Four
Despite the disapproval Maria let show on her face, Royal brought Antonie her morning coffee. He slipped quietly into her room, set her coffee down on the table by her bed, and then studied her as she slept. The urge to crawl into bed with her was almost too strong to resist. There was no doubting her womanliness, yet there was a childlike innocence on her sleeping face. He sat down on the edge of the bed, bent toward her, and gave in to the urge to kiss her.
Antonie woke slowly as warm lips brushed over hers, their pressure growing more and more persistent. Even before she was fully awake, she knew it was Royal and she slipped her arms around his neck as she murmured his name. She parted her lips to let in his tongue, her own tongue greeting his with unrestrained delight. A purr of enjoyment echoed in her throat.
“I brought you some coffee,” he said huskily as he traced the delicate features of her face with his lips and tugged the covers down.
“You are very kind, señor.” She savored the heat he stirred in her, wondering how he did it.
“You taste like honey,” he whispered against her throat as he edged his lips down the open neck of her shirt. “Honeyed silk.”
Her eyelids grew heavy with the weight of her mounting passion. She watched him unbutton her shirt, his warm mouth lingering over each newly exposed patch of skin. She realized that she should stop him, but she did not want to. It felt so good. Antonie delved her hands into his hair, finding it thick and soft, even as she reprimanded herself for letting him continue. She suddenly recalled what had always happened in the past to men who had paid her too much attention and tensed, waiting for the gunshot and dreading it.
“What’s wrong?” he rasped, looking at her even as he slid his hand inside her shirt to cup one full breast.
“I was expecting you to get shot,” she gasped, amazed at how swiftly and fiercely her body was reacting to his light touch.
“Is that how Juan handled your lovers?” He exulted over the evident passion he was stirring in her.
“Sí. He shot the men who would try to have me.”
“Well, Juan is no longer here, so I won’t be shot, will I?” He readied himself to open her shirt so that his eyes could enjoy what his hands already relished.
“I would not bet on that, señor,” drawled a deep voice.
Royal wondered how the twins had gotten into the room without his hearing them even as he eased his body off Antonie’s. Both young men stood there, guns steadily aimed at him, their handsome faces unreadable, although their dark eyes were hard. He also wondered if they were really guarding her against him or against her straying away from them.
“Thank you for my morning coffee, Señor Bancroft,” Antonie said calmly as he stood up and she pulled up the covers.
Keeping an eye on the twins, Royal made his way to the door. “Maria will have breakfast ready soon.”
After he was gone, the twins holstered their pistols and sat on the bed. Propping herself up against her pillows, Antonie redid her shirt with a hard-won calm and reached for her coffee. She was glad they had interrupted what was happening between her and Royal, for she needed some time to think about her reactions to Royal Bancroft.
“He wants you, chica,” Oro said quietly. “He thinks you are free for the taking.”
“Maybe for him I am,” she replied, a cautious tone to her still husky voice. “He makes me feel very good, eh? I did not want to say no.”
“His wanting you does not mean he will love you or make an honest woman of you,” Tomás said.
“That I know, Tomás. He thinks I am a puta. This he will see is not true if I let him have me.”
“You cannot love this man,” protested Oro. “You do not know him. It is your body that speaks.”
“But so loudly, eh? Such a fire. I am thinking I might be foolish to pass it by. You tell me, a fire that burns the mind clear of all thought does not happen all the time, sí? With just one kiss I am burning and his for the taking. Is this usual?”
“No, little one, it is not,” Tomás answered. “A fire like that can happen only once, I think. It also means that, if you do not love him now, you may soon. That could bring you much pain. He is a man of money and you are Juan Ramirez’s ninã.”
She shrugged. “I must think on it. Maybe the pain will be a small price to pay to taste the fire.”
“It is your decision,” Oro declared and Tomás nodded, thus ending any interference they could cause and leaving Antonie fully on her own.
* * *
Wishing he could catch Antonie all alone again, but lacking the time to wait for the opportunity at the moment, Royal got ready to head out and check his stock. He could not recall ever having been so instantly or so fully aroused by a woman, especially from just one kiss. He was determined to taste all of her.
Marilyn entered the front hall and Royal forced his features into a pleasant smile and greeted her. Seeing Marilyn while he had been envisioning making love to Antonie was slightly awkward. And suddenly the idea of taking Marilyn to bed was not so attractive. Royal told himself it was only a momentary aberration as he accepted her kiss.
Antonie paused on the stairs to study the couple’s light embrace. It was little more than a polite greeting between them, but she felt the sharp pinch of jealousy and grimaced. It seemed it was already more than passion that she felt for Royal Bancroft. She started down the stairs only to stop again as she fought to control her temper which soared over Marilyn’s words, words that cut deeply.
“I’m glad to see that those bandidos are no longer here.”
“They’re not bandidos, Marilyn,” Royal replied. “They saved Patricia’s and Justin’s lives. More than that, they’ve warned me of a danger I did not really see.”
“Are you saying that they are still here?” Marilyn gasped.
“Of course.” Royal’s irritation was not well disguised and he wondered why her remarks should bother him so much.
Marilyn was incensed, something she did little to hide. Her voice turned sharp. “You let that Mexican slut stay the night in this house?”
Still furious but in control, Antonie skipped down the stairs. Her temper was further eased by the clearly read anger she saw on Royal’s face. She went up to Royal, pulled his face down to hers, and gave him a lingering kiss which he did nothing to resist. Slipping her arm around his waist, she ignored his questioning glance and looked at Marilyn.
“This slut at least knows her business, señorita. I never leave a customer unsatisfied.” Stepping away from Royal just a little, Antonie let her hand run down his hip to linger briefly on his thigh. “Such a man as this needs a lot of satisfying, eh? A night is hardly long enough.” Putting her hat on, she started out the door, Marilyn’s shocked, red face providing her with great amusement. “Buenas dias, señorita. Oh, the Yellow Rose of Texas,” she began to sing, holding her laughter until she was out of earshot.
Royal’s chuckles were hard to stifle, but he struggled to appear solemn as he tried to soothe Marilyn’s anger. “She was joking, Marilyn.”
“Was she?” Marilyn asked coldly as he escorted her into the dining room. “I failed to see the humor.”
As he poured them each some coffee, he restrained his annoyance over her attitude and replied, “She obviously overheard your remarks and was getting back at you for them. Some people find it difficult to remain silent when they are insulted. Now, what can I do for you this morning?” he asked, praying she would not need much of his time.
* * *
By the time she met the twins, Antonie was again in a truly cheerful mood.
“Chica, you must see what Old Pete just showed us,” Tomás said as he grasped her by the hand and pulled her toward the stables.
Allowing herself to be dragged along after a grizzled, bowlegged man, Antonie asked, “What is it?”
Before a grinning Tomás could answer, they had reached a spot in the rear of the stables and Antonie was able to see for herself. There, nestled cozily in a bed of hay covered by an old, well-chewed blanket, was a dog with puppies. With a gasp of delight she knelt in the midst of the tussling puppies, who were evidently being weaned despite their reluctance. In a moment she had chosen one that reminded her strongly of Sage with its golden coat, mournful brown eyes, and large paws that, for now, made the puppy very clumsy.
“Is he not magnifico?” she cried, standing up with the wriggling puppy in her arms. “Could I have this one?”
“Can’t see why the hell not,” said Old Pete, “but I reckon you’d best be asking the boss, though, as them’s his pups.”
* * *
Royal was trying to think of a polite way to send Marilyn on her way so that he could get some work done when Antonie burst into the dining room.
“Royal, say sí. You cannot be so mean as to say no to me on this. It is only a small thing I am asking.”
“Wait,” he protested laughingly as she flung a slim arm around his neck and she and the puppy dampened his face with kisses.
“No. You must say sí or we will drown you in slobber.” She giggled. “Por favor? I will never ask for another thing.”
“I gather you want that cur you’re holding,” he drawled, struggling not to laugh as he held her slightly away from him.
“Cur?” she squeaked. “This fine animal is no cur, but a magnifico blend of breeding.”
“Nicely put. Yes, you may keep the dog.” He forgot all about Marilyn standing there and savored the long full kiss of gratitude Antonie bestowed upon him.
“You’re easily pleased,” he murmured as she pulled away.
“Am I?” she whispered huskily and slowly winked, a glint of impishness lighting up her eyes. “We shall see,” she purred.
Even though he knew he was being baited, his passion soared, so he hurriedly changed the subject. “What will you name him?”
“El Magnifico,” she announced grandly, then swiftly held the puppy away from her. “El Magnifico is mucho leaky.”
“That is disgusting,” Marilyn said coldly, interrupting their laughter and clearly not entirely referring to the dog. “Animals should not be allowed in the house for that very reason. If that is not cleaned properly, it will smell and ruin that carpet.”
“Then I will buy Royal a new carpet,” Antonie said calmly as she mopped up the wet spot with a table napkin.
“With what?” Marilyn snapped, ignoring Royal’s hissed admonishment. “Where would you get that kind of money?”
“From what Royal pays me.” Antonie paused and looked directly at Marilyn, smiling slowly, “For the use of my holster, señorita.”
“That’s enough, Antonie,” Royal reprimanded softly when Marilyn gasped in shock, although he felt like laughing.
Sighing, Antonie moved toward a settee placed near the fireplace. “I will sit here and be very quiet and good, patrón.”
He watched her doubtfully for a moment, then turned back to talk to Marilyn. It was hard going, for she was obviously in a snit. He breathed a silent sigh of relief when he was finally able to escort her to the door.
In a way, he recognized that Marilyn had some right to act so indignant. He had done nothing to stop her growing belief that they were a match. Royal knew that his interest in Antonie was very evident. Nonetheless, Marilyn’s attitude irritated him. It was becoming increasingly more difficult to stay calm and polite with her. Her leaving eased a tension he had only just begun to recognize.
Stepping back into the room where he had left Antonie, he studied her as he approached her. She was much akin to a child as she sprawled on the settee letting the puppy romp around her, giggling at his actions. He recognized that characteristic as just another part of her attraction for him. She was an everchanging delight, a different side of her nature always flickering to the surface.
Sitting next to her, he said, “You really shouldn’t bait Marilyn.”
“I either bait her or I belt her, eh? Which do you prefer?” She laughed as the puppy slid down her leg.
“Bait her, I guess.” He sighed as he put an arm around her shoulders, slipping his hand up to idly toy with a thick swatch of her hair. “There is no denying that she’s insulting. It just puts me in a damn awkward position, that’s all. I am forever having to smooth ruffled feathers.”
“And she is the one you are to marry?” Antonie found herself tensed for his reply.
“Damned if I know. It’s one of those things everyone seems to expect or think I should do.”
“But you have not said yes or no, sí?” She sighed with quiet pleasure when he began to caress her neck with his long, lightly calloused fingers.
“Exactly.” He bent his head to kiss her throat, sliding his tongue over the increasing pulse there. “I don’t love the woman.”
“But there are advantages. She would make a very fine mistress of the rancho. You have exchanged no vows?”
“Do you think I’d be doing this if I had?” He moved his hand over her slim, taut thigh.
“I do not think so, but I do not know you well. Ah,” she sighed with evident delight as he brushed his hand over her breast.
“I have made no vows.” His mouth hovered over hers as he undid her shirt. “What about your watchdogs?”
She traced his lips with her tongue and his soft growl of pleasure delighted her. “They watch no more.”
As he possessed her mouth with his, he slid his hand inside her shirt. Her eyes were already heavy lidded, the purple deep and rich with passion. When he dropped his gaze to the full, creamy breasts he had exposed, he sharply caught his breath. The rose-colored tips were taut and beckoning, a lovely topping to her full high breasts.
He traced each hard nub with his finger once before he bent his head to flick his tongue over each one.
Antonie bucked slightly as pure fire shot through her veins. She plunged her hands into his thick hair as she arched her body welcomingly into his caress. When his mouth closed over one aching tip to draw on it with a slow greediness, she groaned, squirming in her seat, restless with the fierce new feeling soaring within her.
“You like that, do you, honey?” he whispered just before he latched his hungry mouth onto her other breast.
“Sí, sí,” she gasped, holding his head close to her. “It burns down to my toes.”
“Come with me now, Antonie,” he urged between kisses that traced the fine lines of her face. “Let me love you.”
“No, not now.” She stood up in one lithe action, her fingers unsteady as she began to redo her shirt.
“Why not?” he rasped, trying to rein in his runaway passion.
Antonie found that question hard to answer. There was an ache in her that begged to be satisfied, but she could not let it rule her. This was not something she could simply fall into. He was not a man promising love and marriage, only passion. She had to weigh the loss against the gain rationally, and rationality was not something she possessed when he held her.
“Why not, Antonie?” he asked quietly, still burning for her but more in control of himself.
She put on her hat, picked up El Magnifico, and looked at Royal. “It is a big decision, whether or not to take a lover. I cannot let the fire rule me. That would be unwise.”
“You can’t ignore that fire either, Antonie.”
“No, I cannot,” she agreed and started for the door, “but I must think on whether tasting the fire is worth the price.”
He was not sure he understood what she meant, but she was gone before he could ask. Shrugging, he stood and started to go outside, hoping to work off his frustrations. What mattered was that she had not said no. There was a chance for him yet. He intended to grab that chance, for he had never wanted a woman so badly or tasted a passion so fierce before. This was something he could not let slip by.
* * *
After a short brisk walk to cool her blood, Antonie found herself a well-shaded grassy spot away from the ranch and sat down. She watched the puppy romp as she thought. When her quiet moment was interrupted by Marilyn’s sudden unwanted appearance Antonie was disappointed but not really surprised. The woman wanted Royal Bancroft. It was only to be expected that she would try to warn off or scare off the competition, whether it be for his body or for his heart. Antonie stayed seated, watching the woman dismount from her horse with cool, expressionless eyes, something that plainly annoyed Marilyn.
There was no denying that Marilyn was lovely, but Antonie felt that there was something not quite right about the woman. After a moment’s consideration, she was confident that it was instinct and not jealousy that made her feel that way. Marilyn lacked warmth. There was a cold emptiness in the woman’s lovely eyes, a stiffness to her soft, womanly figure. Even the anger Marilyn radiated was cold and controlled. Royal might find elegance and all the accomplishments of a lady in her, but he would find little passion. Antonie wondered if he had already guessed that, if that was why he hesitated to marry the woman despite everyone’s expectations.
“You don’t really know your place, do you, señorita?” The way Marilyn sneered the last word made it an insult.
“My place is where I am.” Antonie was determined not to let the woman make her angry.
“How very clever. If you were wise, you would find your place elsewhere.”
“Do you threaten me?”
“No. I’m merely warning you. Royal is mine. I will not allow you to take him away from me.”
“Perhaps I only mean to borrow him for a while.”
Marilyn smiled coldly. “And give up all this? You want me to believe you would not try to become mistress of this ranch?”
“It is but dirt, señorita. If I decide to try for anything it will be for the man, not the dirt he stands on.”
“How very noble, but you do not fool me.” She remounted, glaring down at Antonie. “I won’t stand idly by and let you have your merry way. I intend to have Royal, to be mistress of this ranch, and I won’t let any little Mexican slut get in the way of that.”
“Ah, El Magnifico,” Antonie sighed after Marilyn had left, “that woman begs to be shot. She has not tasted the fire.”
A smile touched her face when Oro appeared at her side a few moments later. “I thought this a hidden place.”
“The gringo bitch found you easily enough.” He lay down, crossing his arms beneath his head.
“She warned me to stay away from Royal.”
“It is said that they will marry.”
“Royal says he has made no vows, given no promises. I believe him. She hungers to rule over his kingdom.”
“And what do you hunger for, little one?”
“The fire. I want to taste the fire. I think and I think and no reason dims that hunger.” She settled into the same position as Oro. “I think that if I do not taste the fire I will always hunger for it, and always wonder about it. That could be a greater pain than what I might receive if my heart follows my body. Regret can be harder to bear than loss, eh?”
“Yes. Give it a few more days, Antonie. Be sure before you give away your innocence. It can never be retrieved.”
“I know.” She reached out to clasp his hand. “I will think on it a while longer. It is not a decision to make hastily, I know.”
Oro suddenly rolled on top of her. “Maybe you just need a man, little one.”
She let him kiss her, even heartily participated. His skilled hand traced her curves as his mouth plied hers with slow sensuality. She was not unmoved, could even see that it could be very nice to make love with Oro, but it was not the same.
“There is not the fire. I could make love to you, but I do not have to, if you see what I am saying.” Seeing the warmth in his dark eyes, she suddenly worried if her words had hurt him. “Did you feel a fire, Oro?”
“Not as you mean. I am a man and you are lovely and soft. It would be easy to feel passion for you, to make love to you.” He sat up. “You are not just hungering for a man though, but one man. Royal Bancroft. Lying with me would not solve the problem.” He smiled slightly. “I know what you speak of, but I have never felt it. I am almost jealous. If you decide to lie with him, you will taste something I have never known for all my times of bedding a woman. I will not fault you if you do choose to go with the man.”
“That is a comfort. It would pain me to disappoint you. Now,” she smiled, “you must help me begin El Magnifico’s training.”
He laughed heartily at her choice of name just as she had thought he would, and the air of seriousness disappeared. They romped like two children as they played with the puppy, teaching him very little. For the moment, Royal Bancroft was completely forgotten.
* * *
Royal saw them as he rode past. It was an innocent scene but it annoyed him. She claimed that her guard dogs were no longer watching over her, but they were still too close for his liking.
When the pair started to laugh Royal quietly rode away, still very confused and angry about the relationship that existed between Antonie and the Degas twins. For a brief moment, Antonie and Oro had certainly appeared to be lovers, but the embrace had ended quickly, their air of innocence returning within an instant. He was still trying to answer his own questions when he met Cole, who had clearly seen where he had been.
“Did your little señorita need soothing after Marilyn spoke to her?” Cole asked.
“Marilyn spoke to Antonie?”
“Oh yes. Didn’t hear much, but it was plain as day that dear Marilyn was telling the girl to stay the hell away from you.”
Royal swore softly. “Marilyn oversteps her bounds. I’ve made not one damn promise, not even hinted at one.”
“We-ell, silence in the face of all the assumption could have been enough for her. You know what’s been thought about the two of you for a good long time but you have never flatly denied it. You’ve given the woman free rein around this place. You can’t fully blame her for thinking everything’s all set.”
“Perhaps not, but she’s never shown this sort of possessiveness before, and I’ve been far from faithful.”
“True, but you’ve never brought any of your women to the ranch before. Neither have you ever been in such obvious heat.”
“Is it that clear to see?” Royal was not all pleased to be so easily read.
Cole chuckled. “Air plain sizzles between you and the little señorita. She is a fine-looking piece.”
There was a not-so-subtle intonation in Cole’s words that made Royal frown. The plan was to bed Antonie, not wed her. Cole’s approval of the girl shouldn’t have mattered to him. But it did.
“Don’t you like Antonie?”
“Can’t say. Don’t know her. Still, she dresses like a man and shoots like one. That ain’t the way of a lady.”
“Don’t forget, she was raised by a bandido,” Royal said and was as surprised by the defensive note in his voice as Cole seemed to be.
There could be a chance that it was more than his loins being drawn to Antonie Ramirez. He was no snob, cared little what stock people sprang from, but the daughter, adopted or not, of a bandido who had been the scourge of Texas for twenty years or so was stretching tolerance a little too far. He cold tell by Cole’s face that his brother felt much the same way, and Cole’s next words confirmed that suspicion.
“I don’t. Just don’t you forget it,” Cole said quietly. “I’ve seen her sensual side, her childlike side as well. Despite her clothes, she’s damn feminine. You don’t forget she’s a woman, that’s for damn sure. I’ve also seen her pull a gun on a man with the clear-eyed intent of killing him. It don’t matter one tiny bit that she wasn’t born of Juan’s blood. He raised her, taught her. She grew up with thieves and murderers. She doesn’t live by our rules. Don’t forget that for one minute, Royal. Enjoy her all you want, but don’t trust her for one minute, not for an inch.”
Watching Cole ride off, Royal thought about what his brother had said. It all made sense, was very sound advice, but he could not feel the same. He could seem to do little else but trust Antonie, although he knew that that trust had barely been tested. Spurring his horse after Cole, he decided he would be wise not to completely disregard Cole’s words. Whatever happened between him and Antonie, he would strive to remember who she was and where she had come from.