He kissed her deeply, parting her lips with his, his tongue tasting her mouth before teasing her tongue in a slow, erotic dance. He was awakening every nerve and sense, creating a fierce hunger that could only, would only, be consummated by him.
Long minutes later, when he finally lifted his head, Daisy clung to him, dizzy, legs utterly boneless.
His breathing was labored, and he lifted her face, his savage gaze inspecting her languid expression and swollen lips.
“I want you, Daisy, and maybe there’s a way we can make this work, but it won’t happen if you fight me regarding Anabella.”
Her heart continued to thud hard, her pulse racing. She wanted him desperately but she wouldn’t play games with him. She had a mind, she had her own opinions, and he had to be willing to listen to her opinions. “I’m not going to fight with you about your sister but I don’t have to agree with your point of view, either.”
He gently but firmly pushed her away so that she felt only cool air surrounding her. “You’re better off biting your tongue.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Then maybe it’s time you went home.”
Daisy felt the blood drain from her face. She went cold all over, fingers, toes, legs. “Maybe it is.” Unconsciously she lifted her chin, not about to crumble even though she was shocked. She’d never expected those words out of him.
Dante’s gaze met hers, eyes narrowed, amber irises stormy. “We’ll talk about this later. I don’t have the time now. I have guests arriving at the airstrip within the hour.”
“You have guests flying in?” For some reason her brain felt slow, her emotions clouding her thoughts. She should be pleased she could go home. She should be pleased she’d be back on her farm taking some control over her life again.
“A group of clients and business associates,” he answered tautly, turning and looking toward the door. His jaw was tight, his lips compressed. “I thought things were going well here or I wouldn’t have invited them for a long weekend. I frequently use the estancia to entertain and planned a traditional barbecue for tonight.”
“I’ll try to stay out of your way.”
“That’s not what I want.” He shot her a swift glance, his eyes narrowed. “I wanted my guests to meet you. I thought you’d enjoy the party.” His jaw softened somewhat. “I still think you would. I’ll expect to see you and Anabella dressed by seven.”
“I don’t want to go, not the way I feel right now.”
“They know you’re here. It would be an embarrassment if you didn’t show. I expect you dressed by seven. Si?”
Daisy felt trapped between Anabella’s deceit and Dante’s demands. For the first time since she arrived in Argentina she truly felt like an outsider and realized she might not be able to handle juggling responsibilities along with these new emotional demands.
Unable to find peace in her bedroom, Daisy changed into her jeans, boots and a light cotton pullover. She knew Dante expected her at the party but she was in no mood to help entertain his guests. If he wanted to host a party, let him host it.
Daisy had a horse saddled and brought to her, a young thoroughbred appropriately named Nino, or Baby. But Nino wasn’t timid. She loved to run, and once they’d left the gates of the estate, Daisy leaned forward in the saddle and let the mare go.
Cantering across the pampas, hair streaming loose behind her, knees gripping the mare’s sides, Daisy wouldn’t let herself think of anything but the open land and the cooling evening breeze. She’d forget Anabella, forget Dante, forget the debt, her father’s health, forget everything but the rare luxury of time alone.
In the lavender and silver twilight, her senses felt unusually heightened. She could smell the soil and the tender shoots of grass. The sky looked like pewter, and the distant line of trees darkened to purple.
Riding hard on an approaching fence, Daisy rose in the stirrups and encouraged Nino to jump. The mare obliged, and they sailed over the fence. Daisy hugged Nino’s neck and they cantered on.
But an hour later the sun had completely disappeared. And she had no choice but turn back. Daisy took a different route home, following an old dirt road. About a mile from the house she approached another rider. He wore traditional pants and boots. He must be one of the estancia’s hired gauchos.
“Buenos noches,” she said on reaching the cowboy.
He nodded. He was young, couldn’t be much older than twenty-two or twenty-three, but he was tall and looked strong, as though he’d already spent a lifetime in the saddle. Yet he turned away from her smile, his heavy brows furrowing as though he didn’t welcome the attention.
Perhaps he wasn’t one of the hired hands after all. Maybe he was one of those renegade gauchos Dante had told her about.
Daisy urged Nino faster and galloped the rest of the way home. Heart pounding, hands trembling, she stripped off Nino’s saddle as soon as they reached the stable. She shouldn’t have gone out so late in the day. No harm had come to her, but it was foolish to take unnecessary risks. She couldn’t afford to take unnecessary risks, not when Zoe and her dad depended on her so much.
She’d mention the gaucho to Dante, let him know what she’d seen. Just in case, he ought to know.
As she left the stable, she heard music coming from the manicured lawn on the other side of the house and remembered Dante’s get-together. From the sound of the laughter, the party was in full swing. Daisy moved quietly through the house and carefully opened her door, reaching into her room to snap on the light.
Dante’s voice thundered from the shadows. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
She quickly flicked the light on. His piercing gaze traveled the length of her, grimly studying her damp, disheveled appearance. “Where have you been?”
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