Chapter 4

Light filtered in through the small window as Victoria slipped out of Diego's arms. Wincing with each step, she glanced outside and frowned. It was still raining. Not the horrific downpour of last night, but a heavy, steady rain nonetheless. She didn't expect anyone would bother to visit the tavern today but she needed to make sure she cleaned things up downstairs just in case.

The door to her room was wide open and she slipped through it without waking the sleeping man and closed it behind her so he would not hear her work.

After gathering and folding the blankets they'd used during the night, she set about to finding her discarded clothing. She winced with nearly every step, hoping that she would not always feel this way after such a pleasurable night. It being her first time, she had only been aware that there would be initial pain, not of any that would linger after the deed was done. She slipped into her clothes and then went into the kitchen to fetch a basin of water to clean herself.

Oddly, there was a pleasant aroma behind the curtain and she grinned when she noticed the soup pot she had put on to simmer last night was nearly dry of all its liquid. She swiftly collected a pot full of rain water and placed it over the newly lit fire. It took little time for the water to heat well enough for her to use and she removed her dirty clothes and washed herself, careful to gingerly attend to the sore areas first.

When she'd finished, she turned around to find Diego staring at her with a devilish grin.

"I'm sorry, would you have preferred to bathe me?" She smiled coyly as she replaced the pot over the fire. Her eyes raked over his muscular form finding to her disappointment that he'd donned his pants before entering the kitchen. At least his shirt was open and un-tucked.

"Every day for the rest of my life," He crossed the distance between them and enveloped her in his arms.

"Mmm," Victoria rubbed her cheek against his chest and sighed. "If only we could start today."

Diego smiled slowly. "We can."

Victoria glanced up at him hopefully.

"We'll work it out. I promise you." He trailed a long finger down her cheek and over her lips. "But first I need to see if there is anything I can do about that collapsed ceiling in the store-room."

"It's still raining," Victoria reluctantly pulled herself out of his arms and glanced down at his rumpled clothes. "And you have no change of clothes if you go out there and get soaked again."

His eyes flashed and she could see him thinking of how he could talk his way out of her logic. She pulled the pot off the fire and handed it to him with a wide smile, "Go wash up and by the time you're done, I'll have breakfast ready."

He nodded, took the pot and walked into the dining area while she began to toss ingredients into the skillet for their meal. A few minutes later, a sharp knock at the front doors caused her to look up sharply. She heard Diego call out to let her know he would get it. She smiled and resumed her meal-making. Before too long, she could hear voices in the dining room and she frowned. She was looking forward to a little more time alone with Diego but it appeared he hadn't been able to get rid of whatever loco man decided to travel in this nasty storm.

"The alcalde wanted me to come check on the Señorita, Don Diego." Sergeant Mendoza's voice echoed through the empty tavern. When he burst through the curtain, Victoria whirled on him, spatula in her hand, eyes narrowed. "Oh."

"As you can see, the Señorita is doing perfectly fine." Diego caught Victoria's eyes and smiled knowingly.

"Well, I'm just doing what the alcalde said." Mendoza shrugged.

"Obligated to follow the alcalde's absurd orders even in a thunderous downpour, hmm?" Diego smiled and clasped the lancer on the shoulder. "Why don't you go out and take a seat. Victoria was just making breakfast. She'll bring you out a plate as soon as its finished."

Had Mendoza been paying the least bit of attention, he would have noticed the smoldering look that passed between Diego and Victoria. Instead, he was thinking only of his stomach; he rubbed it and walked out, licking his lips all the way.

Diego crossed the distance between them quickly and slid his fingers around the spatula-holding wrist. "We need to be more careful." He whispered urgently and she huffed, regarding him with an exasperated stare.

"I am not the one that looks so handsome standing there with my shirt hanging open to my waist!" She whispered hotly, eyes dancing.

"Yes, well I should be thankful Mendoza didn't notice my state of undress," Diego mused with a sad smile. There was nothing he wanted more in the world than to declare to the entire pueblo that he loved this woman. Soon, he promised himself. It would be soon.

Diego swallowed a chuckle and cast a quick look over his shoulder before pressing a long, sound kiss to her pouting lips. "I love you, querida. We'll talk later." He turned around and walked through the curtain, but not before he heard her whisper, "We'll do more than that."

Over an hour later, Victoria all but pushed Mendoza out the door, insisting that she needed no help. After all, Diego was here, had been her excuse. Mendoza had given her a wary look but thought it best not to argue with the fiery tempered señorita. A few other stray customers came in throughout the day, eager for her renowned cooking, but soon enough they left and Victoria heaved a sigh of relief. Eager to check on Diego, who had been working on the roof in her store room for most of the day, she locked the tavern door and made for the back room.

As she reached for the curtain separating the kitchen from the dining area, a sharp rasping outside the tavern front door could be heard. Victoria grumbled beneath her breath and contemplated not bothering to open it. But her concern for a wayward traveler won out over her desire to spend some more time alone with Diego, that she padded to the door, unbolted it and pulled it open.

"Felipe!" Victoria gasped, pulling the deaf mute inside quickly. The rain had slowed but the winds had not and they were currently blowing the rain sideways into the building, and into those standing in the doorway. "Come in, quickly!"

Felipe nodded and shivered slightly but his eyes were bright with expectation. Victoria led him to the fireplace, which had been going all day, and removed his cloak. Pulling a blanket from the pile beside the fire, she dropped it around his shoulders. "Stay here, I'm going to get you some warm soup!"

Felipe signed to her and she watched him carefully. It was not difficult to understand the boy when he raised his hand far above his head in a description of someone. Victoria chuckled and nodded. "Diego is out back. Fixing something for me." She cast a concerned glanced toward the kitchen. "Well, I hope he's fixing it. I'll get him."

Victoria returned with the soup quickly and Felipe leveled her with a concern stare, eyes darting toward the curtain and back again. "Yes, yes!" Victoria chuckled, "I'll get him right now!"

Victoria laughed all the way to the store-room where she pulled open the door and was met with a cold gust of wind. She shivered, pulling her shawl tightly around her shoulders. Diego glanced down at her from his perch at the rooftop and narrowed his eyes. "Victoria, its cold and damp out here, go back inside."

Victoria bristled at the command but when she glanced up at him, dripping wet, yet again, her anger subsided. He looked so handsome with his hair falling over his eyes, his white shirt soaked through so she could clearly see the firm lines outlining his muscular torso. "Oh Diego." She murmured. "Come inside this instant! You are going to be frightfully cold!"

Diego smiled at her and slowly maneuvered himself down from the rooftop and dropped a quick kiss to the corner of her mouth. "The memory of our evening has kept me sufficiently warm, señorita." He leveled her with a heated gaze that immediately sent a warm rush throughout her body.

Victoria flushed at his comment but immediately came to her senses when she remembered Felipe. "Oh! Felipe arrived not long ago."

Diego gently took her arm and led her inside, out of the damp, cold room. "Oh?"

Victoria nodded and preceded him into the dining area, procuring a blanket and offering it to him as he approached. "Felipe?" Diego questioned. "What are you doing out in this weather?"

Felipe signed too quickly for Victoria to completely understand, but she got the gist of it.

"My father was worried?" Diego laughed slightly. "Yes, well, I suppose he did expect me home last night." He cast a small smile at Victoria, "I ended up staying here trying to help Victoria with her flooding problem."

Felipe gestured sharply at Diego and the older man chuckled. "Yes, well, part of the roof collapsed and I've been in there trying to do my best to repair what I can." Felipe glanced over at Victoria and then back at Diego, a curious look in his dark eyes.

Diego smiled and trailed the back of his fingers down Victoria's cheek as she stepped beside him. The love radiating between the two was not lost on Felipe and his eyes widened. Diego grinned at the boy's shocked look. "Yes, she knows."

Felipe gestured quickly, wanting to know how and when and - Diego raised a hand to slow the boy's quick movements. "Please. Slow down." Diego chuckled as they all sat down to warm themselves by the fire. "I'll tell you all about it." Well, most of it, Diego thought amusedly.

TBC