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.Paris and the life she'd led there seemed like a far distant memory.An assertion gripped her: she belonged here.It rushed through her blood, stunning in its intensity.Up till now she'd never had that feeling.The pampas stretched out around her, and the Sierras Chicas rose majestically in the distance.A lump, unbidden, constricted her throat.Just then Rafael stopped his horse and looked back.He sat with easy grace in his saddle, lean and awe-inspiring.Faded jeans moulded to hard thigh muscles.Isobel gripped her reins hard.She'd been avoiding looking at him ever since she'd watched him swing all too lithely into his saddle.He smiled.'Do you want to give these boys their heads?'Isobel just nodded, incapable of speech, and followed Rafael's lead as he spurred his horse into a trot, and then faster, into a full-on gallop.She could feel her own mount bristle and move restlessly, and, taking a deep breath, she urged her horse on until he too was cutting through the wind like a bullet.It was exhilarating.Isobel hadn't ridden like this in years--bent low over her horse's back, feeling as though they were joined as one.She even pulled past Rafael, and felt a helpless gurgle of delighted laughter break out.But of course he didn't let her beat him for long, effortlessly catching up and taking hold of her reins to slow them both down.When she got her breath back Isobel could see outbuildings, and Rafael explained that they were training grounds for the polo horses.A man on horseback came to meet them, and Rafael introduced him as Miguel Cortez, head trainer.By the time the sun was setting that evening Isobel's head was spinning--but not in that sickly way it had the first day.It was buzzing with information.She'd found out that they hosted two world-class polo events there every year, and she'd looked at the plans Rafael had made to expand the grounds even further.It was truly staggering.If her grandmother's estate had consisted of just the polo grounds, it would have been seriously impressive.But to know that the estate went on and included a livestock farm, and then an agricultural centre.She shook her head now, trying to take it all in, looking into the distance.She felt Rafael come to stand beside her, and her body made its predictable response.She avoided looking at him; in this milieu, with his urbane surface stripped away, he was far too devastating.Right now he was nothing like the person she'd built up in her head--the cruel and ruthless businessman who had no qualms about entering into a loveless marriage of convenience, almost welcoming it.Hadn't he said that he was happy to be married to her? How was she supposed to fight that?She felt unbearably confused.Up until now she'd always prided herself on being able to read people, but Rafael was proving to be quite the chameleon.The pure joy she'd felt just a short while before made her too raw and exposed.As if she were betraying herself in some way.Her voice was husky.'Thank you for showing me this.'She could feel him shrug a broad shoulder in response.'Like I keep saying, it's half yours, Isobel.I've asked the helicopter to meet us and take us back to the house.Tomorrow I'll show you the rest of the estate, and tomorrow night I've arranged for a barbecue at the house so that you can meet everyone.'Isobel just nodded dumbly, her chest tight with conflicting emotions.The following evening, back at the house, Isobel grimaced as she got out of the bath in her en suite bathroom.She ached all over from two days of being on horseback, but she couldn't deny an inner sense of peace and satisfaction.Her mind shied away from thinking too much about Rafael, and how patient he'd been--showing her everything, explaining how it all worked.When she looked at herself in the mirror a little later she grimaced.She'd put on clean jeans and a soft silk blouse.Not wanting to attract Rafael's ire again, she opened up the first few buttons, having scary visions of him opening them for her if she buttoned up too much.Her hair was still a little damp, but it would be dry within minutes.She emerged from her room and ran slap-bang into a wall of muscle.Rafael's arms came to hers, steadying her.Isobel looked up and couldn't move, her breath caught.'I was just coming for you.''I know where the barbecue is, Rafael.' Please move back--let me go, she begged silently.Rafael moved back, but Isobel didn't feel any safer.'All the estate workers have come up for the barbecue [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]