Free Untamed Fire by Donna Fletcher Page B

then? How could
he keep a wife and a mistress in the same house?
    Rafael eased Bella to a slow gallop. Sweat
ran down his face and his shirt stuck to his perspiring chest. He
hadn’t meant to ride his mare so hard and it hadn’t been Bella he
wanted to ride.
    He wanted Gaby. He wanted to feel her moist
flesh against his, feel her buck beneath him and cry out in
pleasure. He wanted to capture her moans in his mouth, fuel their
passion and quench their hunger again and again.
    “ Madre Dios . I’ve never wanted a
woman as much as I want Gaby,” he said raising a fierce fist to the
heavens.
    As though in answer, thunder rumbled in the
distance. It warned and reminded. Gaby was an innocent peasant
girl, not his for the taking. Stay away and leave her for one of
her own kind.
    He turned Bella and headed back to the
hacienda at a slow, steady gallop. The rumbling thunder grew louder
and the sky darkened, promising an afternoon thunderstorm. To
Rafael it was a stern warning. One he had no doubt would prove
difficult, if not impossible to heed.

Chapter Six
    Louisa Ortega stood only five feet three
inches. She was petite in form and character. Her small breasts
gave way to a slim waist followed by narrow hips. Her pure dark
complexion was accented by lustrous black hair that was artfully
braided to run up the back of her head and fastened with an ivory
comb. Even the delicate white lace dress echoed her demure
character, but when she spoke her true personality emerged.
    Gaby saw her for her true worth, a strong
woman who knew what she wanted and she wanted the Cabrillo money
and power. She had firm hold of Rafael’s arm ever since she and her
father had arrived a half hour earlier.
    The woman continued to flatter him with
noxious talk of his superior horsemanship as well as his ability to
protect those around him. She fueled his manly pride until Gaby was
certain his chest would burst with self-importance.
    Louisa had also made certain to comment on
Gaby’s inadequacy as a servant, thanks to Rafael. Her taunts had
begun as soon as she had caught Rafael glancing at Gaby with a hint
of hunger that was undeniable. The petite woman no doubt perceived
it as a serious threat.
    “How terrible, Rafael, that you are saddled
with inexperienced help,” Louisa said, reaching out to take a
crystal glass of red wine from the silver serving tray Gaby held in
front of her.
    Gaby maintained her smile and composure,
though she wished to dump the entire tray of glasses on the
obnoxious woman’s lap.
    “Gaby is companion to my mother and does her
job well. She is not part of the regular servant staff,” Rafael
said in her defense.
    “How lucky for you,” Louisa responded with a
sympathetic pat to his arm before slipping her hand over his. She
didn’t care for his response. Gaby was obviously under his dictate,
not Dona Maria’s. She wondered with much concern if the young,
well-endowed girl was under Rafael in a more physical way. She
didn’t like the picture her thoughts painted, and she sent Gaby a
scathing look.
    Gaby simply grinned, turned with a flourish
and exited the room with her hips swaying to the lively rhythm of
the music.
    Rafael saw that Louisa could not conceal her
annoyance while he did his best to conceal a smile, entertained by
Gaby’s spirited nature.
    “Do the vineyards look good to you this
year?” Eduardo Ortega asked, taking Dona Maria’s arm and helping
her to the chair beside his daughter.
    Rafael stood, freeing Louisa’s hold on him.
The petulant frown she cast his way was lost to him as he focused
his attention on her father. “This will be an excellent year. The
grapes are plump with juice.”
    Eduardo smiled broadly, the many lines on
his aging face deepening. “It is a good feeling to see the land
produce such rich pleasures. I look forward to every glass of wine
that my vineyards produce.”
    Rafael agreed with him. The man had some of
the richest acreage in Los Angeles, gained by hard work.