The Love of a Latino (13 page)

She was glad Alejandro had
decided to go straight to the office from the condo. She would have her hands
busy this morning and she didn’t want him distracting her.

Busying herself in the kitchen
she was cautious not to make any noise. Taking some eggs from the well-stocked
refrigerator, she started preparing breakfast for the mother to be, all the
while humming the tune “Hush little baby.” Soon she was going to be a
grandmother; therefore, she needed to start learning kid friendly songs to sing
to her grandbaby.

****

Always the early riser,
Dahlia admired Raphael’s sleeping form. The coverlet was draped carelessly
across his waist, leaving his chest bare to her. Her gaze traveled across his chiseled
face and she smiled at how relaxed he looked in his sleep. One of his arms
rested below his head the other still laid at his side. He was so handsome. She
still was not used to the idea that such a man could love her. Her eyes roamed
hungrily down the length of his body, to his steely chest and yet lower. She
thought of the part of him that lay below the sheet and once again she felt the
heat pool between her legs.

“If you keep looking at me
like that
mi amor,
I cannot be blamed for what I do.”

Her eyes shot up to his grey
ones and she blushed at what she saw in them. Embarrassed at what she was
thinking, she lowered her head.

Grasping her chin in his big
hand he urged her to look at him. “Do not ever be embarrassed of what you feel.
I can see it in your eyes. You desire me as I desire you. This is one of the
things I love about you; your passion.” Taking hold of her hand he guided it
down to his hardness below the sheet and she gasped at the first touch.

“I have been inside you so
many times throughout the night and yet one look from you and my need for you
is more than I have ever felt. I belong to you, Dahlia. I am yours to do with
as you please.” His eyes were now a smoky grey and Dahlia felt him swell
beneath her hands.

“Touch me, Dahlia. Pleasure
me.” He commanded his husky voice penetrating her senses, crushing her
embarrassment. Her hand began to stroke his length and with every sound that
escaped his throat, her touch grew bolder.

His hand came up to cup her
breast and when she looked at him his eyes were closed as he fought to stay in
control. Determined to please him, Dahlia dredged up every memory, every love
scene she had read. She knew just the one to use. Releasing his hardened length
she rose above him to straddle him. Leaning over him she stared into his eyes,
taking his lips with hers. Every time he tried to touch her she pushed his hand
away, instead using her hand and mouth to do things to him she didn’t know she
was capable of.

It was only when he cried out,
“Dios mio,
Dahlia,
por favor,
I cannot stand this torture any
more. I must have you,” that she obeyed him.

Long after, Dahlia was tucked
safely at Raphael’s side, but she could sense something was wrong. He was rigid
and he had not said a word after they had made love. Mortified that she had
done something to displease him, Dahlia felt tears well up in her eyes. She had
never done such things to any man, but she had obviously done them wrong.

****

Raphael was
jealous.
He
was sure that she had been a virgin when he’d first made love to her. There was
no possible way someone as inexperienced as her could have done the things she
had just done to him. He drew the only possible conclusion he could come up
with—she had another lover. Another man had taught these things to her. He had taught
her how to become a better lover. Raphael knew he had no right to be angry with
her. They were not together. But how could she claim to love him, if she had
been with someone else? Could it be possible that the baby was not his? A knot
formed around his heart at the possibility.

Drawing away from her, he sat
on the edge of the bed, his back to her. He didn’t know how disguise all the
different emotions that were coursing through his mind.

“Raphael?” He heard the
confusion in her voice. When he didn’t answer she placed a hand on his back.
“Raphael?”

Turning to her, his gut
twisted when he saw the tears in her eyes. Whatever anger he felt dissipated
when he saw doubt in her eye. He didn’t care if she had been with someone else
or if the baby wasn’t his. He loved her and she was here with him. The rest
could be fixed.

“Why are you crying,
mi
amor?”
He cupped her face wiping at her tears with his thumb.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to
disappoint you. I did exactly what the book said,” she wasn’t looking at him;
instead she chose to stare at some imaginary spot on the bed.

“The book?” Now he was the
one confused. “What book,
mi vida?”

“A novel I read. I wanted to
please you, so I tried something I read once in a book.” She admitted shyly.

And then it dawned on him.
She had been reading a book when he first saw her—a romance novel. Breaking
into a ridiculous grin he kissed her full on the lips.

“Oh no,
Querida,
you
did not disappoint me. On the contrary, I quite enjoyed what you did.”

“So then, why are you angry
with me?

“Because I am a jealous
fool.”

“Jealous?”

“You see, my precious; I
thought surely it was another man that had thought you those things. So imagine
how foolish I feel now that I know it was actually a
book
. Now I think
that I may need to buy you some more of those books.” He teased, lowering his
face to place another kiss on her lips.

“You thought there was another
man? There has never been anyone else but you.”

“And there will be no other,
as there will be no other woman for me. Now,
Princesa,
as much as I want
to lay you back  on this bed and see what more you have learned from your
books, I am hungry and I think you would need to use the bathroom.” With one
final kiss, he rose from the bed, stretching his arm above his head. Dahlia’s
throat tightened at his muscular form, as the morning sun cut through the
drapes and fell fully on him. Stunned at where her thoughts began to stray, she
threw the coverlet aside and took the robe Raphael handed her. He was right;
she did need to use the bathroom and something to eat.

When they finally went in
search of food in the huge kitchen, it was only to meet a complete breakfast
and a smiling Lauralyn awaiting them.
“Buenos dias.
I was beginning to
think I would have to bring breakfast to you.” Lauralyn mocked with a huge
smile on her face.

“Good morning,
Mamá.
How
long have you been back?” Raphael greeted his mother with the customary kiss.

“Oh, long enough.” She
answered sending a wink in Dahlia’s direction that caused her to blush various shades
of red.
Had Lauralyn heard them?

“No need to be embarrassed, Child.
I know what it is to be in love and enjoy the pleasure of making love.” This
only caused Dahlia to blush a few shades deeper.

“Mamá!”
Raphael warned.

“Fine, Hijo,
I’ll behave. So tell me, when’s the wedding?”His
mother asked changing the topic.

Raphael sat at Dahlia’s side
an arm around her waist. His mother placed two plates on the island in front of
them. “As soon as Dahlia will have me.” Raphael placed a kiss on her cheek
before digging into his eggs.

When his mother turned to
look at her, Dahlia looked at Raphael who was busy cleaning off his plate. Looking
back at his mother, she answered honestly. “I don’t know. I know I want a small
wedding though. And if we could I would like to get married home, in Trinidad.”

Raphael stopped to look at
her. “Is that what you want, Dahlia?”

“Yes, it would make me feel
as if Mama was there.”

Caressing her cheek Raphael
whispered, “I will deny you nothing. If this is what you wish then so be it. We
will get married in Trinidad.”

“Okay, that’s settled. Just
give me a date and I will arrange everything. Now, if you two will excuse me, I
have some calls to make.” Lauralyn disappeared into the hall.

Dahlia sat at his side still
not believing that all this was happening. She was getting married to the most
wonderful man and she was having his baby.

“Raphael…?”

“Yes,
Amor?”

“Is there a phone I can use?
I have to call my sister.” Directing her to the study Raphael reached for his
mobile intent on making some calls of his own.

****

“Oh, Dahlia, I can’t believe
it. You are getting married.” Natasha beamed through the phone.

“Yes, and guess what? We are
having the wedding home in Trinidad!” Dahlia gushed, with a giddy smile on her
pretty face.

“Oh, Dahlia, that’s great. When
will you be back?”

 “I’m not sure, but it will
be soon.”

“I can’t wait to see you.
Tell me, how did he react when he saw you?”

“Let’s just say he was happy
to see me.” Dahlia turned a deep red. He had
showed
her how much he had
missed her.

“You sound happy.”

“I am, Natasha. I really am.”

“I can’t believe my baby
sister is getting married! But I have some news of my own—I’m pregnant!”
Dahlia’s older sister announced.

“Natasha! That is great news!
I can’t wait to see you.” A knock from the open door resulted in Raphael’s
handsome face peering through it.

“Tash, I have to go but I
promise I’ll call soon. Please give Roger my love.”

When she hung up he came to
her, lifting her to sit on his lap as he seated himself on the large leather
sofa. Placing a hand on her stomach he kissed her deeply, passionately, and
fully of love.

“I must go to the office, but
only for a short while. Do you wish to go with me, or do you want to stay with
my mom?”

“I will stay here. I’m a
little tired.”

“It
is
my fault. I
have been selfish, not thinking of your delicate condition. I should have
allowed you more rest last night.”

“If
I
remember
correctly, I was just as selfish as you. Don’t worry. I am fine. Go…I promise
that when you get back I will be rested.” Hating to leave her so soon he kissed
her again but finally released her and headed for the office, determine to get
back to her as soon as possible.

****

That night as they lay
together, both satisfied after a delicious round of lovemaking, they talked
about everything. Raphael had insisted she stay at his place which she agreed
to. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about his mother hearing them when they
made love.

Raphael told her about his
boyhood days, growing up as an only child. He told her about his yacht and the
company’s private jet, he briefly mentioned Sarafina and assured her that what
he and Sarafina had was not love. In turn, she told him about her mother and
her father. She told him about living in Boston and Natasha’s pregnancy. They
discussed the wedding and he promised to take her to Spain after the baby was
born. They considered names for the baby, and Dahlia insisted on the name
Arabella if it was a girl. After she told Raphael about the dream she had the
morning after she met him he agreed that Arabella would be the perfect name if
it was a girl. Raphael also took the opportunity to translate all the Spanish
phrases that seem to confuse Dahlia. She decided she loved being called
amor
.

When the early hours over the
morning came, Raphael made love to her again, assuring her once more of his
love before they finally fell asleep.

****

Two weeks after, Dahlia and
Raphael stood on the
Maracas Beach
and said their vows. Natasha and
Roger were there as well as Lauralyn, Alejandro, and Raphael’s grandparents.
The wedding was small but intimate just as Dahlia had wanted. A small reception
was held at the
Maracas Hotel.
While their family partied until the
morning, Raphael and Dahlia snuck away to their room to be together for the
first time as husband and wife.

His family left the day after,
but Raphael and Dahlia stayed another two weeks. She spent as much time as she
could with Natasha. Soon she would be too pregnant to travel so it would be
months before they saw each other again. It was hard leaving her sister behind,
but she was happy that she was starting her own family.

When it was time to leave,
Dahlia cried like a waterfall. She loved Raphael and knew her place was with
him, but it made her sad to leave home again. In an effort to comfort his new
bride, Raphael promised to fly Natasha out to spend some time with her. When
they were soaring high above the clouds, Dahlia leaned her head against the
window and couldn’t help but feel that she was leaving a part of her behind.

****