a short-term marriage on paper would be worth considering after all.
He wanted that land.
It was a thousand hectares of prime real estate that had been in his family for generations, and would still have been except for Teddy’s father’s underhand dealings. Alejandro’s plans to extend his polo pony-breeding stud with an exclusive resort attached couldn’t go ahead without that land. It was perfectly positioned, with good grazing and access, and wouldn’t interfere or compromise the rest of his estate. Sustainable farming was an important issue to him and without that land being returned to his possession he couldn’t rest easy that it would be taken care of in the best way possible. What if Teddy’s relative sold it to a developer? There were plenty about, looking for properties to exploit. The place would be desecrated and his along with it. He had to stop that happening. He would do anything to stop that happening.
Almost anything.
‘Are you really prepared to throw all of this away?’ He waved a hand to encompass her gracious surroundings.
She eyeballed him with that same piercing intensity. ‘Are you really prepared to marry a perfect stranger in exchange for a plot of land?’
He sent his gaze over her in a long lazy sweep, taking in the swell of her small pert breasts the voluminous sweater couldn’t quite conceal. ‘I’m thinking about it.’
Her eyes flickered and then widened as if she couldn’t quite believe her ears.
Alejandro was with her on that. He couldn’t believe his either. Had he really just said he was thinking about it? Red flag. Panic button. Exit stage left.
He was thinking about the M word?
‘Why is the land of such importance to you?’ she asked.
The one thing Alejandro had learned in business was not to show how much you wanted something. It gave the opposition too much power. It was better to act cool and indifferent, as if this was just another business transaction. Nothing out of the ordinary. Easy come, easy go.
‘The land is not the issue. The issue is whether I would feel comfortable watching you lose everything for the sake of six months in a paper marriage.’
Her throat rose and fell again as she made a little gulping sound. ‘Did you say...paper?’
‘BUT OF COURSE.’ Alejandro hooked a pitch-black eyebrow upwards. ‘You surely weren’t expecting anything else?’
Teddy tried to read his glinting expression. Was he mocking her or baiting her?
It didn’t take her long to decide. He was mocking her. Bastard. Did he have to make it so plainly obvious she was not his type? Grr. She had deliberately made herself look as unappealing as possible when she’d seen his top end sports car prowl up the long driveway. Well, even more unappealing given her damaged hip was no doubt the biggest turn-off for a man who only dated long-legged blondes.
The arrogance of him! He hadn’t even called first to make an appointment to see her. What sort of person did that? What did he think she did all day? Swan around the manor with a champagne cocktail in her hand?
How hard would it have been to call and make a time? What right did he have to come barging in demanding she see him? Did he think she was hanging out here with her heart all aflutter, waiting for him to turn up and dash her off to the nearest register office?
If so, he had better think again. She was determined to show him she wasn’t one of his brainless bimbos who drooled at the mere sight of him.
He might be quite possibly the most gorgeous-looking man she had ever seen, even more gorgeous than those hot male models who advertised aftershave or designer brand sunglasses. He might have the most amazingly dark brown eyes that made her think of strong espresso coffee, and a mouth that made her think of sex, which was a little bit shocking because she never thought of sex. He might have a body that would make Michelangelo make a dash for the nearest chisel and a block of marble, but she was not going to be swooning or fainting any time soon.
No way.
She was going to show him he couldn’t just waltz into her house and tell her how high to jump.
Firstly, she couldn’t jump.
And secondly...well, a girl had her pride, didn’t she? She didn’t want to be handed over like a raffle prize. He didn’t want her. He wanted the land his father had sold to her father. He wanted it more than he was letting on.
That was the thing about being a wallflower. Teddy got to stand back and observe people. To see all the nuances that gave them away. He was better than most at keeping his cards concealed, but she knew he was a powerful and ruthlessly dangerous opponent. He had a winner takes all aura about him. He wore arrogance as easily as he wore his bespoke clothes. He would take risks but only if he was absolutely certain they would pay off. He was calculating and cool. Clever and far more attractive than any man had a right to be. Impressively tall, six-foot-four, and olive-skinned, with jet-black hair that was styled in a casually tousled way—not too short, not too long, but somewhere fashionably in between. His uncompromising jaw was lean and shaven but the regrowth that currently shadowed it suggested he was a twice a day shaver.
Somehow the thought of the rush of those male hormones surging through his body made her insides shift. She was aware of him in a way she didn’t want to own. Would not show. He was used to reeling in women like the catch of the day. He pulled them in and then tossed them away when he was done with them. She wasn’t going to be lured in by his potent charm and undoubted sensual expertise.
No-ho-ho way.
‘Señor Valquez, you seem to have the misguided notion that I am agreeable to any sort of marriage with you. I hate to slight your undoubtedly robust ego, but that is not the case.’
The right side of his mouth came up in an arrogant tilt, those bedroom eyes glinting so darkly the lining of her belly gave an involuntary quiver. ‘You have a lot to lose by rejecting my offer of a temporary marriage.’
Teddy kept her gaze trained on his. ‘So, it seems, do you.’
The only sign of his tension was in a muscle that moved near the left side of his jaw. It was barely more than a flicker but it told her much more about him than anything he had said so far.
He didn’t want to marry her any more than she wanted to marry him. He was playing a game. Getting control. He was ruthlessly determined. Powerfully motivated. He would do whatever it took to get what he wanted and he wouldn’t care who got hurt in the process.
The air tightened like a singing wire.
Sparks passed from his gaze to hers. She felt the impact of them as if he had fired a laser at her. It was all she could do not to blink. It was all she could do not to stare at his mouth. Had she ever seen such a masculine mouth? Such a beautiful mouth? That was the only word to describe it. It was like a work of art. Sexy and sensually contoured with its surround of dark stubble. A tempting mouth. A sinfully corrupt mouth. A mouth that took what it wanted because it damn well could.
Something deep and low in her
