Texas Proud (Vincente 2) (37 page)

Tanner was also a help. Not a day passed that he didn't bring a clump of wildflowers, a pretty
ribbon, some sweetmeats, or a gift for Delia.

Soon Delia was laughing again, flirting and
looking at Tanner with shining eyes. Rachel wondered if Delia and Tanner were falling in love.
Tanner would give Delia the respect and kindness
that Whit never had.

Not now not this soon but someday, they
might marry. She could see the two of them living
in the big house, here at the Broken Spur.
Whereas Delia had despised the ranch before, it
had now become her sanctuary.

The night before Rachel's wedding, she was so
happy she couldn't sleep. She tiptoed downstairs,
thinking a glass of milk might relax her. She found
Winna Mae sitting at the table, a cup of tea in
front of her.

"I thought you might come down so I waited for
you, Rachel."

"You know me too well."

"Yes."

"Winna Mae, although I'll be leaving tomorrow,
I want you to know that the Broken Spur will always be home to you and your son."

The housekeeper was quiet for a moment. "We
won't be staying here after you leave."

Rachel felt crestfallen. "You aren't going away?
What would I do without you?"

Winna Mae gave Rachel one of her rare smiles.
only be moving across the river to Casa del
Sol. Noble has asked me to be the housekeeper
there. His vaqueros are going to train my son to
work on the ranch. Robert Tall has already moved
into the bunkhouse at Casa del Sol."

Rachel's hand covered Winna Mae's. "I'm glad
you will be with me."

Winna Mae took a sip of her tea. "You know that
Zeb's been given the job of looking after Noble's
horses."

"Yes." Rachel imitated Zeb's gruff voice. "'Noble, I'll be coming across that river when Miss Rachel does. She can't do without me, nor me
without her. We're kinda family-like.'

Winna Mae and Rachel laughed; then Rachel
became silent while she traced the flower pattern
on the tablecloth with her finger. "I'm afraid,
Winna Mae."

"Why is that? You are marrying a man you love,
and he loves you. What have you to fear?"

"That I'm too happy, that it won't last, that
something will go wrong."

Winna Mae patted her hand. "Live each day as
if it were a gift from God. You have had a hard
time, Rachel. I've watched you struggle to keep
this ranch going. I saw you cry when you didn't
know I was watching. It's time you looked to your own happiness and treasured the love you and Noble have for each other."

Rachel's eyes swam with tears. "I will, Winna
Mae. All I want is to make him happy."

Winna Mae nodded. "If I ever saw a happy man,
it's Noble Vincente when he looks at you."

A warm spring breeze scattered colorful wildflowers across West Texas. The day dawned bright and
clear as the population of Madragon County gathered at the church to attend a wedding.

As Rachel and Noble exchanged their vows before the priest, a mockingbird trilled outside the
window, serenading their union.

Rachel looked into Noble's dark eyes and felt his
love wrap around her with a warmth and protectiveness that took her breath away.

After they were pronounced man and wife, they
accepted the congratulations of their friends and
family.

Noble's sister, Saber, kissed Rachel's cheek.
"Now I have a sister. I'm almost sorry that I'll be
leaving this afternoon for Montana Territory to
marry my sweet Yankee."

Rachel hugged her tightly. "I only hope you will
be as happy as I am at this moment."

"I shall be." Saber moved to her brother, who
swallowed her in his embrace.

Rachel reached for Delia's hands. "Will you be
all right at the Broken Spur?"

Delia smiled, her whole face alight. "I have come home at last, Rachel. In a year, perhaps
more, Tanner-" She broke off and actually
blushed. "He's nothing like Whit, and that's in his
favor." She laughed happily. "Well, we'll see."

Mrs. McVee went about proclaiming to everyone who would listen that she'd known all along
that Rachel and Noble would get married.

Noble pulled Rachel into his arms. "Alone at last."

Rachel pressed her face against his chest, knowing that this was where she belonged. "I am too
happy to speak," she said, her arms sliding about
his waist.

He lifted her chin and brushed her lips with his.
"Green Eyes, my wife." He tested the title and experienced the pleasure it brought him. "I like the
sound of that."

"Rachel Vincente. I like that."

He lifted her into his arms and carried her up
the stairs. When he reached the bedroom, he set
her on her feet. Several lamps illuminated the
room. She had expected that he'd take her to his
room, but this one was larger, and she could see
a sitting room through the open door.

"This is not your bedroom not the one I occupied when I was recovering from the bullet
wound."

"No. This is the master suite. But if you would
prefer something smaller...?"

"No. I love it here."

Rachel knew Saber must have had a hand in decorating. Lovely Spanish furniture, massive
and yet delicately carved, graced the room. Maroon and cream hues blended in harmony that
was pleasing to the eye.

Noble led Rachel to the huge mahogany bed,
with peacocks carved into the wood. "I was born
in this bed," he explained. "I want our children
conceived and born here as well."

She melted against him, loving the thought of
giving birth to his child. "I love you so, Noble."

He touched her cheek, his eyes soft and loving.
"You have had my heart for a long time. There was
never anyone but you for me, although I didn't
always know it."

She asked, womanlike, "When did you first
know that you loved me?"

"Looking back, I believe it was that day you
watched me break Faro. When I looked into your
eyes, I was thunderstruck. Of course, you were too
young at that time, and I tried to control the feelings I had for you. I admit that while I was away,
I had no conscious thought of you, other than sadness because you believed that I killed your father."

"Let's pretend that never happened." She
laughed, snuggling against him. "I remember well
the day you gave Faro to me. It was the first time
I had ever had the feelings of a woman, and it
frightened me."

Noble gripped her shoulders and his eyes probed hers. "Did you ever have those feelings for
another man?"

"No." She swept her fingers over the frown on
his forehead. "You are the only one."

He walked around the room and extinguished
all the lamps but one. Then he returned to Rachel,
his hands going to the fastening at the back of her
gown.

She closed her eyes, wanting to remember this
moment forever. She was coming to him as his
wife. They would always be together. She had
wronged him in so many ways, but she would
make amends now. She would be a good wife to
him.

Soft Spanish guitars were strumming in one of
the courtyards below, and a beautiful voice
blended with the music.

Noble smiled, and opened the window so she
could better hear the music. "The vaqueros sing
for the new mistress of Casa del Sol," he said,
coming back to her. "Their gift to the patron's
lady."

His dark eyes softened as she'd never seen them
before. She stood on tiptoe and kissed his lips,
trembling with anticipation at the thought of lying
in his arms as his wife. This time they would not
have to be parted. She could go to bed beside him
and wake up in his arms.

No shadows loomed over them now.

Noble expertly unhooked the back of her wedding gown and it soon slid down her body and billowed to the floor at her feet. His clothing
quickly followed and he picked her up, kissing her
while carrying her to the bed.

He lowered her onto the mattress and joined
her there. Their bodies fit together, like silk
against leather, soft curves against hard muscle.

"My Green Eyes," he murmured, embracing her
in his warmth.

Her lips traveled along his neck, and she remembered the day at the well when she had
wanted to do just that. Then, she'd had no idea
that she would one day wed the beautiful Spaniard who had stolen a sixteen-year-old girl's heart.

She raised her head and looked deeply into his
eyes. "You are an extraordinary man, Noble."

He smiled, more interested in her creamy
breasts, which were cupped in his hands. "Where
did you get such a notion, Mrs. Vincente?"

"From you," she said, closing her eyes and trying not to think about his mouth kissing the tips
of her nipples, and then his tongue sliding around
one, sending a thrill all the way to her toes.

She threw her head back when she felt him
swell against her. She was only moments away
from ecstasy. She would tell her husband later
how wonderful he was. But for now...

Only an occasional sigh or a murmured word
of love could be heard above the strumming of the
guitars.

Much later when Noble held her in his arms, they
both watched the moon make soft patterns
through the lace curtains.

His hand rested across her stomach, and her
head nestled against his shoulder.

"Our courtship has been a strange one," she
said, pretending seriousness.

"In what way?" he asked, kissing her cheek.

"I had trouble deciding if I should shoot you or
kiss you."

Amused laughter escaped him. "I'm glad you decided on the kissing, knowing your deadly aim."

Rachel's thoughts went back to the day he'd first
come home and she'd aimed her rifle at his heart.
She shuddered and pressed closer to him. "I love
you so much," she whispered. "So very much."

"Do you want to hear about the first time you
ingratiated yourself into my life?" Noble asked,
shifting her weight so his arms went around her
and he pulled her tightly against him.

"If you want to tell me." She nipped thick lashes
that were so long they made shadows on his
cheeks. She nuzzled his ear and kissed along his
jawline.

He looked at her with softened eyes. "If you continue to do that, I won't be able to talk."

She settled against his shoulder and folded her
arms, smiling. "You have my complete attention."

He shook with tender laughter. "Have I?"

"Oh, Si."

He seemed to be reaching back into the past, because his wonderful eyes took on a faraway
look. "You may be surprised at how young you
were at the time."

She raised herself up on her elbow and looked
at him quizzically. "How old was I?"

"I was aware that your mother had delivered a
second daughter, of course. The whole county
knew your father was wishing for a son."

She smiled. "I know."

"I saw you from a distance quite a few times,
but thought nothing about it. After all, an eightyear-old boy has no interest in a baby, and a girl
child at that."

She was becoming more and more intrigued.
"You aren't going to tell me that you've loved me
since I was a baby."

"I said nothing about love, Rachel. I was talking
about how you ingratiated yourself into my life
and never let go."

He was quiet for a moment as if remembering.
"Before they built the new Methodist church behind the bank, it was located across the road from
the Catholic church that my family attended."

"I remember." She looked at Noble. "I'm a Methodist, and you are Catholic. Will that make any
difference to you?"

"Not to me."

"And not to me. We have conquered tougher differences than our religions."

Noble smiled. "Yes. We have." He pulled her
closer to him and continued speaking. "One Sun day, it was in the spring, and you must have been
about a year old at the time." He nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, no more than a year old."

"Go on," she urged.

"Our respective families had arrived to attend
services at our different churches. Our mothers,
being friends, met halfway in the road. My mother
reached out and took you in her arms."

"I don't remember your mother very well. She
died not long after my own mother."

"I believe you are right." He spoke softly. "What
first drew my attention to you that day was the
sight of your red-gold curls. I ambled closer to my
mother to get a better look at you." He laughed as
if at a private joke. "You were like a cherub, an
angel, and I had never seen anyone so beautiful. I
wanted to reach out and touch the curl that hung
over your forehead but I didn't."

"No?"

"No. I looked into that chubby, perfectly formed
face and you gave me the biggest smile. I was captured by your eyes green eyes, like I'd never seen
before. Then, to my surprise, you held out your
arms and made a dive for me. I had to catch you
because you had left my mother's arms and fallen
into mine. After my first shock, I realized you
had laid your head on my shoulder and one dimpled hand rested on my cheek. At first I was afraid
some of my friends would see me holding you
and make fun of me, but when you raised your
head and pressed your lips to my cheek I was lost. Green Eyes, I called you that day, and you
giggled, patting my face with both hands. I won't
say that love grew that day, but every time I met
you afterward, I would seek your eyes. I'm still
fascinated by them. And somehow I felt that they
took on a special glow when you looked at me."