Worthy sentiments were soon surpassed by a flash of triumph as he reflected that all this belonged to him now. Jess didn’t know the extent of his deal with her father. Jim Slatehome had asked that they keep it between themselves for the time being that Dante had bought the farm and everything on it. ‘She can be difficult, our Jess,’ her father had explained. ‘She’s had a tough time. I’ll know when it’s the right time to tell her. Until then, say nothing. I don’t want her upset after all she’s done.’
Triumph yielded to lust as Jess brought her pony alongside him at the fence. ‘This is our best horse. Her name is Moon,’ she informed him.
‘You handle her well.’
She smiled. ‘High praise indeed.’
‘I mean it.’
This was possibly the first relaxed conversation they’d had, and it allowed him to press forward with his plan; rather than alienating Jess, he had to form a connection with a woman who could be useful to him. There were always vacancies for top-class riders in one of his teams. ‘Show me what she can do,’ he encouraged.
‘I just did.’
‘Please,’ he coaxed, dialling up the charm.
‘As it’s you...’ But she was smiling.
He leaned on a fencepost as Jess put the promising mare through her paces. The pony could be difficult and liked to show off. Sensing he was watching her, Moon kicked out her back legs and bucked. Jess remained perfectly balanced throughout.
‘Good job,’ he said when she returned to his side.
‘I love the challenge of a spirited pony,’ she enthused as she reined in.
‘I love a challenge full stop.’
She blushed.
‘You’ve got a good seat.’ She had a great seat. It would fit his hands perfectly. ‘Do you play?’
‘I take it you’re referring to polo?’
‘What else?’ he asked, throwing her a surprised look.
‘I used to play,’ she admitted, ‘but I’m usually too tired by the end of each day, so I read instead, play the piano, or crash out in front of a soap.’
‘Everyone needs fresh air. You should get out more.’
‘Says you?’ she jibed.
Humour drained from his eyes. It was common knowledge that Dante Acosta had been housebound since discharging himself from hospital, and that this was his first appearance in public. ‘Don’t make me regret accepting the invitation to come here today.’
Jess had the good sense to say nothing. She didn’t need to. Her eyes spoke eloquently, telling him, I’m not sure yet what’s in it for you, but you would have left by now if the answer was nothing.
‘What are you doing?’ she asked as he opened the gate to join her in the paddock.
‘I want to see Moon close up for myself.’
‘Take care; she bites.’
‘You or the horse?’
‘She won’t like your cane.’
‘Then may I suggest you dismount and hand her over to a groom?’
‘A groom?’ Jess intoned. ‘Where do you think you are? This is a working farm, not some billionaire’s playground.’
His hackles lifted. ‘I live on a working ranch. My business life and home life are very different. Do you want me to trial her or not?’
‘You already own her.’
‘I do.’
‘Then she’s all yours,’ Jess said with a shrug, but as she turned he saw that accepting the inevitable wasn’t easy for Jess. She loved these animals and couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing them again.
‘Be careful,’ she said as he vaulted into the saddle using only the strength of his arms. ‘Moon can be tricky.’
‘You care?’ he asked as he soothed the horse.
‘I care about Moon,’ she told him.
‘Hey, querida, let’s see what you can do,’ he whispered, adding soothing words in Spanish. The pony’s flattened ears pricked up at the sound of his warm, encouraging tone and she didn’t disappoint, though each swerve and bounce jangled his damaged nerve-endings.
‘A good enough reason to accept treatment?’ Jess suggested as he made sure not to stumble as he dismounted, by taking the weight on his one good leg.
‘She’ll make the first team,’ he said, ignoring her question.
‘Your reputation is well deserved,’ she commented as he handed over the reins.
‘Do you mean I can ride?’ he suggested with a grin.
‘Like a master,’ she said frankly.
‘Your father has lost nothing when it comes to his gift for breeding and training some of the best horses in the world, and some of it’s rubbed off on you.’
‘Only some of it?’ she said, smiling.
‘All right...’ With a conciliatory gesture, he smiled too. That connection he’d wanted was on the rise.
‘Do you want to trial any more ponies?’ Jess asked.
‘I’ll leave that to my grooms. I trust a practised eye and intuition.’ And his leg couldn’t take any more today.
‘How will you transport the ponies to Spain?’ Jess asked with concern, glancing at his helicopter in the next field.
‘The same way my grooms arrived today. In a specially adapted jet,’ he revealed.
‘You haven’t wasted much time,’ she observed suspiciously.
‘I never do.’ He let the silence hang for a few seconds before adding, ‘You should come with me when I go back to Spain—to settle the horses,’ he went on before she could argue.
‘Can’t your grooms do that?’
‘I thought you’d like to do it. The ponies know you. They don’t know my grooms yet.’
She couldn’t argue with that, but she did raise one objection. ‘I have work commitments.’
So it wasn’t a flat no, he registered with satisfaction.
‘And luckily they dovetail nicely.’
Well, that was a surprise. ‘So you’re saying yes?’
‘I believe I am,’ Jess confirmed, as if all the advantage in coming to Spain with him was on her side.
CHAPTER FOUR
JESS HAD NEVER seen her father looking so relaxed. He looked ten years younger, as if all his worries were behind him. She’d just sat down when Dante entered the kitchen.
‘It was good of you to judge the children’s pony race,’ her father exclaimed as Dante sat next to her.
Tingling apart, she was surprised to learn that the great Dante Acosta had joined in to such an extent. ‘I didn’t know you’d been so busy,’ she admitted.
‘I enjoyed it,’ Dante confessed with a sideways look that heated her up from the inside out. ‘We’ll have to make it an annual event. You were busy being Skylar,’ he reminded her.
‘It must have been a bit different to your usual afternoon,’ her father ventured with a laugh.
‘I enjoyed every moment,’ Dante assured him with a look at Jess.
‘Dante picked prize winners in each different age group,’ her father revealed, ‘and spent extra time with a little girl who forfeited her race to go back and help her younger brother.’
Saint Dante? Jess reflected, amused in a good way. What Dante had done today had put him in the spotlight, which couldn’t have been easy for him, but the children would have loved having one of polo’s biggest stars taking an interest in them.
‘That was very good of you,’ she said frankly.
‘So. Transport tomorrow,’ he said.
‘Tomorrow?’ Jess hadn’t expected to be leaving the farm quite so soon.
‘I don’t waste time. Remember?’ Dante prompted.
Only an Acosta could make things work as fast as this. Jess’s spine prickled. What was she getting into?
‘You’ll find my jet comfortable, and the ponies will have the best care possible.’ Dante was continuing as if there was nothing unusual in making a decisio
n one minute, a plan the next, and executing that plan the following day. ‘A vet and her assistant will be on duty throughout, while my grooms will be in constant attendance. You’ll have very little to do, other than to keep a watchful eye on the animals and inform my grooms if they have any quirks or preferences.’
‘But I must be home for Christmas.’ Dry-mouthed and backtracking fast as the extent of her commitment to a man she hardly knew, who lived in a country she wasn’t used to, hit home, Jess added, ‘I won’t leave my father on his own.’
‘How old do you think I am, Jess?’ her father protested. ‘You have to stay in Spain until you’re sure those animals are happily settled. You know how much they mean to me.’