12 Lady Vasquez of Bornos

  Joseph’s eyes glared with interest. He tilted his head, waiting for her to say more. “Everyone knows a Pedlar or two, sí?” Lady Vasquez said.

  “Yes,” Joseph said, knowing she was referring to the same Pedlar but was acting mysterious for some reason.

  “Not all have healing powers.”

  Joseph’s gaze didn't leave hers. She took another sip of her drink, and he grew impatient. “How could you possibly know the Pedlar?” he asked, unable to control his curiosity.

  “I have used his help myself.”

  “He has saved your life too?”

  “So he really has saved your life.”

  “I thought we were past that at this moment.”

  “You said it was an old maid’s tale.”

  “I was dying. Do I look dead to you now?”

  She looked at him from head to toes. “Not really,” she said with a mischievous smile.

  “Are you here to play games with me?”

  “Partly.”

  Joseph shook his head and crossed the winery to the other side to look at other rows of alcohol. He didn’t want to be the target of her trifling.

  “A few years ago, I fell quite ill with the flu,” Lady Vasquez said, meaning to interest him again, but Joseph ignored her. “I was almost about to die. The physicians told my parents that only a miracle could save me. And that miracle happened. The Pedlar was in our city, and he was brought to me to help me.”

  Joseph stopped searching and turned around to face her. “He was in Spain?”

  “He goes everywhere.”

  Joseph thought for a few seconds. “Is he like a tinker?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “What does he get out of this?”

  She shrugged. “Fortune, perhaps?”

  “So, he’s choosing to waste all his time by going around the world to save foreigners?”

  “One could find strange ways to fulfill one’s life. We’re not the judges here.”

  “Is it worth all the traveling? He could settle in a shop or a… a—”

  Lady Vasquez laughed.

  “What?” Joseph asked.

  “They say men become obsessed about what they do not know.”

  “I am not obsessed. I merely want to know the man in hood. Am I the only one curious about him?”

  “Yes. No one dares find out the Pedlar's identity. They only want his help. Are you in need of his help?”

  “No.”

  “Then leave it.”

  Joseph sighed. “I only want to know why he wasn’t in town when my son got sick.”

  Lady Vasquez put her drink away and approached Joseph. “I’m sorry. But it won’t bring back your son.”

  “Then he should have let me die.”

  “She won’t help unless under strict circumstances.”

  Joseph looked up at her. “She?”

  “Yes.”

  “She pretends to be a man to protect herself.”

  “She never said she was a woman or a man.”

  “Where else could she possibly go? Is she even from England?”

  “How could I know?”

  “You just told me you know her.”

  “I meant that I’ve encountered her.”

  Joseph got more curious with each answer from Lady Vasquez. He stepped toward her and stood in front of her. “Is she from Spain?” he asked with a low tone, his eyes demanding the truth while holding a serious expression.

  Lady Vasquez chuckled softly. “I’m flattered, Lord Mainwood. But I’m not her.”

  “Would she reveal her identity to a stranger?”

  “Indeed, she would not.”

  “Then it could be you, Lady Vasquez.”

  “I spend all my time indoors. My adventures don’t exceed the walls.”

  “Then tell me who she is.”

  “I wouldn’t possibly know.”

  “You know.” Joseph took another step toward her, and they were only a foot apart. “You know too much. You are not a pretty face. You’re an intelligent woman hiding in the shadows of the Duke.”

  “Choose your next words very wisely, Lord Mainwood.”

  “I thought I already have.”

  Lady Vasquez clenched her jaw, finding it hard to be mad at him. She closed the distance between them in two slow steps. Joseph looked down at her eyes and suddenly realized how attractive she was. Her skin was tanned, and her eyes were blue, just like his dead wife’s. Her hair was brown, and she had the most daring gaze. One could drown in the ocean of her eyes. She deserved to be the duchess, Joseph thought. She deserved much more than the silly duke.

  Lady Vasquez adored Joseph for everything he was; a courageous gentleman with no fear of speaking his mind. He respected her and didn’t undermine her like the duke would. She walked to the side of the winery, leaving him in anticipation. He followed her with his eyes as she bowed in front of the rows and after a few seconds grabbed one. With slow steps, she returned to the same spot, standing too close to him.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  “Dime, Joseph,” she said in her beautiful Spanish accent, and Joseph’s heart thumped fast at hearing his first name from her. “Is this what you were looking for?” she whispered, holding the bottle before him.

  It was a very old-looking bottle. He grabbed it from Lady Vasquez's hand, and a smile appeared on his lips.

  “An intelligent lady, indeed,” he said. “I’ve been looking for this for an hour. How did you know where it was?”

  “I have my ways,” she said, resting her hands on his chest. Joseph gulped hard, surprised by the intimacy. The drink didn’t matter much anymore when a beautiful siren had caged him with her aura.

  “Someone could enter, Lady Vasquez,” he warned, looking at her lashes that hid the mischief in her eyes.

  “Sí.” She lowered one hand enough to touch his belt. Joseph was suddenly interested in her. He wanted to see what else she could do. Her hand sank even more and touched him between his legs. Joseph hissed through his teeth, liking her teasing more than the idea of the best alcohol in the world.

  “Will you not stop me?” she purred against his chest, and he wanted to curse, but he didn’t. At least, he thought he didn’t.

  “You’ve chosen the wrong man to stop you,” Joseph said, breathing heavy and hard.

  “Are you that drunk that you can’t refuse me?”

  “I’m sober enough to know I want you.”

  She smiled and got even closer to him. Joseph wanted her, but he didn’t want to ruin the wedding that was about to happen. “No,” he said and stopped her hand. “It can’t happen. You are the Duchess of Nowkey. I can’t.”

  “I haven’t married the Duke yet.”

  “You will marry him.”

  “Yes. And now I’m here.”

  “You are a lady.”

  “Do not worry,” she said as she placed her hand back on the bulge of his trousers and rubbed.

  “Ugh,” Joseph groaned in pleasure, and she smiled.

  “I could be the end of you right here,” she said with a playful smile.

  She enjoyed having control over him. There was no fear or resistance from Joseph. He made it clear that he wouldn’t stop her. She loosened his trousers and dared insert her hand low enough to touch his manhood. Joseph cursed this time, and she smiled again.

  “I could ask the guards to have your neck for being alone in here with me,” she said.

  “You can do as you wish, My Lady,” Joseph said, showing no sign of hesitation. She thought he was too lost that he couldn’t think properly. But Joseph didn’t care. The worst thing that could happen was for the Duke to duel with Joseph and kill him. Joseph already wished to die and almost succeeded once. Passing away was peace for him.

  Lady Vasquez cupped around his manhood and rubbed enough for him to lose his ability to stand. He stepped backward and leaned against the rows of alcohol. She followed him and pressed her body against his to feel his heat. Her hand caught the bottle of alcohol from his so it wouldn’t fall and make a noise. She placed it on one of the empty spaces behind Joseph without parting her gaze from him.

  Joseph never expected to have Lady Vasquez that close. She continued to pleasure him while rubbing against him. With her other hand, she traced Joseph’s lips and then forced his head to lower so she would access his mouth.

  Joseph looked down at her beautiful eyes and wondered if she really wanted to kiss him. She ended his doubts and kissed him gently, her lips brushing against his. Then her tongue entered his mouth, teasing him and building more thirst inside him. His hands finally grabbed her waist and pulled her closer.

  She finally had won, and his guards were down now. He lifted her so she would match his height. Her lips were experienced and seductive like no woman had ever been. She could seduce anyone by only calling their name. His hands were getting tired, so he placed her on a table and immediately started kissing her again.

  She felt so different than Margaret. Joseph couldn’t stop remembering his wife while making love to another woman. He realized that Lady Vasquez felt so unimaginably good that it made his conscience sting. While their mouths were drinking their souls from one another, she lifted her dress and grabbed Joseph’s hand to place it on her entrance. He found her wet and broke the kiss, looking down at her womanhood. It wasn’t clear with all the layers of her dress and the closeness.

  Joseph was astonished by the intimate act. As a man in his late thirties, he was too amateur. Lady Vasquez noticed his gauche behavior. Teaching him how to make love thoroughly was thrilling for her. She instructed his hand to rub on her clit, and he did. Her breath shortened as Joseph’s hand followed her instructions. He made circles on her clit, small but firm. Her lips parted. She was giving him direction for her pleasure, and he was complying without questions. She bared one of her breasts and put Joseph’s other hand on it.

  Joseph cupped her firmly without teasing or playing. He wasn’t much familiar with the ways a woman could be pleased but tried to do his best. Lady Vasquez found his firm grip satisfying and moaned while keeping him closer to herself. She was close to coming but didn’t want it that soon. Being with Joseph was exciting for her. So, she helped Joseph take off his trousers. Then she pulled him closer so she would feel his hardness on her private parts.

  Joseph almost bit his tongue when his manhood rested between her thighs. “Are you sure about this, My Lady?” he asked while holding her face close enough to feel her breath on his face.

  “Enterame, Joseph,” Lady Vasquez moaned in her sweet voice, and that was it for him. He didn’t want to restrain himself anymore, so he removed his cock from her skin and entered her smoothly. She watched him insert his cock into her shamelessly and gasped in shame and desire. Joseph grunted in pleasure. Lady Vasquez sure felt like the best woman he had ever made love to. No one else made him feel like that, lost in desire and panting for air.

  She wasn’t a virgin, and Joseph thanked God for it. Although most of his beliefs had faded over time, he still had some morals he believed in, and staining a lady’s virtue was a red line for him.

  He started moving his hips back and forth. Lady Vasquez loved Joseph’s attempt at making her feel good. Men mostly didn’t consider the women’s pleasure. But Joseph was different. She was attracted to him more than she had anticipated and wanted to feel more. So, she helped by spreading her legs wider and allowing more access. Joseph thrust continuously, and she moaned with the sweetest voice he had ever heard.

  “We must stop,” Joseph said, not stopping nor slowing down but kissing her again more passionately.

  “Yes,” she moaned between his kisses, which didn’t sound honest. “Yes, yes! Joseph! We must stop!” Her cries were not asking for a stop; They asked for a release, and Joseph knew it.

  He didn’t stop until her head lolled back, and her body tightened, shaking in his hold while reaching orgasm. His name became a moan on her mouth, and he loved the sound of it. Joseph wanted to end their lovemaking and stop without finishing himself, but she kept him closer so he would have his pleasure too. He thrust in and out with firmer moves, and with a loud groan, he came too.

  “Dios mío,” she whispered while her head was close to his, breathing hard.

  Joseph pulled his head back and looked into her eyes. She was flushed red and out of breath. Her hair was messy, and her beautiful long forehead was sweaty. He never thought he could affect her like this. Her lips parted, and there was a hint of satisfaction and need for more in her eyes.

  “Me quisiera saborearte,” she said, and Joseph stared at her. “La próxima vez,” she added with a smile as her hand caressed his face. “I never thought you were such a passionate man. When I saw you years back, you barely looked me in the eyes.”

  Joseph gazed into her eyes. “I was married, and you were a child.”

  “You didn’t seem much close to your wife either.”

  He wasn’t close to his wife. He had never made spontaneous love to his wife. That was what made his conscience hurt. He had never felt such desire for Margaret. He had tried to wash all his guilt away with alcohol, but Lady Vasquez resurfaced them.

  “What has your mind occupied, Joseph?” Lady Vasquez asked. She held his face between her hands and caressed his lips with her thumbs.

  Joseph cupped her breast again and squeezed gently. When her mouth opened in pleasure, he caught her lips and kissed her passionately. His hand kept busy on her chest, and she had never been happier about it.

  He broke the kiss and fixed her dress on her chest so she wouldn’t be naked at any part. Lady Vasquez didn’t like the interruption. He wiped her lips with his thumb and fixed her hair.

  “Don’t tell me you think this was a mistake,” she said when she saw his seriousness.

  “I would never say that. It was the nicest thing that happened to me in a very long time,” he said. “I thought I would never be interested in another woman again. But you are something different. I feel every cell in my body awaken in your presence. You shall tidy when you get out. I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me.”

  She stopped his hand on her dress and made him look at her. “You only worry about me?”

  “I don’t have much to lose.”

  “You could lose your life.”

  “I never thought I could charm a beautiful, intelligent lady such as you, Gabriella,” he said while brushing her cheek. “Your smile was enough to enlighten my darkened heart. If it’s the price, then I shall pay it gladly.”

  She smiled. “Are you trying to persuade me to give you answers?”

  Joseph traced Gabriella’s lips with his fingers. “My humble existence could never coax Your Grace.”

  Lady Vasquez caressed his hair and then his chin. Her body was close to his again as she whispered, “The hood lives in Asia.”