Raul's Revenge

* * *

A long time later Penny stirred in his arms. She leaned up and smiled down at his sleeping face. She flicked his bottom lip with her finger. 'Raul.. .'

'What?' he queried, half-asleep.

‘I think you'd better leave now.'

'What?' he queried, half-asleep.

‘I think you'd better leave now.'

'What?' he shouted. His eyes flying wide open, he hauled her down on top of him. 'You're crazy, woman.' He nuzzled her neck.

'But what about tradition?' Penny teased.

'To hell with tradition,' Raul said pithily. 'From now on I am going to be one of these New Men I hear so much about. Equal partners—sharing the load, sharing the bed.'

Penny burst out laughing, levered herself away from him and rolled on her back, still laughing. 'Sharing the bed is about the only part you would get right,' she chortled.

'So it's a start,' Raul drawled, and, looping an arm around her, cradled her tight to his side. 'The rest you can teach me.' And he kissed the top of her head and yawned.

Grinning, Penny cuddled up against him. Raul a New Man? Never. He was far too arrogantly male.

And then she paused for thought. But he was a thinking and caring man—she remembered him des­cribing his work and his hopes for the new low-cost de­salination plants. And he was sensitive to both her and their son's needs. He had admitted that he'd been afraid to upset her when they'd first met again. Maybe he was not such a hopeless case after all, she mused happily as she fell asleep.

She was convinced the next day when she stepped out of the bridal car at the entrance to the church of San Marcos in the tiny village on the boundary of Raul's estate.

The ivory wild silk dress, with its high ruffled neck and fitted bodice, accentuated her tiny waist, and the skirt, a multitude of fine pleats, floated around her legs as she walked; the effect was Victorian and demure, yet stunning. She nervously clutched Carlos's arm as they entered the church, and then a scream of delight escaped her.

Waiting in the porch was James, dressed in a cute blue velvet suit, but beside him stood Amy, her face glowing almost as much as her ginger hair, and dressed in a gown complementary to Penny's.

'I don't believe it!' Penny cried.

'Would I miss your wedding?' Amy grinned. 'Anyway, your husband-to-be insisted, and he's a hard man to deny. Nick even agreed to be best man—though he'd sworn never to set foot in Spain after the fishing debacle.'

The two girls laughed and hugged until Amy drew back and said, 'Time to go, friend. Be happy.'

Penny stepped into the church, her gaze flying straight to the proud head and broad back of Raul, standing at the altar. Her almost New Man, she thought, his con­sideration flooding her already full heart as she slowly began to the walk down the aisle on Carlos's arm.

Raul turned; his dark eyes, full of love, caught and held hers. Then, as though he could not help himself, he walked towards her, relieved Carlos of his duties and possessively pulled her slender arm through his and walked her the rest of the way to the altar himself.

Amy laughed, the congregation laughed, and even the priest had trouble hiding his chuckle as he read the mar­riage service.

But Penny and Raul didn't care. They were in a world of their own as they vowed their undying love and sealed it with a kiss...