At the Brazilian's Command(31)

Danny stopped-blanched-wanted to cut out her tongue. She knew  immediately from the look on Emma's face and Lizzie's sudden tension  that she'd said the entirely wrong thing.

‘Sorry-I didn't mean to infer anything.'

‘It's an easy mistake to make,' Emma insisted. ‘But please don't be embarrassed-I'm not. I couldn't be happier.'

‘That's obvious,' Danny said warmly. ‘So the three of us are going to  share this exciting trip into motherhood together? You are sticking  around?' she confirmed with Emma.

Emma was just about to answer when Tiago strolled up to introduce them  to a man-presumably another polo player, from the look of him-who might  safely be called intimidating if you were of a nervous disposition.

Thankfully, Danny was not. She was used to daunting men, she thought as  she glanced at Tiago, but for some reason she clutched Emma's hand a  little tighter. She felt protective towards the young girl-and not just  because Tiago's timing was so badly off. The little she knew about  Emma's family suggested there would be no support for the young girl  there, and Emma must be barely out of college-if she had even finished  college at all.

There was a mystery here, Danny suspected. Emma had been such a promising student, and so serious about her career.

‘Don't look so worried,' Emma whispered discreetly, before pulling away  to leave Danny to mingle with her guests. ‘I'm a lot tougher than I  look.'

She would have to be, Danny concluded with concern as she noticed the  daunting polo player staring after Emma. A vivacious, pretty girl like  Emma would always attract plenty of male attention.

She turned back to Tiago, who was waiting to introduce her.

‘Danny, this is Lucas Marcelos-another reprobate on the polo circuit.'

‘I'm very pleased to meet you, Lucas,' she said politely. ‘Welcome to Scotland.'

Danny's heart plummeted when she noticed that Lucas's attention was  still fixed on Emma-though he covered his distraction fast, turning to  face Danny with a stare that was piercing in its intensity.

‘Tiago warned me you were beautiful,' he said, ‘but now I see he was understating the case.'

Lucas's voice was deep and accented, and for some reason it sent  shivers down Danny's spine. She was glad when Tiago moved to stand  between them.

‘You're a lucky man,' Lucas told Tiago. ‘I don't know what you've done  to deserve such a woman, but you should give me your secret.'

‘I love her. It's as simple as that and as complicated,' Tiago admitted  as he looped a protective arm around Danny's shoulders. ‘And she keeps  me in line.'

‘Which you like?' Lucas sounded incredulous at this.

‘Which I adore,' Tiago insisted, in a way no man in his right mind  would choose to argue with. ‘You should try it some day, Lucas-find out  for yourself.'

‘That, my friend, is never going to happen.'

‘You'd be surprised,' Tiago murmured, turning back to Danny as Lucas strolled away.

‘Wow!' Danny released her pent-up tension in a gust of relief. ‘Was I  just scorched by an overload of testosterone, or was that a hologram of a  very angry and frustrated man?'

‘That, chica, was a good friend of mine who has taken more hits from  life than he should have done. But I don't want to talk about Lucas now.  I want to concentrate on you-if you don't mind?'

‘I don't mind at all.'

Danny shook off the feeling of unease Lucas had given her as Tiago drew  her into the shadows, where they could be alone for a moment, but she  did feel sorry for Lucas. To be alone was not an enviable position to be  in. She just hoped Lucas wouldn't decide to take out his bitter  energies on young Emma tonight-because Emma was also alone, and a good  deal more defenceless than a successful polo player like Lucas Marcelos.

‘Danny?'

She gazed up at her husband, rejoicing that they were together. No one  and nothing would ever part them again, and soon there would be a new  addition to the Santos family.                       
       
           



       

‘I love you with all my heart,' Tiago whispered against her mouth,  kissing her tenderly and repeatedly. ‘And I can't bear to share you with  anyone. Is that terrible of me?'

‘Not at all.' Standing on tiptoe, she kissed him back.

‘And now we're going to be three-'

‘Or four-who knows?' she teased him.

‘You've made me very happy,' Tiago growled, staring deep into her eyes. ‘And that was before you gave me the news of our baby.'

Danny's gaze dropped to the firm, sexy mouth of the man she loved. ‘Did  you say you had taken a suite at the hotel, so we could freshen up  after the blessing if we needed to?'

‘That's right. I have,' Tiago confirmed.

‘I need to freshen up.' She looked at him.

‘Strange,' Tiago murmured, brushing her mouth with his. ‘So do I...'