San Antonio Rose (Historical Romance) Read Online Free PDF

bold just the way he
liked his women. He congratulated himself
when he saw how deeply she was affected by
his presence. Before the night was over, the
San Antonio Rose would be his to do with as he
desired.
    "Did you know that I came out of my way so
I could see you perform, my beauty?" He raised
her hand and kissed her fingertips lingeringly,
while staring deeply into her eyes. "It was
worth it. Will you not dance for me again?"
    Emerada shook her head. "I would rather
talk to you, Presidente. I have heard that you
are a fascinating conversationalist."
    He smiled. "Whether that is true or not, you
can judge for yourself, senorita. But this place
is much too public. Do you not have somewhere that we can be alone?"
    She lowered her lashes. "No, not alone, Presidente. It would not be proper for me to be
alone with a man, even you." She acted de mure, but it was less of an act than anyone
would have guessed. Emerada had never been
alone with a man before. "But would you do
me the honor of dining with me in my room?"

    Santa Anna stood and helped her to stand,
thinking she'd been an easy conquest. The rumormongers would have it that she would not
be easily won. The gossip that had reached his
ears was that San Antonio Rose never entertained a man in private. He smiled, feeling
pleased with his prowess. "That is what I desire
above all else. Let us go there now."
    She drew her hand from his. "You must not
come to my room until I make myself more
presentable for you, and my maid will want to
make certain the food is worthy of you. When I
am ready, I will send my man to you. His name
is Domingo."
    Santa Anna bowed, his eyes on the plunging
neckline of her gown. "Do not keep me waiting
too long, beautiful one."
    She blushed prettily, while stepping away
from him. "I look forward to dining with you,
Presidente."
    Ian was not near enough to hear the conversation between Santa Anna and the dancer, but it
was easy to guess what they were saying by
their behavior. It was apparent that Santa Anna
and the woman knew each other very wellprobably intimately.

    Tonight had been his good fortune. He'd
never expected that his investigation into the
woman's personal life would lead him to the
Mexican dictator. He sank back into the shadows and watched the woman move up the
stairs. Her hips swayed gracefully, and he
found himself wondering what it would feel
like to hold that body next to his.
    Ian shook his head to clear it of such
thoughts. Houston had good reason to be suspicious of her-a hell of a good reason!
    He'd bet his life on the fact that Santa Anna
and the dancer were lovers.
    Emerada's expression was grim as she hurried
down the back steps of the cantina to the hotel,
where she had a suite of rooms. The streets
were deserted, and she encountered no one on
her way. When she finally reached her suite,
she closed the door and leaned against it, trying to stop her heart from pounding. She was
frightened, and she had every right to be. Santa
Anna was a dangerous man. What if she couldn't go through with it? What if...?
    Josifina Gomez came out of the bedroom
and hurried toward her charge. "Emerada,
what has happened? You are so pale. Are you
ill?"
    "I have had a shock, nothing more."
    Josifina gripped the neck of Emerada's lowcut gown, pulling it back onto her shoulders.
"It is bad enough that you must dance in a pub lie place: must you also dress like a woman of
the streets?" She tossed her hands in the air as
if invoking divine guidance; then she crossed
herself and looked upward. "What your sainted
mother would say about your actions, I cannot
guess. If she is watching, she will know I have
had no part in this thing that you do."

    "Must we go into that again?" Emerada
sighed. She'd heard all this many times, and
she was in no mood to be lectured tonight.
    "Where is Domingo? Why is he not with you?
I told him never to leave you alone. This is not
a decent town for a properly