As You Wish (The Summerhouse 3)

In one quick move, Alejandro whipped about, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her.

She’d spent a lot of time imagining kissing him, but the reality was much better than her fantasy. His lips on hers sent feelings that she didn’t know existed through her body.

His strong arms pulled her close and she could feel his muscles against the softness of her.

But as good as the kiss was physically, there was something else. There was an emotion that was flowing between them. It was something deeper than just touching. It was as though their inner spirits—their souls?—were speaking to each other.

His lips left hers and he held her, her cheek against the cloth of his shirt over the dip just under his collarbone. It was as though the space had been created to fit her head.

Is this what love feels like? she wondered. This union? This merging?

She couldn’t help but think of Kent. She had wailed and whined and gnashed her teeth over the question of WHY. Why had Kent chosen Carmen over her? What was wrong with her? What did Carmen have that she didn’t?

The answer was, Nothing.

Love wasn’t scientific. It was... This, she thought. It was this union between two people. This bond.

When she looked at it from a distance, she knew Kent was a better match for her than Alejandro was. He’d grown up in a different country, spoke a foreign language. His experiences had been very different from hers. Nothing was the same between her and this man. Logically, a union between them made no sense at all.

Elise pulled away to look at Alejandro. They’d never been this close before and she touched his cheek. His eyes were worried, and she knew that what happened after today was her decision. “The woman does the choosing,” she’d heard said. “The man can ask but it’s the woman who chooses.”

Part of her wanted to tease him and laugh, but the larger part didn’t want him to suffer. “I want a baby,” she said. “I’ve waited long enough to have my own family. I know the fashion is to live together first but I want—”

She broke off as he again kissed her. This time it was a kiss of sweetness, of promise.

When he broke away she thought she

saw tears glistening in his eyes.

“Okay,” she said, “help me up. I have to go straighten Kent out, then I’ll be back and we can start baby making.”

The tears left Alejandro’s eyes and that invincible attitude that made a man what he was came back to him. Now that he was sure she wasn’t going to leave him, he took charge. “Like hell!” he said. “Babies yes, but you’re not going to be alone with him.” He clasped his hands to give her a leg up into the saddle.

“Kent? You think he might harm me?”

Alejandro mounted behind her. “Carmen said—”

“Don’t talk to me about your sister! She—” Alejandro was kissing her neck. “Are you doing that so Kent sees you?”

“Why else would I do it? Certainly not for my own pleasure! Oof!”

Elise had gouged him in the ribs with her elbow. They were down the hill now and she could see Kent waiting for her. Unbidden, all the old feelings of being intimidated by him came back to her. How hard she’d tried to please him! And how completely she’d failed!

“You’ll do all right,” Alejandro whispered as he nibbled her ear. “You need this for you, not him.” She nodded because she knew he was right. “I will be close by. You’re safe.”

For a moment she leaned back against him. He did make her feel safe. And loved, she thought. She almost turned to tell him so, but now was not the time. First, she needed to cut some old ties.

When they were in front of the house, he held her arm as she got down, then he rode away.

Kent was waiting for her. He looked younger than she remembered, but then he hadn’t had years of being married to one woman while loving another.

“Did you turn me in to my father?” she asked.

He gave a curt nod. “Carmen didn’t mean to tell me where you were, but she did. I was worried about you.”

“So you told Dad to come after me with armed guards?” She didn’t try to keep the anger out of her voice.

“I didn’t know he was going to do that.”