Couldn’t she?
He had never looked better than here, where there were no pretensions, no dress shirts, no tailored suits—just Tiago in the raw, in ripped and faded jeans, with battered leather chaps over them, a faded top clinging to his hard-muscled torso, and a bandana tied carelessly around his wild black hair.
She was rapt as he pointed things out to her. The giant-sized Rhea bird, disappearing into the long grass, and a wild cat that surprised her by diving into the river as Tiago explained that this particular breed of cat ate frogs.
He turned to her. ‘This is a nature reserve. All the animals are safe here. My vets are responsible for them just as they are for my horses.’
She was learning a lot—and not just about the animals. Hearing about Tiago’s interests and his active concern for this land told her more about him than anyone could.
‘Last one to the house makes the coffee?’ he suggested as he turned his horse.
‘You don’t frighten me,’ she called back, laughing.
She went ahead, but Tiago caught up with her easily and for a few strides they rode side by side. But he couldn’t resist taking the lead. She let him go, just for the sheer pleasure of watching him with one hand on the reins and his hips working effortlessly to a lazy rhythm. Arousal lodged deep inside her at the sight of him, and she finally admitted to herself that Friday couldn’t come quickly enough.
Clattering into the yard after him, she dismounted.
Tiago’s dark eyes were wicked, and there was a smile on his lips as she started untacking her pony. ‘Make sure you sleep tonight. There won’t be much sleeping on Friday.’
Hefting his tack, he walked past her.
She stilled with her hand resting on the saddle. She had to take a deep breath before she could continue. She wanted him. His deep, husky voice had sent heat coursing through her. She wanted to marry Tiago. Worse, she wanted to live with him and share his life. But every time that thought slipped through she had to remind herself that theirs was a marriage of convenience, with a time limit of one year. Any fantasies on her part were just that: fantasies.
* * *
It seemed surreal to be standing in the middle of a dance floor at Tiago’s side. They were at the gauchos’ party and he was calling for silence with his arms raised.
Everything was moving at breakneck speed. In two days they would be married.
So? What was her problem? The wedding on Friday was no surprise, so why the jitters?
She was decked out in her one and only dress, with her hair neatly tied back and hardly any make-up, trying to make a good impression. She was at ease around these people in the corral, or in the kitchen, but here, at Tiago’s side, it all seemed so improbable. He was like a god to them, and she had just sprung out of nowhere. What must they think?
Never mind what anyone thought—for the sake of these people she had to make a go of this. Why cause problems when Tiago had worked so hard to save the ranch?
‘Danny?’
Tiago’s voice held a note of command and her eyes flashed open. How could she live with this man, love him, and then leave him without a backward glance?
She couldn’t.
Glancing round the smiling faces, she felt like the worst kind of confidence trickster. The only way she could get through this was by concentrating on the fact that her marriage to Tiago would secure the future of everyone here. Meanwhile, Brazil’s most eligible bachelor—the man she adored—was announcing their wedding to cries of excitement from the crowd.
‘I realise that Danny will have already told some of you, and you may think that this has all happened at the speed of light, but Danny and I have known each other for quite some time, and recently our friendship has turned into something more.’
Everyone cheered at this romantic interpretation of their cold-blooded contract, and when Tiago turned to look at her she could almost believe it too.
Putting his arm around her shoulder, he led her out of the spotlight to a crescendo of cheers, and then his men distracted him, coming up to shake his hand, while the women and children of the ranch clustered around Danny.
‘And now I have a special gift for my bride,’ he announced.
Taking hold of her hand, he led her through the crowd to the space beyond the dance floor.
‘Another gift?’ Danny stared up into Tiago’s rugged face. ‘You don’t have to.’
‘But I want to.’
His sharp whistle of command caused a commotion in the crowd, and everyone fell back at the sound of thundering hooves. Danny gasped as the young colt galloped towards them.
‘Is there anything else you’d rather have?’
‘Nothing,’ she said. ‘But—’
‘Then accept him and be gracious,’ Tiago advised. ‘You have to think like a businesswoman now, Danny. This colt will be a valuable stud one day.’
It would have been better if she could have thought like a businesswoman from the start, Danny reflected, stunned by Tiago’s gift. Her marriage was an advantageous merger for them both, nothing more—just as this young colt, Firefly, was an advantageous acquisition.
‘Thank you.’ She moved quickly to the young horse’s head, to soothe him and to speak to him gently, wanting him to focus on her and be calm, rather than focus on the noisy crowd.
‘I’m glad he gives you pleasure.’
‘There’s nothing you could have given me that I would treasure more.’ Nestling her face against the colt’s warm neck, she breathed in the familiar scent and wished, just for a moment, that one day she would ride him with Tiago at her side.
The colt was led away to a round of appreciative applause. Everyone on the ranch understood the significance of such a gift. It was a pledge from Tiago to his people that this marriage would be good for them.
But they didn’t know the ins and outs of it, Danny fretted as she smiled to show that she couldn’t have been happier with her gift. There could be no certainties in life, she told herself firmly as Tiago spoke to some of the men. Surely every bride-to-be felt this way—that to be so happy must come at a cost?
‘It’s official, Danny.’
She tried to close her heart to Tiago, but when he took hold of her hands to draw her close she failed miserably. Even when he dipped his head to kiss her she suspected it was for the sake of the crowd.
‘We’ve made everyone happy tonight,’ he said.
‘Yes,’ she agreed.
Sensing her unease, Tiago led her out of the crowd. ‘Is that all you have to say?’
He had every right to expect her to be bouncing with happiness after his announcement of their engagement, the upcoming wedding, and now his wonderful gift, but she couldn’t fake it.
Why must she always pick holes in perfection? Why wouldn’t the fairytale work for her?
* * *
He ground his jaw, seeing the tension in Danny’s back as she walked away with a group of women who were keen to help her organise their wedding. Nothing must go wrong now. His lawyers were standing by. Full ownership of the ranch was a matter of hours away.
He was as tense as he had ever been, Tiago realised as a group of his fellow gauchos encouraged him to stay and spend the night celebrating with them. His determination to build on what he’d started with these people had never been stronger than it was today.
And