Spring Bride

“You foolish man,” she answered softly. “I not only love you, I adore you. But I couldn’t agree to be a good, obedient, docile cow. And I thought that was what you wanted.”

Antonio laughed as his arms went around her. “A cow? What a thought, querida. An Arabian, perhaps, high-spirited and beautiful, but a cow? Never!”

He drew her close and kissed her again, long and deeply, and then he smiled into her eyes.

“So,” he said gruffly, “you will agree to become Señora Antonio del Rey, yes?”

Kyra smiled back at him. “I will agree to become Señora Kyra del Rey. Sí.”

“And to love me for the rest of your life?”

“Only if you make the same promise.”

”Sí, mi amor. I will love you till the end of time—but you must not turn into a cow. That, I could not bear.”

Kyra laughed and wrapped her arms around him.

“I should warn you, my brothers are going to need some fast talking to calm them down. They’re a little upset at the thought that you took advantage of me.”

Antonio chuckled. “I will explain to them that you gave me no choice, that you dragged me into your bed.”

He bent and kissed her again and again until her mouth was sweetly swollen, and then he smiled into her eyes.

“I will tell you what we must do, quenda. We must go to your brothers and assure them that I am not a pirate come to steal their company. And that we wish to set a date for our wedding.” He smiled. “That will calm them, sí?”

Kyra caught her breath as Antonio lifted her into his arms.

“But first,” he said, his voice husky, “first, we will make up for the weeks and months we have wasted. Does that live up to your expectations, mi amor?”

Kyra’s answer was in her kiss.

EPILOGUE

EARLY morning sunlight streamed through the arched windows of the Landon mansion, spilling golden brilliance over the oyster white walls and brightly colored rya rugs that were scattered over the bleached-oak floors.

In the room that had so long ago been his, Cade Landon’s arm tightened around the woman nestled beside him. She sighed and moved closer to him; her tumble of fiery copper curls brushed softly against his cheek.

Cade blinked his eyes open. He lay still, getting his bearings.

It was a long time since he’d awakened in this room. For just a moment, the old feelings of childhood swept over him—the pent-up anger, the unhappiness, the despair…

And then he became aware of Angelica lying in his arms, of her warmth and her scent, and all the memories were swept away. Carefully, so as not to wake her, he rose up on his elbow and gazed down at her.

A smile curved across his mouth. She was so beautiful. So wonderful. And she was his—his partner, his companion, his lover…

His wife.

Gently, he reached out and stroked the copper curls from her cheek.

It was still a wonder to him, not just that he had found her, but how she had changed his life. Until Angelica, his pleasure had been measured by the exotic places he’d been and the beautiful women he’d found in them, and by the rushing geysers of black gold he coaxed from deep inside the earth.

Now, his wife was all the pleasure he needed, all he would ever need. He could not imagine life without her, without her sweetness and her passion. He smiled a little. And without her fiery temper.

“Good morning.”

Angelica’s beautiful green eyes were open; her mouth was curved into the gentlest of smiles. A feeling so potent it made his throat tighten swept over him, and he took her into his arms almost fiercely, claiming her lips with his.

After a long moment, he drew back. Angelica’s face was flushed; she smiled as she linked her hands behind his neck.

“Mmm,” she sighed, “what a nice way to start the day.”

Cade grinned. “I’m better than an alarm clock, am I?”

Her laugh was soft and wicked, “Especially since I never get alarmed”

“Angel,” he said, “I’ve been thinking…” He hesitated, then took a deep breath. “You know that project we’ve been considering in Kuwait?”

Angelica gave a mocking sigh of distress. “That’s what happens when you’re an old married couple. Here I am, in my husband’s arms, and all he can think of is bus—”

Cade laughed and kissed her to silence. Then he drew back and looked at her.

“What if we passed on Kuwait and took up that Alaskan offer?”

“For you to head up that company? But—but you’d have to stay in one place, Cade, and you’ve never wanted to.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” He was trying to sound casual, despite the knot growing in his gut. “It might be nice to settle down. Build a house, put down roots…”

Angelica’s eyes widened. “You? Put down roots?”

“Well, yeah. A guy should put down roots before he starts a family, shouldn’t he?” He saw the stunned look on her face and cursed himself for dropping something like that on her without any warning. “Forget it,” he said quickly. “It was just a crazy thought, and—”

“It’s a wonderful thought,” Angelica said, her voice breaking a little.

Cade felt his heart lift. “Do you mean it?”

“You foolish man! Of course I mean it! I love you, Cade Landon. What more could I possibly want than to settle down with you and have your babies?”

Cade kissed her, gently at first and then more passionately.

“Any objections if we start on our new project nght away?” he said, smiling.

Angelica smiled back at him. “Every textbook I’ve ever read says that taking immediate action is the sign of a topflight CEO,” she whispered.

Laughing, Cade rolled her beneath him. Without a doubt, he thought, he was the happiest, luckiest man in the world.

Down the hall, in the room he’d once thought of as a prison cell, Grant Landon woke from a deep, dreamless sleep and reached for his wife.

The bed beside him was empty. Grant shot up against the pillows, his heart hammering in his throat—and then he saw her, standing at the window, wrapped in his old flannel robe with her black ha

ir streaming down her back like heavy silk.

Grant shoved back the blankets and got to his feet.

“Sweetheart?”

Crista turned, her beautiful face lighting with happiness when she saw him.

“Good morning,” she said. “I’m sorry if I woke you.”

“Darling?” Grant held out his hands. “Are you okay?”

She laughed as she put her hands into his. “Of course.”

“Are you sure? Maybe you shouldn’t be up so early. You need your sleep, you know. And your feet are bare. You’re liable to catch a chill—”

“Grant.” Crista moved closer to her husband and smiled up into his eyes. “I’m not sick, darling. I’m pregnant.”

“Exactly. You’re pregnant. And—”

“And I’m absolutely fine.”

“Are you sure? Maybe you should ask the doctor if-”

“I did,” Crista said gently. “I asked him every question you came up with, and then you asked him every one of those questions all over again, and the answers were always the same.” She smiled. “I’m as healthy as a horse, Grant. There’s not a thing in the world to worry about.”

Grant frowned. “Sure. But—”

“In fact, I’ve never felt better in my life.”

“That’s fine. But-”

“Women have been having babies ever since the world began. It’s not as if we invented this ourselves.”

Grant sighed. “I know.” His arms went around her and he drew her close. “It’s just that I love you so much…”

“And I love you,” Crista said. She shut her eyes and laid her head against his chest, luxuriating in the sure beat of his heart. “I don’t think you’ll ever know how much.”

Grant drew back, putting his wife from him just enough so he could look down into her beautiful violet eyes.

“You’re everything to me, Crista,” he whispered. “When I think of how empty my life was without you…”

She grinned. “Remember that the next time Annie decides to pretend your favorite pair of moccasins is a doggy toy.”

Grant gave a despairing sigh, but his eyes sparkled with laughter.

“Serves me right,” he said, “marrying a woman who insisted a cat and a dog had to be present at the ceremony.”