Chapter 18: Chapter 18

After a time they left the Interstate for a two-lane country road.

"All of this is ranchland," Cruz told her.

With one hand he indicated the vast acres of pasture rolling away from the road. Much of it was dotted with trees. And while some stretches of land had no livestock visible, others were filled with cattle ambling slowly along, stopping now and then to graze. Here and there Shea saw tall metal cylinders that she knew were stock tanks that held water for the herds.

When they made another turn onto a graveled road, Shea caught her breath in wonder. On either side of the gravel, lined up like sentinels, were live oaks, sweetgum and mimosa trees. It was obvious they'd been there before someone cut through to make the driveway. Through the trees she could see pastures, dotted with more trees and cattle. It was like a scene from a western novel.

But then the house came into view and she wanted to weep at its elegance. It was old, probably hadn't been well-maintained but the graceful lines of the traditional Spanish hacienda were still evident.

"Oh, Cruz." She stared. "It's just beautiful."

He laughed, that low sexy sound that made her body tingle. "It will be when we're finished with it. I've made sure the plumbing and electricity are all in working order but the house itself would take massive work to make it the way I want."

"You wouldn't tear it down!" She looked at him shocked.

"No, cara. You and I will discuss how it fits into the overall plans. Meanwhile let's take your suitcase inside and you can meet Safina. She really runs the show here."

A slender Mexican woman, her graying hair pinned up in a twist, stood in the open doorway, the smile on her face welcoming but tentative.

"Buenas dias, Señor Castillo." Her voice had a warm musical quality. "Is this our honored guest?"

Shea looked at Cruz, eyebrows raised. He smiled, the look of a little boy who'd been caught at something. "But you are a guest and a most honored person, are you not?"

She shrugged and looked at Safina as if to say, "What can you do with him?"

The woman frowned at Cruz, then her mouth turned up in a warm smile.

"Welcome to Rancho Castillo. The señor will bring in your suitcase. I hope you will find your room satisfactory."

"I'm sure I will," Shea told her.

Cruz lifted out her suitcase with one hand and put the other at the small of her back, guiding her forward. She could feel the outline of each finger as if he were branding her with them, the heat traveling through her body to take up residence in her cunt. She was already thinking about the night ahead with a mixture of dread and anticipation.

The inside of the house was cool, with open rooms flowing into each other but Shea could see that the impression of space it gave was an illusion. She knew Cruz would want something spacious and rambling, a house that would make a statement. Already she was marshaling her arguments to keep to the time-honored Spanish architecture.

"I had Safina prepare this room for you, Shea. I hope it is to your liking."

"How could it not be?" she asked.

The walls were adobe, painted a soft peach and the floor was tiled in terra cotta. The antique carriage bed had a thick quilt of peach, mint green and pale yellow, with matching curtains at the wide window. A carved wooden dresser stood against one wall. The room was not large but again, the colors gave it a feeling of space.

"The bathroom is through that door." Cruz nodded at a door on the far side of the room. "Even though I knew this would not be my permanent residence, I made sure each room had its own bathroom with modern conveniences."

"An extravagance if you don't plan to live here."

"But someone will, cara. Not to worry." His hand trailed down her spine and rested on the curve of her buttocks. "Would you like to see my room?"

Shea cocked an eyebrow. "For what purpose?"

He stroked her back again, lightly as if petting a cat. "Perhaps to round out your picture of my personality. I told you. Nothing is going to happen, now or ever, unless you want it to. That's not my style."

She wanted to ask him what his style really was, underneath all the bullshit but then they were standing in his bedroom and all she could focus on was the huge, carved wooden bed in the center of the room. Because this room was on the same scale as the others, the bed, covered with a hand-stitched Mexican quilt in vivid shades of blue and grey, dominated the area. Shea tore her eyes away from it to take in the carved wooden chest of drawers and bedside table. Sliding doors led out to an enclosed patio.

Cruz's warm hand was on her back again as he led her toward it, opening the doors and ushering her outside. She stopped, again her eyes widening at what she saw.

"You had a hot tub installed."

"Indeed. I am a man who likes my comforts." He brushed his fingers against her cheek. "Perhaps we will make use of it after our ride. Something to ease the sore muscles."

Get into the hot tub with Cruz Castillo? She didn't think so. But then his lips were close to her ear, his breath warm against her skin and as he whispered, "A pleasure I would like to share with you, cara," she felt her control slipping away. She knew she should move away from him but when he turned her to face him she was simply pliant in his hands.

"This has nothing to do with business," he murmured. "I too, keep business and pleasure separate. But sometimes they collide, no? Your talent is remarkable. Which is why I want to hire you. But make no mistake. I also want you in my bed. But only if you agree."

His lips moved over hers, a feathery kiss that set every one of her pulses to throbbing. Almost effortless he pulled her against his body so his thick erection pressed against the soft flesh of her belly. She was so mesmerized by his kiss she didn't even realize she was moving her hips back and forth against his cock.

His hands tightened on her shoulders and he took a step back. His eyes had darkened almost to black but they were lit with sexual heat.

"I think we may use that hot tub after all." He set her away from him. "Come. Let us have some lunch, then a ride. Do you have proper boots?"

She laughed. "I have boots. You'll have to judge if they're proper or not."

Shea could not have said what she ate for lunch, she was so preoccupied with Cruz's words. Nor did she retain much about their ride, except to realize how vast and how beautiful Rancho Castillo was. She did take note of the site where Cruz told her he wanted to build his new house and when they returned to the barn he indicated where he wanted to expand the quarters for the hands.

"And small houses for the married ones," he told her. "It is the tradition of the fincas-ranches- in Mexico. But we will get to that later. Much later."

"I look forward to it."

He walked her through the house to her room. "Why don't you meet me at the hot tub? I had Safina leave a bathing suit and towels for you. I keep extra suits in the house for guests who come...unprepared."

"I assumed you'd think suits an unnecessary evil," she joked.

He brushed her cheek in that casual way that was becoming a habit but that drove her thermostat into redline.

"Only if you want to, cara. The choice is yours." He winked. "Come. Let's unwind and soak our weary muscles." He leaned closer. "Just say yes, Shea. Unwind a little."

"A-All right. Just give me a minute."

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