Man of Passion (28 page)

Rafe
smiled slightly now as the egret walked on yellow stilt-like legs toward the red tile path that led up to the porch. He saw the quiet happiness on Ari's rapt features as she watched the proud bird move with dignity and grace. As he gazed at Ari, his mind drifted back to the confrontation with
Worthington
. Ben had challenged him about what he would do to keep Ari safe if she decided to marry him and live in
Brazil
.
Rafe
had been thinking a lot about that on his own and he discussed some ideas he had with the man. If the cocaine factories of the valleys to the north of his camp could be destroyed, and the Valentino Brothers put out of business, the bulk of the murdering and kidnapping in his region would end.

Worthington
gave him a wolf smile over his statement and told him that a top-secret project, which had been years in the planning, was about to occur. The Brazilian government was going to team up with the
U.S.
and go after the very cocaine factories
Rafe
spoke about.
Worthington
, in his position in the Pentagon, had supported this eradication mission from the start. The fact that he didn't want his only remaining daughter out in the rain forest hunting for orchids one day, only to be snatched away by drug lords and placed into chains to work in a cocaine factory, made him even more supportive of the plan to go forward.
Rafe
was shocked by the news, but grateful, for it answered his concerns for Ari's safety.
Worthington
said that the selection of people to work with the Brazilian government was occurring as he spoke.

Knowing that,
Rafe
promised Ari's father he would not take her to his encampment near the
Juma
village until the joint mission had been launched and was successful. He would go down five days a week and return home to
Manaus
—and her—on weekends, until the balance of power in the basin was changed with military might. Ben had said that was reasonable. He'd shaken
Rafe's
hand and said that he'd come down to
Manaus
with a lot of prejudice toward
Rafe
, but after meeting him, he could see the possibility of Ari marrying him.

Having
Worthington
's blessing helped,
Rafe
thought, feeling somewhat more at ease about the proposal he was about to make. He watched as the egret suddenly spread her three-foot wings and lifted off the grassy lawn, obviously startled by
Rafe's
approach.

"I think he saw me coming," he called to Ari, so he didn't frighten her as well.

"
Rafe
!"
Ari twisted around. "Where have you been?"

He smiled tenderly and sat beside her. "Busy," he told her enigmatically, holding the jewelry box between his hands. "How is the drawing going?" He gazed at the pure white orchid with a purple spotted lip that she had sitting on the table in front of her.

"Fine."
Ari brushed some tendrils of hair away from her cheek as the sluggish breeze moved through the patio. They had shared lunch out here two hours ago. Usually
Rafe
puttered around in the small garden nearby pulling weeds, or he sometimes took a walk into the rain forest to simply commune with nature. She reached out and touched his shaved jaw. "So, what have you been up to? You look like the cat that caught the canary."

He looked down at his hands. "I can't fool you, can I,
mi
flor
?
"

Ari slid her arm across his shoulders and leaned against his tall, strong frame. "Not often," she admitted. "What are you hiding in your hands?"

His heart raced a little to underscore the sudden anxiety he felt as her fingertips brushed his closed hands. Turning to her, he slid his left arm around her, their knees touching.
"A gift for you, Ari.
At least, I hope you see it as a gift…."

As
Rafe
met and held her gaze, Ari saw such tenderness burning in the depths of his cinnamon-colored eyes that her breath hitched momentarily. She saw the nervousness in the line of his full, strong mouth, in the perspiration dotting his brow.

"A gift?" she whispered excitedly. "But you've given me so many already,
Rafe
!"

That was true. He showered her with small gifts. Oh, they didn't cost money, because on his salary he could not buy her expensive things. No, he looked for ways, daily, to tell her of his love for her. Sometimes it was a new orchid that he would receive from one of the tug captains who plied the
Amazon River
. Other times, he would cut
flowers from
the garden, put them in a vase in her bedroom and wait for her to discover them. Some days, he would make her favorite breakfast, quiche with spinach and bacon.
Or her favorite dessert, butterscotch pudding.

"You are a gift to me," he told her in a low, serious tone. He watched her eyes widen beautifully and her pink lips part. "And I was thinking, while standing and watching you and the egret, of how much of a miracle you are in my life, Ari. How much—" he swept his hand toward his humble house "—the past three months have meant to me." He sobered and looked down at her. "I hope they have been happy months for you as they have for me."

Touched, she leaned her brow against his shoulder, her hand resting on his hairy forearm. "I've never been happier,
Rafe
. You know that. Even after the shock of finding out my father had hired you to protect me I forgave you and him. I understand why you did it."

He slid his hand across her jaw and eased it up so that her gaze met his, then he smiled a little. "I'm glad I agreed to be your guard dog." Then, becoming more serious, he whispered, "I don't take what we share for granted,
mi
flor
.
Every day I wake up and you are here is a miracle come true for me." Releasing her chin, he held up the velvet box.

"And because you are the miracle in my life, I'm asking for your hand in marriage." He opened the box with some difficulty, his hand shaking slightly. As he opened it, he heard Ari gasp.

Her hand flew to her mouth. There on the green velvet sat a gold ring with seven small, faceted blue-green stones. "Oh,
Rafe
…" she cried softly.

"It's aquamarine, from a mine north of here.
The finest gemstone in the world."
He touched the stones carefully. "I wanted a wedding ring that reminded me of the beautiful color of your eyes,
mi
flor
.
In your eyes, I see hope. I see happiness with you." Choking, he rasped, "And I hope you see the same when you look at me." Picking up the delicate ring, he held it out to her and asked, "Ari, will you marry me? Will you be my wife?
The mother of our children, who will be welcomed with love between us?"
He anxiously searched her face, his heart pounding in his chest.

Tears stung her eyes. Her hands fell away from her mouth and her fingers closed around his and the ring he held out to her. There was such trepidation in
Rafe's
moist eyes. Shaken, she touched the ring. "This is so wonderful,
Rafe
. Yes…a hundred times yes, I'll marry you!" she sobbed.

Relief sheeted through him. He closed his eyes momentarily, his anxiety turning to an avalanche of joy. "Here, let me see if it fits correctly," he said, taking her left hand and gently easing the aquamarine ring onto her finger.

Her flesh tingled wildly as he eased the ring into place. Ari couldn't believe her ears. But her heart believed. She desperately loved
Rafe
. She knew the custom of his country was to be formal about engagements and marriage. And even more wonderful,
Rafe
would be able to announce the engagement to his family, as he and his father had found peace between them. When Sebastian Antonio had gotten word that his son lay dying in the ICU of a
Manaus
hospital, both he and his wife had rushed to his side. Ari had been there to see the tearful, happy reunion. By that time,
Rafe
had been healed and was recovering wonderfully. Ari had been privy to the moment when
Rafe's
father apologized and told
Rafe
he was no longer disowned, that he wanted his son back as a member of the family. Everyone had cried that morning, even Ari.

Gazing up at
Rafe
now, her smile soft, she held her hand up with the ring glinting upon it. "It's so beautiful,
Rafe
. I love it…." She reached out and slid her hands around his thick, powerful shoulders. "And I love you…with all my life, with every breath I take, my darling….

Her words were like sunlight enveloping him.
Rafe
allowed her wobbling words to sink into his consciousness. The tears in her eyes were real. With his thumbs, he eased the moisture away from her flushed cheeks. "I love you with my heart, my soul, my beautiful flower woman…." And he did. Still he was surprised when, moments later, Ari fluidly rose to her feet and gripped his hand.

"Come with me?
To my bedroom?
I want to love you,
Rafe
. I want to show you how much you mean to me." Ari wasn't sure he would say yes.
Rafe
had been so proper, so careful not to pressure her. Oh, they had shared warm, wonderful kisses and touching, but he never allowed his hands to stray to her breasts or anywhere else that was intimate or provocative. Ari knew that women saved themselves for marriage in
South America
. There was a wonderful anticipation in waiting, and now, as she stared down at him, smiling tenderly, she saw the shock of her words sink into him.

Feeling his fingers tighten momentarily around hers, she heard him ask, "Are you sure, Ari?"

Laughing softly, she answered, "I've never been more sure of anything, darling. I know you wait here in
South America
." She held the ring up to him. "But we're going to get married. And as scared as I am because I haven't much experience in loving a man, I want you lying beside me. I want your arms around me. I want to follow our kisses and see where they lead us."

Rising to his full height,
Rafe
caressed her flaming cheek. "There's no need to be afraid or unsure,
mi
flor
.
Just let your heart guide you and everything else will unfold like a blossom on a newly born flower…."

Within moments they were in Ari's large, spacious bedroom. The furniture was made of bamboo, the cushions brightly colored flower patterns. Ari especially loved the large, queen-size bed with the head and footboards made of gnarled liana vines that
Rafe
had cut and crafted. As they walked into her room, the mid-afternoon light making everything gauzy in appearance, Ari sat down on the thin quilt that covered the bed, running her hand lovingly over the fabric as she looked up at
Rafe
. He had told her that his grandmother had stitched this quilt fifty years before. He had grown up with it, and his grandmother used to bundle him up in it and rock him in her arms, when he was sick or just in need of comfort as a child. The quilt was composed of flowers that grew in
Brazil
. Some of them were orchids.

"I love this quilt," she whispered as she watched him unbutton his dark green cotton shirt. As he divested himself of it, she stared up at his powerful, well-sprung chest, which was covered with thick, black hair. After laying the shirt across one of the chairs near the foot of the bed, he turned. She saw the vivid red scar where the surgeons had cut into his flesh to save his life. Now
Rafe
was as stalwart and strong as when she'd first met him.

"It is a quilt filled with ageless love," he agreed in a deep voice. Unbuckling his belt and opening his trousers, he eased them off his legs. Ari's expression told him what to do next. Placing the trousers on the back of the chair, he approached her and eased her on to her back. "And loving you here is something I've dreamed of for so long," he whispered. How easy it was to slip each shell button through its buttonhole and open her pink cashmere sweater to reveal the white silk camisole beneath. Ari wore no bra. She never had, and
Rafe
applauded her stance. A woman's breasts were naturally beautiful and needed no confining. That, in his mind, was taming the innate wildness of a woman. He wanted his woman natural and free. As he removed the sweater he trailed his fingers to the thin straps of her camisole. "Loving you," he said darkly as he drew up the satiny garment and slipped it over her head, "is a miracle to me…."

Ari sighed as the silken edges of the camisole skimmed her breasts. Her nipples hardened in anticipation. She thought she'd feel embarrassed being undressed by
Rafe
, but just the opposite occurred. She slipped off her shoes and lay there as he eased her dark blue slacks away from her hips, down her knees and away from her feet. She closed her eyes, wanting only to feel his touch. It was butterfly light. The warmth and hardness of his thigh against hers as he leaned over her made her sigh with anticipation. Whatever fear and anxiousness she'd had before disappeared as she felt his roughened fingertips outline her collarbone.