14 Days of Valentines

Maria was glad to have the party to look forward to, her friends and a little wine. Gabriel attends and he finds her in a quiet corner, watching like an outsiders while her friends have fun. Maria wants to resist him, but Gabe is far stronger than she had realized.

Gabe pulls her into his arms and holding her in his iron grip (so she cannot get away), Gabe sways gently from side to side. His strength and his body lent her comfort. Gabe danced her toward her previous corner and keeping his back to her colleagues, he pulls in her tight near his body. Whispering, Gabriel tells her that he had an early Valentine kiss for her, and he suited actions to words. Lordy, that man could kiss. Too soon, the kiss was over. Maria gazed at him as it ended.

"Soon, he whispered to her lovingly, " soon." And typical of Gabe, he was quickly gone, intriguing her. Still, leaving Maria with a smile on her face.

DAY 14- Valentine's Day

The day of hearts and Eros dawned cool and crisp. Maria woke alone in her quiet house. Maria loved Valentine's Day and had planned her attire accordingly. She donned her sparkly red sweater, the one that Harry thought looked too flashy. Maria wore black stirrup pants and black pumps. She felt cute and a little bit sexy and this was going to be a special day.

School, as usual, on Valentine's Day started out with cookies on everyone's desks and with everyone opening their mailboxes and their individual cards and treats.

Maria looked through hers very carefully, making sure to keep a big smile on her face as she opened each and evert card from her students. She knew they would be secretly peeking at her reaction as she opened their valentine. Maria had many cute gifts bought or made by her students and their parents. Maria could not help herself. She was looking for one special valentine from one special guy.

In the very back, and here Maria made sure it was the last thing she pulled out, was a little 3 old fashioned gold key with a small white tag tied to it. She pulled it out slowly and read the tag "You hold the key to my heart, Querida. T"

"T"? Maria questioned herself silently. Not "G"? She had really believed it was Gabriel after the hot, sensual kiss that had nearly blistered her lips. She still didn't believe it could be Ted, could it? Maria was confused, but she decided to wait for Gabe to stop by her room and carry her hoard to her car for her as he usually did. She would know by the look on his face.

Class ended early on Valentine's, it was no use trying to teach kids between the general gaiety and the sugar rush pumping through their veins. Maria loved releasing the little monsters (and they sure were) after three hours of sugar hearts and chocolate kisses and the mushy sentiment of the packaged cards.

Gabe never made it to her room, forcing Maria to make three trips to her car to tuck her treasures into the truck. She was sure disappointed that Gabe had failed to stop by, she had simply come to rely on him.

Maria drove home, her mind whirling. She knew she was not is love with Harry and had not been for a long time. Her pride was hurt by him nonetheless, but her heart was not broken by any means. She was not really sure if he had ever really loved her. She knew she was intrigued by "T" but she really liked Gabriel the custodian. But "T" claimed to love her, but how could he be in love with someone who did not love him back? She could not love someone she had not met.

Maria rolled up into her driveway next to a big blue pickup truck, that looked vaguely familiar. A moment later Gabriel poured his big muscular body out of the cab, slamming the door, he came towards her. Coming up to her, he stared at her a moment, gaging her mood perhaps, then leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the forehead. No more than a quick peck, really.

Gabriel reached for the keys in her hand, saying nothing, he lifted the tailgate, gathered nearly all Maria boxes and gift bags and headed for her back door.

Just about behind the house Gabe stopped and glanced at her. Grinning sheepishly at her confusion, "Querida, te quiero, will you shut the car doors and come inside?" And typical of Gabriel, he turned and continued to the back door.

By the time Maria had followed behind him, Gabe had her door opened and boxes and bags deposited on her kitchen table. He threw her keys down on the table, took her pocketbook from her and added it to the pile, lifted her coat off her shoulders and draped it over the back on one of her kitchen chairs. He shucked off his own slicker and just dropped it on the floor.

Gabriel took her hand and led her into the livingroom and put his Stetson on the hat rack that had been Maria's 12th Valentine (from him, obviously). What had the card read? "A place to hang my hat at the end of a long day." His cowboy hat, that just looked so much a part of Gabe that Maria had hardly noticed it at all.

He took her in his arms and held her very close as he had promised to do. Resting his head against her curly black hair, so she could feel his warmth and the tangy, masculine smell of him, strong and healthy. So close Maria could feel his heart beating against her chest.

Gabe whispered in her ear and poured his heart out to her,

"I have loved you, te quiero, Querida from almost the first moment that I saw you in the school hallway. The day I came to take the job for the school district.

"I rode the rodeo for ten years. I was very good at the bronc riding. Very, very good, but also very lonely. Many women to take to my bed, but not one to take to my heart. And none of the them to take me into their heart.

"When I came off the circuit, I wanted that very special woman, but the woman my heart chose, she was married to another man. My heart ached, but I waited. I watched. I saw this husband of yours. He neglected you and he took you for granted. And I saw him in town, many times with other women. I knew that soon you would be abandoned.

"I made sure I was there for you. I knew you would not be all alone. I would be sure you will never be alone.

Maria interrupted him. Tears silently rolled over her checks, " I am very afraid to trust you."

"Do not be afraid, Querida. I have waited a long time to hold you in my arms. To make love to you as I have promised. To make you te esposa, te amo. To make you babies of your own, to love and hold, if you wish."

Maria's mind was a few seconds behind, trying to catch up. She translated "te esposa" my wife? She raised her head and looked at him, "I can't be your wife."

"Oh, Querida, he smiled," no, not today. Not next month, either, I think. But soon.. Soon enough I will make you my wife.

"Querida? Do you still have the key that I gave to you?" Maria raised her right arm and there was his gold key on the wrist band that she had attached it to.

"See, Querida. I told you it was the key to my heart. But truly it is the key to my soul that I gave you. To hold forever."

Maria looked him in the eye and asked him a single question, that had been nagging at her day and night, "T"?

"Si," he said grinning, "Gabriel Jesus Torres."

And he kissed with all the lust, passion and love he processed for her.

Thank you for reading my work. Please vote to indicate how much you enjoyed it, and send feedback if you can spare the time. Your votes and feedback are the only way I will know how much you enjoyed my effort, Vee