What Happens in Mexico...Stays in Mexico

Chapter Ten

He kicked himself the whole next day for spilling his guts to Sharra.  It was too soon to tell her how he felt, that much was obvious by how she’d reacted to his revelation.  But another part of him was glad it was out in the open.  Even if her lack of response had made his chest ache, at least he’d been honest with her.  With this part of their relationship.  He could only hope that it would mean something when the rest of the truth came out.

They spent the day meandering through the smaller villages outside of the main city of Puerto Vallarta.  Matt wanted to make sure they were out of sight, but he couldn’t keep Sharra locked up in the hotel room.  Then she really would become suspicious.  He hadn’t told her yet about the two plane tickets he’d booked for the following day.  Not sure how she’d take the sudden departure, he’d decided to tell her at dinner so they could have one last fun day together.  He wanted her to remember Mexico with joy…not with fear.

He could only hope the thugs that had been after them in the jungle weren’t keeping a watch on the airport.  Things could get dicey if that happened.  As is was, he was going to have some explaining to do about why the tickets were for a flight to San Francisco instead of Fresno, but he had no intention of letting her go back to good old Frank.  Not yet.  Not until he could make her understand they were meant to be together.

He glanced over at Sharra as she perused a display of handmade local jewelry.  Necklaces, bracelets and earrings of brightly polished silver and natural stones of every color you could imagine all glistened in the afternoon sun.  The owner kept up a steady patter of broken English and Spanish as he smiled widely, trying to interest the American lady in his wares.  Sharra only smiled politely and nodded, but her eyes sparkled with interest.

When he saw her stroke a narrow bracelet of intricately woven silver set with amethyst and topaz stones, he grinned.  Her eyes softened and went dreamy.  The jeweler also noted the change and his face brightened.  His spiel came even faster as he lifted it from the cloth display case and almost shoved the bracelet at Sharra.  Her backwards step made her bump into Matt and he chuckled as he ran his hands up her arms to her shoulders.

“Let me handle this,” he soothed.

Sharra blew out a relieved breath.  “Sorry.  I’m not good at bargaining.  They intimidate me.”

“I didn’t think you were afraid of anything.”

“Sure I am.”  She nodded decisively.  “Spiders, tornadoes and people who can’t properly merge onto the highway.  But bargaining, most of all.”

He laughed out loud at her whimsy.  “Then let me take care of this, honey.  I’ll make the bad man go away.”

She giggled, making his heart turn upside down.  Tucking her behind him, he smiled winningly at the eager seller.  “Cuánto para la pulsera?”

Sharra smiled as the jeweler went into an impassioned speech about his wares.  Matt listened closely, then shook his head, answering him in smooth perfect Spanish that made Sharra sigh in envy.  If she ever made it back to Mexico, she promised herself she’d know more than just how to order a beer or ask where a bathroom was.  It was one of the reasons shopping here intimidated her.  She didn’t like not knowing what was actually being said.  And it made her very uncomfortable to have to tell one of the shop keepers no when she wasn’t sure what she was saying no to.

Matt however wasn’t having any trouble at all.  He spoke Spanish almost as quickly as the jeweler did and the conversation was filled with good humor and laughter.  Sharra watched in amazement as Matt nodded and took the bracelet out of the smaller man’s hand.  Turning, he gave her a sly grin as he clasped it on her wrist.

“I never did get you a wedding present.”

She stared down at the beautiful jewelry and her heart melted.  “Oh, Matt.  I shouldn’t—”

“Don’t even think about refusing it,” he interrupted.  Lifting her hand, he pressed a soft kiss to the inside of her wrist above the shiny bracelet.  “I love you.  I want to buy this for you.  He dropped a harder one on her lips.   “Please.”

She sighed and ran her finger tip over the smooth silver.  “I don’t know.  It just looks too expensive.”

“A husband is supposed to buy expensive gifts for his wife.”  Turning, he grinned at the jeweler and rattled off a few more words in Spanish. 

To Sharra’s surprise, the man laughed and snatched up the matching necklace and earrings.  Her mouth dropped open as he wrapped them carefully in some paper and dropped them in a small bag.  “Matt!  You can’t.  It’s too much.”

Peeling off several bills, he handed them to the now effusive jeweler.  “You’re worth every penny, sweetheart.  I plan to spoil you as much as I can.”

Looking up, she saw the determination in his eyes.  But to her shock, behind that was a hint of vulnerability, something that made her go all soft and squishy inside.  Without another word, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face against his chest.  “Thank you,” she whispered.  “I’ve never had someone treat me the way you do…ever.”

He hugged her tightly.  “Get used to it.  I love you.”

She gave a shaky laugh.  “I guess I better get used to that too.”

“Damn straight.”

Leaning back, she lifted her hand to caress his cheek.  “I’m trying to understand what I feel for you, and when you do things like this…”  Her voice trailed off.

“Does it bother you?”

“No.”  The word burst out quickly.  “No.  I have to admit I like it.  But…”  She went quiet again.

“Not something you’re used to?”

He’s right.  The realization burst inside her making her throat clog with tears.  How could he see her so clearly?  No one, least of all Frank, had ever treated her like she was special.  Like she was someone they couldn’t live without.  But Matt had done so from the very beginning.  He acted like she was a precious treasure…something of infinite value to him.  And when he gazed down at her with those intense gray eyes, she felt like she was the very center of his world.  What woman wouldn’t want a man to love her like that? 

“Sharra?”

“No,” she finally answered.  “I’m not used to it.  It may take a while but…I think I’d like to try, if you still do.”

Matt’s gut clenched in a mixture of passion and pleasure.  For the first time in their relationship Sharra wasn’t talking as if they would walk away from each other when the vacation ended.  Hope raced through him and giving into it, he slanted his lips across hers in a passion-filled kiss.  “You won’t be sorry, honey.  I swear.  Just remember I love you, no matter what happens from now on.”

Her brow furrowed as her eyes searched his.  “What do you mean?”

“Nothing.  Don’t worry.  I’m just glad you’re giving us the chance.  I promise I’ll make it right.”

“What?”

He realized he was rambling and snapped his mouth shut quickly.  Pulling her into his arms, he only sighed.  “I love you, Sharra.  That’s all.”

She snuggled closer.  “That’s enough…for now.”

***

“Will you wear this dress for me?”

Matt’s deep voice came from behind her and Sharra jumped.  She glanced up from where she was creaming lotion on her tanned legs and gave a throaty murmur of delight.  “Dress?  What dress?” she whispered.  “All I can see is you.”

Gorgeous…there was just no other word.  When freshly shaved and showered he was always a delight to her eyes, yet tonight, with the setting sun behind him, and the scent of wild jasmine in the air, he was even more special.  Used to seeing him in casual clothes, she almost gaped at the picture he made now.

He was outfitted in a pair of white slacks, crisply pressed, that hugged his butt and strong thighs like a lover.  He also wore a traditional Mexican white overshirt—long sleeved and full, yet because he was built so powerfully, it still showed off his muscular chest and strong arms.  A smile touched her lips when she saw the colorful scarf belted around his trim waist, hanging off to one side.  Leather sandals graced his tanned feet.  She sighed. 

“I’ll have to beat the ladies off you with a stick.  You look wonderful.”

His neck went red as he grinned.  “Thanks.  But if you put this on, I bet I’ll have the same problem.  All the men will be drooling for sure.”

She tore her eyes off her handsome lover and couldn’t help the smile that jumped to her lips as she looked at the dress he held.  “Oh, Matt.  It is beautiful.”

And it was.  As traditional looking as Matt’s outfit, the cotton dress was so white, it shone in the lamplight.  Full-skirted with intricate white lace at the hem, neckline and sleeves, it was the most feminine dress she had ever seen.  The bodice was full, yet tapered down tightly at the waist, and the neckline was wide and elasticized, meant to be pulled low over the shoulders so Sharra’s shapely shoulders could be seen.  A shawl made of a lace as fine as a spider web and a pair of white leather sandals completed the ensemble.

“Where did you find this?”  She gently stroked the soft material.  “It’s exquisite.”

He dropped a kiss on her lips.  “As pretty as the one who will wear it.  Will you?  I have somewhere special to take you.”

“How can I say no?  Especially when you look so handsome in your clothes.”

Matt grinned again.  “Great!  Can you be ready to leave in a half an hour?  We have an appointment.”

Raising her eyebrow, she noted the surpressed excitement about him.  What was he up too?  “Where are we going?”

He smiled wider.  “It’s a surprise.”

“Will I like it?”

To her astonishment, the smile disappeared and a look of vulnerability replaced it.  He cupped her chin in his hand as he kissed her again.  “I hope so, baby.  I really hope so.”

Reacting instinctively to the worry in his eyes, she gave him a quick hug.  “Don’t worry.  I’ll be all set in a flash.  I can’t wait to see what you have planned for us.”

True to her word, she was ready well within the time he’d given her.  When she stepped out of the little bathroom, the look in Matt’s eyes when he first saw her was worth every bit of fuss and work she’d gone too. 

She’d put her hair up in a red-gold coil on top of her head and allowed stray curls to fall down around her face.  Discreet makeup added soft color to her eyes and face and a slight touch of peach lip gloss gave her mouth a pretty glow.  The dress fit as if it had been designed just for her.  She knew she’d never looked better.

“You’re beautiful,” he said hoarsely.  “More beautiful than I imagined.”

Her cheeks glowed pinker from his compliment.  “Thank you.  The dress makes it easy.”

“No, what’s in it makes all the difference.”  Walking over, he took her hand in his and kissed it in a courtly gesture.   “I love you.”

The emotion in his voice made her throat clog.  “Oh, Matt.  You make me feel like I’ve swallowed the stars.”

His eyes darkened and tipping up her chin, he grazed his mouth across hers.  “Then I’ve done my job.  Ready to go?”

“Can you tell me where yet?”

He shook his head.  “Nope.  Still a surprise.  But I have something else for you to tide you over.”  He handed her an object wrapped in another colorful scarf.

Carefully, she unwrapped it and gasped as an elegant white lace fan with swirls of vivid color appeared.  “A fan?  I love fans.”

“It’s…ummm…hot out there tonight.  Thought you could use it.”  Color had crept into his face as he spoke and he wouldn’t meet her eyes.  She wondered at his nervousness, but the beauty of the gift kept her from asking any questions.

“Thank you, Matt.  I’ll treasure it.”

He placed the lace shawl around her shoulders and then guided her from the room and down the stairs.  To Sharra’s surprise everyone they saw smiled broadly and waved at them.  A few shouted out the words, Bendiciones en su vida junto.

“What are they saying?” she asked Matt.

He opened the hotel door but didn’t look at her.  “Just telling us to have a good time.  They’re a friendly people.”

She glanced behind her and waved.  “I guess.”

“Your ride awaits, my lady.”

Turning back around, she saw Matt standing next to a short dark local man.  Both had enormous grins on their faces.  They stepped apart and Sharra blinked in astonishment.  Behind them was a carriage.  It had once been white, but now was more of a dull gray color.  It was decorated with fake flowers and white ribbons of the same dirty color.  A swayback brown horse drooped disinterestedly in front of it.  He wore a straw hat with a feather that looked as if it had been around since Mexico was discovered.  The thought crossed her mind that the horse might fall over dead before they reached wherever they were going.

But the smile and anxious look on her lover’s face kept her from making any smart comments.  Her heart melted at the trouble he’d gone to.  Their eyes met, hers filled with tears.  “You did this for me?”

He pulled her close to him.  “I thought you’d like a romantic ride around the city.”

She kissed him.  “You thought right.  This will be a night I’ll never forget.”

END OF CHAPTER TEN

* Chapter One * Chapter Two * Chapter Three * Chapter Four * Chapter Five * Chapter Six * 

* Chapter Seven * Chapter Eight *  Chapter Nine *  Chapter Ten * Chapter Eleven *

* Chapter Twelve * Chapter Thirteen * Chapter Fourteen * Chapter Fifteen * Chapter Sixteen *

* Chapter Seventeen * Epilogue *