Chapter 11
It was four days before Diego and his father came into the pueblo, both knew that Diego would be the centre of attention for some time to come. In those four days, Victoria had heard a lot of talk in the tavern, a lot of it was admiration for young Don. Respect, from a lot of people, had increased for Don Diego. There was a lot of speculation on the exact nature of their relationship, how long had they really known each other, were they or were they not lovers? Victoria herself was still stunned, she even wondered what it would be like to be kissed by Diego but she immediately quashed that thought. She felt that it was being disloyal to Zorro to even think about such things.
"Buenos dias gentlemen." Victoria smiled at father and son.
They both smiled back. "Hola Victoria, how are you?" Diego asked as his father found them a table.
"I'm fine Diego, and yourself?"
He shrugged. "I'm fine."
"Did you hear about Isabella?" Victoria asked quietly.
He nodded. "That somehow she escaped two days ago and hasn't been re-captured."
"Si...Diego do you think that Zorro helped her?"
He shook his head. "No, I don't think he did."
Victoria looked at her best friend curiously. "Why would you say that?"
He smiled gently. "Zorro stands for justice, Victoria and Isabella was Zorra. He wouldn't let her escape."
"Would she come here? I mean with you and she..."
Diego shook his head again. "No, she would not be able to come back here or anywhere in the territory. She would have to go elsewhere and start a new life."
"Oh. How do you feel Diego?" she said concerned.
He looked down, sighed. "It wouldn't have worked out between us."
"Why, the two of you made a nice couple." her voice had an edge to it.
Diego looked up startled. He needed to change the subject away from this dangerous topic. "Victoria is there anything wrong? You seem upset about something." he asked softly.
She looked up and saw the concern written on his face, she had to speak to someone. "Oh Diego, have you ever said something that you later regretted?" she asked sadly.
"Ah, have you and Zorro had an argument?" he whispered.
Victoria nodded. "Will he ever forgive me?"
He saw tears in her eyes, and wished he could wipe them away. "I would forgive you anything." he said under his breath.
Just then de Soto walked in and grinned when he saw Diego at the bar, talking with Victoria. "Ah, de la Vega, so you are out of hiding." he sneered.
Diego turned to de Soto. "I wasn't hiding Alcalde, there was work to be done around the ranch."
He snorted. "I'm sure there's plenty of work." he turned, saw a vacant table but glanced back at Diego. "You know de la Vega, I never knew you had it in you."
Diego looked at his old university friend. "What do you mean Alcalde?"
"Passion is what I mean, passion." he winked as he strode to the table.
Diego shook his head as he turned back to face Victoria and again he saw something cross her face, but it went to fast for him to recognise it.
"You know Diego, for once the Alcalde is correct." Victoria said as she handed him a glass of orange juice.
He took a careful sip. "What's that Victoria?"
"I mean, you and Isabella...well, you did surprise us with...with that kiss." She was flustered, her face red in embarrassment.
Diego hid his amusement. He supposed he should get use to these types of comments, he had a feeling there will be more of them. "Victoria." he said softly. "I do know how to kiss."
"You sure do." she whispered under her breath, but he heard the remark and hid his grin by taking another sip of orange juice. She had no idea that she had been kissed by Diego many times.
"Remember Victoria, I was once engaged to be married." With that he turned and walked over to his father but not before he saw that emotion flicker across her face again.
Was it jealousy? He thought as he sat down, if it was jealousy then must mean that she have some feelings for him, for Diego. He immediately controlled his own emotions, he couldn't let himself hope that Victoria could have feelings, other than brotherly, towards him. Then he recalled what Isabella had said, about making someone more jealous. Was Isabella was trying to tell him about Victoria, did she know something? He knew he was going to watch more closely for any signs of Victoria's change of heart. He also knew it was time that Zorro made up with Victoria.
Victoria watched Diego sit down beside his father. She had forgotten about his engagement, for he never mentions Zafira, not since she left with her husband a year ago. She knew that he had loved her once and it made her feel strange to think of him kissing Zafira, like he did with Isabella. Before she could work out why she felt that way, one of her patrons required her attention.
Later that night, Victoria was sitting on her bed, still dressed, holding her engagement ring in her hand, hoping that she can make everything right again with Zorro. "Oh please come Zorro, I need you." she whispered to herself as she slid the ring onto her third finger.
Zorro was outside her window watching her as she slid his mothers ring onto her finger. He smiled as he tapped on the window, opened it and climbed inside.
Victoria didn't rush into his arms as she normally would, but instead they stood looking at each other.
He saw her lower lip tremble and held out his arms to her. "Querida." he said softly.
"Oh Zorro." she sobbed as went into his warm embrace. He wrapped his arms around her shaking shoulders. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." she kept saying.
"Shhh, it's okay, mi preciosa." he whispered as he managed to sit them down on her bed, removed his hat as well as his gloves. He planted a soft kiss to her head and gently rocked her as she wept. 'Dios I love this woman so much, what I felt for Isabella, is nothing compared to the deep love that I have for Victoria' he thought as he pulled her closer and planted another kiss to her hair, whispered his love to her.
Before long Victoria stopped crying and she was calmer, more relaxed as Zorro continued rocking her gently. She tightened her arms around him, hugging him.
Zorro closed his eyes, enjoying her warm soft curves pressed against him.
As she pulled back slightly, she saw the love and compassion in Zorro's blue eyes as he gently caressed her face with his hand. "Querida..." he stopped when Victoria put her fingers to his lips. She moved back out of his strong arms and sat further along her bed. She looked at the man she loved more than anything else. She knew that she had hurt him with her words and hoped to make amends.
He watched her, he knew she needed to talk about what had happened, so he settled more comfortably on her bed. He reached out and held her hands. She gripped his hands like a lifeline as she looked into his eyes.
"Zorro, can you even forgive me for that night." she was afraid that he wouldn't. She was afraid that she would lose the man of her dreams.
He saw the fear, and squeezed her hands. "Victoria it's all forgiven and forgotten." his voice full of love.
She felt tears beginning to well again in her eyes as the sincerity of his words, of his forgiveness. She blushed lightly as she lowered her gaze, their hands still clasped together. "I...I was jealous, first when you...and Zorra, well Isabella, kissed in the plaza and you raced after her, but you didn't even notice me...And then later that night, I saw you with her, with Isabella." She shook her head. "I was so angry, so hurt at what I thought was...your betrayal...what I said was horrible of me...and when I found the pouch with the rings...oh Zorro."
He reached out his hand and gently brought her head up and met her eyes. "Please believe me, nothing happened between Isabella and me." He was amazed to see a small smile on her face at his confession.
"I know."
"What, how?" he was confused.
"When Isabella was in jail, we had a long talk, mostly about you."
"Hmm, I don't think I want to know what you discussed." he shifted uneasily on the bed.
Victoria smiled at his embarrassment. "Probably not, she told me that nothing happened between you but it seems that she fell in love with Diego de la Vega."
Zorro nodded. "I heard about the little kiss they shared." he felt somewhat guilty as he had enjoyed that kiss, although it couldn't compare to Victoria's burning kisses.
She stiffened. "It wasn't just a little kiss, Zorro."
This time Zorro caught the flicker of jealousy more openly across her face, he decided to see how far he could take it. "Mi preciosa, it sounds like you are jealous of Don Diego kissing the senorita. Should I be concerned?" he said lightly.
Victoria slapped him on the arm. "Jealous of Diego! that's nonsense, he is like a brother to me. And no you don't have to be concerned about him."
Her body language suggested otherwise. Dios, she is jealous, Zorro thought, his heart racing. Perhaps there was some hope after all, that she could come to love him as himself not as the masked legend. He squeezed her hands. "I give you my word that I would never betray you or our love. You are the only woman I want. I love you Victoria Escalante, I want to marry you and for us to have children together."
Victoria blushed at the sincerity of his words. "I love you too Zorro. We have never spoken of children before, how many would you like to have?
He leant back against the bedpost, smiling. "I think three or four. But all children will be loved and you mi preciosa, how many would you like?"
Victoria smiled back. "I always thought that four was a good number..."
CRAAACK
Zorro grunted in surprise as the bedpost he was leaning against, snapped and he collapsed onto the floor in a tangled mess.
"Zorro!" Victoria cried out as she stood up.
"I am fine Victoria." he said rather embarrassed, as he slowly stood up.
She sat back on the bed and tried to suppress a giggle at the image of her hero sprawled inelegantly on the floor of her bedroom. But a small giggle escaped, then another.
"Victoria, please." Zorro pleaded as he looked down at her.
"I'm sorry..." her giggles got louder. "You jump off roofs and climb through my kitchen window without falling but a simple bedpost...My hero!" Victoria couldn't hold back any longer. She burst out laughing, doubling over.
Her laughter was infectious, as Zorro began laughing himself as he sat back down on the bed. Their laughter rang out and it was fortunate that no-one was staying overnight, for they would have been scandalised to know that there was a man in the senorita's bedroom, late at night.
Short time later, they had recovered from their merriment, although Victoria was holding her side and there were tears on joy on her face. "Oh Zorro, I'm sorry but it was funny." she said.
"It didn't feel all that funny Senorita." Zorro replied, trying to sound stern but Victoria saw the amusement in his eyes, which it seem to her, was also moist with unshed tears.
"I don't think I have ever heard you laugh Zorro. I like it."
"I'll try to laugh more often then." he whispered as he moved closer to Victoria, his hand caressing her face lovingly. "Querida." He whispered before softly kissing her forehead, her eyes, her nose and her cheeks, causing Victoria to shiver in delight. Zorro pulled back slightly and they gazed into each others eyes.
Slowly Zorro's hand moved through her hair, stroking her neck in the way he knew she liked as his other hand moved around her back. Victoria saw the longing in his vivid blue eyes as she wrapped one arm around his neck to touch the hair showing under the mask, the other around his shoulders. They were so close they could feel the others warm breath on their face. Slowly he lowered his lips and claimed hers in a slow, lingering kiss. Zorro pulled her closer against him as the kiss deepened, their moist lips parted and their tongues lovingly caressed the other.
Victoria adored his kisses, loved the feel of his strong arms pulling her against his solid chest. She tightened her arms around his broad back, felt his muscles ripple under his shirt. Zorro couldn't stop himself from moaning at the feel of her soft curves pressed against him. He pulled his lips away and began trailing hot kisses along her neck and throat. She moaned softly as she undid the top button of his shirt and kissed his neck.
"Dios." he groaned as her soft lips kissed the sensitive skin at his throat, the heat of her touch going straight to his groin. He had been aroused before but he had always managed to pull away before Victoria could feel his desire. But this time was different, she was all but sitting on his lap.
But before he could do anything, Victoria claimed his lips with hers, and kissed him deeply. He couldn't get enough of her and pulled her hard against him as she slid her moist tongue over his, their tongues entwined together. It was the feel of her soft breasts pressed against him, that was Zorro's undoing. He let out a low moan as he became hard within the confines of his trousers, knowing that she would immediately become aware of his desire. And she did.
Victoria shivered as she felt his hardness pressing against her thigh. She moaned as a hot throbbing ache shot through her body. She wasn't entirely unaware of relations between men and women but it was the first time she had felt, not only Zorro's desire for her but also her own hot need and it made her yearn for more.
It was Victoria's moan that pulled Zorro back to his senses. He gently but firmly moved her further along the bed, away from him, away from temptation. They were both gasping for breath, both aroused as they gazed at each other with longing. Victoria knew she would willingly give herself to him tonight, if only he would let them.
Zorro saw the unspoken invitation in her soft brown eyes and he almost relented but that iron control took over again. "We...we can't querida." his voice deep and husky.
"But Zorro...you...I want to..." her own voice none to steady.
"I know. There's nothing I would like more, than to make love to you, mi preciosa but not like this."
Zorro rose from the bed. "I must go." he said as he pulled on his gloves and picked up his hat. "I love you querida." he gently kissed her forehead and moved to the window.
"I love you too Zorro." she replied as he left.
Three days later Emissary Gilberto Risendo arrived and caused much pain and anguish to the citizens of Los Angeles until his death one week later.
The End
Next story in the Trilogy is "The Offer"
