Page 17 of The Hero's Bride
A drop of sweat trickled down his back beneath his shirt as he continued down the street, passing a pink and yellow cathedral. He took a turn down a cobbled stone street lined with vendors selling what appeared to be everything from ceramics to hand-made art and candy. The sounds of brass and percussion instruments from a mariachi band filled the market. He slowed by a stall with woven blankets and clothing. An elderly woman sitting on a wooden stool gave him a smile, deep creases forming around her eyes and mouth, and went back to knitting. He glanced through the dresses, pausing on a long coral sundress with beaded flowers.
“Pretty,” the woman noted, her lips quirking.
“How much?”
She rattled off an amount and he pulled three hundred pesos from his pocket, handing it to her. She grinned and took the dress down from the display, then pointed to a stall across the street selling beaded sandals. He was glad for the tip and purchased a pair that looked like they might fit Thalia.
As he got closer to the hotel, he stopped in a nearby restaurant and placed a large takeout order. The waiting area was packed with patrons, so he made his way back outside. One of the storefront displays caught his eye and he wandered inside the jewelry store. An armed guard stood sentry in the entryway, while a man behind the display case hurried over to assist him.
“Something I can help you with?” he asked.
“Yes, there’s a ring in the display I’d like to see.” He waited while the man unlocked the front case and removed several rings.
“Is there a particular one?” the jeweler asked, setting them on top of the glass counter. He noticed the guard took a step forward, eyeing him closely.
“This one.”
“Exquisite,” the man said, his English impeccable. “Did you know Mexico is one of very few places in the world where turquoise is found?” He gestured toward the greenish-blue center stone veined with deep blue. “More precious than even the diamond halo surrounding it. The band also features four of these larger leaf-cut diamonds on each side. An excellent choice for a unique engagement ring if that’s what you’re looking for.”
The breath caught in his throat with the realization that he wanted Thalia to wear his ring. This ring. Whether they were legally married or not, he wanted Thalia to have this gift. A piece of her past and a promise of bright things ahead in her future. He had no idea what size she was, but he figured they could get it adjusted at any jeweler once they got across the border.
“I’ll take it.”
The man named a price, and Red nodded, not surprised in the least by the cost. Without the pesos needed to cover such a large purchase, he used his credit card. The jeweler placed the ring inside a velvet box and placed the certificates verifying the gems into a bag with the ring.
“Take care walking down the street with such an expensive item,” the guard tossed out as he neared the door. He nodded his thanks and took the ring box out of the bag, slipping the ring box in his pocket, feeling lighter than he had in a very long time.
Chapter Nine
Thalia’s heartbeat quickenedas she smoothed her hands down the woven fabric of the dress Mason had given her. She’d never worn something so beautiful before with its coral color and beadwork. The dress tied around her neck, leaving her shoulders and back bare while sheathing her frame. She slid on the matching sandals and placed her hand over her stomach, willing it to stop somersaulting.
She doubted Mason knew how deeply he’d touched her heart. Not because of the dress and the shoes, but the thought behind each. She’d been uncomfortable with the thought of wearing his shorts and an oversized T-shirt for their engagement photos, even if they weren’t real. Somehow, Mason had picked up on her unease. He cared about making her comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. Since he’d first mentioned the idea of a fiancé visa his only spoken concern was for her, not that he was taking on a huge life change by bringing her back to the United States. His kind nature soothed her wary heart. She’d grown harder over the years from the cycle of loving and losing. Her nurturing mother. The stability of having a place to live and food to eat. Then her father had sent her away from him and her homeland. Now he was gone, too.
A light knock on the connecting door sounded, bringing her attention to the present.
“Thalia?” Her name on Mason’s lips hit her square in the chest. His voice matched his appearance, tough and imposing, and yet with her, he was always gentle. Always thoughtful. “May I come in?”
“Yes.” Nerves tangled through her. She was honest earlier when she said physical looks had never been a priority for her, but now with the dress caressing her body and the mirror reflecting her image, she wondered what he’d think. If she’d measure up to the women he’d dated before.
Mason stepped inside the door and a long rush of breath left his lungs. “Christ, Thalia.” His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard and stalked across the room. “You’re beautiful.” He stopped a few feet in front of her, always careful not to crowd her. Her heart was beating at a rapid clip as his words resonated. “Whether you’re in my shirt or a dress, you knock me back.”
She opened her mouth to speak, taking in the way his dark jeans clung to powerful thighs. The way his sleeves stretched over the muscles beneath his shirt and broad chest. Arms that had tucked her against his heart, making her feel safe as opposed to trapped. Words that had been on the tip of her tongue evaporated. “You don’t need to say those things.” She hated the breathless notes in her voice. The desperation of wanting to believe that the appreciation in his gaze was real.
“No, I don’t.” He took a step closer, eyes centering on her. “But I can’t seem to stop myself.” Mason raised his hand, giving her time to object, before stroking his thumb along her chin. “Not with you.”
“Mason,” she whispered, not able to manage words with her throat so tight. Something flashed in his eyes when she spoke his name. The air snapped with electricity so thick it was difficult to draw in a breath. Anticipation had goose bumps unraveling over her skin as they stared in each other’s eyes. She was sure he was going to come nearer, maybe try to kiss her. Instead of fear, warmth rushed through her belly and settled between her hips. She’d never experienced this kind of physical longing before, but she knew she wanted to explore it with this man.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, eyes dark and penetrating.
“That you’re beautiful, too.” Emboldened by the heat sparking beneath the blue depths of his eyes, she stepped closer. “But it’s your gentle heart that’s making my own beat so fast.”
His gaze dropped to her lips before lifting again. “I don’t want to misread what’s happening right now.” He offered her his hand, sparks kindling over her skin when she slid her palm against his. Instead of lacing his fingers with hers, he guided her hand, placing it over the left side of his chest. Her eyes widened as his heart pounded against her palm, nearly matching the pace of hers. “But this reaction, my heart all but beating out of my chest, has never happened before with another woman.” He sucked in a ragged breath. “Before we even left U.S. soil, I saw your picture and was frantic to get to you. Now that I have, it’s like something has clicked into place. I know myself well enough to understand that what I’m feeling isn’t because of some visa. I want to kiss you, Thalia, but if that’s not what you want, it doesn’t have to happen. Don’t want you to ever do something you don’t feel with your heart and soul.”
She didn’t trust her voice, but she lifted her hands to frame his face, stroking her thumbs over the coarse hair of his beard. “I haven’t had many choices in my life.” His eyes darkened as she spoke. Black eclipsing the blue of his irises. “This is one I want to make for me.” She rocked onto her tippy toes and pressed her lips to his. The subtle touch faded everything else from her mind except for the man in front of her. Beneath one hand, his heart hammered against her skin. The other, resting along his hard jaw, vibrated with the low growl that rumbled past his throat.
She blinked. How could such a small kiss make her feel so bright? Like she was glowing from the inside out and desperate for more. “Was that…right?” she stammered.
The flat of his palm was on the small of her back. His other on the back of her head. “Everything, Thalia,” he murmured against her lips, sending tingles spiraling through her. “Everything about you is right.” He kissed her forehead, then her chin, finally moving back to her lips. The way he pressed several slow, almost delicate kisses along her mouth before teasing her lips open and slipping his tongue against hers made time seem to come to a crawling stop. Sensation swamped her. She had no idea a kiss could not only be felt against her lips but in her breasts and core too. Or maybe, it was only Mason that could make a kiss be felt through every inch of her body. She tilted her head, and his tongue delved deeper into her mouth. She could taste peppermint, nearly matching the shower-fresh scent surrounding her, surprisingly sweet for such a masculine man.
