly from side to side.
She didn’t want him to marry her because he felt he had to. She didn’t want to be rescued. She wanted to be loved. Accepted for who she was and who she had become.
She had stood up to her parents. Told them she loved them but things were changing. From now on she would make the decisions in her life.
They may not approve of Oliver, she had said. He may be from the wrong side of the Hudson. He may be trouble. But he was her trouble. And she wanted his kind of trouble bad.
She glided her hand over the firm little mound beginning to protrude beneath the cotton smock covering her stomach. The irony struck hard. She’d have to face them now.
“We’re having a baby,” she said, her voice taut. His reaction, however, took her by surprise. He stared at her in blank shock. “What did you say?” he demanded, his voice slightly choked.
“We’re having a child,” she repeated unsteadily. “I thought you knew. Isn’t that why you came?”
“You mean...you’re pregnant? Now?”
“Yes,” she said, barely able to contain her delight. So he hadn’t come out of a sense of duty. “I thought I might lose the baby, I was told I’d never conceive…that’s why I haven’t travelled, why I’ve been so distant, why I never told you. Jacqui’s been working at the clinic, helping with the kids and researching natural remedies. But you knew that. I thought she must have called you.”
“Nope. Not a word.”
Ruby was relieved that rather than be angry, his mouth curled in a hungry smile that made her breath fly. He dropped to his knees, pressed his lips to her belly, and peppered their growing baby with butterfly kisses. She felt her pulse riot in response.
As though sensing the magic that danced between them the butterflies drifted forward in a magnificent cloud. As Oliver rose to his feet and wrapped his arms
around they encircled them, weaving between them, and dancing around their heads.
Oliver leaned over and touched his lips to hers and she sighed into the kiss she knew would last a lifetime. And now she was certain they both really understood what true love was.
It was a heaven. Pure heaven.
* * *
EPILOGUE
Oliver and Ruby’s baby daughter, was born the following Spring—they named her Jacqui Maria.
Joe and Maria married as soon as Joe’s divorce became final. And they became the proudest grandparents in Mexico.
THANK YOU
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Keep reading for a preview of the first book in the Gemstone Billionaire series and sneak peeks into other passion-filled stories due for release this year-including Taken by The Sheikh.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I’m very blessed with some wonderful cheerleaders and writing friends. Amongst those instrumental in bringing Flight of Passion to life are the wonderful people who offered to be beta readers. Having their feedback and sharing in the joy, and challenges, of bringing a beautiful book into the world made all the difference in finishing and publishing this book.
Flight of Passion: True romance and the obsession for love Page 12