At the Brazilian's Command(10)

‘It is honest,' she admitted. ‘You want to give me money to induce me  to marry you, but you want to carry on your bachelor ways. Is that a  fair summary?'

‘It sounds rather calculating when you put it that way.'

‘How else would you put it? It is calculating. And my answer is no.'

‘No?' Tiago's eyes narrowed in disbelief.

‘You're suggesting a cold-blooded contract, and yet I have no say in it  because you've thought it all through for me. That's right, isn't it,  Tiago? You've anticipated what you think it is I want out of the  agreement, but you've judged those demands through your own eyes. It  must have been very convenient for you, finding me here at the wedding-a  brood mare waiting for her stallion. How long have you been sizing me  up? Since you found me outside in the mud? Did I look like a victim to  you? Did you think I'd be grateful for the crumbs from your table?'

‘I never thought that. I would never take advantage of you in that way.  I remembered you from Brazil. You were always strong, always  determined-'

‘And I'm just as determined now to say no.'

Tiago's jaw worked as he mulled over her flat refusal.

‘Can I say anything to change your mind?'

She hesitated. Her feelings for Tiago cut too deep for her not to want  to help him. She understood that he cared for the ranch, and she  couldn't deny that the chance to get to know him better was appealing.  But did she have to marry him?

There was something else nagging at the back of her mind-and it was  something that was weighted in his favour. The business opportunity  Tiago was offering would allow her to work-and that was so far removed  from anything her mother might do that it did hold appeal. She tried to  measure everything she did in life by asking herself: would her mother  do it? And if the answer was yes, Danny would do the opposite.

This was her one chance to fulfil her dream, Danny reasoned. If she  could do that, surely she could guard her heart for a year by burying  herself in work?

‘Well?' Tiago pressed impatiently.

‘If we go ahead with this-and I'm only saying if-I have certain conditions,' she explained.

His expression turned grim. He wasn't used to bargaining when he had  decided what he wanted to do, she gathered, but he could see that she  wasn't going to change her mind.

‘Name them,' he grated out.

‘For one year I'm the only woman in your life. I mean it, Tiago,' she  said quickly, when he started to speak. ‘I won't take any more  humiliation. I've seen my mother make a fool of herself and I don't need  anyone to tell me that I was fast following in her footsteps. I won't  go down that road again-not for you, not for anyone. If you want this  deal you will have to put my terms in that contract too.'

Tension soared as she waited for his reply. She guessed Tiago hadn't  expected her to put any obstacles in his way, but she wasn't prepared to  back down.

‘All right,' he said eventually. ‘But if you're putting conditions on  this then so am I. This will be a proper marriage, and you will be in my  bed.'

Her throat constricted. She couldn't have answered him if she'd wanted  to. The expression in Tiago's eyes had turned cold and hard. This was  the deal-breaker, delivered by a man determined to have his way. Tiago  was like a coin with two sides, she decided. There was the strong and  compassionate man on one side of the coin, and the ruthless playboy on  the other. Surrendering her body to a man like that was a heart-stopping  thought.

But her body betrayed her now by melting. Her mind burned with  confusion. It was like drowning in a sweet honey bath of desire, even  while everything about Tiago in this frame of mind was a warning to her  not to fall for him unless she wanted to be hurt. But how was she going  to remain detached from her feelings when she was lying in his arms?

She would have to, Danny determined, but there were one or two more  points she wanted to clear up first. ‘If this is to be a marriage in  every sense, as you suggest it will be, then we have to consider the  potential consequences.'                       
       
           



       

‘For instance?' he pressed without warmth.

‘How will we explain this love-match of ours to any children we might  have? And I use the term "love-match" in its most cynical form.'

Tiago shrugged. ‘I must admit I have never thought of this as a permanent arrangement.'

‘Clearly,' she said, shrinking a little inside. Was this the one thing  in his life that Tiago Santos hadn't thought through? she wondered.

‘Finding a wife is uppermost in my mind,' he said, as if he could read  hers. ‘Perhaps I am guilty of not considering every possibility. I can  only tell you that when I found you yesterday outside the stable block I  wasn't thinking about this at all. My one thought was your safety. I  hope that reassures you? As for this contract-I can't have been planning  it for long, chica, since I've only been here for a couple of days!'

Calling her chica threw her. It was so intimate-too intimate.  Endearments from Tiago were unsettling, as was his cold-blooded approach  to marriage. When she kept him at a distance she could handle her  feelings for him. Jibing at him verbally in Brazil had been fun, but  this was a very different situation.

She wasn't about to roll over and become his convenient wife, Danny  concluded. Tiago would have to consider her terms and conditions. They  were a deal-breaker for her.

‘You've only been here for a couple of days,' she agreed, ‘but that's  long enough for you to negotiate a business contract, I imagine?'

‘True,' Tiago agreed. ‘But this is particularly important to me.'

‘And to me,' she said. ‘It's quite a commitment you're asking me to  make.' She felt a cold hand clutch her heart as she said this.

Tiago was quick to reassure her, ‘The agreement between us will be  drawn up by my lawyers to include your demands. It will be absolutely  watertight. I assure you of that.'

‘I have no doubt.'

‘You'll be protected, Danny. You'll be safe. You'll be secure for the rest of your life.'

‘You make it sound like a prison sentence.'

‘It will be what we make it,' Tiago told her with calm assurance. ‘You  can have your own lawyers look over the contract. I'll pay for them.'

‘But you don't know me.' She shook her head, still racked with doubt. ‘We don't know each other.'

‘How long does it take to know someone? I saw you nearly every day for a  year on Chico's ranch. It will be the same. You struck sparks off me  with your banter then-'

‘Do you mean I stood up for myself?' she asked wryly.

He relaxed, and his mouth curved in the familiar winning smile. ‘That's  why I like you, Danny. I'm not looking for a push-over. I'm not  interested in taking advantage of you. I want this to be fair. And when  we're married-'

‘I haven't said yes to your outlandish proposal yet,' she pointed out.

‘But you will,' he said confidently. ‘I will expect you to stand up to  me. I expect you to tell me when something doesn't make you happy. I  expect to enjoy a healthy, outspoken relationship.'

‘You can depend on that,' she assured him. ‘But a year sharing a bed with a man without love...?'

‘I'm sorry you see it that way. I wish I had more time to persuade you  that this will work really well for both of us, but I don't have that  luxury. I can only promise you that you'll have everything you need and  that I will always respect you and treat you well.' He shrugged. ‘I  can't think of anyone I would rather enter into this agreement  with-anyone I can imagine seeing on a daily basis and getting on with  half as well as I get on with you.'

‘So long as we do get on well,' she said dryly.

‘Danny-'

‘I know. You have a flight plan filed, no doubt, and you don't have time to waste selling love's young dream to me.'

‘Don't be such a cynic. It doesn't suit you. Your choice is simple.  Stay here and nothing changes, or come with me on the biggest adventure  of your life. Which is it to be, Danny?'





CHAPTER FIVE

DANNY TOOK A firmer grip of her suitcase when Tiago threatened to swoop  on it. Half an hour ago, over breakfast, he'd shown her the contract  his lawyers had drawn up on the screen of his phone. When she had  expressed surprise that he had been able to rouse his team at such short  notice just before the holidays, he'd set the tone by telling her that  holidays were for wimps and that he didn't take them.                       
       
           



       

Money bought everything, she thought. And now here they were, in the  hall, about to leave the house on their way to Brazil. She'd called her  mother, but there had been no reply. She hadn't wanted to disturb  Lizzie, so she had sent her an email. And her wedding to Tiago...? That  lay some time in the future and still didn't feel real.