Untamed Fire Read Online Free

Gaby’s stomach. His
impervious attitude was difficult to deal with. He reminded her of
a warrior who forever held his shield protectively in front of him,
allowing no one to pierce the thick armor and wound him. She tilted
her head slightly to avoid the glare of the sun and to be better
able to look directly into his eyes when she spoke. “But you didn’t
give my request thought.”
    “There was no reason to.”
    “Why?”
    Rafael shifted irritably in his saddle.
“Tell me, Gaby, do you question God’s law?”
    Gaby recalled all the times she frustrated
padre Jose with her questions. “Yes,” she answered with light
laughter and added, “But God forgives. Don’t you, senor?”
    Rafael couldn’t help but smile. She did it
to him again, put him on the spot with no place to turn. She was
quick and intelligent... and he liked her smile. “Are the flowers
that important to you?”
    “I thought it would be a nice gesture since
I will be your mother’s companion. Flowers have a way of bringing
people together, establishing friendships.”
    Rafael nodded. “Then I see your point. And I
wish for you and my mother to get along well. We’ll stop so you can
pick your flowers.”
    “ Gracias ,” Gaby said and turned the
mare toward the patch of white daisies that sat back a few feet
from the dirt path they traveled along.
    Rafael followed and by the time he had
dismounted Gaby was already standing barefoot amongst the flowers.
White petals tickled her toes as she bent to pick the vibrant
blooms.
    “Be careful where you step,” he ordered
concerned for her safety. “You should be wearing shoes.”
    Gaby didn’t raise her head or look his way.
She simply dismissed his command with a wave of her hand as though
it was unimportant.
    The dismissive gesture irritated him. He was
about to descend on her when he noticed she had gone still, frozen
where she stood. He did the same, fearing she had spotted a
poisonous snake.
    Instinct took over. Rafael slipped a knife
from the saddlebag and silently, with light steps surprising for
such a large man, approached Gaby.
    She still hadn’t moved. Her long, slender
legs were as immobile as a stone statue. Her long dark braid lay
along her back to her slim waist.
    He positioned the knife in his right hand,
ready to throw. His left reached out slowly, so slowly that he felt
the sultry air caress his flesh. Her blouse had slipped off her
shoulder and her smooth sun-drenched skin impeded his view
preventing him from seeing what threatened her. He had to take a
chance, a risk that he was faster than whatever had caused her to
freeze in fright.
    Rafael’s hand inched forward toward her
waist. Ready to protect her, he reached out swiftly wrapping his
arm firmly around her and yanking her back against him while his
weapon was poised to throw.
    Gaby grabbed his wrist and turned her head.
Her face rested flush against his, her lips skimming his cheek.
“No, Senor Rafael,” she gasped with a whisper. “It is only a
butterfly.”
    Rafael saw it then, a beautiful brightly
colored insect that spread its wings in a slow yawn and flew away.
But it was the caress of Gaby’s warm skin next to his and the way
his name spilled with sensual breathlessness from her lips that
forced him still.
    Neither of them moved.
    Gaby’s long fingers remained locked around
his wrist, his coiled muscles taut and ready for action. She
breathed in his rich intoxicating scent that she could not quite
define, though she greatly favored. And she thought for certain
that she heard the hard and steady pounding of his heart.
    They were much too close; it was not right
and so she released his wrist and he quickly lowered his hand. She
turned her face away from his and added a light pressure to his arm
that remained at her waist, silently requesting her release His arm
remained firm.
    “Are you finished picking flowers?”
    “ Si .”
    He removed his arm slowly, almost
reluctantly. Gaby quickly ran to her horse and