For Honor’s Sake (32 page)

“I hope you don’t mind my naming the baby after my father,” Julie said shyly as she rode comfortably in front of Rod. She could have traveled in the wagon with her father but chose instead to ride within the circle of Rod’s arms.

“It’s a name he can be proud of,” Rod replied sincerely.

“I feel responsible for all that has happened,” Julie confided sadly. “Even though I had little liking for Manuel and what he did to me, I am saddened by his death. I feel even greater sorrow for the innocent child he left behind.”

“Don’t,
querida,
don’t blame yourself. Whatever you did was forced upon you by a greedy, vindictive woman. I share that blame though I was also a recipient of Elena’s vengeance. Your father is recovering nicely and you must concentrate on only pleasant things from now on. Like me and our child.”

Julie wanted to say more, but the words stuck in her throat like dry straw. Perhaps later, she thought, when she felt more confident of his love for her. Was he truly not angry at her for running off and endangering the life of their son? Only time would tell. He could be treating her gently now because he was thrilled with Carlos, Julie reluctantly admitted.

Julie’s homecoming was joyous and all she could hope for. Felicia was ecstatic when she saw the baby and from the moment Julie placed him in the child’s arms, Felicia became very protective of her small nephew, declaring that no one but herself should care for hip.

“May I sleep in his room, Rodrigo?” Felicia begged prettily. “Julie needs her rest and will be unable to care for him properly for some time.”

“No,
niña,
” Rod smiled indulgently. “You are but a child yourself. Carlos will have a nurse but you may see
him as often as you like.”

Though somewhat disappointed, Felicia’s high spirits could not be quelled as she asked endless questions which Rod did his best to answer. Finally he sent her scurrying off to summon Nola, the young wife of one of the
vaqueros
whom he and Julie had chosen months before to be their baby’s nursemaid. She had just recently given birth herself and was quite capable of taking over feedings for Julie, should the need arise.

Ramona fussed endlessly around Carl until he felt smothered by her loving concern. Shortly afterwards, Carl and Ramona went to their own little
casa,
Brett and Polly were shown to their rooms, and Rod and Julie found themselves alone at long last.

Rod would allow no one but himself to bathe Julie and settle her in bed that first night. Against her protests, declaring herself perfectly capable of bathing herself, Rod stripped off her clothes and carried her to the tub of steaming water he had ordered prepared. Julie’s feet, though healing nicely, were still too tender to walk on and she had to be carried about like a child; a chore Rod minded not at all.

“You are much too thin,
querida
,” Rod admonished with a twinkle. “I prefer my women with a little more meat on their bones.”

“Am I still your woman, Rod?” Julie asked tremulously, her blue eyes wide and searching.

Rod was obviously shaken by Julie’s question. “There has never been any other woman for me,
querida
,” he replied patiently, putting into words that which Julie was longing to hear.

But there was still much left to be said. “Rod, about Elena …” Julie began hesitantly, “I—”

“We will talk of it later, Julie, when you are fully recovered. For now, forget Elena, she no longer can harm you. Just concentrate on our son and regaining your strength.”

Rod was not satisfied until he carefully and painstakingly washed every inch of Julie’s slim form. Then he washed and rinsed her long honey-blond tresses until they were clean and shiny. By that time he was becoming so aroused that he knew he must get Julie out of the tub and into bed or he would be tempted to make love to her even though it was far too soon after childbirth.

Julie could feel his arousal straining and throbbing against her as Rod lifted her from the tub and carried her to the bed where he thoroughly dried her with a large, soft towel. Then he slipped a nightgown over her head, tucked her beneath the covers, and settled down beside her.

“Are you comfortable,
querida
?” he asked solicitously.

“I’m fine, Rod, really. You don’t have to fuss over me like this.”

“Let me be the judge of that. You are to stay in bed until your feet are completely healed,” he ordered sternly. “Nola will look after Carlos and Felicia can help. Polly and Brett will amuse you while you are confined to bed. Will you obey me in this, Julie?” Though his face was uncompromising, a smile lurked at the corners of his mouth when he thought of all the times she had deliberately flaunted her strong will and independence.

“Yes, Rod,” Julie answered meekly. “I’ve had enough of roaming about, for the time being.”

Chuckling, Rod slanted Julie an assessing look. Did he detect a double meaning in her words. “It’s a good thing,” he teased, “or I’d be forced to tie, you to the bed.” Lightly he fingered a loose tendril of hair lying carelessly against her cheek before touching her trembling lips with a calloused finger.

Julie reacted violently to the soft brushing of his fingers against her flesh as a pulsing knot within her
began to grow. Something flickered in Julie’s eyes that made Rod plant a tantalizing kiss in the hollow of her neck. But soon that was not enough as his mouth swooped down to capture hers, his tongue gently parting her lips, tasting, exploring, drawing from it a measure of her unique taste.

His voice was a husky purr. “Julie, Julie, I want you so desperately, but I know it’s too soon. I must leave,
mi amor,
or I won’t be responsible for my actions. I mean to protect you always, even from myself.” Then he was gone, leaving Julie aching with need to be possessed by the only man she could ever love.

Julie recuperated swiftly, her youthful stamina returning her to full health within a fortnight. Rod quickly slipped back into the role of
patron
as he once again took up the reins at
Rancho
Delgado. The cattle drive was about to begin but this year he would remain behind. His spare time was taken up with entertaining his guests and lavishing special attention on his wife and son. He was greatly heartened by Julie’s rapid recovery and happily planned a huge
fiesta
to celebrate the christening of little Carlos. Brett and Polly agreed with alacrity to act as godparents to the boy and were already spoiling him dreadfully. The date was set a week hence, after which Brett and Polly would return to San Francisco to take up their duties at the Pleasure Palace.

The first day Julie walked to dinner on her own two feet was a joyous occasion. Rod could scarcely keep his gaze from straying to her trim form enhanced by childbirth and her luminous face shining with happiness and health. She had dressed carefully for the event and knew she looked her best. Under Teresa’s tender care she had regained her lost weight and glowed with vibrant vitality. She had chosen to wear a bright blue gown of heavy silk fashioned with huge puffed sleeves and wide, scooped neckline that dipped low to expose the tops of rounded breasts. The skirt was pulled back over slim
hips and caught in a bustle. Adrenalin surged through Rod’s aching loins at the sight of her.

The meal progressed pleasantly, the talk spirited, when Polly casually remarked, “Brett has asked me to marry him.” The look she lavished on Brett was starry-eyed and filled with love, leaving little doubt as to what her answer had been. The look, Julie gleefully noticed, was reciprocated. She couldn’t have been more pleased.

“Oh, Polly!” she enthused happily. “This is just what I hoped for all along! It’s about time Brett found a good woman to spend his life with.”

After much congratulations, Rod made a suggestion that seemed to please everyone. “Why not make it a double celebration?
Padre
Juan might just as well marry you when he comes to christen Carlos. I know it would make Julie happy to attend the wedding of her two good friends.”

After a brief consultation the couple agreed. Later, when Polly and Julie were alone, Polly said shyly, “I love him so much, Julie. I know I can never take your place in his heart but I’ll be a good wife to him.”

“Polly,” Julie chided gently. “Brett may have loved me at one time but the moment you came into his life all that changed. Any fool can see he is besotted with you. My future is with Rod and always has been.”

“How … how are things between you and Rod?”

Julie hesitated. “I’m not sure. We have not spoken about Elena yet. Or my reason for leaving the
rancho
like I did. But he treats me very well, almost too well,” she mused thoughtfully. “He has not attempted to make love to me since our return although I’m certain he wants to.”

“You know how concerned he is over your health, Julie,” Polly offered. “I’m sure he is waiting for the right moment. If you could have seen him when he was searching for you, you would not doubt his love.”

“I’d feel better about it if he told me,” Julie retorted,
openly skeptical. “I’m not a mindreader.”

“Neither is Rod, Julie,” Polly reminded her. “Have you told him how much you care for him?” Julie flushed, realizing she had been as close-mouthed as Rod on the subject.

After her conversation with Polly, Julie decided the time was ripe for meaningful communication between her and Rod. Instinctively, she knew the first overtures must come from her. With that thought in mind, Julie took extra pains preparing for bed that night. The nightgown she slipped over her head fell like cobwebs over her body, revealing the full splendor of upthrust breasts and curving hips. The dark blond thatch between her thighs became a tantalizing shadow beneath a veil of gauze. Her long amber locks fell in silken strands about her tiny waist, the result of an hour of vigorous brushing, and Julie glanced in the mirror, satisfied that she looked her best. Being completely devoid of any kind of vanity, she could not know just what a tantalizing picture she made or how dramatically her appearance would affect Rod. Drawing in a deep, steadying breath, Julie gathered her courage and silently entered Rod’s darkened room through the connecting door.

Rod was not sleeping. The painful ache in his loins and his desire for his lovely wife was keeping him awake. With longing he glanced toward the connecting door and blinked rapidly, certain his burning desire for Julie had conjured up her delightful image to goad and torment him. The moon was full and bright as errant moonbeams drifted in the open window to paint her in hues of shimmering silver, her pale gold body clearly visible beneath the gossamer material of her nightgown, causing Rod to groan as a surge of heat swelled his loins. He moaned in frustration as the ghostly figure of his love poised provocatively in the doorway.

“
Por Dios,
Julie, if you are real don’t torment me
like this!” he cried aloud, his anguish causing his voice to crack dangerously. “But if you are a figment of my imagination, I hope never to awaken from this dream.”

With tantalizing slowness Julie undulated into the room, the movement of her shapely hips driving Rod mad with desire. “I’m real, Rod,” she murmured when she reached his side. “Feel me, I am flesh and blood.”

Rod needed no further urging as his hands sought the soft mounds of her breasts, molding them to fit his palms, rubbing her nipples gently with the heel of his thumbs as they surged into erectness at his first touch. Julie felt herself tauten with excitement as a warm pleasurable lassitude pervaded her flesh. It had been so long since she had felt Rod’s hands on her body that her knees threatened to give way beneath her. She flushed with pleasure as she felt Rod s dark eyes rake her from head to toe. As his ardent gaze rippled over her it was as if tongues of flame seared the thin material from her body and left her bare in the wake of their wildfire.

“Come to me,
querida
,” Rod urged, his face alive with anticipation. “If I don’t make love to you this very minute, I will surely die.” Effortlessly he lifted her into bed and deftly stripped the filmy gown from her body.

“We must talk first, Rod,” Julie forced herself to say, the inflection in her voice telling him the last thing in the world she wanted was to talk.

“And we will,
mi amor,
” Rod moaned with barely suppressed desire. “Later. Much later.”

Julie gasped when he drew the tender flesh of her nipple between his teeth to nibble maddeningly until she felt the pressure filling her loins and becoming unbearable. For long minutes the only sound in the room was the muffled breathing of two bodies passionately engaged, punctuated by deep groans of pleasure.

Rod’s lips slid upward to capture her mouth and Julie felt the soft warmth of his tongue invade the honeyed
caverns within, the moist tip sliding leisurely along the contours of her lips. Soft kisses fell like rain against the corners of her mouth, along her smooth jawline before pausing at the tender spot where throat joined shoulder.

“
Mi amor,
my life would be worthless without you beside me,” he whispered, much to Julie’s delight. “I love you.”

When the words Julie longed to hear fell effortlessly from Rod’s lips, all her doubts disappeared like ashes in the wind, serving to unleash all her pent up ardor. Rod groaned with pleasure as her hands freely roamed the hard ridges of his shoulders and back, molding his firm buttocks, finally sliding along his flanks to grasp his engorged manhood. Experimentally, she glided her hand back and forth until Rod moaned and stayed her hand.

“The night is young,
querida.
If you keep that up it will come to an abrupt conclusion. I have been too many months without you for patience.” Julie giggled but obediently removed her hand from his member. “Lie back,” Rod said, “and let me love you.”

Julie swallowed convulsively as Rod’s eager lips scalded a path downward along her body, teasing first one nipple with his teeth and then the other, molding the mounds against his palms until the coral buds grew rigid against his tongue. He suckled gently for several minutes until her milk began to flow copiously, then slid downward, murmuring hoarsely, “Food for the Gods. I hope my son realizes how lucky he is.”